Friday, January 6, 2017

Review: THE TWILIGHT CHILDREN #1

THE TWILIGHT CHILDREN No. 1
DC COMICS/Vertigo – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Gilbert Hernandez
ART: Darwyn Cooke
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Darwyn Cooke
COVER: Darwyn Cooke
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (December 2015)

Suggested for mature readers

The Twilight Children created by Gilbert Hernandez and Darwyn Cooke

“Part One”

Gilbert Hernandez is the creator of the long-running comic book, Love and Rockets, with his brother, Jaime Hernandez.  Darwyn Cooke is a fan-favorite for his epic DC Comics miniseries, DC: The New Frontier, but his best works are the Parker graphic novels which adapt the work of famed crime fiction writer, Richard Stark.  Cooke and Hernandez are two of comic books greatest storytellers, and they finally united for a comics project.

Hernandez wrote and Cooke drew the recent four-issue miniseries, The Twilight Children, which was published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint.  The story is set in a remote village and begins with the sudden arrival of a glowing orb and the mysterious visitor that arrives afterwards.

The Twilight Children #1 opens in a coastal fishing village somewhere in Latin America.  In some ways, it is like other places.  There is a village drunk, Bundo.  There is a town flirt, Tito, who cheats on her husband, Nikolas, with the brawny, Anton.

And then, three children:  Milo, Grover, and Jael spot a mysterious, glowing white orb appears.  It seems as if this isn't the first time this village has experienced such an appearance.  When one of the children touches the white orb, all hell breaks loose.

It is no exaggeration to call Gilbert Hernandez and Darwyn Cooke comics luminaries.  Cooke has had more mainstream success than Hernandez by producing a considerable amount of work for DC Comics.  However, Hernandez laid much of the groundwork for the explosion of indie comics and alt-comix graphic novels and publications that have appeared over the last 30 years.  When comic book creators try to create comics that read like modern fiction or even literary fiction, they are working and winning Eisner and Harvey Awards under the roof of a house that Gilbert and handful of others built, under which they now shelter their creative endeavors.

That said, The Twilight Children, at least the first issue, does not really reflect the best work of neither Hernandez nor Cooke.  It lacks the surrealism or even the anything-goes attributes of much of Hernandez's work.  Some of his work has a sense of menace about it, as if there is always a bit of cruelty or even a cruel fate awaiting the characters.  The white orb is only kinda menacing.

Cooke's art is slick in The Twilight Children #1, but not in that bracing, invigorating way that propels his Parker comics.  This is the kind of slick that is more in line with the dumpster Watchmen comics he produced for DC Comics a few years ago.  Don't get me wrong.  I think the art here is quite pretty in some places, and Dave Stewart's coloring is gorgeous.  The Cooke-Stewart team had me looking through the book even as I wrote this review.

I think the storytelling in this first issue is a little too cool, or maybe this is two giants just feeling each other out.  Anyway, I'm going to read the rest of The Twilight Children.  Besides, even Hernandez and Cooke's not-best is still better than most others' best.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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Thursday, January 5, 2017

Review: GRIP: The Strange World of Men #1

GRIP: THE STRANGE WORLD OF MEN No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY/ART: Gilbert Hernandez
COLORS: Pamela Rambo
LETTERS: John Costanza
COVER: Gilbert Hernandez with Lee Loughridge
32pp, Color, $2.50 U.S., $4.25 CAN (January 2002)

Part 1: “Grip of Fear”

Cartoonist and comix creator, Gibert Hernandez, is most famous for being one-half of Los. Bros. with his brother, Jaime Hernandez.  Together, they are the creators of the long-running comic book series, Love and Rockets (with their brother Mario sometimes contributing).

Most of Gilbert's work has been published by alternative comics publisher, Fantagraphics Books, but some of his output has been released by other entities.  One example is the 2002 five issue miniseries, Grip: The Strange World of Men, that was published by DC Comics under its Vertigo imprint.  Gilbert wrote and drew this miniseries with colors by Pamela Rambo and letters by John Costanza.

Grip: The Strange World of Men #1 (“Grip of Fear”) opens in an unnamed city on a busy sidewalk.  We meet a young man of Asian extraction (Chinese-American?) with a lipstick imprint of a kiss on his right cheek.  He does not know who he is, but in the suit he is wearing, he finds the state license of a Black man named “Clarence Gideon.”

The young man discovers that he has a strange aversion to institutions that might be able to help him, but he can visit the home of Clarence Gideon's wife.  Meeting Mrs. Gideon begins the slow process of discovering his past, but a man calling himself “Joe Hook” claims to know all.

I had long forgotten about Grip: The Strange World of Men, but during a recent re-organization and clean-up, I found that I had bought all five issue.  I can't remember why I had never gotten around to reading it (and many other comics books that I had apparently “squirreled” away).  I decided to read at least the first issue and review it... for those that might decide to discover it or rediscover it.  Dark Horse Comics collected Grip in a trade paperback last year.  Grip: The Strange World of Men, unlike many Vertigo, so-called creator-owned series, is entirely owned by Gilbert Hernandez.

Anyway, if Gilbert Hernandez were not credited as the writer-artist of Grip, I would not necessarily associate it with him, although it does resemble some of his other work.  Right now, I'm thinking of Gilbert's contributions to the early incarnation of the 1980s comic book, Mr. X.  Still, this has an odd quality; perhaps, it simply does not resemble Gilbert's recent work and that is what is throwing me off.  Grip is playful, even with the explicit depictions of violence.  It is hugely intriguing and looks like an alt-comix interpretation of one of those Alfred Hitchcock murder-mystery, suspense thrillers.  The difference is that Grip does not seem so intense.

I have long thought of Gilbert as being one of the best comic book writers in North America over the better part of four decades, with him often being the best.  Truthfully, he is a gift to American comic books, a unique voice in the wilderness of corporate products, media tie-ins, and genre dumpster comics.  Grip shows that he can be imaginative even on cruise control.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Review: LOVE AND ROCKETS: New Stories #8

LOVE AND ROCKETS: NEW STORIES No. 8
FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS – @fantagraphics

[This review was originally published on Patreon.]

WRITERS: Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez – @BetomessGilbert @xaimeh
ARTISTS: Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez
EDITOR: Eric Reynolds – @earinc
COVER: Gilbert Hernandez
ISBN: 978-1-60699-865-6; paperback (January 2016)
100pp, B&W, $14.99 U.S.

A new volume of Love and Rockets: New Stories arrived in book shops and select comic book stores just about two months ago.  Created by brothers, Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez (a.k.a. Los Bros.), Love and Rockets began as a self-published zine before becoming a magazine-sized comic book.  Now, Love and Rockets is an annual publication in a format that resembles a blend of the literary journal, the European graphic album, and the comic book trade paperback

Love and Rockets: New Stories #8 sports a striking cover illustration drawn by Gilbert.  The cover features the predominant subject matter of Gilbert's contributions to New Stories #8, the numerous crazy women who want to look like busty Fritz, the sister of Gilbert's signature character, Luba.

First, Gilbert concludes his movie-within-a comic, “The Magic Voyage of Aladdin.”  This B-movie trash/fantasia pits Morgan Le Fey (as played by Fritz) and Aladdin against two evil (b)witches, Circe and Jasmin, who are trying to obtain Aladdin's magic lamp.  The role of Circe is played by Mila, a young woman who does indeed resemble Fritz.  Mila becomes Fritz, Jr. and begins to believe that Fritz is trying to sabotage her.  To complicate matters, another ambitious (or crazy) young woman becomes Baby Fritz.  Thus begins a struggle for identity and control that includes fetish and porn film directors, drugs, snitching, a man with two cocks, and more Fritz imitators.

In New Stories #7, Jaime began his latest “Locas” epic by taking his signature characters, Maggie and Hopey, life-long friends and former lovers, on a road trip to Huerta for a “punk rock reunion.”  In this volume, the second chapter, “I Guess I Forgot to Stand Pigeon-Toed,” finds Maggie meeting longtime pal, Daffy, for the actual concert.  Old friends and old enemies make appearances; new disaffected youth slash young punks take in show.  But will Hopey actually show up?

“Locas” isn't the only Jaime in New Stories #8.  He gives us two more chapters of “Princess Animus,” a comix serial that recalls Los Bros.' classic sci-fi/monster, B.E.M. comics of the early days of Love and Rockets.  Also, Tonta Agajanian returns – in time to move in with her new guardian.  Plus, Jaime takes us to “Isla Guerra,” for a strange tale of nautical tragedy.

Normally, I find the “Fritz-capades” of Gilbert's New Stories shocking, but his contributions to this edition of L&R seem tame to me post-Blubber #1.  Yeah, last year, I read the first issue of Gilbert's new solo comic book series, Blubber, and it was one of the best comic books that I have read over the last few years.  It is not as if this latest Fritz epic is of poor quality.  Quite the contrary, this tale of people who obsess instead of love deftly defines fandom as something akin to possession.  Here, fetish is an appetite for destruction, both of self and others.

I know this sounds crazy, but it seems as if Gilbert plays it safe here in New Stories.  Meanwhile, in Blubber, he has unleashed his imagination.  As he unleashes his imagination in Blubber, he is evolving as a comics creator.  He is like the late French comics master, Moebius, tackling the philosophical, the religious, the spiritual, the profane, and the absurd.  New Stories is Gilbert merely tracking through the work that made his famous.

On the other hand, Jaime is finding fresh, fertile soil in all his old landscapes.  One might argue that Locas has had some unpretty arcs (as some have indeed argued).  However, Maggie and Hopey and everyone that has been part of their world:  directly, indirectly, and sometimes both have moved forward and even evolved over time.  In ways subtle and obvious, Jaime's pen shows that the characters have aged, but most shockingly, that they are aging.

Before he expired and accepted his promised dukedom in Perdition, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said that the U.S. Constitution was not a living document, but that it was dead.  So many long comic books are at least dead-like; the intellectual property owners just keep changing the mummified corpse's rags.  However, Jaime's Love and Rockets comics comprise a living document, changing with the times and not trying to hold back the years.  Thank you, sir.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Monday, January 2, 2017

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 4, 2017

DC COMICS

NOV160198    AQUAMAN #14    $2.99
NOV160199    AQUAMAN #14 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV160208    BATMAN #14    $2.99
NOV160209    BATMAN #14 VAR ED    $2.99
OCT160300    CATWOMAN TP VOL 06 FINAL JEOPARDY    $29.99
NOV160214    CYBORG #8    $2.99
NOV160215    CYBORG #8 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV160295    DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #21    $3.99
NOV160298    DEATH OF HAWKMAN #4 (OF 6)    $3.99
NOV160353    EVERAFTER FROM THE PAGES OF FABLES #5 (MR)    $3.99
NOV160293    FALL AND RISE OF CAPTAIN ATOM #1 (OF 6)    $2.99
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NOV160307    FLINTSTONES #7    $3.99
NOV160308    FLINTSTONES #7 VAR ED    $3.99
OCT160307    GRAYSON TP VOL 05 SPYRALS END    $16.99
NOV160228    GREEN ARROW #14    $2.99
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OCT160293    GREEN ARROW TP VOL 01 LIFE & DEATH OF OLIVER QUEEN (REBIRTH)    $16.99
NOV160232    GREEN LANTERNS #14    $2.99
NOV160233    GREEN LANTERNS #14 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV160240    HARLEY QUINN #11    $2.99
NOV160241    HARLEY QUINN #11 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV160299    INJUSTICE GROUND ZERO #3    $2.99
NOV160179    JUSTICE LEAGUE #12 (JL SS)    $2.99
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NOV160183    JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA THE ATOM REBIRTH #1    $2.99
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NOV160163    JUSTICE LEAGUE SUICIDE SQUAD #3 (OF 6)    $3.99
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NOV160302    MIDNIGHTER AND APOLLO #4 (OF 6)    $3.99
NOV160248    NIGHTWING #12    $2.99
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NOV160314    SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #77    $2.99
NOV160279    SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL #4 (MR)    $3.99
NOV160280    SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL #4 VAR ED (MR)    $3.99
NOV160256    SUPERMAN #14    $2.99
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OCT160297    SUPERMAN TP VOL 01 SON OF SUPERMAN (REBIRTH)    $16.99
NOV160360    UNFOLLOW #15 (MR)    $3.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 4, 2017

MARVEL COMICS

JUL161060    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN WORLDWIDE HC VOL 01    $34.99
NOV160840    AVENGERS #3    $3.99
NOV160842    CAPTAIN AMERICA SAM WILSON #17    $3.99
NOV160856    CHAMPIONS #4    $3.99
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NOV160903    HAWKEYE #2    $3.99
OCT161028    INCREDIBLE HULK EPIC COLLECTION TP FUTURE IMPERFECT    $39.99
SEP168753    MARVEL FREE PREVIEWS MONSTERS UNLEASHED (BUNDLE OF 25) (NET)    $5.00
NOV160908    MARVEL GUARDIANS OF GALAXY VOL 2 PRELUDE #1 (OF 2)    $2.99
NOV160934    MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS ULTRON REVOLUTION #7    $2.99
OCT161034    MARVEL UNIVERSE ULT SPIDER-MAN VS SINISTER SIX DIGEST TP VOL    $9.99
SEP168755    MONSTERS UNLEASHED #1 PARTY INVITE POSTCARDS (BUNDLE OF 100)    $5.00
OCT161023    MONSTERS UNLEASHED PRELUDE TP    $34.99
NOV160787    MOON KNIGHT #10 NOW    $3.99
OCT161029    NEW AVENGERS BY BENDIS COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 01    $39.99
NOV160895    NOVA #2    $3.99
NOV160919    OLD MAN LOGAN #16    $3.99
NOV160872    SCARLET WITCH #14    $3.99
NOV160892    SLAPSTICK #2    $3.99
NOV160861    SPIDER-MAN 2099 #19    $3.99
SEP161136    STAR WARS HAN SOLO TP    $16.99
NOV160795    UNSTOPPABLE WASP #1 NOW    $3.99
NOV160844    UNWORTHY THOR #3 (OF 5)    $3.99
OCT160723    US AVENGERS #1 NOW    $3.99
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IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for January 4, 2017

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OCT160448    BACK TO THE FUTURE CITIZEN BROWN TP    $19.99
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JUN160413    CHRIS SAMNEE DAREDEVIL ARTIST ED HC (NET) (C: 0-1-2)    $PI
OCT160527    DONALD & MICKEY MAGIC KINGDOM COLLECTION TP    $12.99
OCT160464    DRAGONLANCE THE LEGEND OF HUMA TP    $19.99
OCT160424    GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #235    $3.99
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OCT160439    JEM & THE HOLOGRAMS #22    $3.99
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Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 4, 2017

DARK HORSE COMICS

AUG160126    ASTRO BOY OMNIBUS TP VOL 06 (C: 0-1-2)    $19.99
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NOV160041    RISE OF THE BLACK FLAME #5 (OF 5)    $3.99
SEP160081    WORLD OF TANKS #4    $3.99