Graffic Traffic

…Resistance is Futile, But it can help Kill an Afternoon Here and There…

by Ryk McIntyre

One or two columns ago (of course, with my memory, it could really be no more than one or two columns ago…), I dared (dast?) to do a pre-review of Scott McCloud’s New Adventures of Abraham Lincoln (Homage) based on nothing more than spec., and the man’s enormous reputation in the comics art form. Well, today I stand before you a man who has learned what it means to be… RIGHT! I told you it would be good, even at a fairly steep price tag ($19.95), and if you’ve read this tale of politics, the cult of personality, the influence of media, and the persistence of skewed-memory even in the face of truth… well, then you can be right, too. I’ll share the credit. The only drawback of this package from my point of view (and no, it’s not the identity of the power behind the faux Lincoln) is the format itself. Scott McCloud combines his art foregrounds and characters set against a computer-generated background in a process that confuses me so much, I just sacrifice chickens at its feet in hopes of appeasing it. Exactly. The problem is probably more mine than the art itself – I’d’ve preferred a wholly organic effort. Still, it gets the same grade that I gave it last time.

I used to tease Trekkies unmercifully (…oh yeah, you’ve never done that!), and these days, I find myself rationalizing my addiction to things B5 to any number of people who usually give me the same response – something like: “Look, I told you when the bus is coming/what time it is, and I’m not interested in some alien named ‘Koosh’!” (“KOSH!” I scream at them, all ball-fisted now…), ahem. Anyway, so what’s up with Babylon 5 – In Valen’s Name, the latest DC foray into this particular Licensed Property Waltz? I sure tracked that one down all sweaty-handed! Co-written by the series creator/chief writer, J. Michael Stracznski, and Peter (Incredible Hulk, Aquaman, etc.) David, this time the effort seems more connected to the TV series, which is important given how well-plotted the series is (as opposed to Star Trek, which sucks). The art is also much better than in the defunct series that predated it, where you wished the main characters would wear name-tags ’cause there weren’t no other way to tell who the hell everyone was supposed to be. Regarding the fates of both Babylon 4 (after its previous final fate) and a race that long ago was rejected by Valen for being a little overzealous in carrying out what they perceived as Valen’s teachings, this is by no means a bad read, and as a three-issue mini-series, it’s not the same commitment as say, Star Trek – The Movies That Chase Roman Numerals.

Also from DC is the trade paperback Underworld Unleashed, the big crossover of 1995 where Neron (it’s in the Bible, look it up) gives all the villains and some of the heroes the ol’ Faustian Optioning, and almost wins too, ’til he’s defeated and gone forever until he comes back at some later point. Sorry, gave the ending away there. Still, the writing skills of Scoff Peterson and Mark “I’m gonna give the whole thing some fresh air” Waid put it on solid entertainment ground. The art, on the other hand, suffers from too much “looks like Image comics to me” sameness. Luckily, good writing overcomes bad art more times than the other way around. At $17.95, I think it’s still cheaper than buying all the original issues, if you can find them.

From the other side of the DC tracks comes Vertigo’s take on the crime anthology, Gangland ($2.95) with its nifty trick cover (a real hit), and its stories by the likes of Peter Kuper (the silent “Chains”), “The Bear” by Dave (Watchmen) Gibbons, and two others, all awash in muted color, ironic and violent humor, and approximately 12 deaths – although I could’ve miscounted. In the next three issues of this series, look for stories/art by Richard Corben, David Lloyd, Jamie Deano, Ed Brubaker, and Joe Lansdale, amongst the other usual suspects.

Weep now, for these next two books are not long for our world. Apparently, crossover-itis and editorial gnatism have convinced Peter David to leave the title he brought back from the dead close to ten years ago, making it into and maintaining it as one of Marvel’s most respected books. I refer, of course, to The Incredible Hulk. With issue #465 ($l.99), Peter seems to be cleaning house on lingering plot-lines and ideas he played with during his tenure. This is not his last issue, but it’s close – you ought to read this or any other issues he’s written, ’cause mark my words, in a little while, it’ll be either back to “Hulk Smash!!,” or just another strong guy who’s invulnerable, hacked-off, and a card-carrying “Soo-ooper-Hero!” with all possible licensing tie-ins. Oh goody… think of the money they’ll save on a reduced word count.

Also destined for cancellation, based solely on its publisher’s recently being dumped by a former financial backer in league with Satan and the Inter-Stellar Corp. of Evil (who’s battle cry of “We bite the hand that feeds! We’re rotten to the Corps!!), is Alan Moore’s tenure on Supreme, his treatise on how six decades of Superman Continuity could actually work. At this time, I don’t know if that includes Alan’s other Awesome Comics effort YoungBlood. (While this is sad news given how much guilty fun can be found reading it, I still say, “Hey Alan, maybe there’s some other book you’ve been neglecting that was abandoned after two issues and still dream of… ahem, perhaps Big Numbers.”

But for those who like it when Alan refreshes more than reinvents an established character, you’ll want to check out Will Eisner’s The Spirit – The New Adventures (Kitchen Sink/$3.50). This issue features a reunion of The Watchmen creative team – Alan on words, Dave Gibbons doin’ art Big Time. It features three possible, and somewhat interconnected, Origin stories for the diamond-masked hero, complete with art that accompanies, more than tries to copy, Will Eisner’s groundbreaking work. Done in anthology style, the next issue features stories by John Judge Dread Wagner, James Vance, and Neil Sandman Gaiman, so you gotta put it in your comic dealer’s ear to carry this title. Remember, it’s your Comic Book Store, they just own it, work there, and pay all the bills. But when you talk to them, you might not wanna harp on that stuff too hard, if you know what I’m saying.