Four books this week — two here and two after the jump. This hobby could bankrupt a honkey!:
Eternals #1 (of 6)
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Artist: John Romita Jr.
$3.99
Obviously, the bestselling Gaiman’s got great comics in him (Sandman, Books of Magic, etc), and his novels can be a good read. The guy can spin a yarn with the best of them. And yet, his first work for Marvel, 1602, was something of a chore to wade through.
Unfortunately, the first issue of Eternals, Gaiman’s new mini for the House of Ideas, doesn’t fare that much better. Despite some stunning work from JR Jr., the book never reaches the sense of wonder and awe Gaiman seems to be going for because of cookie-cutter plotting (amnesiac superpowered being doesn’t know he has powers…mysterious stranger tries to convince him…blah blah blah) and bland characterization.
Sure, this could go somewhere eventually, but right now we got tepid and predictable.
KFR Rating: C+
Casanova #1
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Gabriel Ba
$1.99
Sometimes I feel like Matt Fraction sells himself a bit short with his shopping lists of influences and references (see: the back of this issue). Come on, dude, going back to satisfying single issue comics by decluttering your brain of pop culture is a great idea. Give yourself some credit.
Anyway, Casanova Quinn is a renegade dimensional spy/thief/ne’er do well/adventurer/ladies man/morally questionable opportunist who, in this first issue: runs afoul of his pops, the head of the E.M.P.I.R.E. agency; briefly joins forces with a supervillain; and wages psychic battle with a three-headed alien, among other zany mod/con exploits.
This is inventive, unpredictable fun — the dimension-hopping nods to Bryan Talbot’s criminally underrated Luther Arkwright, the gleefully twisty narrative, the sense of goofiness. Also, the outstanding Ba could be the artistic find of the year.
KFR Rating: B+
The Comic Book Holocaust
By Johnny Ryan
$9.95
Here’s one for the grandparents.
Ryan’s M.O. = be as crass and rude and dirty and disgusting as humanly possible. And if you haven’t figured it out from the book’s title and cover already, with The Comic Book Holocaust he sets his parodic crosshairs on comic strips and comic books. No nerd is safe.
I would advise against reading too much of this at once, but taken in small doses, Ryan’s surreal, enthusiastically offensive book is a defecation and bodily fluid-riffic scream. The calculated, crude artwork, relentless blitzkrieg of defilement, and surprising consistency make for an odd kind of accomplishment. Just how far Ryan goes — and where — makes the book outrageous and sickening…and yet, oddly addictive…
KFR Rating: B+
Scary Book Vol. 1: Reflections
By Kazuo Umezu
$13.95
Two stories make up this first volume of Scary Book, an anthology from Dark Horse devoted to the influential godfather of horror manga: Kazuo Umezu.
In the 175-page doppleganger tale “The Mirror,” a narcissistic young girl’s reflection escapes from the mirror and takes over her identity. It’s a simple and nifty idea with some possiblities for quality subtext, but Umezu doesn’t dig very deep and an odd, superfluous subplot featuring two shrill little kids makes the story about 75 pages too long.
“Demon of Vengeance,” an awesomely ludicrous tale of bloody samurai revenge, is tighter, shorter, and its non-stop violence and Shakespearean-level angst is almost worth the price of admission.
Umezu is a superb artist who uses detail and atmosphere to great effect, but as with a lot of older manga, these stories, while readable, are somewhat dated. This book will be worthwhile mostly to J-horror fans interested in finding out where the distinctive style first started.
KFR Rating: B-
