Review: "The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures: Deluxe Edition"

The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures: Deluxe Edition by Dave Stevens ( IDW / Hardcover with slipcase / 248 pages )


I am a big fan of the pulp era (Doc Savage, The Shadow, The Phantom and The Spirit—to name a few). I have a pretty extensive collection of the radio serials, some of the books, and some of the movie serials. The Rocketeer is an homage to that time of pulps and serials. I was a fan of the movie but had never read the comics. This edition seemed like an excellent opportunity to correct that oversight.


RECOMMENDATION: If you are a fan of pulps and the Rocketeer, I would highly recommend this book. It is pricey—but worth it.


REVIEW: The book is absolutely gorgeous. It is a very large and hefty hardcover in a slipcover. The story is fun. It is set in a somewhat idealized past. The Rocketeer is not a typical pulp hero but I still feel it is an excellent homage to the pulps and serials. The Man of Bronze (who is better known as...?) and two of his aides (can you name them?) make an appearance as does Lamont Cranston (who is better known as ...?). The art is incredible. Dave Stevens draws amazing women—especially Betty. Betty looks exactly like the pictures I have seen of Betty Page. The colors are amazing. In the special features you see a few examples of the original comics. It is very typical of the time (early '80s, I believe). The re-coloring by Laura Martin is amazing and really brings the inks to life.


The movie is definitely inspired by the comic books. The biggest change is to make the movie "kid-friendly." This is mostly done by changing Betty (art photographers' model) to Jenny (aspiring actress). It would have interesting to see Jennifer Connelly as Betty—not Jenny! The inventor of the rocket was not Howard Hughes—in spite of what Peevy seems to think. There were no gangsters—only Nazis.

Review: "Blacksad: A Silent Hell"

Blacksad: A Silent Hell written by Juan Diaz Canales & illustrated by Juanjo Guarnido (Dark Horse / Hardcover / 112 pages)


When I was living in France, a friend recommended these to me. They were difficult to find—not now that Dark Horse is producing translations in the States.


RECOMMENDATION: These are must buys for me. Yes, the characters are anthropomorphic animals living in late 1950's America but the stories are excellent examples of the noir genre and the art is spectacular.


REVIEW: This is the fourth volume in the series (see below for a collection of the first three volumes). In this volume, our protagonist, John Blacksad, P.I., goes to New Orleans to solve a case. As I said above, the story is an excellent noir story. The art is spectacular and rendered in watercolor! Having been to New Orleans more than a few times, it feels like New Orleans. I spent a lot time lingering over the panels—drinking in the atmosphere and the detail.


There is an extensive section following the story that explains Guarnido's process. There is also two (very) short stories at the back of the book.

Blacksad written by Juan Diaz Canales & illustrated by Juanjo Guarnido (Dark Horse / Hardcover / 180 pages)


This book is a collection of the first three (3) volumes: Somewhere within the Shadows, Arctic Nation, and Red Soul. It is not really necessary to read them in order.

Review (Part I): "Don't Read This Book"

Don't Read This Book: 13 Forbidden Tales from the Mad City edited by Chuck Wendig (Softcover / 199 pages / Evil Hat Productions)


This anthology of short stories is set in the Mad City from the role-playing game, Don't Rest Your Head by Fred Hicks. This is the first part of the review—if you can call a series of impressions a review. I am just giving impressions because to do otherwise would risk spoiling (and ruining) the stories.


I have really enjoyed all the short stories that I have read so far. All of them fit the tone of setting. Some do a better job of following the "rules" of the Don't Rest Your Head setting than others.


1. Don't Lose Your Patients by Stephen Blackmore: Suitably weird. Interesting transition to the Mad City. Nice new (?) monster to the setting.


2. Don't Be Your Father by Richard Dansky: Really conveys a sense of urgency. Awesome twist at the end!


3. Don't Wreck Your Soul by C.E. Murphy: Perfect last line.


4. Don't Spill Your Tea by Josh Roby: Joe is a ... very interesting character.


5. Don't Forget Your Kids by Matt Forbeck: Loman can't stop screwing himself over.


6. Don't Toot Your Horn by Laura Anne Gilman: Good use of the setting. I will never listen to jazz the same way again.


7. Don't Lose Your Son by Ryan Macklin: Best use of the setting. Awesome madness talent.


8. Don't Ignore Your Dead by Monica Valentinelli: The author really puts her character through the wringer.

The remaining short stories to be read and reviewed are:

9. Don't Leave Your Love by Will Hindmarch

10. Don't Harsh Your Buzz by Greg Stolze

11. Don't Lose Your Shit by Robin D. Laws

12. Don't Bleach Your Memories by Mur Lafferty

13. Don't Chew Your Food by Harry Connolly

Review: "Fables, Vol. 17: Inherit the Wind" by Bill Willingham

Fables, Vol. 17: Inherit the Wind (Softcover, 144 pages, Written by Bill Willingham)


I pre-order all of these graphic novels now—sight unseen. I do not read the comic books but wait for the graphic novels. If that is not a ringing endorsement, I do not know what is!


This was a little slower paced than the previous graphic novels. The story did advance significantly but we were able to spend some time with characters previously left undeveloped—specifically, Snow White and Bigby Wolf's cubs (children). We learn who is the new King of the North Wind. Interlaced in that story is the story of Bufkin leading his revolution against Roquat the Red, First Emperor of the Restored Pan Ozian Empire. Also included is a story of Rose Red becoming an Agent of Hope.


As usual, I greatly enjoyed Bill Willingham's story. The art was also consistently good to excellent. If you are a fan of Fables, you should definitely pick this up. If the above intrigues you and you have never read Fables, start with the first graphic novel, Legends in Exile.

Review: "Abe Sapien: Vol. 2, The Devil Does Not Jest and Other Stories"

Abe Sapien: Vol. 2, The Devil Does Not Jest and Other Stories by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi, Softcover Graphic Novel, Dark Horse, May 2012. 

As I have mentioned before, I am a big fan of Mike Mignola's Hellboy universe. I greatly enjoyed Abe Sapien: Vol. 1, The Drowning and looked forward to reading the second volume. 


RECOMMENDATION: If you are a fan of Abe Sapien, I would add this to your collection. The stories are interesting. The art, while not in Mike Mignola's style, varies from okay to good.


REVIEW: This is a collection of three (3) stories—unlike The Drowning.


The Haunted Boy (Art by Patric Reynolds)


This story had an interesting twist regarding the paranormal monster. The art was okay. I prefer cleaner lines. 


The Abyssal Plain (Art by Peter Snejbjerg)


I really enjoyed this story. A submarine. Nazis. Supernatural item. Zombies? Nice twist. The art was good with much cleaner lines than The Haunted Boy.


The Devil Does Not Jest (Art by James Harren)


The most interesting of the three (3) stories. It had a very bizarre paranormal monster. Hellboy makes an appearance. The art was okay to good.


Like most of the Hellboy graphic novels, the book included a sketchbook that gives you a feel for the amount of effort put into the development of the art for the book.

Review: "Witchfinder: Volume 1" by Mike Mignola

I am a big fan of Mike Mignola's Hellboy. Sir Edward Grey: Witchfinder: In the Service of Angels: Volume 1 (story by Mike Mignola and art by Ben Stenbeck) is set in the same Hellboy universe (Hellboy, B.P.R.D., Abe Sapien, and, yes, even Lobster Johnson).


RECOMMENDATION: I am now also a big fan of Mike Mignola's Witchfinder. If you are a fan of the Hellboy universe then you will want to add this to your collection. There is a second volume that I will also be adding to my collection.


REVIEW: Sir Edward Grey is Mignola's tribute to the Victorian occult detective. The stories are typical Mignola stories i.e., filled with references to legends, tales, and mythology that are twisted to meet the needs of his story. Grey is a good tribute to the Victorian occult detective. The art feels like Mignola's art without being an exact copy of Mignola's art.

Review: "The Satan Factory" by Thomas E. Sniegoski

Lobster Johnson: The Satan Factory by Thomas E. Sniegoski

Paperback, 203 pages, Dark Horse Books, July 2009.

I was first introduced to Lobster Johnson in the Hellboy graphic novels. I was intrigued enough to buy Lobster Johnson: Volume1: Iron Prometheus and greatly enjoyed it. I stumbled upon this somehow and gave it a try.

Lobster Johnson is an excellent representation of the original pulp heroes. He strikes me as a strong dose of the Shadow with some of the elements of Doc Savage thrown in (specifically, his sidekicks).

RECOMMENDATION: I enjoyed it and do not regret buying it. Unless you too are a big fan of Lobster Johnson and/or pulps, I would recommend reading it a the local library before deciding to buy it.

REVIEW: 

Pros:

The writing was good and very easy to read. The characters were pretty thinly developed; although, this is typical of a pulp story. The story is also a good representation of a pulp plot (although, this one was missing a damsel in distress).

Cons:

Even though I believe that a typical pulp story does not have well-developed characters, I was hoping to get more of the background of Lobster Johnson in the book; but, unfortunately, you do not. You do get a better sense of him as a character but no additional details of his background. The sidekicks were also thinly developed; some did not even have easily applied labels as the aides of Doc Savage did.

"Vi vs. The Boogeyman" Illustrated Novel

I have had this idea for a young adult (YA) book and/or graphic novel for a couple of years. I am not an artist — so the graphic novel is off the table. I do want to work on becoming an artist — so an illustrated novel, it is! I am kicking around the idea of making it into an eBook; especially since Apple has released the tools to create an iBook for free. We shall see ...

Vi vs. The Boogeyman

Vi must become a dreamer again in order to travel to the Dreamlands to rescue her younger sister, Zo, from the Boogeyman.

Characters:

Protagonists:

• Shadow, cat
• Twinkle, stuffed dog with bell's in ears
• Violet (Vi) Strange, 12, oldest of the Strange sisters
• Zoe (Zo) Strange, 8, youngest of the Strange sisters

Antagonists:

• The Boogeyman
• Boggle, minion of the Boogeyman, who looks like a dwarf old man with pointed ears and sharp teeth and carries a bag

Settings:

"Real" World:

• Zo's bedroom
• Vi's bedroom
• Zo's hospital room

Dreamlands:

• Dark Castle, home of the Boogeyman

I actually started to write this as outline for a graphic novel. I really have no experience writing a graphic novel — so this may be way off base.

PAGE#1

PANEL#1 (Full Page)

Zo is asleep in her bed with a boggle standing over her. The boggle is grabbing her dream-spirit and stuffing it into a bag.

PAGE#2

PANEL#1

Shadow jumps on boggle's back.

PANEL#2

Boggle's arm flings Shadow through air.

PANEL#3

Shadow hits wall.

PANEL#4

Last of Zo's dream-spirit stuffed into bag.

PANEL#5

Boggle runs into the closet.

PAGE#3

PANEL#1

Shadow pushes open door to dark closet.

PANEL#2

Closet door frames Dark Castle in distance.

PANEL#3

Twinkle joins Shadow. Closet door frames vanishing view of Dark Castle.

PANEL#4

Rest of toys assemble. Agitated. Questions?!

PAGE#4

PANEL#1

Twinkle shouts, "Quiet!"

PANEL#2

Toys calm down.

Poem

I have been kicking around this poem in my head for many years (!). I thought it might work as a haiku ... not so much, I don't think?  It is four lines and has 14 syllables per line — if that matters? Ah, who cares what type of poem it is!

Leap of Faith

I stood on the brink
     of infinity
     and I blinked
to save my sanity.


— MWH


The next step is put the poem with an illustration. I have an idea of a figure standing on a cliff looking down at a field of stars. That will probably take some work on my part. I have not really done any drawing in years.