It's heartbreaking to watch a fantasy be destroyed by all the petty bullshit of real life.It's heartbreaking to watch a fantasy be destroyed by all the petty bullshit of real life....more
Welcome to the most overhyped Graphic novel of the year. Boring, pointless, and containing nothing interesting to say about The Joker either as an IcoWelcome to the most overhyped Graphic novel of the year. Boring, pointless, and containing nothing interesting to say about The Joker either as an Icon or a Character. Boring, both over and under plotted, and with art that crosses the line from simply ugly to fucking stupid (Gotta Love 2 Fast 2 Furious Riddler).
Those hyping it as the next Killing Joke are kidding themselves. ...more
As an writer I love I get into alot of arguments about Frank Miller, and his philosphies, and poltics, and whether or not he's an evil racist sexist cAs an writer I love I get into alot of arguments about Frank Miller, and his philosphies, and poltics, and whether or not he's an evil racist sexist caveman.
But I'm not going to do any of that today, because Born Again shows how pointless it really all is.
No matter what you think of Miller you can't deny he's a hell of a storyteller who knows how to tell a damn good story.
When people talk about Miller flooding the market with grim and gritties, they miss the point. Miller isn't dark for dark sake (Well... OK sometimes he is), it's just that he doesn't tell stories about Superheroes, he tells stories about heroic people. ...more
Finally found this out of print title the day AFTER the election. Figures. I thought the book might lose some of it's punch considering thatFantastic.
Finally found this out of print title the day AFTER the election. Figures. I thought the book might lose some of it's punch considering that you know, Obama is freaking president now.
But Since I don't want to spoil anything, I'll just say it's got some interesting thoughts in that regard to.
On the whole this is one of Miller's best stories with art by Dave "I Fucking Drew Watchmen Bitches" Gibbons. What more do you need. ...more
I'm not what you would call a huge Grant Morrison fan. It's said you either like Alan Moore or Morrison and anyone glancing over my review history canI'm not what you would call a huge Grant Morrison fan. It's said you either like Alan Moore or Morrison and anyone glancing over my review history can probably guess which I favor.
He's just a bit pants, isn't he? So thunderously self serious, so strenuously post modern, and even IF his stories do work in the moment it's very seldom that I read one without fifteen minutes later going "Well that was a bit silly wasn't it?" And don't even get me started on the whole super sanity thing, I still have no idea what he's going for with that. Shifting personalities is all fine and dandy but c'mon.
Still a blind squirrel does occasionally find a nut (See Also WE3). So even though this book suffers from self seriousness (you need hip waders to walk through the bullshit on some of the sequences) and silliness (I don't care if has shamanistic significance the finale is pretty damn hilarious).
Much of it has to do with Dave McKean's art which brilliant breaks down each character to it's bare essence, while creating a bizarre tableau which makes reading the book a bit more like looking a mural unfold for a hundred something pages rather then reading the average comic book. ...more
Say what you will about the man but there's no such thing as a half assed Frank Miller Book. He writes for one man anOh Frank Miller how I love thee.
Say what you will about the man but there's no such thing as a half assed Frank Miller Book. He writes for one man and that one man is Frank Miller. He swings for the fences every...God damn....time.
And this time he sends it straight out of the park. ...more
I'm mildly less enthused by this volume then volume 1.
Mainly because I can't overstate how powerfully I do not care about where Mayor Hundred's powerI'm mildly less enthused by this volume then volume 1.
Mainly because I can't overstate how powerfully I do not care about where Mayor Hundred's power's came from. For whatever reason that particular mystery is failing to engage me.
Still everything around it is predictably fantastic.
It's odd reading an author you're actively jealous at, rather then simply admire.
Instead of "Oh good this author I like has succeeded in telling anotIt's odd reading an author you're actively jealous at, rather then simply admire.
Instead of "Oh good this author I like has succeeded in telling another ripping yarn!" It's more like "Fuck he's done it again!!!"
Because let's face it as much as I may love Cormac McCarthy or Marylinne Robinson actually being them would be somewhat exhausting. I can't imagine either of them kicking back with a beer and watching an Edgar Wright movie. They're two busy turning the chaos of life into beautiful poetry, and writing about the soul of America in blood.
Vaughn on the other hand writes the wicked sharp genre fiction that I would literally give a kidney to be able to write.
He has a knack with coming up with ideas that are so simple that it's almost laughable no one has come up with them before and then building upon these perfect concepts in a way that lives up to them.
The Bastard.
Every time I pick up one of his books I'm convinced it'll be the one to drop the ball.
Of course in short order it reveals itself to be brilliant.
So I say now what I say then. "Fuck You Brian K. Vaughn and Burn In Hell."
Now excuse me while I go water my Jealousy like a dark Bonzai tree.
EDIT: I should also note that this is the most prescient commentary on The post 9/11 mindset that I've read in any work of fiction. ...more
Hey Theology and Comic Books! Two of my favorite things in one convient package. Right up my alley right?
Unfortunately not.
Oddly despite it's title Hey Theology and Comic Books! Two of my favorite things in one convient package. Right up my alley right?
Unfortunately not.
Oddly despite it's title most of the authors apparently thought they where writing for a book called "Something Not About Superheroes And Religion". Because while there are plenty of essays about how Superheroes relate to Nietzschism, Post Modern Thought, Psychology, Nazism, Feminism, and Lord knows how many other things. There is precious little about how superheroes relate to Theology.
It's just kind of head scratcher did they think the religious aspect would drive up sales? I mean seriously what the hell?
And even in the two or three chapters where the book does accidently talk about what's its supposed to it is in the words of Michael Palin "Dull Dull Dull So Awfully Terribly Dreadfully Dull."
You'd think that two rather violate types of culture would create some sparks being smashed against eachother. You would be very wrong.
The authors have a pathetic amount of trouble drawing interesting parellels between the two subjects. Even when The Subjects in question make it easy on them by being. I dunno GODS!?!?!
A bit less then it's predecessor, as the book is primarily about Marjane's tumultuous young adulthood, rather then her country. There for the book preA bit less then it's predecessor, as the book is primarily about Marjane's tumultuous young adulthood, rather then her country. There for the book pretty much consists of her acting simultaneously self righteous and stupid.
While it takes courage to portray oneself in such an honest way. It doesn't make for particularly satisfying reading. ...more
Do you like retro comic strips like Lil' Abner but wish they had more Lovecratian Demons, Mindless Zombie Hordes, Insane Ultra Violence, Hard-boiled MDo you like retro comic strips like Lil' Abner but wish they had more Lovecratian Demons, Mindless Zombie Hordes, Insane Ultra Violence, Hard-boiled Mob Heroes, and that very special blend of rotgut moonshine Southern Gothic?
Do you also find the fact that they appear that they weren't drawn by Robert E. Howard on loan to EC Comics during a Mescaline Induced Panic Attack to be a disappointing detriment at best?
Have you ever wanted to see an angry hillbilly beat the ever lovin tar out of Ebenezer Scrooge?
If you answered yes to any of these questions then please go to your local book shoppe post haste and buy The Goon. The Most Batshit Insane thing I've had the pleasure to come across since I started reading comics again.
EDIT: Honestly buy this book. It's worth it for the saga of The Atomic Rage alone. Told over three pages and three panels, it tells the story of "The Finest Superhero of the Atomic Age" A man with an atomic Brain and a panache for threatening to rape his antagonist's mouths, until he is waylaid by a foe he can't defeat... Testicular Cancer.
It's violent, tasteless and kind of awesome. In short just like The Goon.
"Only a pantywaist sissy would read any other comic magazine." indeed.
It's not every comic where a deformed Christmas Elf vomits up the children he's just cannablized before begging Santa to "Please don't stretch us on the rack and grind shards of Broken Glass into our Eyes" ...more
The line between silly and beautiful is alot thinner then we'd like to believe. The line between silly and beautiful is alot thinner then we'd like to believe. ...more
Take one pinch Salinger, a heaping helping of Wes Anderson. Apply liberal dashes The X-men, Clockwork Orange, The Twilight Zone, and Mike Mignola. AddTake one pinch Salinger, a heaping helping of Wes Anderson. Apply liberal dashes The X-men, Clockwork Orange, The Twilight Zone, and Mike Mignola. Add A semi insane ten year old with more killing power then Lee Marvin in his prime, the single most gratitous example of Living Violin Of Destruction on Chimp violence I have ever seen and The Zombie Corpse of Gustav Eiffel piloting his famous tower in an effort to destroy Paris.
And Viola.
I'm looking forward to more adventures at the academy. Loses one star though for doing away with the black suit and domino mask combo that the children first appear into it. Those things were snazzy. ...more
This is still almost unforgivably sloppy, especially in the second and third chapters. But man, I don't know, I guess its the changing times but a fabThis is still almost unforgivably sloppy, especially in the second and third chapters. But man, I don't know, I guess its the changing times but a fable about a young generation embracing superheroes as a tool and symbol against an authoritarian regime can't help but warm my heart a little these days....more
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