Lost: Some time. If found, please return.

It appears to be Wednesday already and I’ve barely had time to think.

Luckily I have managed to read some of the comics that are out this week and some of them are really good. I mean, REALLY good.

Unfortunately, I’ve fallen behind in some other titles. And somehow managed to miss issue 2 of Motherlands so was shocked to see issue 3 on the shelf today. I have picked both up but not read them yet so I’ll come back to them at a later date.

I was going to say I was looking forward to the new Crow comic, but in actual fact most of The Crow follow ups just make me want to reread the original and the best. Momento Mori #1 from IDW Publishing is an as expected narrative wise with some good artwork that sets the scene and tone. Nothing spectacular but probably enough for fans of the franchise. Check out my full review on comiconverse.com later in the week.

Days of Hate #3 from Image comics continues to be an outstanding character driven narrative with some of my favourite comic book art in years. This is a comic that I would recommend to anyone. It has an engaging story and wonderfully designed layouts which allow the art work to flow from panel to panel, page to page. There is a lot going on visually and narratively. For an immersive comic reading experience you can’t go wrong with this.

Days of Hate #3 is published by Image, written by Ales Kot, illustrated by Danijel Zezelj, colours by Jordie Bellaire.

Labyrinth: Coronation #2 from Boom! Studios is out. I’ll assume you’re reading this so won’t go on about it.

You are reading it aren’t you?

On my list of comics to read before I go blind from eating chocolate this weekend are Abbott #3 and Lucas Stand: Inner Demons #2 both from Boom! Studios and Highest House #2 from IDW Publishing. Also Saga has reached issue 50!!

And that’s about it, except of course for Planet of The Apes: Ursus #3. This is turning out to be a magnificent beast of a comic. There is something about the interplay between the recognisable story and the newly created history that gels so well, it is difficult to believe one part of it is 50 years old and the other brand new. My hat I completely off for David F Walker, Chris Mooneyham and Jason Wordie. Together they have produced something special.

And for my full review check out Comiconverse.com where it will soon appear.

Now all that remains is the inevitable slide show.
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Enjoy.

A busy, busy day after a busy, busy weekend. I’m surprised I’ve read any comics but somehow I managed it. I’ve been reading Boom! Studios first Planet of the Apes series and the old Nightbreed comics from the 90’s but more importantly I’ve been reading some new comics for New Comic Book Day.

This week has seen the release of several comics that I was looking forward to but didn’t quite satisfy as hoped. They just missed the mark.

Anthology comics are a good thing and there aren’t enough of them. Each month a different story with different protagonists; a one shot, done and dusted narrative. Unfortunately, in all-most all anthologies, there is at least one story that isn’t as good, or doesn’t grab you as much as the others. And Ice Cream Man #3 is like that for me. The artwork is as impressive as previous issues but the story just doesn’t seem to go anywhere. With each page there is the promise of something exciting but the promise is never fulfilled. The story turns out to be nothing more than a hallucinogenic nightmare inspired by dodgy ice cream, at least that’s all it appeared to be. There was none of the emotional drama or uncomfortable horror from the first two stories.

With that said, the beauty of anthologies is that next month is a new story, a new start.

Ice Cream Man #3 published by Image Comics. Written by W Maxwell Prince and art by Martin Morazzo.

Another title that wasn’t as I expected this month was The Spider King #2. Published by IDW Publishing, The Spider King’s mix of alien invasion and Viking adventure became more of a comedy in this second issue. The alien aspect is played for laughs on pretty much each level and feels in contrast to the tone of the first issue. I was expecting sword and shield version of Turf but I got a historical Mars Attacks. This is still a worthwhile read if this is the type of comic that you like but it does seem at odds with the set up last month. Maybe I need to revisit it to see if I misread it.

The Spider King #2 published by IDW, written by Josh Vann and illustrated by Simone D’Armini. Colours by Adrian Bloch

Dissonance #2 continues in the same vain as the first issue. A compelling narrative with magnificent settings and character design. An enjoyable read and I have nothing else to say about it at the moment.

What do I think about the new title form Boom! Studios, Lucy Dreaming? Why not check out my review on comiconverse.com (here) as I might just tell you.

And while you’re there, check out the review for 30 Days of Night #4. This is turning into an outstanding comic. If Steve Niles pulls it all together at the end it will be good enough to rival the original; definitely better than some of the sequels in recent years. One of the most noteworthy aspects of the comic is Brad Simpson’s colours. They make the comic by creating the atmosphere and characterising the cast. If you read this in digital, minimise it so that you can see multiple pages in one go and you’ll see how wonderful the colouring is. With such a small view you lose all of the detail from the art and every bit of speech but you can still follow the action just by Simpson’s colours. Check out my review here where I go on about the colouring some more.

30 Days of Night #1 published by IDW, written by Steve Niles, art by Piotr Kowalski and colours by Brad Simpson.

Last week, I completely forgot to mention Betrothed from Aftershock comics. It was a monumental error as the comic is shocking in all of the right ways and impressed me on a number of levels. I tried to make up for it by writing a little something about it (here) and you might still be able to get a copy from a shop. This week I will not miss out the release of Babyteeth #9. Personally I am waiting for the trade collection on this but if you are reading it monthly I’m sure you won’t want to miss it. The series has been a hit so far and I can’t wait for the 2nd trade. Pick up #9 to see what it’s like and I’m sure you’ll want to catch up with the rest. Written by Donny Cates and illustrated by Garry Brown.

My final mention for this week is Punks Not Dead #2. This is a wild, exotic comic brim full of supernatural goings on and teenage angst. The central story stays steady, eking out the dilemmas of haunting a teenager in a boring town however it is in the side story, with the UK’s answer to the X-Files, where the humour and intrigue are. This is a well-paced, cheeky and often outlandish comic; worthy of the Punk Rock association.

Punks Not Dead #2 is part of IWD’s Black Crown imprint and is written by David Barnett and illustrated by Martin Simmonds.

That is it for this week, apart from the slideshow below obviously.
​Enjoy!

I’ve grown a fondness for Aftershock publications thanks to the brilliance of Super Zero and Jackpot (each has a collection out and is worth picking up if you haven’t already done so). As such I take a punt on a number of their titles and so far have enjoyed most of those that I have read.

Betrothed #1, which came out this week, is an excellent example of what Aftershock do. I will sum up the comic’s synopsis based on what I knew about it before buying and then I’m going to have a look at one particular page. Warning: Contains some spoilers.

Synopsis

It is called Betrothed

That was it, that’s all I knew. So going into it everything was pretty much a surprise and this comic really took my breath away and left my jaw hanging open. I was surprised by the powerful image on the very first page, which is a belter, and then the story twists and turns, never letting the reader get a comfortable. Sean Lewis starts his story in a physical place everyone would recognise but within moments he is dragging you away and throwing you into the deep end of some cosmic craziness. To even call this a science fiction fantasy is to give too much away. The closest contemporary comparison I can think of is the second series of Dirk Gently on Netflix; each has a normal element and a fantastical element and both are effortlessly interchangeable.

Steve Uy draws in a style which fits in well with a number of previous Aftershock comics I have read. His inks focus on the characters, laying them clearly in the foreground, while the backgrounds are mostly rendered using elaborate colour washes. This works especially well for the main character’s astral journey as it creates a brilliant cosmic effect, similar to Star Gate’s interplanetary jumps.

Betrothed is an impressive first issue, and something a bit different which is what Aftershock seem to be all about. 

One page in particular stood out from this first issue of Betrothed.  It might not seem the most obvious choice, especially when you look at all of the action that happens in the story, but this page sums up the intention and subtler qualities of the storytelling.

Page 5 is made up of three, page wide panels with the top two being the same size while the third having a little extra height. This is important.

Panel one: Kieron, the self-styled Romeo.  Panel two: Tamara, his Juliet. Panel three: the two of them together, face to face.

It starts with Kieron facing Tamara, who is off panel. We know by the set up on the previous pages that he is looking at her but this image highlights the intensity which he stares at her. His expression is hard and his eyes are nearly closed as he scowls across the school hall way.
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That distance between them is illustrated by the row of lockers that take up half of the first two panels.  The way that Tamara takes up the right side of the second panel while Kieron is on the left in the first gives the reader the impression that there is a greater distance between them. The simple positioning in these two panels are interpreted by the reader as different ends of the same hall way, as if it is one panel split in half to fit in the book.

Tamara has the same intensity in her expression and stance as Kieron before her. Another aspect becomes apparent at this stage; the shadowing on the characters. Kieron is lit from the front, the shadows falling under his chin and on the back of his neck. Tamara’s shadows fall in contrast to this; darker face and front of neck. The contrast is almost a ying/yang moment; as if each character has a dark and a light element that is mirrored in the other. It transpires that the story is about these two characters being created for each other and that is reflected in this page of art.

The final panel shows both characters face to face, within close proximity to each other. It doesn’t feel as though any time has passed since panel one and two but all of a sudden the characters are there, in each other’s faces. It’s as if some outside force had brought them together: which of course is the case. These two are naturally drawn to each other, they can’t keep themselves apart and this panel illustrates that perfectly. The gap the reader had imagined thanks to the first two panels has disappeared and now they are almost touching. The smouldering eyes and pouting lips from each of them emphasises the electricity between them.
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The Romeo and Juliet references throughout the narrative fit perfectly with the images which Steve Uy is creating, especially on this page. There is an unbridled attraction between the two which cannot be denied or ignored. 

Why is this page so important? Simple: it sets up the strength of the central character's attraction to each other and subtly explains that they were made for each other. When the narrative unfolds and Kieron and Tamara’s origins are revealed, this page it is an affirmation of the energy between them. The rest of the comic explains what the reader has already figured out thanks to Uy’s amazing artwork on this single page.

Under the control of talented creators, three straight forward panels are able to tell the reader so much about the characters and hint at the greater story, implanting a number of ideas in the reader’s head even before the story has really got going. 
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An excellent beginning to a series.

Betrothed #1
Written by Sean Lewis
Drawn/coloured by Steve Uy
Published by Aftershock

When a creator wants to show off a character’s inner thinking there a number of techniques they can employ. A conversation between characters, an inner monologue or even the once popular Thought Bubbles which were a very simply way for writers to get their message across. But the art work can play just as an important role in expressing emotional states.
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Ryan Kelly is an impressive, expressive artist who has worked on a number of titles, imbuing the narrative with subtle emotional context.

 In the following page from Cry Havoc, issue 2, Kelly uses detailed visual language to highlight the inner turmoil of the central character, Louise Canton.

In the first half of the page, Lou and her girlfriend Sam are having an argument. Lou had behaved badly the night before and she has woken to face the consequences in the form of an angry Sam. Kelly wants to express the division between the two characters as Lou’s life is slipping out of her control. She feels as though she is starting to lose the things that are important in her life and Kelly illustrates the start of that divide in the panels below.

The first row doesn’t even feature Lou. The two panels are from her point of view so that the audience is seeing what she is seeing, which in the case of panel one is nothing at all. The speech from Sam floats in the blackness, almost unconnected to anything. The language is unfriendly which makes the pure black panel all the more uncomfortable. This is followed by the yelling face of Sam. This row sets the scene and the audience is witnessing it first hand, through the eyes of Lou. Already a certain distance has been created between us, the audience, Lou and Sam.
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This is followed up in the third, page wide panel. Now Lou is the central character with everything in the panel designed to lead your attention to her. She is sat in a defensive position on the bed, her arm down in front of her like a barrier. She is being guarded and this adds to the feeling of distance. Sam is leaving the panel on the left, only partially visible to heighten the sense that she is walking away, her arm also acting as a barrier between them. Add to this mix the positioning of the speech bubbles, down the centre of the panel, between the two characters, and you have an image full of barriers between the two women. There is physical distance on the page, there are anatomical barriers and then there is a verbal wall. All of these separate Lou and Sam, highlighting the argument that the central character has woken up in and reflecting her inner fears that she is losing aspects of her normal life.

The separation of the characters is followed up in the fourth panel. This is another long shot of their home. This time, Lou is in the foreground and Sam in the background. Sam is physically distant, the reader can see her entire body which contrasts the view of Lou, who is again using her arm as a barrier between herself and her girlfriend. The devastation in the flat works as a visual signifier to illustrate the relationship and also, in conjunction with the wall in the background, as another barrier between the two characters.
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The top two thirds of this page has a barrier that runs down the middle, firstly a gutter separating panels, then a wall of speech bubbles and finally, detritus from the previous night. At each point the two characters find themselves on opposite sides of these barriers. The art succinctly illustrates that this is a relationship in trouble. Even without the text on the page, the reader can tell that not everything is going well for this couple.

The final panel on the page not only reflects the destruction from the panel above but also hammers home the point that it is Lou’s lycanthropy that is the cause of the problems displayed on the page. By being the only panel on the page that doesn’t have the central barrier, it highlights the importance of the image; that of Lou as a wolf. This acts like a punctuation to the argument above. The distance, the destruction, it is all caused by the creature at the bottom of the page.

The narrative requires a transitional stage for Lou as her life is changed by becoming a werewolf and Ryan Kelly expresses that perfectly across this single page.

Cry Havoc was written by Simon Spurrier
Art by Ryan Kelly
Colours (in this section) by Nick Filardi
Published by Image Comics

Full page marking the barriers between the two women from the top of the page to the bottom.

“It seems to me that a beautiful view is all you’ve achieved here today.” *

So many comics not enough time. This week’s new comic book day is full of some amazing releases, so many that I’ve not had time to read them all and I’ve barely had time to write about the one’s I have read.

So, let’s just look at some of the beautiful work that is on offer this week, in a gallery style piece.
Cop out? I shall accept that.

But first, a quick rundown. If you are stuck for something to read, I recommend picking up one (or all) of the following:

East of West #36 from Image comics. It always seems so long between issues of Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta’s apocalyptical tale of people involved in the end days, even when it’s on the normal monthly schedule. This is a comic of style and substance. It looks like a Kubrick movie and reads like a Frank Herbert novel. A lot has happened in the previous 35 issues but it’s never too late to catch up and the new issue is a very good taster of what to expect.

Dodge City #1. Boom! Studios new sporting comic is fun and fast paced: check out my review on comiconverse.com

Frankenstein Alive! Alive! #4 from IDW Publishing. I’ve not read this yet but I am sooooooooo looking forward to it. It is unfortunate that Bernie Wrightson didn’t get chance to finish this but Kelley Jones has done a wonderful job of completing the story. Maybe we could send a copy of this to The Sun newspaper to help them understand the Frankenstein story, but then I doubt it could help them. They's have to learn to read. (I’ve linked to a story they published but do not endorse the newspaper at all)

The Highest House. Another number 1 and another you can read more about on comiconverse.com (The number of times I must have typed the Highest Horse it's not even funny. Hopefully no tall nags got through)

From Image comics there is:
Prism Stalker #1, bright, colourful and more than a touch out there. A read it to believe it comic. Not going to be to everyone's taste but those who like it will probably love it.

Oblivion Song #1. The new comic from Robert Kirkman. He has bene promoting this for months now and spent some time talking about it at the Image Expo in February. The set up for the series is very good with a lovely combination of thrills and character exploration. Whether or not it will be his new Walking Dead remains to be seen but maybe it’s time for him to step away from the zombies. Kirkman keeps teasing the end of The Walking Dead but I’m not sure the fans will let him do it just yet.

The Spider King #1 from IDW Publishing is a Vicking/Alien mash up in a similar vein to Cowboys and Aliens or Cadillacs and Dinosaurs or Plants and Zombies. Maybe not the last one. The art work is dark and rough with thick black lines and shadows. It has a heavy, imposing feel to it which reflects the grimness of the narrative. It reminded me of a grown up version of How to train your dragons and the colour work by Adrian Bloch is wonderful, switching between blue and red washes then using them together in certain panels to highlight the distinction between character groups. It is such a satisfying visual treat.
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Now, let gallery commence… 

*Quote from East of West #26 written by Jonathan Hickman

And I'm aware that I went on for longer than planned but still, I promised a slideshow....

Terror on the Planet of the Apes starts as a very simple story. Two young friends, one Chimpanzee and one Human, become caught in the wave of a Gorilla up rising and the ethnic cleansing of Ape City. From there the characters are taken on a wild, and sometimes outlandish, ride through the Forbidden Zone, beneath the Planet, into a mountain and out the other side; meeting some of the craziest characters of the Apes franchise.

The Second Phase of the story began to skirt on the verges of farce, with the Psychedrome issues almost becoming too ridiculous to read even for a comic about talking Apes. There are too many eccentric elements and characters which don’t fit with the general ethos of the rest of the franchise. However, the central characters all develop and come out of the story in a good light, pretty much unscathed.

One of the characters, not affected by the craziness in the second phase, is the Lawgiver, who’s own story takes a tragic turn of events. But before this, in the first phase, the depiction of this character is fascinating. He is seen as the ruler of Ape City, and to most of the Ape inhabitants, he is a religious figure of highest regard: A Pope like figure. During the first few issues of Terror the Lawgiver is away in the Forbidden Zone, a prisoner of the Inheritors but with Jason and Alex’s help he returns to the City like a messiah. Through the use of religious imagery and the depiction of the Lawgiver in When the Lawgiver Returns, Doug Moench and Mike Ploog are able to relay to the reader a greater image of Ape City and the culture that built it.

In Chapter 7, When the Lawgiver Returns, there is a surprising amount of religions imagery and allegory but this is befitting of the story that Moench is about to tell in this issue. Near the opening of the issue, before the heroes return to the city, there is a panel featuring a crude crucifixion. Xavier the keeper of the City who was ruling in the Lawgivers absence, is found tired to a cross with an arrow thrust into his side. It is a symbol to the Apes of the city that the Humans can no longer be trusted but it is also a lie because we, the reader, know that a Gorilla was responsible.

From the point of view of the Gorilla rebels, Xavier died for the sins of the city, for harbouring Humans as if they were equals and the rulers fate is a not too subtle religious reference.

But this is just the start, a way for Moench to set the scene for the rest of the issue, because Chapter 7 is a reflective parable of religious stories, especially those about Kings or Leaders. Through out the issue there are links to Jesus and Moses and the trails that there encountered in their stories. Each borrowed reference tells the reader something about the society of Apes and how they became slaves to religion as much as Humans did.

Two pages after the crucifixion, the Lawgiver is pictured re-entering the city. He is drawn by Ploog at the bottom of the panel, in the centre, the major focal point. Despite his frailty, as shown in previous pages, he is still a strong leader with a trail of people following behind him; a long procession with him at the head.
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The entire procession forms the shape of a triangle leading the readers eye from the top of the panel to the bottom. In conjunction with this the Human and Ape’s all have bowed heads and their gaze is downwards, towards the Lawgiver. All of this forces the reader to follow the gaze of the Lawgiver’s supporters and where ever you look at this panel your eyes are drawn directly down to the Lawgiver himself.

As the procession enters the city it leads directly into an altercation between Ape and Human. A standoff that is on the verge of violence, fuelled by the death of Xavier. The Lawgiver rises up to put a stop to the arguing. Throughout the sequence he is drawn larger and, from the perspective of the reader, higher than all of the other characters. Basically the Orangutan towers above everybody else and is able to enforce his will upon them. He shames the Apes and the Humans so that the potential violence is quelled.

A moment later he returns, alone, to his home but without his presence and influence a fight breaks out. The first panel on the page shows the Lawgiver leaving, his back to the reader and cast in shadows. This indicates that he has no control over what happens next; it is behind him where he cannot see. Just like what happened to the city when he wasn’t there.
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He has great power but only when he is actively engaged with the inhabitants. The religious connection here is with Moses. The Lawgiver spent time in the Forbidden Zone and returned home to find his people tearing each other apart: Moses ascended the mountain and returned to find his people worshipping false gods. 

Moench and Ploog are showing the reader how important the Lawgiver is to society. His presence is instrumental for the peace to remain. This is further highlighted in the sermon that follows the leaders return: another religious allegory. The Lawgiver stands above his people, with Ploog illustrating the panels so that the reader looks down, passed the leader to the people below. The sermon is a heartfelt one and speaks of fear and hate; across the page the sternness of the Lawgiver is juxtaposed with the sorrow of his followers.
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That is until the gorilla, Brutus, challenges the words. He speaks of Pride and cultural doom like a brute defending his racist views. He blames others for his shortcomings but his power is reflected by his positioning in the panels. He is drawn central to the panels and appears to stand shoulders above the other characters, all but the Lawgiver. During his ranting the Lawgiver suddenly loses his position of power, it feels as though he is now closer to the crowd and in one panel in particular he is fighting to stand tall, crouching below his own words in an attempt to be heard. There is a real threat to the peaceful order of the city as illustrated by the Lawgivers loss of powerful status. Brutus is bringing him down which will lead to trouble and violence as has already been established earlier in the story.  

When the Lawgiver Returns is an important chapter of Marvel Planet of the Apes comic. Not only is it the final issue of Phase 1 of ‘Terror’ but it also hammers a wedge between the Ape and Human heroes forcing one to leave the city. The aftereffects of this break up drive the story through Phase 2 as the majority of the narrative leaves Ape City behind. Moench isn’t quite done with the Lawgiver but chapter 7 is the pinnacle of his characterisation and he is instrumental to the success of chapter 7’s narrative. The writer and artist use religious analogies and imagery to reinforce the social aspects of Ape City and its inhabitants which in turn leads the drama. The conflict between the different races and ultimately the different characters all stems from the belief, or lack thereof, in the Lawgiver. He is made out to be the head of society and all those who oppose him are portrayed as rebels in one way or another.

Where the story goes after Phase one is questionable but When the Lawgiver Returns is a pure Planet of the Apes story with all of the elements that made the original movie the hit classic it has become. It is meticulously written and contains some intense art work. A wonderful work of drama. 

When the Lawgiver Returns was originally printed in issue 11 of Marvel's Planet of the Apes and has recently been collected in Boom! Studios Planet of the Apes Archive Volume One