Saga, Vol. 8: Unafraid to mix space adventure with difficult topics Originally posted at Fantasy Literature It’s been six months since I read Vol 7 of SSaga, Vol. 8: Unafraid to mix space adventure with difficult topics Originally posted at Fantasy Literature It’s been six months since I read Vol 7 of SAGA, and after moving to London last summer we recently popped into Forbidden Planet in Soho, and that store is an absolute treasure trove of SF comics, books, and other fan goodies. There are so many enticing comics on offer there, you could spend your entire salary in one wild shopping spree. When I saw Vol 8 of SAGA with Wild West cover art among the new releases, I knew I had to have it.
SAGA is my favorite comic series, because it is always pushing the envelope in terms of content, themes, gorgeously assured and sometimes shocking artwork, and characters so charming, honest and flawed that you can’t help but cheer for them. If you like intelligent, snarky, sometimes profane space opera with a vast cast of star-crossed lovers, bounty-hunters, humanoid robots, tabloid reporters, terrifying monsters, and oddball creatures all caught up in a galactic war between the technology-based Wings and magic-wielding Horns of Wreath and Landfall, this series is guaranteed to captivate.
In Vol 8, Marko, Alana, Hazel, Prince Robot, and Petrichor find themselves on a remote Wild West planet. The traumatic events on planet Phang are still lingering, and they are in desperate need of an emergency medical procedure (any more details would be a spoiler). Once again writer Vaughan is unafraid to tackle a sensitive subject with the opening panel. And while I thought this time the story sometimes felt like it was purely a vehicle for political debate and hurt the story’s momentum, I applaud his willingness to put his characters in contentious moral situations. It’s a trademark of the entire series, love it or hate it.
While Petrichor encounters some Wild West outlaws, Alana, Marko, and Hazel hitch a ride on a train and meet up a very unexpected new character that quickly bonds with Hazel. In fact, Alana has discovered some surprising new powers that may be connected to this. Finally Alana and Marko reach their destination and the doctor they’ve been seeking. The dialogue sounds like something from a TV talk show debate, but then that’s what Vaughan wants to talk about, so that’s what we get. I thought this part of Vol 8 dragged, as the characters debate the merits of their actions. Likewise, Petrichor and Prince Robot are another odd partnership and have many arguments over gender, war, and politics. I liked the story of Hazel and her new friend Kurti better. There were a number of poignant moments as they innocently discuss the world of adults, and this section will appeal to parents, siblings, and those aspiring to become one. Again, this part is very well-written and didn’t feel as forced as their earlier parts.
In the next chapter, we once again see what The Will has been up to, and he’s not in a good place. Seems that one of the many individuals he’s casually killed during his illustrious freelance bounty hunter career had a loved one who has tracked him down to exact revenge. This person has decided to really torture him by going through his old memories. We get to see some scenes from The Will’s childhood and early days as a bounty hunter with The Stalk. Artist Fiona Staples treats us to the ultra-violent action that the series generally features. I’m sometimes unsure if Vaughan & Staples show gruesome violence for the vicarious thrills, or as a technique to highlight that killing is not clean and anonymous like storm-troopers in Star Wars. Considering that his old sins are now catching up with The Will, I would hazard a guess its’ the latter. Eventually, his tormentor unearths a very valuable secret from his memories, though it’s no secret to readers.
In the final chapter, we rejoin Upsher, the gay tabloid journalist, Ghus the little prairie-dog warrior with a sense of justice, and the innocent young son of Prince Robot, Squire. They have an adventure in the forest, seeking the fearsome Dread Naught, and Ghus and the young robot have some interesting discussions about what situations justify fighting and killing to protect yourself. Vol 8 ends on an upbeat note, quite the opposite of the dark final panels of Vol 7.
Now that the series has reached 48 episodes and eight volumes, it has settled down to a more thoughtful pace, and while I think it does lack the intensity of the first four volumes and over-indulges in overt political themes that didn’t really carry the story forward much, I think Vaughan feels that he’s earned the loyalty of readers enough to be able to explore such themes with less propulsive action and more discourse. Again, I really appreciate that SAGA is not about escapism, its about our messy world, war, injustice, intolerance, innocence and cruelty, and most importantly the decisions we must make each day to get to the next day. That’s what keeps the series relevant and fresh – it’s real and funny and heartbreaking, often in rapid succession. Give it a try if you haven’t yet.
Merged review:
Saga, Vol. 8: Unafraid to mix space adventure with difficult topics Originally posted at Fantasy Literature It’s been six months since I read Vol 7 of SAGA, and after moving to London last summer we recently popped into Forbidden Planet in Soho, and that store is an absolute treasure trove of SF comics, books, and other fan goodies. There are so many enticing comics on offer there, you could spend your entire salary in one wild shopping spree. When I saw Vol 8 of SAGA with Wild West cover art among the new releases, I knew I had to have it.
SAGA is my favorite comic series, because it is always pushing the envelope in terms of content, themes, gorgeously assured and sometimes shocking artwork, and characters so charming, honest and flawed that you can’t help but cheer for them. If you like intelligent, snarky, sometimes profane space opera with a vast cast of star-crossed lovers, bounty-hunters, humanoid robots, tabloid reporters, terrifying monsters, and oddball creatures all caught up in a galactic war between the technology-based Wings and magic-wielding Horns of Wreath and Landfall, this series is guaranteed to captivate.
In Vol 8, Marko, Alana, Hazel, Prince Robot, and Petrichor find themselves on a remote Wild West planet. The traumatic events on planet Phang are still lingering, and they are in desperate need of an emergency medical procedure (any more details would be a spoiler). Once again writer Vaughan is unafraid to tackle a sensitive subject with the opening panel. And while I thought this time the story sometimes felt like it was purely a vehicle for political debate and hurt the story’s momentum, I applaud his willingness to put his characters in contentious moral situations. It’s a trademark of the entire series, love it or hate it.
While Petrichor encounters some Wild West outlaws, Alana, Marko, and Hazel hitch a ride on a train and meet up a very unexpected new character that quickly bonds with Hazel. In fact, Alana has discovered some surprising new powers that may be connected to this. Finally Alana and Marko reach their destination and the doctor they’ve been seeking. The dialogue sounds like something from a TV talk show debate, but then that’s what Vaughan wants to talk about, so that’s what we get. I thought this part of Vol 8 dragged, as the characters debate the merits of their actions. Likewise, Petrichor and Prince Robot are another odd partnership and have many arguments over gender, war, and politics. I liked the story of Hazel and her new friend Kurti better. There were a number of poignant moments as they innocently discuss the world of adults, and this section will appeal to parents, siblings, and those aspiring to become one. Again, this part is very well-written and didn’t feel as forced as their earlier parts.
In the next chapter, we once again see what The Will has been up to, and he’s not in a good place. Seems that one of the many individuals he’s casually killed during his illustrious freelance bounty hunter career had a loved one who has tracked him down to exact revenge. This person has decided to really torture him by going through his old memories. We get to see some scenes from The Will’s childhood and early days as a bounty hunter with The Stalk. Artist Fiona Staples treats us to the ultra-violent action that the series generally features. I’m sometimes unsure if Vaughan & Staples show gruesome violence for the vicarious thrills, or as a technique to highlight that killing is not clean and anonymous like storm-troopers in Star Wars. Considering that his old sins are now catching up with The Will, I would hazard a guess its’ the latter. Eventually, his tormentor unearths a very valuable secret from his memories, though it’s no secret to readers.
In the final chapter, we rejoin Upsher, the gay tabloid journalist, Ghus the little prairie-dog warrior with a sense of justice, and the innocent young son of Prince Robot, Squire. They have an adventure in the forest, seeking the fearsome Dread Naught, and Ghus and the young robot have some interesting discussions about what situations justify fighting and killing to protect yourself. Vol 8 ends on an upbeat note, quite the opposite of the dark final panels of Vol 7.
Now that the series has reached 48 episodes and eight volumes, it has settled down to a more thoughtful pace, and while I think it does lack the intensity of the first four volumes and over-indulges in overt political themes that didn’t really carry the story forward much, I think Vaughan feels that he’s earned the loyalty of readers enough to be able to explore such themes with less propulsive action and more discourse. Again, I really appreciate that SAGA is not about escapism, its about our messy world, war, injustice, intolerance, innocence and cruelty, and most importantly the decisions we must make each day to get to the next day. That’s what keeps the series relevant and fresh – it’s real and funny and heartbreaking, often in rapid succession. Give it a try if you haven’t yet....more
A Classic Tale of Redemption That Inspired a Revival of Xmas Celebrations This is a full cast studio production of the classic tale that has become synA Classic Tale of Redemption That Inspired a Revival of Xmas Celebrations This is a full cast studio production of the classic tale that has become synonymous with Xmas celebrations and inspired a revival of Christmas celebrations in Victorian England. It's a short and simple story in structure, but because of that its appeal and relevance is universal. A wealthy miser named Ebenezer Scrooge lives only to squeeze money from his creditors and accumulate wealth for its own sake, being both friendless and ill-tempered, so very much alone in the world.
When the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future show him the errors of his ways, and that he is headed to a sad and unmourned death, he wakes up to his mistakes and rejoices in the chance to make amends and treat his family and employees with more kindness. It's become done to death in TV specials and dramas, but really, who can deny that the message is absolutely spot-on, in a modern capitalist society that rewards greed and material wealth over generosity of spirit and kindness to others. ...more
Bizarre Suburban Messiah Death Fantasy, with Loads of Symbolism Depending on how open you are to very ambiguous, uncomfortable, subtly ironic, and flatBizarre Suburban Messiah Death Fantasy, with Loads of Symbolism Depending on how open you are to very ambiguous, uncomfortable, subtly ironic, and flat-out bizarre stories, you will probably rate this very highly or give up after a few chapters. As a long-time Ballard fan, I know enough to expect all of the above, and take pleasure in the strangeness of it all. The story outline is easily described (check some book blurb), but the reading must be experienced to understand it. There is just no way to predict how any given reader will react - its a love/hate thing. Oh, and there is a load of sperm flying about, literally, metaphorically, metaphysically, so if you are faint of heart or easily offended, you've been warned! You will struggle to interpret what it all means, even after finishing it, but I guarantee you won't forget it. I might revisit again someday, it's short enough, and has plenty of psychological depths to plumb....more
A bubble-gum pop song story to ease the pain of the pandemic, told with Scalzi's trademark snark and humour This one was a lot of fun to listen to, witA bubble-gum pop song story to ease the pain of the pandemic, told with Scalzi's trademark snark and humour This one was a lot of fun to listen to, with the winning duo of Scalzi on the keyboard and Wil Wheaton on the mike, they are a match made in heaven to delivery clever entertainment and levity when it was most needed during the dumpster fire of 2020-21 with the pandemic, lockdowns, US election, and all manner of other miseries. The less you know about the plot the better, but rest assured you will be showered with sci-fi pop culture references at the usual clip, so great stuff if that's your cuppa.
The only downside is that Wil Wheaton's narration has gotten a bit too smug and nudge-nudge, wink-wink, isn't this material great-type of delivery. And while he nails that particular tone of American snark, his "foreign" accents are dreadful and he'd be better off not trying. Other than that, a quick and original and fun story, just what I needed....more
Great concept, but really dated and awkward sex comedy that is cringe-worthy If HG Wells' Time Machine and Austin Powers had an illegitimate child, thiGreat concept, but really dated and awkward sex comedy that is cringe-worthy If HG Wells' Time Machine and Austin Powers had an illegitimate child, this would be it. It was picked by David Pringle in his "Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels: in English Language Selection, 1946-1987", so I had some high expectations, but also know that his choices are deliberately extremely varied and for that reason can be very hit or miss for each reader.
This one had a brilliant fantasy concept in a contemporary (for 1962) adventure and tongue-in-cheek sex comedy about an extremely awkward nebbish protagonist pursued by multiple sex kittens in Austin Powers' over-the-top fashion. The dialog is so sexist and chauvinistic that even giving it a huge amount of leeway for being of its time and not intended to be taken seriously, I found it really grating and annoying, which essentially spoiled the book for me. I'm sure back in the day it might have been "a hoot", but I just wanted to give it "the boot" instead. ...more
**spoiler alert** Obsessively detailed, devoid of plot development, and lacking in dramatic tension - his shorter stories like The Colour Out of Time,**spoiler alert** Obsessively detailed, devoid of plot development, and lacking in dramatic tension - his shorter stories like The Colour Out of Time, The Call of Cthulhu, The Whisperer in Darkness are much better It's interesting that this story is probably Lovecraft's best known and often considered his best. Unlike the far more concise but equally creepy and imaginative stories, this story basically spends it's entire excessive length in obsessively repeating the same descriptions of eldritch Elder Ones and nameless horrors, using the same set of a dozen or so adjectives, especially the following:
And rather than create any dramatic tension with the question of whether the narrator and his companions survive their encounter with the ruins of an impossibly ancient and sinister alien civilization in the antarctic, Lovecraft frames the story as a diary so we know full well they survive, and despite repeating endlessly of how horrifying the events are, much more time is spent on a completely tension-destroying final section that describes every last detail of his Elder Ones and their evil Shoggoth creations in impossible detail, based on their perusal of hundreds of detailed wall carvings and sculptures. Any anthropologist or paleontologist would burst out laughing at the preposterousness of being able to deduce such details from such scant sources, it puts Sherlock Holmes to shame!
The only thing that makes the story memorable is the obsessive details of the sinister and harsh and forbidding conditions of the antarctic mountains and his details about the aliens, but creating an amazing set design (like HR Giger's paintings for Alien(s) still doesn't make it a terrifying and propulsive story until the directing skills of Ridley Scott and James Cameron and acting performance of Sigourney Weaver are added to the mix. That's why it's quite surprising that this story was the inspiration of John Carpenter's The Thing. If he had done a faithful rendition, it would have been the dullest film of all time, so well done to take such liberties....more
Strange, darkly sardonic, compact and tricky short stories Though I knew the name of Ambrose Bierce and the name of his most famous book The Devil's DiStrange, darkly sardonic, compact and tricky short stories Though I knew the name of Ambrose Bierce and the name of his most famous book The Devil's Dictionary, that was about it. Never read anything by him, just knew his name was associated with other early practitioners of creepy tales of the supernatural and the bizarre like Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, but what I didn't know what his very adventurous real life as a Civil War veteran and extremely sharp-tongued journalist and all-around critic of human affairs.
So these stories really took me by surprise - they are very terse, spare, bizzare, disorienting, sardonic, darkly humour, and often end with a sudden one-liner that demands the reader actually think back to the stories events to understand what has gone before. Because I was listening to them in audiobook while fighting jet lag in bed at 3am in Japan, I don't think I could really give them their fair due of reflection, which is not the fault of the author. He expects you to untangle the puzzle after reading the final line, so be prepared to do that if you want to get the full effect.
I think I'll have to revisit these in print someday, but I can certainly tell he was a skilled and very unique and unusual stylist, and that's no mean feat....more
The Most Eccentric, Baroque, Sinister, and Occult of Storytellers, on Par with Lovecraft The Big Three of Weird Tales in the 1930s were HP Lovecraft, RThe Most Eccentric, Baroque, Sinister, and Occult of Storytellers, on Par with Lovecraft The Big Three of Weird Tales in the 1930s were HP Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Clark Ashton Smith. Lovecraft is of course the most famous for his Cthulhu stories, Howard for his Conan stories, and Smith less well-known among readers for a lack of iconic stories or characters, but my goodness his prose puts Lovecraft to shame in terms of sheer baroque verbosity and lurking occult evil. Some may love it, others may find it purple and over the top, but I guarantee nobody will be left unaffected by the eccentric genius of a reclusive writer who read whole dictionaries front to back and taught himself several languages on his own, through an obsessive love of words and poetry (actually his first passion). Once I got used to his dark themes and doomed tales, I found them incredibly compelling. A one-of-a-kind writer who most undoubtedly influenced many generations of horror writers that came after....more
Absolutely Classic Tales of Occult Horror - Lovecraft Created His Own Cthulhu Mythos, A True Original Lovecraft's name is synonymous with creepy, occulAbsolutely Classic Tales of Occult Horror - Lovecraft Created His Own Cthulhu Mythos, A True Original Lovecraft's name is synonymous with creepy, occult tales of horror, one of several legendary writers who made the Weird Tales pulp magazines famous in the 1920s and 30s: H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert Bloch, etc. But I had ever actually read any of his work, and when I found a large collection of his stories available from the Audible Plus Catalogue (free for members), it seemed a perfect opportunity to finally give this legendary writer a chance.
The first story featuring Cthulhu is "The Call of Cthulhu" was published in Weird Tales in 1928, and it really does capture all the great aspects of Lovecraft's fertile and dark imagination, as well as his undeniable racism against the "darker, primitive " races. It's an inescapable part of his writing and personal beliefs that he firmly believed in the superiority of white Europeans over other races and cultures, so if this will prevent you from appreciating his other achievements, it's understandable but unfortunate. Basically that same attitude was widespread throughout Western societies in the Victorian age of England and early centuries of the colonial period (and long afterward as well). But to judge those authors from a current perspective is a bit unfair, as we have come so far since then. It's still quite overt at times, but it's just a part of his legacy.
These stories really blew me away with the relentless fertility of grotesque images and compelling stories, each a self-contained and skillfully written tale, though again the purple, over-the-top prose may not be to everyone's taste. It's like a very, very rich dessert of grotesqueries, quite impressive but a bit overwhelming at times. Still, his unique Cthulhu melting of a huge range of dark Elder Gods mythology is a truly unique experience, and I found myself really drawn into his world, and found these stories just as vivid now after almost a century, which cannot be said of many older authors.
Just for a little taste, feast on this:
"Shrieking, slithering, torrential shadows of red viscous madness chasing one another through endless, ensanguined corridors of purple fulgurous sky . . . formless phantasms and kaleidoscopic mutations of a ghoulish, remembered scene; forests of monstrous overnourished oaks with serpent roots twisting and sucking unnamable juices from an earth verminous with millions of cannibal devils; mound-like tentacles groping from underground nuclei of polypous perversion . . . insane lightning over malignant ivied walls and daemon arcades choked with fungous vegetation. . . . Heaven be thanked for the instinct which led me unconscious to places where men dwell; to the peaceful village that slept under the calm stars of clearing skies."
A harrowing tale of suffering, solitude, and madness of a stranded sailor in WWII This was listed on David Pringle's Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best NA harrowing tale of suffering, solitude, and madness of a stranded sailor in WWII This was listed on David Pringle's Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels: in English Language Selection, 1946-1987, and to be honest I don't think the author or most readers would have put it on that list. While it certainly takes place in the mind of stranded British sailor in the Atlantic, whose boat has been torpedoed by a German sub, it's intense exploration of his inner mental world is both fantastic and terrifying, but it's still a stretch to call it fantasy. It is very much a serious work of Literature, by an author famous for The Lord of the Flies, and the writing if of that very sophisticated, descriptive, and deadly serious British style of that period.
While it is undeniably well written and visceral, it is a punishing read, fitting of course for the existential crisis of Christopher Martin (Pincher to his mates), stranded and exposed a small lonely rock outcrop in the middle of the Atlantic, far from help and totally alone and trapped in his increasingly deteriorating mind. As an experimental POV narrative, it is very well executed, but hardly an uplifting experience. More a work to admire than enjoy....more
Charmingly Surreal and Mysterious, Short and Lyrical As everyone has said in their reviews, the less you know the better. A mysterious and magical settCharmingly Surreal and Mysterious, Short and Lyrical As everyone has said in their reviews, the less you know the better. A mysterious and magical setting reminiscent of Borges' The Library of Babel, an innocent protagonist with no memory of the past, and subtle more sinister hints and gradual reveals of the bigger picture. Truly lyrical writing, not overly florid but still filled with spare and beautiful imagery.
Ruminations on the pursuit of knowledge, snippets of philosophy, and a moving denouement as things are revealed, yet still retaining that sense of mystery and mystical indeterminacy. An excellent little book, but totally different in themes and style and story to her massive Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Finished it in two afternoon listening sessions....more
Wonderful story of immigrants in 1899 New York, who happen to be supernatural beings As usual I'm late to this party, and there are already so many welWonderful story of immigrants in 1899 New York, who happen to be supernatural beings As usual I'm late to this party, and there are already so many well-written and insightful reviews already by GR friends, so I'll just add my own thoughts. The storyline doesn't sound particularly plausible at first, but Helen Wecker's skill of storytelling brings to life with convincing historical details the social milieu of turn-of-the century NY teeming with hard-luck immigrants struggling for a better life in America, and an unexpected and understated romance between two extremely different supernatural beings from two ancient cultures, Judaism and the Bedouin tribes of Syria.
The story caught me by surprise because of the depth of characterization and details of everyday life for immigrants in the chaotic but vibrant environment. After having been completely annoyed by the tedium and aimless story of John Crowley's Little, Big, the tight and unpretentious story of these two unfolded with great pathos and interest. I found myself eager to know what happened next, even the most mundane things like the two finding jobs and learning to integrate in their respective ethnic enclaves without letting on their supernatural abilities.
The story does have a larger context that deals with the reasons why this golem was created in Prussia and by whom, and how a djinn from the Syrian deserts came to be enslaved in a vessel for a thousand years by a wizard obsessed with pursuing eternal life, and that kicks in during the final third of the book. It's well-paced and despite its depth of detail never felt dull to me, and the writing is beautiful. In fact, I'm a bit in awe that this is really the author's first book. Perhaps she has already had dozens of previous lives as a writer and is just hiding her supernatural abilities! Great book, one of my favourite reads of 2021....more
Completely incomprehensible - either a work of genius, madness, or an overly-fertile imagination I've had this in paperback since WAAAAY back in the miCompletely incomprehensible - either a work of genius, madness, or an overly-fertile imagination I've had this in paperback since WAAAAY back in the mid 1980s when I was a teen, and for some reason I was always on the cusp of reading it and never got it. It was also because the audiobook was available cheaply that I gave it a go. Would love to say it was an incredible work of genius, and that I deeply regret not reading it much earlier - but that would be a lie.
It starts out as a post-apocalyptic far-future Earth survival tale, but from 1/3rd in it dives off the deep end, plunges into talk of wild and wooly cosmological god-minds, alien extra-dimensional beings, ancestral human consciousness, enhanced mental state mutations caused by out of control radiation, and THEN it gets more weird. The words started to flow across my ears in an unintelligible flow that I never recovered from.
I remember thinking that Philip K. Dick's Exegesis was some pretty out-there crazy-ass shit, but this book takes that and dumps it in the kiddie pool. You want the deep end, this is it....more
Deliciously dark and enthralling take of a child psychopath Don't have time or energy for a proper review, but this was a very interesting and creepy sDeliciously dark and enthralling take of a child psychopath Don't have time or energy for a proper review, but this was a very interesting and creepy story of a child psychopath and his disturbed family on a remote Scottish island. He experiments and kills animals as part of his disturbed mental life, and his older brother is also a frightening and completely unhinged individual, escaped from a mental hospital and making threatening calls as he makes his way home. And to top it off, the father is very distant and eccentric, with strange and strict rules for the boys. Bad things happen to dogs and rabbits, and not much better for the humans, but really impressive first novel....more
A fantastic visual portrait of Gauguin, inspired by his artistic style This is a visually sumptuous graphic novel depicting the life of the infamous reA fantastic visual portrait of Gauguin, inspired by his artistic style This is a visually sumptuous graphic novel depicting the life of the infamous rebel painter and champion of the "primitive" in art and rejection of tawdry Western civilization. His symbolic escape to Tahiti and haunting paintings of Tahitian women and simple island life are a direct rejection of the materialistic and soul-less world of Western civilization.
It explores the spiritual struggles, megalomania, and single-minded pursuit of his art that Gauguin was eager to project to the larger world - his life was a form of protest against bourgeois thinking and formalist art, and his paintings were his tools to challenge the status quo.
If you are even slightly interested in him as a person, more dramatic than life, you will be entranced by this visually-brilliant dive into his complex mental and spiritual landscape....more
Deliciously dark and sinister with a steady beat of irony and anger at modern humanity If I had my old reviewing energy and time, I would do this one mDeliciously dark and sinister with a steady beat of irony and anger at modern humanity If I had my old reviewing energy and time, I would do this one more justice. Suffice to say that it's a very clever and cynical picture of a drug-snorting hack journalist and hyper-efficient and sadistic serial killer and how their lives are intertwined. The structure of the book is non-linear and told in parallel stories just like Use of Weapons, and done very well indeed. Set in Edinburgh in the Thatcher and Tony Blair years, it's done very well indeed. You will be entertained, horrified, and forced to think about morality and capitalism and sex/violence and revenge and most of all...complicity....more
Paper Girls Vol 4: Finally revealing the bigger picture This is the fourth volume of Brian K. Vaughan’s PAPER GIRLS, and we are finally given enough Paper Girls Vol 4: Finally revealing the bigger picture This is the fourth volume of Brian K. Vaughan’s PAPER GIRLS, and we are finally given enough glimpses of the larger plot to make sense of what’s happened until this point.
After being thrown into the distant past and battling cavemen and befriending fierce natives, the girls once again in their future (and our past), namely during Y2K before the millenium. There are all kinds of strange things happening, not least of which are giant robots duking it out like Transformers in the streets of quiet Stony Stream, but for some reason only one of the girls can see them.
We also get far more details on who the old-timers and young ones are, and why they are fighting a war across multiple timelines. What made little sense and was totally disorienting in the earlier volumes now becomes more clear in hindsight, and Vaughn is having fun peeling back the curtains a bit but also implying that the larger tapestry is vast and complex indeed, enough to justify a long and fascinating run. So that early teasing is finally starting to pay off.
We also get more encounters betweens the girls and their older selves, which is always a fun opportunity for introspective and surprise/dismay at how things turned out. There are also some interesting developments in the relationships among the girls, but the less said the better.
Finally, I found the action sequences involving the old-timers and young ones to be quite intense and dramatic. Vaughan has been careful to not reveal which sides are “good” or “bad”, as they both have their own agendas and rationales for fighting this multi-timeline conflict. The girls of course are caught in the middle and sometimes have to follow their gut instincts in who to believe and side with, which changes as the story progresses.
The artwork by Ted Chiang remains precise, clean and skillful, and the coloring by Matt Wilson and letter by Jared K. Fletcher are also distinctive and add to enjoyment of this story. It’s a pleasure to read and the full-page panels are always used as dramatic reveals.
I found this volume to be the most satisfying of the series so far, and feel like things are starting to pay off finally....more
Paper Girls, Vol. 3: Story Shifts to A New Direction Entirely Originally posted at Fantasy Literature
This is the third volume of Brian K. Vaughan’s PapPaper Girls, Vol. 3: Story Shifts to A New Direction Entirely Originally posted at Fantasy Literature
This is the third volume of Brian K. Vaughan’s Paper Girls, and if you thought you were starting to get a handle on where the story was headed, think again…
[SPOILER TERRITORY AHEAD – DON’T READ UNLESS YOU’VE READ VOLUMES ONE AND TWO]
The four paper girls are reunited in a completely new place somewhere far off in the future or past, and run into a savage young women who looks vaguely native American except for the technojunk strung around her neck. She is a fierce warrior, but despite her youth is carrying a baby on her back, and thanks to an interpreting device the girls brought with them, they can communicate. In all three volumes, characters from different time periods speak unintelligible languages, enhanced by the creative lettering, and the future oldsters use an evolved form of English as you would imagine would happen over the centuries.
Then a new character from the future named Doctor Quanta Braunstein shows up in a fancy suit and cool hairstyle, while Tiffany and Erin start to bond with the primitive girl Wari and her baby Jahpo. It turns out that three men are after Wari for her baby, and somehow they all claim fatherhood. They look a bit like Uruk-Hai covered with mud, and they too have some technological flotsam to go with their stone axes. Anachronisms abound is this volume, as the theme of crossed time streams comes to the fore. These three cave-men run into and capture Doctor Braunstein, while the girls try to come up with a plan to get back to 1988.
Meanwhile, KJ and Mac spend some time having typical tween chats…in the distant prehistoric past. But when they encounter a weird futuristic construct and KJ touches it…she sees some disturbing things. Once again, Vaughn is very good at using varying panel sizes to build anticipation and delivery of the big reveals, just like in Saga.
The four girls finally reunite in the forest, and inevitably they encounter the three cave-men and the future woman being held prisoner. Lots more happens, and we learn a little about what is happening in the grander scheme of things, but it’s just tidbits of story breadcrumbs that Vaughan is doling out to keep us going. The story is interesting enough that I don’t mind, but this could potentially be a very long and involved series indeed.
In the final chapter of volume three, Doctor Braunstein and the girls discuss the merits of meddling with the ancient past, but then the three cave-men show up and force the issue. The episode ends with some climactic events likely to have major repercussions, and the girls are thrown into yet another time period with another unexpected and dramatic final image…TO BE CONTINUED....more
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