American Vampire #24

Cover by Rafael Albuquerque

American Vampire #24 (February 22, 2012)

Writer: Scott Snyder

Penciller: Rafael Albuquerque

Colorist: Dave McCaig

Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher

I’ve been reluctant to review American Vampire #24 for the sole reason that this was the first issue in this series to make me go, “Meh.”

That was incredibly disappointing.

This is not to say that this was a poorly done or weak issue. Even a mediocre issue of American Vampire is frankly superior to the average mainstream comic out there right now. Nonetheless, because I have been so in love with this series, the fact that this issue didn’t do much for me was all the more disheartening.

The New Deadwardians #1

Cover by I.N.J. Culbard

The New Deadwardians #1 (March 28, 2012)

Writer: Dan Abnett

Penciller: I.N.J. Culbard

Colorist: Patricia Mulvihill, I.N.J. Culbard

Letterer: Travis Lanham

If Vertigo Comics is adept at anything, it’s harvesting clever retreads of old ideas.

When I first glanced at the cover of The New Deadwardians #1, I was originally indifferent: another zombie story. Whatever.

Then I thought that a mash-up between zombies and the world of Downton Abbey could be quite a bit of fun and decided to read it (as an aside, I would love to do some more exploring on the popularity of Downton Abbey and why it so appeals to a pop culture/society that is one-hundred years older. What is it about that show that is so addicting across generations, as evidenced by the fact that during the second season, my mother, sister, two best friends and I gathered in the family room with popcorn to watch the latest episodes and spent countless hours discussing the various ins and outs of the upstairs and the downstairs? But that’s another blog entry…).

American Vampire #23

Cover by Rafael Albuquerque

American Vampire #23 (January 25, 2012)

Writer: Scott Snyder

Penciller: Rafael Albuquerque

Colorist: Dave McCaig

Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher

After completing my review of American Vampire #22, I was so excited to continue exploring this universe and getting my hands on as much of it as possible. Luckily, I’ve been able to receive both American Vampire graphic novels and read more of the single issues.

And then I promptly didn’t write reviews of any of them.

I almost think that I’ve been enjoying them so much that I didn’t want to write about them or delve any further into these issues. Some people argue that once you critique a work of art, it ceases being a work of art. I don’t agree with that normally but I was reluctant to view American Vampire as anything other than smart, entertaining reads. But that’s rather selfish of me.

So, I revisited American Vampire #23, and fell in love with it all over again.

Northlanders #42

Cover by Massimo Carnevale

Northlanders #42 (July 13, 2011)

Writer: Brian Wood

Penciller: Paul Azaceta

Colorist: Dave McCraig

Letterer: Travis Lanham

I picked up Northlanders #42 mostly because it was part one of The Icelandic Trilogy and if I love anything, it’s part ones.

Also, I’ve become increasingly interested in non-superhero comics (though my first tentative forays into graphic novels were non-superhero actually) and, as a huge history buff, I was curious to see how a period of time that I know next to nothing about would be portrayed in a comic.

 

American Vampire #22

Cover by Rafael Albuquerque

American Vampire #22 (December 28, 2011)

Writer: Scott Snyder

Penciller: Rafael Albuquerque

Colorist: Dave McCaig

Inker: Rafael Albuquerque

Letterer: Jared Fletcher

It’s kind of funny that I was randomly handed this issue by a co-worker because after stumbling across the second American Vampire graphic novel at work one day, I was thoroughly intrigued by this series. I only ever found the second volume, however, so I never read any of the American Vampire series. It was quite a stroke of luck that I was given this particular issue, therefore, since it’s the beginning of a new storyline.

Now, I’m not really into vampires; even as a kid and horror movie fan aficionado, vampires kind of bored me. It’s just hard to make them seem new and fresh (right now, zombies are suffering from the same sort of uninteresting malaise in pop culture) but Snyder managed to invigorate the vampire myth and catch my interest.

100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call

Cover by Dave Johnson

100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call (2000)

Writer: Brian Azzarello

Penciller: Eduardo Risso

Colorist: Grant Goleash

Letterer: Clem Robins

This was lent to me by a co-worker. After I finished it, I told him I had two questions:

1)       Was I supposed to understand what was going on?

2)       Was I supposed to like this?

Those questions have still been unanswered. Supposedly, 100 Bullets in a masterpiece in the comic world. Maybe it is and maybe I don’t get it. The idea itself is interesting enough: you are given 100 untraceable bullets and a gun and the ability to right whatever personal wrong you have experience with absolutely no legal consequences. What would you do?

I would like to think that I would immediately run away, call the police and inform them that a crazy person is going around giving away bullets and guns for free but I suppose that wouldn’t make for an exciting graphic novel. Though to be honest, I didn’t really find First Shot, Last Call all that exciting either.

Fables: Animal Farm

Cover by James Jean

Fables: Animal Farm (2003)

Writer: Bill Willingham

Penciller: Mark Buckingham

Inker: Steve Leialoha

Colorist: Daniel Vozzo

Letterer: Todd Klein

So I took the dive and read the second issue of the Fables series. Directly following the first issue, Legends in Exile, Animal Farm has an entirely different feel and theme. After establishing the central characters and history, Animal Farm delves much more into the politics of the Fabletown community.

Snow White, the deputy mayor of Fabletown, brings her estranged sister, Rose Red, along for an annual business trip to the Farm, the upstate New York community where folklore characters that can’t pass (ie. the Little Pigs, Shere Khan, the Three Bears etc) in normal society live. It quickly becomes evident that there is major unrest among the Farm’s residents, sowed in particular by the Three Little Pigs, in a not-so-subtle nod to the issue’s namesake.

A revolution is brewing, weapons are converted, Goldilocks raises a call to arms, a pig is slaughtered and Snow White barely escapes with her life. There was quite a lot of action to take in.

Fables: Legends in Exile

Cover by James Jean

Fables: Legends in Exile (2002)

Writer: Bill Willingham

Penciller: Lan Medina

Inker: Craig Hamilton, Steve Leialoha

Colorist: Sherilyn van Valkenburgh

Letterer: Todd Klein

So at work we sell Fables, the on-going comic series by Bill Willingham about fairy tale and folklore characters struggling to survive in the “real” world after being forced out of their magical homes by the Adversary.

Now there’s a ton of Fables comics, so I was always overwhelmed by them and never bothered to pick one up. Furthermore, I am a huge fan of folklore and am always disappointed whenever I read like a modernized fractured fairy tale work. They’re never that much fun or even that well-written but after the series was recommended to me, I decided why not and try my hand at the first Fables graphic novel, Legends in Exile.