Comic Book Reviews 4/27/05 Part II

[wktf]

Sam's reviews are continued from Part I of this week's reviews, found at http://www.statueforum.com/showthread.php?p=175170#post175170

Sam Wilson's Reviews (Continued)

City of Tomorrow! Issue #1
Written By: Howard Chaykin
Drawn By: Howard Chaykin

Yeah, you all know I’m a Chaykin fan. If you haven’t read his “Challengers of the Unknown” or “Mighty Love”, go check them out. His American Flagg stuff is going to be re-released soon by Dynamic Forces in a Hardcover and TPB, so get that too. Okay, so “City of Tomorrow”, did I like it as well? The answer is “yes”.

“City of Tomorrow” opens with a dirty bomb going off in a mall. Not the most pleasant of scenarios. We then cut to skip ahead to a commercial from entrapaneur Eli Foyle, and his greeting card family. Eli has built a new country. Yup, a country, a new modern utopia based on nanotechnology. Fast-forward some more and we find out Eli’s son, Tucker, didn’t really care for Utopia and left to become some kind of government hit man.

Since this is just the first issue, and there is no “history” to this book, I don’t really have much to say. If you were a fan of “Challengers of the Unknown” or “American Flagg”, you should check this book out. It’s classic Chaykin, and there is nothing really wrong with that.

[Sam Wilson]

Any Chaykin fans out there? :(

[bat_collector]

What else has he done?

[madjazz]

Loved American Flagg!. One of my all time favorites.

Hated American Century. It made more sense why he liked doing it after I actually met him at Wondercon this year.

[Sam Wilson]

What else has he done?

He is most famous for his independant book American Flagg, back in the '80's. He also worken on DC's Shadow, and switched over to TV writing for awhile. He did my favorite Marvel GN from the 80's, Nick Fury, Wolverine the Scorpio Connection (track it down on ebay if you can). He recently came back to Comics with DC's American Centry, Bite Club, Challengers of the Unknown and the Mighty Love HC. Here is a recent interview:

http://www.newsarama.com/pages/JimLeeWeek/Leearama_3.htm

[Sam Wilson]

Loved American Flagg!. One of my all time favorites.

Hated American Century. It made more sense why he liked doing it after I actually met him at Wondercon this year.

American Century was hit or miss. I can easily see why someone wouldn't like it. Why did he say he liked doing it? Was he pretty cool? Are you gettin the new American Flagg collection?

[wktf]

The recent DC Solo comic issue is a Chaykin issue. My LCS guy says he's a friend of Chaykin's. Could be true as he's friends with Corbin, Bruce Jones and was also friends with Gil Kane (got me some cool sketches), among others.

[madjazz]

American Century was hit or miss. I can easily see why someone wouldn't like it. Why did he say he liked doing it? Was he pretty cool? Are you gettin the new American Flagg collection?
When I ran into him, inker Al Gordon was playing old 40's/50's crooner songs on his guitar and Chaykin was singing to them. (It was the end of the day) He seemed very happy and pleased with himself. I have to say it was fun to see this side of him.

Anyway, I think he has an affinity for the time period so I can see him having fun putting American Century out as a book. I just didn't find the book very relevant to me, and I'm 40. I can imagine how a 20 year old would have reacted to the book. Even as it was, I stuck around until issue 17 as I like Chaykin. I kept hoping something would happen and nothing ever did.

[Babytoxie]

And don't forget Chaykin's Black Kiss. Oh wait, I'm sorry... PLEASE forget it.

Actually, I like his stuff in general. My favorite work of his is The Shadow: Blood and Judgment. He's also known for great adaptations of works by Robert E. Howard, Alfred Bester, and Samuel Delany.

Hey wktf, does Richard Corben still live in KC? And if so, does he frequent the comic shops? I'd love to meet the guy - big fan here!

[wktf]

He does, and not so much on the comic shops, other than the one I go to. Never met him, myself, but my LCS guy has offered an introduction a few times.

[madjazz]

I used to love Corben's work in the old b&w magazines in the late 70's/early 80's like "1984". He did a great arc on Hellblazer a few years back that is worth a pick-up.

Black Kiss wasn't that bad. I loved the Chaykin take on The Shadow.

[Bartman256]

Corben's work rocked!

There was a time in my collecting as an early teen that Corben, Wrightson, Kaluta...all an issue had to have was a cover or splash page & I would buy it!

[Babytoxie]

Corben's work rocked!

There was a time in my collecting as an early teen that Corben, Wrightson, Kaluta...all an issue had to have was a cover or splash page & I would buy it!

Yeah, I used to have a pretty thorough collection of Warren magazines, and Corben & Wrightson were all over the place. If those classic mags could be collected in trades, I'd be in heaven.

[wktf]

Corben's work on "Banner" was really great! I also liked what he did on "Cage." Both, I believe, were also written by Brian Azzarello who kicked on Batman "Broken City" but crashed and burned on "Superman."

[Bartman256]

Corben's work on "Banner" was really great! I also liked what he did on "Cage." Both, I believe, were also written by Brian Azzarello who kicked on Batman "Broken City" but crashed and burned on "Superman."


I was surprised to see Corben's recent work on Banner & Cage. A blast from the past!
I enjoyed both series!