Review: Robot 13 #3

It would be easy to dismiss Robot 13 based on its obvious influences — Mike Mignola and Hellboy, maybe a little Atomic Robo, the well-worn trope of Greek mythology intruding on the modern world — but then you'd be missing out on a fun and intriguing book with plenty of originality and its own unique charm.

Robot 13 #3 picks up with the amnesiac automaton waking up in a cabin belonging to a blind man who thinks he's saved a pilot decked out in a flight suit and helmet, a survivor of the unseen war booming in the background. What he doesn't know is that R-13 crash-landed into a mountain after fighting a phoenix, and had been fighting mythological creatures since he was pulled out of the sea in fishermen's nets earlier. And what neither one of them knows is Echidna, the Mother of All Monsters, has caught wind of the return of her ancient enemy and has restarted their ages-long fight.

And believe me, in between the intrigue and stage-setting, there is plenty of fighting. Artist Daniel Bradford uses a gorgeous-to-look-at style that recalls (heavily, at times) Mignola and B.P.R.D. artist Guy Davis to create dynamic fight scenes and strangely lush, wide-open panels that have the effect of being smaller, self-contained splash pages. Backgrounds border on abstract, detail lines are wrinkled while outlines are often pliant and loopy, colors are bold yet muted, and it somehow all works. Faces sometimes come across as cartoony and perspective isn't given as much attention as it should be here and there, but these are minor complaints in what is a solid look that is often cinematic.

The script by Thomas Hall is subtle and restrained, and he gives the characters just enough to say to keep them conversational and individual. "Voices" are never just copy-paste, and the personalities — or at least hints of personality — come through. R-13 is unfailingly polite, Echidna is insidious and quick, and every minor character has their own cadence; best of all, Hall knows when to let the action tell the story instead of filling every panel with unnecessary dialogue, which is a rare quality that shows a certain maturity as a writer.

There is some forced exposition in this third issue that drops more clues than might've been necessary, but that just might be my own high tolerance for the slow burn. Given the nature of the story, I can see where the creators — and readers — might want to get things moving in terms of story; hopefully, awkward transitions will be rare (and honestly, in three issues this is the only one that comes to mind).

At the end of the third issue — and the cap of the "Colossus" storyline — readers are still left with the question: Who is Robot 13? Is he a magical monster-fighter? A triumph of ancient science? A lost soul? A hero? Whatever the answer ends up being, it's a mystery worth unraveling — and Robot 13 is a comic you should be reading.


Robot 13 doesn't seem to have wide distribution, but can be bought directly from Blacklist Studios.

Adventures in Sound: Part 18

Panel from The Muppet Show, Vol. 1 (trade paperback)
Letterer: Deron Bennett

Review: The quiet power of Joe the Barbarian #1

Joe the Barbarian #1 is the kind of book that renews my faith in comics.

At first glance, it's easy to take some easy shots at the first issue of the title; it's Grant Morrison over-indulging in decompression, the art by Sean Murphy is beautiful but just set-dressing, the story itself isn't going anywhere or telling you anything about the characters, and — my favorite — there are three or four pages of a kid walking through his house and nothing else. It's boring.

All of this is wrong.

Maybe too many comic book readers have become used to an explosion or super-powered fist-fight on every other page. But Joe the Barbarian is, if you look carefully, telling what is promising to be a complex and compelling story. And the first issue is telling a story, in a way that is unique to the literary form — by letting the images do a lot of the talking.

This isn't to say Morrison's script isn't doing its fair share: The bare-bones script tells us what we need to know to get started, introducing us to young, surly Joe; his slightly frazzled mother, the jerk bullies, the nice girl and the dead father. With the exception of Joe they're all ciphers, but for now it's OK — it's enough because it helps put our hero in relief. We learn a little about Joe through his brief but intense interactions with others.

We also learn, through small clues in both the script and art, that Joe is diabetic and thanks to those bullies (and possibly his own teen-aged pig-headedness) he's in trouble. And now the big, rambling house he lives in is going to seem a lot bigger, and much more dangerous and unfamiliar.

Which brings me back to the art. The superb work by Murphy is anything but static; at turns gloomy, then lush and exploding with color before slipping back to scenes that seem to be draining of life, the art is atmospheric and rich. If the artwork is anything to judge by, Joe the Barbarian is going to be Murphy's story as much as Morrison's, and deservedly so.

The art depicts both a dreary and ordinary day and a bright and fire-scorched fantasy land with equal ease; strangely enough, it also serves to ground Morrison's sketchy, true-to-life exchanges and his trademark fever-dream dialogue. Most of the clues to the characters' backgrounds and personalities, as well as much of the foreshadowing and mood, are delivered through Murphy's work, purposefully making it more than just a setting. Instead, it's an essential part of the story. And, quite simply, the art is gorgeous.

In a way, Joe the Barbarian demands more than it gives: Is Joe going into some sort of diabetic shock? Is he hallucinating a world populated with the toys and knick-knacks filling his room? What do our fantasies say about ourselves and about our lives? None of this is answered in the first issue, obviously. But I think it's enough for now that the title brings up these questions.

It's tempting to say Joe the Barbarian #1 is challenging — but it isn't, really. But it's not simple, either. Instead, it's a book that expects — and invites — readers to pay attention. Pay attention to the words, to the art, and to the way they work so intractably together, and I think you'll be rewarded for the effort.

Download a preview here.

Items! Of! Interest!

You know who can't be stopped? Well, yeah, Godzilla, but y'know who else? Kevin Church, the Internet's cheeriest comics and pop culture blogger who also happens to be a damn fine comic creator in his own right.

If you follow GCP regularly (or semi-regularly, as the case may be, and if so, why is that the case, jerk?!), you already know I'm a fan of The Rack and its limited series spin-off Lydia. This time Church is doing something a bit different with She Died in Terrebone, a crime/mystery strip he's writing, with art by T.J. Kirsch. There are four prelude strips that do a nice job of setting the story's tone and introducing the main characters, as well as giving readers a feel for Kirsch's appropriately rangy artwork, and the first story arc is already two strips in — get in on the story before all the other kids laugh at you.

As if that wasn't enough, Church is also partnering with artist Ming Doyle on another new humor strip called The Loneliest Astronauts, launching tomorrow! The premise sounds great, well-suited to Church's shank-to-the-kidney style of humor, and I can't wait to see Doyle's sketchy take on the trappings of life in outer space.

...

Behold! The Batman sketches of Eliza Gauger!


Are you man enough to handle the most disturbing Underoos ever?!?

...

Finally, I'm not doing this comic justice with a blurb but I wanted to make sure I mentioned Underground — by writer Jeff Parker and artist Steve Lieber — and how you should be reading the hell out of it.

Underground is a crime story involving dirty land developers, Native American concerns, park rangers with hearts of gold and, of course, a cave that serves as a character in its own right. Parker is writing a script that smolders with the kind of menace only greedy, amoral and all-t00-human characters can bring, and Lieber delivers the knowing touch for depicting nature and realistic facial expressions that helped make Whiteout famous.

My only gripe would be the coloring by Ron Chan, which seemed rushed or blocky in places throughout the first issue. This could just be a matter of bad registration off the press, and it certainly isn't enough to take away from what is shaping up to be a winning comic.

If you haven't read it yet there are previews of issues #1 and #2 at the Web site, and you can also download a black-and-white version of the full first issue there — so get to it!

I (heart) Paul Pope

I know he's not everyone's cup of tea, but I'm a big fan of Paul Pope's work and the Flash Gordon-inspired work he's doing with "Strange Adventures" makes Wednesday Comics worth picking up all on its own. The only question I have is, why isn't Pope doing a regular Adam Strange series already?


Panel from "Strange Adventures" in Wednesday Comics #2
Paul Pope, writer and artist

The Rack: Year One (Mostly) — bought and paid for

Won't you do the same?


OK, let me tell you a little bit about The Rack — it is undoubtedly one of the best, and certainly one of my favorite, Web comics out there. Yes, for better or worse, I'm placing the strip by writer Kevin Church and artist Benjamin Birdie on the same shelf I put The Order of the Stick and The Adventures of Dr. McNinja.

You may know Church from his popular blog, and the wit and sense of barely restrained aggression will be familiar to regular readers. But The Rack is much more than you might expect. When it wants to be, the strip can be heart-warming. It's often brutally honest. Sometimes it's bittersweet. And it's always, always funny.

Church has a great ear for dialogue, and it's easy to tell storylines are planned out and character growth has been built in. You quickly learn to care about these people who work at your local comic shop (forgetting, for a second, that the shop and its employees don't really exist).

Birdie's art is equally important to how well the strip works. There have been guest artists over the course of The Rack's run, but it says a lot about the regular artist that — no matter how good the fill-ins are — his work is what the characters are "supposed" to look like. When I think about the strip, it's Birdie's work I see.

It doesn't hurt that he continues to refine his work with each new strip, and the assurance he has with this world he's chronicling is evident. I also like that Birdie's drawings encourage the reader to pay attention — half the jokes are in the background, and the expressions on any given character's face help nail down the rest.

So yeah, basically I'm a fan. And to put it simply, if you like stuff that's good, pick up a copy of The Rack Year One (Mostly).


Disclosure: Kevin Church is what I consider an "Internet buddy," meaning we sometimes exchange e-mails and curse good-naturedly at each other. But that doesn't mean I would buy the book — or encourage someone else to buy it — if I didn't like it. We good? Awesome!

Speed dial

Well, the day seems to have gotten away from me so all I've got for you is a massive amount of adorable:


Tiny Titans has one of the qualities that makes for a really good kid's product — it's age-appropriate without being dumbed down, and it throws a little something in for the adults who might be reading (or watching or listening) along with the little ones. It's the same reason the old Warner Brothers cartoons and films like The Muppet Movie still find new fans while holding on to their old (ahem) audience, no matter what their age.

Besides, I'm glad somebody's making fun of the whole mega-event thing. But I've still got a question: What did the Tiny Titans try already? What?!? If you've got any ideas, let me know in the comments.

Say, have you met Lydia?

I'd meant to mention this earlier, so you may already know Kevin Church apparently needs no sleep and has launched a new webcomic called Lydia.

The strip is a spin-off of The Rack (which Church does with artist Benjamin Birdie) and features the new adventures of former comic book store employee Lydia Park as she charts her way through the corporate wasteland. It's already establishing a vibe distinct from The Rack, in both the writing and the work from artist Max Riffner. Riffner's art is classically cartoony and subtly modern, with a rounded gentleness that helps Church's already sharp satire sting even more when it hits.

Best of all, the strip is pretty funny.

So what are you waiting for? Go read it, and tell your friends about Lydia!

Rockin' out with Solomon Stone!

Hey, look what Sims did!

At long last, The Chronicles of Solomon Stone has hit the digital shelves and I'd recommend you get over to the Action Age and check it out for yourself. The first installment is funny, clever and just really, really good. Writer Chris Sims, artist Matthew Allen Smith and letterer Benjamin Birdie pull off the beginning adventures of the world's greatest half-vampire/all-man private detective with breezy confidence, and I'm looking forward to the regular Wednesday updates with the hunger of a Viking werewolf.

WTF Wednesday: I seriously cannot resist a joke about Uranus

Honestly? Context really wouldn't help this make much more sense, but any Love and Rockets comic is just so freakin' charming and well-done it doesn't matter. Just go with it.


Panel from Maggie and Hopey Color Special #1
Jaime Hernandez, writer and artist

What's at the top of the comic book mountain?

So the other day I received an e-mail that was both hellish and irresistible, like chocolate-covered crack delivered straight to the inbox.

Steve of I Was Ben had a question: Considering all the talk going around about Watchmen being the apex of the medium, what do you think is the pinnacle of the comic book form?

On its face, it's a straight-forward question. But in the depths of my geeky soul (and, I'm assuming, yours now), the torture began. Lists were made and discarded, foreheads were slapped whenever another title was remembered, and second-guessing ran rampant. Almost like asking a parent to choose their favorite child, or to decide between Coke or Pepsi (Mr. Pibb, duh), this was — as even Adrian Veidt might put it — "a toughie."

What was my answer (besides vaguely ambiguous)? Go check out Steve's post at I Was Ben to find out, as well as to get the thoughtful opinions of our pal The Fortress Keeper and Teresa of In Sequence. While you're at it, leave your own picks in the I Was Ben comments; I think we'd all be interested to hear some more points of view.

Speaking of which, you should also take a look at blog-buddy Kevin Church's recent post on good comics for new readers — there isn't a stinker in the bunch, and there are some solid suggestions in the comments, too (Vimanarama! God, I love that one!)

Now give it some thought, and let's hear it!

It never gets old

From the always-excellent Agents of Atlas (issue #2)
Jeff Parker, writer; Carlos Pagulayan, Jason Paz and Jana Schirmer, artists

Touch down on Planet Wifey

Some of you out there may know Clarence Smith, Jr. as Bahlactus, the creator of Friday Night Fights and funky kung fu master of comic book commentary, but now thanks to a new biweekly comic strip over at Agreeable Comics you can get to know him as ... well, Clarence.

Smith is writing Planet Wifey, a strip that will feature true stories of married life, and seriously? Freakin' ADORABLE. And with perfectly simple and expressive art by Cathy Leamy (best known as Metrokitty), this comic strip is going to be a winner. Do yourself a favor and go check out Planet Wifey.

(While you're at it, take a look at the creators' home sites — spread the love at Do You Know Clarence? and Metrokitty.)

via Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin

Review: Pinning down Blue Beetle

Reading Blue Beetle #35 is, ultimately, a frustrating experience.

The issue kicks off a new storyline by Matthew Sturges, who officially took over from original writer John Rogers with issue #29, and introduces some of the fallout from Jaime Reyes' epic back-and-forth with would-be alien conquerors the Reach. Reprogrammed Beetle soldiers have come to Earth with a new mission and, they hope, will leave with a new leader. All Jaime and his friends want to do is go to their high school dance.

The storyline is interesting, it's fun and basically hits a lot of the beats that helped Blue Beetle find a loyal audience in the first place. Things move along at a nice clip while still finding the time to put new plot points in place, and the whole thing is peppered with the kind of casually snappy dialogue that has become a hallmark of this title. There are even some small steps toward development for some of the characters who've been orbiting a little further out on the edge of Blue Beetle's already excellent extended cast.

It's pretty clear Sturges has really hit his stride with the issue, bringing his own sensibility to the title and also tapping into the pure, playful fun that makes this comic so appealing. Blue Beetle #35 manages that magical little trick every comic tries to pull off — it leaves you looking forward to the next issue, and the issue after that.

And that's incredibly frustrating since the next issue is also the last issue for this consistenly solid, charming and deceptively complex series.

The character of Jaime Reyes as the Blue Beetle has built up some popularity, and it's certainly getting a push on the younger readers front with appearances in the new Batman: The Brave and The Bold and Tiny Titans comics, not to mention the B&B cartoon — hopefully this will mean some sort of life for the character after the series ends.

Still, it will be a shame because guest appearances or supporting roles in group books won't make up for the loss of a title that showcased a teen-aged superhero who acted first and foremost like a teenager. It can only be guessed that the end of Blue Beetle also means the end of the fantastic supporting characters, including Jaime's fully fleshed-out best friends, his supportive family, a sweet and sorcerous girlfriend, even his crazy roster of villains.

At least Blue Beetle #35 gives readers a next-to-last look at what made this book a favorite. Even without the work of usual artist Rafael Albuquerque — artists Carlo Barberi and Jacob Eguren alternate between dynamic and flat, particularly where facial features come into play — the issue has a sense of movement and place and, along with the scripting, puts you where you need to be; in the moment.

Unfortunately, Blue Beetle's moment is almost over, but regular readers should be sure to see it through to the end, and new readers should see what they've been missing by picking up the trades.

Another 2 cents for The Accountants

Rob Osborne, the creator behind 1000 Steps to World Domination and the much-lamented The Nearly Infamous Zango, has been kicking ass over at Zuda, but he could still use your support.

His eight-page entry is called The Accountants, and his tale of hit men in fuzzy animal costumes is one of the oddest and funniest things I've read in a long while. The sense of humor is combined with a real grasp of the absurd, and it's all wrapped around characters you actually want to know more about — it's just really good stuff about CPAs who'll put a C-A-P in your ass.

I've been a fan of Osborne's for a few years now, and he just keeps getting better with every new story he does. Go see for yourself and then cough up a vote for The Accountants — signing up takes less than five minutes, and it's a good way to show support for independent creators.

You should be reading: The Garden by Jim Doom

The guys over at Doomkopf participated in this year's 24 Hour Comics Day, and I just have to say — Jim Doom hit it out of the park with The Garden.

The art is clean and expressive, while the writing is straightforward and keeps the story moving without skimping on characterization. I was impressed by Jim's fun, dark and ultimately bittersweet story, and halfway through I thought, "Man, I would buy the hell out of this if it was an ongoing."

Seriously, it's good stuff so go check it out and let Jim know what you think (and check out everyone else's contributions while you're at it — it ain't easy, people!).

Panel from The Garden
Jim Doom, story and art

Must be the magic of Scotchgard

So yesterday I gently chided the choice of Mark Dos Santos' amiable drawing style for a creepy comic like Fall of Cthulhu: Godwar #2, and for the most part that still stands. There is something in one panel, though, that is pure genius. I give you ...

The Anti-Cthulhu
Couch-cushion Fort!

Panel from Fall of Cthulhu: Godwar #2
Michael Alan Nelson, writer; Mark Dos Santos, artist

Friday Night Fights: Let's get Freako!

Judging by the creator's letter at the end of The Nearly Infamous Zango #3, the self-published title is looking at an uncertain future. Which means if you haven't jumped on the Zango bandwagon yet ... well, what are you waiting for?

Need more convincing? Let me break down the numbers for you:

VAN FREAKO + THE ATOMIC PILGRIM = AWESOME

You can read more about Lord Zango here, and you can even check out previews at Rob Osborne's site — so get to it! Save Zango!! And maybe — just maybe — save your soul.

You know Bahlactus would want you to do it.

Following a link? Read more of Great Caesar's Post here!

Panel from The Nearly Infamous Zango
Rob Osborne, writer and artist

You should be reading: Manhunter #31

Well, it's about time.

After a year of waiting, Manhunter will finally be back on comic book store shelves with today's issue #31. I was beginning to doubt it would ever happen: First the book was almost canceled, then it was saved thanks to some strong fan outcry, then it was canceled again, and then saved again. And then it went on hiatus in April 2007, with a promise it would return in the summer. I guess technically this is the beginning of A SUMMER, so I'm sure DC will argue they're right on schedule. (And no, a recurring role in Birds of Prey doesn't count.)

But I really can't complain very much — Manhunter is just too good.

With Marc Andreyko's scripts and various artists who all maintained a moody and sharp-edged style, Manhunter was easily one of the best titles in DC's stable. Thankfully, Andreyko is back to continue nurturing his sarcastic, chain-smoking and unapologetically violent superhero and her fantastic supporting cast, and new artist Michael Gaydos (who also did Alias) sounds like a good fit.

I've gone on and on about how great Manhunter is before, but it bears repeating. I mean, I'd hate to see it on the chopping block again, especially since it's a title that deserves to find an audience and continue to grow on its own terms. Kate Spencer — as well as her supporting cast — is something you don't always see in superhero comics; a real person.

It's a superhero book, so of course there is a lot of leaping off roofs and cackling bad guys and things that defy basic physics so the good guy gets a chance to punch someone in the face. That's a big part of what I like about Manhunter. But what's really engaging is Kate, because even when she puts on the mask she's still Kate — someone who's trying to quit smoking, someone who's trying to be a good mother in the middle of a bad divorce, someone who balances a life as a federal attorney with a new life as a vigilante fueled by the limitations of the legal system. She doesn't get into costume and suddenly have all the answers with none of the doubt. She is — for better and worse — all too human.

But she tries like hell.

Along with Blue Beetle, Manhunter is a title that's at the top of my favorites list, and if you think you'd like a comic featuring a strong, smart, realistic female character dealing with everyday struggles along with super-powered villains, I can't recommend it enough. Actually, if you just like good comics, I couldn't recommend it enough.

(By the way, both Manhunter and Blue Beetle will be dealing with border issues for the next few months — what are the chances of some crossover? Or did it already happen?!)

There are four trades available if you didn't catch it the first time around, but don't let that stop you from picking up Manhunter #31. I'm pretty sure this would be a good jumping on point, and you shouldn't miss it.

In other words: You should be reading Manhunter.

You should be reading: Black Metal Vol. 1

Why? Because ...


I'll have a full review soon, but for now I'll point you to the preview and say that if you've ever loved comics, throwing the goat or felt out of place as a kid, you'll dig Black Metal.