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By Aaron Block, on June 8th, 2010 [This graphic novel is a C4 Great Read.]
 Written and illustrated by David Lapham
Vertigo, 2007
Filed under: Graphic Novels
| C4 Ratings.....out of |
10 |
| Language..... |
9 |
| Entertainment..... |
9 |
| Depth..... |
8 |
| Visual Style..... |
9 |
David Lapham’s 2007 graphic novel Silverfish reads like an illustrated screenplay for a never-filmed John Carpenter-style suburban thriller. And while writer/illustrator Lapham is clearly familiar with (and fond of) the conventions of such films (Chief of Police father, bratty, rich-girl best friends, overly nice strangers with terrible secrets, etc.), he isn’t merely paying tribute to a lost genre, but reviving it in a separate medium.
If cinematic horror has largely abandoned atmosphere, suspense, and character, why shouldn’t comics pick up the slack? It’s not the novelty of “cinematic comics” that makes Silverfish such an exciting read, though; any comic that uses wide panels and dramatic visuals can make the same claim. Urgent pacing, realistic (if supernaturally tinted) danger, and a bold visual style set Silverfish apart in a field flush with predictable plots and flat characters. …
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By Sean Clark, on April 6th, 2010 
Author: David Petersen
2008/2009 Archaia Studios Press
Filed Under Graphic Novels, Fantasy
| C4 Ratings.....out of |
10 |
| Language..... |
6 |
| Entertainment..... |
7 |
| Depth..... |
4 |
| Art Style..... |
8 |
I used to love Brian Jaques’s Redwall series when I was younger (and I’d probably still love it if I went back now to read it, which I now may), so when I saw the cover of Mouse Guard Winter 1152 depicting the cloaked and armed mice trudging determinedly through the snow, I couldn’t help but get it. This review is actually of two books, Winter and Fall, both quite short. …
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By Aaron Block, on January 18th, 2010 This is the seventh and final installment in our Best Books of 2009 series. Read the other six here.
AKA, The Aaron Block Awards For My Favorite Comics of 2009, Presented By Aaron Block
Rather than pretend to claim any kind of comprehensive look at the best comics of the past year, I thought I’d give out special awards to the books that I most enjoyed. There are likely better books than what I’ve included here (Asterios Polyp anyone?) but these are the five closest to my heart.
 “Fulfillment of Potential” Award — Detective Comics #854 — present, written by Greg Rucka; illustrated by J.H. Williams III
The critics who assailed DC for playing up the modern Batwoman’s sexuality, or who argued that a reviving her as a lesbian was mere tokenism, were silenced when writer Greg Rucka gave her the spotlight in Detective Comics 854. No mere token or object of fanboy fantasy, Batwoman is a strong, nuanced lead character, and Detective contains easily the most satisfying character work in mainstream comics. Though much of the story-so-far is familiar (particularly in the Bat-world: struggles with dual identity, loss of family members, bittersweet victories), Rucka manages to pull fresh ideas from those conventions, and all without irony or cynicism.
Artist J.H. Williams III deserves much of the credit for the book’s unique feel. More than a gifted storyteller, Williams continues to reinvent the architecture of mainstream comics, employing unconventional layouts that often stretch across two pages, but still reveal the scene gradually. And he continues to experiment with style, using a stable, Alex Toth-like line for flashback scenes and switching to an ethereal painterly style for the present. Credit is also due to colorist Dave Stewart, who’s vibrant reds stand out in nearly ever panel, particularly in Batwoman’s close-ups; her red hair and lips, contrasted with the otherworldly white of her skin and dark black costume suggest all of the emotional complexity of Rucka’s script.
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By Aaron Block, on July 13th, 2009  Authors: Various
DC Comics, 2009
Best ebook deal: not available
Editor’s Note: Due to the number of authors and artists who contribute to this series, there is no ratings table for this work. Aaron has said it deserves a 10 in the Entertainment category, however.
Before I review Wednesday Comics, DC’s new weekly series, I’d like to say a few words about its conceptual predecessor, Solo. Like Wednesday Comics, Solo was the pet project of DC’s art director, Mark Chiarello, a gifted painter in his own right who conceived of the bi-monthly series as a celebration of the industry’s diverse artistic talent. The concept was simple enough – released on a bi-monthly schedule, each 48-page issue would be a showcase for a single artist, who would then fill those pages with short stories, sometimes written by the artist, other times written by friends/collaborators.
I loved it, and treasured even those issues with art I didn’t particularly care for. And though it won three Eisner Awards in 2006, Solo was cancelled after only twelve issues, due to poor sales. Considering the talent on display: Darwyn Cooke, Paul Pope, Brendan McCarthy, and Tim Sale among others, speaks volumes about the average comic fan’s distaste for the anthology format.
Which brings us back to Wednesday Comics, another anthology series that’s attracted top-level talent, but this time with a built-in twelve issue terminus. Once bitten, twice shy, I suppose. …
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By Aaron Block, on March 30th, 2009  Authors: Grant Morrison and Philip Bond
Vertigo, 2008
Best ebook deal: Not Available
| C4 Ratings.....out of |
10 |
| Language..... |
9 |
| Entertainment..... |
10 |
| Depth..... |
7 |
| Visual Style..... |
7 |
Grant Morrison and Philip Bond’s “Kill Your Boyfriend,” originally published by DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint in 1995 and reprinted (again) last October (likely to capitalize on Morrison’s recent high-profile work on “Batman,” “All-Star Superman,” and “Final Crisis” for DC), is a classic love story. Girl meets Boy. Girl and Boy drink, vandalize their quiet English suburb, and toy with nihilism. Boy kills Girl’s geeky, sex-phobic boyfriend in cold blood while she watches. Her response: “I think I’m in love.” Boy and Girl then set off on a criminal holiday involving sex, drugs, art students, teacakes, and, finally, Blackpool tower. …
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Written and illustrated by David Lapham
