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Back & Forth: Hail the Future Heroes of Yesteryear!

26 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by dmainhart in Back and Forth

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2001: A Space Odyssey, 48 Hours, Adventure Time, Archer & Armstrong, Betty Page, Bravest Warriors, Buddy Cops, Chris Samnee, Cliff Secord, Dark Horse Comics, Darwyn Cooke, Dave Stevens, Dirty Money, Emanuela Lupacchino, Eric Stephenson, Evan Shaner, Fab Four, Fantastic Four, Fonografiks, Fred the Clown, Fred Van Lente, Guillermo Ortego, IDW, Indiana Jones, J. Bone, Jack Kirby, Jeff Smith, Joey Comeau, Jonathan Hickman, Jordie Bellaire, kaboom!, Lethal Weapon, Lisa Moore, Mark Waid, Michael Caine, Mike Holmes, Nate Bellegarde, Nate Crosby, Nick & Nora, Nowhere Men, Robert Osborne, Roger Langridge, Rush Hour, Ryan Pequin, Snarked, Stan Lee, Stanley Kubrick, Starsky and Hutch, TCM, Terry Pratchett, The Beatles, The British Invasion, The Da Vinci Code, The Rocketeer, The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror, The Rocketeer: The Cargo of Doom, The Thin Man, The Thing, Uranus, Valiant, Wu-Tang Clan

Derek Mainhart: Friends, mutants and aliens, lend me your ears! Join us as we travel back to the future, to a time when heroes roamed the sky and science paved the way for a better tomorrow! A time of ancient robots and futuristic gladiators! Atomic monkeys and electric guitars! Beckoned by the spark of a holographic welder’s torch, we hurtle forward into history to meet our retro-destiny! Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of Our Future Past…

A 1930s pulp hero created in the 1980s and revived in the 2000s? Who better to exemplify nostalgia for an innocent era that never was than The Rocketeer? Like his contemporary Depression-era adventurer, Indiana Jones, Dave Stevens’ legendary creation peddled in, and paid homage to, the wanton exuberance of classic B-movie serials. Stevens’ buoyant, uncynical cliffhangers (hell, the lead character’s name is Cliff) combined with his lush illustration (its classic draftsmenship itself like a relic from a bygone era) to inspire a devoted cult following. And let’s not forget his masterstroke; making pin-up queen, Betty Page, Cliff’s girlfriend. Stevens’ work was so accomplished, it seemed superfluous for anyone else to try their hand at the character, even after his untimely death in 2008.

Some characters however, are simply too good to fade away. Happily IDW has relaunched The Rocketeer, giving the hero his due: first in an anthology series featuring top-flight creators, then in a four-issue mini by creative team par excellence, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee. Now we have Roger Langridge and J Bone on The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror. Folks, this may be the best new Rocketeer yarn yet. The previous stories tried (and succeeded to various degrees) to recapture the inherent nostalgia of the character via an innocent, never-say-die tone indicative of 1930s and ’40s Americana, perhaps casting it against a major historical backdrop like, say, WWII. Well Langridge goes five steps further and fully immerses him in the era. This should perhaps come as no surprise from a writer whose past work has encompassed everything from the slapstick of early cinema (Fred the Clown, hysterical) to Carrollian nonsense (Snarked!, inspired) to his current work, the vaudevillian, high-seas adventures of Popeye (a gift to anyone with an appreciation for the history of the medium). For The Rocketeer, he’s not satisfied to present his tale in a typical one-size-fits-all B-movie slang; rather he seems conversant in a variety of era-specific patois and idiom. Further, he entangles our hero with fictional characters specific to that time: first, the minions of Doc Savage (that greatest of pulp heroes), and then, seemingly apropos of nothing, Nick and Nora (and Asta!) from the venerated Thin Man film series. Between this and the multitude of references to old movies and forgotten actors (the narrator himself seems to be one), this book is a dream for lovers of pulp and classic Hollywood. It would be right at home being introduced by Robert Osborne on TCM. And let’s not forget J Bone’s pitch-perfect art. His bold, cartoony rendering immediately cues dirigibles, De Soto’s and dames. His work stands well with Darwyn Cooke and Jeff Smith (one wishes he was handling the covers as well; nothing against the legendary Walt Simonson, but his style, all harsh angles and frenetic line, is simply a poor fit – my one quibble). All in all Langridge and Bone are crafting a Rocketeer comic that is not only worthy of its legacy, but builds on it. Somewhere, I daresay, Dave Stevens is smiling.

Scott Carney: Geez, yeah, all that and–  OK, who am I kidding?  I’m not as tuned  into the history of The Rocketeer as you are.  (Is anyone?)  In fact, my first experience with the character was The Cargo of Doom.

DM: Oh, trust me; there are people who know way more about The Rocketeer than I do. What about the movie? Ring a bell?

SC: There was a movie?

DM: I can’t even.

SC: No, really, I liked what Waid and Samnee did in their mini.  If I’m being honest, I bought the series for them; and for the most part, I wasn’t disappointed; but I wasn’t all of a sudden a Rocketeer fan.  As far as I was concerned, it was an act of loyalty–to the creators; and if they were to take on the character again, I’d be there.  Wasn’t planning on ever following the further adventures of Cliff Secord.  In fact, I passed on this one–initially, anyway.  You recommended it–emphatically, if I’m remembering correctly–so I picked it up.  Dude, you were so right.  What a good time!  Through two, I’m thinking, like you, that Hollywood Horror is at a whole other level, thanks to Langridge’s vision and Bone’s fleshing it all out.

DM: Next up in our Canyon of Heroes is Archer and Armstrong #8 (Valiant). Their centuries-spanning pseudo-epic is rich in taste but refreshingly light in calories. Part buddy-story, part sibling-rivalry, part worldwide-conspiracy, this frothy fable features improbable adventure and high satire. It’s like The Da Vicni Code as written by Terry Pratchett. Writer Fred Van Lente (with solid art by Emanuela Lupacchino and Guillermo Ortego) garnishes the high-octane action with Big Ideas and comedic flourish, never failing to entertain. His one misstep here though; in an attempt to counter the usual lighthearted tone with some emotional heft, he has the villain speak of his role in an event that is very like a recent national tragedy. My immediate reaction, for what it’s worth, was a discomfiting “too soon.”  Again, this is a quibble, lasting as it does for all of one panel. Month in, month out, we write about the pleasures delivered by Van Lente & Co.’s work on this book. So pick the damn thing up, if you haven’t already.

Scott Carney: I know you’re glad I picked up Buddy Cops (Dark Horse) for you after your initial pass.

Buddy Cops #1

Buddy Cops #1

DM: Yeah it was all right I guess…

SC: “All right”?  That’s quite an understatement, my friend!  Sure, Buddy Cops–an hilarious one-shot from a publisher that has been making its name seem more and more ironic with each passing week–seemed to come out of nowhere.  In fact, it was an “Oh, and by the way” recommendation from one of my shop guys.  (That’s right: I have more than one.)  There was room enough in my bag and a few bucks still smoldering in my pocket, so I went for it; and I was not disappointed.  As promised, Nate Crosby and Evan Shaner deliver “da muthaf***in’ ruckus” in this crack-a-panel homage-slash-send up of the buddy cop genre.  The ready-to-rumble, Wu-Tang spoutin’ Uranus and the electrode-in-the-mud T.A.Z.E.R. are on the case–three of ’em, in fact–and take on outrageous creatures (including, a ninety-foot-tall orangutan in a monk’s robe, who professes precariously, “da lord iss my sligshot,” while sitting atop a church) and social issues (Gay marriage!  Arbortion!) in one giant “monsterswat!”  They are Riggs and Murtaugh from Lethal Weapon; they are Carter and Lee from Rush Hour; they are Hammond and Cates from 48 Hours; they are Starsky and Hutch from, well, Starsky & Hutch–the T.V. show, dammit!  But despite their being so obviously and so proudly derivative, they’re the freshest pair to hit the funny pages in recent memory.  I laughed out loud and profess my love for this book even louder!  And, borrowing from George Costanza, I say this with an unblemished record of staunch heterosexuality: I hope this isn’t the last I’ll get to see of Uranus.

DM: Ok, ok, it was funny. Yeesh!  Even so, it wasn’t even the funniest book this week, at least for my money.

SC: Keep your dirty money!

DM: Would that I could. But the biggest barrel o’ laffs this week was Bravest Warriors #6 (kaboom!). This time out, our future science heroes are knee-deep in bazookas, beauty pageants and brain transplants; and that doesn’t even scratch the surface. Joey Comeau’s story takes beloved sci-fi tropes and makes mincemeat out of them. And having his hysterically depraved scenarios drawn by Mike Holmes in the faux-naive, child-friendly style of Adventure Time (saturated in pretty, pretty colors by Lisa Moore)  just makes the whole thing seem so, so wrong. (Ditto Ryan Pequin’s giggle-inducing back-up story). The absurdity in this book is so ridiculous, it’s almost profound.

Of course the book that did more than any to bring science adventurers to the modern era was Jack Kirby and Stan Lee’s Fantastic Four. Emphasis on mod. After fifty-plus years of history, it’s easy to forget that these staples of the spinner rack were once downright cutting edge. As Pop Art was breaking the boundaries between ‘fine’ and ‘low’ art, Kirby was exploding the restrictive design of the comics page. In the midst of the Space Race, the costumed quartet were frequent fliers. And at the height of the British Invasion, Lee and Kirby gave comics its own Fab Four. Those early issues still crackle with energy and freshness. As the years wore on however, FF inevitably transitioned from zeitgeist to nostalgia, revolutionary to venerable.

Now Eric Stephenson and Nate Bellegarde have dusted off the elements that made FF great and reconfigured them (along with a whole bunch of other stuff) to create Nowhere Men (Image), a decidedly 21st century comic. The story (with the tagline ‘Science is the New Rock-N-Roll’) concerns four celebrity scientists (bearing more than a passing resemblance to The Beatles) who banded together in the ’60s, forming a mega-conglomerate called World Corp dedicated to the betterment of mankind. In the present however, they’ve long since gone their separate ways, due to ego clashes, differing visions, (sound familiar?) as well as mysterious circumstances that haven’t been fully revealed yet. One or all of them are also somehow involved in the fate of a space crew whose mission has somehow gone seriously awry.

Here the comparison to FF is particularly instructive: where Kirby and Lee, reflective of their age, presented a utopian faith in scientific progress, Stephenson and Bellegarde present a view that is, not cynical exactly, but knowing, tempered by an awareness of human weakness and fallibility. The innocence of scientific discovery for its own sake has been replaced by the reality of serving corporate profit. Technological advancement is understood as at least as destructive as it is creative. For example, in FF the group is testing an experimental rocket when they are struck by ‘cosmic rays’ endowing them with superpowers, which they promptly use to protect humanity (with the monstrous Thing serving as tragic, though still noble, counterpoint). In Nowhere Men, we have a group of scientists quarantined in a space station due to a ‘sickness’ they’ve contracted under mysterious circumstances. The effects of the sickness affect each individual randomly, even capriciously, as some are granted ‘abilities’ (as opposed to ‘superpowers’) while others undergo grotesque transformations that make the Thing look like Michael Caine in comparison. And some are in between (one of the more appealing characters seems to combine the brute strength and appearance of the Thing with the intellectual remove of Mr. Fantastic). Where one offered limitless promise, the other deals in disillusionment; even the title seems to suggest it.

This is far from a hopeless affair however. For one, the sheer inventiveness of the storytelling will not allow it. In addition to alternating between the past and present, Stephenson’s elliptical narrative is fragmented amongst various viewpoints. Only now, in this fourth issue, are its non-linear elements beginning to coalesce (I didn’t even feel comfortable reviewing the thing ’til now). But that’s not all. The very presentation of information is unorthodox. In the current issue for example, Stephenson thinks nothing of inserting three pages of prose – an excerpted ‘chapter’ from a tell-all history of World Corp – right in the middle of the action. This not only serves as a clever transition, but adds visual depth to the story, as the chapter is presented in a specific graphic style that convincingly suggests the late ’70s / early ’80s. Where FF‘s brash, boundary-breaking style was in keeping with the modern sensibilities of its era, Nowhere Men‘s approach is distinctly postmodern, befitting our own fractured time.

Which brings us to perhaps the most notable aspect of the book: its design. FF had the kinetic genius of Kirby’s art. Nowhere Men instead employs the principles of sophisticated modern graphic presentation. The clean, cold concision of Bellegarde’s art is impressive enough. But it is packaged, along with the aforementioned textual pieces, faux ads and information graphics, in a carefully considered manner that takes into account the comic book as an object. The refined aesthetic has been compared, aptly, to Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odessey.  Fonografiks, the company responsible for the look of the book, is really to be commended; I only wish the name of the specific designer was credited. The inside covers, the selection of fonts, the credits; all act in concert to create a visually immersive experience that reinforces the incidents of the story. When was the last time the design of a comic played such a concerted, integral role in the narrative?

FF has had any number of interesting runs over the years (Jonathan Hickman just finished up a pretty good one at that). But the true successor to Kirby and Lee’s vision, innovation and cultural relevance is Nowhere Men.  Book of the Week.

 Turning pages,

Derek & Scott

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Top 5 Comics – Jan 2013

06 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by dmainhart in 5 Comics You Should Be Reading

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Abstract Studio, Alfred Hitchcock, Bravest Warriors, Dan Slott, Dark Horse, Ed Brubaker, Fatale, Fury: My War Gone By, Garth Ennis, Goran Parlov, H.P. Lovecraft, Image, Joey Comeau, kaboom!, Marvel Max, Marvel NOW!, Matt Kindt, Mike Holmes, Mind MGMT, Rachel Rising, Ryan Pequin, Ryan Stegman, Sean Phillips, Superior Spider-Man, Terry Moore

Preeeesenting the Top Five Comics of the new year! Top Five according to what criteria you may ask? Sales? Nope. Democratic process? Hell no! Blindfolded monkey? Interesting! Maybe in the future.  But for now these are simply the books that tickled our fancy the most in the past 31 days. And while our reading list is impressive, it is by no means exhaustive. in other words, these are the Purely Subjective Favorites of the Books We Happened to Read. But Top 5 sounds better!

In reverse order, ’cause countdowns are fun:

5. Bravest Warriors #4 (kaboom!) – Our heroes get humiliated, decapitated and degraded, as their lifeless skulls are used to put on a puppet show. And that’s just the first five pages! Joey Comeau and Mike Holmes continue to dole out the delightful depravity. And the back up feature by Ryan Pequin: oh, what have you done to our most beloved Founding Father? I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again: despite its trappings, this comic ain’t for kids. But it is most certainly for me. (DM)

4. Fury My War Gone By #8 (Marvel) – Garth Ennis has struck gold with this series–our No. 9 book of 2012; and with #8, he digs even deeper and strikes, well, golder with a violent chorus of well-tuned voices and a series of choices that burns hotter than napalm. (SC)

3. Rachel Rising #13 (Abstract Studio) – Terry Moore’s charnel epic heats up as revenge most heinous is set in motion, even as the narrative takes a time-out for a fairy tale. Suspense, dark humor and semi-dead vixens in beautiful black and white. This comic is so cool it burns. (DM)

2. Mind MGMT #7 (Dark Horse) – Who’s doing more between the covers than Matt Kindt?  He’s a one-man creation crew with clear vision and the enviable ability to convey it–and all its wondrous complexity–with scintillating precision.  And he knows he’s good, too: at the end of this issue, through Henry Lyme, who makes a promise to Meru, Kindt makes a solemn promise to his readers, me and you: “You’re going to get a hell of a good story.”  I’d expect nothing less!  That’s right, folks: our #3 book of 2012 is already staking its claim for the top spot of 2013. (SC)

1. Fatale #11 (Image) – No surprise that our No. 5 book of 2012 leapfrogs to the top spot this month. Ed Brubaker has been putting on a clinic of genre writing with this series, from 50’s noir to 70’s sleaze, and all with an undercurrent of Lovecraftian dread. This issue gives a nod to the pulp origins of our favorite medium, presenting a tale-within-a-tale involving occult shenanigans in the Old West. And what the hell? Frame it in Hitchcockian suspense for good measure. Sean Phillips has proven adept at keeping the tone deadly steady with his art, no matter what Brubaker throws at him. This one’s firing on all cylinders folks. Time to hop on board. (DM)

The Biggest Dis(appointment): Superior Spider-Man #2 (Marvel) – Give up the ghost, already.

So that’s our list folks! What’s yours?

Scott & Derek

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Back and Forth: Vs.

10 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by dmainhart in Back and Forth, Microviews

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Adventure Time, Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake, Albus Dumbledore, AvX, Bravest Warriors, Brian Michael Bendis, Cartoon Hangover, Colder, Courtney Crumrin, Dark Horse, Dark Shadows, Dave Stewart, Drago, Dynamite Entertainment, Ed Brubaker, Edgar Winter, Fatale, Francesco Francavilla, Fury: My War Gone By, Garth Ennis, Goran Parlov, Guiu Vilanova, IDW, Image, Joey Comeau, Jonathan Frid, Juan Ferreyra, Justin Ponsor, kaboom!, Mars Attacks Popeye, Martin Powell, Marvel, Marvel Max, Mike Holmes, Mike Raight, Natasha Allegri, Oni Press, Paul Tobin, Ray Dillon, Rocky, Sara Pichelli, Sean Phillips, Superman Vs. Muhammad Ali, Ted Naifeh, Terry Beatty, Ultimate Spider-Man, Warren Wucinich

Who doesn’t love a good fight? David Vs. Goliath! Rocky Vs. Drago! Lindsay Lohan Vs. Dignity! Comic books are replete with these classic donnybrooks, from the sublime (Superman Vs. Muhammad Ali) to the atrocious (Avengers Vs. X-Men). In that spirit, we present this weeks selections in a manner befitting the tenor of our times: steel-cage death-match! (Because, as we all know, art IS a competition!)

The Helter-Skelter Weight Bout: Dark Shadows #11 Vs. Fatale #11

Dark Shadows #11 (Dynamite): A relative unknown and the clear underdog in this match, going up against our #5 pick for the Top Books of 2012. But don’t underestimate this book – it’s got plenty of (ahem) bite! Both books involve occult forces, demonic possession and children in grave peril. But only this one has a werewolf in a cheap suit! Writer Mike Raight packs in plot twists aplenty, befitting the series’ soap operatic origins. But he wisely keeps the camp to a minimum, instead delivering genuine chills and moments of pathos. Guiu Vilanova’s art is properly moody and atmospheric. And how could you resist Francesco Francavilla’s classic cover, rendered in a style I like to call 1970s Gothic (and dedicated to Jonathan Frid, no less)? To all of this add not one, but TWO cliffhangers, and you’ve got one helluva horror book. (DM)

Fatale #11 (Image): I’ll tell you: I couldn’t be more thrilled by the fact that Ed Brubaker “started having ideas for more stories within this world” of Fatale because he hooked me hard–or maybe it was Josephine after all–and a limited series would’ve left me standing on the tracks like poor Officer Nelson.  Poor Officer Nelson, indeed: I love how he’s left stepping toward the tracks as the narrative shifts to Jo’s meeting with “the writer,” Alfred Ravenscoft.  His satanic tale of of innocence obliterated leaves Jo with more questions than answers, which leads her to push Alfred toward an audience with his mysterious, and ultimately monstrous, mother–and the book’s audience toward another Alfred and his mother: Hitchcock’s murderous matriarch from the classic thriller Psycho.  Jo gets her meeting, but it doesn’t go as she had planned.  Her escape lays the track for a terrific transition: as she speeds past a railroad crossing in search of an end to the madness, we come to find Officer Nelson, who’s looking to catch the next train in order to find an end of his own.  Unfortunately for him, he’s “saved” by a few fellas who are in hot pursuit of Jo–including a couple bespectacled brutes with whom we’re far too familiar.  At the end of the story, we’re left hanging with Alfred–only we’re still able to beg for more.  All told, Fatale #11 is a  perfectly constructed one-shot; in fact, it’s more than just a one-shot: it’s a damned deadly derringer.  And with it, looks like the aforementioned Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and Dave Stewart are aiming to have their ticket to next year’s top ten punched plenty early.  As one of the conductors of this little blog, I’m almost inclined to do it!  Or maybe–just maybe–it’s Josephine, after all… (SC)

This one’s closer than you might think, but the winner (and Book of the Week): Fatale

The Featherweight  Bout: Courtney Crumrin #8 Vs. Ultimate Spider-Man #19

Courtney Crumrin #8 (Oni): A couple of youngsters from our Junior Division, but what these two lack in experience, they make up for in chutzpah! Both series center around their teenage protagonists coming of age. Both feature fathers (or in this case father figures) who are not what their children thought they were. And both balance personal drama against a backdrop of conspiracy. Here, Courtney is on the run from her beloved Uncle Aloysius who just happens to be the most powerful wizard in her supernatural world. Creator Ted Naifeh nicely portrays Courtney’s world turned on its head as this once cocksure waif realizes how much she’d depended on her uncle and how his seeming betrayal has left her utterly lost. Her confusion and alienation mesh well with the larger story of adult compromise and corruption. Courtney’s world is getting more complicated and dangerous. Like the subtle color palette (employed by Warren Wucinich over Naifeh’s darkly expressive art) there are a lot of shades of grey. Naifeh’s compelling story depicts Courtney experiencing that common tragedy we all go through: becoming an adult. (DM)

Ultimate Spider-Man #19 (Marvel): OK.  You know how when your wife invites your mother-in-law over for a a couple of days and you’re not super thrilled about it, and you put up with it because, technically, you love your wife enough to deal with the–supposedly–short stay?  Yeah, that’s pretty much it–only it’s Venom who’s invading USM for Bendis knows how long.  Sure, Miles and Ganke are always good together, like Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer; and the intrigue surrounding Miles’ dad is, well, intriguing.  I even enjoyed J. Jonah Jameson’s defense of our post-Parker Spidey.  But the insinuation of Venom just doesn’t do it for me.  Sara Pichelli and Justin Ponsor’s splash on page 11, a startling disappointment considering their combined talents, pretty well sums the issue up for me: lackluster.  No, it’s not awful, like most of the United We Stand nightmare; it’s just, well, what it is.  Next please. (SC)

Courtney Crumrin has Aloysius, a cross between Albus Dumbledore and Edgar Winter. Ultimate Spider-Man has Venom. The winner: Courtney Crumrin 

The Maim Event: Bravest Warriors #3 Vs. Colder #3

Bravest Warriors #3 (kaboom!): What are these two doing in the same match? Well, for one thing, in a coincidence of Jungian proportions, BOTH feature a demonic presence  bursting violently out of someone’s body! See for yourself:

bw-pg11

Scenes like this do raise the question of why Bravest Warriors, as part of the kaboom! line of books, is being marketed to children. Not that there’s anything truly objectionable, but the animated series is being touted more for adults. There is a vibe (and occasional risque joke) in both versions that suggests “Not for Kids”. I get that it’s part of the Adventure Time brand, but it IS odd seeing the “Cartoon Hangover” masthead on the cover of what is ostensibly a childrens’ comic. Griping aside, this comic has Adventure Time’s patented tone of adrenalized slackerdom down pat; if anything, Bravest Warriors takes itself even less seriously. Writer Joey Comeau keeps the action and jokes coming at a furious pace. Mike Holmes’ art is the perfect compliment, staying within the Adventure Time “house style” while composing dynamic panels (see above) that highlight the bizarre story. Speaking of which, with this issue’s unrelenting sad-zombie-clowns, and last issue featuring Danny vomiting live spiders(!!!) this story line is like my 5-year-old nightmare from Hell. Add in the genuine laughs and this book can only be described as: hysterrifying. (DM)

Colder #3 (Dark Horse): Unlike Fatale, this series is probably better off that it’s limited to five issues.  The first issue was ice–with Paul Tobin’s inspired insanity and Juan Ferreyra’s stunning artwork–until Declan declares that “it’s time [he and Reece] had a talk.”  That worried me a bit; it seemed like a sure misstep into sanity.  The second issue had some bone-rattling moments, for sure–especially thanks to the perpetually frozen Ferreyra.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t so taken by Declan’s declarations–and there were many of them.  So, #3–well, at least we’re over the hump!  The creative team kicks things off well enough with a certifiably crazy contest of hide and seek, punctuated by Nimble Jack’s aforementioned shedding of someone else’s skin in an effort to win the game.  Inspired!  After that, however, the book babbles along, albeit beautifully, at a glacial pace.  Yup: Declan’s a drag.  But a bunch of arms dragging Reece through the roof of a taxi?  Now, that’s what I call ceiling the deal!  The odds of my missing #4?  Absolute zero. (SC)

One of these books is a horrific descent into madness. The other is Colder. The winner: Bravest Warriors

 Battle of the Sexes!: Fury: My War Gone By #8 Vs. Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake #1

Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake #1 (kaboom!): What do these books have in common? Absolutely nothing! They couldn’t be more polar opposites! Let’s pit the grizzled, one-eyed war veteran against the little girl with the magic puppy and see what happens! Like Bravest Warriors, this book is an extension of kaboom!’s successful Adventure Time franchise. Inspired by the fan-favorite gender-switching episode, this series puts a girl’s spin on what is ostensibly a boy’s enterprise. And, like that episode, it pulls it off with panache. Written and illustrated by Natasha Allegri (who also works on the show), the story doesn’t take the easy route of having its female characters appear strong simply by acting like boys. Instead, the characters are imbued with recognizably feminine personalities (especially the irrepressible Cake) without sacrificing one whit of action or humor. Indeed, Allegri begins the book with a story-within-a-story that, in a few brief pages, achieves the grandeur of myth. She then abruptly shifts tone toward the everyday low-brow (de rigueur for Adventure Time). She never loses sight of the fairy-tale wonder of her story, however, and her expansive lay-outs imbue the proceedings with a larger-than-life quality to match. The result? Out of all the books in Adventure Time‘s growing family of titles, this one feels the most EPIC. (DM)

Fury: My War Gone By #8 (Marvel): Fionna and Cake vs. Fury and Castle? That seems fair.  As I mentioned in my In Scott’s Bag post, I l-o-v-e the first page.  Goran Parlov’s splash carries quite a message: war ain’t black and white, brother; it’s shades–maybe fifty of ’em, but who’s counting–of gray shrapnel shredding men to pieces.  The narration casts a darker shadow, indeed, as the book’s–and Fury’s–antagonist explains–while Parlov shows–how Fury and Castle fell foolishly into his Viet Cong clutches.  And that’s just the first two pages!  As the story unfolds, General Ennis orders up an assault of ethical dilemmas and uncomfortable truths, all conveyed through perfectly calibrated conversations and culminating uncompromisingly in a multi-layered and minacious cliffhanger.  Will Fury do Giap’s bidding in order to end the war?  Will Castle do whatever it takes to keep the war from ending?  Will the Americans blow them all to hell?  Will Ms. Defabio blow them all to…?  Well, speaking of cliffs: the most memorable moment: Castle tosses a wounded enemy soldier off a cliff to test a potential escape route.  Fury concedes, “Not much of a splash.”  Castle replies, “No.  Only one way this can go now.”  And what a way it is. (SC)

The winner: Fury. Boys always win! HA! (except for Courtney Crumrin I guess. oh, and Fatale…)

Finally, given our premise, I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the following:

(written by Martin Powell with art by Terry Beatty)

Is it Shakespeare? No, it’s Popeye beating up Martians. If the concept alone (or the cover by Ray Dillon) isn’t enough to make you giddy with excitement then we is emenies and I challenges you to steel-cage fiskicuffs.

(Don’t worry. You’ll win.)

Turning pages,

Scott and Derek

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