Filed under: Introduction
Welcome to my Graphic novels and collected editions mini review blog. Please use the Category links in the left column to navigate to your favorite author, artist or series or just browse through my mini reviews. You can also click on the star rating to see which books I have particularly enjoyed.
Background:
in 2005 I started collecting graphic novels when some of my favorite “Starlord” and “2000AD” stories from my childhood became available in a collected form. Since then it has become something of a passion and my collection seems to grow at an exponential rate. Whenever I read a new book in my collection this blog is updated with a mini review and a not so scientific score. The score is based upon how much I enjoyed the book and takes into account the story, artwork and presentation. If I think a book is worth less than a 5 I dont bother writing about it.
Total Number of reviews : 201
2012 Goal : 52 Reviews: Status 5/52
This title collects “Kick-Ass” issues #1-8 and is the story of a very unlikely teenager trying to be a superhero and of a very unusual father/daughter team hellbent on making the local crime bosses life a misery. “Kick Ass” is also a rare beast in that it actually formed the basis for a really good comic book movie.
“Kick Ass” grabbed me from the first page and never let go till the very violent finale. I think the reason it made such a good movie is that it reads like a really good teen movie. The shocks keep coming page after page from the new and inventive depictions of violence to the seriously disturbed relationship between Big Daddy and his eleven year old killing machine daughter, Hit Girl, who slices off body parts and spurts out obscenities like there is no tomorrow. The book is written in a very witty and irreverent style and has spot on pacing. Despite the very violent content it is more amusing than offensive. Just like the over the top violence in movies like “Kill Bill” or “Machette” the gore makes you laugh rather than recoil.
John Romita Jnr’s artwork is absolutely spot on and couldn’t fit the stories quirky, violent and amusing story style any better. Although the artwork has a teen comic book look to it (perhaps slightly manga), the content itself is extremely violent and gory. I really enjoyed the art and it makes me want to check out more of his work.
If you like the movie then you should enjoy this book as much if not more. A great fun read but not for the squeamish or easily offended. ISBN-13: 978-0785134350 . 9/10
Turf is the first graphic novel by eccentric UK media star Jonathon Ross. Ross has been a comic geek for years so this book isn’t simply some celebrity slapping their name on a book but rather a really inventive and enjoyable story. “Turf” is set in prohibition New York in 1929 where the rival gangs are in a vicious turf war with a bunch of vampires. Throw in an alien for good measure and you have a story that crosses many genres but works really well.
“Turf” has a very old school look to it both in the panel layout and in the artwork. It is also unusual compared to many modern comic books in that it has quite a lot of text on each page. You certainly get a good long read for your money and letterer John Workman definitely earned his money on this one. Ross has managed to achieve some excellent character development and portrays the dredges of society in a satisfying way. The character of O’ Leary is a particularly loathsome example of this.
I really enjoyed “Turf” and although I had my doubts about the alien element working in a 1920′s New York setting it actually fit in really well. Story wise this book is one of the best books I have read in a long time and would earn itself a place in my list of 10′s but unfortunately I was not quite as impressed with the art.
Tommy Lee Edwards art is good, captures the feel of prohibition New York and it fits the story perfectly but the style isn’t quite to my liking. It is a little too simplistic and scratchy for my tastes but this does not get in the way of following the action and may appeal more to other readers. The book has an extensive gallery/cover section in the back and in this section Edwards work really does shine. I feel the style incorporated in the main story was a decision made to allow the art to be completed in a timely manner. Unfortunately the art drags this book down to an 8 for me.
The Hardcover version of “Turf” is a fantastic read with deluxe glossy paper and some great extras. Even if you do not like Jonathon Ross the media star this book is highly recommended as a first rate graphic novel. ISBN-13: 978-1607064008. 8/10.
This trade paperback is the first in a series of graphic novel interpretations of the late Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy series “The Eye Of The World”. I read the prose novel “The Wheel of Time”, upon which this graphic novel is based, about 15 years ago and really enjoyed it. Reading it in graphic novel format did not bring back any memories at all of the original book and I don’t seem to remember the original being quite so generic in it’s high fantasy plot lines. Even though the book felt very much like a Lord of The Rings spin-off I still really enjoyed reading it and it felt well paced and encouraged me to not put it down.
For a hardcover this TPB uses pretty cheap quality paper and the first 10 pages of my copy were crinkled. The cover art is a good indication of the art inside but when I first got the book I thought the colors had faded in the sun. This is not the case and the entire book has a unsatisfactory color pallete that is reminiscent of a color book that has been left in a shop window too long. My copy was from Amazon and was factory sealed so the color pallete is deliberate.
The art in The Wheel of Time isn’t to my liking and it seems very low rent to me. Even though it is not impressive It does do a good job of conveying the story. The art is not helped at all by the colors chosen and the inappropriate cartoony nature of some of character faces at times. I am not familiar with Chase Conley’s other work but this book definitely does not make me want to check it out.
The book has quite an extensive extras section with character sketches, cover art and biographies and in this section Conley’s work is much more pleasing to the eye. It is a pity the same level of detail could not be used throughout the book.
“The Wheel of time” is a good story with poor art and no real need to be a fan of the original novel to appreciate it. It should appeal to Lord Of The Rings Fans. ISBN-13: 978-0765324887. 7/10.
This book contains two stories from Alan Moore that are both based on the horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. The two stories follow on from each other so they work well as a single collected edition. The first story “The Courtyard” was previously released as a TPB and I reviewed it here. The second book, “Neonomicon”, picks up a few years after the events of “The Courtyard” with Two FBI agents (Brears and Lamper) looking into another string of murders that are remarkably similar to the ones in the first book.
“Neonomicon” is definitely an adult only book as it contains copious amounts of nudity, sex, rape and violence. There is one section of the book that is a bit over the top in this department and I started to wonder if it was just there for shock value. I think horror works best when the worst and most sordid details are hinted at but left to the imagination of reader to fill in the details. The story itself is pretty good although it seems that you have to have a sound grounding in the works of Lovecraft to understand a fair chunk of what is going on. The book also suffers from being overly complicated at times and I got the impression that Moore was going out of his way to try to confuse the reader.
“Neonomicon” started off strong with the two FBI agents investigating the murders but as it became more occult and complicated my interest fell off. Its not a bad book but it can be hard work and requires a lot of concentration from the reader. All this serves to hurt it’s entertainment value.
“Neonomicon” adopted a more traditional comic book layout rather than the more unusual style that was found in the “Courtyard”. I am a normally a big fan of Jacen Burrows art but in this book it really didn’t look all that special. The gallery art section at the back of the book was special however and some of the splash pages were really good.
This really is a horrifc book and not in a fun way. It left me with a bad taste in my mouth and is definitely not one of Moore’s best works. ISBN-13: 978-1592911301. 6/10
Filed under: 7 stars, Alan Weiss, Bill Wray, Colin MacNeil, David Wenzel, Don Glut, Howard Chaykin, Ralph Reese, Roy Thomas, Solomon Kane, Sonny Trinidad
This collection Includes:
- “Skulls in the Stars” written by “Roy Thomas” with art by “Ralph Reese”.
- “Castle of the Undead” written by “Roy Thomas” with art by “Alan Weiss”.
- “The Hills of the Dead” written by ”Roy Thomas” with art by “Alan Weiss”.
- “Into the Silent City” written by ”Roy Thomas” with art by “Alan Weiss”.
- “The Right Hand of Doom” by “Doug Moench” with art by “Steve Gan”
- “The Silver Beast Beyond Tinkertown” by “Doug Moench” with art by “Mike Zeck”
- “Rattle of Bones” written by ”Roy Thomas” with art by “Howard Chaykin”
- “The Castle Of The Devil” written by “Don Glut” with art by “Alan Kupperberg” and “Sonny Trinidad”
- “Solomon Kanes Homecoming” written by ”Roy Thomas” with art by”Virgillo Redondo” and ” D Nebres”
- “The Dragon At Castle Frankenstein” written by “Don Glut” with art by “Sonny Trinidad”
- “The Cold Hands Of Death” written by “Don Glut” with art by “Steve Gan” and “Dino Castrillo”
- “Retribution In Blood” written by “Don Glut” with art by ”David Wenzel” and “Marillitz”
- “Blades of The Brotherhood” written by ”Don Glut” with art by ”David Wenzel” and “Duffy Vohland”
- “Moon of Skulls” written by ”Don Glut” with art by ”David Wenzel” and “Bill Wray”.
- “The Return of Sir Richard Greenville written by “Roy Thomas” with art by ”David Wenzel”.
- “Wings In The Night” written by ”Don Glut” with art by ”David Wenzel”.
- “The One Black Stain” written by “Robert E. Howard” with art by ”David Wenzel”.
- “Red Seas” written by “Jo Duffy” with art by “Danny Bulandi”.
- “Solomon Kane’s Homecoming” written by ”Robert E. Howard” with art by “Steve Carr”.
- “Shattered Innocence” written by “John Arcudi” with art by “Steve Carr” and “Al Williamson”.
- “Satan’s Sanctuary” written by “Alan Rowlands” with art by ”Steve Carr” and “Al Williamson”.
- “Deaths Dark Riders” written by “Roy Thomas” with art by “Colin MacNeil”.
I enjoyed this collection and it blessed by some really good black and white art. There are a huge variety of stories and styles but they are all readable. I particularly enjoyed the artwork of Alan Weiss and Ralph Reese and the story telling of Roy Thomas. My least favorite stories had David Wenzel as the author and I found them harder work to read. My least favorite artists were “Howard Cheykin” and ”Colin MacNeil” but Colin’s art was still good and improved as the story progressed.
I am not a fan of prose in Graphic novels so I didn’t read all these sections but they may appeal to some people. This book represent a great taste of Solomon Kane with over twenty stories. ISBN-13: 978-1595823175. 7/10
Filed under: 6 Stars, Darick Robertson, Guy Davis, Mario Guevara, Mike Mignola, Scott Allie, Solomon Kane
“Death’s Black Riders” collects #1 to #4 of Dark Horses “Solomon Kane: Death’s Black Riders” series and the “All The Damned Souls At Sea” short story. It is set in the Black Forest, just like the previous Dark Horse Volume (Castle of the Devil), and features the writing of Scott Allie and art of Mario Guevara.
“Deaths Black Riders” has more of a Conan or even a BPRD/ Hellboy feel to it than Solomon Kane. It is basically one long monster bash from beginning to end and lacks the more considered brooding approach that Solomon Kane normally has. From the moment the book begins the dialogue is confusing and hard to follow and the cluttered and muddy art makes it difficult to figure out just who is talking. It was quite a way into the book before I actually realized which character was Solomon Kane. The story also suffers from poor pacing and some of the fight scenes and dialogues run on too long. I quite enjoyed some of the interactions with the priest but the demons were a little too H.P. Lovecraft for my tastes.
Mario Guevara’s artwork was not as good as in the first volume and I found it quite difficult to follow at times. I liked Guy Davis’s artwork in the short story better but I still struggled a little to follow what was going on once the boat started breaking up. If I hadn’t read the notes in the back of the book I would not have guessed that the boat turned into some kind of sea serpent. Even Guy Davis’s art seemed to be a bit off par. I enjoyed the Mike Mignola TPB cover and Darick Robertson’s excellent single edition covers in the special features.
Death’s Black Riders isn’t a bad book but it suffers from not being a particularly good Solomon Kane adaptation with art that in my opinion is a little substandard. It has some great special features and is still worth a read if you liked the first volume. ISBN-10: 1595825908. 6/10
This Omnibus collects Asterix the Gaul #1, Asterix and the Golden Sickle #2, Asterix and the Goths #3 in one pretty large format glossy papered volume. “Asterix the Gaul” introduces the main characters and the magic strength potion and sees our hero and friends defending their small Gallic village from the surrounding Romans. “Asterix and the Golden Sickle” is the story of how Asterix and Obelix try to get a new golden sickle for Getafix so that he can attend the druids conference. Unfortunately the sickle maker has disappeared and our intrepid duo have to break up an organised crime ring of sickle sellers. “Asterix and the Goths” is the story of Getafix’s trip to the druids conference and Asterix and Obelix’s run in with the Goths who kidnap their druid friend.
All three books are light hearted with plenty of jokes at the expense of Asterix’s enemies. It can take a while to get used to the style of writing as there are quite a few latin references and jokes but after a while the language become transparent. Asterix is translated from the French original (I originally encountered Asterix in my French class at school) and at times the translation is a little uncomfortable but by the middle of the first book I didn’t notice it any more. The different accents are illustrated by using different fonts which can be a little hard on the eye but add a comedic element to the story. I haven’t read any Asterix since I was a kid but I had fond memories of the books and I am happy to report that it is just as good as I remembered.
The artwork and coloring is excellent and of a consistent high standard. There are tons of things going on in the backgrounds of the panels and the book is a joy to look at.
This is a great collection that should appeal to both kids and adults alike. It certainly doesn’t feel childish in any way and the sense of humor makes it a light read. The artwork is also great. ISBN-13: 978-1444004236. 8/10
Filed under: 2000AD, 8 Stars, Brendon McCarthy, Brett Ewins, Brian Bolland, Dave Gibbons, Gary Leach, John Wagner, Mike McMahon, Pat Mills, Ron Smith
Volume 2 collects the Judge Dredd appearances in 2000AD from prog 61 through to Prog 115 but unfortunately with several progs missing due to copyright infringements. Missing from this collection are progs 71-72 and 77-78. This book contains two epic story arcs in the form of “The Cursed Earth” (Progs 61 to 85) and “The Day the Law Died” (Progs 89–108 and prologues in 86–88) which are themselves linked together. It also collects “Punks Rule !” (Prog 110), “The EXO-MEN” (Progs 111 – 112), and “The DNA Man” (Progs 113-115)
Writers:
- Pat Mills (“The Cursed Earth” - Progs 61-70, 73-76, 81-85)
- John Wagner (“The Cursed Earth” - Progs 79 and 80), (“The Day the Law Died” – Progs 86 – 108), (“Punks Rule” – Prog 109), (“The EXO-MEN” Progs 111, 112), (“The DNA Man” - Progs 113 – 115)
Artists:
- Mike McMahon (The Cursed Earth - Progs 61-64, 66-68,73-76, 79 -80,83-85), (“The Day the Law Died” Progs 89-91, 96 -97, 99, 100)
- Brian Bolland (“The Cursed Earth” - Progs 65,69,70, 81,82), (“The Day the Law Died” – Progs 86-87, 94-95, 98, 101 – 102, (“Punks Rule” – Prog 110)
- Ron Smith (“The EXO-MEN” - Progs 111,112), (“The Day the Law Died” Progs 104 , 106, 107, 108)
- Brett Ewins (“The DNA Man” - Progs 113 -115), (“The Day the Law Died” Progs 88,92, 105)
- Dave Gibbons (“The Day the Law Died” – Prog 87
- Brend0n McCarthy (“The Day the Law Died” Progs 88, 105)
- GaryLeach (“The Day the Law Died” Progs 94 -95, 103)
Both main story lines in this volume are classic Judge Dredd at his prime. The story telling is witty and sharp and the epic arcs format read very well in collected form. The shorter stories in this book are also a really good read.
There isn’t any bad artwork in this collection but there are some distinct differences in style. Mike McMahon’s art is quite rough and gritty at the start but seems to improve in it’s level of detail and clarity as the progs progress. Bolland’s artwork is crisp and highly detailed and he is my favorite Dredd artist in this collection. It’s just a shame he didn’t get to draw more progs. Ewins and Smith also do some really good artwork and they both approach Bolland’s attention to detail.
Volume 2 of the Judge Dredd case files is a must read for Dredd fans. ISBN-13: 978-1906735999. 8/10.
This hard cover collects the “Baltimore Plague Ships” comic book series issues 1 to 5 with some extras.
“After a devastating plague ends World War I, Europe is suddenly flooded with vampires. Lord Henry Baltimore, a soldier determined to wipe out the monsters, fights his way through bloody battlefields, ruined plague ships, exploding zeppelins, and submarine graveyards on the hunt for the creature who’s become his obsession.”
Baltimore has the same look and feel as BPRD and is instantly recognizable as a Mike Mignola creation. It has a bit of a Van Helsing or Solomon Kane feel to it but it is set in an alternative history after the first World War. The setting is perfectly rendered and the story grips you from start to finish. I love how they merged the idea of medieval plague into an early 1900′s war torn backdrop and threw in a bit of steam punk horror to garnish the mix. I can wait for the next collection to find out what happens in Baltimore’s search for the elusive vampire and hopefully the answers to many other questions that this cracking first collection raised.
Ben Stenbeck’s artwork is perfect for the subject matter and has a fantastic atmosphere to it. He has a strange technique of not drawing feet or legs on far away characters that sometimes looks a bit odd but gives the book a quirky character. The color palette is the same as many of Mignola’s work but I have absolutely no problem with that. I will definitely be looking out for more of his work.
Baltimore is a must read book for fans of Mignola and this hardcover version is worth the extra money. ISBN-13: 978-1595826732. 9/10
Filed under: 6 Stars, Aadi Salman, Andy Kuhn, Dave Crosland, Federica Manfredi, Joe Largent, Josh Medors, Mark Englert, Matt Merhoff, Mike Norton, Mike O'Sullivan, Nate Bellegarde, Sean Dove, Skottie Young, Stefano Caselli, Tim Seeley
Hack/Slash is a book based on slasher movies where Cassie Hack and her giant assistant Vlad go round destroying slashers. The book is written by Tim Seeley and features many different artists which means that there is a huge variety in styles between the stories. Omnibus 1 contains the following stories:
- “Euthanized” with art by Stefano Caselli.
- “Girls gone Wild” with art by Federica Manfredi.
- “Comic Book Carnage” with art by Federica Manfredi.
- “Hack/Slash Evil Ernie” with art by Aadi Salman.
- “Land of Lost Toys” with art by Dave Crosland.
- “Slice Hard” with art by Tim Seeley, Mark Englert, Nate Bellegarde, Andy Kuhn and Joe Largent .
- “Slashing Through the Snow” a poem with art by Mike O’Sullivan.
- “Hack/Slash vs Chucky” with art by Matt Merhoff.
- “Blood and Nuts” with art by Skottie Young.
- “Renegade Knife: Itai!” with art by Sean Dove.
- “Tub Club” with art by Tim Seeley.
- “Orbituary” with art by Mike Norton.
- “Dead Celebrities” with art by Stefano Caselli.
- “Once Bitten” with art by Josh Medors.
I bought this book based on good reviews rather than the content. I grew out of slasher movies after the first Chucky and Nightmare on Elm Steet. The only recent ones I have watched was the Jeepers Creepers series and that was quite a while ago. I think this is why the book didn’t really impress me very much. Its not a bad book by any means and the main characters are likable but ultimately it is not a series I would buy any more books in.
My favorite stories were “Girls Gone Wild”, “Slice hard” and “Hack/Slash vs Chucky” and all three of these were fun reads. The only story I didn’t really enjoy was “Hack/Slash Evil Ernie” where the art, layout and lettering all got in the way of the story for me.
The art in Omnibus 1 is a bit of a mixed bag but I enjoyed the artwork of Stefano Caselli, Federica Manfredi, Skottie Young, Mike Norton and Matt Merhof. The only artists work that really wasn’t to my taste was Aadi Salman that I didn’t like at all. The artwork in “Land of Lost Toys” was also a bit inconsistent but overall pleasing to the eye. ”Slice Hard” was an unusual story in that there were very obvious artist changed between pages . It was almost as if the story switched from HD to SD at times. I don’t know which artist did which page but I liked some more than others and i am not a fan of mixing artists in a story.
Hack/Slash Omnibus, Vol.1 has a huge selection of covers, pinup art and other extras that are well worth a look. Overall the book is a good buy if you are a fan of “Slasher” Movies but even non fans of the genre should find something to enjoy. ISBN-13: 978-1607062738. 6/10
