This Week's Haul: Supergirl for Everyone!

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So I've already told you how awesome The War at Ellsmere, which came out this week, is. But there were also a lot of other awesome comics! Probably some bad ones too, but I fortunately didn't read any of those!

Batman #682

I think that all the confusing mess that was Batman: R.I.P. was worth it if it got us to this issue. It is absolutely bananas, but really, really enjoyable. It reminded me of All-Star Superman, the way that it embraced and celebrated Batman's zany silver age past. Grant Morrison...you are alright with me!

 

Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade #1

I definitely had high hopes for this one, and I wasn't let down. It's fun and silly and it pays no attention to proper canon or continuity. In other words, it's perfect for kids. And, much like Tiny Titans, it is fun for adult nerds as well.

 

 

 
 

Superman/Supergirl: Maelstrom #3

Everyone should seriously be reading this series. I am going to keep saying that every week until it is over. This is the Superman/Supergirl interaction I have been waiting for.

 

 

Jonah Hex #38

And everyone should seriously be reading this series. I can't say enough good things about Jonah Hex, even though I don't talk about this comic nearly enough on this blog. It's completely and totally awesome. I know it is perpetually in danger of being canceled, and it would be tragic if it happens. Comic fans keep asking for one-shots and this is a whole series made up of them. Plus it has great writing and all-star artists.
 

 

The Amazing Spider-Man #579

I don't want to say the word 'perfect' here, but these last two issues of Spider-Man, by Mark Waid and Marcos Martin, have been pretty damn close. They have everything you could possibly want in a Spider-Man comic. Not only is Spider-Man witty and likable throughout, he is also incredibly heroic. I was almost teary-eyed. HE JUST GIVES SO MUCH OF HIMSELF!

 

 

JSA #21

Man, that Gog guy wasn't as cool as he seemed. Colour me surprised. I was sure everything would work out fine for those tortured souls who populate the Justice Society.

 

 

Hey! Y'know what else came out this week?! Showcase Presents: Supergirl v.2!!!

Ohhhh yessssss.

Not convinced? How about a 2-part story where Comet the Superhorse turns into a human temporarily and starts dating Supergirl?

Oh it gets worse...

That's why I don't date horses. They lie.

Toon Books!

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Art Spiegelman has been making the media rounds lately, promoting his line of comics for young readers. Toon Books are beautiful hardcover books aimed at readers between the ages of 5-8 or so. The goal of this series is to introduce very young readers to the comic book format. You may have noticed some of their earlier titles in book stores already (Silly Lilly, Otto's Orange Day, Benny and Penny). They are very eye-catching, and can potentially serve as the Beginner Books for a new generation. So, if you're looking for a quality Christmas gift for a young reader, I think any of the books Toon has put out would be good. I was sent three of the books to review, including Jack and the Box, which Spiegelman wrote and illustrated.

Jack and the Box was just released in comic shops this week. It's a very simple and surreal story of a young boy/bunny and his inability to control a fairy creepy-looking clown that keeps popping out of a box. The story is reminiscent of The Cat in the Hat, with the clown causing all sorts of trouble and messes when the boy's parents aren't looking. The art is really animated and fun, but I can't stop thinking about how much that clown would have scared me as a kid. But everything scared me.

Mo and Jo Fighting Together Forever by Dean Haspiel and Jay Lynch is a cute story about twins who are lucky enough to be given super powers. Their local super hero, the Mighty Mojo, decides to retire he gives his powers to the twins. The only catch: they have to share them. Mo gets elastic arms and Jo gets magnetic boots, meaning that they have to work together in order to equal the Mighty Mojo. Since these two fight about everything, it's a problem.

This is a fun book about cooperation and learning to love your sibling. Of the three books I was sent, it was the most like a traditional comic book, in terms of format, as well. I think this book would be a great way to get young readers started on super heroes at an early age.

Stinky by Eleanor Davis was my favourite of the three. The story is about a monster named Stinky who lives in a swamp on the outskirts of suburbia. He is afraid of humans, and is very agitated when a young boy builds a treehouse near his swamp. This book is really, really funny and has beautiful art. I was smiling the whole time I was reading it. It's also really adorable, especially as Stinky reluctantly befriends the boy, who is nothing but sweet and friendly to the monster.

Faith Erin Hicks on The War At Ellsmere

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Today sees the release of Faith Erin Hicks' second book, The War At Ellsmere. I read an advance copy of the book and it is fantastic.

The story, like all good ones, is set in a boarding school. It focuses on Jun, a poor girl who is admitted to the posh school on a full scholarship due to her genius IQ. Jun immediately feels out-of-place, but is determined to not let it bother her. While there she manages to make one good friend, and one mortal enemy.

Where Zombies Calling, Hicks' debut, was a zany romp with zombies and social commentary on student loans, Ellsmere is a little darker and far more subdued. The ink-heavy art and the gothic setting give the story a very dreamy feel, which is enhanced by the magic realism Hicks' incorporates into the book to keep readers on their toes. The book also has lots of humour and witty dialogue. I am a huge fan of Hicks' facial expressions.

After the disappointing cancellation of the Minx line of books for teen girls, it's exciting to see SLG publishing such a excellent book for the same audience. In fact, this is one of the best books I've seen for teen girls in awhile, at least as good as Hope Larson's Chiggers, or Mike Carey's Re-Gifters. If all is right in the world, then this book should secure Hicks' spot among the top indie comic creators.

I did a Q&A with the Halifax-based, football-loving, ultra-talented and all around super nice Faith Erin Hicks. If you want to meet her (and you DO), then stop by Strange Adventures comic shop in Halifax this Saturday, Dec 6 from 6pm-8pm for her book launch. Last time she did one at the shop there was a line-up out the door!

Alright, here's the Q&A. I'm in purple, in case you can't follow.

Boarding schools are totally awesome places for stories to be set. What is it about them that makes them so awesome?

The greatest thing about setting a story in a boarding school is that there are no parents. The teachers are there and provide some kind of authority figure, but boarding school is a great way to set up a story where children are pretty much on their own, but not in a dangerous way. They're still properly fed and not harassed by terrifying island monsters like in Lord of the Flies. Plus I'm a bit of a sucker for rich, old, Victorian meets Fairytale architecture, which you just have to have in a boarding school story.

What was your school experience like growing up? Is there any of yourself in Jun?

I was homeschooled growing up (until high school), so that's probably why the idea of boarding school is so exotic to me: the idea of being in an environment that excludes parents and where you're surrounded by children your own age. I think I was more like Cassie than Jun when I was a kid. I was pretty shy and mousey, and very dreamy. I liked talking to trees and had this idea that everything magical I'd read in stories was the absolute truth. I never had cool come-backs to the mean kids like Jun has.

I did go to a hyper-competitive animation college, though, which is where the sabotage-heavy environment at Ellsmere comes from.

Something that I thought was really interesting about this book is that there are virtually no male characters at all. I don't really have a question here, but maybe you want to comment on that.

In a much earlier draft of the story, there was a male character, a standard tweeny love interest which I included because I really thought I couldn't do a story without a male character. I've always had male characters in my comics; I like writing them, and I felt like I would be excluding people if I wrote a story without a male character. However, as Ellsmere progressed, I realized that the male character I'd created didn't fit with the story at all, and for the sake of the story, I should just toss him and hope that my readers wouldn't have a huge problem with it.

There's another element there in that I wanted to do a story about two girls fighting, and have the fight not be over a boy. Those kind of stories always leave me cold, and I can't remember reading many where you have women doing battle with each other over things other than men. And I'm a little tired of that stereotype. I want something different! This probably sounds completely pretentious, but I wanted to do something almost ... I don't know, Shakespearean. I wanted to have this Good Verses Evil fight, the kind of battle you see in plays like MacBeth or movies like Star Wars, but have the battle be between two young girls. But, of course, still have that battle be appropriate for younger readers. No hands getting chopped off by lightsabers here, kids.

This is your second published graphic novel. Do you feel like a comic book star yet? Have you had some exciting fame moments?

Oh, lord no. I'm always terrified someone's going to leap out of a bush and yell that I'm a complete fake and can't draw worth beans, and take away all my comic projects. I'm completely blown away that I've found anyone willing to publish me, let alone done as well as I have. Honestly, working in comics, I feel more like a fan than a professional. I'm always so excited to meet people who do comics for a living, and so thrilled when they actually take the time to talk to me.

I'm trying to tone it down, really. It's not the most professional thing to start squealing and giggling every time you meet a fellow cartoonist. But comics are just so exciting!

Your art is beautiful and it reminds me a bit of Paul Pope or Ryan Kelly. Who are your favourite artists or influences?

Paul Pope is a huge influence. I love his work. It's completely unlike anything I've ever seen, and he seems able to take cliches and overcome them through sheer drawing power. He's incredible. Ryan Kelly I like as well, although I've only recently been picking up his work. My number one art god is Jeff Smith, although nobody's ever told me my art looks like his ... Jim Rugg and Ted Naifeh are also worthy of worship. I like any artist who inks like nobody's business. I love ink.

So what's next for you? Are you going to return to your webcomic, Ice? Or are you going to swim in your piles of book money?

Hah, yes, I go diving in my giant pile of comic book money every morning, just like Scrooge McDuck! I would very much like to finish Ice, as it's close to completion, but I'm currently neck deep in my next project, drawing a graphic novel for First Second Books. I'm going to try and work on Ice soon, though. I don't like that it's unfinished, and I think it's a good story. I'd like to see it through.

This Week's Haul: We hardly knew ye, Batman

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Would you believe I am still sick? This is the worst cold ever.

BUT I am done my classes and I only have a few things to finish up before I am done school forever! I am going to celebrate by playing video games all day and partying all night.

Here are some comics I read this week.

Batman #681

The end of "Batman R.I.P." and what a long, crazy trip it's been. I've seen the "Batman BRB" jokes floating around that internet. That's pretty funny. Or, maybe, "Batman WTF?" I actually found this particular issue to be surprisingly fluid, for the most part. I don't think this storyline needed all the mass media attention it received. And it completely failed as a cross-over, as far as I'm concerned. Neither Detective, Nightwing nor Robin seemed to tie into Batman in any notable way.

I liked the Batman R.I.P. storyline, though. I don't know if I understood it, but I liked it. I just think people who don't regularly read comics who are picking up this issue because it made the news are going to be very dissapointed and confused.

Captain America #44

Do you know why Bucky is awesome? Because he is two super heroes! When he's got a job to do that's too dirty for Captain America, he switch to Winter Soldier. This issue shows that off nicely.

Daredevil #113

I am loving this Lady Bullseye storyline. I'm glad that we finally get some Matt Murdock reaction to the revelation that Elektra is a Skrull. And I am glad that we get some characters like Danny Rand and Master Ito kicking around for levity. Plus Dakota is still awesome. And not dead yet...will she shake the "sleeping with Matt Murdock" curse? I hope so.

Superman #682

I think this was James Robinson's best issue of Superman so far. The voices seemed a lot better, whereas before it just sounded like a bunch of James Robinsons conversing with each other. I always like Renato Guedes art, too, especially when he's drawing Supergirl.

Wonder Woman #26

I'm really glad that DC not only has the perfect person writing Wonder Woman (Gail Simone), but they also have the perfect person drawing this title (Aaron Lopresti). This issue launches a new storyline that looks like it's going to be fantastic.