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Tag Archives: Nate Bellegarde

What’s I&N Store (10/16)

15 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

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Alberto Alburquerque, Ales Kot, Animal Man, Avatar, Batman and Two-Face, Batman/Superman, Batwoman, Bloodshot, BOOM!, Brain Boy, Brian Azzarello, Brian Hurtt, Brian Michael Bendis, Buzzkill, Charles Dickens, Chris Bachalo, Christos Gage, Cullen Bunn, Dark Horse, David Aja, DC Comics, Dynamite, Ed Brisson, Eric Stephenson, Extinction Parade, Fred Van Lente, Greg Pak, Hawkeye, Image, J.H. Williams III, Jae Lee, Jeff Lemire, Jeff Stokely, Johnnie Christmas, Joshua Dysart, Letter 44, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Max Brooks, Nate Bellegarde, Nowhere Men, Oni Press, Patrick Gleason, Peter J. Tomasi, R.B. Silva, Rafael Albuquerque, Robert Venditti, Sheltered, Simon Spurrier, Six-Gun Gorilla, The Sixth Gun, Trevor McCarthy, Uncanny X-Men, Valiant, W. Haden Blackman, Wonder Woman, X-O Manowar, zero

Still riding a post-Comic Con high.  You know what that means: I’ll be looking to buy, buy, buy!

  • Brain Boy #2 (Dark Horse): Underwhelming initial effort on Fred Van Lente’s part.  Hard to live up to the standard he’s set for himself with the Grade A Archer & Armstrong and the hilarious The Mocking Dead.  R.B. Silva’s art, however, is stunning.
  • Buzzkill #2 (Dark Horse): Liked #1 more than I expected to.  Surprised me not unlike the way BOOM!’s Six-Gun Gorilla #1 did.  No, I’m not saying I expect it to be as good on as many levels as SGG; it’s clearly not that kind of book.  But expectations have been raised.  Let’s hope it doesn’t fizzle out like Dark Horse’s Colder and Dream Thief.
Buzzkill #2

Buzzkill #2

  • Animal Man #24 (DC): OK, now they’re getting serious: American Vampire‘s Rafael Albuquerque has taken over art duties.  Let’s see if this is the change Jeff Lemire needed to set this ship aright.
  • Batman and Two-Face #24 (DC): Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason deserve far more credit than they’ve received for the work they’ve been doing over here.  Anyone not under a spell should be able to tell: this is the best Batman book going.  Don’t take my word for it; pick it up and find out for yourself.  This issue kicks off a new arc, so jump on board now and find out what all of the buzz should be about.
Batman and Two-Face #24

Batman and Two-Face #24

  • Batman/Superman #4 (DC): So far, so good.  Greg Pak’s making sense despite treading in Morrison-like territory, and Jae Lee’s work is beautiful, as always.
  • Batwoman #24 (DC): Battle of the Bat-Sexes.  Sad to know we’re coming up on the end of what’s been a tremendous run with this character.
  • Wonder Woman #24 (DC): “Strange new era of Wonder Woman“?  OK.  Why not?
  • Nowhere Men #6 (Image): From out of nowhere comes the sixth issue of one of our favorite series.  I may have to break into the box and ground myself before taking off with this.
Nowhere Men #6

Nowhere Men #6

  • Sheltered #4 (Image): #3 showed some cracks.  I’m concerned that Brisson’s going to break down like he did during his Comeback.
  • Zero #2 (Image): Ales Kot proved he’s still got it with his opening salvo.  Easily wiped the terrible stain of his awkward run on Suicide Squad from my brain.
Zero #2

Zero #2

  • Hawkeye #13 (Marvel): Fraction’s back on his home turf.  He’s shown, however, that he’s comfortable just about anywhere nowadays, as evidenced by the sensational Satellite Sam and the arresting Sex Criminals.
  • Uncanny X-Men #13 (Marvel): Battle of the Atom will undoubtedly end with a considerable amount of collateral damage–including all of the X-books that have been tied to the debacle that has been Battle of the Atom.  Yes, this may very well be the push I need to get off of the X-[insert conveyance here].
  • Bloodshot #15 (Valiant): Definitely on the chopping block. See: I haven’t cared too much for Bloodshot since we said goodbye to Gamma.  I’ll give it this one to grab me good.  If it doesn’t, then it’s goodbye.
  • X-O Manowar #18 (Valiant): Not long ago, I almost quit on X-O.  Glad I didn’t.
  • Extinction Parade #3 (Avatar): My wife likes it more than I do.
  • Letter 44 #1 (Oni Press): If you haven’t read the ubiquitous raves for Charles Soule’s latest offering, then you haven’t…well…read the…ubiquitous…raves for Charles Soule’s latest offering.
Letter 44 #1

Letter 44 #1

  • The Sixth Gun #35 (Oni Press): As fun an ongoing as your bound to find.
  • Six-Gun Gorilla #5 (BOOM!): Ah, the best for last.  So far, we’re talking contender for Book of the Year.  Met Jeff Stokely at the NYCC, and–I don’t think he’d mind my saying–he promised that this one’s a wild ride.  I believe him.
Six-Gun Gorilla #5

Six-Gun Gorilla #5

What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

Turning pages,

Scott

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In Scott’s Bag (5/22)

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag, Microviews

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Batman Incorporated, Brian Hurtt, Brian Michael Bendis, Brian Wood, Chris Burnham, Chris Samnee, Cullen Bunn, Danijel Zezelj, Daredevil, Eric Stephenson, Frazer Irving, Grant Morrison, Half Past Danger, Javier Rodriguez, Joe Casey, Jordie Bellaire, Mark Waid, Matt Kindt, Mike Norton, Mind MGMT, Nate Bellegarde, Nowhere Men, Revival, Stephen Mooney, The Bounce, The Massive, The Sixth Gun, Tim Seeley, Uncanny X-Men

I got out of the shop(s) with one less, one less; I got out with one less.

A Little Too Bagalicious for Ya, Babe

  • The Massive #12 (Read it!  Brian Wood’s words trudge on with a palpably painful beauty that, thankfully, thaws most of the frozen flaws in Zezelj and Bellaire’s artwork.)
The Massive #12

The Massive #12

  • Batman Incorporated #11 (Read it.  Now, I’m not against an occasional fill-in issue, an every once in a while one-shot; but If I’m being kind: what a spectacular waste of time!  A major disappointment considering the power position this title had taken in the Batverse.  Sure, it’s not Morrison; but it’s his book, his brand; and this–if only for a month–is a stunning display of corporate arrogance.  Still can’t believe I paid for it.  It’s one book I should’ve judged by its cover.)
  • The Bounce #1 (Read it.  Wish I hadn’t.  Debilitatingly derivative and amusingly late to the extra-dimensional portal party.  Attention to detail?  Not here!  Proof: the brutishly eloquent Crunch assesses: “The pigs are tenacious”; and then he proceeds to assert: “I’m sure they’ll be pissed…”  Oh, I’m sure this’ll be worked out at some point down the road–maybe even in issue #2.  But I won’t be there to find out.  Gotta bounce, bro.)
  • Daredevil #26 (Read it.  Saving my take for a Back & Forth.  In the meantime, let’s take another look at the talk of the shop on Wednesday afternoon: the Samnee-licious cover–one the fanboys are still fawning over.)
Daredevil #26

Daredevil #26

  • The Sixth Gun #31 (Gotta play catch up first.)
  • Nowhere Men #5 (Read it.  No.  No, I didn’t.  Nowhere Men isn’t a comic at all; you don’t just read it: you experience it.  It’s a–you know what it is?  It’s the love child–the product of a miraculous coupling, really–of The Manhattan Projects and Mind MGMT.  That’s what it is.  More than any other book, you’ve got to set aside a block of time; you’ve got to make an appointment.  But it’s well worth the wait and, once inside, worth every second spent with Eric Stephenson, Nate Bellegarde, and Jordie Bellaire’s grand design.)
Nowhere Men #5

Nowhere Men #5

  • Revival #10 (Read it.  Derek’s got something or other to say about this one.  I’ll chime in when he’s ready to purge.)
  • Mind MGMT #11 (Read it.  A sprawling epic in a tidy twenty-two.  Gorgeous as always: every panel, every page a beauty who, if roles were reversed, would never bother to look at me twice.  Noticed: Kindt rolls out another On the Road reference, this time in the back up story.  Makes me want to revisit Kerouac’s classic novel to see what other connections might be made.  Sure, I have some in mind already, but I’d manage a better claim with some reading behind me.  Thank goodness the summer’s almost here.)
Mind MGMT #11

Mind MGMT #11

Update: Went back to the shop and picked up two books, putting me plus one for the week.  Rats!

  • Uncanny X-Men #6 (Read it.  Great news!  The Limbo storyline isn’t over yet!  That means at least one more issue’s worth of Dormammu.  Hooray!  OK, so you know I don’t mean that: I’m actually pretty down on Dormammu.  [It is, however, fun to say–and to type, wouldn’t you know–Dormammu.]  But Bendis makes up for it with a dazzling final page.  Hooray!)
  • Half Past Danger #1 (Read it.  A few outstanding moments.  Definitely warrants another issue–and maybe even a few more words.  I’m going to hold off until Derek gives it a turn.)

What did you pick up this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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Top 5 Books of March 2013 – The Best of Times?

14 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by dmainhart in 5 Comics You Should Be Reading

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Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake, Animal Man, Battlefields, Brian K. Vaughan, Buddy Cops, Dark Horse, DC, Ed Brubaker, Eric Stephenson, Evan Shaner, Fatale, Fiona Staples, Fonografiks, Garth Ennis, IDW, Image, J. Bone, kaboom!, My?tery Society, Natasha Allegri, Nate Bellegarde, Nate Cosby, New 52, Nowhere Men, Roger Langridge, Saga, The Answer, The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror

Folks, if you don’t already know, it’s a great time to be reading comics. Take this month’s list for example: when stalwarts like Garth Ennis’s Battlefields and Ed Brubaker’s Fatale don’t even crack the top five (not to mention such left field surprises as My?tery Society and The Answer!) you know it’s been some good readin’. Dare I suggest we’re witnessing a second Golden Age?

5. Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake #3 (kaboom!): Natasha Allegri’s delectable delight is not exactly subversive, like a dessert laden with liquor, but it is a multi-layered cake. It can be gulped down, with childlike ravenousness, as the super-fun fairy tale that is. Or it can be slowly digested as a knowing commentary on gender roles. Or better yet, both. Bon Appetit. (DM)

4. Buddy Cops (Dark Horse): To kinda quote the Clan: “[Nate Cosby] be tossin’, enforcin’, [his] style is awesome/[Evan Shaner’s] causin’ more Family Feuds than Richard Dawson/And the survey said–[if ya didn’t think Buddy Cops was friggin’ hilarious,] ya [must be] dead.” (SC–with a little help from RZA)

3. The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror #2 (IDW): Pulp heroes tearing it up in the golden age of Hollywood? Really, what more could you ask for? Roger Langridge and J Bone’s ode to nostalgia earns the label “classic” on every level. A dream for comics fans and movie fans. (DM)

2. Nowhere Men #4 (Image): Complex storytelling, beautiful art and sophisticated design: Eric Stephenson, Nate Bellegarde and Fonografiks’ tale of science gone awry in a retro-mod near future is a sleek, finely-tuned, precision vehicle. If “science is the new rock n’ roll” then this is the coolest book on the stands. (DM)

1. Saga #11 (Image): A stunning piece of storytelling from Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples.  Over the course of eleven issues, they’ve managed to assemble the most relatable cast of characters in comics; and that unparalleled ensemble is put to the test in this emotionally charged issue of sex, love, sacrifice, and death.  There isn’t another book being published that can touch it.  I thank God I get to–every four weeks or so.  (SC)

The Biggest Dis(appointment): Animal Man #18 (DC) –  “The most tragic day in the life of Buddy Baker”?  OK.  If you say so.  In fact, you had to say so because, as the story unfolded, I felt absolutely nothing of tragedy–except maybe the very tragic pangs of disappointment.  In the end, my expectations for this title–which had been on life support after #17–were killed along with Cliff, himself a mini Animal Man, playing the role of the simply unnecessary sacrificial lamb. (SC)

But let’s accentuate the positive: this month’s Top 5 represent a wild variety of storytelling, genre and art that affirms and re-affirms our love of the medium. We share these books because they are the ones that excited us this month. So what’s your Top 5?  Share it with us. Or spread the word and tell a friend. Like we said, it’s a great time to be reading comics.

Turning pages,

Scott & Derek

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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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In Scott’s Bag (3/13)

13 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

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Ales Kot, Archer & Armstrong, Batman, Bloodshot, Buddy Cops, Change, Dark Horse, Dave Stewart, Duane Swierczynski, Emanuela Lupacchino, Emily and the Strangers, Emily Ivie, Eric Stephenson, Evan Shaner, Fred Van Lente, J. Bone, Jason Latour, John Arcudi, Jordie Bellaire, Ken Kristensen, luke Ross, M.K. Perker, Manuel Garcia, Mariah Huehner, Mike Mignola, Morgan Jeske, Nate Bellegarde, Nate Cosby, Nick Spencer, Nowhere Men, Rob Reger, Roger Langridge, Scott Snyder, Secret Avengers, Sledgehammer 44, Sloane Leong, The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror, Todd the Ugliest Kid on Earth, Uncanny X-Men

No time to dilly-dally.  Well, maybe just some dilly.

Bag in the Saddle Again

  • Uncanny X-Men #3: This isn’t Bachalo’s best.  Ugh, indeed.
  • Emily and the Strangers #2: Cute.
  • Nowhere Men #4: Layers a la Mind MGMT.  Nice.
  • Sledgehammer #1: Mike Mignola’s latest, recommended by the shop guy.
Sledgehammer 44 #1

Sledgehammer 44 #1

  • Buddy Cops #1: Another rec from the shop guy.  Worth the one-shot.
Buddy Cops #1

Buddy Cops #1

  • Todd, the Ugliest Kid on Earth #3: Still strikes me as trying too hard to be clever.
  • Change #4: I’m not ready to say goodbye.  Flip tells me there’s gonna be plenty of sweet sorrow.
  • The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror #2: May actually like this more than the Waid/Samnee collab.
  • Secret Avengers #2: This may run the same track as Thunderbolts and Avengers Arena: no more than four.
  • Bloodshot #9: Been crushin’ on Gamma.  Looks like she’s doin’ some crushin’, too–just not on me.  So jealous!
Bloodshot #9

Bloodshot #9

  • Archer & Armstrong #8: A whole lotta nothing!  No, that’s a good thing.
  • Batman #18: I still can’t get over it: “Fan favorite.”  Someone please tell me why.

And lucky me: I got my copy of The Sixth Gun Vol. 1 in the mail today!

It’s a good day.

What did you get in your bag today?

Turning pages,

Scott

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In Scott’s Bag (12/19)

19 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by ScottNerd in I&N Scott's Bag

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Tags

Avengers, Avengers Arena, Barry Kitson, Batwoman, Brian Azzarello, Brian Michael Bendis, Chris Bachalo, Chris Samnee, Cliff Chiang, Comeback, Daniel Way, Daredevil, Dark Horse, David Marquez, DC Comics, Dennis Hopeless, Ed Brisson, Eric Stephenson, FF, Francesco Francavilla, Image, Indestructible Hulk, J.H. Williams III, Jerome Opena, Jonathan Hickman, Joshua Dysart, Kev Walker, Lee Garbett, Leinil Francis Yu, Mark Waid, Marvel, Matt Fraction, Michael Walsh, Mike Allred, Nate Bellegarde, Nowhere Men, Robert Venditti, Steve Dillon, The Black Beetle, Thunderbolts, Ultimate Spider-Man, W. Haden Blackman, Wonder Woman, X-O Manowar

Saw it coming, and I still couldn’t get out of the way.

Something to Bag About

  • Batwoman #15 (The first page is pretty.  So’s the last page.  In between, Trevor McCarthy.  Sigh.)
  • Wonder Woman #15 (Cliff Chiang’s back!  Yay!  And look!  He’s brought Orion with him!  Sigh.)
  • Daredevil #21 (Chris Samnee makes me happy.)
  • Ultimate Spider-Man #18 (Quick flip: Mask-free Miles.  Promising.)
  • Comeback #2 (After a crisp first ish, I’m back for #2.)
  • X-O Manowar #8
  • Harbinger #7 (Building momentum with Barry Kitson!)

I’ve Add It!

  • Indestructible Hulk #2 (Love Yu!)
  • FF #2 (Allred had me at Medusa’s ringing a bell with her hair.)
  • Nowhere Men #2 (Definitely want to see where it goes, man.)

No Comic Left Behind

  • Avengers #2 (And…it’s the first one I’ve read.  Go figure.)
  • Avengers Arena #2 (Like the classic Lord of the Flies cover.  Love the honesty.)
  • Thunderbolts #2 (She slashes a throat.  Close enough.)

Derekommendation of the Week

  • The Black Beetle #0 (Love, love, love the retro vibe.  I guess I really like Francesco Francavilla.  Why wouldn’t I?  I mean, if Samnee makes me happy…)
The Black Beetle #0 Cover

The Black Beetle #0 Cover

If I know what’s good for me, I better start

Turning pages,

Scott

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What’s Up?

27 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by ScottNerd in What's I&N Store?

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bedlam, DC Comics, Ed Brubaker, Eric Stephenson, Fatale, FF, Image, Jeff Lemire, Jordie Bellaire, Justice League Dark, Marvel, Mike Allred, Mikel Janin, Nate Bellegarde, Nick Spencer, Nowhere Men, Riley Rossmo, Sean Phillips

After some serious cover-to-cover comic gridlock, this week–so very welcomed, indeed!–is the equivalent of a rest stop–a sweet, sweet rest stop.  I’m takin’ the exit, baby.

Who kNOWs?

  • FF #1: I’m willing to give it a shot–if only to find an offbeat replacement for Wolverine and the X-Men.  Mr. Allred may be the man for the job.

FF#1 Cover

Definitely Choosy

  • Justice League Dark #14: Lemire’s keeping it unreal–and it’s fun!  And, yes, this is the only DC book I’m definitely picking up this week.  I’m done with Batman Incorporated and The Flash.  I’m also not entirely sold on Lot 13.  But who knows: I may suffer a rack attack with so few books in my bag and may grab for a stray or two.

Image–ine That!

  • Bedlam #2: Earned another issue with a wildly violent and mildly mysterious #1.
  • Fatale #10: Where Brubaker’s been doin’ his thing–a really good thing.
  • Nowhere Men #1: If it actually goes somewhere, all the better!

Did you happen to notice?

  • Marvel=1 book
  • DC=1 book
  • Image=3 books

Huh.  Look at that.

What are you looking forward to this week?

Turning pages,

Scott

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