Usagi Yojimbo: The Special Edition
Written & Illustrated by Stan Sakai
Published by Fantagraphics

If you’ve been reading my musings for a while now, you’ll know this: Usagi Yojimbo is my favorite comic book of all time.  Ever since it was announced, I’ve been jonesing for Fantagraphics’ Usagi Yojimob: The Special Edition – a two-volume, slipcased hardcover collection of the first seven Usagi trade paperbacks. Nearly 1200 pages of Stan Sakai story-and-art goodness, with an extensive color art gallery (the first time I’ve seen most of those early covers in color), sketches and short-story odds-n’-ends. So my saintly wife gave me this striking tome for Christmas. Yes, I am a hell of a lucky guy.

Among the highlights of The Special Edition is the ease of witnessing Sakai’s growth as a writer, artist and storyteller. While the illustration in the earliest chapters is already solid, Sakai’s linework grows visibly more assured and looser, giving the pages a liveliness not seen in many comics. Similarly, the layouts evolve to capture the quiet elegance of the Japanese countryside, the gut-turned terror of Jei (comics’ best villain) or the kinetic ballet of a samurai duel in pitch-perfect fashion.

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It Came From the NYPL

The Extraordinary Works of Alan Moore
Interview conducted by George Khoury
Published by TwoMorrows

When this book came out, slightly over seven years ago now (how time flies, I thought it was maybe two years ago!), it intrigued me, but didn’t strike me as something I wanted to keep on my bookshelf for eternity. I finally got around to borrowing it from the library, and it’s a perfect library book. Enjoyable, but unnecessary.

For the occasion of Alan Moore’s fiftieth birthday in 2003, Khoury conducted a book-length interview with the celebrated author, touching on nearly every aspect of his career. Rounding out the book are birthday tributes from Moore’s famed comic book collaborators, and introduction and an afterword written by his two daughters, a detailed bibliography of Alan’s published works.

The interview is engaging and insightful, with plenty of material that has been covered in other places, but many nuggets that I’d not encountered before. Remembrances of his childhood, family photos and other early-life details round out the picture of Alan as a person, and tie in, in surprising ways, to the themes and subjects his writing would explore over the rest of his life (to date). All his major comic book series are touched on, as are Alan’s conflicts with the mainstream comics industry. Through it all, Alan’s love of comics and storytelling shines through, as does his belief in the form’s continued artistic possibilities. In short, The Extraordinary Works of Alan Moore works as a fine tribute to one of – perhaps the – most influential comics creator, while granting fans an insightful peek behind the curtain of a creative and highly individualistic author.

The Search for Smilin’ Ed
Written & Illustrated by Kim Deitch
Published by Fantagraphics

The Search for Smilin’ Ed is the latest book collection from Kim Deitch, a longtime favorite cartoonist of mine. The story, originally serialized in the Fantagraphics anthology Zero Zero in the latter part of the 1990s, details Deitch’s research into the life of a forgotten (and mostly fictional) children’s TV show host, one Smilin’ Ed.

Deitch’s narrative weaves Deitch-as-character (with real-life acknowledgements) into a fictional tapestry of demons, underground societies, and pop culture oddities. Stacked with surprising twists and intricate plotting, Smilin’ Ed revels in Deitch’s increasingly complex personal universe, threading new characters into the established histories of his previous protagonists. Densely detailed and creatively laid out, the art can absorb a reader’s eye for days, with tons of nods, winks and subtle touches embedded in nearly every scene.

The plot, however, isn’t necessarily one of Deitch’s best. Smilin’ Ed comes across as somewhat half-imagined (by Deitch’s standard, which means it’s still three times as outlandish as most anything else out there), a series of disjointed sequences, failing to coalesce in a meaningful way. Despite this shortcoming, there’s more outlandishness going on in The Search for Smilin’ Ed than any five issues of most comics, and Deitch’s detailed, stiff renderings and engaging page designs make it worth the time for regular Deitch readers. Kim Deitch newcomers are directed to Alias the Cat or Boulevard of Broken Dreams to see the master shining his brightest.

It Came From the NYPL

Fallen Angel: Reborn
Written by Peter David
Illustrated by J.K. Woodward
Lettered Chris Mowry & Neil Uyetake
Published by IDW

I am not a Buffy fan and, consequently, am totally unfamiliar with Illyria. I’ve also fallen behind reading Fallen Angel, which prevented me from understanding the roles of several supporting characters – the final page for example.  So perhaps my overall indifference to Fallen Angel: Reborn is partially rooted in those twin disconnects. But not entirely.

I actually went to the library hoping for one of the recent Fallen Angel omnibus editions (my preferred comic format: many hundreds of pages, reasonable financial cost!), aiming to catch up and reimmerse myself in Peter David’s tale of a guardian angel, cast down to Earth, and the mystic city she now protects. Alas, the library had only one book, this one. It’s as close to the itch as I could scratch, so I requested a copy.

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Evolution: The Story of Life on Earth
Written by Jay Hosler
Illustrated by Zander Cannon & Kevin Cannon
Published by Hill & Wang

There’s a joke about the blasphemy of this book somewhere in here, but let’s cut to the chase.  Following on 2009’s The Stuff of Life: A Graphic Guide to Genetics and DNA (with writer Mark Schultz), artists Kevin Cannon and Zander Cannon return to the science fold.  This time, it’s Jay Hosler (who brings experience in both science and comics writing to the table, including his “life of a honey bee” epic Clan Apis) handling the script, and Charles Darwin’s favorite theory finds itself in the spotlight.

The framing device for Evolution: The Story of Life on Earth, like the Cannons’ previous science-fact effort, focuses on the king of the alien Glargalian Empire and his son meeting with one of their scientists to determine a solution to their species’ genetic crisis.  After the last book’s DNA lesson, chief researcher Bloort explains to his regent the recently (to the Glargalians) uncovered Earth-based theory of evolution and its many benefits.

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Superman vs. Muhammad Ali
Written by Denny O’Neil & Neal Adams
Illustrated by Adams
Inked by Dick Giordano & Terry Austin
Lettered by Gaspar Saladino
Published by DC Comics

Okay, yeah, this one’s a little campy. Look at that title: how couldn’t it be? Try to imagine a fictional character based on Ali’s public persona without a twinge of camp.

That said, don’t take it very seriously and it’s a fun romp of a book. Tremendously fun. The plot’s simple enough: an alien armada orbits Earth, but they’ll spare our planet if our champion can best their champion. Superman and Ali both claim to be said champion, and so a preliminary bout is fought – under a red sun on the aliens’ homeworld.

The premise is a little outlandish, but O’Neil and Adams have fun with the proceedings and offer a little misdirect regarding Superman’s status after his bout with Ali. The art’s terrific, if perhaps difficult to follow for novice comics readers. Adams’ constructs several balletic fight sequences, and one grandiose Ali speech, that left at least one comics-virgin friend of mine with a headache.

The reprint of this 1978 oversized comic comes in two editions: a comic book-sized hardcover, and a humongous “replica” edition hardcover. I read the latter incarnation, and it’s wonderful to see. Adams’ art looks amazing viewed at the larger size, screaming off the pages. The paper stock is a little flimsy and the page count skimpy for a $40 book ($30 for the smaller model, which is still steep for less than 80 pages of story); if you can find a discounted copy, Superman vs. Muhammad Ali should certainly entertain.

It Came From the NYPL
Cross Game v. 1
Written & Illustrated by Mitsuru Adachi
Translated by Ralph Yamada & Lillian Olsen
Published by Viz

Mitsuru Adachi is, I suspect, one of the two dozen or so best comic book creators in the world. The acclaim I’ve read of his work in Japan is astounding, and the two series I’ve so far encountered in English have only exceeded the hype. Viz previously brought American readers Adachi’s Short Program, a two-volume collection of melancholy and humanistic short stories. Now, Cross Game arrives in the States.

Cross Game tells of Ko Kitamura, his friends on the high school baseball club, and his relationship with the sisters who’ve lived next door to him for his entire life.  While it’s a romantic comedy at heart, Cross Game features notable amount of baseball action and its fair share of early tragedy.  But what really sets it apart is Adachi’s (with assistance from his translators) ability to capture the nuances of his characters, the humor and the pathos, via their witty dialogue and his casual pacing.

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Brody’s Ghost v. 1
Written & Illustrated by Mark Crilley
Published by Dark Horse

Mark Crilley’s already created one of my all-time favorite series, the upbeat, hilarious and relentless imaginative Akiko, and his follow-up, Miki Falls, reinvented his art style and added emotional heft, yet retained the creative world-building of its predecessor.  Crilley returned a few months ago with a new series, Brody’s Ghost, a six-book serial about a young man who is approached by a ghost. This ghost, a young woman named Talia, needs Brody’s help to accomplish a task so she can get into heaven – except callously indifferent Brody’s trapped in a funk after a bad break-up.

So Brody’s Ghost is a supernatural adventure, with emotional overtones and redemption themes.  The art’s terrific – detailed and nuanced, with strong designs and a compelling world design; the mysteries of Talia’s death and afterworld travails hang over the entire book like a massive eclipse, yet Brody’s struggle to rediscover his own worth remains the emotional core through the first book.

Of course, it’s a six book cycle, so Brody’s Ghost v. 1 feels somewhat slight, concerned more with laying groundwork for Brody and Talia’s partnership, and establishing the baseline high concept for the series. As a result, the first book isn’t entirely satisfying, but it is intriguing, leaving plenty of room for readers’ imaginations to run amok with possibilities for the remaining five books. Mark Crilley’s previous work suggests he’ll keep me guessing through the series’ run, and despite a slightly slow start, I’m hopeful that the foundation laid in Brody’s Ghost v. 1 will lead to greater things in the future.

The Playwright
Written by Daren Write
Illustrated by Eddie Campbell
Published by Top Shelf

It’s nice to end the year with a review of one of 2010′s best comics. If I were compiling a “best of” list, rest assured, The Playwright would rank high on it.

The back cover of Daren White and Eddie Campbell’s latest, The Playwright, describes the book as “a dark comedy about the sex life of a celibate middle-aged man.”  If that sounds awesome to you, as it does to me, let me assure you, The Playwright actually exceeds its promise.

White and Campbell structure the story, for most of its duration, with three panels per page, each accompanied by a caption box. The delivery, dry and sardonic, captures the timidity and bleakness of the titular writer’s life, while the illustrations move back and forth between his lusty ambitions and his staid actions. If you like Campbell’s strong pen and ink and watercolor artwork or appreciate seeing your own follies reflected back at  you, The Playwright’s one of the best books in recent memory, darkly funny, insightful, and quite unforgettable.

MAD’s Greatest Artists: Sergio Aragonés: Five Decades of His Finest Works
Written by Sergio Aragonés and friends
Illustrated by Sergio Aragonés
Published by Running Press

The World’s Fastest Cartoonist, Sergio Aragonés, went through the impossible-to-count number of pages he’s drawn for MAD Magazine over the past fifty years and chose his best strips to be included in this book, a 270-page hardcover collection perfect for fans of Sergio, MAD or anything remotely funny.

Features including “A MAD Look at …” and “The Shadow Knows” dominate the proceedings, though Sergio provides several other featurettes. Many showcase his classic pantomime gag strips; others are produced in collaboration with script writers. Cover illustrations, eye-bleeding detailed sequences such as MAD’s look at comic book conventions, and early silent stories round out the collection.

Each page is accompanied by the issue number and year of the sequence’s original publication. I’ve seen a few of these strips as a kid in various MAD’s compendiums, but this edition – MAD’s Greatest Artists: Sergio Aragonés: Five Decades of His Finest Works – is definitely the way to own this material. Sergio’s a cartooning master, and to have his best work under one cover is too good to miss out on.

Grendel: Behold the Devil
Written & Illustrated by Matt Wagner
Lettered by Tom Orzechowski
Published by Dark Horse Comics

The latest book in Matt Wagner’s Grendel series is something of a homecoming. Wagner has revisited the series’ original protagonist Hunter Rose several times, notably in the Black, White and Red miniseries (and the Red, White and Black sequel), but in those instances, Wagner collaborated with other illustrators on short stories, each illuminating a tiny corner of Hunter Rose’s world and the Grendel milieu.

In Behold the Devil, Wagner takes up the art chores himself, drawing Hunter for the first time in a long while.  He’s also telling a long-form story – this book first serialized in eight chapters – that promises to give readers a meatier look into Hunter Rose’s character.

On one hand, the book is smartly written and very well drawn.  Wagner’s a master comic artist, witnessed in his iconic character designs and startling layouts. His ability to capture chaos or the balletic ebb and flow of a beautifully choreographed fight sequence is nearly unparalleled. Few artists can capture a dramatic beat as powerfully as Wagner, and fewer still can add strong character acting to the mix.

As for the story – taken on its own, Behold the Devil is compelling, a layered mystery, with plenty to keep readers guessing and strong character beats.  On the other hand, few of the character beats haven’t been covered in previous Grendel stories.  Behold the Devil is for hardcore Grendel fans (like me) who enjoy seeing Wagner’s talents on display or for neophyte Grendel readers.  For casual Grendel readers, there’s not necessarily much new here.  Behold the Devil’s still a good story, but I think I’d like to see Wagner creating something from whole cloth rather than revisiting Hunter at this point.

Transformers: The IDW Collection v. 2

Written by Simon Furman, Stuart Moore, Nick Roche & George Strayton

Illustrated by Don Figueroa, E.J. Su, Rob Ruffalo, Robby Musso, Roche & Guido Guidi

Colored by Josh Burcham, John Raunch, Zac Atkinson, Ruffalo, Kieran Oats & Andrew Elder

Lettered by Robbie Robbins & Sulaco Studios, Neil Utetake & Chris Mowry

Published by IDW

Two long stories and six short tales make up this second collection of IDW’s Transformers comics.

“Stormbringer,” by Furman & Figueroa, takes place essentially concurrently with v. 1’s “Infiltration” storyline, explaining the status of Cybertron and where Optimus Prime is.  Although the backstory of Thunderwing feels slightly underdeveloped, Furman builds a strong sense of dread in his appearance and Figueroa’s detailed, dynamic shots maximize the action.

“Escalation,” by Furman & Su, features Megatron’s plot against Earth moving to the next level, and the continued threat of a human faction moving against the Transformers. Su has stood out, to me, as the most dynamic Transformer artist, more cartoony than Figueroa, but more consistent with layouts and pacing.  The story is strong, with lots of action, a solid plot and strong intrigue.

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Miss Don’t Touch Me v. 2
Written & Colored by Hubert
Illustrated by Kerascoët
English translation by Joe Johnson
Lettering by Ortho
Published by NBM

After the startling success of the first Miss Don’t Touch Me book, the creators are back with a sequel.  There’s not much you need to know to jump right into this book.  Our heroine Blanche is a virgin prostitute (for various reasons covered in the first book), and she’s a very popular dominatrix at the pleasure palace known as Pompadour.  She has a (very) few allies and a few (more) enemies there.

While the first book operated as a twisted murder mystery, v. 2 serves readers a more emotionally damaging story. Blanche finds her Prince Charming, a dashing and kind young man named Antoine who is devoted to her and, she hopes, will rescue her from the debts that bind her to the Pompadour.  Her shiftless mother, a shyster born, also chooses this moment to reinsert herself into Blanche’s life, and though Blanche is suspicious, she can’t quite stop herself from trusting her own mother.

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Batman & Robin v. 2: Batman vs. Robin
Written by Grant Morrison
Illustrated by Cameron Stewart, Andy Clarke, Scott Hanna and Dustin Nguyen
Colored by Alex Sinclair and Tony Aviña
Lettered by Pat Brosseau and Jared K. Fletcher
Published by DC Comics

I can’t imagine anybody without a moderate to strong understanding of Batman lore appreciating this book, but I certainly enjoyed it.  Morrison plays Batman, now Dick Grayson, and Robin, now Damian Wayne, off one other very well, with effusive banter and effective touches to underscore the respect they’ve gained for one another.  The plot is lightning fast, so be prepared to keep up.

The first half, with Morrison’s favorite obscure Batman and Robin analogues, Knight and Squire, and a slightly shoe-horned-in Batwoman manages to stay (just barely at times) this side of coherent, with too many characters jumbled together a little too quickly, but it’s a decent if forgettable yarn.  I’ll give it points as a clever thematic tie-in to the Blackest Night event without actually referencing the event at all.  The second half, which has Robin dealing with his mother and her “influence”, is stronger, more focused, more couched in Batman lore.  It also builds around a stronger emotional core.  You need to know Dick Grayson’s Nightwing/Teen Titans history at least cursorily, as well as Damian’s parentage, to really appreciate it, but most casual fans have requisite knowledge.

Both artists, Cameron Stewart and Andy Clarke, suit the series well.  Each provides clean artwork, detailed to carry the story but never cluttered with lines, and they lay their pages out effectively.  The result is a good-looking, fast-moving series, smartly written and recommended for interested readers.

Superman: Earth One
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Penciled by Shane Davis
Inked by Sandra Hope
Colored by Barbara Ciardo
Lettered by Rob Leigh
Published by DC Comics

If you’ve been reading my ramblings for a while now, you’ve noticed that despite my general indifference to superhero comics, I’m a big nut for Superman.  There’s something very inspiring and exciting about the character, something I’ve never found in the derivatives who’ve followed his creation.  So understand that I looked forward to Superman: Earth One and only felt more thrilled when the sales numbers took off, the critical word came back strong.  And perhaps I got a little too excited.

Now, let me say up front, I enjoyed Superman: Earth One.  It’s solidly written, with passable insights into the characters and plenty of great action.  I enjoyed it, and I’m in for the sequel when it arrives.  In Superman: Earth One, if you missed the hype, writer J. Michael Straczynski reinterprets Superman for the modern era.  Forget what you know: Clark Kent is twenty-ish years old, he’s just arrived in Metropolis, and he’s like most of us at that age – full of promise, but unsure how to apply himself.

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Castle Waiting v. 2
Written & Illustrated by Linda Medley
Published by Fantagraphics

There are few comics as pleasant at Castle Waiting.  Linda’s Medley’s fantasy series takes place sometime after the end of traditional fantasy – happily ever after and the great conflict both seem to be in the recent past, and a collection of diverse strangers have gathered in an abandoned castle to make a new life for themselves.

Clocking in at over 350 pages, v. 2 offers readers a meaty chunk of story, a nice compliment to the massive v. 1 hardcover.  In addition to continuing to explore their home, where they discover hidden passages, booby traps and more, the cast welcomes company in the form of Henry’s surrogate family (they’re dwarves, but don’t call them that; it’s offensive!).  The new blood introduces a new mix to the group, which Medley explores in considerable detail.

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The John Stanley Library: Tubby
Written by John Stanley
Illustrated by John Stanley & Lloyd White
Published by Drawn & Quarterly

Drawn & Quarterly brings us another collection of John Stanley’s comics, with Tubby from 1954 and 1955, and it’s another solid winner.  Within these pages, the pudgy hero matches wits with spoiled rich kid Wilbur, aids friendly (and small) Martians trapped on Earth, and tries (with hilarious results) to keep girls away from his clubhouse.

Stanley’s warm humor, elegantly simple artwork (aided by finisher Lloyd White here) and inventive twists keep readers, particularly the target audience of young children, delighted throughout these fast-moving, upbeat adventures.  Stanley never preaches, but any character too big for their britches, including Tubby, finds him or herself upended by each tale’s final page. Similarly, as characters with hubris fall, readers see Tubby rewarded for his creativity and intelligence when he needs to defend himself against Wilbur’s plots or aid his Martian friends.

Drawn & Quarterly’s high standards make for an attractive book as well, with a well designed hardcover, sturdy, flat paper, and striking endpapers and contents pages.  The stories are pure plot, racing forward, rarely pausing to let readers contemplate some of their more outrageous elements, and Stanley plays every scene with a sense of whimsy and humor.  The artwork stands out for its simplicity and clarity.  In short, The John Stanley Library: Tubby maintains the high standards of writing, art and production of previous volumes in the Stanley Library series.  Young readers will certainly enjoy them, as will any reader with an appreciation of quality cartooning.

The Troublemakers
Written & Illustrated by Gilbert Hernandez
Published by Fantagraphics

Gilbert Hernandez’s latest book, The Troublemakers, continues his series of movies-within-comics.  In his Love & Rockets series, Hernandez’s sometime protagonist Rosalba “Fritz” Martinez gave up her psychiatry practice to become a B-movie queen, and The Troublemakers is – after 2007’s Chance in Hell – the second Fritz “movie.”  In this book, Hernandez’s plot follows four grifters, each trying to get their mitts on a $200,000 payout.

A few years ago, Hernandez seemed to be experimenting with comics (see Grip: The Strange World of Men) in the style of filmmaker David Lynch – stories heavy with surrealism and obscurely symbolic imagery.  With his “movie” books, Hernandez has moved into the milieu of another filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino, by embracing and indulging in the excesses and clichés of his cinematic inspirations.  Oddly, while I’ve never cared for Tarantino’s films, I’ve enjoyed Hernandez’s books – though not as much as his best Love & Rockets’ material.

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Make Me a Woman
Written & Illustrated by Vanessa Davis
Published by Drawn & Quarterly

Vanessa Davis’s book Make Me a Woman collects short autobiographical strips written and illustrated between 2004 and 2010.  The strips themselves range from one-page, hastily drawn sketchbook pages to fully-colored, longer sequences that appeared previously in various ‘zines, anthologies and online on Tablet magazine’s site.

Though the strips are all well drawn – the sketches in particular possess a liveliness – the pedestrian insights and self-effacing humor don’t enable the book to stand out compared to better autobio comics.  If this were a superhero comic, Make Me a Woman would be the middle-of-the-road book that you enjoy, but wouldn’t particularly miss if the budget required a cut.

Nipper, 1963-64
Written & Illustrated by Doug Wright
Published by Drawn & Quarterly

Doug Wright’s Nipper acted as the Canadian equivalent to Bil Keane’s The Family Circus.  There are many outward differences – Nipper is multi-paneled and almost entirely silent, whereas Keane’s strip is one image with an accompanying caption, but the overall tone of each strip is remarkably similar.  Those gosh-darn kids and their crazy antics!

Wright’s an excellent draftsman, so Nipper looks great.  If readers take anything away from the book, it will undoubtedly be an appreciation for Wright’s illustrative prowess.  In four to six panels, his elegant line and strong compositions capture the innocent and maddening travails of parenthood.  The slick drawings capture the idyllic dream of 1960s family life, a dream continually undermined by the chaotic endings of each sequence.

Doug Wright was a keen observer of the family dynamic, and a powerful, clean illustrator.  Combining his talents, he created an engaging, fun family comic strip, now collected by Drawn & Quarterly as Nipper, 1963-64. Taken in book form, the strips read incredibly quickly, giving readers not much more than an hour of enjoyment, but readers who appreciate this innocently charming material will certainly find it an hour well spent.