Todd Klein's Blog, page 191

And Then I Read: FUTURE QUEST #2

I didn’t enjoy this issue as much as the first one. It suffers from a common problem with crossover stories: too many characters, not enough room to get to know them. I like the Quest family and friends, and Space Ghost is interesting, but the rest of the heroes are unknown to me, and many are here with no explanation or background. This is the sort of book that should have an inside cover showing all the main characters with descriptions. An opening sequence has many characters on some distant world battling the main series threat, a monster called Omnikron, which did not engage me much because I didn’t know most of the characters, and therefore didn’t care that much when they were threatened or harmed. Omnikron also seemed rather predictable and unscary. Events on our world were more interesting. I’ll read on, but with less enthusiasm.

Mildly recommended.

And Then I Read: ASTRO CITY 36

Image © Juke Box Productions.

Continuing and concluding the story from issue 35, a long-standing vendetta against three generations of the hero Jack-in-the-Box comes back to life when the villain Drama Queen takes up the fight begun by her grandfather, Drama King. Amid the battles, new information comes to light that surprises both sides and changes long-held perceptions about what really happened to cause the mutual destruction of the first hero and villain. Kurt Busiek’s story is as good as always, and the excellent fill-in art by Ron Randall on both issues is a joy to behold. Even the inherently silly expanding legs and arms of Jack-in-the-Box looks believable here, no easy task. Well done all around!

Recommended.

And Then I Read: DOCTOR FATE #13

Image © DC Comics.

Paul Levitz has come up with a lovely way to enhance the resonance of his new Doctor Fate, Khalid. He’s made him the great-nephew of Kent Nelson, the original Doctor Fate. I don’t know the back story of Kent Nelson in the current DC continuity, but here he’s a powerful figure taking time to talk things over with his successor of sorts (though Kent can still wield the Doctor Fate powers) and they work together against a new attack on New York City. Khalid is hoping at first that Kent will take back the heavy responsibilities of the mask, but it’s not to be. Khalid has been chosen by the gods, as Kent once was, and must fulfill his own destiny, even if he still feels somewhat lost and inadequate. Working with Kent is a good morale booster. The art this time is by Ibrahim Moustafa, whose style is more realistic than regular artist Sonny Liew, though still not completely so. It works well here. I enjoyed this issue a great deal.

Recommended.

And Then I Read: THE TIME TRAVEL TRAILER

Lynne is recently separated from her husband Kurt, and trying to find ways to bond with her grumpy teenage daughter Dinah. Camping seems like something worth a try, and Lynne has the chance to buy a classic old Covered Wagon camper made in the 1930s from an elderly friend. Dinah is not impressed, but gradually takes an interest in fixing up and refurbishing the trailer with her mother, and they plan a weekend trip to a nearby park with campgrounds. When they wake up there after their first night in the camper, they are stunned to discover they’ve traveled back in time to 1962. Lynne and Dinah manage to avoid making the other campers suspicious of their true home time period, though it’s not an easy thing to do, and after another night in the camper, they’re back in the present.

Further adventures are had in a second camping trip that puts them back in 1954. This time they narrowly avoid worse trouble when other campers suspect them of being Communist sympathizers, but a third trip carrying them to 1946 gets very scary for Dinah when she’s taken hostage by an escaped prisoner on work duty at the campground. Lynne and Dinah agree they should put a stop to the trips, but a family fight results in Dinah going back on her own to the 1930s. When she doesn’t return, Lynne and Kurt must work together to follow and try to find her.

This was a fun read. Nortman obviously knows a lot about camping, and a lot about family life, and has done her research to make the past episodes real and believable. My only quibble is the time-traveling aspect is never explained, but that doesn’t harm the story.

Recommended.

And Then I Read: UNFOLLOW #8

We, the readers, are following the followers, specifically the remaining 137 inheritors of the vast wealth of a deceased billionaire. The trick is, the smaller that group is, the more for those who remain. The reality of this has now sunk in with many, and they are looking for safe havens. One member of the group is the Japanese guru Akira, and he has invited some to join him in his guarded compound, but Akira is now regretting the move, feeling he can’t protect the group sufficiently. Other members are ignoring the danger, appearing on talk shows and such, while a few have followed another member of the group to Russia, where they hope to gain protection for money. In all, it’s an episodic issue with several new shocks, and no one seems to have a good plan. The characters and story by Rob Williams are keeping me reading, and the art by Mike Dowling is excellent, reminding me at times of Frank Quitely. I’m curious to see where things go from here.

Recommended.

And Then I Read: SWAMP THING #6

Image © DC Comics.

Writer Len Wein and artist Kelley Jones bring their miniseries to a satisfying conclusion in this issue. The true villain emerges, and he’s a familiar one. It takes the combined efforts of The Spectre, Zatanna and the Phantom Stranger, as well as Alec Holland, to bring his world conquest plans to a halt, and even then the occult powers they bring to bear must be used in unexpected ways that will cost Holland dearly. The writing has few surprises, but lots of enjoyable moments all the same. The art by Jones gets a little weirder than usual in spots, especially with anatomy, but it’s as visually stunning as always. The love of both creators for the project comes through clearly, and I enjoyed every moment of it. Kudos also to colorist Michelle Madsen and letterer Rob Leigh for fine work throughout.

Recommended.

And Then I Read: HOMECOMING by Cynthia Voigt

A while back I read and reviewed “Dicey’s Song,” the second book by Voigt about the Tillerman family. This is the first, and should have been read first, but aside from knowing where it would end up, I have to say I don’t think that harmed my reading experience. These are realistic family stories, but with some pretty amazing adventures in this one. The four Tillerman children—Dicey, James, Maybeth and Sammy—have been abandoned by their mentally ill mother at the beginning of the book, left to sit in the family car in a mall. They search the mall for their mother, but find no sign of her. They had been on the way to their Aunt Cilla’s home in Bridgeport, CT, still many miles away. Their mother has headed there as a last resort, having been evicted from their longtime home on the coast of Massachusetts, with no money and no prospects. Dicey, the oldest, thinks the responsibility of the children has just become too much for their mother. Rather than appeal to the police for help, she decides they are going to walk to Aunt Cilla’s house. This will take at least some weeks, she estimates. They have a little money, but not enough for bus fare, or even food for the trip. Dicey doesn’t know how they will get there, but she’s determined to do it. Determination is her strong suit. The others look up to her now as their leader, and they set off on an epic journey.

That’s only the first third of this large book, the rest is equally amazing. The characters are beautifully written, the plot is full of surprises, some good, some bad, and the children prove to be resourceful and clever enough to actually pull off their mad scheme. It’s a brilliant book, as was “Dicey’s Song.” I’ll have to find the rest of the Tillerman saga.

Highly recommended!

9th Blog Anniversary

I’ve been very busy with work and personal stuff lately, so not as active here as I’d like. Today marks the beginning of the tenth year of this blog, and all I can offer are some teases and previews of things to come. Above is a section of a logo, one of five I’ve just done for a major entertainment magazine. More when it comes out.

Another project I’m excited about but can’t discuss are a series of paperback cover designs for a mainstream book publisher, small section of one above.

On the comics side, here’s a small clip from an a new upcoming series from DC.

And another from Marvel. I suspect I’m not allowed to show any of the above images, you won’t tell, will you?

Finally, on the blog itself, I’m gathering information for a multi-part article about the DC Comics offices at 666 5th Avenue from 1982 to 1991. Here’s one of many photos I’ve been given, this one from Bob Rozakis. That’s him with publisher Jenette Kahn in the Production Room back when. I have more photos coming, and have yet to find time to write the article, but hope to have it for you in the next few weeks.

That’s it, stay tuned!

And Then I Read: SURVIVORS’ CLUB #8

Image © DC Comics.

As the main players are gathering in the haunted house, all kinds of creepy things are happening to them, not to mention a good deal of bloody violence. Surreal imagery and surreal characters abound, and we seem to have left normality behind. Plenty of action and suspense, but few chances to empathize or identify with anyone. Even the cover suggests this: creepy, but what does it have to do with anything inside? I can’t make the connection. I’m losing all connection to this book, in fact, and may give up on it soon.

Not recommended.

Incoming: RED THORN – GLASGOW KISS

Image © David Baillie and Meghan Hetrick.

The first collected edition of this series I’m lettering looks great. Now that DC is not sending me printed copies of the individual issues, this is my first time seeing it all in color, and of course with Steve Oliff coloring, it’s gorgeous. I love the writing by David Baillie, which not only tells an exciting story but immerses me in Scottish myths I know nothing about, and I love the art by Meghan Hetrick, which is full of verve and personality as well as great drawing. The logo by Nancy Ogami is also terrific. If you haven’t tried it, now’s a good time!