New review for an international anthology based out of Australia called Blackguard #2.
Update for 12/15/10
December 15, 2010
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Posted by Kevin
Various International Anthologies – Blackguard #2
December 15, 2010
Blackguard #2
When they say this is 18+, they are not fucking around. Just a warning to all you sensitive souls out there. This is a collection of stories about Dads, featuring that list of names on the cover (seriously, click on it to check it out if you want, I’m not going to type them all here). As you might expect, very few of these stories are positive, and most of them aren’t true, but they are funny stories. Highlights include Neal Blanden’s story about not being able to visit his mother for the last two months of her life because his Dad was seeing another woman, Dexter Cockburn (a hilariously fake name) and his story about a Dad helping out with an “adventure club” and his noticing how one of the girl members has blossomed, Glenn Smith and his litany of Dads throughout history, Julie Doye and her Dad’s new teeth, Anton Emdin with his “Deadbeat Dad” strips (which, if there were any justice in the world, would be in newspapers across the globe), Mike Diana playing with the concept of a Dad and his two-way mirror, Ryan Vella with the shortest “Tales From the Crypt” story ever, Chris Mikul with one of the few seemingly true stories in the book, and Lark with a brilliant bit of father/son bonding. There’s also an accurate table of contents (I bitch when it isn’t present, so I should praise when it is, right?), a series of reviews on other minis, and plenty of other fair to great stories in here that I haven’t mentioned to save you some surprises. No idea on the price of this thing, as the website doesn’t have a listing, but I’d have to say at least $7 for the fancy front and back cover and the sheer size of the thing. Contact the website, why don’t you, and you should also go there because the guy apparently spends a lot of time reviewing comics and such, which I clearly think is a good use of free time.
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 12/14/10
December 14, 2010Top Shelf Tuesday fits my theme week! New review for Hey Princess by Mats Jonsson, currently residing in Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted by Kevin
Jonsson, Mats – Hey Princess
December 14, 2010
Sorry about crappy sample image, but this book is small (in size, not the number of pages) and dense, so I didn’t feel like cracking the spine for what probably still wouldn’t be a good sample image. Top Shelf has a few decent sample images if you’d like to see it a bit clearer. So what’s this all about? It’s the story of Mats from early 2003, when he was first starting college to just about 2000. He has a steady job for the vast majority of this hefty 479 page book, so that’s out as a source of conflict. Luckily he has a hell of a time with the ladies, and that subject is mined beautifully. It helps when the author has no qualms about being honest even when it makes him look bad, and Mats clearly has no such qualms. He starts off with a girl who already has a boyfriend (not that that stops him, but oh, the guilt), falls for another girl who says that she’s incapable of falling in love, gets with her friend when that doesn’t work out, and generally looks downright pathetic in the process. Well, he looks pathetic in hindsight, and how many of us can honestly say that some part of our romantic past doesn’t look pathetic these days? That’s what I thought. Anyway, he eventually falls deeply in love with a girl he meets at a music festival before the age difference and the physical distance between their homes takes a toll. Yes, that’s as far as I’m willing to go with the details. I will say that the cover gives the impression of a blissfully happy couple and, while there were a few of those moments in this book, overall it doesn’t paint that picture a bit. Other highlights include his honest appraisal of whether or not he was really exactly like his nemesis, the wannabes and fakes of all walks of life, whether or not he WAS one of those wannabes, lots of drinking, and getting trapped in a relationship with a suicidal girl. It’s unflinchingly honest (either that or he has a fetish of making himself look bad) and good luck putting this beast down once you get started. Even if you’ve managed to become jaded and sick of the autobio genre, you’ll still get plenty out of this pile of brilliance. #14.95
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 12/13/10
December 13, 2010It’s time for another international comics week, as the things are piling up. Along with comics from around here, but that’s another story. New review for Enter Out by John Robbins, currently of Dublin, Ireland.
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Posted by Kevin
Robbins, John – Enter Out
December 13, 2010
Enter Out (“with” Sean Mac Roibin)
It’s lazy as hell to post the description given by the author on the back of his book for the contents of said book. I get that, and I will post my thoughts here in a moment, but this is too good for me to pass up and it sums it all up so much better than I will, so: “Mutually overlapping dreams resonate into the waking lives of two friends. Physicality violently communicates a couple’s finance-related despair. Remedies for loneliness and frustration are sought in odd places. Meat.” I could write a few thousand words on this and never hit on anything better. First things first: this book is backwards. Basically that means to take the title literally and start at the back cover and work your way forwards, reading the panels right to left (although the “top to bottom” formulation still applies.) Once you get that out of the way you’ll notice that the description I listed (that I didn’t read until I was done because it was on the front, meaning the back, cover) doesn’t mention that the listed happenings bleed over into each other and it all ends up being connected. There’s also one of those guys with the dreams who wakes up with blood on his hands, someone else wit h the ability to get words by squeezing the balls of a man with a donkey head, a floating doll head and a clown, but I suppose John didn’t want to give everything away on the back. I’m all for innovation in the small press comics world (or pretty much anywhere) and this one fits that bill in spades. I guess you could argue that the backwards setup is a gimmick, but you’d be wrong, or if you are right it certainly doesn’t read that way. It accentuates the mix-up that is the lives of all these people and the increasingly strange but distinct things that are happening to all of them. Much of John Robbins work could easily fall into the “fucking brilliant” category, and this is definitely on that list. $3
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 12/12/10
December 12, 2010New review for The Sad State of Affairs of Rooster Jack by Adam Hansen & Ben Zmith. Thought I’d have more updates this weekend, but this is really more “read books and catch up on tv” weather than “write about comics” weather. Hey, I don’t make the rules…
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Posted by Kevin
Zmith, Ben & Hansen, Adam – The Sad State of Affairs of Rooster Jack
December 12, 2010
The Sad State of Affairs of Rooster Jack
Huzzah for finally finding what I was looking for with this series? What’s that you say? The creators of the series are under no obligation to please me and it’s silly to judge it using that criteria? You would have a good point if my underlying problem with the series was wrong, but it really wasn’t: my theory was that the characters weren’t fleshed out enough and the quests they went on seemed random and meaningless. This one solves that problem by not really being about any quest at all, although I suppose there is one that serves as the impetus of the book. The team is after a gem in the middle of a body of water, but due to the um, sad state of the team, nobody is really able to get to it. So they have a little hilarious recruitment drive and then finish off the comic. Why don’t I care about the lack of any sort of resolution? Because this was all brilliantly set up to finally get a look into some of these characters. They complain around a bar, they complain while sitting around outside, and their various weaknesses are gone over in detail. Then, once all that and the story is over, we get little synopses of the characters. If you’re ever looking to read this series in some sort of order, start here. Oh, and there’s also a 3-D element to the bios, the covers and bits of the middle. The middle also features lots of games and such for kids, but with enough funnies to keep adults amused. Or at least to keep me amused, I don’t know what you like. Oh, and it comes with 3-D glasses to help you enjoy all the special features. Yep, I have no problems with this one at all, and think it’s an excellent sign on the overall potential for the characters and the series. $3
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 12/10/10
December 10, 2010New review for Billy the Demon Slayer #4 by Hayden Fryer, and I should be able to pop in at least a little bit during the weekend with more comics and such.
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Posted by Kevin
Fryer, Hayden – Billy the Demon Slayer S2 #4
December 10, 2010
Billy the Demon Slayer S2 #4
Didn’t I say that I was going to go back and read this all in a chunk? Maybe I’ll do that with a future issue, because the problem isn’t that I’ve completely forgotten what was in the first three issues in this series, even with the gap between reviews. The trouble is that I have no idea what happened in the first “season,” and that information seems terribly important to understand what is happening now. Or then, as this book came out in 2008, but there’s no sense getting everybody all confused. Past events and characters are mentioned all the time, and that’s fine on a show like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (an obvious influence) because past seasons are readily available and they’ll even occasionally take a moment to explain something that happened long ago. I’m trying to just enjoy this one and not worry about it, but they make it tough when everything is tied so closely to the last series. So, ignoring all that, this issue is basically a long and hilarious fight scene between Billy and the mutated hamster from the last issue. While this is going on a shadowy group is taking over hell, and the emo mist is creeping closer to Billy’s location. And all kinds of past events and characters are referenced like we’re supposed to understand them. Aargh! It bugs me because this is a very funny series all on its own, and the major plot developments are clearly the result of careful planning that I’ll never see. Also, dispatching a villain by smashing it through a microwave glass door, then turning on the microwave while you’re standing right there WOULD KILL YOU. Sure, you can say it’s “just a comic book,” which is another way to say that you just thought it would look cool and have no interest in the facts. Man am I cranky today, I better wrap this up. In conclusion, this is a funny and innovative series that is crying out for a collected edition of the previous series or some sort of a synopsis, but still holds up reasonably well all on its own. $3.50
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 12/7/10
December 8, 2010New review for The Girls are Mighty Fine by Amy Martin. I had this crazy idea for the end of the year, as those constant year-end “best of” lists are going to come out before you know it. What are the best small press comics you’ve read over the year? I want to know. And if you’re somebody who has sent me comics for review in the past but have something in mind that I haven’t mentioned here, why not send me a copy? Or at least mention it so I know what to look for? There’s a chance I already have a copy in my review pile and just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Anyway, just a thought, and even with all the comics I read in a year I’m all too aware that I still miss a lot of fantastic stuff. Oh, and keep those orders for comics coming…
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Posted by Kevin
Martin, Amy – The Girls are Mighty Fine
December 8, 2010
The Girls are Mighty Fine
In case I haven’t made it clear enough in past reviews of Amy’s work, her stuff is perfect for the women fans of comics who don’t like fantasy or other genres that women creators are currently involved in. It’s also pretty damned good for the rest of us who enjoy funny, insightful and occasionally moving stories. This is a hefty collection of odds and ends. There’s an excellent reaction to a catcall, the ubiquity of “he’s never going to change” in advice given out, a fantastically unintentional game of “telephone,” the morning after, spring fever, bloody hell, magnolias, and a few short strips. Then we get to the bits with Amy as a child, and it caused an odd feeling in me: I think that it’s heartwarming. My heart is not warmed by many things, as it too often bubbles over into cheesy, but this stuff hit just the right tone. There’s Amy playing, Amy waiting for a doctor and observing a much sicker baby come in, and the differences in reactions to Easter between young and old Amy. Finally there are some true life tales of Amy’s job as a children’s librarian, which also manage to be adorable without overdoing it. Sure, there’s a piece or two in here that I could have done without, but who cares? This is a solid collection of stories, and if you’re not already a fan of her work, this will probably convince you. If you are already a fan you probably already have this, and I’m sorry to have wasted your time. $7
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 12/7/10
December 7, 2010Top Shelf Tuesday! The 120 Days of Simon by Simon Gardenfors is reviewed today.
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Posted by Kevin
Gardenfors, Simon – The 120 Days of Simon
December 7, 2010
Simon is apparently a bit of a celebrity in Sweden, as he also raps and it looks like comics as a whole are a bit more respectable around those parts. So he figured that he would ask people around the country if they’d be willing to let him crash at their place and occasionally buy his plane tickets. and enough people responded to make it happen. His only rules were that he couldn’t return home and he couldn’t stay in one place for more than two days. Things start off awkwardly for him, as he is falling in love with a girl but doesn’t want to be tied down with a relationship while he’s traveling. He wanders around Sweden, playing gigs every so often, taking as many drugs as possible, and having sex with various fans. Oh sure, he also got beat up and had almost all of his stuff stolen (luckily he did manage to recover his travel diary) and dealt with what he thought was a serious death threat, but overall he was having a grand old time. Then word came back to him that his hoped-for girlfriend when he got back had something else serious going on. Simon is broken up about this for a day or so, but it didn’t stop his interest in other ladies and hey, maybe things turn out OK in the end after all. This isn’t going to be very helpful if you were looking to explore Sweden in comics form, but it’s an absolutely engrossing story. Simon is very honest about his problems before, during and after the trip, and he shares more than a few details that make me wonder how this was received when it was released in Sweden. Sure, he often changes names/faces, but he does list the number of each stop, and how hard could it be for the people who live in any given place to piece it all together? Him hitting on the 16 year old daughter of a family he was staying with, talking about his various conquests and constant drug use with all sorts of people can’t have gone over well everywhere. It does say on the back cover that it caused a “scandal,” but that can mean a lot of things these days. Oh well, I’m glad he was fearless in his recounting of the story, as it made for a fascinating comic. Also, this thing may be as thick as a brick but it moves right along. It’s just about the right size for a train or plane right, which is exactly where you should probably be reading something like this anyway. $14.95
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 12/6/10
December 6, 2010New review for Because I Am: Stories 2004-2009 by P.F. Davies. Holiday shopping is still open for business around here, and I bug because I think your loved ones deserve some great comics for the holidays. Don’t you agree?
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Posted by Kevin
Davies, P.F. – Because I Am: Stories 2004-2009
December 6, 2010
Because I Am: Stories 2004-2009
I’d love to put an actual website up there for contact information, but there’s nothing on Google for P.F. and the only thing listed on the back of the book is a Twitter account, and fuck Twitter. Ahem. Not that I have a strong opinion about it or anything. And that awful cover doesn’t get the book off to the most promising of starts, as it’s almost always a bad idea to put a story on the cover, even if it is a good story. You’re trying to draw people in who might see this at a store or a convention, and that national attention span is too damned short to read a story on the cover these days (see: Twitter). Luckily things take a decided turn for the better once we get to the actual stories. Actually, it’s damned near flawless once you get that far, almost enough to get me over my annoyance that a graphic novel can be put out in this day and age without any proper contact information for the author. Stories include an old man and his granddaughter and his quest over the years to nail down the specifics about a comet he’s discovered, meeting a nice girl while out on the town but missing the planned date due to being too responsible, a kid biting off more than he can chew in trying to pull off a bike trick, a silent (and brilliant) piece about the body fighting off indigestion, playing in a construction zone against the rules and having something go horribly wrong, a man taking a brief break from war by staying with a shepherd, the mystery uncovered by a metal detector, an old timey-tale about sniffing out the guy who’s sneaking in to sleep with another man’s daughter, and a silent bathtub dream about a pearl. It covers a wide range of age groups and types of people and every bit of it is expertly handled. There’s genuine emotion over here, a real laugh or two over there, and all the messy bits in between that make up life. This book is well worth a look, my minor quibbles aside. And Lulu is selling it for $7.54 at the moment, which is a steal for a book that’s this hefty.
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 12/4/10
December 4, 2010New review for The M.I.E.A #1 & 2 by Jason Neuman and Dave Hudson, as I’m all snowed in anyway, might as well read some comics and yammer about it…
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Posted by Kevin
Neuman, Jason & Hudson, Dave – The M.I.E.A #1 & 2
December 4, 2010
The M.I.E.A. #1 & 2
One thing is for sure about Jason and his comics: he certainly gives you your money’s worth. This is a collection of the first two issues of his Multiverse Incursion Enforcement Agency (in case you can’t see it on the cover), and it’s exactly what it sounds like. Groups of heroes travel to different universes to stop potential threats. This gives Jason (and Dave, who is the penciller while Jason does everything else) plenty of opportunity to get creative, as these teams of three heroes can be pulled from any universe ever thought of. The first issue deals with a team that is sent to fight… oh, let’s be honest, it’s Godzilla. It has a different name here, but that’s pretty much what it is. The three of them fight it and quickly realize that they’re outmatched, but eventually pull together to exploit the creature’s obvious weakness. Or they’re all brutally killed; I don’t want to spoil anything. The second issue is a bit more complicated, as a completely different team sets out to find a group of raiders that also has the ability to travel between universes and is stealing vital supplies. A Benny Hill-ish chase follows (except there are no women in bikinis) where we get to see a good number of other universes before finally wrapping things up. It’s a great idea and the sky is the limit for what he can do with it. The only potential problem I see is that the reader will never have the chance to get invested in any of these team members, although he is starting to develop the people on the cover who are actually commanding all these missions. I’m sure that if this goes on into the double digits my other concern will go away, as they’ll probably start re-using the occasional hero. Either way, these are a couple of issues that manage to be fun and exciting without veering over into being stupid, which is no mean feat. Keep it up you guys, I want to see what happens next. This isn’t listed on his website yet, but if the first issue was $3 then this collection must be $5, right? It makes sense anyway…
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Posted by Kevin
Update for 12/2/10
December 2, 2010New review for Smoo #3 Preview by Simon M., keep those holiday orders coming! Otherwise you hate capitalism and therefore America, and nobody wants to be accused of such a thing, right?
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Posted by Kevin
M., Simon – Smoo #3 Preview
December 2, 2010
Smoo #3 Preview
Last time around I asked Simon about the preview and the “1/2” issue, and he had good reasons for both. Actually, the full edition of #3 is out now, so you could just get that and skip this entirely. So why am I talking about it? Two reasons: I’m in a rush (it’s a little thing) and I don’t have a copy of #3 yet and wanted to remind you all that he has a new issue out. Hey, but aren’t I the guy who complains about people who rush out books for cons? What’s the difference between that and my rushing out a review? One thing is a piece of art, the other is… whatever it is that I do here, so it lands a bit low on the hypocrisy scale. Wasn’t there a comic somewhere in all this? A very tiny one, yes. This starts with Simon fantasizing about throwing his phone into a lake (ah, we’ve all been there), then musing on whether this is a fad or a piece of technology we’ll be stuck with for a long time, all in his own inimitable way. This is only a few pages but, like I said, the whole issue is out now, so you should probably just go ahead and buy that one. How do I know that it’s worth it? Well, this is a great little story, and it’s not like he’s done anything awful yet, so let’s call it a leap of faith.
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Posted by Kevin
