Top 10 Graphic Novels / Collected Editions Of 2013: #10 Through 6
...yesterday, I began my year-end trek through the books that influenced or inspired me in 2013. Continuing that stream, this first-of-two part post contains my Top Graphic Novels / Collected Editions of 2013, numbers 10 through 6 with one honorable mention. Unlike my previous books post, all of these series were released in 2013 as collected works. As you read this and the upcoming 5 through 1 post, you might notice a theme of sorts. I implore you to check any of these recommendations and more out if you either read comics and have not yet seen some of these. Or if you have a curiosity about the medium, feel good about supporting these amazingly talented people.
The first thing I noticed the multiple
times I physically picked up a copy of The Massive was the odd
flimsiness of the cover. For a trade, the paperback cover itself felt
barely any thicker than the pages themselves. It created a mild
conundrum for me as I really wanted to make the leap but being
amazingly picky, I wanted a cope with no bends or creases. After
finally settling on the cleanest version I could find, I found
beautifully realistic artwork accompanied by a post-apocalyptic tale
via environmental disaster. Whereas most stories in this vein go for
the road warrior dustbowl angle, The Massive finds the crew out at
sea, a wasteland of endless water. Peppered throughout the narrative
are references to actual scientific findings that should concern
anyone with an eye towards our ecological future. Much as he does,
Brian Wood finds an interesting valve with which to bring attention
to real world issues.
If Johnathan Hickman is writing, my
attention will have been drawn. East Of West is yet another of
Hickman's unique brand of science fiction where he concocts a stew
that draws equally on samurai lore, Westerns, futurism, conspiracy
and religious concepts. The central character is Death of the Four
Horseman of the Bible on a massive quest to find and rescue his young
wife. As a prisoner, his wife happens to be heir apparent to the
throne of future China. As Death seeks to find his wife, the
remaining three horsemen, one of whom is a female, are on the hunt
for Death. Factor in the ruling elites of Earth's territories working
behind the curtain to manipulate world events and what you have is a
story with many moving parts that don't entirely make sound sense
after six chapters, but I am anxiously waiting to see where this is
going.
The concept of The Black Beetle is a
simple one. Just at a glance, the character and book that draws his
world looks like any other superhero cutout. In many ways, this is
not terribly far off the mark. The obvious comparison to Batman and
Colt City to Gotham are arguable points. Factor in Francisco
Francavilla's work on The Black Mirror and again, it makes sense.
But, having it be amongst my favorites for 2013 means that there is
more to The Black Beetle. In essence, the vibe here is much more
cinematic, dripping heavily in pulp influence. The simplest way to
describe The Black Beetle is a modern comic homage to The Crimson
Ghost or the 1939 serials of The Green Hornet. The action is quick
and borderline random. Secondary characters pop in and out with
seemingly little more purpose than to serve as distractions or
obstacles. Villains adorn jetpacks and gas guns, seeking to complete
laughable objectives with utter seriousness. Wrap it all together in
a packaging that recalls 1960's Mario Bava-styled flair for dramatic
color splashes and this has sky high potential to be something
special.
When I purchased the Nite Owl / Dr.
Manhattan volume, I had already finished Darwyn Cooke's collection
and was sufficiently satisfied. For myself and many, the task of
recapturing what made Watchmen so effective was a fool's errand. The
smart approach was to use those characters to flesh out their
individual backgrounds and the original as a template for reference
only. So, if the reader approaches Before Watchmen with that in mind,
there is a lot to enjoy about this volume. Essentially, these stories
look deeper into what was only hinted at in the original. Nite Owl is
found mainly pre-costumed adventuring struggling to find his
identity. You come to learn more about his abusive and overbearing
father which eventually pushes him to take up the mantle of his idol,
Hollis Mason. Of the two, this was my least favorite but still an
solid entry that crafts more detail around my 2nd favorite
member of the Watchmen. The Dr. Manhattan tale is the one that really
shines. As one might hope, his portion of this volume gets more into
the philosophical. Throughout, you delve deeper into the multiple
options that consistently play out in front of Dr. Manhattan's eyes,
giving a glimpse of what it might be to actually see time and space
in such minute detail. Overall, this is a solid place to start.
Grant Morrison has the unique
distinction of seeming to be both wildly popular and reviled equally.
I would fall into the camp of those who consistently find his work
intriguing. To the best of my knowledge, Happy! Is the first
creator-owned title by Grant Morrison with Image and also a first
with artist Darick Robertson of The Boys fame. A short 4-issue
mini-series, Happy is an exercise in opposing forces of complete
weirdness. The easiest comparison I can make would be Who Framed
Roger Rabbit? stuffed into a grinder with Hobo With A Shotgun. An
ex-cop turned alcoholic hitman ends up on a high intensity search for
a kidnapped girl. Nothing too strange so far. Partner up the
alcoholic ex-cop with a cartoon-style talking blue horse and now we
get weird. While the center focuses on the fight to save this girl,
you cannot help but wander off into questioning the origin of Happy
and if he is the result of alcohol abuse. Similar to The Boys, Happy
is off-kilter, offensive and a unique ride.
I recall browsing the racks at my local comic shop about one year ago. At that time, I had sold all of my single issues and was simply skimming to see what looked interesting for future reference. I came across this bleak gray cover with a sketch with disjointed red streaks that reminded me of the creepy etching from Dario Argento's Deep Red. I flipped through the pages and was instantly drawn to the unnerving artwork. I read bits of the dialogue and flipped back to the cover. Bedlam...I would definitely remember this one. Before I dive into the story, I will affirm that I have just about given up all hope for the horror genre. With every passing cheap slasher or zombie film, it can't help but feel like the well has run dry. Bedlam gives me hope for horror. This comic is raw, dark, disturbed and unsettling. Imagine a story about a serial killer who is completely mad and revels in his or her work. Now imagine that killer going through extensive rehab to attain a shred of normalcy. Now imagine that supposed former murderer itching to help the police solve a new wave of murders. In the beginning, you get to know the killer named Madder Red, a crazed torture artist that seems like the darkest version of The Joker with unending bloodlust. Throughout, you volley back and forth between the rehabilitated Madder Red today and snippets of his hospitalization. Without giving away details, this is one very dark tale and amongst the best of the horror genre....possibly ever.
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