More Chicago Swag
Aug. 24th, 2005 03:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jkcarrier
The rest of my haul from Wizard World Chicago:
EVENFALL VOL. 1: LAY ME DOWN: A very sharp book, sort of a psychological horror tale tinged with fantasy. Deeply depressed over her mother's death, Phoebe begins having vivid nightmares, and then waking hallucinations, about being attacked by demons. Or is it really happening? The book doesn't confirm one way or the other, and this volume ends on a wicked cliffhanger. Pete Stathis' artwork is lush and shadowy, with great flair for facial expression. Phoebe is a vivid character, deeply flawed but very sympathetic. Looking forward to more of this.
"Relax, Rick. I'd never fuck Robin. I like him too much."
SPACE WEATHER: A very cute educational comic by Zander Cannon, done for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Scientist Zillian Rocket and her little alien pal take a quick tour through the solar system, dropping bits of information about the sun, satellites, gravity, and so on.
"One, the solar wind isn't like moving air, it's a force with light, charged particles, and magnetic fields in it. Two, the vacuum of space would make your head explode like a balloon. Three, you don't have any hair."
CURSE OF THE SILVER COBRA: A private eye spoof by Zander Cannon (from the format, I assume it was originally an online strip?). The art's kind of quick-n-dirty, but works well enough. Hits all the noir cliches pretty much as you'd expect, but the romance angle ends up being genuinely touching. Not bad at all.
"And now, whenever I meet a woman who could be that special someone, the cow bell rings to tell me."
ARMITAGE SHANKS - ARCTIC PIRATE: It turns out Zander's brother Kevin Cannon is a cartoonist as well, and a pretty good one at that. They have similar styles and senses of humor, and this absurdist tale of pirates and kidnappings is a hoot.
"Of course. The real question is, can she handle me? He, he..."
CHAD SPILKER'S LIL' BOOK OF BABES VOL. 2: Cheesecake pin-ups of various superheroines (plus a couple of "generic" ladies), done in a very slick Frank Cho-ish style.
THE WANG - WHO'S YOUR DADDY? ASHCAN PREVIEW #1-3: Excerpts from an upcoming graphic novel. Stan Yan's hapless stockbroker Eugene continues to get crapped on by life everywhere he turns (best example: his girlfriend leaves him... for his mother!). The story takes a somewhat more serious turn in #3 -- it's still funny, but the humor is much darker -- and Yan starts to set up a genuine murder mystery. The balance of wacky and serious is just right, and the cartooning is top-notch. Keep an eye out for this one.
"Our politicians will sweet talk us just long enough to fuck us, and they're gone the next morning. They don't have the decency to leave a twenty on the night stand either."
FLYTRAP #1: The team of Sara Ryan and Steve Lieber hit another home run with the story of a harried PR person who is driven to an unconventional change of careers. Maddy is a great character: smart, sexy, driven, but kind of a dope in matters of the heart. Definitely want to see more of this.
"...So you were totally right, as always, Christian. Honestly, I don't know how you stand yourself."
FINDER: THE RESCUERS Another typically brilliant entry in Carla Speed McNeil's sci-fi series. "Sci-fi" probably isn't even the best word for it, since she spends more time exploring the characters and the multi-tiered society she's created than she does on the gosh-wow gadgetry. (Although the gadgetry is pretty damn clever... my favorite is the kudzu-like vines that tap into the city's electrical system and begin spontaneously sprouting tv screens). In this storyline, a high society kidnapping has repurcussions throughout the different caste levels in and around a Baron's mansion. Sort of the Lindburgh case meets "Upstairs, Downstairs". Sometimes I think McNeil leans on the "noble savage" bit too much with regards to Jaeger -- his superhuman skills stretch credibility at times. But that's a minor gripe about an overall outstanding series. Highest possible recommendation.
"It's different in here. All the police seem to do is scream 'You did it, confess' until someone does."
OATMEAL #2 This is an oldie (from 1996) but a goodie. A rollicking space opera comedy/adventure, sort of "TinTin in Space". Alexandra and Geraldine are trying to get to another planet to visit their aunt, and get caught up in one misadventure after another. The conflict between two neighboring planets -- one idyllic and perfect, but sterile, the other grubby and chaotic, but lively -- is both funny and makes some interesting points about society and government. I don't know anything about the creators, Henrik Rehr and Lars Horneman, but I'd be very interested to find out what they've done since.
"Forget it, Molotov. I'll get a rash from all the beans!"
POP ART FUNNIES #3 What an odd book. It seems to be trying to recapture the spirit of the classic "underground comix", but it kind of misses the mark. The bulk of the book is Martin Hirchak's "Wally", a giant talking hot dog who has various misadventures. The first story has him becoming a movie star and falling prey to the usual excesses (booze, drugs, sex), but it never really goes anywhere or pulls any good punchlines. This might have seemed shocking 40 years ago, but you can see more outrageous behavior than this on a VH-1 special. There's a very funny page of short strips by Sean Bieri, and a couple of neat, macabre illos (uncredited, alas) on the inside covers, but the rest of the book just kinda lies there.
"Faster than a thieving crackhead! Able to leap tall piles of cocaine!! With the power to crush compacted dried-out buds in his gloved hands!!! Yes! Stupor-Man! Can you feel the vibes???"
BIZARRO WORLD: I really enjoyed the first Bizarro collection, and this one's just as good. Various indy artists tackle the DC icons, with generally hilarious results. It kinda tells you something when the parodists seem to have more affection for the material than the people doing the actual books, but I digress. A lot of the stories are just goofs, but many of them are surprisingly touching. Doughty and Hellman's portrayal of Aquaman as a wannabe folk-singer is strangely apt. The "so adorable you could die" award goes to Roman and Telgemeier for their JLA "Take Your Kids To Work Day" strip. This whole book is just too much fun.
"Jordan, how the deuce could we expect you to protect the universe if all it took to defeat you was the color yellow? You'd be killed by the first moron who came at you with a piece of American cheese!"
TRICKED: Following up the outstanding Box Office Poison is no mean feat, but Alex Robinson pulls it off nicely with his second graphic novel. Like BOP, Tricked involves an ensemble cast of quirky but very believeable characters who's lives intersect in various ways. THe mood bounces back and forth between goofy, romantic, and seriously creepy, until everything comes together at the big climax. Parts of the story are perhaps a bit too contrived and "Hollywood", but the strength of the characters, dialouge, and artwork make for a compelling read. Ha ha, no pressure Alex, but now you've got TWO great GNs to live up to.
"Sweet baby Jesus! You don't -- I feel like I've been constipated for fifty years and now I can finally take a dump!!!"
SPIRAL-BOUND: This is just insanely great. On one level, it's a cute kids' comic, full of adorable talking animals having cool adventures. On the other hand, there's a surprising amount of grit here -- some very powerful emotional stuff, and a few scenes that would seriously freak a little kid out (in the best possible way). Aaron Renier understands that a kids' book is not just a stupid version of a grown-ups' book, but a unique and worthwhile thing in its own right. This is right up there with Uncle Scrooge or Little Lulu as fine reading for all ages.
"That's what mothers are for. Changing diapers and obstructing justice."
BATMAN: THE DAILIES 1945-1946: The last installments of the short-lived Batman newspaper strip. There's some really excellent work here (including a sequence by the all-time greatest Batman artist, Dick Sprang), but you can kind of see why the strip never really took off. For one thing, because of the nature of the stories, they would sometimes go for days or weeks without Batman and Robin showing up in costume. And the plots are fairly complex, which must've made it hard to follow reading the strips with 24-hour breaks in between. But collected like this, they read terrific, and the restoration work is generally outstanding. Lots of behind-the-scenes historical information as well. This was a joint DC/Kitchen Sink project, and I'm guessing the books are out of print now, but all 3 volumes (plus a 4th one collecting the color Sunday strips) are well worth seeking out.
"The things I won't do in the name of duty!"
JUSTICE LEAGUE COMPANION: Interviews, indexes, and essays covering the first 100 or so issues of JLA. Alas, the primary architects of the Justice League -- Schwartz, Fox, and Sekowsky -- are no longer around to be interviewed, which does make the book seem less than complete. But there's plenty of good stuff here: rare artwork, interviews with the likes of Denny O'Neil, Mike Friedrich, Roy Thomas, and others, and even a look JLA merchandise over the years (man, the cheap-looking crap they put out in the '60s really makes you appreciate some of the nice collectables they make today). One of my favorite pieces is Mike W. Barr's analysis of one of Fox's scripts, comparing the original to Schwartz's edited version, and then the final printed comic. If you're an early JLA junkie, this is definitely worth your while.
"Denny was now writing Justice League, and I'd been writing Avengers for a fairly long time, and Mike gets the idea -- he says, 'Why don't you do some kind of crossover?' I don't know if we decided we wouldn't tell our editors about it, but Mike proposed this and we thought it was a great idea. Of course, we'd had a couple of drinks."
THE TWILIGHT TANGENTS SKETCHBOOK VOL. 1: A collection of gorgeous, manga-influenced illos by Brian Babendererde. Includes preliminary sketches from his comic "Soul Chaser Betty" and the videogame "Septerra Core", and pieces inspired by Tolkien and Burroughs. Some really nice work here.
"If my sketchbooks are filled with one thing, it's cute girls. Mostly naked."
EVENFALL VOL. 1: LAY ME DOWN: A very sharp book, sort of a psychological horror tale tinged with fantasy. Deeply depressed over her mother's death, Phoebe begins having vivid nightmares, and then waking hallucinations, about being attacked by demons. Or is it really happening? The book doesn't confirm one way or the other, and this volume ends on a wicked cliffhanger. Pete Stathis' artwork is lush and shadowy, with great flair for facial expression. Phoebe is a vivid character, deeply flawed but very sympathetic. Looking forward to more of this.
"Relax, Rick. I'd never fuck Robin. I like him too much."
SPACE WEATHER: A very cute educational comic by Zander Cannon, done for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Scientist Zillian Rocket and her little alien pal take a quick tour through the solar system, dropping bits of information about the sun, satellites, gravity, and so on.
"One, the solar wind isn't like moving air, it's a force with light, charged particles, and magnetic fields in it. Two, the vacuum of space would make your head explode like a balloon. Three, you don't have any hair."
CURSE OF THE SILVER COBRA: A private eye spoof by Zander Cannon (from the format, I assume it was originally an online strip?). The art's kind of quick-n-dirty, but works well enough. Hits all the noir cliches pretty much as you'd expect, but the romance angle ends up being genuinely touching. Not bad at all.
"And now, whenever I meet a woman who could be that special someone, the cow bell rings to tell me."
ARMITAGE SHANKS - ARCTIC PIRATE: It turns out Zander's brother Kevin Cannon is a cartoonist as well, and a pretty good one at that. They have similar styles and senses of humor, and this absurdist tale of pirates and kidnappings is a hoot.
"Of course. The real question is, can she handle me? He, he..."
CHAD SPILKER'S LIL' BOOK OF BABES VOL. 2: Cheesecake pin-ups of various superheroines (plus a couple of "generic" ladies), done in a very slick Frank Cho-ish style.
THE WANG - WHO'S YOUR DADDY? ASHCAN PREVIEW #1-3: Excerpts from an upcoming graphic novel. Stan Yan's hapless stockbroker Eugene continues to get crapped on by life everywhere he turns (best example: his girlfriend leaves him... for his mother!). The story takes a somewhat more serious turn in #3 -- it's still funny, but the humor is much darker -- and Yan starts to set up a genuine murder mystery. The balance of wacky and serious is just right, and the cartooning is top-notch. Keep an eye out for this one.
"Our politicians will sweet talk us just long enough to fuck us, and they're gone the next morning. They don't have the decency to leave a twenty on the night stand either."
FLYTRAP #1: The team of Sara Ryan and Steve Lieber hit another home run with the story of a harried PR person who is driven to an unconventional change of careers. Maddy is a great character: smart, sexy, driven, but kind of a dope in matters of the heart. Definitely want to see more of this.
"...So you were totally right, as always, Christian. Honestly, I don't know how you stand yourself."
FINDER: THE RESCUERS Another typically brilliant entry in Carla Speed McNeil's sci-fi series. "Sci-fi" probably isn't even the best word for it, since she spends more time exploring the characters and the multi-tiered society she's created than she does on the gosh-wow gadgetry. (Although the gadgetry is pretty damn clever... my favorite is the kudzu-like vines that tap into the city's electrical system and begin spontaneously sprouting tv screens). In this storyline, a high society kidnapping has repurcussions throughout the different caste levels in and around a Baron's mansion. Sort of the Lindburgh case meets "Upstairs, Downstairs". Sometimes I think McNeil leans on the "noble savage" bit too much with regards to Jaeger -- his superhuman skills stretch credibility at times. But that's a minor gripe about an overall outstanding series. Highest possible recommendation.
"It's different in here. All the police seem to do is scream 'You did it, confess' until someone does."
OATMEAL #2 This is an oldie (from 1996) but a goodie. A rollicking space opera comedy/adventure, sort of "TinTin in Space". Alexandra and Geraldine are trying to get to another planet to visit their aunt, and get caught up in one misadventure after another. The conflict between two neighboring planets -- one idyllic and perfect, but sterile, the other grubby and chaotic, but lively -- is both funny and makes some interesting points about society and government. I don't know anything about the creators, Henrik Rehr and Lars Horneman, but I'd be very interested to find out what they've done since.
"Forget it, Molotov. I'll get a rash from all the beans!"
POP ART FUNNIES #3 What an odd book. It seems to be trying to recapture the spirit of the classic "underground comix", but it kind of misses the mark. The bulk of the book is Martin Hirchak's "Wally", a giant talking hot dog who has various misadventures. The first story has him becoming a movie star and falling prey to the usual excesses (booze, drugs, sex), but it never really goes anywhere or pulls any good punchlines. This might have seemed shocking 40 years ago, but you can see more outrageous behavior than this on a VH-1 special. There's a very funny page of short strips by Sean Bieri, and a couple of neat, macabre illos (uncredited, alas) on the inside covers, but the rest of the book just kinda lies there.
"Faster than a thieving crackhead! Able to leap tall piles of cocaine!! With the power to crush compacted dried-out buds in his gloved hands!!! Yes! Stupor-Man! Can you feel the vibes???"
BIZARRO WORLD: I really enjoyed the first Bizarro collection, and this one's just as good. Various indy artists tackle the DC icons, with generally hilarious results. It kinda tells you something when the parodists seem to have more affection for the material than the people doing the actual books, but I digress. A lot of the stories are just goofs, but many of them are surprisingly touching. Doughty and Hellman's portrayal of Aquaman as a wannabe folk-singer is strangely apt. The "so adorable you could die" award goes to Roman and Telgemeier for their JLA "Take Your Kids To Work Day" strip. This whole book is just too much fun.
"Jordan, how the deuce could we expect you to protect the universe if all it took to defeat you was the color yellow? You'd be killed by the first moron who came at you with a piece of American cheese!"
TRICKED: Following up the outstanding Box Office Poison is no mean feat, but Alex Robinson pulls it off nicely with his second graphic novel. Like BOP, Tricked involves an ensemble cast of quirky but very believeable characters who's lives intersect in various ways. THe mood bounces back and forth between goofy, romantic, and seriously creepy, until everything comes together at the big climax. Parts of the story are perhaps a bit too contrived and "Hollywood", but the strength of the characters, dialouge, and artwork make for a compelling read. Ha ha, no pressure Alex, but now you've got TWO great GNs to live up to.
"Sweet baby Jesus! You don't -- I feel like I've been constipated for fifty years and now I can finally take a dump!!!"
SPIRAL-BOUND: This is just insanely great. On one level, it's a cute kids' comic, full of adorable talking animals having cool adventures. On the other hand, there's a surprising amount of grit here -- some very powerful emotional stuff, and a few scenes that would seriously freak a little kid out (in the best possible way). Aaron Renier understands that a kids' book is not just a stupid version of a grown-ups' book, but a unique and worthwhile thing in its own right. This is right up there with Uncle Scrooge or Little Lulu as fine reading for all ages.
"That's what mothers are for. Changing diapers and obstructing justice."
BATMAN: THE DAILIES 1945-1946: The last installments of the short-lived Batman newspaper strip. There's some really excellent work here (including a sequence by the all-time greatest Batman artist, Dick Sprang), but you can kind of see why the strip never really took off. For one thing, because of the nature of the stories, they would sometimes go for days or weeks without Batman and Robin showing up in costume. And the plots are fairly complex, which must've made it hard to follow reading the strips with 24-hour breaks in between. But collected like this, they read terrific, and the restoration work is generally outstanding. Lots of behind-the-scenes historical information as well. This was a joint DC/Kitchen Sink project, and I'm guessing the books are out of print now, but all 3 volumes (plus a 4th one collecting the color Sunday strips) are well worth seeking out.
"The things I won't do in the name of duty!"
JUSTICE LEAGUE COMPANION: Interviews, indexes, and essays covering the first 100 or so issues of JLA. Alas, the primary architects of the Justice League -- Schwartz, Fox, and Sekowsky -- are no longer around to be interviewed, which does make the book seem less than complete. But there's plenty of good stuff here: rare artwork, interviews with the likes of Denny O'Neil, Mike Friedrich, Roy Thomas, and others, and even a look JLA merchandise over the years (man, the cheap-looking crap they put out in the '60s really makes you appreciate some of the nice collectables they make today). One of my favorite pieces is Mike W. Barr's analysis of one of Fox's scripts, comparing the original to Schwartz's edited version, and then the final printed comic. If you're an early JLA junkie, this is definitely worth your while.
"Denny was now writing Justice League, and I'd been writing Avengers for a fairly long time, and Mike gets the idea -- he says, 'Why don't you do some kind of crossover?' I don't know if we decided we wouldn't tell our editors about it, but Mike proposed this and we thought it was a great idea. Of course, we'd had a couple of drinks."
THE TWILIGHT TANGENTS SKETCHBOOK VOL. 1: A collection of gorgeous, manga-influenced illos by Brian Babendererde. Includes preliminary sketches from his comic "Soul Chaser Betty" and the videogame "Septerra Core", and pieces inspired by Tolkien and Burroughs. Some really nice work here.
"If my sketchbooks are filled with one thing, it's cute girls. Mostly naked."
