This is the part where I pick 3 graphic novels/trade paperbacks and give them a grade. You'll probably mostly see B's and C's because I don't normally read books I don't like and I don't really think there are that many out there that you gotta own/read. I'm going to ignore the obvious ones, Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns
, although I will probably eventually get around to the sequel
to Dark Knight and maybe the Absolute Edition
. Also, since I'm randomly selecting these books for review, I'm probably picking books I have at hand, so mostly new books and there are probably more of the ones I like lying around.In no particular order:
1. The Witching Hour - A - The Witching Hour by Jeph Loeb and Chris Bachalo is one of the books I'd like with me if I ever ended up stranded on a deserted island (along with every survival manual I could find and Warren Ellis' Planetary). The series is about a group of witches who through the centuries have met and protected one another and interact with the rest of the world to provide opportunities to have all of your dreams come true. This series reminds me a lot of the Fantasy Island tv series in the way the group intervene in these people's lives, but they don't try to save them. They provide them with the opportunity to make their greatest wishes realities. Mostly, they all fail to make good on their desires. You can read it as just an interesting story, or you can read into it a commentary on humanity's nature.
2. Global Frequency Volume 1 & 2 - B+ - The whole concept is brilliant. It keeps any artist from holding up the series. It's a twelve issue limited series, each chapter is drawn by a different super star artist. Warren Ellis, writer extraordinaire, came up with the concept of an organization that the whole world relies on to fix the problems our governments don't want us to know about. The mysterious Miranda Zero and the equally intriguing Aleph lead an organization of a thousand operatives, each a specialist in their field, all linked up by super cell phones. There was a pilot made for the WB network, but the show didn't get released. You can find the pilot on the internet if you try. Too bad. It was a great concept.
Global Frequency is a totally different concept from Planetary, however, it feels like it owes a lot to Planetary. From the unique feel of each chapter (Planetary invokes a different genre/feel each issue) to the secret organization out to protect the world, there are hints of echoes between the two.
3. Northlanders - B - I really wasn't feeling the idea of a Viking story told in a comic book. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The protagonist of the first arc, is Sven. Sven has been living in the middle east and serving as a member of the Byzantine Guard from a young age. He meets an old man who knew him from his youth and asks Sven to return home to liberate his lands from the man who has usurped Sven's father's crown. Sven returns to selfishly regain his inheritance and finds himself along the way. And even finds a little happiness.
Northlanders is told in anthology form with a different set of characters in each arc. I haven't read the second arc yet, but have very high expectations. Northlanders is a monthly ongoing series written by Brian Wood.
2 comments:
I will probably start with the Global Frequency - though artist sometimes throw me for a loop; thus, the reason I have not picked up the Iron Fist.
That's a good place to start. The art thing threw me on a couple of the stories too.
I hear you on the Iron Fist thing, but the fill in artists. I mean classic gold! John Severin. I mean Beautifiousness!
I'm also excited that Andy Diggle is replacing Brubaker on Daredevil. I couldn't think of anyone better for the job.
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