Leave it to Chance, Volume 1: Shaman's Rain

Listed in "500 Essential Graphic Novels" as: Adventure (Top 10)
Contains: Leave it to Chance #1-4
Year: Originally: 1996; This volume: 2002
Publisher: 1996: DC; This volume: Image Comics
Writer: James Robinson
Art: Paul Smith (Art)
        Jeromy Cox (Colors)

Hey, gang...

Well, provided I finish this post without spontaneously combusting, falling asleep from the toll of the work week, or otherwise keeling over, I think I've met my goal.  That was to get three "sets" (of five; each of which included four "Best of the Rest" books and one "Top 10" book from 500 Essential Graphic Novels) done before the end of September so I could steal yet another idea from my brother (who does a film blog similar to this one at http://1001movieman.blogspot.com/ ) and do a sort of end-of-the-month round-up for September.

And any of us could spontaneously combust at any time, so let's get to it!

We begin Leave it to Chance, Volume 1: Shaman's Rain with young Chance Falconer staring proudly at her father Lucas Falconer who is a practioner of the occult and protector of their town of Devil's Echo.  Lucas is giving a press conference after having just defeated a giant demon threatening the town and all the press want to crowd around, praise him, and ask questions.

Chance may be more enamoured with what her father's actually just done, though, rather than Lucas himself.  You see, Chance has just turned fourteen years of age.  The age when young Falconers undergo their first trainings in occult protection.

Chance's father doesn't share her excitement.

He's been scarred by his trade, losing a wife as a result, and besides...  Chance is a young lady.  Lucas Falconer wants a strong male heir to carry on his magicks.

The young, exuberant Chance won't seem to take "no" for an answer, though...

And here we begin the story...

This volume, which has had mountains of acclaim heaped on it, been nominated for Harvey and Eisner awards, and to which Mr. Kannenberg gives a weighty five stars in 500 Essential Graphic Novels leaves me with a simple one word question: How?

The work is an all-ages book that's seemingly perhaps geared at young ladies. I give it some accolades on that front.  Young ladies need their heroines and there's probably a shortage of good ones.  Chance is a fine one.  It's said to have found fans among males and even older readers, too.

As far as me, myself: I can't even say that this book isn't my cup of tea when just a few reviews ago I was raving about how Neil Gaiman's The Books of Magic was an awesome journey through many a magical wonderland, exposing fantasies and daydreams come to life on the page.

We've got a bit of that here, but we've also got an oppressed contigent of goblins who've been drugged to attack sewer workers (?) and too many politics of a mayoral race for me to think that this might be enjoyed by a young girl.  That politics bit took me out of it.  I wanna see more crazy creatures from other worlds, not a rerun of evening CNN programming.

Speaking of what we did see, though, the artwork by Paul Smith and Jeromy Cox was nice.  It was fittingly cartoonish, but beautiful as the characters, dragons, beasties, and other fun things jumped off the page.

I don't know, maybe I've lost my youth and can't get into something of this nature.  Maybe this one just wasn't for me plot-wise.  I really expected an all ages story to pack more adventure and less politics, thugs (though they were cool-looking monsters), and fictional media coverage.

Bottom line from this reader: A fantastic young, little girl protagonist who just won't quit, but in the end too much real-life clutter and not enough escapism for this thirty-something dude to be carried away by.

Mr. Kannenberg's rating: 5 out of 5
My rating: 2 out of 5
15 down, 485 to go

Join me (hopefully and probably sometime within the next 24 hours) next time as I run down the month of September and give a final word on our first 15 readings here, folks.

I'll also give you the scoop at that time on the next five books we'll delve into as we begin October and hopefully get at least one of those reviewed this weekend, as well.

I thank all of you who have even glanced upon this page and invite each of you to start any discussion you'd like by commenting. 

Until next time... Be good, be well, and take care...

Identity Crisis

Listed in "500 Essential Graphic Novels" as: Superheroes (Best of the Rest)
Contains: Identity Crisis #1-7
Year: 2004, 2005
Publisher: DC
Writer: Brad Meltzer
Art: Rags Morales (Penciller)
       Michael Bair (Inker)
       Alex Sinclair (Colorist)
       Michael Turner (Original Series Covers)

Well, kiddies...  To touch briefly on what I was talking about last post, "Crecy" did not arrive at the library so I could pick it up for review.  With the "Superheroes" genre being one of the more dominant ones in Mr Kannenberg's book and in my collection, I decided to head back in that direction and pick up "Identity Crisis".

I thought I had read this entire book before.  Like the insane person that I am, I went back to consult the list I keep of every book I've read since college.  I didn't finish it...  Which baffles me because having just finished it up within the last hour, I honestly don't know how I could have begun this magnificent story and not read through to the end.

We open with two lesser known members of the Justice League, Elongated Man and Firehawk, sitting atop a tall roof staking out some sort of weapons deal.  The two are discussing some things about members of the league, some myths, things such as that...  Firehawk's just a youngster and Ralph Dibny (Elongated Man) is a longtime member of the league.  She's sort of intrigued with all he knows about the more legendary members.

The conversation shifts to Ralph's wife, Sue.  Firehawk wants to know how they met, how they got together, all the romantic, magical, beginning-of-the-perfect-relationship stuff...  And it is perfect.  As Ralph tells the story, we can see how he fell for her, how adorable they were together, how much he loves her, always has, and always will.  He recounts the tales of their love with a sweet smile on his face.

But, as we might have anticipated it was going to, fate and plot would have it that this beautiful thing is going to come to an end.  Ralph gets a frantic call from his wife, Sue, the lady-of-his-dreams that he's just finished telling Firehawk about, and he panics and races to get home to her.

He's too late.

Artist Rags Morales gives that above image of what Ralph finds when he gets there.  His dear wife severely burned and murdered.

The best murder mystery superhero comic since "Watchmen" begins.

Identity Crisis was truly stunning.  It's been quite a while since I've seen a superhero story that portrays the characters as human as it does.  I mentioned "Watchmen" above.  It's likely since then.

In fact, they're so human that you may forget you're reading a superhero comic at some points.  I mean, it's very important to the whole concept of this thing that these people are superheroes, but it's just that: These PEOPLE are superheroes.  Meltzer's smooth characterization and dialogue coupled with the art of Morales, Bair, and Sinclair put me in the discussions that these characters were having and transported me into their world...  More fully than I have been for a long time.

Brad Meltzer employs all of his talents as a mystery and thriller writer and applies it to a superhero setting, as well.  There are several characters looking for Sue's killer the whole time, clues being dropped, and susupense being stirred up all the while.  This was the perfect superhero story for a writer with his skills to do and this mastery, paired with and matched by the art team, combined to make a great story and a great comics series all-around.

And while we're touching on the subject of artwork, Michael Turner's (rest well, sir) artwork on the original series covers was nothing short of absolutely fantastic.

Look at that cover (to issue 2) above.  Have you ever seen Hawkman look more bad-ass?  Wally (The Flash) look more sorrowful?  Ollie (Green Arrow) and Hal (Green Lantern) look more intense?  And what lovely ladies in the front there...

Yes, as I said, I don't know how anyone could start this and not finish.  It was absolutely great.  It's left such a mark on me that I've now got a new superhero comic to recommend to so many of my friends who aren't into the medium.  I think it might even be better than "Watchmen" in that capacity because perspective readers would see some characters that they recognize and instantly grow close to them, feeling their loss, pain, sadness, and humanity.

I really can't fathom anyone not finding at least SOMETHING that they'd like about this book.

My utmost recommendation to comic geek and non-comic-reader alike.

Mr. Kannenberg's rating: 4 out of 5
My rating: 5 out of 5
9 down, 491 to go

Please join me next time when we'll get into "Whiteout", the second "Top 10" pick from "500 Essential Graphic Novels" that I'll be reviewing.

Be well and I'll see you then!

Why I Hate Saturn

Listed in "500 Essential Graphic Novels" as: Humor (Best of the Rest)
Contains: Why I Hate Saturn (Original Graphic Novel)
Year: 1990
Publisher: DC/Piranha (reprinted under Vertigo)
Writer: Kyle Baker
Artist: Kyle Baker

After stepping outside the ol' comfort zone with "It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken", I decided to keep going in the same direction with "Why I Hate Saturn".

Protagonist Anne is a New Yorker.  She writes for a little-read hipster magazine called Daddy-O.  She's lazy, belligerent, a bit of a slob and seemingly has no luck with guys.  She's prone to hanging out with her best friend Ricky at less than authentic Mexican restaurants and scrutinizing the other denziens of the Big Apple.  Despite her general laziness, she's landed a book deal based on the relative success of her column in Daddy-O.  She's yet to begin writing said book.

As if she didn't have enough to worry about, her sister Laura shows up late one night with a gunshot wound.  To add even further difficulty into the mix, the gunshot wounded Laura also believes that she's Queen of the Leather Astro-Girls of Saturn.

This sets the stage for a very different kind of adventure...

While the book was said to bring nonstop laughs, I don't think I once laughed out loud.  Some of the gags might have brought a smirk to my face, but the bulk of this book brought characters haggling about things that I really couldn't care less about.  Relationships, dive clubs in New York, the cleanliness (or lack thereof) of a living space, etc.

The art style was like nothing I'd ever seen before, more akin to comic STRIPS than almost all my other experience in the medium, but with its scratchy lines, less-than-flashy black-and-white style, and overall cartoony take on things, it left me wanting a bit more.

Some of the jokes were funny.  Commentary on pop culture, the way society pigeonholes things, society in general...  Some of the stuff was clever.

But, all things considered, this work left me (after having just read "It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken) with two books in a row that were decent, but not works that I'd call "essential" reads representing the medium. 

Mr. Kannenberg's rating: 5 out of 5
My rating: 2 out of 5
4 down, 496 to go