The New Orleans jazz scene in the 1950s is the backdrop for A Silent Hell.
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This wasn't my favorite Blacksad story, but it was still good. BlacksaThe New Orleans jazz scene in the 1950s is the backdrop for A Silent Hell.
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This wasn't my favorite Blacksad story, but it was still good. Blacksad and Weekly end up looking into the mystery of a missing musician who is hooked on drugs. At the same time, they uncover a secret(s?) about their dying client, a failed musician turned major record producer.
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If you aren't reading Blacksad, you should be. Recommended....more
After his stint in New Orleans, Blacksad takes on an easy job in order to go home. All he has to do is drive a rich guy's car to Texas. But if everythinAfter his stint in New Orleans, Blacksad takes on an easy job in order to go home. All he has to do is drive a rich guy's car to Texas. But if everything went smoothly for him, we wouldn't have a story, would we?
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Amarillo is full of characters that don't fit into a neat character box. Are they good? Are they bad? Are they brave? Are they weak? Yes to all of it. The story is wild, and its characters are far more complex than what you normally see.
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In classic hardboiled noir style, no good deed goes unpunished and while trying to keep two writers from getting the well-deserved shit kicked out of them by a group of bikers, John ends up with his car being stolen by the very same assholes he was trying to save.
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Everything goes off the rails in a big way, and then to the literal circus, as John tries to track down the men and get the Texan's car back. Due to some random bad luck, the two FBI agents from a previous issue are also in hot pursuit, trying to pin a murder on him.
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This was quite the ride. Highly Recommended....more
Blacksad and Weekly once again get involved with dangerous people while trying to find out the truth behind the rich and powerful in New York City.
[imBlacksad and Weekly once again get involved with dangerous people while trying to find out the truth behind the rich and powerful in New York City.
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They All Fall Down is a pretty classic hardboiled dick story. It's filled with dirty politicians and teamsters who are all vying to leave their mark and hold onto the power they have, no matter who they have to hurt. There's nothing new here, it's just exceptionally well done. And as anyone who loves the genre will tell you, it's not as easy as it looks to keep these stories fresh and interesting.
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That cliffhanger ending! To be honest, I didn't fully understand it until I read one of the older stories a few days later. Even so, having to wait to find out (view spoiler)[Weekly's fate (hide spoiler)]is going to kill me!
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One of the best comics going right now. Especially if you like noir detective stories. Highly Recommended....more
It's the story of Batman's grandma and grandpa. Sam Bradly is an old man in a hospital room, presumably on his deathbed, who retells the part he playedIt's the story of Batman's grandma and grandpa. Sam Bradly is an old man in a hospital room, presumably on his deathbed, who retells the part he played in an ugly time in Gotham's history to the Dark Knight.
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Alright. So, there's some Batman(ish) stuff in here, but it's mostly just a hardboiled detective story. And I really liked it for that. "Slam" Bradley is an ex-cop who runs a detective agency in Gotham. One fine day, a fast-talking dame walks into his office and hires him to personally deliver a letter to Richard Wayne and his wife, Constance.
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Everything goes completely sideways as Sam discovers that he's been thrust into a kidnapping plot ala the Lindbergh's baby. It seems little Helena Wayne was snatched from her crib sometime earlier, and now he's the guy on the doorstep holding the ransom note. It's not a good look.
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As Slam unravels the mystery of the missing baby, he's also unraveling the seedy underbelly of police corruption and racism in Gotham. And here's where the story takes a lot of interesting twists and turns that go outside the usual Batman tale.
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The story itself was excellent. And because of that, I really wish it hadn't had to be connected to Batman in any way. The only part of this that didn't completely suck me in was Slam and Batman's interaction. There was honestly no point in Sam telling this tale to Bruce in a this is where you come from kind of way. It didn't have much to do with him or his mission, other than as a history lesson. But that's a mild complaint and it didn't affect my overall enjoyment.
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Apparently, Slam is a really obscure character from back in the day that King retconned. I had zero knowledge of this until I started reading some of my friends' reviews after I'd finished the comic. He's popped up now and again in different comics over the years but I didn't recognize him at all. Kinda neat. If you enjoy hardboiled detective comics, I think you'd dig this. Recommended....more
This was my first experience with Blacksad and I immediately wanted more. This was fantastic. The art was Excellent hard boiled detective noir.
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This was my first experience with Blacksad and I immediately wanted more. This was fantastic. The art was amazing, especially the facial expressions. They just knock your socks off. I didn't think anthropomorphic characters would be so human but this was so well done. I can't imagine the stories any other way now. <--all the praise this series gets? So well-deserved.
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Ok, so this has several stories in it. All of them are great. The racist polar bear story had some bite to it, though. I did. not. see the ending coming. (view spoiler)[He unknowingly married his daughter! THAT WAS HIS DAUGHTER! AHHHHH! (hide spoiler)]
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Ok, I didn't realize Blacksad was a black character until the polar bear issue. In retrospect...yeah, he's a black cat. But in all fairness, a black cat named Jonn Blacksad is a bit on the nose.
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I feel like I'm not doing this comic justice in this review, but I don't know what else to say. Highly Recommended....more
Reckless books are a nice palate cleanser. And if you like your crime stories hardboiled, I think you'd have a difficult time finding something better Reckless books are a nice palate cleanser. And if you like your crime stories hardboiled, I think you'd have a difficult time finding something better than Brubaker & Philips to scratch your itch.
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This story takes place at the same time as the last volume, The Ghost in You, which focused on what Anna did while Ethan was mysteriously out of town. And now we know what he was doing.
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A friend asks for Ethan's help finding his daughter-in-law, a young woman with past drug problems who disappeared after almost being killed in San Franscisco's 1989 earthquake. He assumes she's probably gone off on a bender, but it turns out that things aren't quite what they seem, and this case makes quite an impression on him. Which is all I can say without getting spoilery.
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If you're already a fan, I think you'll like it. According to Brubaker, this will be the last Reckless book for a while, but I think that's probably for the best. I'm not saying it's not good, but there are only so many ways you can tell the same tough guy with a heart sees bad stuff and gets street justice story. I'd love to see this team come back rejuvenated and with some new ideas. Recommended for anyone who enjoys crime comics....more
I thought this was great. The art and the coloring are simply fantastic and just fit the story so well. I'd honestly love to have this on my shelf. BeaI thought this was great. The art and the coloring are simply fantastic and just fit the story so well. I'd honestly love to have this on my shelf. Beautiful stuff.
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A tough guy who leans toward the criminal side of life, but still has enough integrity to make the reader root for him, smokes and drinks his way through a hard-boiled crime comic. Add in a smokin hot gangster's moll with a past, and you have the recipe for noir at its best.
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Come for the art and stay for the story. Highly Recommended....more
Ok. Well, I thought I would like it a bit more, but maybe coming off of Hammett's The Thin Man & The Maltese Falcon wasn't the best thing to do. I preOk. Well, I thought I would like it a bit more, but maybe coming off of Hammett's The Thin Man & The Maltese Falcon wasn't the best thing to do. I prefer Hammett's writing. <--so far Because I'm guessing that these books get better? It just seems as though this plot was overly complex for no good reason because, in the end, the story really didn't go anywhere. Ane when it was over, I kind of went...what? that's it?
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Again, it's not so much that I think The Big Sleep is bad, as I think I just enjoy the other guy's dialogue better. It's snappier or something. Having said that, I'm not going to give up on Raymond Chandler. But I do think I'm going to take a break from hard-boiled detective stories for a while and then come back and visit Philip Marlowe at a later date.
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I had the audiobook with Elliott Gould as the narrator and he was fantastic, in case you were thinking of giving this one a listen....more
Hardboiled dick Philip Marlow orders a few gimlets and uses chum as a derogatory term. When's the last time you casually lit a cigarette, tossed back aHardboiled dick Philip Marlow orders a few gimlets and uses chum as a derogatory term. When's the last time you casually lit a cigarette, tossed back a drink, then looked someone dead in the eye and said, Listen, chum...? After about the third time he did it, I felt an urge to bring it back into my everyday lexicon. I don't know about you, but I think it might go a long way toward upping my cool factor.
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Another thing that stuck out to me was the amount of money that Marlow turns down or gives back due to his odd sense of honor. I'm so poor it made my stomach hurt. Take it! Take the dirty money you grubby little detective!
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What's the skinny gist, you ask? Well, I'm not sure I even know where to start with that, Random Goodreader. But a lot happens in this pretty short book. {insert slow jazzy music here} This sordid tale begins when a cheating wife gets murdered. She's a floozy so no one cares, see? But she was a rich floozy, so her daddy is covering it up. No, you dirty bastard, not that kind of a daddy...her real daddy. {insert a haze of cigarette smoke into the room here} A loser friend of Marlow's sets off on a middle-of-the-night trip to Mexico, writes a confession, and then offs himself. Or did he have help? On the other side of town, a drunk author goes on a bender and his hot wife begs Marlow to find him. Marlow, did you just kiss his wife? Wait. Was the boozy author the real killer? Or was it -? Nothing is what it seems. Nothing.
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If that didn't make sense then I did my job right, pal. You can't trust a dame to tell the truth anyway. Recommended.
Pssst. Hey, chum. The narrator who read this to me was Elliott Gould....more
I love stories about the kind of people who think laws are just suggestions. And Ethan Reckless fits the bill. He's a priGoddamn. This was good.
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I love stories about the kind of people who think laws are just suggestions. And Ethan Reckless fits the bill. He's a private private eye, so to speak. A detective that takes a more...um, hands-on approach to solving your problem. And his bread and butter consists of picking up cases that aren't strictly legal. Let's say, for example, you robbed a bank and then your partner took off with the money. You can't go to the cops, so you go to Ethan.
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The story starts when a woman he hasn't seen in years shows up and asks him to take her case. I don't want to spoil anything but Ethan has quite an interesting past that gets revealed to the reader while he takes a trip down memory lane.
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This was all the things I didn't even know I was hoping for in a Brukbaker book. If you like hardboiled crime stories, you're gonna love this one. Highly Recommended....more
This might be the gold standard for hardboiled detective stories.
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I mean, Sam Spade. Everyone knows Sam Spade, right? I still prefer Nick and NoThis might be the gold standard for hardboiled detective stories.
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I mean, Sam Spade. Everyone knows Sam Spade, right? I still prefer Nick and Nora from The Thin Man, but as popular as those two are, I think Sam is probably considered the quintessential private dick.
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So, the gist is that hot shady chick comes slinking in one evening, begging Spade and his partner to help her locate her younger sister, who has taken up with a married man. LIES!
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You tell her, Spade...
Anyway. This lying client, originally known as Ruth Wonderly, who then claims to be someone else and eventually fesses up to being Brigid O'Shaughnessy, is incapable of telling the truth about anything. She's the worst. Just. the. worst. So of course, Sammy wants to bang her.
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Apparently, Sam is a ladies' man. I'm not sure how, though. He supposedly looks like Satan and treats all the women in his life like shit. <--maybe that was considered hot back in the day?
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At any rate, all the women are throwing themselves at him and all the men grudgingly respect him for his manly prowess. Spade is the total package. And he ain't playing the sap for no ditzy dame, gaddammit!
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Spade is a man with questions that need answers. Lots of questions. How hard is it to shake off a woman you're tired of sleeping with? Is it even wise to do that when you're under investigation for her husband's murder? How much do you owe a partner? Is your secretary really a good judge of character? What's that goofy looking kid doing spying on you? Who's the mousy guy waiting for you in your office with a deal? And finally, what's a Maltese Falcon, and who the hell is offing everyone in order to get to this weird bird?
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This was my 1st time reading Hammett's classic about Sam and his search for the Maltese Falcon, but I had already listened to Hollywood Theater of the Ear's theatrical production of the story. <--they do a fabulous job and I'd definitely suggest it for fans of the book. However, I'd also suggest that you read the book before listening to it. Because while it is an amazingly well-done adaptation, it is exactly that. An adaptation. The book is better. <--duh
Ned Beaumont. Not just Ned. Ned Beaumont. The biggest mystery in the book isn't who killed Taylor Henry, it's why Hammett felt the need to type out Ned'Ned Beaumont. Not just Ned. Ned Beaumont. The biggest mystery in the book isn't who killed Taylor Henry, it's why Hammett felt the need to type out Ned's full name every time he referred to him. <--but I gotta admit, it really added a bit of pizazz to the story.
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You really don't know much about him other than he's a boozy gambler that showed up a year or so before the murder happened, was at an unexplained low point in his life, and was taken in by and helps run the rackets of his now best friend, Paul Madvig. Who and what is Paul Madvig? Paul runs the city in some sort of mobish political way. Whether he was running for something or just helping the senator run for office, I really couldn't tell you. He was crooked, yes, but in an almost likable way. And it made it a bit easier to see why Ned didn't just hit the road and let him fend for himself. Even though most of his problems were brought about by his own stupidity all while willfully ignoring Ned's fantastic advice. Especially about his taste in women.
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Yeah. So Paul is 'in love' with Janet Henry (daughter to the senator he's trying to get elected) even though it's pretty obvious to anyone with eyes that Janet thinks he's something she should be scraping off the bottom of her shoe.
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Ok. Now get this: Paul's daughter and Janet's brother had a thing. And Paul did NOT approve. So, when Ned (Ned Beaumont) stumbles on Taylor's dead body, he sets out to keep his friend from becoming entangled in the fallout. It's a twisty-turny tale with sleazy politicians, corrupt cops, beautiful women, and lovable crooks. And friendship worth taking a punch for!
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I never thought I'd say this, but I'm kinda hooked on these old hardboiled detective stories now. Recommended....more
The first few issues I was thinking, oh. i am so sorry but i'm not going to be able to get into this one. the dialogue is terrible. like a parody of The first few issues I was thinking, oh. i am so sorry but i'm not going to be able to get into this one. the dialogue is terrible. like a parody of tough-guy speak. and wtf is up with all the high ratings because all i'm seeing are just a lot of goddamn nipples all over the place.
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And then,is that fucking nerd with glasses a cannibal? wait. whaaaat? Ooooooh. Ok. I get it. Yeah, this is cool.
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If you've read this before then you know this a sad, sick, rough story. And it lives in its own kind of awesome. It's a hardboiled noir with no happy ending and very little moral to the story, but if you dig that sort of thing, then you're going to love this one. If you have triggers of any sort, this is not for you.
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But the art is the star here. Really striking. What is he even doing in some of these panels to get them to look this cool? The black and white color palate and the way he uses the lines...!
Humans that look like animals in a hardboiled noir setting.
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The first story introduces us to Blacksad. When one of John's ex-girlfriends turns uHumans that look like animals in a hardboiled noir setting.
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The first story introduces us to Blacksad. When one of John's ex-girlfriends turns up dead, he makes it his mission to find out what happened to her. I liked the resolution, especially the way he and the chief of police became friends. Very Batman.
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The second story in this collection is the one I dubbed the racist polar bear story in my head the last time I read it. It also introduces the reporter, Weekly - his sometimes sidekick. Basically, a little girl goes missing and John agrees to try and find her, but what he stumbles onto has been brewing for a whole lot longer than just a simple kidnapping plan. It's very good, and I loved all the twists and turns I didn't see coming.
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The 3rd story in this collection was one I hadn't read before and I really loved it. It dealt with the Red Scare that swept America in the 40s & 50s. It was strange and twisty and you're not really sure how to feel about any of it by the end. Which, I think was the point. It also introduces a big love interest that you need to know about for future stories.
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I do wish these were labeled better.
The first 2 stories are included in Blacksad: The Collected Stories and I was afraid that I'd completely wasted one of my precious Hoopla borrows. Fortunately, the last story was new (to me). And since each one is a good length, I ultimately felt happy that I got to read it. And yes, I did re-read the 1st 2 issues. They're damn good comics.
I really wasn't expecting to love this one as much as I did. I just wanted to read it because it seems to be one of the gold standards for hardboiled dI really wasn't expecting to love this one as much as I did. I just wanted to read it because it seems to be one of the gold standards for hardboiled detective stories. But I didn't think I'd actually like the characters. They were so cool, though! And now all I want is to have a drink (or ten) with Nick & Nora Charles.
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There's really nothing like a couple of lovable drinkers reluctantly solving a dangerous mystery. The story could have been dark and depressing what with all the lies, beatings, bigamy, adultery, and murder. But it never felt like anything but a fun romp through the seedy underworld. The dialogue is really what makes it here. It's snappy, and quirky, and witty, and just plain fun.
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Plus, it's short! The length was perfect for someone with my attention span (<--that of a squirrel), so if you're one of those people who aren't quite sure you want to read something written in 1934, it might make you feel better to know it's only a couple hundred pages.
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Ok. So here's how much I loved this one: As soon as I was done, I immediately downloaded The Maltese Falcon and The Glass Key. And now I've got to find all the Nick & Nora movies...
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