SEA OF RED #1
Written and Drawn by Rick Remender, Kieron Dwyer, and Salgood Sam
Published by Image Comics

The year is 1533, and one poor bastard has had the good fortune to survive the sinking of his ship during a particularly bad storm. Briefly. Because the ship he’s rescued by is manned (and I mean that loosely) by some nasty pirates with a deadly secret:

They’re vampires.

Issue one is a full-on origin story, as we follow Marco Esperanza from the debris of his ship to his rescue and recovery to his discovery that the bad guys who fished him out of the drink are the worst possible bad guys they could be. It’s a dark and disturbing tale told in flashback, as we meet the now-undead Esperanza tied to a sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean and living on fish unlucky enough to swim close enough for him to crane his neck out and reach. That sequence alone tells you that the SEA crew is ready to take their tale to the limit, and it gives you a nasty thrill to start your read. The book’s look, the pages printed in black and white with red shadings, is also very distinctive and eye-catching.

The book is fairly brutal and graphically violent, so it definitely isn’t for everyone. But for a story of this kind, the blood and viscera feel necessary, and they’re rendered beautifully. SEA OF RED is a striking piece of entertainment and should find a happy niche in the marketplace. If you like horror, vampires, pirates, or combinations thereof, pick it up and you’ll be happy. Grade: A-

SIBAM?

Are you shitting me? This thing has to be about three minutes away from a seven-figure option. How could this not be a movie?

Horror films are the hottest genre in Hollywood these days, and they tend to make the biggest profits. Add the pirate element into the mix, and you suddenly have a summer tentpole flick in the making. As far as high concepts go, this is the most film-ready book to hit comics in a long time. All you can do is wish the creators luck and tell them to spend the money wisely.

THE LONG HAUL
Written by Antony Johnston and Drawn by Eduardo Barreto
Published by Oni Press

Here we have another film-in-waiting. HAUL is a classic caper film wrapped up in Western trappings. Cody Plummer is a bank robber on parole; but no matter where he goes, the Pinkerton agent who put him away shows up and won’t let him lead a normal life. So when Cody gets word that the Pinkerton will be escorting a Federal train carrying $1.9 million, he not only sees the opportunity to make some cash, he also sees the opportunity for a little payback. Of course, the train is considered impregnable, and there are a huge number of armed guards, but Cody has friends… and a plan.

Take OCEAN’S ELEVEN and transport it backwards 125 years, and you get the basic idea behind THE LONG HAUL. That’s not a criticism, however; a good caper flick can entertain you in ways other films can’t. This is a good caper flick. The real star here, though, is Barreto’s outstanding art. I’ve long thought that Eduardo’s one of the more underrated and under-appreciated guys working in the business, and this book ably demonstrates what he’s capable of. His storytelling is graceful and flowing, and his level of detail is outstanding. I’ve really enjoyed the first two episodes of EYES, and it was really easy to see Tim Daly in the role of Cody Plummer. That’s all I’m sayin’. Grade: A-

DORK TOWER #30
Written and Drawn by John Kovalic
Published by Dork Storm

DORK creator Kovalic picks up after his watershed issue twenty-nine by doing something completely different. TOWER re-opens with a new focus, the character Igor, and with something completely new: color.

Dork Storm released DR. BLINK, SUPERHERO SHRINK in color, so it isn’t a first for the company, but trying the one-time experiment is certainly a bit jarring here. He asks for feedback in a column at the end of the story, and here’s mine: I missed the black and white, John. The color was… weird.

Story-wise, the issue is terrific, as Kovalic continues to turn DORK away from being a gag-driven book to focusing more on the characters. Igor has generally not been a driver in the TOWER storylines to date, so making him the lead for the next few issues may be risky in the eyes of his fans, but I think it pays off. Suddenly there’s a bit more to the little guy, and it’s funny watching him lead his charmed existence and driving his friends insane. Plus, Kovalic tries a few new storytelling tricks with his script and layout, and they work well. Hated the color. Liked the story. Grade: B+

VIDEO #3-5
Written and Drawn by Stephen Buell
Published by Lost In The Dark Press

Buell’s neo-horror series comes to its conclusion with these issues, and it offers a surprising and rather unconventional ending.

Our heroine, Keisha, has watched Jesus return to Earth; seen her boyfriend commit suicide by slitting his wrists in the bathtub; and see the boyfriend heal, rise from the tub, announce he’s Jesus’ son, and heal two gunshot victims with his bare hands. Helluva couple of days. It only gets stranger, though, when Jesus and the boyfriend really start talking in depth and Keisha and the rest of their friends head for the hills. And then there’s the matter of why Jesus has decided at this point to remove the faithful from the Earth.

Or has he? Which people exactly is he planning on removing?

That’s just part of the surprising nature of these final three issues of the mini. I had absolutely no clue where Buell was going at any point in this mini, and it’s pretty rare that I can say that about any comic. Buell will never be mistaken for Neal Adams, but his art improved with each issue, and I give him credit for that. When it comes to independent comics, I’m looking for something different and unpredictable, and VIDEO delivered that in spades. The book also has the potential to reach far beyond the comics shop and find a successful home in bookstores and an audience that would normally avoid comics like the plague. Grade: A-

INVINCIBLE VOL. 4: HEAD OF THE CLASS
Written by Robert Kirkman and Drawn by Ryan Ottley
Published by Image Comics

INVINCIBLE remains one of the most consistently entertaining superhero books being published today. Defying the trend of decompression, Kirkman’s scripts are thick, and the book takes actual time to read. Still, at times, that can work against him; Invincible’s universe of characters has grown quite large, and you can easily lose track of who’s who.

What does that mean? It means that, as good as the book can be in individual issues, it reads far better in trade paperback form. This volume collects issues 14-19, making it a pretty hefty read. I can’t tell you how nice that feels.

INVINCIBLE isn’t just a superhero comic, though. It’s also a teen family drama, and it’s those elements that make the book so good. The ‘splodo is fine, don’t get me wrong; but it’s watching the lead character deal with the fact that his father turned evil, his mother’s turn towards alcoholism, and his girlfriend’s belief that he’s a drug dealer because he keeps answering his pager and leaving her that make the book as fun as it is. Kirkman has created what’s really a modernist version of the Lee/Ditko AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, substituting modern forms of angst for a sick aunt and rent troubles. He’s also freer to deal with subjects like teen sexuality that Stan was. Ottley’s art is simple and uncluttered, and this is one of the few books on the market where the colorist deserves to have his name in lights. Bill Crabtree does absolutely brilliant work on this book, month after month.

This volume finds the protagonist finishing high school, flying off to Mars, and being forced to marry a fish-woman, plus it has a very amusing introduction by Mark Waid. It’s just good stuff. Grade: B+

DEATH, JR. #1
Written by Gary Whitta and Drawn by Ted Naifeh
Published by Image Comics

I can give you one great reason after another to pick up this book.

(To a man he’s collecting in a fast food drive thru) Death, Sr: “Thomas Bellamy. Can I have one of your hash browns?”

This book is full of outstanding little funny bits like that one. Death, Jr. is a skeletal little fellow who is refreshingly naïve about his looks, his father’s work, and why he and his unusual friends are considered to be freaks at school. He’s sweet, which is how he finds himself with a girlfriend very quickly… a gothic looking little girl named Pandora, who cannot resist opening boxes and doors, no matter where she finds them or how many locks they may be behind. Unfortunately, on a trip to a supernatural museum, Pandora’s ability to get in trouble opens up a whole new can of worms for our kind little hero.

There’s so much here that works: Junior’s inability to keep a pet or plant alive, and his naiveté about the real reasons. Death Senior’s classic “dad” response when he discovers that Junior has brought a girl home. The wonderfully bright, delightful artwork of Ted Naifeh. Whitta’s charming script and characters. DEATH, JR. is the perfect antidote to dreary comics, and it’s fun for both young and old. Check it out. Grade: A

THE ART OF GREG HORN
Written and Drawn by Greg Horn
Published by Image Comics

To say that I am ambivalent about Horn’s artwork would be undercutting it wildly. So when this lovely showcase of his art arrived for review, I knew I was in for some difficulty.

This is not to say that I don’t think that Horn is a talented artist. He is. In fact, he’s a very good artist. He’s got a distinctive style to his work that you can pick out from across the store. Only Alex Ross has a more distinctive painting style, and Horn is much faster. But I also have deep issues with the content of much of Horn’s work.

Horn is famous for his covers of sexy women. Soft faces, full pouty lips, huge breasts, and perfect bodies. They sell comics, no doubt. The fanboys slobber over Horn covers like they hope the drool will bring the ladies to life, Weird Science-style. I don’t begrudge his ability to create those images and profit handsomely; far from it. But while those comics may sell better, and help creators pay their rent, they can also have a negative effect on the marketplace as well.

Of the things that keep women out of comics shops, one of the primary ones is the hyper-sexualization of the female characters. Women find the grotesquely mis-proportioned superheroines offensive, an unrealistic ideal. And they’re right. Too many artists draw women as though they have one hand on the pencil and one inside their zipper. Appealing to that common denominator excludes a possible audience for s comic. Why would a woman be drawn to buying ELEKTRA, for instance, when the cover tells her she’s not the audience? I’m a wimmin-lovin’ dude, for Pete’s sake, and even I think it’s pointlessly offensive stuff that turns me away from titles.

Take Horn away from painting sexy women, and he demonstrates his talent in amazing ways. His painting of last year’s men’s Olympic basketball team is brilliant. The Nike poster he did of Lebron James? Awesome. And the sections of the book that cover his non-comics women work are wonderful, period. Horn also provides a section discussing exactly how he makes his art, and it’s terrific stuff.

The lesson I’d like to see the comics world learn is to use Horn’s powers for good, rather than evil. In the end, Horn’s only providing a service that far too many people desire, so I don’t know how much blame you can pin on him. You can’t really blame the bartender for your alcoholism, after all.

Maybe comics needs rehab.

See you in seven.

Review materials may be sent to: Marc Mason, P.O. Box 26732, Tempe, AZ 85285. You can also find me at Happy Nonsense and The Comics Waiting Room

E-MAIL THE AUTHOR | ARCHIVES