Today we give you a double shot of Graphic Novel goodness with two reviews of Mark Waid’s 2 great ongoing series.

Irredeemable Vol.3

Publisher: Boom Studios
Publication Date: July 2010
Paperback:112 pages

Stand alone or series: Volume 3 of ongoing series, which collect issues 9-12

The hunt for Modeus may be over but ultimate chaos is still at hand. With the Plutonian still on the loose, The Paradigm find themselves with little time and less options. Have the Paradigm unleashed something they cannot control? Collects issues #9-12 of Mark Waid’s superhero epic.

How did I get this book: Bought

Why did I read this book: I LOVE this series since discovering it early this year.

Art: Peter Krause

Review:

I fell head over heels in love with Irredeemable after reading Volume 1, a feeling that only grew considerably with the incredible second volume. The premise of this series is one that appeals to me as a reader and reading about the fear felt, the terror spread when the world’s greatest superhero turns its greatest villain has been a great journey. Especially because the premise is based on the idea that a super being is necessarily equipped with the right psyche to be a super hero.

Needless to say, I had been waiting anxiously for this third volume to finally arrive in the UK. Weeks I have waited with bated breath for this and when it finally landed on my doorstep two days ago, I whooped. Having finally read it, I can say now:

damn, baby, the honeymoon is over.

In this volume, we learn more about Tony/The Plutonian’s childhood and about how The Paradigm, the group of superheroes led by him only recently came to be together. We get to learn more about the other supes, as well as being introduced to a new character, brought forth by the Government in an attempt to stop the Plutonian, since the Paradigm doesn’t seem to be doing that much. And then, there is Cary, the guy who beat the Plutonian to a pulp and who seems to be getting way creepy. But not as creepy as finally figuring out exactly where Modeus – his arch-enemy – has been hiding.

In other words: same old, same old. The feeling that I had after reading this volume was: is that all? Nothing REALLY happens. It is still pretty much set up for something. Don’t get me wrong, it is great set up, and all the small cliff-hangers at the end of each issue were awesome. But there is nothing very new anymore and I really need this series to get moving.

Furthermore, a few things downright bothered me. 1) This new guy who the government has brought forth to capture Tony: he is an alien demon hunter. An alien. All of a sudden, I am no longer reading a super-hero exclusive club. I need to take into consideration other dimensions, and planets too . This is not a problem per se, if done well but it threw me off a bit as it was unexpected (although perhaps it shouldn’t have been) and I will wait and see further developments.

2) Bette Noir. I hate having to be this kind of reviewer/reader who always brings this up, but what is up with the only female member of the group being all about the men of the group? She is married to Gilgamos and at one point her entire arc is about how bad she feels for loving him but cheating on him with the Plutonian. It doesn’t help that there is a super build up to reveal how she has the power to destroy the Plutonian and her Super!Big!Sekrit! turned out to be lame and contrived and all about sexy times with the guy. Seriously now.

Bette Noir: Don’t mind me. Despite my cool name, power and outfit I am only really here so that the male characters can fight about who is better in bed

And finally 3) I am underwhelmed by how Cary is turning out to be another….Plutonian. We find out that he is extremely powerful after his twin dies, and he is able to almost defeat The Plutonian. But the power is going to his head and it only serves to demonstrate in a very aggressive way that absolute power corrupts absolutely. But the thing is, when you make it so every single time, you make it about power and not about people. That maxim is about a tendency not a certainty and by making Cary follow basically the same path and The Plutonian, it makes it less personal, less about the characters and it sort of diminishes the impact of any revelation about the characters’ past.

So yeah, the honeymoon is over but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Now the real thing starts, past the infatuation towards a stable relationship. In spite the aforementioned issues, I still very much enjoyed this volume and I have high hopes that the story will pick up. I mean, as far as I can see, maybe the Plutonian was NEVER EVER superhero material.

Rating:7 – Very Good

Incorruptible Vol.1

Publisher: Boom Studios
Publication Date: June 2010
Paperback:128 pages

Stand alone or series: Volume 1 of ongoing series, which collect issues 1-4

Super villain Max Damage had an epiphany the day The Plutonian destroyed Sky City. When The Plutonian turned his back on humanity, Max Damage decided to step up. Now Max Damage has changed his name to Max Daring and turned from his formerly selfish ways to become… INCORRUPTIBLE.

How did I get this book: Bought

Why did I read this book: After discovering Irredeemable, I just had to give Incorruptible a go since they are both set in the same world and happen at the same time.

Art: Jean Diaz

Review:

As soon as I finished reading Irredeemable Vol.3, I picked up Incorruptible Vol 1 and I think I liked it a bit more that I liked the former Incorruptible is a spin-off , set in the same world and timeline as Irredeemable, in which Max Damage, one of the world’s greatest villains has an epiphany after seeing The Plutonian going on a rampage and decides to become a hero.

Max is super strong and invulnerable, nothing can piece his skin. There is a cool twist: his power or ability increases the long he is awake – he is the most vulnerable as he awakes and in that one hour window he can touch, smell, and taste but these three senses disappear as the hours go by. He used to hang with his gang of criminals and his partner (and lover) is a 16 year old girl aptly named Jailbait. After witnessing the horrible things that The Plutonian has done, Max turns a new leaf, gets clean, decides he can’t have sex with Jailbait until she is legal and proceeds to become what he feels the world needs right now.

What has possessed him to believe he can do it, I do not know. Basically, Max is like, the anti-Plutonian. But no, not really. He may be Incorruptible now but he has done some pretty shitty things in his time. In that sense, if we think that The Plutonian is irredeemable surely Max should be too. Because if Max can have a second chance, then well, so can The Plutonian right? Say one day he decides he no longer feels like being a supervillain and see the errors of his ways, wouldn’t he be worthy of redemption too?

Redemption: is it merely by making decision that we get it? Yes, Max is acting like a hero (more of a vigilante variety) but are these actions enough? Furthermore, who gets to decide what the general populace needs? That sounds pretty patronising to me. But it also points to a certain humanisation of a villain. Perhaps who needs to be saved is Max himself and the change he undergoes is his and his alone. This is a man who is damaged but who also shows little remorse about the things he did in the past – at least for now. In any case, inasmuch as I felt that Tony was never meant to be a hero in the first place, perhaps Max Damage was never meant to be a villain. Only time will tell.

What I love about both these series are these questions that I get to ask when reading them. I believe they both work together really well too and I love the artwork by both Peter Krause and Jean Diaz. Recommended.

Rating:7 – Very Good

Reading Next: Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Title: Peter and Max – A Fables Novel

Author: Bill Willingham (writer) / Steve Leialoha (illustrator)

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Vertigo
Publication Date: October 2009
Hardcover: 400 pages

This story stars Peter Piper and his incorrigible brother Max in a tale about jealousy, betrayal and revenge. Set in two distinct time periods, prepare to travel back to medieval times and learn the tragic back-story of the Piper family, a medieval-era family of traveling minstrels. Then, jump into the present to follow a tale of espionage as Peter Piper slowly hunts down his evil brother for a heinous crime, pitting Peter’s talents as a master thief against Max’s dark magical powers.

Based on the long-running and award-winning comic book series FABLES, PETER AND MAX is its own tale. Readers don’t have to be familiar with the comics to fully enjoy and understand this book.

Stand alone or series: This is a stand alone novel which is part of the Fables’ comics universe.

How did we get this book: Bought

Why did we get this book: Because we absolutely ADORE Fables.

Review:

First Thoughts and Impressions:

Ana: Ah, Fables. How I love thee. I have to thank my esteemed Smuggler half for introducing me to the comics, because they are absolutely brilliant. I love fairytale retellings anyway, but Bill Willingham goes a bit further than that by not only retelling but reimagining and spinning the tales by making them his own. Peter and Max is another example of this and in spite of a few caveats, I really loved reading it.

Thea: It should probably come as no surprise that I am also a huge Fables fan – even with the slight dropoff after defeating The Adversary, this is STILL one of the finest monthly comics out there. So, when we learned that a strictly prose – well, dominantly prose – novel was coming out set in the Fables universe, of course Ana and I scooped up Peter and Max with alacrity (although we were somewhat slower in actually getting it reviewed). And, I am delighted to say that in the realm of prose fiction, Bill Willingham still manages to kick ass. Though there are a few uneven sections (probably better told with the graphic combination of art and writing), Peter and Max delivers, and is as darkly enchanting as its comic-form sibling.

On the Plot:

Ana: Peter and Max tells the story of two siblings, Peter and Max Piper, sons of a travelling family of minstrels and it alternates between past and present narrating how the two eventually become enemies. In present day, Peter and his wife Bo Peep are residents of Fabletown, living their quiet lives apart from the rest of the Fables due to Bo’s condition (a terrible spell who crippled her legs) when one day, Peter is informed that his evil brother Max has surfaced in the world and he sets out to find and finally face him off.

In the past, back in the homelands, we see Peter and Max’s childhood traveling around and playing with their mother and father, and their friendship with the Peep family, especially the link between young Peter and their youngest daughter Bo who vows to marry Peter one day. Peter is the gifted younger brother who inherits Frost, a magical flute and a family heirloom which Max fully expected to have for himself. The petty jealousy and sibling rivalry spirals out of control after the Adversary’s invasion of the homelands when the Pipers and the Peeps flee through the Black Forest where they are all separated. Max ends up with a pipe of his own and eventually becomes the infamous Pied Piper of Hamelin.

Plot-wise, Peter and Max is genius. It combines two children’s nursery rhymes, Peter Piper’s (who does eat pickled peppers) and Bo Peep’s (who does lose her sheep) with the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin flawlessly and brilliantly. The back and forth between past and present is done really well, and it builds up tension perfectly until the final showdown (although that face off is slightly anticlimactic in its execution). The details that Bill Willingham infuses the story with are also very clever from the fairytale romance between Bo and Peter, other characters appearances such as Frau Totenkinder’s or the fact that Frost’s has the ability to avert danger but can that only be used three times in its owner’s life. It is all very fairytale-ish both in writing and in format reminding me of old tales but of the very dark variety.

I cannot fault the plot of this book, I was enraptured by it and devoured the book in one sitting.

Thea: I have to wholeheartedly agree with Ana. Part of the sheer brilliance of the Fables series is in the ways that Bill Willingham finds to integrate familiar nursery rhyme fables into his dark, epic saga. This has become a popular trope as of late – what with Urban Fantasists, Paranormal Romanticists, etc taking iconic mythological figures and plopping them into modern times – but Bill Willingham’s take on fables, living amongst Mundys, fighting against a truly terrifying foe, and (most dangerously and importantly of all) trying to coexist with each other, is a class above the rest. In Peter and Max, Willingham takes a few lesser nursery rhymes – Bo Peep, Peter Piper, and the Pied Piper of Hamelin – and twists a heartwrenching story of sibling rivalry, betrayal, love, and magic across centuries.

Since Ana’s already covered the basics, I will just add a few specific points of interest. I loved the integration of these three fables together – how Bo really loses her sheep (it’s not pretty), how Peter eats the pickled peppers (and also hides his wife in a pumpkin shell later), and how most delightfully depraved of all, the Pied Piper Max leads the rats and children out of Hamelin for his own dark purposes. More than the simple nursery rhymes, however, Mr. Willingham also creates a backstory that fuels Max and Peter’s rivalry in the form of Frost, a magical pipe from a slain foe, that is both a magical gift and a curse for all the Piper family members that wield it. There’s a war story in the background, a court of thieves and assassins, another magical flute named Fire, and a background of bloody revenge. (I don’t want to get into too many specifics, lest I spoil some of the story’s reveals!)

As a reader of the comics, I think the thing that impressed me most about Peter and Max, however, was a different side to some of our favorite “heroic” fables. Since all fables were granted general amnesty for past villainous acts once they sign the Fabletown charter, we’ve seen all of these characters work together toward a common goal. Bigby Wolf is seen as a hero, as is Frau Totenkinder and assorted other reformed villains…but in Peter and Max, we see how truly terrible some of these characters were back in the homeland. And…it’s a pretty cool, sobering contrast.

Finally, I think we should at least address Steve Leialoha’s artwork – which is kind of in the style of Dave McKean’s work in Coraline (the book, not P. Craig Russell’s graphic novel adaptation) and The Graveyard Book. What can I say except, bravo? Although I think I prefer Mark Buckingham’s representations ever-so-slightly, Leialoha’s work is gorgeous and fitting for Peter and Max – slightly disney-cartoonish, but with a darker, ink-heavy edge.

On the Characters:

Ana: Now, this is where I take a step back to say that as much as I loved the plot of the novel, something was missing. Whereas plot and setting are brilliantly done in a very clever way, the author never really fully, explores the characters in depth. Let’s face it, the original takes are basically short narratives, that TELL rather than SHOW a story. I love them, of course, growing up as I did, listening to grandpa reading them to. The reason is why retellings speak to me in such a wonderful way is because most of the retellings I have read explore and take character’s motivation further, deeper than the originals. It is a great opportunity for authors to play with themes and stories and sometimes make them even better.

Yes, a Retelling but really, for it to work it should also be a Re-showing and I feel that Bill Willingham passed on this opportunity here. For example, Max’s turn from troubled teenage to EVIIIIIIL Villain, quite jarringly, happened without cause in the space of a few lines. Similarly in the grand finale, there was nothing from an emotional point of view to make it grander and more impacting. Also, once the families are separated, peter becomes a thief and basically forgets about his mother for example. What in the world happened to her?

That is not to say that some of the characters don’t have depth – I particularly liked Bo, for example, becoming an assassin (you have to read it) and how she uses her condition to try and dissuade Peter from going after his brother. It is ugly and it is dark but also very human, I though (which is strange to say, since these characters are not really human).

Thea: I’m a little torn here too. I have to agree with Ana in that Max’s transformation from petty jealousy to EVIL MONSTER was a bit abrupt (this takes place over approximately a paragraph of text) – reminding me of the somewhat anticlimactic reveal of Anakin crossing over to embrace the Dark Side in Revenge of the Sith. I would have loved it if the transformation was more subtle, told over a longer time period. This was the one time that I felt Mr. Willingham’s writing was limited by its lack of supporting art to help tell the story. Whereas this shorter time frame could have been more convincing with the incredibly gifted Steve Leialoha completing full panels to accompany the story, instead it felt slightly jarring and unbelievable in the brevity and totality of Max’s transformation.

The other quibble I have with regards to characterization concerns Peter himself – who is a tad bit Too Good. You know what I mean? He’s a loving younger brother, a patient husband, the best flute player in all of the land, etc, etc. In contrast, Bo -with her very human manipulations, as Ana mentions – feels much more real and concrete a character.

But then…there’s also Max. Abrupt transformation aside, Max is pretty damn awesome, and his corruption basically makes the book. One of my favorite scenes is when Max stumbles across an elderly couple in the woods and forces them to do his bidding. All the while, Max’s pettiness and sense of over-importance characterizes his narrative, and later when he has to rely only on himself…well, it’s great stuff. I loved it, plain and simple.

Final Thoughts, Observation and Rating:

Ana: I really enjoyed, heck, I can say that I did love Peter and Max but I feel that I could have adored it. In comics format, the story might have worked splendidly because you would have the aid of the images to convey more feeling but this first foray into prose format was missing that extra awesomesauce to make it a Keeper.

Thea: While I agree with Ana, and I do think that certain parts of the story in particular could have benefited from full-fledged accompanying artwork, for the vast majority of the book Peter and Max stands strong on its own. Mr. Willingham’s storytelling abilities are in top form here, and this is a book that should be devoured by any Fables fan or newbie alike.*

*On a continuity note, this book fits in shortly before Fabletown’s attack on The Adversary – and Peter and Bo both play a role in the war by the end of the book. You’ll see.

Notable Quotes/Parts:

For most of his long years Peter Piper wanted
nothing more than to live a life of peace and safety in some
remote cozy cottage, married to his childhood sweetheart,
who grew into the only woman he could ever love. Which is pretty
much what happened. But there were complications along the way,
as there often are, because few love stories are allowed to be just that
and nothing else.

(…)

Our tale, the one that couldn’t quite remain a simple love story,
begins then in Fabletown and almost immediately moves up to the
Farm. It happens because a witch learned something that she told to
a beast, who phoned a wolf, who in turn called his wife’s twin
sister, who never was a princess but perhaps should have been.

And here are two samples of Steve Leialoha’s art (by the way, how great is that name – Lei + Aloha? Someone likes Hawaii!):

Rating:

Ana: 7 – Very Good

Thea: 7 -Very Good

Reading Next: Fat Vampire by Adam Rex

Title: The End League – Volume 1: The Ballad of Big Nothing

Written by Rick Remender, pencils and covers by Mat Broome, inks by Sean Parsons, colors by Wendy Broome and James Rochelle

Genre: Graphic Novel, Superheroes

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Publication Date: December 2008
Trade Paperback: 104 pages

Stand alone or series: Collects issues #1-4; first of a two-volume collection

A thematic merging of The Lord of the Rings and Watchmen, The End League follows a cast of the last remaining super men and women as they embark on a desperate and perilous journey through a world dominated by evil, in hopes of locating the one remaining artifact that can save humanity – the Hammer of Thor.

How did I get these books: Review copies (of Vol. 1 & Vol. 2) from the publisher

Why did I read these books: Did you read the blurb? Touted as a merging of Tolkien and Moore, I was intrigued…and also more than a little skeptical. Those be big words, son. It was with nervous excitement that I headed into The End League…

Review:

It’s the end of the world as we know it, and it’s all Astonishman’s fault. After following the instructions of the dread Lexington, Astonishman has unwittingly unleashed the apocalypse – hurling a nuclear warhead at what he believed to be murderous alien creatures, the blast off alien engines and causing an unprecedented explosion that altered the earth’s axis, killed the majority of the population, and mutated 1 in 10,000 in the ensuing radiation. Now, years after the Green Event, Earth is a ravaged wasteland, where refugees fight for food and live under the tyrannical fist of Dead Lexington – yes, he who tricked Astonishman into destroying the world. To set things right and to vanquish Lex once and for all, Astonishman and his ragtag team of superheroes can only hope for god-alien Thor’s help – with Mjöllnir, Thor’s Hammer, Earth and humanity might be saved.

Ok, so The End League is not exactly Watchmen or Lord of the Rings. (Not even remotely – I have no idea how LotR even draws a comparison here. At least I can kinda-sorta see how one might say there’s an itty-bitty drop of Watchmen in this book. If you squint real hard and look at the story from a few hundred feet away. In the dark. Maybe.) From a storytelling standpoint, The End League has promise, but is somewhat underwhelming. I loved the idea of the world’s most beloved superhero unwittingly unleashing the apocalypse on the planet – borne of the best intentions and all that jazz – and I like where I think Remender was heading with a group of superheroes fighting an impossible battle after the world has ended. And yet…the story lacks a certain cohesiveness. There are clever ideas throughout – the origin of the Norse “Gods,” the relative/popular nature of what defines evil, demons from Hell running amok, etc – but they never really work together. Instead, these disparate threads clamor for attention, making for a cacophonous, disjointed reading experience. There’s also a lot of jumping back and forth in time, from character to character (half the time, we don’t even know who these characters are – names or otherwise) which is distracting and gives the book an uneven feel.

But the story isn’t the worst part.

No, the reason why The End League suffers so badly (and the reason why ultimately the series is a DNF for me) is because of the incredibly stilted flatness of its characters. And in a book like The End League, the characters have to reverberate with readers in order to truly work. I’m all for new realms of superheroes/villains; there are no rules already in place, no stifling continuity or character presets to restrain a writer. Take Mark Waid’s Irredeemable (and Incorruptible), for example – his take on superheroes works because he makes the characters work. Waid focuses on the fragile superhero psyche, giving insights to the Plutonian’s past and what made him the unstoppable force of death that he is at present. In contrast, Rick Remender just doesn’t quite pull it together. His characters simply fall flat, the writing clunky and dry. For the first two issues, all readers hear about is how guilty (and shockingly – if subconsciously – narcissistic, I might add) Astonishman feels about destroying the planet whilst marinading in his dour melancholy soup, his hubris the downfall of the entire planet. And good GOD, he’s boring. Instead of illustrating Astonishman’s horror at what he’s done, Remender has him internally monologue about it – and that’s never, ever good.

The real problem with Astonishman, and the rest of the marginalized league characters, is how simplistic and two-dimensional they are. There’s no movement, no true development of these characters – rather, they all feel like pontificating talking heads to advance the wafer-thin story. Writing like this, for example:

“Your machines ripped the information from my mind. You always feared Brian. Feared he would inspire the people to rise against you. Soon you’ll see that in your craven assassination you’ve only made him a martyr.”

or this:

“This place reeks of your impotent values. This citadel of seclusion – a museum of the ineffectual. A trembling last finger gripping the edge of a bottomless cliff. A prison to wait for an inevitable failed conclusion.”

Yeesh. I’m not even going to get into an incredibly awkward proclamation of luuuuurve at one point in the second issue…suffice to say, I was not thrilled.

To add insult to injury, the characters are all incredibly similar (in name, appearance, and powers) to their DC big brothers and sisters – Astonishman:Superman, Lexington:Lex Luthor, Divinity:Wonder Woman, and so on and so forth. Perhaps it would have been better if these were not such transparent analogues for DC’s JLA – but I doubt it.

On the bright side, however, there is no denying that the art in The End League is simply gorgeous. Mat Broome, in his return to the world of comics, does a phenomenal job with his strong, clean art – as do the colorists with the vibrant hues and textures they give to each frame of the book. Halfway through the fourth issue, Eric Canete (of Iron Man fame) takes over with his own distinct, very different sketchy style, which is equally gorgeous if in a different way.

Notable Quotes/Parts: The most notable part of The End League is Mat Broome’s art. Check it out:

You can check out the first three pages of The End League Vol. 1 at Dark Horse’s website, HERE.

Additional Thoughts: Lots of goodies on the Dark Horse site – check out the official trailer for the series HERE.

You can also read interviews HERE.

Verdict: While the art was superb and The End League held a wonderfully promising premise, I just couldn’t care enough by the end of the trade to continue with volume 2. Hence, the reason this is a single review today instead of a double feature. Thems be the breaks. (Although, I will say, I did enjoy the ending of issue 4)

Rating: 5 – Meh, Take it or leave it (Actually, it should be a 4, but the art brings it up a notch)

Reading Next: The Passage by Justin Cronin

Title: Hero

Author: Perry Moore

Genre: Speculative Fiction, Superhero, Young Adult, LGBT literature

Publisher: Disney (Hyperion)
Publication Date: August 2007
Paperback: 432 pages

Thom Creed is used to being on his own. Even as a highschool basketball star, he has to keep his distance because of his father. Hal Creed had once been one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of The League–until the Wilson Towers incident. After that Thom’s mother disappeared and his proud father became an outcast.

The last thing in the world Thom would ever want is to disappoint his father. So Thom keeps two secrets from him: First is that he’s gay. The second is that he has the power to heal people. Initially, Thom had trouble controlling his powers. But with trail and error he improves, until he gets so good that he catches the attention of the League and is asked to join. Even though he knows it would kill his dad, Thom can’t resist. When he joins the League, he meets a motely crew of other heroes, including tough-talking Scarlett, who has the power of fire from growing up near a nuclear power plant; Typhoid Larry, who makes everyone sick by touching them, but is actually a really sweet guy; and wise Ruth, who has the power to see the future. Together these unlikely heroes become friends and begin to uncover a plot to kill the superheroes.

Along the way, Thom falls in love, and discovers the difficult truth about his parents’ past. This is a moving, funny, and wonderfully original novel that shows that things are not always what they seem, and love can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

How did I get this book: Bought

Why did I read this book: I have had Hero on my TBR for aaaaaaaaages. Originally, I planned on reading and reviewing it last year for YAAM (Young Adult Appreciation Month) as part of a YA superhero novel day – but just couldn’t squeeze it in the schedule. So, this week, when I found that I had a break in my reading schedule and could read ANYTHING I WANTED (OMG! This hardly ever happens!), Hero was the book I immediately picked up.

Review:

I am in love.

I am in love with Hero – with the brave, forthright narrator that is Thom Creed. With his physically and emotionally strong father, the downtrodden but ever-unbroken Hal Creed. With the mysterious Goran. With the moments of triumph, heartbreak, embarrassment, pain and pure joy. I am in love with this remarkable, rousing book.

Hero is truly heroic.

Thom Creed is a driven young man: avolunteer, a hard worker, a star basketball center, and a loyal son. During one heated basketball game, however, Thom develops a unique ability – he can heal things with his hands, as he does to Goran, the star player on the opposing team after he is flagrantly fouled by one of Thom’s teammates. Thom’s powers come at a cost, both physically and emotionally – physically, he goes into convulsions after straining his powers. Emotionally, his abilities weigh on Thom because he must hide his powers from his father – the formerly beloved (but fallen so far from grace) superhero Hall “Major Might” Creed. Years earlier, Hal’s failure at the WIlson Towers killed thousands and ended in Hal’s public disgrace and disbandment from the League (an official syndicate of superheroes), culminating in the law that non-superpowered heroes, like Thom’s father, could never again don a cowl and call themselves heroes. Ever since, Thom’s father has borne his public shunning with calm restraint and has tried to raise his son, even after his wife left Hal and Thom behind. Thom knows there’s one line that he cannot cross – no talk of superheroes, or of the League. Ever.

So when the League invites Thom to try out for the team and he actually makes it as a probationary member, he must guard that secret from his father. But that’s not the only secret Thom keeps from Hal – there’s one truth that he cannot bear to have revealed: Thom is gay. To Thom’s traditional, old-fashioned and opinionated father, an admission of Thom’s sexual orientation can only end in disappointment, revulsion, and pain.

But when Thom is the only one that can exonerate a wrongly accused person by declaring the truth to the world, he must decide what it truly means to be a superhero.

I don’t think I can sufficiently explain how much I loved this book. From the first page to its bittersweet ending, I found myself enthralled by Perry Moore’s breathtaking coming-of-age novel. The brunt of the story rests on Thom’s tried shoulders – self-aware, emotional, honest, flawed Thom. As our protagonist, Thom is a beautiful character that rouses and inspires as he struggles with self-perception, with his relationship with his family, with his standing as a hero, and his attempts to find a place in a world that seems to despise and revile him for being “different.” Hero broke my heart when I read along with Thom as he was ostracized and ridiculed for being gay – it’s a running joke here at TBS that Ana is the “emotional Smuggler” – but let me tell you, dear readers, I was emotional as hell reading this book. Hero runs the entire gamut of emotion through the father/son dynamic, struggling with truth and identity, finding and losing love, and living with regrets and making peace with the past. That’s not to say Hero is preachy or emotionally exploitative – because nothing could be farther from the truth. Hero hits all the right notes, painting Thom as a sympethic protagonist without patronizing or condescending, and the hardships Thom faces as a gay teen never feel contrived or melodramatic; Thom’s struggles range from humorous (one scene involving internet porn, for example) to touching (Thom’s first hookup), painful (Thom’s public declaration and his father’s reactions) to triumphant (well, I’ll leave that unspoiled for now). Mr. Moore writes a truly heroic character in Thom, and I found myself moved to the point of tears following this inspiring young protagonist.

While Mr. Moore captures Thom’s struggles within and with the outside world perfectly, he also creates a compelling, complicated relationship between a father and his son. Just as Thom is an inspired protagonist, Hal “Major Might” Creed is also one hell of a character. He’s not a perfect dad by any stretch of the imagination as he’s deeply hurt by his public failure and his wife leaving him. His relationship with his only son, the only family he has left in the world with Thom is a complicated one, filled with its soaring highs and crushing lows. And yet, despite Hal’s old fashioned beliefs, he’s first and foremost Thom’s dad. I loved that Mr. Moore does not write simplistic two-dimensional characters – he includes the good, the bad, and the ugly in this father-son relationship especially, creating an almost unfathomably awesome reading experience.

And these are just two characters that I’ve touched on! Suffice to say that every character in Hero is brilliant in his or her own way, just as every scene written into this book is necessary and integral to the story. There is no wasted space, no repetitive filler in Hero, and I could probably go on forever about each of these characters, so I’ll just mention my favorites: the mysterious Goran and his role in Thom’s life. Justice’s calm understanding of Thom’s outsider-status and his own tangled past with the Creed family. The League’s members – Uberman (object of Thom’s fantasies) and Warrior Woman, in particular. Thom’s teammates – the lovably crass, clairvoyant Ruth, the curmudgeonly Scarlett and her own dark secret, the snidely condescending Golden Boy, the sadly isolated Typhoid Larry.

In terms of writing, the plotting for Hero is similarly superb. Hero is very much a coming-of-age story, but it’s also filled with dark secrets, revelations about his past and his family, and – of course – a central conflict culminating in a battle sequence on an epic scale. Deftly plotted, cinematic in its execution, Hero’s story rocks, plain and simple. And the action! While the draw to the book is the emotional and character driven story, the action sequences don’t hurt any. Mr. Moore’s writing is never lengthy nor awkward, zipping this story along and tying everything together in a cohesive, tight package.

Finally, how can I review a superhero book without addressing the world-building element? Mr. Moore creates an entirely new universe with Hero, taking a world similar to our own but injecting superheroes into every day life. It’s worth pointing out that Thom’s world is not one that is versed with our own DC/Marvel heroes (i.e. there are no awkward “Captain Victory was just like Clark Kent with his disguises!” sort of drops), and I dig that. That said, the superheroes in Hero are familiar (in an homage/poking fun kind of wa) – for example, Warrior Woman bears the obvious resemblance to a certain Amazon Princess from Themyscira, Justice is an intriguing blend between Superman and Martian Manhunter, the League of superheroes itself is very much a new version of the JLA. It’s clear that Mr. Moore is an avid comic book fan, and Hero encompasses themes from some of the great work out there – a bit X-Men, a bit Watchmen (especially in the case of Thom’s father), and even a bit of Mark Waid’s Kingdom Come (and Irredeemable). But that’s not to say that Hero is a poor copy-cat or rip-off (as was my impression with The Iron King recently). Rather, Hero uses these foundations and builds something completely new, beautiful, strange and unforgettable. It has earned its place in the comic book canon.

I cannot think of a thing wrong with this book. It is brilliant, beautiful, from beginning to end. I laughed, I cringed, I cried. Hero made me fall in love with reading all over again – but more than that, it inspired me, as I’m sure it will inspire countless teens and readers. Recommended for everyone.

Notable Quotes/Parts: From Chapter 1:

I NEVER THOUGHT I’d have a story worth telling, at least not one about me. I always knew I was different, but until I discovered I had my own story, I never thought I was anything special. My destiny began to unfurl during my very last game at school. What started with an accident on the court ended with the single most devastating look I ever got from my father. And it made me want to die.

At the game, I’d scored twenty-two points, which already topped my personal best by a basket, and I showed no signs of slowing down. Every time I sank the ball, I could hear a lone deep voice begin to cheer a full second before the rest of the bleachers chimed in. Dad’s voice was hoarse from screaming, but I could still tell it was him, because no one else there would bother to remind me to follow my shot or get my hands up for defense.

I ran down to the other end of the court and posted up under the basket, and I caught him out of the corner of my eye. He was sitting in the remote upper lip of the bleachers, in his usual spot, away from everyone else. The crowd was sparse up there, which he said gave more room for a man of his considerable size to spread out, stand every few minutes, and stretch his back. The truth was that the extra room also made it harder to tell that people were uncomfortable sitting close to him.

I was surprised to see a young couple sitting near him that night. The husband would occasionally turn around to agree with my dad on a call or congratulate him when I made a shot. They were probably parents of one of the freshmen on the team. Didn’t recognize my father yet.

But I got the feeling they found something about him familiar. Like someone they’d seen on TV, in a movie, a local politician, or someone vaguely famous. They would have recognized him right away if he’d been wearing his mask. My guess is he’d probably saved their lives at some point. Dad always ran into people whose lives he’d saved. I could tell because his left jaw would clench, just a smidge, a bicuspid ground
into a molar—a telltale sign that he was either going to be ignored, maligned, or dismissed by someone who was only still breathing by the good graces of my father’s actions. He never wanted me to see it, but kids aren’t stupid. Even if Dad had ever possessed superpowers, invulnerability wouldn’t have protected him from the shame of having people look down on him in front of his own son.

You can read the full excerpt online HERE.

Additional Thoughts: A few things. Firstly, in addition to being an amazing novelist, Perry Moore also is a hotshot Hollywood type – best known for his involvement in the Chronicles of Narnia films. As an openly gay man producing one a staunchly Christian series of books to film, I cannot express how freaking awesome I think this is. You can read more about Perry Moore, including a great interview with the author, on his website.

Also of interest on Mr. Moore’s website is a list – a primer, if you will – of gay characters in comics, and how they have been treated over the years. From “WHO CARES ABOUT THE DEATH OF A GAY SUPERHERO ANYWAY?:
A HISTORY OF GAYS IN COMIC BOOKS”:

In 1999, comic book writer Gail Simone compiled a notable list of female comic book characters who had been injured, killed, or de-powered in various superhero comics. The article, “Head In A Refrigerator,” made waves, and fans encouraged the comic book industry to change their treatment of women in the medium. The result has been positive, as the ever-increasingly popular world of comic books and graphic novels have yielded some of the most powerful and respected female heroes in literature since the list’s publication.

The following list is a similar catalogue of the treatment of gays in the medium. The goal is to facilitate discussion and awareness, that fans expect and deserve better treatment of lesbian, gay, and transgendered characters. The very fabric of our society is defined by whom we choose to venerate as our heroes. Things are beginning to change, but for every step forward – and there are some very good ones — the comic book world has taken some giant leaps back. Most gay characters, even in their small numbers, still remain primarily as villains, minor characters, and victims who are tortured, maimed and killed. Is this a fair representation of LGBT characters in the medium? That is left for you to decide. Yes, bad things do happen to all people, gay people included. But are there positive representations of gay characters to counterbalance these negative ones? Who cares about the death of a gay superhero anyway?

It’s an eye-opening piece, and I wholeheartedly recommend everyone go forth and check it out.

(After you read that, if you can stomach it, go forth and read about the kerfluffle in which Mark Millar responds rather disingeniously to Perry Moore’s outrage at the death of Northstar at Wolverine’s hands in 2005)

Verdict: Hero is, in this reader’s opinion, a perfect book in every way. Rousing, heartening and inspiring, Thom’s journey is one that is applicable to everyone. I cannot recommend this book enough – and it’s easily at the top of my list of favorite books read in 2010.

Rating: 10 – Perfection

Reading Next: Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

As you may have heard, this past weekend the LA Times Festival of Books took place at my alma mater, UCLA.

Over the weekend of April 24th – 25th, thousands of book lovers, authors, book sellers, publishers and other industry folks made their way to Westwood. And I’m happy to report that I was one of the throng, thoroughly enjoying the (basically) free panels, stages, author signings, book tents, and other assorted bibliophile paraphernalia. I’ve been going to the LA Times Festival of Books since I was a wee baby froshling, but this is the first time I’ve gone with the intent and capacity to blog about it – so it’s kinda cool. And new. And different.

Here are my adventures in the wild hills of Westwood (the 2010 edition):

Day 1: Saturday, April 24, 2010

After dragging the poor, reluctant boyfriend (who is soooooo not a reader) with me to the festival (hereafter LATFOB), finding a place to park, and hiking our sorry asses to campus (we’re both UCLA grads, so it was something of an eerie experience), we finally got situated and mapped out what areas we needed to hit immediately. First on the list was…

Mark Waid in conversation with Jonah Weiland – Saturday 1PM, Etc. stage

It’s no surprise that we Smugglers are a fan of Mark Waid’s – Ana’s recently given rave reviews for his Boom! Studios original “superhero” comic, Irredeemable (Vol 1 & 2), and of course we are both fans of his multiple Eisner Award-winning Kingdom Come, of his 52, and other remarkable works. The fact that Jonah Weiland, executive producer of the always excellent Comic Book Resources was the interviewer? Well, that just added icing to the cake. As a relatively newbie to the comic scene and someone that hasn’t been to many author events in the past, it was quite a treat to see these two in conversation!

Amongst the topics Mr. Weiland and Mr. Waid covered were the idea of comic books and their rise to fame, especially on the Hollywood front. Comics adapted to movies are increasingly popular, as major studios in film and television push out multiple adaptations a year, when there used to be only one every few years. Both men remarked that they do not think the bubble is going to burst any time soon, and that it will take more than a few box office duds (hello The Spirit, Ghostrider, Superman Returns) to staunch the flow. I found it kinda funny and really cool that Mark Waid admitted that when he heard that Iron Man was going to be adapted to the big screen, he (and other industry pros) kind of laughed and did a, “good luck with that.” If it weren’t for Robert Downey Jr.’s perfection as Tony Stark, Iron Man would not be the phenomenon that it now is – and I tend to side with Mr. Waid on that front. On the movie note as well, both men have high hopes for Green Lantern…

Also discussed were the digital application of comics in the form of Motion Comics, which neither Jonah nor Mark seemed to be very enthusiastic about (if you’ve seen the Watchmen motion comic with its weirdo voiceovers, you’d totally get why). But both were supportive of the move to digital media for actual comics themselves, via the iPad, and other webcomics.

Unfortunately, not a single mention, not even a passing throwout of female superheroes was made during the full hour.

Other observations and musings:

- Apparently, though Batman is the fan favorite (according to a good majority of the audience, myself included), Mark Waid says we are ALL wrong and Supe’ is where it’s at.

- Mark Waid thinks of himself as an incurable optimist – with the overarching theme of “hope” running through all his books. Which is pretty uplifting, given that a lot of books (comic and prose alike) tend to take the more jaded, cynical approach.

- Of all his work, Waid’s favorite, most notable accomplishment is his first issue of Fantastic Four.

- WIll Waid do 52 again in the future? Only if the dream team reunites.

In terms of future projects, Mark Waid talked about Boom! – he hopes that his Irredeemable universe will continue to grow over the next few years (also, Waid wearing a sweet Irredeemable hat). In the pipeline is a Stan Lee collaborative project which sounds really gorram cool – Stan is starting a line with Boom to create an ENTIRELY NEW universe of superheroes. How freakin’ awesome is that?

Overall, I was really, super impressed by both Jonah and Mark. They seemed like nice, sharp, funny guys – and I got my own copies of Irredeemable (volumes 1 & 2) signed by Mark Waid after the panel, after only a few name misspelling issues.

Then, it was on to…

Blood, Fangs, and Temptation: Everything Vampire with Richelle Mead, Rachel Caine, Heather Brewer, & Melissa de la Cruz
Moderated by Aaron Hartzier

I only stopped by this stage pretty quickly to listen to Rachel Caine (one of my favorite contemporary UF authors) and Richelle Mead – and both ladies were undeniably cool. Everyone read an excerpt from their latest book, talked a bit about vampires in fiction and their own particular series’. I tried to stick around to get books signed at the end of the event, but holy CRAP was the line long. The stage itself was super crowded, and considering this was the first year the LATFOB had a YA stage, it was pretty impressive – and indicative of the popularity of YA fiction overall. For while there were many eager, fangirl teens at the event, there were also some equally eager mothers and older readers (like myself), eating up what each of these talented authors had to say.

The Bloggers…

After a long, sun-drenched day of squirming my way through crowds (SERIOUSLY, the crowds were so thick and muggy that it was like how I imagine being born feels), I made my back to Westwood to meet with a delightful group of bloggers. Even though we don’t necessarily read the same books, these were some sweet ladies (and gentleman) – so a huge thank you to Lisa (Books on the Brain), Florinda (3R’s Blog), Ti (Book Chatter), Amy (My Friend Amy), Danielle Smith (There’s a Book), Trish (Hey, Lady!), Jen (Jen’s Book Thoughts), Jill (Fizzy Thoughts), Leah Hasenoehrl (Amused by Books), and Ashley (Ashley’s Library).

Day 2: Sunday, April 25, 2010

Day 2 of the LATFOB proved even more action packed than the first – this was the day I explored every tent on campus (multiple times for some), and ended up buying a few books (gaaaaaaaaaah).

Books Purchased include Feed by Mira Grant (YESSSS!!!! Love Seanan McGuire!) and Boy Proof by the remarkable Cecil Castelucci (every geek girl’s hero). Also walking around I stumbled upon VMK Fewings, author of A Stone Master’s Reckoning, which I reviewed last year. Vanessa had her very own (very coolly decorated!) booth, and even remembered who I was and gave me a free copy of her new book. SQUEE!

As for the day’s panels…

Comic Books: Indie and Beyond with Ed Brubaker, Simon Oliver & Mike Mignola
Moderator: Geoff Boucher

When I saw that Mike Mignola was on a panel, it was an autobuy for me. You may have noticed that we Smugglers love Hellboy. And with another big name in Ed Brubaker (Captain America writer, at the moment) and Simon Oliver, I was sold. This panel was interesting, especially in comparison to Mark Waid’s interview the day before – while Waid was funny and more softspoken, this crew was more boisterous. Less interested in superheroes, and moregenerally chatty. After seeing how hopeful/non-cynical Mark Waid was, it was funny to hear Ed Brubaker, who is a wryly cynical as they come (but not necessarily in a bad way). Ed Brubaker was late to the panel.

Mike Mignola is awesome, incredibly humble and wonderful, and he kinda looks like a friendly Tom Colicchio. He talked a bit about what he’s working on – he just came back from a 10 day stint in New Zealand helping with a segment of Guillermo del Toro’s The Hobbit, and hopefully his work will make the final cut. SImon Oliver (of The Exterminators fame) was kind of marginalized, but funny and interesting when he did speak.

On new projects – Brubaker talked about how he lost a pilot he wrote specifically and originally for TV; but has Secret Avengers out later this year (and a follow up to Incognito – which is awesome – later too). I’m super stoked for Mignola’s new chapter in Hellboy/BPRD (as Hellboy has quit, and apparently we can expect LOTS of changes). Simon Oliver has a new crime noir book out at somepoint soon, but can’t remember the artist’s name (a huge LOL moment).

Following the panel, I got to meet up with Kris, awesome book blogger behind Voracious YAppetite – who shares a LOT of the same YA interests as Ana and I. We met briefly at the YA Stage (after I mistakenly harassed a girl that fit Kris’s clothes description – whoops), and talked about our book plans before bullying an innocent bystander into taking a picture of us. All in all, a fun time!

After that, it was time for my last panel of the event – and the most entertaining one, at that.

Book: New Media Meets Publishing with Pablo Defendini, Dana Goodyear & Wil Wheaton
Moderated by Carolyn Kellogg

For pretty obvious reasons, I was most looking forward to this panel addressing New Media and publishing, especially since I (kind of) know one of the panelists. Pablo Defendini is someone Ana and I knew from Tor.com. Recently (as in, one month ago) he left the MacMillan imprint to join Open Road Integrated Media (the new, e-book company brainchild of Jane Friedman, former CEO of HarperCollins). And, in person, (well, from my audience seat) Pablo is freakin’ AWESOME. He even used headdesking in a sentence. Come on now. (And, I might mention, in a festival FULL of mystery/crime/thrillers and literary fiction, it was cool to hear from a fellow SF/F geek – name droppin’ Scalzi, Gaiman, Elliot and others!)

Wil Wheaton, actor, blogger, self-published author is adorable and really, *really* goddamn funny. Like, integrating LOLCAT speech funny. Poking fun at stuck-in-the-1900s-publishers funny. He had a lot to say about self publishing that doubtless helped many aspiring authors in the audience.

Dana Goodyear had a lot to say too about her work – she’s a regular contributor to the New Yorker and founder of Figment, a new mobile platform for readers and writers of young-adult fiction, based on the bestselling Japanese form of cell-phone novels. Figment sounds pretty cool – although I’m not sure how well it will work out in its early days here in the United States (especially considering Japan’s very…different culture of cellphones), but it’s an intriguing, forward thinking concept. And we’ll be keeping our eye on Figment, which launches this summer.

Of all the panelists, Pablo was the most enlightening. One of the most interesting things he talked about was how when they launched Tor.com (which I remember like it was yesterday!), the site offered free e-books – the first book in assorted SF/F series’ (i.e. Scalzi’s Old Man’s War, Kate Elliot’s Spirit Gate) – which panelist Carolyn Kellogg likened to the pusher mentality of “the first hit’s free” (hilarious). Pablo then talked about how after that first hit DID the job, at Tor he started getting desperate requests from readers that WANTED to pay money for the ebook version of the rest of the books in the series – but were for, whatever reason *cough*MacMillan*cough* unavailable in e-book format. Pablo described this as the most headdesking moment evah.

Other tidbits of note:

- PDFs suck for e-books (duh). Mobi should be taken out back and shot, placed in a shallow grave. EPUB is sooooo where it’s at.

- Thieves will always be thieves; but people WILL buy e-books and print copies too. Whether it is a print “souvenir” (as Dana Goodman says of Japanese readers that purchased the prose versions of the cellphone novels they participated in) or to just have a concrete copy of a book, or if it’s a Scott Sigler type of deal (who changes his story with each iteration of a book – and his books are awesome by the way. Start out with Earthcore).

- A lot of people are driven to illegal downloads because they have no other alternative! This especially applies to international readers…which is something, as an international blog, we can relate to.

- They touched on pricing of ebooks – how people do not want to pay these expensive dollar amounts for books. Inherently, people know that spending the same amount of money on a print book as an e-book just doesn’t make any sense. (And on that note, the moderator kind of misses the point by suggesting that people who have already spent hundreds on a reader should be able to afford to give authors a few more bucks…yeaaaaah, that’s not quite the issue at hand. If I’ve paid hundreds of dollars for an e-reader, you damn well better bet that I want MORE bang for my buck, and I am not going to be complacent paying ridiculously inflated costs for an electronic version of a book that should by virtue of common sense be cheaper than its printed counterpart.)

The coolest thing about this panel? I saw Trish of Hey Lady! walking in, and we grabbed a seat together. Which made for a fun panel, especially with some of the…colorful characters in attendance.

Gripes about the Festival:

This was a great, fun weekend, no doubt about it. I was SO stoked to see a YA stage and YA section this year 0 and holy crap it was crowded all weekend long!

My only gripe, however, was that there was shockingly ZERO representation for Speculative Fiction (that is SF/F/H). I love that comics are becoming a bigger part of the festival, even earning their own graphic novel award this year, but….come on dudes. SF/F/H is a HUGE market too, with tons of die hard fans. Don’t we deserve a little reppin’ too?

On that note, there was ZERO Romance either! As Ana is a romance reader, and as I have many blogging buds that are dedicated romance readers and reviewers, and considering that romance is the best selling genre of fiction, period, this strikes me as a bit bizarre. There’s something wrong with this picture.

Hopefully next year, we’ll see some better representation. And who knows? Maybe even a panel about blogging or something of the like!

Overall, a successful, lovely weekend. Next stop – BEA!

Title: Irredeemable vol.#2

Author: Mark Waid/ Artist: Peter Krause

Genre: Graphic Novels/ Comics

Publisher: Boom! Studios
Publishing Date: March, 2010
Paperback: 128 pages

Stand Alone or series: This volume collects issues 5-8 of the ongoing series.

What if the world’s greatest hero decided to become the world’s greatest villain? The Plutonian’s deadly rampage continues. His former comrades-turned-victims are beaten, tired, and searching for hope. A “twilight of the superheroes”-style story that examines super-villains from Mark Waid, the writer of KINGDOM COME and EMPIRE!

Why did I read the book: I read and reviewed the first volume a few months ago and absolutely loved it.

How did I get the book: Bought

Review

Whoa. WHOA. A few months ago, I read, reviewed and LOVED Irredeemable volume 1, which collects issues #1-4 of this ongoing comic series. In that review I said I wished I had better words to convey how awesome this series is. I am still looking for them because things just got better – I honestly am head over heels in love with this series.

To recap: Irredeemable is about how the world’s greatest, most powerful superhero snaps overnight (or so it seems) and becomes the world’s greatest villain. In the first volume we see The Plutonian, committing despicable acts which include killing former allies and destroying entire cities such as Sky City, the one he was sworn to protect. The volume ends with The Plotunian sinking Singapore, effectively causing the death of millions. The story basically follows his former teammates trying to piece together the puzzle that is the Plutonian’s breakdown whilst trying to remain alive and out of his way until they can figure out how to stop him. Their last and only hope is to find The Plutonian’s nemesis, a super villain called Modeus who has disappeared from the face of the earth.

In this second volume Irredeemabl ( collecting issues #5-8) , The Plutonian’s motivations are fully explored and even sort of, revealed; further developments occur: we get to have a closer, in depth, complex look at the group of superheroes who are trying to bring him down; including a big reveal and plot twist regarding the twins Scylla (who was killed in the previous volume) and Charybdis that made me literally pump my fist in the air only to follow the action with a “Wait. Holy guacamole. That may have serious consequences yet” .

When I read the first volume, I mused about The Plutonian’s motivations. I wondered what could have possibly happened to steer such a great superhero out of his path. Part of me wished for a grandiose explanation that made sense and maybe even made him a little bit redeemable even after what he did. Part of me wished for the opposite. The latter is what happened:

The Plutonian’s motivations for going from an omnipotent superhero out to protect the whole world to being an omnipotent God of destruction are completely, utterly, supremely ….lame. And that actually makes it all better to me. Because it shows that he is only human as powerful as he might be.

Here you have a guy with absolute power and absolute responsibility. There is not a single minute of the day in which the Plutonian doesn’t hear and know everything about everybody. He is always, always connected with the people, and the slightest mistake can hurt millions. When that eventually happened because of his need for a break (a need that is completely understandable) , the consequences are dire, horrible and in the end, very personal.

But as understandable as it might be, the bottom line perhaps is this: does a superhero like that, with a power like that get to crumble under pressure? Does he get to have “personal” issues? And what about power? Does absolute power corrupt absolutely? The answer seems to point to a “yes” given what happens at the end of this volume with another character. Although one can argue that it wasn’t absolute power that corrupted The Plutonian, it was the difference between “public” and “private” and the weight of his responsibilities.

This story, this tale, is absolutely superb. The storyline is awesome: presenting great conflict both external and internal. The group of super heroes have a bunch of issues to work through before they can even think of stopping The Plutonian. And Peter Krause continues to impress me with his artwork. It suits the story perfectly:

This volume ends with another cliff-hanger and I am trying to decide: do I wait for volume 3 to come out in July or do I go in search of the individual issues RIGHT NOW?

Notable Quotes/Parts: The entire freaking volume is worthy of quote but the Twist was AWESOME. I did not see it coming. Ha.Neither did the Plutonian.

Additional Thoughts:At the end of this volume, there is the usual collection of covers (amazing) plus a preview of another upcoming story by Mark Waid, Potter’s Field.

Also, look what I found over the weekend browsing my local comic book store and devoured promptly: a stand -alone single special issue of Irredeemable:

The first year of IRREDEEMABLE came to a cataclysmic resolution, and before the jaw-dropping second year starts, Mark Waid is delivering an original stand-alone issue! Join the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN team of Mark Waid and Paul Azaceta, along with legendary comics creator Howard Chaykin, and BOOM! Favorite Emma Rios for the IRREDEEMABLE SPECIAL! Showcasing a never-before-seen glimpse into the Plutonian’s heroic beginnings and insights into his former teammates, the once-great Paradigm. Secrets will be revealed! Clues will be given! Threads will be tied up! This is a not-to-be-missed chapter in Mark Waid’s twilight of the superheroes masterpiece!

This issue has three mini-stories around three important – not spoiling – people that will be essential to stop The Plutonian. One of them is dead. One of them has a unique power and heritage and one of them used to be a villain. The latter is the guy from Incorruptible another series connected to the world of Irredeemable and points to a possible convergence of storylines!

Verdict:Irredeemable vol.2 is every bit as good as the previous volume and I would not be surprised if this series became one of my favourite ever.

Rating: 9 Damn Near Perfection

Reading Next: The King of Crags by Stephen Deas

Title: Girl Genius (Omnibus Vol. 1)

Author: Phil and Kaja Foglio

Genre: Comics, Steampunk, Comedy, Adventure, Romance, Speculative Fiction

Publisher: Studio Foglio
Publication Date: November 2006 (omnibus edition)
Softcover: 312 pages

Stand alone or series: Collects volumes 1-3 of the ongoing Girl Genius webcomic (updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday online)

Agatha Clay is a student at Transylvania Polygnostic University and a complete klutz. But when the University is overthrown and a mechanical monster stalks the streets, it begins to look as though Agatha may carry a spark of Mad Science after all! This convenient backpack-sized, black and white edition contains the first three volumes of the Girl Genius collection and is a perfect gift for anyone new to the series.

How did we get this book: Bought (although you can read the series for free in its entirety online)

Why did we read this book: We have heard NOTHING but praise for Girl Genius. By multiple accounts, this is the definitive steampunk comic. And given that neither of us had read or even heard of the webcomic before, we were eager to jump in.

REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Thea: Holy crap, Girl Genius is freaking fun. This is a manic, hilarious, adventure-filled gem of a comic, and I cannot believe I have only just heard of it now. Basically, from the opening frame, I was hooked. From the zany writing (lots of extreme emotions) to the crisp artwork, I loved this book. And you can bet your Agatha-style Victorian undergarments that I’ll be back for more.

Ana: Oh dear lord, I can’t express how much I loved Girl Genius.Oh wait, I CAN: I loved this collection like you wouldn’t believe. Firstly, it is as Steampunk as it can be in every sense of the word (or genre). Secondly, it is SO much fun to read. Not only because it is actually a pretty funny book but also because of all the adventure and manic plot and the awesome characters. I have to say, I did not see this one coming. Loved it.

On the Plot:

Thea: This omnibus edition collects the first three “issues” of the Girl Genius series. In the first issue, titled “Agatha Heterodyne & The Beetleburg Clank” introduces us to a pretty, frazzled young student named Agatha – who, despite her imagination and ability to visualize complex mechanical designs, cannot build anything that works. Her life is turned upside down when she’s first accosted by two soldiers, who steal her beloved beetle-locket (the only remaining keepsake she has from her deceased parents). Then the despotic tyrant ruler, Baron Wulfenbach, his son Gilgamesh, and their armed guard of clanks (automatons) and Jagermonsters (hilarious, fierce “monsters” that speak with over-the-top accents) drop by Beetleburg and visit the university laboratory where Agatha is working as an assistant…and, inadvertently, they end up blowing up Dr. Beetle (Agatha’s mentor). Enraged, depressed, and kicked out of the university, Agatha returns home to relay the events of the day to her surrogate parents…who seem disproportionately concerned about Agatha’s loss of her locket. Soon, more chaos ensues as a rogue clank is unleashed on the town by an unknown maker – and Baron Wulfenbach believes it must be the work of a new Spark; that is, one gifted with the ability to create intricate machinery. The search is on for the new Spark – and it leads to Agatha’s home.

The second and third issues, “Agatha Heterodyne & The Airship City” and “Agatha Heterodyne & The Monster Engine,” follow Agatha as she is whisked aboard the Baron’s secret airship city, and the ordeals she goes through as she discovers that she, indeed, is a Spark. And not just any spark – she’s got a whole legacy to her name, and now everyone wants to kill her, or follow her.

What can I say about the writing of this fantastic comic? That it’s uproariously funny? It’s surprisingly intricate? That Agatha’s journey of self-discover is hilarious, touching, and empowering at the same time? Girl Genius is all of these things, and more besides. The universe the Foglios have created here is deceptively complex – there’s a tyrant who really doesn’t want to be a tyrant, an empire at peace but at the high cost of fear and enforced servitude, a whole magical hierarchy of Sparks, monsters that have peculiar tastes and mannerisms, science experiments gone amok, cities in the sky, legendary tales of the Heterodyne boys…the list goes on. Suffice to say that there is a lot going on in this comic – in a good way. Although it’s a little strange at the beginning (seriously, this book moves at a manic pace), I was quickly, hopelessly immersed in Agatha’s universe.

I should also say that the art in this book is fantastic. I’m not much of an artist by any stretch of the imagination, but I loved the contrast between the first issue and the second and third (different shading techniques), as well as the crisp, clean strokes the Foglios employ. These first three issues were originally published in black and white (though they are fully colored online now), and the omnibus stays true to that, which is cool. I also quite like how curvy Agatha is and I luuuuuuuuuuuurve her oversize glasses.

Ana: What Thea said. Every word of it. I think the most important thing to say is how the story at first, comes across as deceptively light and simple read when in fact it is not. With every single page, details of the world-building were being added, details of the character’s history were being revealed and what started as the story of a girl caught in something she is not prepared for ended up being a LOT more than that: full of complex comes and goings, relationships, mysteries and plot twists. I am completely, utterly enamoured with this book.

The amount of detail is staggering: because the story deals not only with Agatha but with the entire world as well. There are repercussions about everything and the more the particulars were being revealed to the reader, the more glued to the pages I was. These details also appear in the art where every single thing in each panel is beautifully drawn – I too love the art here.

On the Characters:

Thea: Ahhh, Agatha. Agatha, Agatha, Agatha. She really grows on you. Upon first meeting, she gets beat up by a soldier (seriously! smacked around!), and she’s prone to bouts of frustration and headaches, which are pretty hilarious. As the comic progresses, we learn that she’s always felt like a moron, however, on account that nothing she builds works. And then, she’s forced to confront the truth that she is, indeed, a spark. It’s a cool progression, and I loved this zany, sleepwalk-in-her-underwear-prone character. What’s coolest about Agatha is how she stands up for others AND for herself – when she’s made offers of marriage or seen as the ‘damsel’ in distress, she’s able to hold her own.

The other main characters are similarly – surprisingly – well developed, too. I love how there’s this ambiguity throughout. We readers are told who the “good” and “bad” guys are – but there are extenuating circumstances. A “hero” character, for example, turns out to be a ridiculous Zapp Brannigan type of dude, meanwhile the tyrant Baron is shown as having no patience for politics and gives off the air that he’s tyrant just to keep the peace…because no one else will.

And then, of course, there’s young Gilgamesh and what appears to be the budding romance between him and Agatha. Hilarious. Awesome. Did I mention, hilarious? Yeah. It’s like that.

Ana: At the risk of sounding like a fan-girl (but what the heck, that’s exactly what I became after reading it): the characters are completely awesome. They have depth, they have flair, including the villains. All of them, the Baron and Von Pinn (I am not going there as to not spoil but Von Pin is seriously, seriously made of win) for example actually have shades of grey which makes them way believable and relatable.

The awesomeness of Von Pinn

Agatha, our protagonist is as Thea says: she grows on you as she grows on page. Her arc is an interesting one – even if not especially original.

Finally: Gilgamesh and the romantic developments. I am so totally on board of THAT ship.

Final Thoughts, Observations and Rating:

Thea: If you couldn’t tell, I loved Girl Genius – and I cannot wait to finish reading the series online, and follow along with the droves of other dedicated fans each week for more Agatha Heterodyne! Absolutely recommended – this is a comic appropriate for all ages, and for all readers.

Ana:The series is made of win and I have only one regret: that I didn’t know about it sooner. Do yourself a favour and go read it now, NOW.

BUT IS IT STEAMPUNK?!

Thea: Yup. The technology is central to the plot, and the world is undoubtedly steampunky in style and substance. I say, yay.

Ana: Oh yes, most definitely. However, the author doesn’t seem to think so, preferring to call it Gaslamp Fantasy. I am completely amused by the fact that as soon as I find something that I DO consider Steampunk, I am told it is not. Oh, well: I still consider it Steampunk. I will go as far as to say it is one of the most Steampunk reads I’ve ever seen.

Notable Quotes/Parts: Take this exchange, “The Falling Machine” (here are the first two pages, you can read the full chapter in its entirety online):

Additional Thoughts: We’ve recently received another steampunk webcomic recommendation that warrants mention. If you like Girl Genius, you might want to try out 2D Goggles, the ongoing Lovelace and Babbage saga. Take, for instance, the origin:

Rating:

Thea: 8 – Excellent

Ana: 8 – Excellent

Reading Next: The Alchemy of Stone by Ekateria Sedia

During our last Steampunk Week, in our primer we boiled down our own essential Steampunk Reading List, limited to prose books only. But this time around, we’ve got our own recommendations for everything else – comics, movies, and games.

Comics, Manga & Graphic Novels:

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore

It doesn’t really get any more essential than Moore, does it?

Hellboy by Mike Mignola

Technically, it’s not really steampunk, but it’s got the aesthetics and trappings down pat. (Plus, I just love Hellboy. Who doesn’t love Hellboy!?)

Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa

The manga is pretty damn awesome, as is the anime, and rumor is a live action film is in the works. Exciting!

Girl Genius by Phil Foglio and Kaja Foglio

Available on web and in print, Girl Genius is one of those comics that has a strong, loyal following. (We’re also reviewing the first five volumes later today, so stick around!)

Ignition City/FreakAngels/Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island by Warren Ellis

Warren Ellis is self-indulgently annoying or incredibly brilliant, depending on what you’re reading, but there’s no denying the guy has mad skills. These three have steampunkish flair and the aesthetic is right (even if they aren’t technically steampunk, by our own stringent definitions).

Iron West by Doug TenNapel

About an incompetent outlaw, mechanical men, and an evil train. Win.

2D Goggles by Sydney Padua

A webcomic following Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage fighting crime. We’re only just starting to get into it (thanks to recommendations from you, dear readers!) – but it’s wicked good fun.

Film & TV:

Hellboy, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, Hellboy: Blood and Iron/Sword of Storms

As aforementioned. Yeah, not really steampunk. But some of the elements are there. Who loves Hellboy? We do! We do!

Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)

As aforementioned. The anime, and full length anime movie, is just as winning as the manga.

Howl’s Moving Castle (anime)

Like everyone else on the planet, we love Hayao Miyazaki. Howl is one of Thea’s favorite films, period. Whimsical, beautifully animated, with top caliber vocal talent (Christian Bale, yo) – and, oh yeah, it’s steampunk. Real steampunk.

Castle in the Sky (anime)

Another Miyazaki. Howl, this film, and the next on this list are some of Thea’s personal favorite films (the other Miyazaki you MUST WATCH IMMEDIATELY – not steampunk though – is Spirited Away), and they all have a steampunk veneer. Sky pirates, airships…this is a classic.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (anime)

More Miyazaki. Post-apocalyptic and environmentalist with a steampunkish aesthetic, Nausicaä is another gem.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

A very clever, fun film (even if it’s not the best movie and takes a while to get going). And it’s young Uma Thurman!

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (animated movie)

Disney’s take on steampunk/sci-fi, and a movie I really enjoyed when I was younger (this and Disney’s Treasure Island are pretty fun, imaginative takes on animated SF). And I really like the animation – very different from what Disney was doing at the time.

Steamboy (anime)

If you’re looking for straight-up steampunk in the most traditional sense of the word, look no further. Steamboy, set in an alternate 19th century England dominated by steam technology, also features some strong vocal talent (hello, Patrick Stewart). It lacks the magic of Miyazaki’s films and doesn’t really go anywhere, but it’s still worth watching. Especially if you’re looking for honest steampunk.

Stardust

While Gaiman’s novel isn’t really steampunk, the film adaptation takes some liberties and has some of the trappings. Most notably, the sky pirates in their lightning-capturing dirigible.

Gaming:

Final Fantasy VI

Classic, old school RPG that is actually SET in a steampunk world. Pretty self-explanatory!

Skies of Arcadia Legends

I still play this on my gamecube occasionally (this and my old metroid games). In a Verne-ian setting, Arcadia is an RPG that rocks. Airship combat. ‘Nuff said.

Bioshock/Bioshock 2

If you haven’t heard of Bioshock, you’ve been living under a rock. These games are AWESOME. Beautiful cinematic graphics and storyline, clever, and – oh yeah – totally steampunk in its aesthetic. Ok, it’s at its heart more of a Sci Fi Pulp Noir sort of deal, but the Verne-inspired, steampunk look of Big Daddy warrants a place on the list!

Phew. And that’s it from us and our list. Now, bring on your favorites (that we have inevitably missed)!

“Inspirations and Influences” is a new series of articles in which we invite authors to write guest posts talking about their…well, Inspirations and Influences. The cool thing is that the writers are given free reign so they can go wild and write about anything they want. It can be about their new book, series or about their career as a whole.

Today’s guest is author Mark Andrew Smith; prestigious Harvey Award-winning comic book author, editor of the awesome Popgun Anthology series, and graphic novelist. Recently voted the Best All-Ages Graphic Novel of 2009 by MTV’s Splash Page, and featured on the likes of WIRED and Boing Boing, The New Brighton Archeological Society has won over comic readers and speculative fiction fans alike. Thea absofreakinglutely loved it. When Mark agreed to write a piece about his work, the comic book readership, and the future of the medium for our Inspirations & Influences segment, we were, understandably, thrilled.

Without any further ado, please give a warm welcome to the talented Mark!

The New Brighton Archeological Society is an all-ages graphic novel series about a group of children from two different families whose parents are close friends and colleagues. After their parents are lost on an archeological expedition, the children find themselves picking up their parents’ work and setting out to defeat their parents’ nemesis. They soon find themselves in a race against time to collect a series of books that are part of a great library of magic that has kept two kingdoms at war for centuries. The children unlock the secrets of their parents’ mysterious lives, discovering a hidden world of mystical artifacts, mythical creatures, and arcane knowledge.

The book began around the title “New Brighton Archeological Society,” and I built it from there. It’s no secret that I like quirky long names for titles.

When I was in school years ago at UCSB (Film Class of 2002), I worked at a bagel shop. Adorning the wall to this particular bagel shop was one of those blackboard menus, with different colors of chalk on it. I would stare at this menu out of sheer boredom as I counted down the hours until I could be home again and wash the bagel smell out of my clothes.

But I digress, anywhoo…

On the menu there was a particular sandwich called “The New Brighton.” The name became stuck in my head. It sounded like such a mysterious and an intriguing place next to the ocean where waves crashed onto a rocky coast. In proper “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” fashion, I begun to imagine myself there, far away from bagel hungry customers, and I built on the loose idea about a society that was created there. After doing more research about New Brighton I really liked it more and more because there are about ten different places named New Brighton. The name of the city is ambiguous, much like Springfield from The Simpsons –and can exist in any number of places.

Fast-forward two years after university: I had my first comic book series come out from Image Comics called The Amazing Joy Buzzards. Joy Buzzards was about a rock and roll adventure band that traveled around and solved mysteries with a Mexican Wrestling Genie. The artistic style on the book screams “make this into a cartoon series!” I took Amazing Joy Buzzards to pitch at animation meetings, and I would get comments like, “Can you make them younger and take away the music?” I felt that if I did something like that, it’s not even the same book. So it made more sense to start something new and in a similar tone — but different. Around this same time I was asked to work on a kid’s chapter book series for a publisher. With that motivation, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

When I started writing The New Brighton Archeological Society, I did a brainstorm and jotted down the influences of the book. The tone I wanted running through the book is one that I would describe as, the energy and characterization of Calvin and Hobbes, meets the warmth and comfort one feels when looking at a Norman Rockwell painting. I thought it would be important to have a timeless setting but to also have the characters be animated visually so that readers can understand the story just by looking at the pictures.

There are a lot of little things that inspired and influenced the story, and it’s a comic book equivalent of kid’s chapter books for an all ages audience. Old serialized adventures played a huge role in crafting New Brighton. Also, Saturday morning cartoons like the mystery gang from Scooby Doo and the film The Goonies for the type of team we had. Peter Pan in literature as well as all the film incarnations also had their influence on the project. Classic fantasy lore like Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia played a role as well.

I really wanted to have an Indiana Jones type feel in parts of the story where folks would travel through epic temples, but in these temples everything would still be alive, and magic and mythology were real and walking alongside the characters in the story.

With the mythology and the creatures, I think often people go to the well of western monsters, but I wanted to add in a lot of Eastern elements because we’ve just seen the tip of the iceberg for Eastern mythology. There is such a wealth of rich material to draw on there!

How is prose different than writing for graphic novels? Writing comics is frustrating because you have to depend on a lot of people after your work is done to complete the project. With prose I feel like writers are very fortunate because at the end of the day they don’t have to depend on another person to finish their book.

Thankfully I have a great editor named D.J. Kirkbride that helps me out with New Brighton, proofreading and catching mistakes. The artist, Matthew Weldon, is also so professional and great to work with, which makes the process so much more fun.

A common misconception about writing for comics is that I just fill in the bubbles in the word balloons. The truth, though, is that I’m writing all of the action, the panel breakdowns, what’s in the frame, the pacing, and character expressions. It’s a lot more detailed than a screenplay, kind of like a shooting script. The funny thing about writing for comics is that most of what I write the reader never reads, as about 90% of it gets covered up and replaced with art.

The markets for graphic novels and comics have been largely segregated over the last 10 years. Printed comics are in a state of declining readership and in a distribution system that makes it hard for people to purchase them in bookstores. Comic book shops are reluctant to carry independent and non super-hero titles and often the only way people can get particular graphic novels is on Amazon. Graphic Novels have got to get into bookstores and in front of their intended audience, but the system in place right now keeps us segregated from the book market. I hope in the next few years all of this will soon change. Graphic Novels and the distribution system for them must rapidly evolve in the next five years or die.

I’m very excited about the iPad and other reader devices. These should be a boon for graphic novels and comics writers, as they can easily get the work directly to the readers, making it a great marriage of books and technology.

There’s a shifting trend in graphic novels these days to make them for a wider audience. I think the words “graphic novel” still carry with it a stigma from thirty years ago that creators are working hard to try to change. A while ago the trend was towards graphic violence, with lots of female anatomy exaggeration, and superhero based male power fantasy, and there still are those types of books. In fact it’s still half of what’s out there on the market, (It’s like the embarrassing drunk uncle you have that shows up to family gatherings where the rest of the family is normal). The superhero readers are getting older and older and there aren’t new readers to come in and replace them.

But a lot of people are working hard to change those stereotypes about comics and to make a wealth of diversified material to attract new audiences to the medium of graphic novels. For the past thirty years, it’s very much been a boy’s club with the exception of material from a few creators, such as the great Neil Gaiman.

Now more and more people are discovering that comic books are a medium and not a genre.

Could you imagine if there were just one genre of novels to read and nothing else and that it was the superhero genre?

It’s crazy to imagine right? The idea is very laughable to imagine Dickens writing orphaned heroes down on their luck and wearing spandex. But it’s been the case for at least the past 80 years in the medium of comic books and graphic novels. If it were the case for novels it would mean the death of the novel medium.

Thanks to works like Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, more and more people are realizing that comic books are not a genre but a medium capable of telling any range of stories under the sun, with almost limitless potential. There are comic books in broad ranges of genres now from adventure, to wine tasting, and cooking.

In the past ten years we’ve been working very hard to diversify. There are a lot of us doing our best to get the word out about the potential of comic books to reach every kind of reader out there. There is a comic book now for every reader to enjoy.

Right now, more than ever, we need to increase graphic novel literacy with children reading comics. We need to make strong allies of librarians for non super-hero material, and we need to work as hard as we can to attract women towards reading graphic novels with material that is attractive and that they will enjoy.

The biggest shockwave this last year came from Comic Con International, where a huge number of Twilight fans showed up. A lot of comic book readers were annoyed while others took note and saw the great potential to having the female compliment of fans at the largest culture show in the world.

A Twilight graphic novel adaptation of the Twilight Saga will be out soon with 350,000 copies printed out of the gate, which beats all sales numbers that comics on the market now are doing in terms of sales.

The comic market is taking notice of the power of female readers, and we need to serve and cater to them more. We need women in roles of power in the comic book industry and telling stories. Right now the best example and perhaps only example of this is the Vertigo imprint from DC Comics under Karen Berger. I think they’re the only ones who’ve got it right in that regard.

Thank you, Mark!

Title: The New Brighton Archeological Society (Volume 1: The Castle of Galomar)

Author: Written by Mark Andrew Smith & Illustrated by Matthew Weldon

Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, Adventure, Fantasy

Publisher: Image Comics
Publication Date: March 2009
Softcover: 179 pages

Out of the ashes of misfortune will rise the next generation of great adventurers! After their parents are lost on an archeological expedition, four children begin to unlock the secrets of their parents’ mysterious lives, discovering a hidden world of mystical artifacts, mythical creatures, and arcane knowledge. Soon they find themselves drawn into a conflict over a great library that has kept two kingdoms at war for centuries, the children must save an enchanted forest, the birthplace of magic itself. Join us as these children become the latest members of the fabled New Brighton Archeological Society, and take their first steps towards their true destiny!

Stand alone or series: Book 1 of a planned series

How did I get this book: Review Copy from the Author

Why did I read this book: When Mark Andrew Smith contacted us with the opportunity to read and review The New Brighton Archeological Society (one of our first ever graphic novel review queries!), I was thrilled. This book was recently voted as the Best All-Ages Graphic Novel of 2009 by MTV’s Splash Page, and has received rave reviews from Boing Boing, Ain’t It Cool News, and WIRED Magazine. With recommendations like that, how on earth could I refuse?

Review:

Let me start off this review by saying – wow. I repeat. Wow. The New Brighton Archeological Society is probably the best children’s (and all-ages appropriate) graphic novel I have ever read. Granted, there’s a dearth of true “all-ages” graphic novels on the market (many so-called children’s comics seemed to be more geared towards adult readers than actual children), but this is not praise I give lightly. The New Brighton Archeological Society is a story that is a achieves the mystical, elusive alchemy that makes The Chronicles of Narnia and the Harry Potter books so appealing to both children and adults alike: it encapsulates the wide-eyed wonder of fantasy in the midst of palpable danger, and neither patronizes nor makes tiny child-looking adults of its protagonists. That’s a very, very hard thing to do, and The New Brighton Archeological Society does it with pizazz.

Following the death of their famous archeologist parents, two pairs of siblings – Joss & Cooper, Becca & Benny – are taken into the care of their elderly godparents, the MacCombers, at Brighton Manor. Out of their tragic loss, however, the four friends and siblings come by great adventure, magic, and whole new worlds – literally. The Manor, home to both pairs of parents in their younger days, holds countless secrets and possibilities for these intrepid youngsters. During a snowball fight, the young explorers fall into a secret bunker and learn that their parents were part of a group called the Brighton Archeological Society. The four uncover an even more wondrous discovery on Brighton’s grounds as they stumble into a world of magic – of friendly and informative Goblins and dangerous warrior fairies. As they soon learn, their parents dedicated their lives, up to their deaths, to protect some very important magical books from the Great Library – especially from the clutches of a mysterious, nefarious man named Galomar. Impassioned to continue in their parents’ noble footsteps, the four decide to act – and with their new Goblin friends’ help, they raid Galomar’s castle, braving demons and vampires, to save the world from magical destruction.

While reading The New Brighton Archeological Society, one cannot help but think of those formative, captivating books of one’s youth – the comparisons between this book and C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling (there’s even overtures of some Hayao Miyazaki and Neil Gaiman in the mix) are indeed apt. This graphic novel may tread familiar territory – orphans following in their parents’ magic fight to save the world – but the visuals, the genuine wonder imbued in every frame of this graphic novel make the story seem fresh and bright-eyed. One of the best things about The New Brighton Archeological Society is that it isn’t patronizing in the slightest – and at the same time, it’s not gratuitously dark or violent. I also loved the fantasy element, putting a wonderful spin on a familiar creation myth and pitting fairies and goblins against each other (with Goblins as the good guys, in a welcome surprise). The fantasy element should appeal to Speculative Fiction readers of all ages – even if the material is a bit familiar, it’s enchanting.

And then there are the protagonists themselves. I LOVED the portrayal of the children, both in art and in characterization. Becca is inquisitive and apparently the “baby” of the group (prone to tears) – but when it comes down to her brother and friends in trouble, she shows her mettle. Hotheaded Benny is courageous and hungry for adventure and to continue his parents’ work. Cooper is the dreamer, the imaginative member of the bunch (and he instantly won my heart with his ZOMBIES! cry for help at the beginning of the book). And finally, Joss – my favorite character – is the brainy, storytelling girl. Her tale of the fearsome kitten that became Moloch is easily my favorite story within this graphic novel. There’s also a winsome Goblin character named Mitch – green tinged, butterscotch-loving, and very knowledgeable when it comes to all manner of monster and magic.

What’s more, I loved that the New Brighton Archeological Society is composed of two pairs of racially diverse kids – Joss and Cooper are Chinese American, and Becca and Benny are the Anglo/caucasian. This diversity stretches to the mythology of the book as well. Though western myth and theology are present (God, goblins, fairies), there also are Japanese Kappa (a frog-like water demon) and Chinese Vampires – and in a young adult book, this is pretty groovy.

Finally, I should mention that the art in The New Brighton Archeological Society is superb. Matthew Weldon’s art tells a story just as much as Mark Andrew Smith’s words do. There are stretches in the book – such as the introductory eight pages! – that have no words at all. This kind of interplay and trust, from the writer’s & illustrator’s ends, are a beautiful thing, and these wordless stretches are just as potent and memorable as the overall written story.

Notable Quotes/Parts: Two great sample panels – the first had me near tears at the beginning of the book, the second had me cracking up (CLICK TO ENLARGE):

(Don’t you love the expression on Joss – sister to the zombie-yarn-spinning Cooper – ’s face? Awww)

Additional Thoughts: Three short stories for The New Brighton Archeological Society first appeared in POPGUN, the “original, critically acclaimed graphic mixtape” (POPGUN is a mashup preview of some of the finest, widest ranging comics available in an anthology). AND you, dear readers, can download the PDF HERE, completely free.

(Also, if you haven’t yet checked out the candy-slick, online comic awesomeness that is POPGUN, I highly recommend you take a gander)

Also, make sure to stick around as later today we have author Mark Andrew Smith over to talk about his Inspirations & Influences for this book, and commentary on comics and the medium’s evolving readership!

Verdict: Sweet, funny, smart, and heartfelt, featuring equally luscious writing and art, The New Brighton Archeological Society is damn near perfect. I loved it, wholeheartedly recommend it to readers of all ages, and I cannot wait for book 2!

Rating: 8 – Excellent

Reading Next: Tome of the Undergates by Sam Sykes