Bloody Chester
J.T. Petty and Hilary Florido. FSG/First Second, $18.99 trade paper (154p) ISBN 978-1-59643-100-3
The genre of western horror has been most famously dominated by DC Comics’ Jonah Hex, but writer Petty brings some of his own pedigree to a work that skillfully pulls the rug from under Hex. Petty’s 2008 film The Burrowers mixed the Wild West with underground monsters, but his graphic novel debut puts aside the obvious—as well as the machismo—to conjure up a creepy, complex, and surreal mystery that also shines as a character study. Chester Kates is a young badass fighting his way through life when he is hired to burn down the plague-stricken town of Whale to clear the way for the railroad to come through. In order to do so, he has to deal with the final denizens of the future ghost town, traversing exploring their interpersonal relationships and obsessions, and uncovering plenty of secrets along the way. Florido’s artwork brings a further sensitivity to the story that positions it at arm’s length from the usual Wild West comics. Also featured is more fine color work by Hilary Sycamore, whose skilled palette provides Petty and Florido’s work with an explosive boost off the page. (July)
The Compleat Terminal City
Dean Motter and Michael Lark. Dark Horse, $24.99 (368p) ISBN 978-1-59582-877-4
This collection brings together for the first time issues 1–9 of Terminal City and 1–5 of Terminal City: Aerial Graffiti, and pairs the exemplary storytelling of Motter (Mister X, Electropolis) with the brilliant artwork of Lark (Daredevil, Gotham Central). The story, set in and around the environs of Terminal City, is an example of retro-futurism at its visual narrative best—as though all of the ideas of the 1920s and ’30s about what the 1980s would be like have come to pass. At the center of the story is Cosmo Quinn, a human fly who hangs up his daredevil costume and becomes—fittingly enough—a window washer. Motter creates a cast of colorful characters who are eminently human, which perhaps explains why we are so drawn to their stories. Lark’s vision never flags through all the strange happenings. The series’ Harvey and Eisner award nominations were well earned. (Mar.)
The Advance Team
Will Pfeifer and Germán Torres. Tor, $15.99 trade paper (176p) ISBN 978-0-7653-2712-3
Zack delivers pizzas and takes on all the abuse that comes with the job. But Zack is also hiding something he doesn’t even know about himself—that he’s the product of an intergalactic experiment and possesses incredible powers. Encouraged by his Uncle Archie, an old acquaintance of his deceased parents, Zack is sent out to take on an “advance team” of aliens masquerading as artists, music producers, and U.S. presidents. Zack seems able to take on just about any challenge, and therein lies the story’s primary problem. There’s no suspense as the same scenario repeats itself inexorably: Zack meets increasingly powerful beings and kills them without much fuss. Nothing can hurt this pizza boy, apparently. Krypton, anyone? Or at least, maybe anchovies. What this comic has going for it, despite the sophomoric plot, is some highly effective b&w art. The crisp, taut lines and the strong graphic feel of the pencil and ink drawings carry the day and make it enjoyable, flaws and all. (Mar.)
Near Death, Vol. One
Jay Faerber, Simon Guglielmini and Ron Riley. Image, $9.99 trade paper (120p) ISBN 978-1-60706-511-1
Professional hit man Markham is content to live as a murderous sociopath until the day when a near-death experience reveals to him the eternal torments that await him after death. Determined to avoid this dismal fate, the professional killer resolves to use his deadly skills to make amends for his past transgressions, despite the notable handicap of a near-complete lack of moral sensibilities. His new path will save the innocent even from themselves, enrage past allies, and reveal to Markham that he is not as detached from humanity as he believes he is. This graphic novel is a straightforward, unambitious, but craftsmanlike work. Guglielmini’s art is occasionally sloppy, but in a manner suitable for the mess Markham has had of his life. While the story of a bad man turning from evil after a singular vision is a familiar one (hello, Scrooge), the creators of this work have made it their own, shaping a milieu suitable for many future encounters between this amoral guardian angel and the victims of the world. (Mar.)
Kevin Keller
Dan Parent. Archie, $19.99 (160p) ISBN 978-1-879794-93-1
For decades, the Archie line marked its territory with a certain timelessness and remained staid in its depiction of Riverdale and its inhabitants. But times have changed and hunky new student Kevin Keller’s on the scene to help usher the gang at Riverdale High into the 21st century. A former army brat, Kevin fits right in, especially with Veronica, and brings something new by being the first gay character in the line’s history. That narrative move could have proven a stereotypical disaster, but writer/artist Parent crafts Kevin as a full-on character with a great deal of heart and instant likability while sidestepping obvious tropes. This volume is rounded with considerable back-story explaining just who Kevin is, where he comes from, and what he’s endured up to this point in his life, and that makes all the difference in getting readers on the guy’s side. He is simply a nice kid, and at its heart that’s what this story is really all about, rendering the whole gay angle clearly present but a decided non-issue. Fun from start to finish, this volume is highly recommended as a gateway into the contemporary world of Archie for newcomers and the returning curious. (Feb.)
Corto Maltese: The Ballad of the Salt Sea
Hugo Pratt, trans. from the French by Hall Powell. Universe, $25 paper (254p) ISBN 978-0-7893-2498-6
In this debut of a new English-language edition of the classic anti-hero Corto Maltese, we meet the protagonist as he is fished from the sea by Rasputin, the disreputable captain of an even worse crew than Corto’s. His fate is soon entangled with those of fellow castaways Cain and Pandora, two teenagers caught in the fray. Although Corto presents himself as a man only looking out for himself, the pair soon realizes the adventurer may be their best hope for survival. Pratt’s fast-paced South Sea adventure careens from encounter to encounter, with the daring Corto always just able to adapt to his changing circumstances, while Cain and Pandora do their best to keep up. Pratt supplies Corto with a colorful assortment of supporting characters, some helpful, many not, and a pragmatic but innovative nature. In European comics circles, Corto is a household name, and Pratt is a revered storyteller. Oddly, this edition, shrunken to a smaller size, doesn’t flatter Pratt’s art, which looks sketchy and often grotesque. That detail aside, this will give American comics reader an idea of what all the fuss is about. (Mar.)
Baby’s in Black
Arne Bellstorf. FSG/First Second, $24.99 (196p) ISBN 978-1-59643-771-5
Based on the biography of Stuart Sutcliffe, one of the original Beatles, and his relationship with German photographer Astrid Kirchherr, Bellstorf’s tragic love story offers insight into the time the Beatles spent performing together in Germany before they made it big. Astrid is a bohemian Francophile who is drawn to the incredible music of the Beatles, then playing in a dive bar in Hamburg. She is immediately attracted to bassist Sutcliffe, and despite their different languages and worlds, the pair fall into a happy, and seemingly easy, romance. But their happiness is short-lived: the Beatles are being forced to leave the country, and Stuart’s health is failing. The dialogue all rings true, and although both languages are portrayed in English, the confusion of the characters comes through without losing the audience. Thought the art style suits the story well, the facial features and hair of the male characters are similar enough that it is often difficult to identify which character is which. Fans of the Beatles will certainly be interested in this little-told tale of their early years. The end notes are particularly helpful in giving further perspective on Astrid’s continued relationship with the band. (May)
Guerillas, Volume 2
Brahm Revel. Oni, $17.99 trade paper (120p) ISBN 978-1-934964-99-6
In the middle of the Vietnam War a special unit of trained chimpanzee soldiers stops following orders and takes the war into its on hands, only to be pursued by a platoon of soldiers who can’t help but feel that they, too are being used as unwilling tools by some force more powerful. Revel’s second volume contrasts the stories of the two groups. The chimpanzees have abandoned their masters and are carrying out the combat against Viet-Cong troops they’ve been trained for. Human private John Francis Clayton sticks along for the journey because the chimps offer what he feels is the only safety in a dangerous land. Meanwhile Captain Stewart, his recon team, and German scientist Dr. Kurt Heisler, the trainer of the chimpanzees, follow in close pursuit. But they’re increasingly unnerved as they observe the devastation the chimps leave behind them. Revel’s story provides a mix of both action movie combat and meditations on the horrors of war and the unfairness of forcing individuals into a fight they don’t want to participate in to further someone else’s goals. The story succeeds because of the emotion he’s able to evoke from the chimpanzees through facial expressions, hand gestures, and grunts alone. (July)
Knuckle & Potty Destroy Happy World
James Proimos. Holt, $12.99 (80p) ISBN 978-0-8050-9155-7
Knuckle, a pink tiger, and his good friend, Potty, a green bear, have grown tired of being cute and adorable in this fun, goofy children’s book. It’s actually a book within a book—Knuckle and Potty are characters in other (madeup) children’s books and are humiliated by how adorable they are. It gets worse for them—their next book is going to be Tiger and Bear Go to Happy World, something they just can’t stomach, so they make attempts to either escape the book world entirely or to destroy Happy World. This imaginative and humorous story is something of a chapter book/graphic novel hybrid. The mix and match of prose and comics works just fine and is a unique way of telling the story. Author Proimos has created shows for Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, and his whimsy and humor show that he has a knack for funny, child-friendly storytelling. Ages 7–10. (May)
The Best of the Three Stooges Comicbooks: Vol. 1
Norman Maurer and Pete Alvarado. Papercutz (Macmillan, dist.), $19.99 (192p) ISBN 978-1-59707-328-8
These are the sort of knockabout time fillers originally meant to be consumed in raggedy pulp issues sold for pocket change. Published to coincide with the release of the new Stooges film, this anthology of early-1950s comics won’t disappoint fans of the original films and shorts. In the head-banging, low-grade vaudeville style perfected in their films, the Three Stooges bungle their attempts to find gainful employment as cooks, psychiatrists, drivers, housepainters, and so on. Their dialogue is a stylized patter of Brooklynese dese and dose, while the usual swarthy gangsters and stiff-chinned society swells fill up the background. Joe Kubert and Mauer’s handiwork doesn’t make these comics any more worthwhile, though a particularly bizarre story revolving around “atomic laugh riots” is memorably dated. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?
Scott Gross and various. DC, $12.99 paper (144p) ISBN 978-1-4012-3358-7
Everywhere they go, Mystery Inc. continues to solve mysteries with ghosts and costume-wearing villains. Whether it’s on vacation at Lake Okanagan in “The Curse of the Ogopogo,” at the Grand Canyon in “The Aliens of Area 49,” or visiting relatives in the “Locked Room Misery” and “Sound Stage Spook,” the gang still solves every mystery. They even catch a demon queen who crashes a Jewish wedding in “The Truth.” Readers familiar with the show will appreciate that each character’s personalities and mannerisms remain true to the cartoon, including Fred’s overly confident can-do attitude, Daphne’s finesse, Velma’s intuitive mind, along with Shaggy and Scooby’s frightfulness (they will still do anything for a Scooby-Snack). The formula never changes—right down to the “And I would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for those meddling kids!” endings—but somehow it all still works. Ages 8–up. (Apr.)
Victory: Resistance, Book 3
Carla Jablonski and Leland Purvis. Roaring Brook/First Second, $17.99 trade paper (128p) ISBN 978-1-59643-293-2
The conclusion to Jablonski and Purvis’s Resistance trilogy is a fast-paced and gritty piece of work. It’s near the end of WWII, and the resistance fighters in occupied Vichy France are starting to get the taste of impending victory. The protagonist, Paul, is a hotheaded youngster who doesn’t understand why he should be doing anything but planning how to kill more Nazis. After being told that his group’s attack on a troop train is probably going to result in mass punitive executions of civilians, and asked what the attack gained, he snaps with all the reckless bravery of youth, “The more dead, the fewer to fight.” This black-white dichotomy is made grayer by the involvement of some of Paul’s family with the Nazis. The artwork’s bright colors and somewhat stiff lines emphasize the blazing emotions being tossed around. While the righteousness of the cause is never questioned, the authors do a good job of making it clear how bloody and morally messy even the most noble fighting can be. Ages 12–up. (July)
Take What You Can Carry
Kevin C. Pyle. Holt, $12.99 trade paper (176p) ISBN 978-0-8050-8286-9
Two teenage boys separated by time and culture are connected by shared experiences. Kyle is young and bored with his life in late 1970s suburban Chicago. Having recently moved there, he makes new friends and turns to vandalism and shoplifting to keep his life exciting. In the early 1940s Ken Himitsu, the son of Japanese immigrants living in Berkeley, Calif., is sent along with the rest of his family to a forced relocation camp after the outbreak of WWII. Ken, frustrated with the conditions, turns to theft to get the food and supplies that are kept from them. Pyle shifts between each story, differentiating between them by coloring styles. Ken’s story, told without the use of text and with a heavily inked visual texture, is particularly striking. The story builds slowly, with the connection between the two gradually revealed. But the touching way in which Ken learns responsibility through the necessity of stealing for others while Kyle learns responsibility after being punished for selfish theft is accomplished quite well. Pyle has created a quiet, contemplative, and effective glimpse into two distant in time yet similar lives. Ages 12–up. (Mar.)
Little Miss Sunshine:
Here Comes the Sun!
Michael Daedalus Kenny and Victoria Maderna. Viz, $6.99 trade paper (80p) ISBN 978-1-4215-4071-9
Not to be confused with the Little Miss Sunshine movie, the Little Miss Sunshine character originates with Roger Hargreaves’s Mr. Men and Little Miss series and is being relaunched with this cute graphic novel. Little Miss Sunshine, who is as happy and joyful as her name suggests, wakes up to find an old bus on her lawn. After the bus, Little Miss Sunshine has a few other story adventures, the most entertaining of which is “Dillydale’s Got Talent,” working as a judge on a talent show alongside Mr. Fussy and Mr. Rude. Anyone can imagine how that will go. This short, colorful graphic novel reintroduces Hargreaves’s popular cast of characters with some lighthearted entertainment, and it’s a promising start for this relaunch. Ages 6–up. (Apr.)
