Iron Man 2 Review

Iron Man 2, one of the most anticipated films of 2010, has come. The first Iron Man set the bar for the franchise, and superhero films in general, exceedingly high. There was very little chance that the sequel could live up to the ever growing hype, but even so, I held out hope. The reviews came in decidedly mixed (57 on Metacritic) and I grudgingly lowered my expectations. After seeing it twice, I feel I can weigh in with my opinion.

Iron man 2 is awesome!

It is not a perfect film, and it does not present a completely cohesive narrative compared to the first film, or storytelling technique in general. I still had a blast the whole time through on both viewings and came away impressed by what Jon Favreau and Co. have accomplished with Iron Man 2.



The story picks up right where the first film left off, then quickly jumps ahead six months. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is struggling to regulate his company and his health. Most the players from the first film are back, including Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), James Rhodes (Don Cheadle, previously Terrance Howard), Happy Hogan (director Jon Favreau), and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, who you may have missed if you did not watch through the credits of the first film). This movie also introduces several new characters, including Justin Hammer (Sam "someone toss this dude an Oscar already" Rockwell), Ivan Vanko (Mickey "good work giving this dude an Oscar already" Rourke), Natalie Rushman (Scarlett "I'm here to make fanboys drool" Johansson), and Tony's father, Howard Stark (John Slattery). Besides juggling all these new and returning characters the film manages to tell a story about a self destructive Tony Stark cleaning up messes that he has effectively created, all the while being the lovable asshole we have come to know so well. The plot is cluttered and messy, but basically revolves around the ideas of legacy and (ir)responsibility. If this film was about three hours long and a little less precious with some segments, it could have probably juggled all the threads and told a more comprehensible story. It still works to introduce all manner of awesome into the Iron man and Marvel Studios universes.

Throughout the film, Tony is put up against a business competitor in Justin Hammer, a new super villain in Whiplash, and his own mortality as he struggles to find a different power source for the armor before it kills him. Tony's conflict with Hammer is probably the most enjoyable of these three conflicts, but Iron Man 2 stays engaging as the plot bounces around between each element. Some moments feel a little long, like watching a drunk Tony Stark abuse the Iron man armor. Some story pieces feel slightly glossed over, like the romantic tension between Tony and Pepper. Overall, the story moves fast enough that no mistakes significantly ruin the fun and momentum of the film. Watching Tony rediscover a new element is gloriously comic book-y, stopping just before the point of ridiculousness, but little moments like this also serve to add to the universe these films are building (if I am not mistaken, Tony found Vibranium, a fictional element that comes up in the comics). While it could be argued that Iron Man 2 tries to do too much, the plot serves the film well by carrying it through all the necessary character moments and action set pieces that a quality summer film should have.




The characters in Iron Man 2, just as in the first, are the most enjoyable part of the film. Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark is perfect. He is everything you could hope for in the role, and the whole franchise succeeds on his shoulders. You cannot help but like him even while he does very little to earn it. It will be interesting to see him on screen against the younger Chris Evans, as Captain America, in the Avengers Film because they have always been presented as similarly aged in the comics. Gwyneth Paltrow does a great job sharing the screen with Downey Jr. I do wish there was another beat between these two before the last scene in the film, but she gets plenty of screen time to flesh out her character into an endearing equal, and much needed balance to the out of control Tony. Don Cheadle effortlessly picks up the role of James Rhodes and fits in this universe better than Terrance Howard did, though I never did have a specific problem with Howard's performance. Jon Favreau is clearly having fun with his screen time as Happy Hogan, but some of his scenes probably could have been cut to streamline the picture. Ear biting was funny 10 years ago, less so now. I enjoy Samuel L. Jackson in most roles, even some of his most outrageous, but I am still not sold on his Nick fury, especially now that there are talks to do an entire film based on the character. I would love to see a WW2 story featuring Sergeant Fury and his Howling Commandos, but I doubt that is the direction they will take with this character now. Jackson comes across as more of a super-spy than a hardened war veteran. Clark Gregg also reprises his role as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent with more screen time and personality than before. With all these returning cast members, it is hard to believe there was room for more, but they managed.




The new characters' casting was handled spectacularly. Sam Rockwell steals scenes throughout the film as Justin Hammer, the wannabe Tony Stark. His performance sells the lengths that his character is willing to go to compete with Stark and almost makes his actions seem more pitiable than outright evil. Ivan Venko is an occasionally ridiculous creation, that is saved by Mickey Rourke's careful portrayal. I really could have done without the agonizing scream early in the film (this kind of scene is nearly impossible to sell in any film, writers/directors take note) and the whole bird subplot later on though. Ivan is representative of all the worst things Tony could have become if his world had not been handed to him on an iron platter. I am beginning to wonder if Scarlett Johansson is only an average actress, and I was too distracted to notice because of her other attributes. She doesn't ruin any scenes, but she does not add much texture to the film either. Her character could have her own spin-off film, but she never felt attached enough to the role for me to see that happening. She does fill out one particular outfit quite well. I was pleasantly surprised to see John Slatterly (Mad Men's Roger Sterling, one of the best television characters in existence) as Howard Stark. He seems like a mix of his character from that show and a vintage Walt Disney. I would love to see more of him in future Marvel films. Gary Shandling also deserves a mention for his role as Senator Stern. His courtroom scene with Downey Jr. is one of the funnier moments in the film. The strength of this cast could compete with Dark Knight and might even come out with an edge. I'd take Jarvis in Tony's suit over growly Bruce Wayne in Batman's any day. For a film without a solid emotional core, the cast really does a lot to make you care in as the film rushes through all the ground it has to cover.



Upon first viewing, I was not sold on the action of Iron Man 2. It seemed somehow underwhelming, but again I think that is just a testament to the strength of the acting in the film. Since then, I have heard people claim each of the major action set pieces as their favorite, which implies they are all successful. There is a scene on a race track, featuring villain Whiplash, early in the film that manages to be both exciting and humorous. It also introduces Iron man's suit case armor, which is one of the bigger "Oh Shit!" moments in the movie (slightly undercut by being present in the trailer). We also get a heated Iron Man versus War Machine battle midway through that demolishes a large portion of Stark's residence. This scene is a huge success and ends up being one of the more emotionally intense conflicts throughout. The big climax is a battle between Iron Man, War Machine, a whole heap of Hammer drones, and a powered up Whiplash (possibly a reference to Crimson Dynamo?). This extended set piece is technically impressive, but for some reason the stakes never feel appropriately insurmountable. The action choreography was an improvement over the first film in many ways. Jon Favreau never struck me as an action director, even after Iron Man, but he seems to be getting it down. I never felt lost in scenes and stayed engaged in the conflict even during the extended climax. The action is made possible by some truly impressive effects work as well.

ILM did a great job on the first film. The combination of practical and CG was almost unbelievable. There were no glaring issues, but Iron man 2 easily tops that already impressive display. The suits look great in every scene and there are many moments where I could not be sure if what I was looking at was practical or CG. Something about seeing believable robotic suits in live action is so satisfying. The action does well to not overshadow the story, and the effects do not overshadow the action. Everything works to form a momentum that had me entertained and engaged completely.



After that obligatory rundown of plot, actors, and action, I feel like I still have not accurately captured what made this film so good. Iron Man 2 is a delicate balancing act. It manages to cram in so much story, character, and action, even while laying significant groundwork for the Marvel Studios universe. It builds a believable world for Iron Man that feels like it could house Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Ant-Man (directed by Edgar Wright please!), and more. Besides the variety of Easter eggs strewn about the film to appease comics fans, Iron Man 2 manages to actually feel like a comic book brought to life. It juggles multiple plot threads, soap opera drama, sharp humor, heavy action, and extensive world building at the same time. It never feels like a chore. It is a very fun time. If this was the end of Iron Man's story, I would be inclined to agree with some of the more negative opinions floating out there, but this is is just one small piece of a larger story being told. Iron Man 2 satisfies on its own, but it also succeeds in building excitement for the future of these Marvel films.



There is a lot of talk about the illusion of change in comics and how it helps and hurts the stories that are told in the medium. These characters have to stay relatively static in order to be easily marketable. In translating a comic to film, it is easy to cherry pick from the decades of continuity to come up with some earth shattering plot, but it is admirable for Favreau and Co. to craft a straight up comic book story that is optimized to have fun in the established universe. Iron Man 2 is hugely respectful to the source without being obsessed with telling another person's idea of the definitive Iron Man story. Favreau is resisting pressure to delve too heavily into the classic Demon in a Bottle storyline that finds Tony Stark up against the villain of alcoholism (cue dramatic music), and I absolutely respect his choice to portray Tony as an unapologetic dick who stubbornly displays almost no growth throughout an entire picture.

My Pull List-The Comics I Buy Part Two: DC Comics

You can read Part One of this article here.

Today, I am going to discuss all the DC comics I currently read. DC is the other member of the "Big Two" besides Marvel. Some of their most famous characters include Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Flash. DC books are famous for having a generally more epic scope and more clean cut approach to stories and characters. DC also publishes the astonishingly consistent mature readers line called Vertigo, and another super hero line called Wildstorm.

Here are the DC books I currently buy each month.



Batman and Robin: Batman and Robin is a great superhero book that can be enjoyed simply for the fun action and crazy characters writer Grant Morrison is filling it with, but it is also worth appreciating for the fresh approach it brought the Batman franchise. In this book, Bruce Wayne is nowhere to be found. Instead, Dick Grayson, former Robin is Batman and Damien, Bruce's son, is Robin. This puts an interesting spin on the Batman and Robin relationship because now Batman is a lot more upbeat, and Robin is the serious one. This comic is also part celebration of Batman's wacky past, including the Adam West television series. The art on this series is being done by a different artist for each arc. Frank Quietly's three issues were beautiful. He definitely brings out the best in Morrison's writing. The second arc art, by Phillip Tan, was less impressive, especially following such a strong first showing. Cameron Stewart, another frequent Morrison collaborator, is up next so hopefully the quality will rebound soon. There is a collection of the first arc due out in April, but you can also find all the single issues in many comic stores right now.



Detective Comics: Detective Comics is another book in the Batman franchise that has benefited from changing things up significantly. Batwoman is the the current star of the series written by Greg Rucka with art by J.H. Williams III. This story took years to finally come out, which turned out to be a clever move because it let the "Oh my God, a gay!" attitude wear out a little bit. Batwoman, aka Kate Kane, is indeed a lesbian, but luckily the series has developed her as a well rounded character and not lingered on that one detail. She is probably one of the strongest new characters DC has introduced in quite a few years. Greg Rucka is predictably perfect at writing his female lead, but the real story with this book is the art. Williams has always been an artist to watch; he is one of the only artists who's work makes a book a must buy for me, and he has let loose here. Every issue blows me away and is worth going through at least twice. His layouts are inventive. He is unafraid to change styles multiple times an issue and he knows exactly how to create jaw dropping images that also function to expertly tell the story. You will have to buy this one in single issue form right now, and it would be worth going back and starting with #854 to get the whole story. The inevitable Absolute collection will also be worth a purchase down the road.



Daytripper: This series' first issue is released as a Vertigo title tomorrow so I have not actually read it yet, but based on the team of Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon, I am already 100% sold. Both of these guys are amazing storytellers, two of the best in comics, and when they work together good things are sure to happen. The story is supposedly a "slice of life tale, with a twist," but I could be wrong as I have a hard time not just staring at the pretty pictures next to the articles I have read. They each did art on an arc of Matt Fraction's Casanova, a series which seems to be shamefully forgotten in the many recent "Best of the Decade" comic book lists and Ba has gotten a lot of much deserved attention for his work on Umbrella Academy. Get in on the ground floor of this ten issue series starting tomorrow with #1. And after that ends, let's get the ball rolling on that next arc of Casanova, eh? Seriously, please?



Fables: Fables, published under the Vertigo banner, is one of my favorite monthly purchases; it is so consistent. Bill Willingham has written over 80 issues, and the story shows no sign of slowing down. This book focuses on all your favorite fairy tale characters including Snow White, The Big Bad Wolf, Red Riding Hood, and many more living in a modern world right under the Mundys' (us) noses. Mark Buckingham is the artist for the bulk of this series, and his story book style is a perfect fit for the world. The gorgeous James Jean covers were also a nice bonus while they lasted. This book has everything you could want in a story: action, adventure, romance, mystery, horror, character development, and more. There is a recently released hardcover collection that includes the first two arcs if you want to start from the beginning. Most major plot lines were recently wrapped up, so issue #86 would also make a fantastic jumping on point.



Scalped: Scalped, another Vertigo release, tells the grimy story of life on a Native-American reservation overrun with corruption, violence, and apathy. The premise of an undercover cop sent back to his old home to prove that corruption exists is mined for some tense drama and real emotion. This was Jason Aaron's breakout series, and it will be tough for him to top. R.M. Guerra fills the book with powerful, gritty images and some terrific layouts that manage to feel chaotic without becoming confusing. His style and skill seems to develop issue after issue, making this series constantly on the rise. This story would best be read from start to finish, so buy the first trade (a bargain at $9.99).



Sweet Tooth: This series is only a few issues deep, but already I am pretty excited about it. Sweet Tooth is set in a post-apocalyptic world where most people died from a mystery illness that our lead character, Gus, is somehow immune to. Oh, and he has antlers. Jeff Lemire has racked up a pretty impressive resume in comics, enough to get me fully on board a book with such a crazy premise from the go. His storytelling ability has been proven in the Essex County Trilogy, and I am excited to see what he can do with a potentially ongoing series so wildly different from his previous output. His artwork is highly expressive, and Jose Villurubia's colors look great on it as well. With only four issues out, you can probably still find issue #1(for $1!) and then catch up from there.



Ex Machina: Once there was a prolific comic book writer known as Brian K. Vaughan. You could find his name on many quality titles including Runaways and Y: The Last Man each month. Lately, his comics output has decreased dramatically, and we are blessed with only one (mostly) monthly series that is quickly coming to a close. Ex Machina, published under the Wildstorm imprint, combines politics and superheroes in a surprisingly compelling way. The story follows Mitchell Hundred, Mayor of New York City, as he faces complex political issues and super villains. Vaughan is not afraid of dealing with controversial political topics, but the story never suffers and the book never feels like his personal soap box. Ex Machina is filled with Vaughan's sharp humor and smart dialogue I am also a big fan of Tony Harris' art, and watching his style develop from Starman in the 90s through this current series has been a lot of fun. Sometimes there is a lack of motion in his work, but usually I am too busy admiring the pretty pictures to care. This series never got as much attention as Vaughan's other books, but it is equally deserving of praise. Ex Machina concludes in a few short issues, so go back and enjoy it from the beginning. It is collected in both paperback and hardcover form.

I was surprised to realize I only collected two main DC books. DC is putting out a lot of quality books, but my attention has been drawn away from standard superhero stories more and more. I could also be buying a few more Vertigo books; they have so many great titles out right now. So far we are at a total of 14 titles. Up next we go local: Dark Horse and Oni Press.

My Pull List-The Comics I Buy Part One: Marvel

A lot of people do not really understand exactly how comics work. They seem shocked to learn that I usually go to the comic book store once a week and that books are released every Wednesday (with some minor exceptions). And then, when I tell them I have a "hold box" there where all the issues I want are stored for me until I arrive, they just start to think I am making it all up. But no. Comics retail is very different than any other kind of retail in many ways. Retailers love their "subscription" customers because it takes the guess work out of their ordering. Traditionally, they cannot return anything they order even if it does not sell, so knowing how many people want a certain issue upfront is very valuable. Many retailers even offer incentive discounts for customers who use this service.


Support your local comic book store

Many comics come out monthly, many others come out on less traditional schedules based on the speed of the creators. There have been many famous years long gaps between issues unfortunately (Planetary #27, being the most recent offender), but it is the nature of the medium.

Marvel comics is referred to as one of the "Big Two," the other being DC. They are famous for such heroes as Spider-Man, The X-Men, Thor, Captain America, Daredevil, and more. They have been dominating the sales charts for the last few years with a lot of big event comics including Secret Invasion, Civil War, House of M and more. They are traditionally known for a more real world approach to superheroes, though they have made great effort to rebuild their cosmic heroes in recent years as well.

Here is a list of all the single issue (usually about 16-64 story pages, with the standard being 22) Marvel comic books I currently buy with a brief summary.



Captain America/Captain America: Reborn: Ed Brubaker has been telling an amazing story with Captain America for several years. In that time he has done some bold things such as killing major characters, and bringing other long dead ones back (I am pointlessly attempting to avoid spoilers here). All the while he has been weaving one awesome story that deftly combines super heroics, espionage, and mystery to tell a mature, modern classic in the genre. The big event in Captain America:Reborn, is almost a let down simply because I was so enjoying the direction of the series beforehand, but I still have faith in Brubaker for now. The artists he has teamed with, including Steve Epting on the main series and a Bryan Hitch/Butch Guice combo for the current miniseries, are also putting out some career defining work. Captain America: Reborn will be rapping up shortly and the best jumping on point will probably be Captain America #602, which will be out in the next few months. There are two hardcover collections you can buy to catch up in the mean time that compile issues #1 through 42 (the numbering switched to the original series order for the #600 celebration) and a Captain America: Reborn collection will, no doubt, be out in a few months.



Fantastic Four: I have long admired the idea of the Fantastic Four but have never invested in the series much, besides some exploration of the original Stan Lee/Jack Kirby run. I am not sure what it is that kept me away, but I know what finally got me on board: Jonathan Hickman. Hickman has earned quite a reputation in the last few years by putting out some very eye catching, high concept stories. His work on The Nightly News and Pax Romana was enough to get me to follow him anywhere. So far, his Fantastic Four run has mostly been a house cleaning effort, but an entertaining one at that. He seems to understand the big action/small family moments balance that the book requires. He has only written four issues, but I am already looking forward to where his story is going. Dale Eaglesham is big on drawing ridiculously muscled figures, which takes some getting used to, but his handling of action and character design is impressive. You can probably still find all four issues on the stand, or wait for a first trade later this year.



Invincible Iron Man: This series is 20 issues in, and so far it is the best Iron Man comic I have ever read. Writer Matt Fraction, whose work on Image's Casanova first caught my attention, is writing one of the best ongoing superhero books available. Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, was a successful business man and hero, but all that has changed. Fraction has stripped Tony of everything that made him who he was. Currently Tony is in a coma, and now we get to see how Fraction slowly will rebuild the man and the hero. Fraction clearly understands Tony Stark and how to tell a great action story. The pacing is almost always perfect. The character interactions are engaging. This book is taking better advantage of the Marvel Universe's current status quo (where Norman Osborne, formerly known as the Green Goblin, is calling the shots) than any other series I have seen. Salvador Larroca's art is also a solid fit most the time. His grasp of mechanical designs is impressive. His figure work is occasionally awkward, but he seems to be getting better as the series progresses and having a single artist on an extended run is always nice. A new arc just started with issue 20 and it seems to be a good jumping on point (though it did jump in price to $3.99 unfortunately). Issues #1 through 19 are being collected in one over-sized hardcover so that would also be a great way to catch up.



Secret Warriors: This is another fairly new series by creator to watch, Jonathan Hickman (with some initial help by Brian Michael Bendis). Hickman seems to have big plans for this book, and watching them unfold has been an intense ride so far. Secret Warriors is primarily focused on Nick Fury, rebel S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and the group he has gathered to oppose the now corrupt organization. Hickman has introduced some new young characters, but it is hard to compete when Nick Fury shows up. Sometimes I just wish I was reading a Hickman Nick Fury book. The dialogue is always great. The pacing seems to fluctuate a bit from issue to issue, but so far I have had a great time watching the story unfold. Alex (son of Ares, God of War), and current God of Fear is also proving to be an interesting character in the hands of Hickman and some of the other new characters definitely seem promising. This book is also making good use of the Marvel Universe's precarious position. The series has two artists that will switch off between arcs. Stefano Casselli has been working on several Marvel books over the last few years, really honing his style. While he would not have been my first choice for this kind of book, he has proven to actually be a solid fit, by toning down some of the cartoon like elements of his style. Italian artist, Alessandro Vitti has also impressed me with the detail he has brought to Hickman's world in this book. There is a collection of the first arc out now that would be the most logical starting point.



X-Factor: Peter David has had a long career in comics, including a defining run on Incredible Hulk and an extended run on a previous incarnation of X-Factor. Several years ago David did a miniseries called Madrox, that set up this ongoing series. Madrox was a strong start to a very solid long form story. This is not a typical X-Men comic, in that it relies more on character development and comedy than epic plot movement. The story focuses on Madrox, the Multiple Man, and several other mutants that would generously be described as B list. These characters spend most their time in various dramatic (read soap opera-y) situations, in between solving occasional mysteries in a self aware noir style. David has done well to tell his story in a universe that has changed dramatically multiple times since he started plotting the series. This is not my favorite book, but it is consistent in telling an entertaining story and building characters you root for. Sometimes the jokes aren't funny, but when they hit, they hit strong. There are also a number of strong payoffs to the character development that recall Joss Whedon's style in shows like Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Angel. Unfortunately, the book has never had a very consistent art team, and that has really affected my overall enjoyment of the series. In a perfect world, Ryan Sook would have done every single issue, and this series would probably be selling through the roof. Lately, the art seems to be slightly more consistent though, and David seems sincere in his goal to work on that problem. A good jumping on point would be the upcoming issue #200, which promises to bring a lot of change, and hopefully a shot in the arm, to this little series. It would also be worth checking out a trade of that Madrox series if you can find it.



Astonishing X-Men: I found Joss Whedon's run on this series to be one of my favorite X-Men stories ever, and I was excited to hear that Warren Ellis would be following that run. So far that excitement has not been completely betrayed, but I am slightly less interested in where this story is going than I was a year ago. Ellis' first arc, Ghost Boxes, was a cool little story full of the big sci-fi ideas and snarky dialogue he is known for. The biggest problem with the story was the massive delay between issues and negative PR surrounding a $3.99 price tag for a 16 page story. Many people seemed to take issue with the art as well, though I enjoyed Simone Bianchi's non-traditional style. The second arc seems to be coming out more regularly, and with artist Phil Jimenez (stylistic heir to comics legend George Perez and frequent artist on Grant Morrison's defining New X-Men run) on board, there are a lot less easy reasons to ignore this book. So far it has been a solid X-Men story, and Ellis' take on characters such as Emma Frost, Agent Brand, and Beast is enough to keep me buying. I would start with Whedon's run which has been collected into one awesome omnibus, but at least flip through the collected edition of Ghost Boxes as well.



Criminal: Published under Marvel's Epic line, you can read more about my opinion of this series here.

There are a lot of other great Marvel titles on the stands these days, but these are what I budget for on a mostly monthly basis. Up next: DC Comics.

Crime and Noir in Modern Comics

Comic books were once home to stories from all types of genres including: western, romance, sci-fi, horror, superheroes, and of course crime. Throughout the years, these genres were whittled down due to new restrictions and lack of sales, until only the superhero remained in the public conscious. Recently, comics have proven to, once again, be a great place to tell stories of a much more varied type. One type of story that has come back in a big way in the last few years is crime fiction. While there are many titles that have embraced this genre, a few recent standouts include Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' Criminal, Darwyn Cooke's first adaptation of the Parker novels, called Parker: The Hunter, and Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth's Stumptown. These titles have definitely set themselves apart in what is becoming a more crowded comic book genre.

Criminal has been running for the last couple years under Marvel's Icon imprint, and in that time it has racked up a silly amount of critical acclaim. Ed Brubaker has been writing great comics for a while, including many superhero titles, but Criminal is his best work. This book has ran for a total of 18 issues (the majority of these stories have been collected in convenient trade paperback form or a fancy hardcover edition), and in that time he has managed to build a world that feels authentic, even while following the popular tropes of the pulpy crime noir genre. Clearly a student of the old crime stories in comics, film, and prose, his characters are accurately mean, his stories inevitably dark, Brubaker truly knows what makes the genre work. The real trick he pulls off is that his stories never feel derivative, even when referencing classic crime fiction. Each story does not neccesarily lead into the next, but characters and locations will show up from previous arcs, which works to make the world feel alive. It may eventually make this place feel unfairly small if the same characters keep popping up in the background, but so far it has worked to the benefit of the series. He also fills the single issues with great backup material spotlighting classic crime fiction that adds a nice finish to the serial reading experience.

Sean Phillips, frequent collaborator of Brubaker, is equally deserving of credit for the success of this series. His art is appropriately dark. Almost every scene is drenched in shadow, and he is not afraid to gob the black on. His work consistently sets the mood, and never feels muddy as some darker art can. What is even more impressive, is that he seems to continually improve. And with the ever growing cast, it is amazing how each character is so immediately identifiable, even when they just pop up in the background of some other story.



Val Staples is also deserving of a lot of credit for his color work. There were only two other colorists I know by name and could recognize in print (Dave Stewart and Bill Crabtree), but Val has definitely made it to the list. His work on this title fits somewhere between those other two colorists. He keeps it simple to give it that old pulp feel. He is also not afraid of using some bright colors when appropriate, which works great with such a generally dark book. For a book filled with so much black, it is a testament to his skill that he stands out so much.

If you like classic crime stories filled with heists gone wrong, bloody revenge , wounded lead characters, mysterious sexy women, ruthless violence, cruel death, unending deception, and the other famous tropes of this well worn genre, then this is definitely the place to start. If you just like comics done right, then you also need be reading .



Next up, Darwyn Cooke's take on Parker offers another high quality crime book to come out recently. Parker was created by Donald Westlake under the pseudonym Richard Stark and went on to be a popular character in many books and film adaptations over the decades. The Hunter is the first in the series of Parker novels, and with luck Cooke will follow the rest of the books through in comics form. Because this book starts from the beginning of Parker's stories, it is great for newbies as well as old fans.



Darwyn Cooke opens the book up with an amazing sequence that utilizes very little dialogue or exposition. This method of story telling could only work with a cartoonist of Cooke's ability to suck you so far into the story as it does. For dialogue, he sticks fairly close to the original novels. He uses exposition judiciously to move the story along, but not at the expense of the pacing or art.

The art is classic Cooke. His style is simple and elegant, reminiscent of the work he has done before in animation and other comics. The focus is on storytelling and consistency. His characters are distinct and memorable. He captures Parker so well; he has a clear affection for this character and his world. The monochromatic color scheme is perfect for the story he is telling.



IDW printed this book in a nicely designed hardcover, but it would have been nice to have a full sized or over-sized option to really appreciate his artwork here. Parker: The Hunter is a graphic novel that is worth revisiting often to appreciate the talent it took for Cooke to stay true to the source material, even while making it feel distinctively his own. It is going to be a great few years as Cooke continues to dive into Stark's novels in this format. This is series definitely worth watching.



Finally, the new series Stumptown is looking to be another winner in the crime genre, though it may prove to be more of a detective series than a straight crime series. There has only been one issue to this series so far, but already Rucka and Southworth make it one worth watching. Set in Portland (aka Stumptown), the book jumps in with its protagonist, Dexadrine Callisto Parios (she goes by Dex), in trouble. The story flashes back to introduce the cast, and develop a mystery matter-of-factly called "the case of the girl who took her shampoo but left her mini". Rucka, famous for his strong female leads, spends most of his energy making sure the reader gets to know Dex, by putting her in a variety of different settings and showing how she reacts. Rucka also pays careful attention to accurately portraying Portland, as only a local could. He even sets a scene in a popular local bar and includes Dex's local phone number that, when dialed, will get you a real voice mail. By the end of the first issue, he has teased enough information about both Dex and her new case to make it near impossible to resist reading the next issue.



Matthew Southworth, though not as familiar a name in comics as Rucka, carries his weight in telling this noir story with a great style. His work also clearly displays a knowledge of Portland as well, as many scenes are set in real Portland locations. He has a rough style that suits the tone of the story well, supplying the necessary amount of grit without sacrificing clarity. His backgrounds especially showcase his ability. It is tough to compete with Sean Phillips and Darwyn Cooke in the art field, but Southworth is definitely a name to watch. The mute colors, by Lee Loughridge, add another layer of mood. Each scene seems to be bathed in its own shades, which helps distinguish location and set the tone. Through limiting color choices, the book maintains a unified and stylized feel.



Oni Press has another winner on its hands with Stumptown, and it is definitely worth your time. Much has been made of the recent price hike in many comics to $3.99, but this book definitely proves to earn it.

What is it about the crime genre that seems to bring out the best in so many creators? Perhaps it is them finally getting to directly connect to one of their major influences. Clearly crime stories of the past have played a huge part in influencing both modern creators and modern comics. The pulp roots of the industry have not had such a great outlet to celebrate that history in a long while. Join the party.

'Comics' is Not a Dirty Word

I aim to talk about comics quite a bit here, so I figured I should get this out right from the start:

I use the word 'comics' to cover just about every kind of comic book/graphic novel/manga/etc you could think of.

I hate this movement to start calling all comics 'graphic novels'. It is silly and inaccurate to do so. A graphic novel is a specific type of comic. It is, in my best estimation, envisioned to be one extended story, presented in a single volume. Now many of the best comics are graphic novels, but deciding to call all comics 'graphic novels' is to miss the point of the format almost entirely.

A comic can be a single issue, a trade paperback, a digest sized collection, a hard back, a short strip, a web comic, a graphic novel, and probably much more. There are so many types of comics that the term 'graphic novel' excludes. Comics are great because of these varieties. The form is ripe for experimentation. Creators in comics can get away with a lot more when their potential audience is a fraction of what a TV show or film audience would be.


Promo Art for Scott Pilgrim Volume 3

Another major component of modern comics is serialized story telling. Stories are paced specifically so that they can be enjoyed in short installments (and then again as a whole). The cliff hanger ending has become a staple for many series, and an effective one at that. When I get to the end of an issue of "Walking Dead" and realize I have to wait another month to find out what happens next, that affects how I enjoy the story. Now, someone else might read every issue of the Walking Dead in one sitting, and it will still be the same story, but their reading experience will be decidedly different than mine. Therefore, series like this cannot accurately be described as graphic novels.


Cover to Walking Dead #48

There seems to be this embarrassment over terms like 'comic' or 'comic book' that lingers from days long past starting with the admittedly simple stories that birthed the form, or from when Seduction of the Innocent and the surrounding controversy over content nearly destroyed comics decades ago, or perhaps it's all Adam West's fault. Since that time comics have proven their value many times over with such widely accepted classics as "Watchmen" and "Sandman." Why can't the fans embrace these terms? The fear may be that other more casual audiences will never take anything called 'comics' seriously because of associations with the "Batman" television series of the '60s and other campy artifacts. This is clearly not the case with huge film successes like "The Dark Knight" showing how willing a broad audience is to accept comics ideas if not their more traditional ink on paper presentation. This problem certainly has little to do with what we call them though.

If more people simply referred to all comics, including works like "Watchmen" and "Sandman," as comics, maybe more positive associations would arise. There is nothing flawed about comics, so why this semantic shuffle of the last few years. There is also nothing wrong with some works being referred to as 'graphic novels,' but that is just one small portion of what comics can be. It doesn't serve the medium to adopt a phrase that edges out all those other types of work. If you are still not convinced, let us at least settle on the much more agreeable phrase 'graphic fiction' that leaves room for the variety of presentations comics come in. And then we can move to the much more productive argument over how best to get a broader audience to pay attention to the great stuff happening in all types of modern comics.


Asterios Polyp, a recent graphic novel by David Mazzucchelli