Todd Klein's Blog, page 123

Incoming: HIGH HEAVEN Volume One

Image © Ahoy Comics. Written by Tom Peyer, art by Greg Scott,
colors by Andy Troy, letters by Rob Steen

I enjoyed reading the first season of HIGH HEAVEN, a very Vertigo sort of book, even to the generally unlikeable lead character. The satire is biting, and at times positively sacreligious, the plot takes surprising turns, the dialogue is clever, and the art, coloring and lettering are all great. Should be out soon at shops if it isn’t already. Oh, and I did the logo.

And Then I Read: GREEN LANTERN #8

Image © DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, art by Liam Sharp,
colors by Steve Oliff, letters by Tom Orzechowski

Writer Grant Morrison and artist Liam Sharp are having fun visiting their favorite GREEN LANTERN history. This one takes on the GL/GA Team as written by Denny O’Neil and drawn by Neal Adams. “Space Junkies” invading the Pacific Northwest? Giant alien versions of both heroes? Aliens trading drugs for human souls? Demonic assassins from a world where murder is expected? A giant arrow shot to the moon? Okay, it’s full of odd things, this comic, but it does have some resonance for me particularly in the dialog between the heroes, and their unusual teamwork. The art by Liam is eerily similar to Adams at times, too. The plot does not hold together particularly well, but it’s entertaining all the same.

Recommended.

And Then I Read: MASTER CORNHILL by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Cover art by Maureen Hyde.

Eleven-year-old Michael Cornhill’s life has already been greatly changed by London’s Great Plague of 1665. His foster family are all gone. He survived by being sent out of the city to live on a farm, but now he’s determined to return to the city he loves, even if he’s not sure anyone there even knows him. A beautiful girl he meets on the ride to London, Susanna, becomes one new friend, but when Michael finds himself penniless and sleeping on the street, another new friend becomes his savior: Tom, a ballad-singer takes him in as a sort of apprentice and let’s him share his small room over an inn and help by selling his printed ballads.

As Michael finds his way into city life, Susanna and her Master Haas who live on London Bridge, become another refuge, and Michael is fascinated with the master’s skill at coloring maps, a job he would like to learn. As a very hot and dry summer progresses, a new danger threatens the city: fire. And there lies the climax of this exciting historical novel, the Great Fire of 1666.

All McGraw’s books are well written, as is this one. Putting the fire on the cover might have been a mistake, because it made me keep anticipating it long before it arrived, and the rest of the story is equally interesting, bringing London of the time to life admirably.

Recommended.

Incoming: BOOKS OF MAGIC VOL. 1

Image © DC Comics.

Just in, this trade paperback collection of the new series I’m lettering. It begins with THE SANDMAN UNIVERSE #1 (lettered well by Simon Bowland), introducing all four books in the line, then the first six issues of the comic. I hadn’t seen the colors on those by Jordan Boyd before, and I like them, very painterly. The issue covers by Kai Carpenter are quite nice, too, I’d not seen all of them. Working digitally does have it’s quirks. I’m happy with the way this series is going, you should decide for yourself. On sale July 10 in shops.

And Then I Read: HEX WIVES #5

Image © Ben Blacker and DC Comics. Written by Ben Blacker, art by Mirka Andolfo,
colors by Marissa Louise, letters by Josh Reed, cover by Tula Lotay.

The plotting on this book is one where you can see things gradually going out of control despite the best efforts of the controllers, and the fun is in exactly how and when it will all blow up. We’re getting very close! The wives who have been carefully controlled by their husbands in this make-believe neighborhood are learning that spilling blood, their own or anyone’s will release strong magic powers in them, as well as anger. The husbands, who set up this situation and try to control things from a secret underground bunker, led by Aaron, are struggling to keep the women ignorant and separated, but are failing. Their boss has arrived from somewhere else, and Aaron has tasked his wife Iz with putting on a big dinner party for everyone, to show the boss, August, that they have the situation in hand. Instead, gathering everyone together in one house is only making things worse as the women exchange information. It’s been a great build up, and I expect the explosion will happen next issue.

Recommended.

And Then I Read: THE WHIZ MOB AND THE GRENADINE KID by Colin Meloy

Cover art by Carson Ellis.

Charlie Fisher has been around. His father is a diplomat, and Charlie travels with him. When they’re assigned to the city of Marseille on the French Riviera, Charlie is astonished one day to see a group of clever pickpockets working a crowded tourist square. One of them, Amir, even steals his monogrammed pen, but is caught by police. Charlie helps Amir, and in return, he’s invited to visit the Whiz Gang’s secret hideout, and soon allowed to join them on their pickpocketing adventures. Charlie has no local friends, and desperately wants to become one of the gang. Gradually they teach him how, even though some gang members think he can’t do it. Charlie works hard, and finally is allowed to pick pockets too. It all seems like a harmless, fun adventure until the day it becomes something quite different. That day Charlie learns he’s been carefully led into a really big con that will change everything. The only way to fix it is probably suicidal, but Charlie has to try.

In the first half of this book I kept feeling there was something wrong with the whole situation but couldn’t put my finger on it. When the penny dropped, this became an even better book, thrilling and hard to put down. I liked Meloy and Ellis’s “Wildwood” trilogy, but think the writing here is even better.

Recommended.

And Then I Read: 2 SISTERS by Matt Kindt

I don’t like Matt Kindt’s art. I find his writing difficult to follow. Despite that, his Super-Spy books like this 336-pager keep me reading and wondering what I will happen next to the very end.

There are several storylines here that may or may not connect. One follows an ancient Roman gold cup through history. One features a girl who joins the pirates who have captured the ship she was on. One features a group secretly building guided-missile rockets.

One features Elle and Anna, sisters living in the country with their alcoholic father, who has not recovered from the death of his wife. Anna is in love with a fine house beyond their woods, and declares she will live in it someday. Anna has a boyfriend, and Elle is jealous.

Later in time, we follow Elle to London during World War Two, where she takes a job as an ambulance driver. She meets a smart, charming man named Alan and they begin an affair, but tragedy strikes. Soon, Elle is recruited to be a spy, and begins to go on missions in Europe. Having lost Alan, Elle seems reckless and willing to do anything. What will she do when she finds out that Alan might not be dead after all?

I have to admit I would never have bought this book, it was a gift at last year’s ‘Ringo Awards ceremony. It took me this long to read it, and now I’m kind of glad I did even though the book left me with many unanswered questions.

Mildly recommended. If this is your kind of book, you’ll love it.

And Then I Read: HASHTAG: DANGER #2

Image © Ahoy Comics.

This comic is a funny take on superhero/science fiction teams along the lines of Doom Patrol. I guess it’s part of the humor that the cover has nothing to do with the contents. The main story by writer Tom Peyer and artist/letterer/colorist Chris Giarrusso has the three-member team trying to get some publicity for the baby Yeti they’ve captured, to the yawns of reporters. Meanwhile, the giant alien egg they found in the sewers is about to hatch and wreak havoc on their town of Cityburg. After that, it gets weirder in a funny way.

The backup Snelson story by writer Paul Constant and artist Fred Harper is weirdly funny in a different way, kind of Seinfeld in flavor, with more realistic art.

Of the text stories, I liked the one by Carol Lay the best.

Not a bad read, I can’t say I love it, but entertaining. Recommended.

Incoming: CAPTAIN GINGER Volume One

Image © Stuart Moore, June Brigman and Ahoy Comics.

If you’ve been waiting for the collected first season of this mashup of Star Trek and Cats, it’s here, or soon will be. I enjoyed reading the six individual issues, but the plot is complex enough that I suspect binge-reading them all together is probably a better idea. Look for this at a comics retailer near you, or check the Ahoy website.

And Then I Read: THE DREAMING #9

Image © DC Comics. Written by Simon Spurrier, art by Bilquis Evely, colors by Mat Lopes, letters by Simon Bowland, cover by Yanick Paquette & Nathan Fairbairn.

The two issue interlude on Earth of issues 7-8 is over, and we are back to the excellent art of Bilquis Evely and much more interesting writing by Simon Spurrier, not to mention a fine cover by Paquette and Fairbairn. Hooray! Matthew the Raven is telling someone about recent developments in The Dreaming, as we see Dora appealing to the strange moth-like creature (as seen on the cover) who seems to be in charge. Dora wants a search made for Lucien. Other Dreaming regulars have demands, too. What the nameless moth-thing decides is that Dream himself is who is most needed, and with new evidence found to track him, that search begins, undertaken by Matthew and Dora. It first takes them to Faery, where we find out what’s been happening to Nuala, the one-time servant of Dream, the person Matthew has been talking to. She has seen Dream recently, and has a very interesting story to tell about his last visit to Faery and what he left there with Queen Titania.

Man, I am loving this book again. Highly recommended!