Okay, enough blogging about unpleasant debates. Let’s get back to those TPBs.
Review code format (ranked 1-5, blah to faboo): [writing / art / new reader? / non-comics reader?]
Mage: The Hero Defined (Image) [4/4/4/3]
w/a. Matt Wagner
In my distant youth, I was convinced that the original Mage series, “The Hero Discovered,” from the mid-80s, was one of the greatest comics ever written. I was so enamored of it that when this sequel series came up, I was disappointed in it precisely to the extent that it differed the original
Given the glowing paeans to the book on the back from Greg Rucka and Brian Bendis, I should have known my opinions would evolve.
Today, when I reread the first series, I’m still amazed by the raw power of the story and art, but I can see where it’s a very early, unpolished creation on Wagner’s part. “The Hero Defined” takes the original to the next stage, and does it well.
Kevin Matchstick, revealed as the current avatar of the Pendragon, the King, continues his hunt of supernatural “nasties” around the world. He’s been joined by Joe Phat, the Coyote, and for much of this series he also works with Kirby Hero, a strong-man who been set Twelve Labors by his Dad … There are other avatars out there as well, of greater and lesser power — and there’s a dark force, too, gathering, drawing Kevin toward it, seeking vengeance for past wrongs. And Kevin’s own personal
weaknesses will both lose him his allies and make him all the more tempting a target.
It’s really good stuff, very Campbellian in its way, full of magic and wonderment as well as sweat and blood and pain and people acting like jerks. Heroes with feet of clay.
Triffic stuff. And I await the planned third volume with eagerness.
The Ministry of Space (Image) [4/4/5/5] (collects #1-3)
w. Warren Ellis; a. Chris Weston
What if England had found the wherewithal to spearhead a space program that outstripped the Americans and Soviets. How would the exploration of space, and the dynamics of world power today, be different? That’s the story that Ellis tells here, and, typical with Ellis, it’s full of glorious flights of imagination, coupled with backgrounds of terrible secrets and hidden blood.
The series is not a story so much as an illustration, a biography of Sir John Dashwood, and what he did to make it happen, from the last days of WWII to the dawn of the new millennium. As such, the story ends somewhat abruptly (and on a discordantly negative note, again not expectedly.
It’s a short read, being only three issues long (the third of which was long delayed), but any fan of Ellis will find this thought-provoking and … well, not enjoyable, but engaging.
New Avengers: Breakout (Vol. 1) (Marvel) [4/4/4/2] (collects #1-6)
w. Brian Bendis; a. David Finch
After Disassembling the Avengers, Bendis put together a new team of his and the fans favorites’ characters — Captain America, Iron Man, and oddball members Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Wolverine and Luke Cage. The odd team worked, as this introduction showed, though there’s plenty of mystery, threat, and conspiracy to fill three books this size. The scenery jumps from a massive breakout at Rykers, to the streets of New York, to the Forbidden Land, as the team slowly gels despite itself.
The irony, of course, is that within six months of this book coming out, Civil War has made it certain this particular group of Avengers will never join together again. Not what Bendis had planned, certainly, but the churn is a bit disturbing.
Bendis, as always, is a master of dialog. His action scenes are fine, but it’s just a joy watching him let people talking provide just as much characterization and dynamism as any sort of super-battle. Finch’s art is crisply detailed and nicely realistic. Anyone looking to build a new team book would do worse than examine this collection on how to get one jump-started.
(listening to: Silver Screen Orchestra & Singers, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” from Spirit of the West)
(listening to: McKennitt, Loreena, “All Souls Night” from Visit, The)
(listening to: Baez, Joan, “I Still Miss Someone” from 5)
(listening to: Horton, James, “Stairway Chase” from Fugitive, The)
(listening to: Giulini, A. & Mozart Festival Orch, “Piano Concerto No. 20 in D min K.466: Romanza” from Great Piano Moments)
(listening to: Springfield, Dusty, “The Windmills of Your Mind” from Dusty in Memphis)
(listening to: Lehrer, Tom, “The Folk Song Army” from That Was the Year That Was)
(listening to: Cash, Johnny, “Legend of John Henry’s Hammer” from Johnny Cash 16 Biggest Hits)
I do need to give Mage: The Hero Defined another chance. I was also disappointed in it when it was first released. I don’t even think I read the entire run. (I’ll have to check my comics boxes to be sure.)
Well, no guarantees, but reading it in collection really helped. And, really, there’s a lot of there there. The story is flavored differently from the original, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it sets up Kevin with a whole bunch more lessons he has to learn.
Wagner takes a bit more cartoony of an approach at times. That turned me off initially, but now it doesn’t bother me so much.
I think that it was the art that put me off.
I can see that (and remember it). It’s an odd approach, at times — but I guess it was less jarring on a re-read.
I still miss Sean the Ghost.