Richard babbles on about reviews

For nearly 3 years now I've been reviewing comics over at the FPI blog. As far as I can tell it's going very well, I'm making a little name for myself in the oh so small world of UK comic-dom and because of that the comics and books to review keep rolling in.

This is a good and bad thing. It's fantastic to be well thought of, and lovely to get lots of stuff in the post for review. But it has meant that the review shelf has been constantly been overflowing with books that I feel pressured to review.

To that end I've been writing, writing and writing for the last few months to get it down to a manageable number. Ideally I'd love to have it completely clear and just review every new thing as it comes in. Oh, that would be lovely. And the grand plan is to start doing that come 2010.

Which is why I've been writing, writing and writing some more all this month just to get to that point. As long as I've been doing this I've managed about 15-20 reviews in a good month. But the plan for October and November was to do one a day, just to get the review shelf down to a manageable level.

October was a huge fail. But, with one day left in November, I've written 29 reviews and have the 30th and final review 60% finished. Barring calamity tomorrow I should have managed the very first 30 reviews in 30 days month. This means there's just 18 books left on the shelf to be reviewed in December. Yes, there may be some dropping through the post box in December, but it's usually a quiet month, and that should mean I'm clear for January.

I'm ridiculously pleased with myself.

Well, that was a rather meaningless post for anyone that wasn't me.

Oh, what have I been reviewing this week??

These are the comics in review this week at the FPI blog.....

PROPAGANDA Reviews - Largo Winch

Largo Winch Volume 3: Dutch Connection

Written by Jean Van Hamme, Art by Philippe Francq.

Cinebook

(Comprises the original Volume 5: H and Volume 6: Dutch Connection)

Largo Winch is an absolutely cracking thriller. Incredibly cinematic in it’s plot and pacing and essentially it’s a great James Bond movie but without the ridiculously overblown set pieces that rather take something away from the essential brilliance of Fleming’s books. It’s a much underused way of writing genre thrillers, intrigue and planning over action, plot and characters over car chases and it’s a style I’ve always loved. It’s the reason that old Hitchcock films always win the day over the latest blockbuster or the reason that my favourite bits of most action thrillers are the set-ups and once the initial fun of the introductory pieces are over and the explanations are done I lose interest. But in Largo Winch the action sequences are so short and infrequent that I found it enthralling to see the constant set-up, resolve, set-up, resolve, all done through this character manoeuvring his pieces around the elaborate game he’s developing.

(Largo Winch; suave and sohisticated and capable of thinking his way through most of the situations he finds himself in. A most European thriller indeed. From Largo Winch: Dutch Connection.)

All you need to know to really enjoy Largo Winch is the neat little summary on the back cover:

“No family, no connections, anti-establishment, womanizer, wanderer, iconoclast and fighter, he inherits at age 26 the W group, which is worth $10 billion. Largo Winch”

And that’s it. With just those couple of lines you have everything you need to launch yourself into another great bit of European comics thriller. Each Largo Winch story when originally published takes two volumes, with the first putting Largo Winch in some perilous situation and the second seeing him triumph. Cinebook have made the very sensible decision to package each complete story in a single volume. The other important thing about Largo Winch is that essentially each story tells a variation of the same story so joining midway through isn’t a problem at all.

(The James Bond analogy goes far; Largo Winch has that same spectacularly successful way with the ladies, no matter how he’s dressed.)

In H & Dutch Connection Largo Winch discovers his organisation is dirty from the top down and has been acting as a front for drugs for years. His efforts to expose the drug traffickers start badly, with the head of one of his insiders on a platter at a gala dinner, and get worse from there until Largo finds himself on the run from the law, wanted for murder and accused of being the man in charge of the drug trafficking network he’s been trying to take down. He knows he’s been set up, we know he’s been set up, but it’s so well written and so enjoyable that even though you know where you’re going to end up on the final page (pretty much exactly where you started to be honest) it’s bloody great fun all along the way.

(The set-up moment. After this Largo is on the run from the law, wanted for murder and accused of drug trafficking. From Largo Winch: Dutch Connection.)

Jean Van Hamme works his plot masterfully and on re-reading it I couldn’t help noticing that Largo Winch doesn’t actually spend much time on the page, this is all about the characters around him, with Largo taking a controlling influence throughout. It’s very nicely done, a very intelligent thriller indeed. Philippe Francq’s artwork is almost stereotypically European, but that’s never a bad thing in my limited experience. Every page is dispatched with style and flair, whether it’s panel after panel of talking heads or the sumptuous world of cruise ships, casinos and high finance.

The Largo Winch stories appeared originally in French, and have been translated across Europe with annual sales of nearly 500,000 copies (numbers unheard of for oh so many years over in the US – this sort of graphic novel really does represent the real mainstream). From my initial involvement in Largo Winch I can certainly see why it’s so popular and with 16 volumes of material for Cinebook to complete, of which they’ve put the first 6 into the available 3 volumes I can see myself coming back to Largo Winch fairly regularly for a slice of intelligent, escapist European thriller.

Cinebook website.

PROPAGANDA Reviews: Borderliners 1

Borderliners: Ceremony Of Innocence – pilot issue.

Written & Drawn by Brian Gorman, Letters & Photography by Chris Harvey.

Unico Comics.

Borderliners is a one shot from new(ish) publisher Unico Comics that’s hopefully going to lead to a series sometime soon, because it’s a very promising start to what could become a great espionage thriller.

This is described as a “pilot” issue and, as such, it does nothing more than throw us in the deep end, introducing characters and events that have very little meaning at this stage. I’m happy to say that it’s a clever and intriguing bit of comics; think Prisoner, Spooks, Avengers and maybe even a hint of Jason Bourne. It’s got sufficient promise of nasty dealings, betrayal, high level intrigue and a very hard boiled feel. There’s even a flashback to a scene from Ancient Rome that makes no sense whatsoever in the course of this introduction but does work quite brilliantly as a hook for the series.

In fact the whole issue works as a series of unresolved questions and mysteries. There’s no resolution, just set-up. But it’s done with style so there’s no frustration, just a desire to see more.

(Mystery upon mystery: Who are these people? What is the Borderline programme? All will no doubt be revealed, just not in this pilot issue of the Borderliners, terrific art by Brian Gorman.)

The comic is illustrated in a detailed photo-realistic style with Chris Harvey providing photo reference for Brian Gorman’s art. The style’s very similar to Gary Spencer Millidge’s Strangehaven and suffers occasionally, as Gary mentions in his note in the back, from a sense of it being too posed. The big problem with this style of artwork is the risk that you can spend page after page trying to work out who is who and getting awfully confused into the bargain. Matters aren’t helped when the entire comic is merely serving as a scene setter for a new series. But once the mind settles into the style and the visual cues are established it’s an impressive look that suits the confusion and mystery of the story very well. The other worry is that, as with Strangehaven, the painstaking detail will slow production down and rob us what looks like being a really excellent new series.

On the letters page there is mention that Borderliners will return. I’m really hoping it will. Borderliners is available from the Unico website and there’s a preview of this issue available on Myebook.

Molly's first Guide camp.....

Molly wandered off to school Monday morning in an absolute haze. Tired out. It was tempting to keep her off school sine she looked so zonked out. But, being a bad parent, I figured she'd do fine.

Monday night she felt really crap. Tuesday morning she felt tired AND crap. Still she went in. Tonight (Tuesday) she felt a bit better.

The reasons for all this tiredness: Molly's first guides camp. Brwnies, as fun as it was for her, was just a bit too sedate for our lovely, little action girl. Molly enjoyed the nature walks, the crafts, the other stuff they did. But Guides has already proved far, far better. Granted, every week she seems to come home with some new request for money for this event or that event, but what the hey, it's all for a good cause etc etc.

This weekend she went off to Paxwold. In many ways it's a perfect first camp. Indoors, in dormitory style bedrooms inside a purpose built Guide outdoor centre. Just one weekend and limited to younger guides only. She was a little nervous before going but had been reassured by the fact that it was only for the weekend and she'd be back home before she knew it.

We dropped her off on Friday evening and spent all night wondering what she was doing, then we spent all Saturday doing the same, and most of Sunday. We needn't have worried though, when we picked up a tired, tired little girl on Sunday around 3, we realised she'd had a great weekend. And most importantly hadn't missed us a bit. Which, as painful as it is to realise, is exactly where she should be right now, moving on, moving away from us. Horrible but necessary.

The weekend was spent doing guide-y things. They headed off to the supermarket on Friday night with lists of things to get. Each group was responsible for one meal during the week - planning it, buying it and cooking it. There were crafts, nature hikes in the mud, and lots and lots and lots of fun over two very, very late nights and packed days. Lights officially went out at 9:30 or 10, but from the tiredness etched into her face on Sunday we reckon it was a little later than that both nights that the girls actually got to sleep.

A fantastic weekend, now all she can talk about is the Guide camp in May when she's away for a whole week.

Thought Bubble - or maybe not.....

Well, Saturday was meant to be a day at Thought Bubble in Leeds, one of the best comic conventions of the year. I went last year and had a great time.

So this year I was all ready to get going, bus and train across nice and early. And then I woke up this morning and felt like death only slightly warmed up. Probably a combination of too little sleep over the last week and the ongoing lurgy I'm unable to shake off. I felt sick and feverish when I woke up, head pounding, throat raspy. Lovely.

By mid afternoon it was a lot better, but I'd missed the event by then. Alas Thought Bubble - I shall have to wait another year.

Propaganda Reviews this week......

During the last week, all of these fine (or maybe not) comics have been reviewed by me at the FPI blog:

PROPAGANDA Reviews: Harker issue 9

Harker issue 9

Plot, story, script – Roger Gibson. Plot, art – Vincent Danks

Ariel Press.

And here we are again, another issue of Harker, another review (for the others try here). By now you can probably write these for yourself. But for those who haven’t been paying attention this is my standard description of Harker:

“Harker’s a great detective thriller with intriguing story, wonderful art, cracking dialogue and moments of laugh out loud comedy … an absolute triumph of a comic”

This issue is the third part of the second volume. You don’t need to read the first volume to enjoy this (although I’d obviously recommend it), likewise you don’t really need to read issues 7 & 8 before this one – but why deny yourself that pleasure? All you really need to know is on the inside front cover:

“Detective Chief Inspector Harker and his assistant, Detective Sergeant Critchley, specialise in cases of multiple homicide. Harker’s seaside holiday in Whitby is ruined by the brutal stabbing of mystery author Agatha Fletcher, who was at the hotel with her assistant Jasmine Burns to host a murder mystery evening.

Reluctant to deal with the murder case on his vacation, Harker calls in Critchley and Griffin, leaving them to deal with the investigation whilst he spends much of the day on the dodgems. Finally discovered by Critchley, Harker suggests that the case should be left to the local police – as it isn’t a multiple homicide, he feels it’s not a case they should be handling. Critchley agrees and decides to hand the investigation over to the local constabulary in the morning. But as our detectives stroll back to the hotel, a second corpse washes up by the bridge….“

The only other thing you really need to know is that Griffin is Harker’s favourite pathologist, although she has a healthy cynical and sarcastic attitude towards “Starsky and Hutch” as she’s taken to calling them.

This issue is another dialogue heavy issue – and we all know that that means lots of good opportunities for some great sarcastic, funny stuff from the cast:

(From Harker issue 9 by Gibson and Danks. Harker’s pathologist Griffin gets off on the wrong foot with the local DI. Not to worry, Harker will be along to put him in his place any moment.
Oh, hold on – here he is now……….)

(Master of the sharp put-down, but also a man very protective of his own team is our DCI Harker. From Harker issue 9 by Gibson and Danks.)

It’s a hugely enjoyable issue, although so far we’re halfway through the volume and we’ve had just two murders and very little actual policing. But I have a feeling that Harker, Critchley and Griffin will come through in the end. They’re busy this issue making connections and identifying suspects – in between the sarcastic one-liners of course.

But the thing we have discovered this time around, especially with Harker’s desperate dash away from the murder last issue and his unwillingness to let the nastiness of his work intrude upon his Whitby retreat, is a little more of the characters of our leads. Harker’s character is becoming far more than a hard-nosed, gruff John Thaw mix of Regan and Morse. And the relationship between Harker and Critchley is slowly coming through as well. Take Harker’s protective attitude to his sergeant in the page above, or Critchley’s reciprocal determination to protect and support his boss in this scene:

(“So, yes, he’s off to have a think”. Critchley looks out for his boss, who’s off to decipher the clues to the double murder. From Harker issue 9 by Gibson and Danks.)

The art by Danks is, in all honesty, getting better and better. He’s refining his line as he goes along with Harker, stripping it all down to minimal lines and it works beautifully yet again. He’s also become rather sparing with his wonderful backgrounds – content sometimes to allow his figures to operate against a completely white backdrop when it’s necessary and then, when the story calls for it, back into lush, detailed, wonderfully busy backgrounds once again. Harker’s definitely not just a great story – it’s artistically great as well.

So, no surprise, I’m still going to be shouting, as loud as I can, for you all to be buying and reading Harker. Nine issues in and it’s still one of the books I enjoy most each month. Harker is available from the FPI store, selected comic shops (the good ones) and from Gibson and Danks directly. Support them, enjoy the book. I know I am.

PROPAGANDA Reviews: The Scorpion - swash & buckles

The Scorpion Volume 1: The Devil’s Mark & Volume 2: The Devil In The Vatican.

Written by Stephen Desberg, Art by Enrico Marini

Cinebook

Another one of those “never see this sort of things in US comics” type of books. A swashbuckling tale of Renaissance Rome; Brigands, mysterious exotic women, evil Catholic Cardinals attempting to take over the Papacy. Not quite the plot of the latest X-books crossover is it? Which is probably why I really rather enjoyed the Scorpion for at least one whole volume.

The book itself starts with an intriguing premise: What if the entire foundation of the Catholic church is merely a result of 9 powerful Roman families at the end of the Roman Empire deciding that Christianity is the best chance they have of remaining all-powerful? The descendants of the 9 families play an important role in the background to the Scorpion’s tale of power, lust and betrayal in Renaissance Rome.

(The Scorpion doing one of the things he does best. From The Scorpion Volume 1: The Devil’s Mark.)

This backdrop of political and religious intrigue is overwhelmed somewhat by the all action swashbuckling going on throughout the books with The Scorpion of the title fighting his way across the pages, pausing only for regular stops with what seems like every woman in Rome. And he’s not picky either; from lowest prostitute to society maiden he’ll bed them all and move on.

(The Scorpion doing the other thing he does so well. Aristocrat or common prostitute, all fall under his spell.)

So perhaps we’re looking at some sort of Italian 15th Century James Bond here? It shouldn’t be seen necessarily as a criticism because across the entire first volume (which, as with most Cinebook titles, actually contains two Scorpion volumes: The Scorpion and The Pope’s Secret) I had a tremendous time. The Scorpion gets drawn into a plot by the dastardly Cardinal Trebaldi (boo, hiss) to establish himself as the new Pope. There are lusty maidens and fearsome armoured monks, there are swordfights and plenty of them, there is religious hypocrisy and betrayal, daring escapes across rooftops and on horseback and plenty more.

(Cardinal Trebaldi: Not a nice man of God at all. From The Scorpion.)

It’s a really enjoyable escapist tale. Or at least the first volume was.

By the second volume, especially towards the end of it, I found myself getting just a little bored by it all. It really felt like the writer was just rehashing plot elements and spinning the whole thing out a little too much. What’s that? Another precarious situation for the Scorpion, surrounded again by those evil warrior monks and having to fight his way out to find himself holed up with just a busty wench for company? Sure, there were fun moments, but nothing like the enjoyment of the first volume. A real shame, especially as the series looks set for at least another volume or two. One would have been enough, maybe two if we’d have had a nice resolution to the story.

The Cinebook website.

PROPAGANDA Reviews: Anna Mercury - The Cutter

Anna Mercury Volume 1: The Cutter

by Warren Ellis & Facundo Percio

Avatar Press. Available as a hardcover and softcover edition.

I’ve already reviewed Anna Mercury twice; (issue 1 and issue 2), so I’ll be quick here. This is some of what I said about issue 2:

With Anna Mercury #1 I put forward the hope that this was going to be one of the good ones and wasn’t going to repeat Black Summer’s trick of a great first issue followed by a huge comedown from issue two onwards. Certainly there were enough good moments in that first issue to raise my hopes. And enough hints in the book that this wasn’t going to be as straightforward a tale as some of his Avatar work.

And thankfully, with issue 2, I can safely say that this is definitely shaping up to be something very good indeed. The setup throughout issue 1 has paid off nicely, with Anna revealed to be acting as some cross dimensional secret agent type racing around trying to save the planet from some form of all out destruction. This is the big show and tell issue, with Ellis setting out the peculiar science behind the world in the first few pages of this issue. In fact it’s all conveniently explained, complete with easy to follow diagrams to the prime minister of the day by the head of Anna’s department. it seems that Anna works for a department tasked with keeping everything in order. Because Anna’s earth sits in the middle of the constellation project:

“Nine half constructed worlds hanging in invisible orbit around Earth. All of which have human beings on them. None of whom are aware of the other worlds or the existence of Earth. This constitutes the greatest mystery, and the greatest secret of our time.”

And with that reveal, Ellis makes Anna Mercury far more interesting than anything he’s written for Avatar so far.

(Anna Mercury in her best Matrix style leap. Ellis is back on form and the art by Facundo Percio isn’t bad either.)

And everything above written for issue 2 certainly holds true for the remaining three issues included here in the Cutter. In fact, once issue 2 is over, with Anna trying to figure the best way to prevent a one city’s super-gun wiping out the other city on this particular half constructed partial earth, the rest of the book is a hyperactive rush to finish, lots of racing around, lots of shooting things, kinetic artwork flowing freely. There’s only one major bit of downtime in the second half of the book as Anna and her boss sit down to brief the new Prime Minister on the situation he’s just walked into. Just like the conversation between the Prime Minister and Anna’s boss in issue 2, this time is used by Ellis to allow all his exposition to be thrown at us at once, detaching it from the action sequences in a simple yet effective way:

“In 1943, The USS Eldridge – three hundred feet long and twelve hundred tons of electromagnetically active metal – appeared right in the middle of New Ataraxia. It was kind of hard to miss. And it sat there for at least twenty minutes. Ataraxian society was irrevocably warped. God turned up in his own sailing boat and changed everything.”

Yep, the USS Eldridge. So you can see the sort of thing Ellis is going for here; this world gets royally screwed up when the Philadelphia Experiment works too well and with nine of these partial earths to play around with one wonders what famous conspiracy theory or mythical tech experiment Ellis will use next time. (I haven’t picked up any of the second Anna Mercury series yet).

(Pretty much the entire series in one page thematically: Anna running, fighting and swearing. Her boss and the Prime Minister having a chat about everything that’s going on. It’s a cliched formula for getting your story out, but it works in Anna Mercury. Art by Facundo Percio)

In the end, Anna Mercury is just pure fun escapist sci-fi spy thriller, very Matrix like but without all of the cod philosophy. Ellis is having a blast writing every sci-fi cliche he can think of lately throughout the various books he’s doing but it seems to be on Anna Mercury where it all comes together and works best. Similarly, the artwork by Facundo Percio, although very much “Avatar house style” (and if you read more than 3 Avatar books you know exactly what I’m talking about) and even though he takes a little while to settle and does have a few stumbles along the way, is some of the best colour work that’s graced Ellis’ Avatar material yet.

It’s by far the best thing he’s writing right now, yet even here there’s still the feeling that he’s not really stretching himself. On one hand it’s a sickening realisation that he’s got so much more in the tank. On the other hand I find myself getting frustrated with Ellis’ inability to really push himself to make truly great comics. Anna Mercury is bloody good stuff, but even here, I think Ellis can give us better. But for now, Anna Mercury will certainly do.