Graffic Traffic – Column

Graffic Traffic

by Ryk McIntyre

Since super-heroes still dominate the comic world, it falls on those who make the stuff to deliver something more. Or just something better. In the wake of the same old same old, with the sound of cash registers ringing, of writers hacking up over their keyboards, of pages turning and splashing, there occasionally comes a book produced by someone who cares about the genre. Even if it’s just “another comic universe.” Such a story is Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (Image Comics/ Kurt Busiek-words, Brent Anderson-art), recently reprinted in trade paperback.

At first glance, it seems Kurt’s just riffing on Silver Age Marvel comics, and it is that, but it’s more than that, it’s an homage done with a great deal of love, research, and an honest desire to make super-heroes fun to read. The original 6 issue mini-series introduces us to Astro City, a cynosure of sorts that allows Kurt to do any story he wants to: solo hero, team, noir detective, horror, etc. I’m sure in the ongoing series set to debut soon, he’ll do just that. Just as Marvels, the ground-breaking 1994 mini-series that re-introduced the Marvel Universe from the everyman’s p.o.v. was, Astro City is as concerned with the normal, little, erstwhile background people as it is with bright, shiny costumes. That alone ensures a wide variety of story possibilities. Yeah, the heroes are Famous-As-Kurt-Would’ve-Done-‘Em knock-offs (Samaritan is Super Man, Silver Agent is Captain America, the First Family is another F>F> group…), but through characterization that they grow out of their moldings and fly. A definite choice for hero fans, new and jaded. A big bang for your buck.

Which rhymes with suck. Which brings us to DC vs Marvel, the TPB that reprints the most unnecessary waste of paper in recent comic history. A third-generation When Worlds Collide knock-off, it has all the grace and substance of a Taco Bell menu. Operating from a marketing department’s idea of what makes a good story, only a fan-boy with zero outside life could like this. Apparently, some of the battles were decided by fan votes, so I guess we’ll never really know who’s stronger, SuperMan or The Hulk. I’ll be losing sleep over that. To be fair, issues 2 and 4 are written by Peter David, a writer who, given hamburger, makes it taste as close to steak as he can. But he’s as wasted here as your dollars are; pass on this one.

Enough of the mainstream, or I’ll never get the bitter taste out of my mouth. My friend Mike at Million Year Picnic (no Mike, I don’t deespize you!) usually points in the general direction of the B/W Indie racks when asked what comics are good, and this month I recommend two. First off is Manya (Vagabond Press/ Jen Benka-words to live by, Kris Dresen-drawings to die for). There are two stories in this issue: the apparently autobiographical “Mosquito Season,” a desperate ballad of bugs, summer-camp, and that beer-bottle song! (Fuck those bottles and the wall they’re on!) and the wonder-angst ballad, “My Name.” It’s well-written and the art reminds me of Allison Bectel’s style; simple and expressive. There’s no reason to pass this one up, and what’s better, they have another previous release, “3 1/2 Hours and 5 Cups of Coffee” and they promise that “falling” should be available by the printing of this issue. Good, these two are needed in the comic scene. Really, really needed. (mail order from: Vagabond Press-2300 North Clybourn Ave.,Chicago,Il. 60614)

Last, it’s a good month, any month, that we have a new book from Tim (Scout, GrimJack, HawkWorld, Tecumsah) Truman. From DC’s new sci-fi (sorry, Harlan Ellison, I meant “Speculative Fiction” aheh…) imprint Helix, titled The Black Lamb. It’s the story of a future America run by a Religio-Facist government, its oppressed super-natural minority, and a vampiric hero-saviour. And it’s written and drawn by Tim Truman. You know what you need to do with that $2.50 in your pocket now.

Next month is shits and giggles month. I’m going to review The Final Revenge of Image Comics on Marvel Entertainment, as Image releases the respective first issues of the Founding Marvel Books (Captain America, The Avengers, Iron Man, and The Fantastic Four), now licensed out to Image in a move that makes me giggle. Then I get scared. Then I don’t care. Then I start giggling again.