|
Galactus
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Farmers Branch
Posts: 30,626
|
The Good, Bad, Ugly Reviews: Y,Fables, and Ex Machina
What would you say is the best book written right now? Any of Bru's trifecta (Daredevil, Cap, X-men)? Whedon's Astonishing? Bendis on Ultimate Spidey? Moorison's Batman?
Well, after reading a few trades, it might be argued some of the best comics comics don't involve any known hereos. Kirkman's Walking Dead and Invincible, Briank K Vaughan's Ex Machina and Y: The Last Man, and Willingham's Fables I contend should all be considered for that distinction. I've been a fan of Kirkman's Image titles for a while, but only recently dived into Fables, Y, and Ex, and very happy I did. Hope this column gives these titles some more exposure, especially as some on the board have wondered about them.
First, I'd like to say a few words about my favorite comic, The Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead #33
OUCH! That word pretty much sums up this issue. If you are a man, this will probably be one of the most PAINFUL issues you will ever read. Ever see the Japanese movie Audition, where a deranged Japanese actress tortures the single dad who held a fake casting call for a new wife for about 30 minutes? That movie holds some of the most painful, aweful torture scenes you probably ever saw. Well, Kirkman must have been inspired to try to out-do it, because he concocted a whole issue devoted to the most extreme, brutal, and painful torture a woman can perform on a man. It starts with her nailing a certain male body part to the floor, and it only goes downhill from there.
Like I said, OUCH!
Yes, this character, the Govenor, had it coming. He did after all spend almost an entire issue humilating, torturing, and raping this same character (Michone) only a few issues back. But, you got to start wondering just where Kirkman gets his ideas from. And yes, this entire issue is devoted to the torture. The plot does not progress any further than "its payback time!"
Fables: Animal Farm
Vertigo
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by Mark Buckingham
For those unfamiliar with the tale, Fables is about many of those story book characters we all grew up with (Snow White, Prince Charming, Jack Horner) living in modern day New York, as they have done for many years. All the storybook characters had to flew the homelands do an invansion by a powerful enemy known only as the Adversary. They they all hope to reclaim their homewolrd, a a group they are anything but united.
The second Fables volume (containing issues 6 - 10) finds Snow White and her estranged sister Red Rose head to upstate New York to check on the Farm, a large, private ground where all the fables who can't mix in with normal society are held (such as the three little pigs and the three bears). Snow White sees this as a time to try to mend her relationship with Rose, but the trip turns out to be anything but routine. The two bust in on a clandestine town hall meeting upon arrival where its obvious the fables have something brewing. Snow and Rose are further informed by the Three Pigs the animals of the Farm want to plan a march back into the homelands to retake what was theirs. This is especially important as the animals are not supposed to leave the farm, while the human looking fables are allowed to travel the world.
However, the plans are far more laid out than Snow or Rose realize. Weyland Smith, a master weapons maker, is under a spell to make weapons that the animals can use. They feel modern guns and bombs can help them win the war to retake their homelands. However, the true mastermind of the plot is Goldilocks, who plans to use the weapons in a power play to take control of both Fabletowns. Can Snow White survive the trip? Will the rebelious Rose Red join the revolutionaries? Yes, these maybe the childhood characters we grew up with, but this series turns very bloody quick.
Through two volumes, Fables is a fun and different read than anything on the market. You pretty much have a clue where this series should eventually head to (the Adversary will show up sooner or later, as probably an attempt to get the homelands back), and its fun to read Willingham's take on many of these characters. The art however, changes, as Volume 1's artist Lan Medina is changed to Mark Buckingham, who does stay (off and on) for more of the series. Definately recommended for those who want something different.
Y: The Last Man
Vertigo
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Pia Guerra
I must admit, I had no intention of ever reading Y until I read Pride of Baghdad, also written by Vaughan. While the premise was intriguing, I simply did not know how good a writer BKV was until I read Pride. After that, I knew I had to read this series.
The setting is summer of 2002, and Yorick Brown, an escape-artist wannabee, is busy talking to his girlfriend who currently is in Australia. Life isn't going to well for Yorick. His girlfriend is obviousy miles away, he has no steady job, and he has to deal with a monkey, Ampersand, he's currently training to live with quadrapalegics to help with their life. At the same time in Boston, Dr. Allison Mann is ready to give birth to a clone she secretly impregnated hersef with. And on the other side of the world, Agent 355, part of a secret orgnatization known as the Culper Ring, is in Jordan trying to bring in Dr. Frozan Hamad and the Amulet of Helene to the states. The Dr. states if it ever leaves Jordan a catastrophe similiar to the Trojan War would happen. The dr is killed, and Agent 355 takes the Amulet and escapes the country. Just at the time she leaves Jordan airspace, which is at the same time Dr. Mann gives brith, Yorick holds a ring he bought in magic store to propose to his girlfriend. At this very instant, every male, both human and animal, die in a gruesome, blood choking fashion. Everyone but Yorick and Ampersand.
What follows is Yorick's trip to met his mother (a Senator trying desperately to keep the government together) in the White House, and eventually to be reunited with his lost love in Australisa. He'll face many dangers, as many women will not be pleased to find out any man survived the plague. The Daughters of the Amazons, a man-hating group who wish to wipe out every last vestige of a patriarchal way of life, are out to kill him. Headed by a woman named Victoria (who is interestingly just as hyprocritical as Goldiliocks in Fables), the group claims only men were responsible for savegry and inequality. The group proves to be just as savage and intolerant as any group headed by men. And in Tel Aviv, the Israeli military, where women are quite adept at warfare, pause in their quest to wipe out their muslim neighbors only long enough to concern themselves with Yorrick Brown as well. If you are on the fence about this book, pick up the first trade. You'll probably easily see if you want to continue from there.
Finally!
Ex Machina
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Tony Harris
Wildstorm
Mitchell Hundred is the first super-hero in New York. He was a civil engineer who gained the ability to talk (and control) all compund and complex machines when he found a mysterious, glowing device under the Brooklyn Bridge. The gift also enabled him to create different types of machinery from dreams that he used to fight crime. But, being a vigalante hero wasn't easy on Mitchell. He found himself wanted by the NYPD, who pointed out his actions caused many accidents he wasn't aware of either. And the public itself was divided about his actions, some distrusting his true motivations. I honestly wonder how much Civil War was influenced by this series given some of the dialogue and scenes in this book. His last final act as the Great Machine (his superhero name) was to stop one of the planes from hitting the twin towers. Though one fell, he was able to stop the other from being hit, which became public knowledge. He then revealed his pubic identity, ran for mayor of NY, and won in a landslide.
But, Mitchell will find that his days a vigilante have nothing as being the challenges of being mayor. He'll have to deal with mundane issues (a controversial art piece in the city funded musuem) while trying to deal with black mailers and someone shooting snow plowers in one of the worst blizzards ever in NY. Is Mitchell over his head? One this is for sure, this series may tick some off as being too political. BKV's social commentary is definately there in spades. However, that is not a bad thing, as Pride of Baghdad revealed. Its actually quite refreshing to read comics that do something different with the medium, something serious.
HOpe I gave some insight on these great titles for those wondering. It was fun using up my Monday afternoon on em.
|
