Trade Marks: Black Beetle - No Way Out

This was a blind buy for me last year. It caught my eye, I did a quick flip through and the sheer pulpiness of it had me pulling out my wallet. I have now read it twice and I put the book down feeling very satisfied both time. Of course, this stuff is right up my alley as the character is some sort of Batman/Sandman hybrid. I know that there have been a ton of book in recent years trying to tap into the vein of pulp, but many fail. This one gets it right, and full credit goes to creator Francesco Francavilla. He finds the right balance between atmosphere, plot and action. His artwork and storytelling is also sublime. I do not read too many new comics, but I will be picking up the next volume and devouring it. This is a strong recommend for those of you looking to see something recent and decent. Trade Mark: A

Trade Marks: I... Vampire!

Back in 2008, I wrote a 'Reprint This!' feature suggesting to the brain trust at DC that the I... Vampire story arc from House of Mystery would make for a fine TPB. A few years later, my prayers were answered and this handsome volume popped up in comic book shops. It's terrific to have all of these stories in one place, as it helps the reader get a better sense of the common thread linking the chapters. That said, some tales within the larger structure are stronger than others and they can come across as a bit repetitive when read altogether. I am a huge fan of Tom Sutton's artwork and it is very nicely reproduced here. I was very happy to see that they chose to included the story from The Brave and Bold #195. It may not fit perfectly with the other Andrew Bennett tales, but I am not going to complain about some nice Aparo artwork. I do wish that some additional materials were included, perhaps some sketches, rejected covers or even a Who's Who entry. Overall, it is a solid collection but falls short of upper tier material. Trade Mark: B+

Trade Marks: Bomb Run & Other Stories

Yes, these stories have been reprinted elsewhere. Yes, $30 is still $30 and may seem like a lot to pay for black and white reprints. Here's the thing, though. John Severin is one of the greatest comic book artists of all times. This book collects so many wonderful stories that I think $100 would be a bargain (of course, I'm saying all of this after buying it for $20). The team of Kurtzman, Severin and Elder is as strong a team as you'll find and they gelled together perfectly in the war genre. There are some powerful stories in this collection, but it is also sprinkled with humour and wonderful characterizations. I feel as though Severin's illustrations are well suited to a black and white reproduction. While I'd love to see Marie Severin's wonderful colours, I'll happily forgo the colour if it keeps the price tag reasonable. This is an essential collection and will look great on anyone's shelf. Next stop for me might be the Aces High collection for some George Evans aerial artwork. Trade Mark: A

Trade Marks: Bandette - Volume One: Presto!

I am generally reluctant to take on new superhero titles for two reasons. First, most of the 'new' heroes I encounter tend to be based on recycled concepts. The second problem is that many books are so darned serious. Don't get me wrong, I love the Dark Knight Returns as much as anyone, but it seems as though many creators are trying to pay homage to Frank Miller. Enter Bandette, a high spirited young cat burglar who lends a helping had to the local gendarmerie. This is no origin story, as we're plunked into the middle of Bandette's day to day adventures. Writer Paul Tobin does a nice job mixing action with humour but it is Colleen Coover's wonderfully retro artwork that won me over, especially the way she makes the streets of Paris an important character. While it may be a little light on dramatic tension, if you are looking for a fun and charming series, this may be the ticket. Extras include a fascinating look at Coover's process from sketch to finished page. Trade Mark: A-

Trade Marks: Doc Savage - The Silver Pyramid

While I would not consider myself to be a Doc Savage expert or super-fan, I have read enough of the Man of Bronze's exploits to be fairly well versed in the character and I am always keen to revisit his world. I also know that pulp flows through Denny O'Neil's veins, so I had pretty high expectations when I got my hands on this collection of stories from the late 80s. What I wasn't expecting, however, was a focus on a supporting cast that truly works better in small doses. I was also underwhelmed by the new characters introduced and the attempt to build an almost Phantom-esque feel to the Savage lineage. There were two key missed opportunities. The first was the underdeveloped Nazi villain, who never got beyond a cartoony sketch. The second was a chance for a terrific whodunit surrounding a traitor in Savage's midst. We get the answer in the end, but there was no dramatic tension. I'm generally not a huge fan of the Kubert boys' artwork, but it is very, very paternally inspired here so, at times, you feel as though you're reading an old Joe Kubert war book (those parachutes!). All in all, this one is a yard sale candidate. Trade Mark: C-

Trade Marks: The Goon - Chinatown

I have read a number of Goon stories and, while I have always enjoyed Eric Powell's work on the series, I can't say that I ever loved it. This has changed with Chinatown. With this tale, Powell has found the right balance of action, humour and emotional impact. Much of this has to do with the flashbacks presented here, as they fill in certain gaps in the Goon's past and help the reader to better engage with him as a character. The character design is also very strong here, as Powell pays homage to Eisner by filtering both the good guys and the villains through a fun house mirror of sorts. I'm not sure if this is a great introduction to the character, but it is not a bad place to start and fans of pulpy action will find a lot to like. Trade Mark: A-

Trade Marks: Superman For All Seasons

As a fan of just about everything touched by Messrs. Loeb and Sale, I went into this with very high expectations. Generally speaking, many of my favourite Superman stories are Smallville focused. That is the strongest stuff here as the Kents are wonderfully fleshed out and Lana Lang and Pete Ross both have fine moments. When the action moves to Metropolis, however, things begin to take a turn for the worse. Luthor's motivations for empire buildings and his hatred for Supes are insufficiently explained and this undermines the impact of the moments in which they interact. The story is both small and large scale, which might have been biting off more than the creators could chew. It is still a solid book, with a wonderful atmosphere created by the artwork but it is a step down from the team's strongest work.

Trade Mark: B-

Trade Marks: Wimbledon Green

I waited years and years to read this book. Upon its initial release, I recall it receiving nearly universal praise, even in Canadian newspapers that don't tend to pay much attention to the funnybook world. Seth's stuff is seen as hip, fun and intellectual. That said, it came with a pretty hefty price tag and I passed. I recently picked up a remaindered copy for $9.99 and was happy to finally dive into it. While I would not say that I was hugely disappointed, I can honestly say that I do not understand the hype. It's a fine collection of vignettes interwoven to tell the story of the greatest comic book collector in the world. There is a plenty of alluding to fanatical fans of Golden Age books and the lengths they will go to add to and defend their collections. The problem is that none of the characters are very well fleshed out and the story seems to go in circles most of the time. I understand that it is not a straight narrative, and is merely trying to shine a light of certain characters but it essentially trips over its own cleverness. It is also written about such a small segment of a very isolated and insular community that I fear it will only appeal to those very same people. I certainly didn't hate it, but I felt as though I was at an arm's length from the book and its characters. I just couldn't shake that sense of detachment. If someone lends you a copy, check it out but I truly think your money can be spent on other books. Trade Mark: C+

Trade Marks: The Original Clone Saga

This is one big book, coming in at nearly 500 pages. It also has a hefty price tag and I likely would have passed had I not found it for $20. I was not reading Spidey books during the whole Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider era, but I was intrigued to revisit some of these older stories to see how the origins of the whole saga. As a child, I had read many of the individual stories through a combination of Amazing Spider-Man and reprints in Marvel Tales. For some reason, the Jackal always freaked me out when I was young. He came across as wild and insane and reminded me a bit of Gollum from the Bashki animated movie. Some of my earliest comic book memories involve the Jackal. Getting back to this volume - the storyline goes on and on and includes just about every story with a tenuous link to the Clone story. Some are more engaging than others, and I began to lose interest as we moved into the 80s and early 90s and became more focused on Carrion and Hobgoblin. I'm a pretty big Sal Buscema apologist, but some of those later issues looked quite terrible. Let's blame the inkers, shall we? All in all, the artwork is beautifully reproduced and the stories are mostly enjoyable. Most importantly, it reminded me of a few things. First, nobody draws NYC streetscapes like Ross Andru. Spider-Man and Andru-drawn buildings go together like webbing and a flagpole. Secondly, the Tarantula was an awesome villain. There's a reason many of my favourite Spidey stories featured this sharp-toed foe. It is worth adding to your bookshelf if you can find it at a reduced price, but far from essential. Trade Mark: B-

Trade Marks: The Underwater Welder

I have been trying to get my head around writing a review of The Underwater Welder for a couple of weeks now. My reviews tend to be quite short, so how could one puny review present such a problem? Well, it has to do with sorting through the emotions I felt while reading Jeff Lemire's deceptively simple work. Why do I choose to use the word 'deceptively'? As always, Lemire's choice of a small cast of characters and everyday setting belies the complex themes at work here. The Underwater Welder touches on loss, grief, maturation and responsibility, all in this tale of a man-child still emotionally and spiritually tethered to the memory of his long deceased father. A small handful of words or a glint in a character's squiggly eyes is all that Lemire needs to break your heart or fill you with hope. Perhaps I'm the perfect customer for this stuff as I've lived in Nova Scotia and spent half my life on Toronto streetcars, but I truly think that there's a universal appeal to his work. There is a through line from the Essex County Trilogy all the way to this book, and it has to do with Lemire's profound understanding of humanity and the myriad of emotions that can make up a single day. This book is haunting on quite a few levels (I haven't even touched on the spirtual/supernatural aspects) and is a fine candidate for repeat visits down the road. Trade Mark: A+

Trade Marks: Enemy Ace - War Idyll

This is one that I have meant to read for quite some time. I have always loved Enemy Ace - as Kanigher and Kubert created one of the most interesting characters of the Silver. This slim volume introduces us to an elderly Hans Von Hammer, who sits down for a series of  interviews. This device allows the story to be told via flashback as the Hammer of Hell Reminisces on some notable episodes of the Great War. This is all filtered through and compared to his interviewer's experiences in Vietnam. I know that all of this was done with the intention of making a grand statement about the price of war through the 20th Century. Unfortunately, it actually comes across as another late 80s statement on the hopelessness of the Vietnam War, ultimately undermining the impact of the WW1 episodes in this tale. While it looks gorgeous, in the story end it trips on its own ambition. Trade Mark: B- 

Trade Marks: Omega the Uknown (2008)

I am getting to the stage in life where I am not really enjoying things that make me feel stupid. Not many funnybooks have that effect on me (Jimmy Corrigan comes to mind), but let's throw this one into that group. I have read two of Jonathan Lethem's novels (Fortress of Solitude and Motherless Brooklyn), neither of which lived up to the hype in my opinion. There's a lot of potential at the outset, but the stories cannot seem to escape the built-in weirdness. The same goes for this update of the Omega story. The original run was odd, but this cranks it up to 11. Thematically, there is a lot going on here, but much of it is lost due to awkward storytelling and cryptic dialogue. I wanted to like this book. In fact, I wanted to love it but the sheer 'weird for weird's sake' kept me at arm's length and left me feeling cold. Note that I read this over a 3 week period; a sure sign that it did not engage me. On the plus side, I enjoyed Farel Dalrymple's pencils as they reminded me of Guy Davis. Trade Mark: C-

Trade Marks: Asterios Polyp

It is incredible to see what creators like David Mazzucchelli are trying to do with the art form. This feels like something a Saul Bellow or Richard Ford would create if they knew how to draw (my apologies to those gents if they do, indeed, draw well). This is the story of a rudderless man, reflecting on his life, or lack thereof. The balance between struggle between intellectual superiority and happiness is front and centre. Our hero is morally ambiguous at best, but we identify with him enough that the pathos is palpable. I must admit that there is a depth here that I may have missed. If I had more background in architecture and/or Greek mythology I may have gotten more out of it. In any case, the layers make it ripe for a revisit. My main complaint is at there is a certain emotional flatness to the characters in the story, although it may all be tied to the downside of apathy. It is a beautifully designed book, but I was quite happy to find it for half price. Solid stuff - just short of a masterpiece. Trade Mark: A-

Trade Marks: Marvel - 1985

I picked this up knowing nothing about it, but have since learned that it was surrounded by a decent amount of hype. I do like Mark Millar's work, but I feel as though he can sometimes get tripped up by his own cleverness. We are deep in high concept, meta textual land here, as some sort of portal opens between the 'real' world and the Marvel Universe. The good news is that when it works, it is splendid. The brutality of the villains is on full display, and the sense of impending danger is really well portrayed. What does not work, however, are the characterizations of the 'real' people. The father and son protagonists are poorly fleshed out and the relationships are only dealt with at a superficial level. The artwork is strong at times, but the storytelling gets quite muddles in certain sequences. All in all, it is a gimmick book that falls far short of its intended target. Trade Mark: C

Trade Marks: Omega the Unknown - Classic

I was fortunate enough to find this collection in a 3 for $10 sale (yup, you read that right). I own more than half of the original series in floppies, but had somehow never gotten around to finishing a full run. The concept is quite intriguing and much of what Gerber, along with Mary Skrenes, was doing here was way ahead of its time. Unfortunately, it no longer seems all that fresh. In addition, the need to shoehorn it into the Marvel universe led to an awkward result. Jim Mooney's artwork is solid throughout. He is a terribly underrated storyteller. Gerber's treatment of youth violence may be a bit over the top, but he should be given credit for having the guts to kill off a child. The series had a lot of promise, and manage to rise above a lot of the mid-70s NYC dialogue, but the wrap up in The Defenders was far from satisfying, and gave me a bit of a headache. All in all, it is an enjoyable read, and is historically significant as it informs much of what would eventually become commonplace in funnybooks. This is an attractive trade, but only has the bare minimum in terms of extras. Trade Mark: B

Trade Marks: Man With No Name - Sinners & Saints

Full disclosure here folks; I picked up this book last week out of a bargain bin for $1.99 and that price point may cloud my judgment somewhat. I'm been quite delighted by the resurgence of the western genre but I must admit that some titles, such as Lone Ranger, have disappointed so my expectations were not high. Apparently, Dynamite is also trying to bring the Leone/Eastwood creation to the four color world. This story, involving some devious ex-soldiers and a monastery under siege, is nothing earth shattering but it is a nicely told tale with some decent surprises and strong characterizations. It is very reminiscent of 70s Jonah Hex. The dialogue in minimalist and sharp and the artwork is quite good, except for some storytelling issues in the action sequences. It is, however, quite a slim volume and a quick read, so I would have a hard time recommending it with a $20 price tag. Trade Mark: B-

Trade Marks: Uzumaki Vol. 1

Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while may have figured out that I really don't know the first thing about Japanese manga. My total exposure consists of a half-dozen books or so (and that includes some First Comics' Lone Wolf & Cub floppies), and I had never ready any horror manga. A friend recommended quite a few titles to me, and this is the first one I picked up. It's a crazy anthology, filled with stories about spirals. Spirals, you ask? I also thought it would be a lot of silliness, but these stories are really quite effective and creepy. It's a strange mixture of psychological and body horror. Some segments are superior to others but, overall, Junji Ito's compelling storytelling makes for a very enjoyable read. Trade Mark: B+

Trade Marks: Aztek - The Ultimate Man

When this series launched, I was finishing up my first year of law school in Halifax. I was buying a lot of titles at the time and following all of the latest hype thanks to Wizard (good riddance) and Overstreet's Fan (R.I.P). Aztek had a lot of buzz back then, and was mourned in the press when it was cancelled. For one reason or another, I had never read an Aztek story, save for the issue or two of JLA in which he appeared. After all this time, I had really high hopes for this book and borrowed it from the library. Perhaps it was the high expectations built up over 15 years, but I was terribly disappointed. It was a decent read, but far from the masterpiece it was portrayed to be. I think the Morrison/Millar combination is actually too many cooks in kitchen, as the script seems very inconsistent and bits and pieces of the story and Aztek's back story seem to be missing. Too many guest stars (heroes and villains) hurt the development of the main character. I'm not a fan of ill-defined powers, and after 10 issues I still had no idea what Aztek could and couldn't do. Penciller N. Steven Harris doesn't help much, as his storytelling is weak in action sequences, leading to a lot of confusion. There was some promise here, but I can understand why it didn't garner a wide audience. It's not kooky enough to be Morrison and not cool enough to be Millar. It's just a mish-mash of styles with some so-so artwork and irritating dialogue. I'm happy I read it, but I'm happy I don't own it. Trade Mark: C+

Trade Marks: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

My kids love the Wizard of Oz. As a result, I've grown to like it much more today than I ever did as a child. Plenty of people whose opinions I respect recommended this recent miniseries adapting Baum's initial book. When I saw the hardcover on sale for half-price, I couldn't pass it up as I figured that I'd read it and then pass it along to my kids. Well, I'm not ready to hand it over quite yet. Eric Shanower's script is a joyous, and yet suitably dark, interpretation of Baum's original vision. Skottie Young's artwork is equal parts creepy and cartoony, and his characters designs are unique and yet familiar. The story roles along at a nice pace, and the disturbing parts are restrained enough that an child could likely handled them. The overall package is very impressive with informative text and great sketches. I know that Shanower has done a ton of Oz related work and I look forward to tracking it down. Trade Mark: A

Trade Marks: The Outfit

Since I was 99% sure that I would really like this adaptation of Donald Westlake's (aka. Richard Stark) 1963 novel, I took my time with this one. I wanted to savour it, so I took breaks between chapters and came back to it a couple of days later. This really helped me to better appreciate the amount of love and passion Cooke puts into these books, as there is so much more to it than just the plot. Cooke himself adds some clearly delineated breaks within the story, making it easier to read it in chunks. It also helped me to better digest the changes in style and approach that Cooke infuses into the story, including some text and a cartoonish chapter. These might come across as quite jarring if you were to sit down to read it cover to cover. In all honesty I don't think that I was quite as enamored with this one as I was The Hunter, but I have a feeling that this book will be more rewarding as I revisit it down the road. Cooke is onto something really great here, as evidenced by the sadness when I read "Parker will return in 2012". That feels like forever! Trade Mark: B+