Review by Strangely

My rampage through the back issues of Hellboy, in preparation to read "Hellboy in Hell," continues! This little collection is a pretty great pile of mostly standalone shorts and one-shots. You can really see Mignola stretching his leathery, demonic wings with this and pushing the boundaries of what this character and this universe can be. Much of the goofy, "punch it in the face" attitude really, finally becomes a settled stance in this volume (earlier bits had a wider tonal swing). There are bad guys and H.B. is gonna punch them in the face. The art also really locks in (though it's look has been pretty consistent since the beginning) much the same way The Simpsons did after a year or two. Of particular note is the two page one-shot "Pancakes." This is a great look and young Hellboy and the beginnings of his reasons for defending earth. Also we get to hear one of the most powerful demons in the series say "...then this is our darkest hour." and in context it's about the funniest thing I've seen out of Mignola yet. All-in-all another fantastic collection of one-shots and fun moments that sort of sum up, where we've been so far. It's a bit of a detour on the road of the main arc of Hellboy's journey, but in the end the detours are what a good journey is all about...

Review by Strangely

I have mixed feelings about this volume, which I hope I can explain below (because frankly I don't like equating and three star review with "Mediocre" but let's leave that for another, more semantical discussion.). Short answer, the book is a blast, and it's bloody good fun, even if it doesn't quite deliver on several fronts. The biggest problem I have with the book is really it's break-neck pace. I feel that just as we're getting to know the characters they either die or change drastically, and honestly the book ends really quickly. The whole enterprise feels sort-of rushed. Perhaps it's just me being spoiled by Brian K. Vaughn's sprawling, well developed works, [Y - The Last Man (Recently completed and available at your friendly Alternative Library.) and Saga (Currently in progress, and also available at the Alt.Lib.)] but honestly I wanted this to be about twice as long. The story (such as it is) concerns three enhanced animal subjects escaping from a top secret Air Force (Seriously? I mean why are they the go-to for animal experimentation projects... maybe the exotic looking tech is in import through their Stargate Program(s)? ) facility and then just simply trying to find some peace and quiet. The Government in typical and sadly, totally believable, fashion goes after them with everything they've got. What follows is some of the most interestingly drawn comic mayhem I've yet seen. My friends, you've not truly lived until you've seen a housecat tear an entire platoon to ribbons. Magnificent. But the Rabbit, dear lord in heaven, the Rabbit, I won't say who he takes down, but good heavens it's fantastic! This little guy causes more mayhem (though not necessarily death) than all the others combined. Also: Pissed. Off. Bunny. Face. He's like a tiny Samurai! I guess that's really the problem though. The only things about the book the really stuck with me, were some crazy art, (which often trips itself up when a simpler, cleaner panel would do), and some truly horrendous moments of human stupidity. I felt hardly any connection to the three titular leads as anything more than broad concepts, and basically only rooted for them because I hated the Government suits so much. And maybe that's the point, Morrison et. al. are striving for an "everypet" quality, I don't know... I found myself wanting to spend more time with We3 out in the wilderness, interacting with normal animals. Having awkward conversations with humans. Maybe a side arc where they go and live on a farm someplace and try to adjust to life but end up burning down the house trying to help out with a rat problem. The possibilities are numerous... To sum up: This book is the kick in the shorts to "cute animal fiction" it sets out to be. And it certainly has the gore to give it's thoughts about animal usage for our own ends some real weight. I just wanted more quiet moments out of this book, because aren't those what really bond us with our animal friends?

Review by Strangely

I wonder how many comic book characters are even slightly aware of the cyclical nature of their existence? With the ebb and flow of many longstanding comic book continuities it's amazing how many times characters end up finding themselves in the exact same situation. Sometimes these come across as deliberate attempts to reference a previous moment, but most often it's just the nature of these kinds of stories to have similar things happen. Much of the drama in this book centers around Bullseye (of Daredevil's rogues gallery) and his coercion into joining the reformed-villian (now villian run, but accepted by society) team of "heroes." If that sentence is confusing for you, I understand, this book is just a small part of the much larger overarching story of the aftermath of marvel's big "Cival War" event from 2006. And that's probably the biggest thing hampering this book, all of the real drama and emotion in this book are mostly in the ways that it parallels larger events happening with more "important" characters elsewhere. Spiderman, Captain America et. al. are all getting name-checked so much it feels as though the writers are going out of their way to point out the fact that this story also means something. Honestly though, this just comes across as a pastiche of some of the best parts of Watchmen (And stylistically The Dark Knight Returns), along with references to other "Team-Up" books. The concept of having a team of villains being forced onto the side of good, whether by reform or by the threat of instantaneous death, is a compelling one. But with the exception of one conversation between Radioactive Man and Norman Osborne it remains largely unexplored. I did somewhat enjoy the bits in the book about a few of Captain America's backup guys trying to make a difference but much of their stories felt a bit hollow. I'm going to have to look into what Cap was doing during this book to see if that makes it more compelling. If Cap is just hiding like a wuss, then his abandonment of them is a compelling bit of storytelling. But if he's being held against his will, then his lost puppies are just that, lost puppies, and their crises of faith seem, somehow, less interesting. Another interesting note. I've been reading through Alan Moore's back catalogue lately and I love how decidedly "Hardcore R" his work is. Moore's books pull no punches, and if a really gorey scene is what's required, or some distinctly flavorful cursing will express a character better then it's on the page. After something like that, Thunderbolts feels so hampered by it's "PG-13" level of violence, sensuality and profanity. Clearly some of these people are supposed to be evil psychotics, but for me, (especially with bullseye) they hold little fright. I know some of them are reformed, but a few of them are not. All in all, it's still a fascinating idea, and it does go some interesting places. The action scenes are pretty and it's always clear what's going on, which can be a bit difficult in books with this many superfolks running around (particularly when they're nearly all ones you're not used to looking at). I found the big moment at the end of the story to be more of an eye-roller than anything else, there is little here to make me jones for the second installment. *** SPOILER'S BELOW *** *** SPOILERS *** My biggest problem with this book from a storytelling sense is how Bullseye was handled, I mean honestly, how many times has this guy been paralyzed? I get that they're going for some kind of resonance, but it makes you wonder: How many times are things like this going to happen to him before he get's it through his head?

Review by Future Man

Prophet is probably the single most engaging genre adventure story I've ever read. The first book is a disorienting build up to... I can't even imagine! New story elements seem to come as fast or faster than you can figure out what to do with them. Awesome characters and a sense of epic history make this world an imensely detailed setting that begs you to invest in figuring it all out. And figuring it out can definitly be an investment, with dream-like writing that sometimes comes through in sentence fragments sprinkled with invented terminology native only to this story. This story is a rush into unknown territory that I can't wait to explore. There's a talented cast of company putting this book together, with Brandon Graham (King City, Multiple Warheads) at the helm of the writing task, but seldom illustrating; collaborating closely with a group of three other illustrators who are all awesome! The story works with the change in art, with each artist telling the story of different characters within the same world, further building the immensity of the story. Totally rad!

Review by Strangely

I watched V for Vendetta on the plane from Reykjavik to Seattle, and realized that I had never read that particular Alan Moore book. Since much of my personal political beliefs are quite in line with Moore's this seems a glaring oversight, sadly the book was checked out, but I found this one instead. I have no prior knowledge of the Top 10 universe, but after this peek I'm keen to see a bit more. Superhero Comics (and indeed all genre fiction) are best when they are used to explore real human problems through a fantastical lens. Here the ideas of governmental corruption (a forté of Moore's) and self-discovery (particularly for one young man and his sexuality) are pushing the story. Granted, there is something epic also going on with hordes of vampires, experiemental jets and steampunk broomsticks, but it all feels so small in comparison to the tidal forces within one human life. This is the kind of thing Moore et. al, always excels at (see watchmen), you're almost annoyed when someone starts being a badass, because you know that in Moore's worlds they're probably covering for some pretty heavy personal drama. This book is a fun, but ultimately somewhat stunted romp through a universe, I wouldn't be surprised to find is more compelling in it's main book. It falls prone to what I'm sure is prequel syndrome (though I can't confirm that till I read Top 10). Some of the characters seem so stock that their only purpose can be to fulfill some moment everyone already knows is coming. Still the art is gorgeous and worth a few hours of your time! Also it's got a dude in it that I'd love to see go toe-to-toe with Tony Stark any day!

Review by Strangely

Mike Mignola's followup volume to his first outing with H.B. is a triumphant return to a fantastic universe. I am unabashed in my love of Hellboy, and this volume hits all the sweet spots, while still managing to grow the world. It's really fun to go back through the series and recognize little things Del Toro has pulled from these pages as little easter eggs, like the retractable chain-claw thingy. Also the moment with H.B. and the malfunctioning jetpack is perhaps one of the all-time best moments in this series. Simply classic, the stuff of legend! We also get to learn quite a bit more about Grigory in this volume which is a welcome addition. One of the things that I've sought in fiction is well-drawn villians, the more understandable the better. While not quite on the level of Clive Barker's Christoper Carrion (Abarat) Rasputin is at least someone who's downfall can be mourned as opposed to leered at. And Baba-Yaga, lordy-lou does she ever stop over every single frame she appears in! Several glaring unresolved points loom over the end of this book but fortunately they are resolved in the final story in the next volume (The Chained Coffin & Others). If you like reading about what goes bump in the night, as well as who bumps back (rather none-too-gently I might add) then this book is a fantastic way to spend an evening. The bit of artwork in the bonus section of H.B. in Hefner gear is worth the price of admission alone. (Fortunately I managed to aim the resulting spit-take away from the book just in time!) @iamstrangely

Review by Strangely

I've been a fan of Hellboy since I picked up the books more than ten years ago. But I recently decided to read through them again from the beginning (what with all the baggaged of Del-Toro's films and some of the lovely animated shorts) and see if they would hold up. They do! This first volume skims quickly through Hellboy's origin story, but leaves many of the details out. This gives us a basis for understanding the character while also giving him a certain air of mystery, even to himself. The story centers around a group of Nazis called "Project Ragna Rok" as they try to bring about an apocalypse. Ostensibly they fail, but in doing so they bring Hellboy to earth. Adopted by a devout Catholic (and paranormal researcher) H.B. grows up to be the world's leading Spook's Spook. When his adoptive father mysteriously dies, Hellboy's off to find some answers with his two best friends, Liz (A piro-kine) and Abraham (a, well, I'm not really sure WHAT Abe is...) in tow. Mignola's artwork is top-notch and I have to say I'm personally fond of it. The way the book is basically a muted earth-tones and midnight blues pallet so that Hellboy's red skin pops out at your eyes is sheer genius. He really is pretty much the baddest dude in his little universe... at least he thinks so, and since he's mostly narrating his own story, we're allowed to see him that way too... Also collected at the back are some of Mignola's early sketches of the character as well as some little shorts and a whole pile of Hellboy art by other artists. A really great book to spend some time digging into!

Review by Zach Sylvester

Hilarious depth. Excellent read.

Review by Future Man

'Illustrated legend' perfectly describes the approach to this book. Rather than deeply trodding through anecdotal history, this book captures the energy of Hendrix's music through Bill Sienkiewicz's immersive psychedelic artwork which mesh with apt quotes from Hendrix's songs and journals. The resulting story that develops creates the effect of portraying Jimi Hendrix as a sort of avatar, beyond that of a man; a nearly mythological figure. Bookended by a CD featuring rare recordings from Jimi's private studio, this is a great portrait of a truely legendary inovator of guitar music.

Review by Tony Flores

Great introduction to the surrealist airbrush artist H.R. Giger, best known for designing various designs and creatures especially the the "Xenomorph" creature from the first Alien movie. Worth checking out!

Review by Tony Flores

Review by Tony Flores

Review by Tony Flores

Review by Zach Sylvester

I wish these two had collaborated on a project like this when they were both in their prime. I struggled to stay interested.

Review by Future Man

Each chapter builds upon the next, introducing a new character and along with them a new twist to the story. This surreal and absurd mystery unravels to reveal a disturbing and humorous sort of freak show, making the mundane details seem all too important.

Review by Future Man

Loose line work and subtle, muted colors convey a story of hobo travelers living through depression era struggle and seeking their life's purpose. With such simple drawings, this book reaches the same heights of my favorite works from John Steinbeck in a fraction of the pages. This one seems simple at first, but really deserves your full attention and respect.

Review by Future Man

Charles Burns' early humorous comic strips following the explorations and adventures of El Borbah, a Mexican wrestling hero caught up in all too noir crimes and mysteries. These stories are really weird and funny. Obviously less mature than Burns' later comics, but still masterfully crafted and quite entertaining.

Review by Future Man

Jeff Smith is a phenomenal cartoonist and its so good to see something new from him. This is a much more adult story than the Bone series, following the adventures of a dimension-hopping art thief. This first book develops pretty slowly, but my interest is peaked and I'll definitely be reading the later volumes to see where this goes.

Review by Future Man

Great collection of essays from prominent progressive thinkers on the future of economics. Highly recommended!

Review by Future Man

Awesome journalistic expose of the current state of North Korea. Intentionally isolated, few journalists have been able to get into North Korea to write anything, so this book stands as a lone report as seen by one Frenchman who was only able to get in on a work contract as an animator. After all, animation is one of the few large industries in North Korea, due to the prominence of propaganda cartoons.