Pick of the Week – ODY-C #1

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Image Comics, Matt Fraction, ODY-C

More often than not, originality is praised over good writing. If an idea is fresh and new, the story would be more highly praised even if it’s poorly written. Whereas a story that follows the structure and style of previous tales might be seen as “unoriginal.” This kind of branding could hurt a story that could wind up being fantastic.

This is really a foolish kind of idea to keep in mind while reviewing a book. The reason why so many stories follow these beats and tropes is because they are deemed as “classics.” Obviously these stories have something that works for them, that’s why they’ve stuck around for so long. It’s because of this that adaptations have been a thriving genre of writing for so long.

But sometimes simply adapting a story in the manner it was written is boring. No one wants to see another adaptation of “Peter Pan” set in Victorian London. It’s been done before. Some of the most entertaining kinds of stories are the ones that take a classic that everyone knows and brings something new to it. So is the case with “ODY-C #1,” written by Matt Fraction and art by Christian Ward.

Via ign.com

The book, based on the timeless tale “The Odyssey” by Homer, follows the basic structure of the epic poem. Odyssia, having just finished fighting in a fierce and years-long war, must now return home to her family. Along the way, her ship is delayed by attacks from not only the Gods, but also forces outside her control. After that, the story takes its own twists and turns.

The obvious point to make about the changes to “The Odyssey” is that Fraction swaps the genders of every single character in the story. Odyssia, along with her entire crew, are now women as opposed to men. While this might seem to be a strange conceit, one that might only be used for shock value and potential scenes of feminine sexualization, Fraction handles the change deftly. Having written the fan-favorite book “Sex Criminals” has proven Fraction to be extremely capable of writing for the opposite gender, and none of the scenes featuring any of the gender-swapped characters in the book come across as silly or poorly written.

One scene in particular stands out from the rest of the book in this regard comes early on in the tale when Odyssia confronts He. The stand in for Helen in the story, He is the reason for the war that Odyssia is fighting. The narration of the story even says that, “thousands of swiftships once launched in his name.” By the end of the war and the beginning of the book, He is now chained up and dragged around like a helpless animal. While most writers might poke fun at the idea of a man being bound and dragged around by women, Fraction depicts the scene straight and without humor. Odyssia wonders aloud “Was that face of yours really so beautiful?” It’s clear Fraction understands the mentalities of these characters and isn’t looking to make something silly out of them. By portraying them as hardened soldiers, Fraction has managed to help define them even more and even proven that the gender of the main character doesn’t need to hinder a damn good story from being told.

The other main point that separates “ODY-C” from its predecessor is the setting. Instead of ancient Greece, the story is set among the beautiful vistas of space. Massive starships help to transport characters from place to place, and the armor each warrior dons is like something out of a “Star Wars” movie. Here, Ward shines brightest and shows that he is perhaps the perfect artist for this kind of book. Shedding the traditional look of a comic book, Ward elects to handle all the art details himself, giving each page a rich and textured feel that blends together in a way that very few books can manage to pull off.

Via bleedingcool.com

Along with the non-traditional panel layouts for many of the pages, Ward also brings sharp, jagged colors to each page to help give the look a very retro, sci-fi flare. Half the books on stands today are colored in muted tones and feel somber right from the cover images. Yet everything about this book screams adventure and excitement, right down to the psychedelic design of the cover which sees a glowing yellow galaxy stand out against the cool tones of the blues and greens of Ward’s deep space.

Beyond those two key points, the story remains relatively intact. While it may not be the same story you read in your high school English class, it’s close enough that you could get away with reading it as opposed to the hundreds of pages of dull poetry normally presented. Just don’t start talking about Cicones and their swiftships attacking Odyssia, or else you might get some weird glances from classmates.

Even the structure of the writing shows an appreciation and honor to the original text. Most of the dialogue is presented in narration blocks, with very few conversations in the book being held through dialogue bubbles. On top of this, the numbers indicating changes in ideas that are presented in some of the translations of “The Odyssey” are also kept intact. These points give the book an even stronger connection to the original text, making it feel like the classic being presented for the first time.

An example of the number system, taken from other translations of “The Odyssey”

Yet the structure of the story isn’t the only point of interest that keeps this story interesting and connected to the original. Events that take place within the story help to keep the tale from flying too far off into insanity that some science fiction stories find themselves in from time to time. By following the structure of the tale laid down by Homer thousands of years ago, Fraction and Ward are guaranteed a strong story that they can’t totally derail (even though countless other stories have come close to that very thing).

Perhaps my favorite point of the story that remained from the original version was that the feud between Odyssia and Poseidon was presented here. Because of a sacrifice not being presented to her, Poseidon now seeks vengeance towards Odyssia and does her best to try and derail Odyssia’s journey back to her family. Like in the classic tale, many of Odyssia’s problems in this issue come from her brewing battle against the wrath of Poseidon. It seems like this will also serve as potential story beats for later issues, which makes me happy to see. Knowing that the creative team will be following the structure of “The Odyssey” as closely as they are makes me even more excited for the next issue to arrive.

There are many examples of books trying to adapt a classic story and failing miserably at it. More often than not, these tales fail to capture what makes those kinds of stories fun and classic to begin with. Perhaps “ODY-C” will turn out the same way and collapse in on itself at some point down the road. But for now, the book stands as a strong addition to the stellar lineup of books that Image Comics is putting out.

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Pick of the Week – Intersect #1

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Image Comics, Intersect, Ray Fawkes

The term “art house” has been applied to countless movies reaching back decades. Being associated with dark, independent stories that appeal to a small niche as opposed to a wide, mass-market audience, these kinds of tales often break new ground in realms of storytelling.

When it comes to comic books, companies like Marvel and DC can only hope to capitalize on the kinds of innovations books that independent publishers put out. More often than not, the best, most critically acclaimed books appear under a banner that doesn’t read either of the big two publishing companies.

Image Comics, in particular, manages to constantly pump out new and exciting books month in and month out. They bring in top creators and give them free reign to publish whatever kinds of tales they want, with few restrictions on exactly what they can do. Most creative teams, while telling exciting stories, still try to stick to the kinds of linear stories that readers will understand. But not all of them follow this set path.

“Intersect,” the newest Image Comics series by writer and artist Ray Fawkes, manages to pull the reader into a strange and mysterious wonderland of visuals and ideas, all the while keeping the ideas of what is truly going on close to his chest.

Via imagecomics.com

Right from the very first page, it becomes clear to the reader that this will be unlike any other book before it. The narrative is smooth and straightforward, with two people on the run from an unknown entity that is chasing them. Yet the details of the story begin to make this concept hazy and unclear. At times, names and voices are heard that don’t match up with who is talking, and identities become blurred into a senseless menagerie of colors and shapes.

Fawkes is swinging for the fence on this one, pushing the boundaries of what makes a popular comic and leaning more towards the feel of an “art house” piece. The narrative oftentimes becomes bogged down to the point where the reader will have difficulty understanding who is who, and even what is going on. Yet the tone of the book remains constant, always leaving the reader feeling like there’s something just around the corner or off the page, lurking in the shadows. It is quite a feat, but Fawkes pulls it off with aplomb.

One of the most perplexing notions within the book is established right on the third page, where we learn that one of the characters may or may not have a second face growing out of the back of her head. This second face will interject at times, leaving the reader wondering who it is that’s exactly speaking. This idea is also seen in the character of Ali, who acts as “Ali” for a majority of the issue and then switches to a different “persona,” that of “Jason.” By the end of the first issue, there is a bit of clarity as to how these different characters can switch between personalities, yet the overall tone and style of how the story is presented gives little explanation, throwing the reader into the deep end to figure things out as they go.

Even the setting of the book isn’t given directly to the reader; instead it serves as another clue for fans to puzzle out and wonder about. On page one, a sign made up of cut-out letters reads “The City of Treidot” in front of sections of a tattered street map of a city. If one were to rearrange the letters of the final word it spells out “Detroit,” insinuating this might be the locale of our protagonists. Yet nothing in the book is straightforward, making us wonder if this is just a red-herring or something more sinister.

Similar to some of his other works, including “The Spectral Engine,” Fawkes both rites and draws this book. While his storytelling skills are phenomenal, some readers may be put off by the art style Fawkes uses. Employing the use of fully-painted pages, Fawkes manages to bring a strange, surreal quality to the book that helps to improve the haunting atmosphere. The blending of both panels (if there are any on a specific page) and colors makes the book feel like you’re experiencing someone else’s dream world, or their worst nightmares.

via imagecomics.com

Like many of his previous creator-owned books before, Fawkes strikes more towards an overall emotion than a set narrative. The story that plays out in these pages may seem less like a story and more like the ramblings of someone’s dream journal, but the sense of what Fawkes tries to get across becomes clear by the end of the issue. Not many creators could pull of this kind of tale and have it be as impactful as Fawkes does, which is a testament to his skills as a storyteller.

Fawkes has admitted on Twitter that the story is supposed to be confusing from the get-go, yet cryptically stated “everything is on purpose.” This lends hope that there is a larger story that will be revealed as time passes, and the frustratingly confusing aspects of the book will build to something. This mystery is also seen in the back of the book, where Fawkes, a self-proclaimed fan of puzzles and riddles, has developed several codes to accompany different pieces of artwork that fit the disturbingly beautiful tone of the story. Fans, if they are smart enough, can try and piece together the meanings of these to try and see where things are going, giving readers an impetus to stick around.

Yet when it comes down to it, this book definitely won’t be for everybody. The overall tone of the story, along with the reluctance of information in this opening chapter, might lead readers to want to try and puzzle through the book when it gets released in a collection. Being able to read several issues at one time might lend the story to a stronger and more compelling tale that gives answers quickly, as opposed to waiting a whole month between each thin issue.

Despite this, “Intersect” pushes the boundaries of what storytelling can be by pushing the graphic medium to new heights. “Art house” is usually only applied to movies, but this book could rightfully carry this title. Hopefully, this book will lead bigger publishers to expand and try out new kinds of stories.

Graphic Novel Review – Nailbiter, volume 1: There Will be Blood

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Graphic Novel, Image Comics, Joshua Williamson, Nailbiter

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from reading comic books for close to a decade, it’s that they can tell any kind of story they want to. Normally, they have a stigma of being only about superheroes. Gods among men who do the impossible to save the day for the innocent bystanders that look up to them from the streets of the city they protect. While comics are dominated mainly by these kinds of tales, they aren’t the only ones that can be told. It would be like saying novels could only tell historical fiction stories. Crazy, right?

If one were to branch out, they’d find a plethora of unique and interesting genres populating the comic book landscape. Stories that could fit into action, horror, or science fiction genres can be found on any great comic book shop’s walls. Personally, I’ve always enjoyed a good crime book myself. Seeing the tales of bad people doing bad things, and the cops who try to stop them, has always been fascinating to me.

But the crime genre can have many variations to it that help to make these tales even more interesting.  They don’t all have to be down-to-Earth, gritty noir tales to be compelling and fun to read. As a matter of fact, sometimes the more outlandish the idea, the more fun the book is.

So it is with the book “Nailbiter.” Written by Joshua Williamson, art by Mike Henderson and colors by Adam Guzowski, the series tackles one of the most commonly used tropes in crime fiction and brings a new spin to it.

via imagecomics.com

Set in the small town of Buckaroo, Oregon, the narrative follows Nicholas Finch, an army special intelligence agent, as he follows the trail of his old friend Eliot Carroll, who has mysteriously vanished, to figure out the secret of the “Buckaroo Butchers.” The town of Buckaroo has become known for “creating” serial killers, with sixteen horrific murderers originating from the village. Uniting with the town’s sheriff, Finch sets out to find his friend and work through the mysteries that Carroll uncovered.

While the plot may sound corny, the creative team acknowledges this in the dialogue and actions of the characters. Finch is the ultimate “straight man” in this macabre tale, questioning everything that goes on in the strange town. From a “murder store” being run by the descendant of the original “Buckaroo Butcher” to a graveyard designed specifically for the butchers, Finch serves to voice the many questions the reader may be feeling. It’s a clever way for the creators to let the reader know they understand all of this is a bit weird.

Finch himself is the typical rogue agent, but never comes across as such. When the reader first meets him, he is holding a gun to his head, ready to kill himself for some unknown reason. Later in the story, the reader slowly begins to understand the nuances to the character as more and more details about his life come to be known. It does feel a bit strange to see this kind of plot recycled, but it works in the context of the absurd nature of the tale.

As the tale progresses, Finch and Sheriff Crane must come face-to-face with Edward Warren, known as “The Nailbiter,” the only “Buckaroo Butcher” to escape conviction or death. The “calling card” of his killings is that the victims have their fingers gnawed off by Warren before he kills them. The nail-biting is depicted by Henderson as horrific and disturbing, making Warren’s presence in the book unsettling to say the least. His very first appearance in the book shows the true horror of someone who chews other people’s nails before killing them.

via imagecomics.com

While Warren is a terrifying character, Williamson also manages to bring a level of humor to the character. There are several references to classic serial killers in literature, such as Hannibal Lecter, in the scenes with Warren. In one memorable scene, Warren is confronted by a young high school girl who wants to know more about him and the “Buckaroo Butchers.” When she first meets him, Warren utters the words, “Hello Clarice.” To this, the girl responds “My name is Alice, who’s Clarice?”

It’s these small things that show Williamson’s talents as a writer. Having written another book of a similar design called “Ghosted,” which has been touted as “Ocean’s 11” meets “the Shining,” Williamson has managed to craft his writing to be both compelling and fun, all the while honoring the stories that influence his work. There is a definite “Twin Peaks” vibe to the tale on top of the many serial killer references, with the quirkiness of the townsfolk and the strange nature of Buckaroo itself feeling like an episode right out of the show. Williamson manages to take all of these crazy threads and make the book feel adventurous and new, despite it being strange and slightly goofy.

Henderson also manages to bring his best work to the book as well, showcasing both the quirkiness of the town and the horror of these killers all at the same time. From the original butcher burning down a school with children still inside to the ultimate fate of Carroll, Henderson brings a terrifying counterbalance to the quirkiness of the book. Ultimately, the dichotomy between the writing and art is what makes the book work so well. On the surface, the town just seems a bit odd and strange to those that encounter it for the first time. It is only later, as the story progresses that the true, disturbing nature of Buckaroo is revealed.

By the end of the first collection, the reader has been thoroughly introduced to the main characters and is aware of the mystery surrounding the town. There is definitely something strange afoot in Buckaroo, and soon enough Finch and Crane will discover it. From the actions of the boys who imitate the crimes of past butchers to the mysterious tomb found underneath the butcher graveyard, something is not right in the little town of Buckaroo. The three main figures of the tale will have to figure what this is soon, before more bodies begin to pile up. Certainly not your average crime tale, I’d say.

Pick of the Week – Batman #36

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Batman, DC Comics, Greg Capullo, New 52, Scott Snyder

*Spoilers for the issue follow.*

It’s hard to try and make your mark on something when there’s so much history behind it. When looking at certain comic book characters, it’s hard to envision a new story that hasn’t been told a hundred times over, in dozens of different variations. It can drive readers (and writers) insane when it feels like the wheels of a story are spinning on decades of old stories, preventing them from developing anything new or exciting.

In the case of Batman, it’s especially challenging. He’s currently one of the most popular characters in all of pop culture, let alone comics. He also happens to be celebrating his seventy-fifth anniversary this year. DC Comics has been hyping every Bat-book this year as being a part of honoring who Batman is, and the mark he has left on the consciousness. While most of these books have been alright to just plain “meh,” the flagship title of “Batman” has been consistently good.

The latest issue in the series, written by Scott Snyder with pencils by Greg Capullo, inks by Danny Miki, and colors by FCO Plascencia, sees the continuation of the much-hyped story “Endgame,” which has been kept shrouded in mystery for months. Even the covers have been kept from the public, only being released after the latest issue hits. The previous chapter of the story saw Batman, armored up in his “Justice Buster” suit, take on the entirety of the Justice League in a knock-down, drag-out brawl through the streets of Gotham. While that was an entertaining issue in it of itself, it is this latest issue that really sees the creative team let loose and unleash a new kind of pulse-pounding hell onto the reader.

At the climax of last issue, it was revealed that the Joker has returned, looking to destroy everything Batman has after he rejected the Clown Prince of Crime in 2012’s critically praised story line “Death of the Family.” Here, the Joker has poisoned the Justice League and sends them after Batman to break him down in front of the citizens of Gotham. The first half of the issue sees the climax of the Justice League battle begun in issue thirty-five, with a “Jokerized” Superman showing up to take on the Batman.

It’s fun to see the creative team of the book really let loose here and have these two giants really let loose on each other. Snyder clearly shows he’s been thinking about this showdown for a while now, by having each character bring new facets to the age-old throw-down of titans. From Batman’s miniature red suns in his fist, nicknamed his “red giants,” to Superman showing the full capacity of his heat vision, the fight feels fresh and original. However, there is some level of horror in seeing Superman acting and talking like Batman’s greatest foe. This is where the art team really shines. One scene in particular showcases the kind of horror this team can capture. The reader sees Superman walking towards Batman, shrouded in darkness save for his emblem and twisted smile. It’s terrifying on a deep level, and everything from the layout to the colors selected make this image pop right off the page.

via ign.com

Even the cover managed to instill some level of fear and anxiety in a reader, showing the “Jokerized” Superman hunched over, baring his teeth in a menacing smile at the reader about to pick up the book. The only color that appear on the monochromatic cover is red, inferring to the reader the issue will be filled with violence and mayhem. Needless to say, by the shocking climax of the issue, this occurs in spades.

Later on, as the fight winds down and the “winner” is decided, Snyder brings his own take on the question that has haunted fans ever since it was thought up: who would win in a fight, Superman or Batman? It not only makes sense to the reader, but also manages to add another layer to the building tension that the story is creating.

It is in the second half of the issue that the reader gets their full look at Snyder and Capullo’s new redesign of the Joker through a reveal that, odds are, no one saw coming. Readers of “Death of the Family” will vividly remember their last designs of Batman’s greatest nemesis, showing him parading around with his severed, rotting face attached to his head through several wires hooked into his skin and scalp. While this new design isn’t as horrifying as that previous look (honestly, what could be?), it still has a eeriness that will leave the reader unnerved every time they see him.

The new look is almost reminiscent of the design of the Joker in the animated film “Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.” A shorter haircut, coupled with a black suit with purple highlights gives the character a more direct and menacing appearance. Giving the Joker a more streamlined, basic look has managed to distill the scariness of the character down to the very essence of who he is. While a man wearing his own severed face and laughing about it is terrifying, this design brings out the classic, fearsome look of the Joker once more. While this year might be the celebration of Batman’s seventy-fifth birthday, it’s also the Joker’s, and this redesign manages to recognize who the Joker truly is underneath all the hoopla and showmanship.

It is here, in the ruins of Arkham Asylum (destroyed in the pages of the weekly series “Batman Eternal”) that Snyder’s brilliance as a writer comes forth. Having Batman admit that the place he fears the most is the Joker’s old cell brings new depth and emotion to the character. Here, Snyder also shows his attention to detail and back-continuity, giving the Joker’s cell a number that has shown up in other classic Joker tales, such as “Batman: The Killing Joke” and “Batman: R.I.P.” By bringing in this back continuity, Snyder uses the great plethora of details that might trip-up an average comic writer into making his story stronger for it.

But Snyder’s true genius is in the reveal of the Joker himself. As mentioned earlier, it was unlikely that anyone reading the series would have guessed that Eric Border, a doctor at Arkham for years who was introduced in the pages of last year’s “Batman Annual #2” was in fact the Joker in disguise. The character has shown up all over the Bat-books for months now, and has been a steady character that has aided Batman several times. But looking back after this reveal, the clues to his true identity are plain as day to see. Even the deeper meanings behind each piece of his name, as spelled out by the Joker himself during his “transformation” make perfect sense. To be able to seed this character into the mythology and have no one suspect his true identity, all the while leaving tiny clues to have it all make sense, is a sign of a fantastic writer.

By the end of the issue, the details of the Joker’s plans to destroy everything Batman loves are coming together. As a new Joker virus sweeps through the city, infecting everyone as it goes, Batman will be trapped in the very place he hates the most. Even the Joker’s final words to Batman, “When you come out of it, everyone in Gotham, the whoooole city…will be laughing at you,” echo the psychopath’s idea that while their earlier interactions were about the Joker’s “love” for Batman, now he only wants to see the total and utter destruction of his one-time “friend.”

It’s true that coming up with new stories in comics that feel fresh and exciting is challenging. When they’re not done well, they can suck the life out of a book. But sometimes, a creative team comes along that manages to bring characters that have been run through the wringer more times than they can count and make a compelling story out of it. “Batman #36,” by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, manages to do just that, all the while setting the stage for an even grander showdown as their “Endgame” hits its stride.