Todd Klein's Blog, page 218

Incoming: THE LOXLEYS AND CONFEDERATION

Images © Renegade Arts Entertainment

The second hardcover featuring Canadian history and the Loxley family that I lettered arrived today, and it looks great. It’s a little larger than a standard comics hardcover, and details the political and personal struggles to create the nation of Canada from a diverse group of provinces. While a little dry at times, and not as action-filled as the previous Loxley book,

both are well-written by Mark Zuehlke (and Alan Grant on the first), and beautifully illustrated by Canadian artist Claude St. Aubin, whose work you may have seen on Marvel and DC comics. You can find both books on the Renegade Website, and I recommend them!

And Then I Read: POSITIVELY 4TH STREET by David Hajdu

Cover art by Eric Von Schmidt

As a teenager I was a folk music fan. I started playing guitar at around age 14, and tried to pick up both rock and folk songs I heard on the radio. Occasionally I’d buy printed sheet music, but more often I’d get the trade paperback collections by folk artists that were a better bargain, including those by The Weavers and Peter Paul and Mary. My friend Tim, who I played with, had a few more, and we heard folk music on TV or occasionally on the radio on small FM stations that were popping up then. I lived in New Jersey, about a 1.5 hour ride to New York’s concert scene, but as I got a little older, I headed for the Fillmore East more often than to any folk concerts. After reading this book, I regret that, I missed a lot.

I don’t often read biographies, but when I do, musician ones are often a good choice, and this book covers four artists whose lives and careers were intertwined for several years during their heyday. Joan Baez came first, one of the earliest “girls with a guitar,” and a truly amazing natural voice that came out of her without training. Joan’s sister Mimi also sang and played, but always took a back seat to her famous sister until she met the poet and rogue Richard Fariña in Paris, and they fell in love. Richard had begun getting into the folk scene as well, and with Mimi as a partner, they became a duo that made a big hit on the folk scene for a few years, and two albums, until Richard was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident just as his first novel was released. Bob Dylan’s story is familiar to many, but as this book details, the truth about his background was hidden during his early years on the folk scene, and he posed as someone more folksy than he really was, with a variety of back stories. Dylan’s music and voice were harder on the ears and minds than many folksingers of the time, and at first he got little traction, but the help of an ambitious manger, Albert Grossman, and the championing of his music by his eventual lover Joan Baez, helped put Dylan on the front ranks of the folk scene. A few years later he surpassed them all by attracting the general music audience with hits such as “Like a Rolling Stone,” even as he turned away from the early protest music that had made him famous.

David Hadju’s book is excellently written, full of fascinating details, and insightful views of these four musicians from their early beginnings until the peak of the folk movement had passed, and with it some of their glory, though Joan and Bob remain on the music scene to this day, and their complex relationship continued for years.

If the people and times interest you, I can’t recommend this book enough. Thanks to my friend Tim for making sure I got a copy.

And Then I Read: ASTRO CITY 22

Image © Juke Box Productions.

Kurt Busiek seems to have retirement on his mind in this title lately. This single-issue story with guest artist Jesús Merino focuses on an aging writer who is also the super-hero Starfighter. Or he was. Whether he still is comprises the meat of the story. We follow Duncan Keller from a book-signing on Earth to a distant world where he’s made a home for himself, and is married to an alien woman humanoid enough to have given him children. Duncan’s life on Jarranatha seems ideal, but he’s restless, and troubled by the thought that he may be called on again to use his powers. Duncan is not sure if he still has what it takes to play that role. Things work out deftly, and as usual, by the time we’re leaving Astro City, there’s a warm glow of satisfaction. The art and writing are terrific, as always.

Recommended

John Workman Visits

Yesterday we enjoyed a visit from John Workman, long-time letterer, artist and writer, and a friend since we first worked together in the DC Comics Production Department in 1977, where John helped me get started with lettering comics myself. John was brought down from his home in central New Jersey by another old friend, Ron Jordan, who took the picture above. We spent several hours reminiscing, talking about our careers, the people we worked with, and our lives inside and outside comics. A great time was had by all, including a pizza dinner on our screened porch with Ron, Ellen and the cats. Thanks to Ron for arranging this visit!

Here’s John with a page of comics art he wrote, pencilled and inked for the story “Key Club” that appeared in STAR*REACH #2 dated 1975. I had already seen and enjoyed the story before I was hired by DC Comics, and I bought this page from John soon after we began working together in 1977. One of the many memories John shared yesterday, and one I’d never heard, is how the story came to be in that issue. John met a talented young artist at a convention in 1974, while he was still living in the state of Washington, and they were looking at each other’s work and comparing notes on ways to get into comics. The other artist mentioned he was working on a story for Mike Friedrich’s new independent comic STAR*REACH, the first issue of which had just come out, and suggested John submit a story to Friedrich too. John went home and produced “Key Club,” sent it off, and it was accepted, but John was quite surprised when it was published in the second issue of the book, alongside work by artists John admired like Neal Adams, Dick Giordano and Jim Starlin. Later, John learned the reason it was used so quickly: the story slated for that spot by the talented artist John met wasn’t finished in time. That artist was Dave Stevens, who never did finish the story intended for STAR*REACH.

John also recounted how his being hired by DC Comics in 1975 was due to his mumbling, a funny tale. John and his friend and fellow artist Bob Smith came to New York in 1975 looking to get work in comics. Larry Hama got them in the door at Marvel, and they managed to get an appointment with Gerry Conway, then an editor at DC. They had already met a few folks who worked at DC, and while they were in the reception area waiting, Bob Rozakis, one of those people, came by and asked who they were there to see. John mumbled “Conway,” and Bob replied, “Oh, he’s not busy, I’ll take you in.” As Workman and Smith followed Rozakis down the hall, John realized they were going PAST Conway’s office and a few minutes later, they were being introduced to Carmine Infantino, then the DC publisher, and an artistic hero of both visitors. John’s mumble had been heard as “Carmine,” and John said his knees were knocking, and he expected them to be quickly dismissed, but Carmine looked over their work, talked to them graciously, and told them John and Bob reminded him of himself and Frank Giacoia when those two friends were trying to get work in comics at the beginning of their careers in the late 1940s. Soon, Carmine was calling in other staffers, and before the visit ended, Bob Smith had inking work, and John had accepted a staff position as a Production Artist. “If it wasn’t for my mumbling,” John laughed, “who knows where I’d be today.”

It’s always great to see old friends like John, hope we can get together again soon.

 

And Then I Read: LOBSTER JOHNSON Vol. 4

Image © Mike Mignola.

If HELLBOY or B.P.R.D. are too grim and scary for you, I recommend the LOBSTER JOHNSON series from the Mignola crew. This volume takes place in 1930s New York, and combines the a number of film genres from that era in a cracking good adventure story/thriller that manages to keep things fairly light. Yes, there’s some Film Noir aspects, but also a crazy-smart mad scientist, remote controlled animals and people, Russian wrestlers, a hard-boiled female reporter, a zeppelin, rooftop chases, gun battles, and of course, the enigmatic Lobster himself, embodying the mystery man hero of the period perfectly, along the lines of The Shadow. The writing by Mignola and Arcudi is snappy and choice, the art by Zonjic and colors by Stewart are tasty, its’ a great package and a great read. And you don’t need to have read the previous collections to enjoy this one.

Recommended.

And Then I Read: THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING by Catherynne M. Valente

Cover and interior art by Ana Juan.

I’d heard good things about this book, and the cover quote from Neil Gaiman made it sound promising, but my review of this fantasy novel aimed at younger readers is mixed.

September (no last name) is an ordinary girl who longs for adventure, and finds her way to Fairyland, but one that is very different from what she and we might expect. Traditional fairies and their usual high spirits and trickery have been brutally suppressed by an evil ruler who goes so far as to chain the wings of flying creatures like the Wyvern pictured on the cover to prevent them the joy of flight. September has lots of unlikely adventures, meets many unusual beings, makes friends and enemies, and eventually finds herself face to face with the evil Marquess who has taken over Fairyland. But that’s only half her story, as she must then take on a hopeless quest to save her friends before having any hope of defeating the Marquess. The sailing event mentioned in the title is a rather short section of the book, not sure why it became the title. Throughout, September learns lessons, solves mysteries, uncovers evil, and tries her best to do good. It all wraps up nicely in the end.

While author Catherynne Valente writes well, it’s showy writing, drawing lots of attention to itself rather than the story, including authorial interjections and comments that only served to pull me out of the plot. There’s lots of inventive ideas and creations, but in rather a jumble of old and very new, making for an uneasy mix.

The illustrations by Ana Juan didn’t help the storytelling in my eyes, as they are cartoonish and cutesy, undercutting the drama and the suspension of disbelieve that any good fantasy requires.

So, in all, I didn’t dislike the book, I guess I liked it pretty well but didn’t love it. Probably if I was a kid myself I’d be less critical and more enthusiastic.

Mildly recommended.

And Then I Read: CONVERGENCE NIGHTWING & ORACLE 1 & 2

Images © DC Comics, Inc.

This is the third and final Convergence title that I read. It’s written by Gail Simone, and while I haven’t read a lot of her work, I’ve enjoyed what I have read. The art is by Jan Duursema and Sam Parsons, artists I like and worked with years ago, and featured in the story in addition to the title characters are the Hawkman and Hawkwoman from the HAWKWORLD mini-series by Tim Truman that I liked a lot, so I was sold.

There is, of course, lots of fighting, and the usual Convergence business, but the writing is full of personality and passion. There’s always more going on than just a fight in the fight scenes. I particularly liked the handling the the Hawks and of Oracle, the crippled Barbara Gordon, but it’s all nicely done. The art is terrific, another example of “DC, give these folks a series!” Even the coloring by Wes Dzioba stands out, adding tons of atmosphere to the already exciting art. This is definitely worth a visit. The cover art by Jill Thompson is a nice bonus.

Recommended.

Website stuff

Sorry for no new posts the last few days. I’ve been in the process of moving my website (and this blog) to a new host since Saturday, and didn’t want to try posting anything during that time. I think everything is now stable and working correctly on my new host, SiteGround, but let me know if you find any problems. I know there are probably some broken links on the actual website pages, as opposed to the blog because I haven’t updated those pages much in a few years, but let me know if you hit one there or anywhere. Thanks.

And Then I Read: CONVERGENCE SWAMP THING 1 & 2

Images © DC Comics.

I didn’t find much in the Convergence books that I wanted to read, but there was no way I could pass THIS by! SWAMP THING written by co-creator Len Wein with the crazy phantasmagorical art of Kelley Jones — sold!

Len’s writing is fine, in parts a recap of the Swamp Thing origin, and all the usual Convergence business that’s kind of like the long, tiresome disclaimers in a pharmaceutical ad. Beyond that, Part 1 is rather talky, though with interesting dialogue between Swamp Thing and Abby, but in Part 2 we get to Swampy and the vampire Batman from the Red Rain series of graphic novels, plus lots more vampires. I love Kelley’s art, but talky continuity is not where he shines, he’s best when he can let loose and just go crazy with wild action, intense details and horrific imagery. The second issue has the best of it.

DC, put these guys on a project!

Recommended.

Incoming: NEMO, RIVER OF GHOSTS

Images © Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill

Just arrived from Gosh Comics in London, a personally inscribed copy of the third and final hardcover in the Nemo Trilogy I’ve been working on the last few years with Alan and Kevin, as well as Ben Dimagmaliw on colors, Chris Staros at Top Shelf, and Josh Palmano and Tony Bennett of Knockabout/Gosh. It’s been a great time, and a terrific project.

I don’t usually share inscriptions, but this one made me feel so good I couldn’t resist. I have a wonderful job!