Review: AMERICAN GODS #5

AMERICAN GODS No. 5
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Neil Gaiman
SCRIPT: P. Craig Russell
LAYOUTS: P. Craig Russell
ART: Scott Hampton
COLORS: Scott Hampton
LETTERS: Rick Parker
COVER: Glenn Fabry with Adam Brown
VARIANT COVER: David Mack
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2017)

American Gods, written by Neil Gaiman, is an award-winning, fantasy novel first published in 2001.  The novel won several fantasy-literary awards, and there is currently a hit television series adapted from the novel and televised on the cable network, Starz Media.  American Gods blends Americana and also ancient and modern mythology to tell the story of a man caught in a war between the gods of the Old World and the new American gods.

It is currently being adapted into a comic book by frequent Gaiman collaborator, P. Craig Russell, and publisher, Dark Horse Comics.  Russell is the guiding hand behind the American Gods comic book.  Russell writes the script adaptation of Gaiman's novel and provides the layouts for the art.  American Gods the comic book is drawn and colored by Scott Hampton and lettered by Rick Parker.

American Gods #5 finds the protagonist, Shadow Moon, and his mysterious employer, Mr. Wednesday departing Chicago, leaving behind Czernobog and his eccentric family (with whom they stayed as guests).  Shadow still has the gift, a silver dollar, given to him by Zorya Polunochnaya.  They need money for traveling, and Wednesday comes up with a rather novel plan to get it.  Then, it is on to Wisconsin and “The House on the Rock.”

I will inform you again, dear reader:  I am a big fan of American Gods, although I did not read it upon its original release in 2001.  I read the tenth anniversary edition which featured a longer text – the author's preferred edition.  I also feel that I must admit that I loved that book, and that “love” is not a strong enough word in this case.  American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition is one of my favorite books, and I consider the reading that edition of American Gods to be life-changing event for me in terms of my life as a writer.

This adaptation begins its move into the central plot of the overall narrative.  That is good, because the longer it takes to get to the central action, more of the story starts to look like padding.  A reader can take American Gods the novel and read the entire story at his or her own pace.  American Gods the comic book is a monthly release, so readers have to take the narrative in small chucks and cannot tackle its entirety at once the way they could with a novel.  It's about time; as good as this comic book has been, it is also time to get to the “nitty gritty.”

So for the fifth time, I implore you to set aside your four dollars each month so that you can buy this lovely comic book, dear reader.  American Gods may end up being on the short list of great comic book adaptations of a prose novel.

9 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: THE KILLER INSIDE ME (Trade Paperback)

JIM THOMPSON'S THE KILLER INSIDE ME
IDW PUBLISHING – @IDWPublishing

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Devin Faraci
ART: Vic Malhotra
COLORS: Jason Millet
LETTERS: Christa Miesner
EDITORS: Denton J. Tipton; Justin Eisinger and Alonzo Simon
COVER: Vic Malhotra
MISC. ART: Robert Hack
ISBN: 978-1-63140-854-0; paperback (April 18, 2017)
120pp, Color, $19.99, $25.99 U.S.
Diamond Distributors code: AUG170528

Suggested for mature readers

Introduction by Stephen King

The Killer Inside Me is a 1952 crime novel written by American author Jim Thompson (1906 to 1977).  The Killer Inside Me is one of the best-regarded crime novels of the twentieth century, and has received praise from bestselling novelist, Stephen King (The Shining), and the acclaimed filmmaker, the late Stanley Kubrick (2001: A Space Odyssey).

In 2016 and 2017, IDW Publishing published a five-issue comic book adaptation of Thompson's novel, entitled Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me.  The adaptation is written by Devin Faraci, a film critic and podcaster.  It is drawn by Vic Malhotra; colored by Jason Millet; and lettered by Christa Miesner.  Robert Hack drew the cover illustrations for the variant cover editions of this comic book.

In April 2017, IDW published a trade paperback that collected all five issues of Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me.  At the back of this book, there is a 14-page section of illustrations and sketch material drawn by Malhotra and Hack.  IDW sent me a copy of the Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me trade paperback for review.

Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me is set in around the small town of Central City, Texas.  Lou Ford is a deputy for Sheriff Bob Maples.  Ford is something of a psychopath, and as the story advances, it is obvious that he is a full-on serial killer.  As Ford says, he has had a sickness inside him ever since he was a child.

Ford hatches a plan of blood revenge against the wealthy Chester Conway, the owner of Conway Construction, which seems to build everything in Central City.  Ford's murderous plot involves Chester's not-too-bright son, Elmer, and Joyce Lakeland, a prostitute that Elmer loves and with whom he hopes to elope.  Most people in Central City think Lou Ford is a little slow, but they don't know about the sickness inside him, a psychosis that is reemerging as the bodies pile up.

Over 20 years ago, I read my only Jim Thompson novel, The Grifters (1963), which I thought was brilliantly written.  Once upon a time, when they were still talking, Fantagraphics Books' Gary Groth interviewed the late Harlan Ellison, in which either Ellison or Groth said that sometimes a work of art or storytelling is perfect in its original form.  As much as I enjoyed director Stephen Frears and writer Donald E. Westlake's 1990 film adaptation of The Grifters, I thought the original, Thompson's novel, was perfect.

There is something lacking in Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me the comic book.  This comic book adaptation is flat and lacks the hard-boiled lyricism I found in The Grifters.  There are some good moments when this comic book can be furious and edgy, but quite a bit of the narrative smothers any embers that the plot kicks up.  The fifth issue of this adaptation is the only one that consistently, from the first page to the last, has that bad-ass burn of American “noir.”

Although this comic book is by no means a disaster, Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me could have been better.  I don't know what qualifies Devin Faraci to adapt a Jim Thompson novel to comics, especially after IDW published comic book adaptations of Richard Stark's (Donald E. Westlake) Parker crime novels, written and drawn by the late Darwyn Cooke, one of the best comic book creators of the last 20 years.  There is something about Faraci's adaptation that seems to accept that it is inherently an inferior work.

Even Vic Malhotra's illustrations and graphic storytelling often come across as flat, even listless, unable to convey the power of the original story.  Colorist Jason Millet's simmering hues do more to convey Jim Thompson's heat than any other contributor to this comic book.  Christa Miesner's lettering is not spectacular, but creates a nice rhythm for the story.

While I have mixed feelings about Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me the comic book, I can recommend this trade paperback to comic book readers who are always looking for comic books adapted from novels.

6 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint syndication rights and fees.

-----------------------

Review: AMERICAN GODS #4

AMERICAN GODS No. 4
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Neil Gaiman
SCRIPT: P. Craig Russell
LAYOUTS: P. Craig Russell
ART: Scott Hampton; Colleen Doran
COLORS: Scott Hampton
LETTERS: Rick Parker
COVER: Glenn Fabry with Adam Brown
VARIANT COVER: David Mack
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2017)

Written by Neil Gaiman and first published in 2001, American Gods is an award-winning, fantasy novel.  It is currently being adapted into a comic book series, published by Dark Horse Comics.  The novel won several fantasy-literary awards, and there is currently a hit television series adapted from the novel and televised on the cable network, Starz Media.  American Gods blends Americana and also ancient and modern mythology to tell the story of a man caught in a war between the gods of the Old World and the new American gods.

Frequent Gaiman collaborator, P. Craig Russell, is the guiding hand behind the American Gods comic book.  Russell wrote the script adaptation of Gaiman's novel and provided the layouts for the art.  American Gods the comic book is drawn and colored by Scott Hampton and lettered by Rick Parker.

American Gods #4 finds the protagonist, Shadow Moon, and his mysterious employer, Mr. Wednesday in Chicago.  There, they meet an eccentric family tied to Wednesday's plans.  One of them, an elderly man named Czernobog, wants to play chess with Shadow, although the consequences for a loss by Shadow are dire.  There are also three sisters in the apartment, and one of them, Zorya Polunochnaya, has a gift for Shadow.  Plus, Mr. Ibis tells the “coming-to-America” story of Essie Tregowan – from the shores of Cornwall and the streets of London to early 18th century colonial Virginia.

Once again, dear reader, a reminder:  I am a big fan of American Gods, although I did not read it upon its original release in 2001.  I read the tenth anniversary edition which featured a longer text – the author's preferred edition.  I also feel that I must admit that I loved that book, and that “love” is not a strong enough word in this case.  American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition is one of my favorite books, and I consider the reading that edition of American Gods to be life-changing event for me in terms of my life as a writer.  True stuff, swear to an American god.

The main story by Russell and Hampton is, as usual, quite good, capturing the magic of Gaiman's book.  This time, however, the main feature is outshone by the back-up feature, the story of Essie Tregowan.  Drawn and colored by the incomparable Colleen Doran (who has previously collaborated with Neil Gaiman), the story reads like a fairy tale, the kind with the melancholy ending.

Doran is a respected comic book artist, but is perhaps under-appreciated as a comic book creator and publisher.  This story reminds us of her skills as a storyteller and perhaps, reveals to some and reminds others of the remarkable beauty of her comic book art and illustrations.  In the world of American comic books, Colleen Doran should be an American god.

So for the fourth time, I implore you to set aside your four dollars each month so that you can buy this lovely comic book, dear reader.  American Gods may end up being on the short list of great comic book adaptations of a prose novel.

10 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-------------------------------

Review: AMERICAN GODS #3

AMERICAN GODS No. 3
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Neil Gaiman
SCRIPT: P. Craig Russell
LAYOUTS: P. Craig Russell
ART: Scott Hampton; Walter Simonson
COLORS: Scott Hampton; Laura Martin
LETTERS: Rick Parker
COVER: Glenn Fabry with Adam Brown
VARIANT COVER: David Mack
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (May 2017)

American Gods is the award-winning, 2001 novel from author Neil Gaiman.  It is now being adapted into a comic book series, published by Dark Horse Comics.  The novel won several fantasy-literary awards, and there is currently a hit television series adapted from the novel and televised on the cable network, Starz Media.  American Gods blends Americana and also ancient and modern mythology to tell the story of a man caught in a war between the gods of the Old World and the new American gods.

The guiding hand behind the American Gods comic book is frequent Gaiman collaborator, P. Craig Russell.  Russell wrote the script adaptation of Gaiman's novel and provided the layouts for the art.  American Gods the comic book is drawn and colored by Scott Hampton and lettered by Rick Parker.

American Gods #3 finds the protagonist, Shadow Moon, and his mysterious employer, Mr. Wednesday, still in Indiana where Shadow attended the funeral of his wife, Laura.  The duo prepares to leave for Chicago the following day, but that night, Shadow has strange, troubling dreams.  Then, he gets a visit from Laura.  Plus, meet the strange fortune tellers of Chicago.

I always feel or think that I have to let you know, dear reader, that I am a big fan of American Gods, although I did not read it upon its original release in 2001.  I read the tenth anniversary edition which featured a longer text – the author's preferred edition.  I also feel that I must admit that I loved that book, and that “love” is not a strong enough word in this case.  American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition is one of my favorite books, and I consider the reading that edition of American Gods to be life-changing event for me in terms of my life as a writer.  True, swear to an American god.

Dark Horse Comics, over their three decades-plus of publishing comic books adapted from other media, has produced countless high-quality “media-tie” comic book and adaptations, and American Gods is one of their best.  Even into this third issue, P. Craig Russell and Scott Hampton's American Gods feels true to Neil Gaiman's storytelling and text.

Russell is patient and allows his script adaptation of Gaiman's expansive novel to breath, rather than forcing the pace to squeeze the narrative into a miniseries.  Hampton's naturalistic art captures the supernatural aura surrounding American Gods' narrative, while fashioning a world that is both natural and supernatural.  I wondered how they could pull off Laura's return, which is one of the more troubling sequences in the novel.  They got it right; the comics vision of that event is also quite eerie.

So for a third time, I implore you to set aside your four dollars each month so that you can buy this lovely comic book, dear reader.  American Gods may end up being on the short list of great comic book adaptations of a prose novel.

A

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

------------------------------

Review: AMERICAN GODS #2

AMERICAN GODS No. 2
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Neil Gaiman
SCRIPT: P. Craig Russell
LAYOUTS: P. Craig Russell
ART: Scott Hampton
COLORS: Scott Hampton
LETTERS: Rick Parker
COVER: Glenn Fabry with Adam Brown
VARIANT COVER: David Mack; Bill Sienkiewicz
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2017)

American Gods, the award-winning, 2001 novel from author Neil Gaiman, is now being adapted into a comic book series, published by Dark Horse Comics.  The novel won several fantasy-literary awards and is currently the subject of a television adaptation by Starz Media.  This fantasy novel blends ancient and modern mythology with Americana to tell the tale a man caught in a war between the gods of the Old World and the new American gods.

The guiding hand behind the American Gods comic book is frequent Gaiman collaborator, P. Craig Russell.  Russell wrote the script adaptation of Gaiman's novel and provided the layouts for the art.  American Gods the comic book is drawn and colored by Scott Hampton and lettered by Rick Parker.

American Gods #2 finds the protagonist, Shadow Moon, in a predicament.  Shadow was recently paroled after serving three years of his six-year prison sentence.  As his day of release approached, Shadow was anxious, strongly believing that something bad was coming towards him.  He planned on returning to Eagle Point, Indiana and his wife, Laura, but he discovered that she had only recently been killed in a car crash.  What to do, now?

Now, Shadow is deciding if he should take a job offer from the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, and he is also about to meet the first of his potential employer's weird friends.  Bigger shocks are to come when Shadow learns more details about his wife's untimely death and also about the people who don't want him to take that job.

I am a big fan of American Gods, although I did not read it upon its original release in 2001.  I read the tenth anniversary edition which featured a longer text – the author's preferred edition.  I loved it, but “love” is not a strong enough word in this case.  American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition is one of my favorite books, and I consider the reading that edition of American Gods to be life-changing event for me in terms of my life as a writer.

Dark Horse Comics, over their three decades-plus of publishing comic books adapted from other media, has produced countless high-quality “media-tie” comic book and adaptations.  Why stop now?  Well, I am not disappointed.

So far, I like P. Craig Russell and Scott Hampton's American Gods because it feels true to Neil Gaiman's storytelling and text.  Russell is patient and allows his script adaptation of Gaiman's expansive novel to breath, rather than forcing the pace to squeeze the narrative into a miniseries.  Hampton's naturalistic art captures the supernatural aura surrounding American Gods' narrative, while fashioning a world that is both natural and supernatural.

Once again, I implore you to set aside your four bucks for each issue.  We have in American Gods a comics adaptation of a novel that may end up being on the short list of great comic book adaptations of a prose novel.

A

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

--------------------------------

Review: AMERICAN GODS #1

AMERICAN GODS No. 1
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Neil Gaiman
SCRIPT: P. Craig Russell
LAYOUTS: P. Craig Russell
ART: Scott Hampton; P. Craig Russell
COLORS: Scott Hampton; P. Craig Russell
LETTERS: Rick Parker; Lovern Kindzierski
COVER: Glenn Fabry
VARIANT COVERS: David Mack; Dave McKean
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (March 2017)

American Gods is a 2001 novel from author Neil Gaiman.  The novel won several fantasy-literary awards and is currently the subject of a television adaptation by Starz Media.  This fantasy novel blends ancient and modern mythology with Americana to tell the tale a man caught in a war between the gods of the Old World and the new American gods.

American Gods is also a comic book thanks to an adaptation by frequent Gaiman collaborator, P. Craig Russell.  Russell wrote the script adaptation of Gaiman's novel and provided the layouts for the art.  American Gods the comic book is drawn and colored by Scott Hampton and lettered by Rick Parker.  The first issue of American Gods also includes a four-page back story that is an adaptation of particular sequence (involving the succubus, Bilquis) from American Gods that is written, drawn, and colored by Russell and lettered by Lovern Kindzierski.

American Gods #1 opens in an unnamed prison where we meet the protagonist, Shadow Moon.  Shadow is in the third year of his six-year prison sentence and is nearing parole.  Being so close to getting out of prison has made Shadow anxious, and he feels that something bad is coming towards him.  Everyday he thinks of returning to Eagle Point, Indiana and his wife, Laura.  However, the world of the supernatural is what actually awaits Shadow... and a man calling himself Mr. Wednesday.

I did not read American Gods upon its original release in 2001, but five years ago, I did read the tenth anniversary edition which featured a longer text – the author's preferred edition.  I loved it; well, I don't think “love” is a strong enough word.  I consider that edition of American Gods to be life-changing in terms of my life as a writer.

I was happy to hear that Dark Horse Comics would be publishing a comic book adaptation, because I believed that, as they have always done, the people of Dark Horse take their comic book adaptations of other media seriously (Alien, Predator, and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to name a few).  They always seem determined to produce something of high quality, and I knew they would not want to fuck up Neil Gaiman's storytelling.

So far, I like P. Craig Russell and Scott Hampton's American Gods because it feels true to Neil Gaiman's storytelling and text.  The only thing that I don't like is waiting a month for the next issue.  It's that simple:  Russell and Hampton done good.  Plus, I have to say I wondered if anyone could visualize the part of the novel in which Gaiman introduces Bilquis, and Russell, one of the great visualists in the history of comic books, pulls that off.  [By the way, David Mack's variant cover for the first issue is also quite visually striking.]

So set aside your four bucks for each issue.  We have in American Gods a comics adaptation of a novel that may end up being on the short list of great comic book adaptations of a prose novel.

A

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

------------------------

Review: In Search of Lost Time: SWANN'S WAY

IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME: SWANN'S WAY
W.W. NORTON & COMPANY/Liveright – @wwnorton and @LiverightPub

ORIGINAL STORY: Marcel Proust (novel)
CARTOONIST: Stéphane Heuet
TRANSLATION: Arthur Goldhammer
ISBN: 978-1-63149-035-4; hardcover (July 13, 2015)
240pp, Color, $26.95 U.S., $32.00 CAN

Stéphane Heuet is a French comics artist, who is known for his work in Franco-Belgian comics, which are called bandes dessinées (or “BD”).  Two decades ago, Heuet made a big leap in his career, which was also a huge risk, and this career-changing decision was connected to Marcel Proust.

Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust, best known as Marcel Proust (1871-1922), was a  French novelist, critic, and essayist.  He is considered one of the greatest authors of all time, and his prominent work is À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time).  This monumental novel was published in seven parts between 1913 and 1927.

The novel first gained fame in English under the title, Remembrance of Things Past.  This lengthy work has a theme of involuntary memory, and it follows the narrator, a middle-aged writer, as he recalls his past, the people he knew, and the places his visited.

In the early 1990s, Stéphane Heuet, decided to adapt In Search of Lost Time into comics form.  In 1998, he published Combray (Editions Delcourt), what he hoped would be the first of about a dozen large-sized, hardcover comic books (graphic novels?), the number it would take for him to adapt In Search of Lost Time into comics.  As of this writing, Heuet has published five books in this series.  In 2003, NBM Publishing released an English edition of Combray in North America.

The original prose Swann's Way is the first of the seven books that comprises Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time.  Last year, in July, Liveright, an imprint of W.W. Norton and Company, published the large-size, full-color hardcover, In Search of Lost Time: Swann's Way.  This book collects Heuet's comics adaptation of Swann's Way.  Liveright's In Search of Lost Time: Swann's Way is also an English-language edition of the French comics hardcover, Du cote de chez Swann: Edition Integral (Editions Delcourt), which also collects Heuet's comics adaptation of Swann's Way.

In Search of Lost Time: Swann's Way opens with “Combray,” in which the narrator, an aspiring writer, evokes the village in which he grew up, Combray.  This opening section includes the famous “episode of the madeleine.”  While visiting his mother, the narrator has tea with her and eats a madeleine, a small pastry in the shape of a cockle shell.  The taste of the pastry causes the narrator’s memories to return to his boyhood (the “involuntary memory”).

The second part, “Swann in Love,” tells the story of the romance between the aristocratic Charles Swann and Odette de Crecy, a prostitute.  Swann's infatuation with Odette causes him much torment, especially once he comes to believe that she cannot stand his presence and is also having an affair with the Comte de Forcheville.  Although he comes to believe that Odette is beneath his station, Swann cannot stop thinking about her and wanting her.

The third part, “Place Names: The Name,” details the narrator’s idealized boyhood love for Charles and Mme (Odette) Swann's daughter, Gilberte.  This part also deals with the narrator's preference for the manner of women's fashion, make-up, and hair as it was when he was a boy in the past, as he compares it to the way things are in the present, now that he is an adult.

While researching Marcel Proust, Stephane Heuet, and this graphic novel, I found a New York Times article from 1998 about the controversy that ensued in France after the release of Heuet's first In Search of Lost Time graphic novel, Combray.  I don't know why I found myself surprised by the controversy, as the French are so open-minded...

Anyway, it took me a long time to read this (in addition to the fact that, at one point, I misplaced my reader's copy).  I am assuming that all the dialogue (word balloons) and exposition (caption boxes) that Heuet uses in his comics adaptation come directly from Proust's original text.  Proust's winding prose reads as if someone took Shakespeare and stuck every line together to form one incredibly long run-on sentence with little to no punctuation.  Yet Proust, at least in this comic book, is not abstract.  The language is meant to be evocative, and I found that certain words go together to form phrases which in turn are meant to evoke involuntary memories in my mind.  It is as if I were remembering something that not only did I not experience, but may also not even be real.

And I like that.  I think Heuet's adaptation works best if the reader can unravel the layers of the text.  Some words are mere flights of fantasy, while others are metaphorical.  Some deal with memory and are, therefore, highly descriptive.  In “Swann in Love” I found myself having to reread portions of the text to discover when the story was focusing on the matter at hand:  character, personality, relationship, conflict, and narrative.  I think the translation of Heuet's original French text into English by Arthur Goldhammer is likely the best a translation of this can be.  It is reader-friendly, but emphasizes the beauty of the prose.

It is also easy to get lost in Stephane Heuet's beautiful art.  His “clean line” (or “clear line”) style recalls the work of Tintin creator, Hergé, and it gives the story a sense of wonder and of adventure.  That makes this journey into the narrator's memory a joyful trip.  I was never bored; I was always curious about where this story was taking me.  Honestly, In Search of Lost Time: Swann's Way is not the easiest read, but it is a remarkable book, and the map of Paris and illustrated Proust family tree that comes with this version of the book helps.

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.

Review: Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (OGN)

HUNTER S. THOMPSON'S FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS
TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS – @topshelfcomix

CARTOONIST: Troy Little – @meanwhilestudio
STORY: Hunters S. Thompson (his novel)
EDITORS: Ted Adams and Denton J. Tipton
ISBN: 978-1-60309-375-0; hardcover (October 2015)
176pp, Color, $24.99 U.S.

Mature readers (16+)

Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream first saw life as a two-art series for Rolling Stone magazine in 1971.  It was published as a book  (with illustrations by Ralph Steadman)  in 1972 and has gone onto be considered one of the most important American novels ever published.

Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a full-color graphic novel adaptation of Thompson's novel.  The graphic novel is the creation of Eisner-nominated comic book creator and writer-artist, Troy Little (Chiaroscuro).  The original novel is influential; its adaptation by Troy Little is a masterwork.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream follows its protagonist, Raoul Duke (Hunter S. Thompson's alter ego), and Duke's attorney, Dr. Gonzo, as they travel to Las Vegas.  This story is based on two actual trips to Las Vegas that Thompson took with his attorney, the Chicano activist, Oscar Zeta Acosta, who becomes Dr. Gonzo in the story.

In Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Duke and Gonzo are initially in Las Vegas to cover “The Mint 400,” an off-road race for motorcycles and dune buggies that apparently offers the richest prize or purse for the winners.  The second Las Vegas assignment is a request by Rolling Stone for Duke to write a 50 thousand word piece about a four-day seminar by the National Conference of District Attorneys.

Along the way, Duke and Gonzo descend into a haze from their drug and alcohol-fueled bender.  Duke searches for the American dream and ruminates on the failure of the 1960s counter-culture movement.  After crashing a drug-enforcement conference, racking-up large room-service bills, and wrecking two hotel rooms, however, both men will discover that it is difficult to leave Las Vegas.

As a former journalism student, I have heard of Hunter S. Thompson, of course.  He was the gold-standard and a legend to fellow students, but to me, he was just another famous White journalist upon whose altar I was supposed to worship.  I have never read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream, although I have had vague plans to do so for over two decades.  I had seen him on television several times before he died, and I have read at least one piece written by him.  Perhaps, I have read more, but I don't remember any of it.

I know Thompson best by the most famous parody of him, “Uncle Duke,” the character in Doonesbury, Gary Trudeau's long-running satirical daily newspaper comic strip.  I am familiar with the movie adaptations of Thompson's work, but have not seen those films.  So, when Top Shelf Productions sent me a copy of their graphic novel adaptation, Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I did not know what I was going to do.  I considered ignoring it and not reading it, but Top Shelf has always been cool with recognizing me as someone they want to review their books.

Of course, I should have had more faith in them.  This book is an absolute blast to read.  It is one of the best comic books of 2015, and I consider it a tremendous achievement on writer-artist Troy Little's part.  Readers who admire comic books as more than just escapist entertainment, and thus, are always on the lookout for standout material, should read Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

The graphical storytelling, in particularly the art and illustrations of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas the comic book, focuses on Duke and Gonzo's supernatural consumption of drugs, alcohol, and an amazing array of mind-altering substances.  Little's cartoon recreation of Duke and Gonzo's mother-of-all-Vegas-benders is the most beautiful depiction of debauched substance abuse that I have seen since I first watched director Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream (2000).

The vivid and spectacular colors bring the hallucinations and the claustrophobic cafes, conference rooms, and hotel rooms to life.  Little's drawing style for this graphic novel is similar to the kind of drawing styles used by political cartoonists, which works quite well when the story engages the characters.  The political styling connects Raoul Duke's political and social examinations to the main body of the narrative, which is about Duke and Dr. Gonzo's madness.

I think that if the book has a fault, it is that the political and social ruminations are relegated to exposition in caption boxes.  The art mainly focuses on the insanity of and the savage humor in Duke and Gonzo's interactions with drugs and with other people.  Because I loved the glorious madness of Duke and Gonzo's demented Vegas adventures, I really don't want to find fault with anything, so if you want to believe that this graphic novel is not perfect, there you go...  I was genuinely sad when I got to the last page of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.  I guess I'll have to start reading it again.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Review: FIGHT CLUB 2 #3

FIGHT CLUB 2 #3
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Chuck Palahniuk
ART: Cameron Stewart
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Nate Piekos of Blambot
COVER:  David Mack
VARIANT COVER: Cameron Stewart
EDITOR: Scott Allie
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2015)

“This is Limbo”

Fight Club 2 is the comic book sequel to the 1996 prose novel, Fight Club, written by author Chuck Palahniuk.  Published by Dark Horse Comics, Fight Club 2 is also written by Chuck Palahniuk, drawn by Cameron Stewart, colored by Dave Stewart, and lettered by Nate Piekos, with cover art provided by painter David Mack.

Fight Club 2 focuses on the unnamed protagonist of Fight Club, who now calls himself “Sebastian.”  A decade ago, he had an army of men ready to take down the modern world.  Now, an assortment of pills and medications have taken him down.  Sebastian is married to Marla Singer, his former co-revolutionary, and they have a son, “Junior.”  All is boring, but an old friend, Tyler Durden, is back, and he may be the reason that Junior has been kidnapped.

Once upon a time, Sebastian led a revolutionary project/movement called “Project Mayhem.”  As Fight Club 2 #3 opens, Sebastian engages the current generation of Project Mayhem, with the ample bruises provided by Marla that will allow him to walk among this new generation.  The search for Sebastian's son begins, while Tyler makes new and even darker plans.

At this point, I can't pretend to be surprised by how good a comic book Fight Club 2 is.  I am enjoying it as much, if not more, than the novel, which I first read sometime in the last decade or so.  Now, I am suspicious of Chuck Palahniuk.  Of course, he is an acclaimed and successful writer of prose (novels and short stories), but his first foray into comic books should not be as well executed as Fight Club 2 is.

Of course, he does have the advantage of having as a co-author, the accomplished comic book artist, Cameron Stewart.  The graphical storytelling in this comic book tells this story set in the world of Fight Club subtly and with a sense of mystery, in a way the slick and hyper 1999 Fight Club movie did not.

And yet, once again, cover artist, David Mack, leaves his mark on this comic book with another striking painting.  His work on this series encapsulates the narrative's secrets and lies, and fosters the idea that this story is older than we realize.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Review: FIGHT CLUB 2 #2

FIGHT CLUB 2 #2
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Chuck Palahniuk
ART: Cameron Stewart
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Nate Piekos of Blambot
COVER:  David Mack
VARIANT COVERS: Francesco Francavilla
EDITOR: Scott Allie
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2015)

“The fire inspector said...”

Author Chuck Palahniuk has written the sequel to his 1996 novel, Fight Club, as a comic book.  Published by Dark Horse Comics, Fight Club 2 is written by Chuck Palahniuk, drawn by Cameron Stewart, colored by Dave Stewart, and lettered by Nate Piekos, with cover art by David Mack.

In Fight Club 2, the unnamed protagonist of Fight Club now calls himself “Sebastian.”  A decade ago, he had an army of men ready to take down the modern world.  Now, an assortment of pills and medications have taken him down.  Sebastian is married to Marla Singer, his former co-revolutionary, and they have a son, “Junior.”  All is boring, but an old friend, Tyler Durden, is back.

Fight Club 2 #2 (“The fire inspector said...”) opens in the aftermath of the destruction of Sebastian and Marla's suburban home.  In theory, they are grieving parents, as their son was killed in the fire.  As one would expect, more-to-the-story isn't just a catch phrase.  Someone adjusted someone's medicine so she could screw someone special, and an old army demands an audience with its leader.

I really hoped that Fight Club 2 would be an exceptional comic book, and it is – dare I call it great?  It would not be an exaggeration to say that Chuck Palahniuk was born to write comic books, which he proves with this bracing and invigorating story.  Of course, he is blessed with a talented co-author in artist Cameron Stewart.  Stewart tells the story with subtly and with a sense of mystery.  Graphically and visually, Stewart delivers the story with a matter-of-fact quality that makes Fight Club 2 seem genuine and not contrived, but without loosing the surreal qualities of Palahniuk's world.

Once again, David Mack lets loose a stellar cover painting.  Yes, there is an element of menace in these covers, but much is left to interpretation because we control our destiny because we don't control our destiny... and Tyler is watching.  I don't know why people aren't making a huge freaking deal about this comic book instead of worrying about what Marvel Comics or DC Comics are going to do to or with their precious faux universes.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Manga Review: ALL YOU NEED IS KILL

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL 2-in-1 Edition (MANGA)
VIZ MEDIA/Haikasoru – @VIZMedia

STORY: Hiroshi Sakurazaka
STORYBOARD: Ryosuke Takeuchi
ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS: yoshitoshi ABe
ART: Takeshi Obata
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
LETTERS: Evan Waldinger
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7601-5; paperback, (November 2014); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
430pp, B&W, $14.99 U.S., $16.99 CAN, £9.99 UK

All You Need is Kill is a Japanese science fiction novel written by author Hiroshi Sakurazaka, and first published in 2004.  Bestselling author John Scalzi (Old Man’s War), called All You Need is Kill “science fiction for the adrenaline junkie.”  The novel is also the source material for the 2014 film, Edge of Tomorrow, starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt.

Back in July 2009, All You Need is Kill was first published in English by Haikasoru, the science fiction imprint of VIZ Media, the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America.  VIZ Media also produced an original comic book adaptation of Sakurazaka's novel, All You Need is Kill: Official Graphic Novel Adaptation, created by Nick Mamatas (script adaptation of the novel), Lee Ferguson (artist), Fajar Buana (colors), and Zack Turner (letters).

There is a manga adaptation of All You Need is Kill, produced by artist Takeshi Obata with writer Ryosuke Takeuchi (storyboards) and yoshitoshi Abe (original illustrations).  VIZ Media originally premiered the manga in its Weekly Shonen Jump digital manga anthology.  Under its “Shonen Jump Advanced” imprint, VIZ recently published an omnibus print edition (5.5” x 8.25”and 430 pages) of All You Need is Kill the manga, which is black and white with several color pages.

All You Need is Kill opens sometime after Earth has been invaded by the alien Mimics.  In Japan, the United Defense Force (UDF) was created to fight the Mimics, which are difficult to defeat.  In the 17th Company of the UDF, Keiji Kiriya is a “Jacket soldier,” named because of the armor he and other soldier wear, called a “Jacket.”  One morning, Keiji awakens after a strange dream in which he died in battle.  He spends the rest of the day with a sense of deja vu.

Then, the U.S. Special Forces, which is basically the only military that is successful against the Mimics, arrives.  Keiji sees Rita Vrataski, the leader of the U.S. Special Forces, known as “the Valkyrie,” and also as the “Full Metal Bitch.”  Keiji knows that he has seen her... on the battlefield... before he died.  Keiji has been dying in battle, only to be reborn the next morning, to fight and die again and again.  Is the Full Metal Bitch the key to Keiji escaping the cycle or the catalyst to meeting his final death?

Takeshi Obata is one of my favorite manga creators, so I was excited when VIZ Media gave me a copy of the All You Need is Kill manga for review.  It truly deserves to be called a “graphic novel,” not only because of its length of 430 pages, but also because of the epic scope of its narrative.

All You Need is Kill is rousing military science fiction, and it offers the thrill of a frenetic action movie.  It is also the manga adaptation of a light novel reborn as a genuine shonen battle manga, because this feels less like an transfer of mediums and more like something first born as a manga.

Ultimately, what makes the manga All You Need is Kill successful is the attention to character drama and personal details.  Readers will buy the idea that Keiji and Rita are imperiled because the creators of this manga go to the emotional center and into internal conflicts of the characters.  The world seems at risk because the readers see it through characters in which they can believe, so the risk feels real.

Takeshi Obata deserves to be called “great” because his storytelling is always potent, regardless of genre, and he gives texture and life to drawings on paper.  All you need is talented manga creators who can deliver and you get high-quality science fiction manga like All You Need is Kill.

A

www.VIZ.com
www.shonenjump.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Comics Review: THE STRAIN #6

THE STRAIN #6
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
SCRIPT: David Lapham
ART: Mike Huddleston
COLORS: Dan Jackson
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: E.M. Gist
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (July 2012)

Part 6: “Dear Ones”

Some time ago, Dark Horse Comics made PDF copies of all 11 issues of its horror comic book series, The Strain, available to its media mailing list.  This was part of DHC’s promotional effort for the follow-up series, The Strain: The Fall.  Between those PDFs and hard copies, I was able to review all 11 issues of The Strain for the ComicBookBin.

I have previously posted my reviews of The Strain, issues #1 through 5, here on the “I Reads You” blog.  Over the course of the coming weeks, I will post the reviews of issues 6 to 11 on this blog in conjunction with the broadcast of “The Strain,” the television adaptation of the novel that is the source material for both the TV series and Dark Horse’s comic book.  The first episode aired on Sunday night, July 13, 2014 on cable channel, FX, with each new episode airing the following Sunday.

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The Strain is an 11-issue comic book adaptation of The Strain, a 2009 vampire novel from filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and novelist Chuck Hogan.  The adaptation is scripted by David Lapham, drawn by Mike Huddleston, colored by Dan Jackson, and lettered by Clem Robins.

In the story, Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) heads the Canary Project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats.   With his second-in-command, Nora Martinez, Eph has found such a threat at J.F.K. International Airport in New York City.  There, a Boeing 777 went dead silent after landing, while inside, almost all the passengers and crew were dead.

As The Strain #6 opens, Eph and Dr. Martinez tentatively take Professor Abraham Setrakian’s claims seriously.  Someone is going to use the “v” word.  The scientists go to Setrakian’s antique shop, where they visit his basement and see the thing the old man keeps in a jar.

Next, Eph, Martinez, and Setrakian search for the “dear ones,” in a bid to track the path of the strange virus that could destroy life in New York City.  Meanwhile, Eldritch Palmer, CEO of the Stoneheart Group, tries to resolve some loose ends in the part he plays in the growing horror.

It has been two months since I last read the fifth issue of The Strain, and it is still good as I remember.  By now, this series is a back issue, with second trade due to arrive and the second series (entitled The Fall) preparing to launch.  New release or back issue, The Strain is a great read.

If The Strain does not become a perennial or backlist favorite, then, the comic book gods must be crazy.  Lapham and Huddleston’s efforts have earned readers’ notice.  Fans of horror comic books should get The Strain.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Review: THE STRAIN #5

THE STRAIN #5
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
SCRIPT: David Lapham
ART: Mike Huddleston
COLORS: Dan Jackson
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: E.M. Gist
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (June 2012)

Part 5: “Origins”

Dark Horse Comics previously made PDF copies of all 11 issues of its horror comic book series, The Strain, available to comic book reviewers on its mailing list.  This offer was part of DHC’s promotional effort for the follow-up series, The Strain: The Fall.  I took up that offer and reviewed all 11 issues of The Strain for the ComicBookBin.

I have previously posted my reviews of The Strain, issues #1 through 4, here on the “I Reads You” blog.  Over the course of the coming weeks, I will post the reviews of issues 5 to 11 on this blog in conjunction with the broadcast of “The Strain,” the television adaptation of the original novel.  The first episode aired on Sunday night, July 13, 2014 on cable channel, FX, with each new episode airing the following Sunday.

Thus far, I think the first two issues The Strain comic book were better than the first two episodes of “The Strain” TV series.  However, I found that the third episode, “Gone Smooth,” (Sunday, July 27, 2014) matched the intensity of the comic book.

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Published by Dark Horse Comics, The Strain is an 11-issue comic book adaptation of the 2009 vampire novel, also entitled The Strain, from filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (Blade II, Hellboy) and novelist Chuck Hogan (Prince of Thieves).  The adaptation is scripted by David Lapham, drawn by Mike Huddleston, colored by Dan Jackson, and lettered by Clem Robins.

The Strain’s lead character is Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control).  Eph heads the Canary Project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats.   With his second-in-command, Nora Martinez, Eph has found such a threat.  It begins at J.F.K. International Airport in New York City, where a Boeing 777 went dead silent after landing, while inside, almost all the passengers and crew were dead.

The Strain #5 opens at the 17th Precinct Headquarters in a holding cell.  There, Professor Abraham Setrakian tells fellow cellmate, Gusto, a story that takes them back in time.  It begins in 1927 in Romania.  Young Abraham is a woodworker whose life is about to be turned upside down by the Nazis.

Moving forward to 1942, Abraham is imprisoned at the Treblinka Death Camp.  His skills keep him alive, but he discovers another threat – the monstrous Sardu.  That’s where the battle between good and evil really begins, and where Abraham’s bid for freedom will determine the fate of many.

Writing comic book reviews of the various issues of The Strain have been easy.  Writer David Lapham and artist Mike Huddleston are a good team.  Lapham decompresses the story, but the narrative pace moves with ever increasing urgency, heightening the sense of drama, especially the moments of violence.  Huddleston brings it to life with compositions full of details that create atmosphere, but most especially embody what each moment is supposed to be.

Lapham and Huddleston’s efforts have earned readers’ notice.  Fans of horror comic books must try The Strain.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Comic Book Review: THE STRAIN #4

THE STRAIN #4
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
SCRIPT: David Lapham
ART: Mike Huddleston
COLORS: Dan Jackson
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Mike Huddleston
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (March 2012)

Part 4: “Conspiracy”

Early in 2013, Dark Horse Comics made PDF copies of all 11 issues of its horror comic book series, The Strain, available to comic book reviewers on its mailing list.  This offer was part of DHC’s promotional effort for a second maxi-series, The Strain: The Fall.  I took up that offer and reviewed all 11 issues of The Strain for the ComicBookBin.

I have previously posted my reviews of The Strain, issues #1 through 3 on my “I Reads You” blog.  Over the course of the coming weeks, I will post the reviews of issues 4 to 11 on this blog in conjunction with the broadcast of “The Strain,” the television adaptation of the original novel.  The first episode aired on Sunday night, July 13, 2014 on cable channel, FX, with each new episode airing the following Sunday.

Thus far, the first two issues The Strain comic book are better than the first two episodes of “The Strain” TV series.

------------------

The Strain is the 11-issue comic book adaptation of The Strain, a 2009 vampire novel from filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and novelist Chuck Hogan.  Hogan’s 2004 novel, Prince of Thieves, became the Ben Affleck film, The Town.  Published by Dark Horse Comics, The Strain comic book is scripted by David Lapham, drawn by Mike Huddleston, and colored by Dan Jackson.

The Strain follows Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control).  Eph heads the Canary Project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats.   With his second-in-command, Nora Martinez, Eph has found just that kind a threat.  It begins at J.F.K. International Airport in New York City, where a Boeing 777 went dead silent after landing.

The Strain #4 opens at the Stoneheart Group Headquarters in Manhattan.  There, CEO Eldritch Palmer begins to orchestrate his part in the madness that has already begun.  Eph’s son, Zack, witnesses something frightening.  Exhausted, Eph struggles to discover the secrets of what looks like an epidemic, while Nora comforts him.

Gabe Bolivar, rock star and survivor of the Boeing flight, gets a visit from his manager, Rudy, a visit that leaves the visitor stunned.  The wife of Ansel Barbour, another survivor, seeks comfort in “The Lord’s Prayer.”  Eph and Nora have a completely unexpected encounter with the third survivor, Captain Redfern.

The Strain #3 was f’ing awesome, and so is #4.  Artist Mike Huddleston has complete control of this narrative’s pace.  He draws out the coming horror in a measured pace that tries one’s nerves.  Could I take the heat?  Then, Huddleston unleashes brief action scenes that hit the viewer like a mean action movie.  Every one page of action feels like three pages.  Many media properties would be well served by a Mike Huddleston as their comic book artist.

Fans of horror comic books must have The Strain.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Review: BATTLE ROYALE Angels’ Border

BATTLE ROYALE ANGELS’ BORDER
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Koushun Takami with N-Cake
ARTISTS: Mioko Ohnishi and Youhei Oguma
TRANSLATION: Nathan Collins
LETTERS: Annaliese Christman
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7168-3; paperback (June 2014); Rated “T” for “Older Teen”
274pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $14.99 CAN, £8.99 U.K.

Battle Royale Angels’ Border is a stand-alone, one-shot manga set in the world of Battle Royale.  First published in 1999, Battle Royale is a Japanese horror and science fiction novel written by Koushun Takami.  In 2000, the novel became a manga that Takami produced with artist Masayuki Taguchi, who drew the manga.  A controversial film adaptation directed by Kinji Fukasaku was also released in 2000.

The book is set in the near-future in the Republic of Greater East Asia, a country that is like modern-day Japan, but has an authoritarian government.  The most graphic symbol of Greater East Asia’s controlling government is something called “the Program.”  Each year, an entire class of ninth grade students is kidnapped and dropped on an island.  There, the students are forced to kill each other until there is one survivor – the winner of the Program.  The original novel follows the 42 students (11 girls and 11 boys) of Shiroiwa Junior High – Ninth Grade Class B after they are chosen for the Program.

Battle Royale Angels’ Border expands upon the original novel.  Angels’ Border reveals for the first time the full story and grisly demise of the Shiroiwa Junior High girls who hid in the lighthouse.  Their subplot was featured in the original Battle Royale book and live-action film.

Battle Royale Angels’ Border features two episodes (or stories).  Episode I (drawn by Mioko Ohnishi) opens at the lighthouse.  The students from Shiroiwa Junior High scattered from the classroom where they received their orders and rules about the killing game that is the Program.  Yukie Utsumi and five of her friends:  Haruka Tanizawa, Yuka Nakagawa, Satomi Noda, Yuko Sakaki, Chisato Matsui lock themselves in the lighthouse.  There, they cling to a desperate hope of survival. The girls all trust each other, but they also know that only one can survive this killing game.

Meanwhile, Haruka struggles with her love for her friend, Yukie Utsumi, simultaneously wanting to touch Yukie, but skittish when Yukie touches her in friendship.  Haruka wants desperately for her and Yukie to survive, but complications and the arrival of others make one of the six girls very dangerous to the others.

Episode II (drawn by Youhei Oguma) focuses on two students from Shiroiwa Junior High – Ninth Grade Class B.  The story is set in November, six months before the kids from Class B are kidnapped into the Program.  Chisato, one of the girls who makes it to the lighthouse, is taking the train home when she has a confrontation with another passenger.  Suddenly, classmate Shinji Mimura comes to her rescue.  This popular boy and basketball star, practically sweeps Chisato off her feet, turning a train ride into something that might be called a date.

Honestly, I don’t have a lot to say about Battle Royale Angels’ Border.  I have not yet read Koushun Takami’s original novel, but I have seen the film adaptation, and I have read the first three volumes of the manga adaptation of the novel.  Both the film and manga contain depictions of extreme or graphic violence, including the depiction of a rape in the manga.

Battle Royale Angels’ Border is for teen readers, perhaps older teens; one reason being that the depiction of violence is not explicit.  Although it is teen appropriate, Angels’ Border is neither shojo nor shonen manga.  I think Angels’ Border’s two stories are essentially young adult (YA) stories set in the adult fiction/mature audience world of Battle Royale.  These stories blend teen love, unrequited love, LGBTQ love, but this is manga that is about young love and not so much about teen romance.

I do not know what fans of the Battle Royale novel, films, or manga will get out of these two interesting side stories.  I think teen readers will like them.  Think of Battle Royale Angels’ Border as Battle Royale toned down to the level of The Hunger Games…

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Review: BATTLE ROYALE Ultimate Edition Volume 1

BATTLE ROYALE ULTIMATE EDITON, VOL. 1
TOKYOPOP

WRITERS: Koushun Takami and Masayuki Taguchi
ARTIST: Masayuki Taguchi
TRANSLATION: Tomo Iwo with Emily Shoji
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Keith Giffen
ISBN: 978-1-4278-0753-3; hardcover (October 2007); Action; Rated “M” for “Mature-Ages 18+”
632pp, B&W, $24.99 U.S.

The Battle Royale media franchise began life as the novel, Battle Royale.  It was written by Konshun Takami and published in Japan in 1999 by publisher, Ohta Shuppan.  Some audiences know Battle Royale for the controversial 2000 Japanese film adaptation that has gained cult status in the United States.

Japanese comics creator (mangaka) Masayuki Taguchi adapted the novel into manga.  TOKYOPOP published the Battle Royale manga in English as 15 graphic novels from 2003 to 2006.  In late 2007, TOKYOPOP began collecting those graphic novels into five omnibus editions, with each omnibus reprinting three graphic novel volumes of the Battle Royale manga in one hardcover book.

In the TOKYOPOP adaptation of the original magna, Battle Royale is set in an alternate timeline in which Japan is a police state.  There, the government sanctions a television game or reality show called “The Program.”  This show pits school students against one another in a kill or be killed scenario.  And only one student can survive and win!

Battle Royale Ultimate Edition, Vol. 1 (reprinting Battle Royale Vols. 1-3) introduces readers to Class B-9th Grade at Shiroiwa Junior High School.  These 42 students (21 boys and 21 girls) are gassed during a bus trip.  They awake to find themselves marooned on an island and forced to kill one another until only one survives – the winner.  They are goaded and warned of the extreme rules of “The Program” by its ruthless and mysterious game master, Yonemi Kamon.  Collars rigged with explosives around their necks will keep the students honest.

Weapons are handed out and each student is sent out into the island alone; before long many students are turning against each other and committing the most brutal acts of murder.  Amidst the carnage, however, established friendships and love relationships take hold, while new bonds are forged.  Out of the chaos, seven figures take center stage.  The righteous Shuuya Nanahara and the gentle and caring Noriko Nakagawa join a hardened veteran of a previous stint on “The Program,” Shogo Kawada.  Hacker Shinji Mimura takes the battle against the captors to cyberspace.  Some seek an alliance with the kind-hearted kung fu master Hiroki Sugimura, while the troubled bad girl, Mitsuko Souma, and the cold, merciless Kazuo Kiriyama kill at will.

I saw the Battle Royale film before I ever read the manga, and though the film’s violence is alternately bracing and cathartic and sickening and troubling, it’s not the most disturbing film I’ve ever seen (De Palma’s Scarface, Ken Russell’s The Devils, and Larry Clark’s Kids, among others).  Still, the Battle Royale movie didn’t prepare me for how shockingly and brutally violent the Battle Royale manga is.

Film critics often attack horror movies for not having good characters; their reasoning is that if the viewers care about the characters, then, the horror of their violent murders will affect the viewers that much more.  In his adaptation of Battle Royale, manga-ka Masayuki Taguchi is exceptionally good at getting you to take these characters into your minds (if not hearts), and then making you suffer their often gruesome fates.  The idea of placing humans in situations outside of civil society and civilization and watching them turn to murderers is not new, even when the characters are all children.  But there’s nothing quite like the horror of the teen-on-teen murder (and occasional explicit sex and sexual assault) of Battle Royale.

Battle Royale Ultimate Edition Volume 1 is like a comic book version of a DVD.  It contains essays and new and previously unseen art.  This book has a weapons dossier written by Eliot R. Brown, who wrote the specifications for weapons, armor, and equipment that appeared in titles published by Marvel Comics.  Readers will like this added material as nice extras to go with the excellent manga.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Review: THE STRAIN #3

THE STRAIN #3
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
SCRIPT: David Lapham
ART: Mike Huddleston
COLORS: Dan Jackson
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Mike Huddleston
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (February 2012)

Part 3: “First Night”

Dark Horse Comics made PDF copies of all 11 issues of its horror comic book series, The Strain, available in early 2013 to comic book reviewers on its e-mailing list.  This PDF release was in anticipation of the follow-up series, The Strain: The Fall.  I was able to review all 11 issues of The Strain for the ComicBookBin.

I have previously posted my reviews of The Strain #1-2 on this, the “I Reads You” blog.  Over the course of the coming weeks, I will post the reviews of issues 3 to 11 on this blog in conjunction with the airing of “The Strain,” the television adaptation of the original novel.  The first episode debuted on Sunday, July 13, 2014 on cable channel, FX.

---------------

The 2009 vampire novel from filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and novelist Chuck Hogan, The Strain, became a comic book miniseries.  Beginning in 2011, Dark Horse Comics began the 11-issue comic book adaptation, also entitled The Strain, with script adaptation by David Lapham and art by Mike Huddleston.

The Strain’s central character is Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control).  Eph heads the Canary Project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats.   With his second-in-command, Nora Martinez, Eph may have found such a threat at J.F.K. International Airport in New York City, where a Boeing 777 went dead silent after landing.

As The Strain #3 opens, elderly Professor Abraham Setrakian noisily confronts Eph and Nora, warning of the coming abomination.  Unlike the characters in so much of horror fiction and storytelling, Eph and Nora pay attention to the warnings… somewhat.  They may be just a little late to stop the supernatural disaster.  Two of the survivors of the Boeing 777 are exhibiting strange behavior.

Last issue, Ansel Barbour had a special meal with the family dogs.  This issue, rock star, Bolivar, freaks out his threesome partners.  Meanwhile, in Manhattan, someone goes streaking through Times Square, perhaps like no other streaker has before him.  Also, eight-year-old Emma Gilbarton visits her grieving father.  With all the strangeness happening, NYPD still has time to racially profile and stop-and-frisk a brown person.

If The Strain maintains the level of quality that permeates this third issue, I’ll run out of good things to say by the time I get to issue #11.  The Strain #3 is f’ing awesome.  The Strain is the great horror comic book that the original 30 Days of Night should have been.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Review: THE STRAIN #2

THE STRAIN #2
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
SCRIPT: David Lapham
ART: Mike Huddleston
COLORS: Dan Jackson
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Mike Huddleston
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (January 2012)

Part 2: “The Occultation”

Early in 2013, Dark Horse Comics made PDF copies of all 11 issues of its horror comic book series, The Strain, available to comic book reviewers on its mailing list.  As an incentive, Dark Horse offered to give any reviewer who reviewed all 11 issues of The Strain copies of the two trade paperbacks that collected the series.  This offer was part of the promotional effort for the follow-up series, The Strain: The Fall.  I took up that offer and reviewed all 11 issues of The Strain for the ComicBookBin.

I have previously posted my review of The Strain #1 also on my “I Reads You” blog.  Over the course of the coming weeks, I will post the reviews of issues 2 to 11 on this blog in anticipation of “The Strain,” the television adaptation of the original novel.  The first episode is scheduled to debut on Sunday night, July 13, 2014 on cable channel, FX.  [By the way, Dark Horse reneged on that offer of the free trade paperbacks, at least to me.]

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The Strain was a 2009 vampire novel from filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and novelist Chuck Hogan.  It was the first book in The Strain trilogy.  Back in 2011, Dark Horse Comics began producing a comic book adaptation of the first book, also entitled The Strain, with script adaptation by David Lapham and art by Mike Huddleston.

The central character of The Strain is Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control).  Dr. Goodweather is the head of the Canary Project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats.  Goodweather and his second-in-command, Nora Martinez, may have found such a threat at J.F.K. International Airport in New York City.  That’s where a Boeing 777 went dead silent after landing, with window shades pulled down and all lights out.

As The Strain #2 opens, Goodweather and Martinez are examining a strange container that was found on the Boeing.  Does it have something to do with the 206 people found dead on the plane?  Meanwhile, the three people who were the sole survivors of the flight grow restless.  They are also useless to Goodweather and Martinez when it comes to solving the mystery of what happened on that flight.

New players enter the story.  Mysterious plutocrat, Eldritch Palmer, and the elderly Professor Abraham Setrakian head to New York City.  As the Big Apple prepares for a rare event, the Occultation, something deadly begins to claim its first victims.

This review comes over a year after The Strain #2 first reached comic book shops, but a horror comic book this good will be worth reading years after its publication.  Writer David Lapham delivers a page-turner that rages like the latest pot-boiler on the bestsellers list.  This tale grows more chilling and riveting with each scene.

Artist Mike Huddleston continues to deliver potent graphical storytelling, and his control over atmosphere grows with each page.  Yes, he’s still on the way to being a master of horror, and we benefit from it with a great horror comic book.  I am chomping at the bits to read the third issue of The Strain.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.