Omnivoracious

Graphic Novel Friday: Gray Morrow's Orion

Go ahead and judge this book by its cover: Gray Morrow’s Orion is exactly as enchanting as the image to the right suggests. Originally serialized (in color, at least) in Heavy Metal magazine in the late 1970s, Orion follows the swashbuckling titular hero through a fantasy land filled with high adventure. Published late last year, the oversized Orion is a book to behold—with forgiveness for its pulpy prose. For example, the opening narrative box announces:

Orion’s world is not our world but one of which the stuff of fantasies and legends are made. His enemies and conflicts are wrought of demons and sorceries, more palpable here than competitors or tension and frustration. Here powerful dark gods command men’s obeisance and magic their beliefs. The secrets of science are privy to but a few…and everyone knows they are quite mad.

The text could only be more purple if it were colored as such, and the fun part of it all is that it works when coupled with Morrow’s attention to, well, everything. Outfits vary by character—Orion is clad in bandanas, buckles, tassels, and cummerbunds; he is a pirate, after all—and the men sport impeccable facial hair, while the women are shapely and usually topless (in tune with Heavy Metal’s sensibilities). Plus, the hair! Morrow excels at flowing locks, gently tousled by an ever-present wind. The male characters are men’s men—hairy chests and bulk without any sculpted preening. Orion is the antithesis to contemporary superhero comics, and I loved the outlandish settings and ships, including an airborne armada resembling a school of giant minnows.

As for the plot, the eight chapters revolve around Orion’s magical and “terrible” sword, Thorbolt, which is the envy of just about everyone. Orion alternates between keeping it and various women safe from the clutches of arch-nemesis Lamonthos. But again, stay for the visuals and enjoy the compressed narrative for its exclamation points and unabashed chest-beating.

In the bibliographic page, publisher Hermes Press notes that the initial four chapters were scanned from comics, while the last four were sourced from the late Morrow’s original artwork. Sure, there is a noticeable shift in quality between the two, but that’s part of the charm. Orion is an anachronistic artifact, a story out of time that exists thanks to the genuine love of its curators. Plus, there is a bonus story from Gray Morrow, "Edge of Chaos," that features a similarly bearded protagonist in a more science fiction setting. The overall package is a commemorative unsheathing of a lost narrative, where imagination and skill run rampant (that purple prose is infectious), and where a cover is a sure sign of the contents within.

--Alex

Get to Know the Walking Dead

As folks gather around the watercooler on Monday, talk may very well turn deadly. Well, undeadly. The Walking Dead returns from its mid-season 3 hiatus tonight. 

In situations like these, maybe you're the type who'll be overheard exclaiming "Oh! I love The Walking Dead!" Maybe you're more inclined to ask "What is The Walking Dead?" Both are legitimate sentiments; but depending on when they're expressed, they can easily mean any number of things.

Here's a quick primer for newbies and fans alike to the many facets of this ever-expanding post-apocalyptic zombie-verse.

The Graphic Novels

The original format for the story is a black and white series that was introduced to comic book readers in 2003 and, as of February, numbers 107 issues. In it we follow Georgia State Trooper Rick Grimes and his family as they and those they meet try to survive a post-apocalyptic world. Unlike other mediums, they are truly no-holds-barred when it comes to (no pun intended) graphic material. They are, in a word, the purest version of all the mediums -- an unfiltered, uncensored representation of the creators' vision.

 

 

 

The Television Show

 

Nominated for a Best Television Series- Drama Emmy in its first year, the TV show doesn't always parallel its comic book roots, often deviating with its characters and plotlines. Examples for those familiar with one but not the other: Graphic Novel Dale's story arc varies significantly from his TV counterpart and takes a really interesting turn. Tyrese, a character just introduced this season on TV, has been a fan favorite of the graphic novel readers for a long time. And if you think the Governor is tough on TV... whew!

 

 

The Novels

Two of what will eventually be a trilogy that has been overseen by the series creator, Robert Kirkman but actually written by horror novelist Jay Bonansinga, are already on the shelves. In The Rise of the Governor, we meet the man behind the monster -- how he was with his family. In The Road to Woodbury, we primarily follow a young woman named Lilly Caul who eventually does appear in the graphic novels but has not (yet) appeared on the TV show. In both, the writing achieves a perfect balance between character development and driving plot, demonstrates a true talent for cringe-inducing description and sprinkles in some darkly humorous elements.Of all the mediums The Walking Dead has spread to, the novels are probably the best place for non-zombie fans to dip their toes in as these two purely prose stories stand excellently on their own. And for fans of the show and/or graphic novels, they offer some significant insight into character backgrounds.

 

The Video Game

Though the art is absolutely in keeping with the graphic novels, this five-episode series features totally different characters and no overlap of plot. The game puts the player in the role of the lead character who has to make some pretty intense decisions with some pretty intense consequences, but also offers the opportunity to play mutliple games and see what happens when a different decision is made. Debuting with its own first "season" December 2012, it earned excellent reviews from publications such as The New York Times and USA Today and such game sites as IGN and PC Gamer. It's already been greenlit for a second season and is available for multiple platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Mac, PC as well as for Apple devices through the iTunes store.

Graphic Novel Friday: Reinventing the Steel

After reading Dark Horse’s latest volume in the comic book exploits of Conan, I say this as a fan of Robert E. Howard and his Cimmerian: it’s about time. Writer Brian Wood, artists Becky Cloonan and James Harren, and lauded colorist Dave Stewart take Conan in a stylistically new direction in their adaptation of Queen of the Black Coast. Before purists cry “Crom!” and have at me, let me quickly say that there are countless volumes in Dark Horse’s library where Conan is traditionally represented as a hulking warrior with an unfortunate haircut. Hey, he has far more pressing blades to worry about than those that cleave his black locks. These timeless adventures will always be there, but it’s here that Dark Horse takes a chance at establishing a fresh starting point for new fans--and it works.

Very early on, there is a double-page spread by Cloonan, where Conan escapes on horseback only to look over his shoulder to give his pursuers a sly smile--a make-it-or-break-it moment for longtime fans. It’s a knowing look, a contemporary awareness that Conan has heretofore lacked. Readers will likely cheer, however, as he leaps onto a nearby ship and immediately takes command of the vessel based not only on the edge of his blade but the sharpness of his tongue.

One Legend to (Hy)Rule Them All: Celebrating Zelda

Today is a great day for video game fans in the United States: after over a year, the fervently anticipated and debated The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia is at last available in English (and, as of this writing, it’s currently #1 on our bestseller list in all of Books). Originally released in its native language in Japan, the oversized tome—a love letter to Hyrule, the fictional realm where much of the series takes place—was sought after, imported, scanned, and pored over worldwide by fans. At last, here it is in all its translated glory—fret not, Zelda fans. This one is worth all the hype.

In February 1986, The Legend of Zelda video game premiered in Japan, followed by a US port on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. Over 68 million units of that adventure game have since sold worldwide—and there were 15 (or so) more games to follow in the franchise.

It’s important to note that most of Hyrule Historia is not a behind-the-scenes look at the making of these individual games, rather it’s a history of the fictional world they inhabit. It opens with an introduction by series creator Shigeru Miyamoto and then immediately gets serious with the chronology, opening to a long look at the “first” game in the series’ in-world history, Skyward Sword. Then it’s off to a 60-page study of “The History of Hyrule.” This section attempts to make sense of 16 games’ worth of cyclical plots, villains, heroes, princesses, and lore. It’s a complex, daunting, and brow-furrowing read, and I loved every page.

Graphic Novel Friday: Chasing Alabaster: Wolves

Reading Alabaster: Wolves by Caitlin R. Kiernan and Steve Lieber feels as if I’ve been dropped mid-way through a horror film. There are monsters, a four-headed angel, a talking bird, a haunted church, and an albino hero who comes loaded with cryptic backstory. It is also the best comic I’ve read so far in 2013.

This the first work I’ve read from Kiernan, whose bio is an impressive resume of genre projects in novels, short stories, and comics for DC/Vertigo. Kiernan’s heroine, Dancy Flammarion (yes, you read that correctly), is a character from her novels but prior reading is not required. Like most contemporary fantasy heroines, Dancy is a reluctant Chosen One, and she alone must stand against the forces of darkness in order to—well, we’ve been here before, but what sets her apart is that she isn’t sexualized. Dancy isn’t fancy; she wears cargo pants and long sleeves underneath a t-shirt. She has a bad haircut, red eyes, and plenty of bruises and scuff marks. She’s a storied hero, and part of the fun is hearing other characters refer to her past exploits—one villainess asks, “All us monsters you done laid low, and you don’t believe in werewolves?”

Then there’s the spitting-angry, four-headed, fiery angel that looms over Dancy. What is the story here? Readers aren’t given much to go on, but there’s clearly a tale or two to tell should Kiernan ever feel like enlightening new fans (please). The angel directs Dancy to her supernatural targets, but at the outset of the graphic novel Dancy is already chafing at her duty and questioning the angelic monster:

  And me, I’m silently asking it, “Just this once. Just this once you could do the deed your own self. Seems like I’ve earned that much. Just this once, please.” But I know better.

Another aspect that sets Wolves apart from its peers is the citing of music that Kiernan and artist Steve Lieber listened to while working on each chapter. I admit that most of it went above my head (All Eternals Deck by the Mountain Goats, for example), but again, that’s the fun here—the reader is out of his or her element. We aren't privy to everything in Dancy’s world, because we haven't been with her from the beginning. We’re catching up with her as she catches her demons. There are twists and revelations that remain still-spun and unrevealed by the book’s end.

The last page finishes with a rare “The End”—the idea that there aren’t more Dancy stories is perhaps the scariest moment in this horror comic.

Alabaster: Wolves releases next month!

--Alex

Graphic Novel Friday: 70 Years of Betty & Veronica

After “Who would win in a fight, Superman or Batman?” the next favorite but unanswered question in comics has to be “Betty or Veronica?” Riverdale’s blonde and brunette duo continue to chase and be chased by Archie after 70 years, and though their shoe styles may have changed over time, they haven’t lost a step—as is readily apparent in the new Art of Betty & Veronica collection from Archie Comics.

Sitting down with the oversized book, it’s the cover that strikes first—the stark white contrasted with a spot-UV treatment for both Betty and Veronica’s figures makes the characters stand out, and the silver foil lettering adds a shimmering note of class to the package (Veronica would be pleased). But it’s not all outward appearances, as the 160-page book opens up an art gallery of pages scanned from the original artwork of Betty & Veronica master craftsmen Harry Lucey, Dan DeCarlo, Dan Parent, and others.

DeCarlo was always my de facto Archie artist—it was his name on the covers and interiors of the digest reprints that found in grocery stores while on my summer vacations. It was DeCarlo’s simple line work that gave the Riverdale roster a personality and such a fun range of emotions. Until I saw his black and white originals alongside his color pages, however, I didn’t appreciate his eye for fashion. It’s easy to take fashion for granted in mainstream comics, especially superhero books, where decades-old costumes are accepted because they’ve been around for so long. Not so with Betty and Veronica, who, under DeCarlo’s pen, were tuned to the styles of their times—from flower prints and oversized sunglasses in the 1960s, bell-bottoms in the 70s, shoulder-pads in the 80s, and cargo pants in the 90s. It was this attention to detail that earned reader loyalty, because even if the characters didn’t age, the fashion and sensibilities grew up with the readership.

Harry Lucey’s pages show what an influence he had on Love & Rockets artist Jaime Hernandez, where thick lines draw out the facial expressions, and Betty occaisionally looks every bit the precursor to Hernandez’s Penny Century character. The last main portion of the book is devoted to Dan Parent, whose duck-billed version of DeCarlo’s style is both familiar and, at times, odd. The reproductions, though, are top-notch across all artists. Editor Craig Yoe presents choice pages with blemishes whole and without any color correction; this is an art book for Archie aficionados, a coffee table treasure. Betty or Veronica? Now readers never have to choose.

--Alex

P.S. Although I've always been partial to Veronica. 

Amazon Interviews Jeff Kinney on "Diary of a Wimpy Kid"

Jeff Kinney may not be the most publically recognized man in kids' books (who would that be, really?) but if you say "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" that is a whole other story. 

Today fans will at last get their hands on a chocolate brown copy of The Third Wheel, the seventh book in the enormously popular series. We know that The Third Wheel involves Greg Heffley wading into the angsty pool of middle school romance (something Kinney and I both remember as "going with" someone) with it's social implications, third-hand accounts of romantic interest, and inevitable break-ups.  I would pity Greg Heffley his trials but I know the book will be too funny for that.  

Perhaps, like me, you are curious why after all the brightly colored covers the seventh book goes in a new direction (brown).  Yes, I think about these things, and I am not alone ...According to Kinney, there was a meeting about what color to make the cover of a book set around Valentine's Day if you are not partial to using pink.  One bright publishing mind at the table suggested that Valentine's Day is really all about the chocolates, and there you have it--thanks to an honest (if unsentimental) point of view, the issue was resolved, bring on the candy-colored cover.

In a highlight of my time at Book Expo America this year, I chatted with Jeff Kinney in the video interview below.  We talked about the storyline of The Third Wheel, his plans for the series (both for books and other media), and his writing habits -- what he avoids and what keeps him going.  Kinney is every bit as delightful as the books he writes, and I am excited to see the things we talked about come to pass.

 

Graphic Novel Friday: Saga is Must-Read Sci-Fi

Are you reading Saga, the latest comic series by writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: the Last Man) and artist Fiona Staples? This year, it’s the series that I’ve recommended the most to friends, and it’s unanimously the favorite title read by my comic book club. It opens with a birth, and the lovely couple—a man with horns and a woman with clipped fairy wings—is quickly on the run from a robot prince with a malfunctioning television set for a head. Are you reading Saga? You should be.

Saga is a science fiction, fantasy blend that drops readers immediately into all the action the pages can contain. There’s a fresh idea at every turn: a baby possessed by a ghost; a rocket-ship in a fallow forest; a bounty-hunter with a heart of gold and another bounty-hunter with a heart of poison. Plus, Vaughan introduces one of my favorite SF characters in recent memory, a blue cat with the ability to detect untruths. “Lying,” is all it hisses when its partner, named only The Will, interrogates an embellishing poor soul.

At its ever-shifting core, Saga is also a romance—two refugees in love and on the run, with a newborn in tow. Staples’ artwork has already solidified her as a top talent to watch. Her booth had one of the longest lines when I attempted to meet her at NYCC last month, and Saga was absolutely the talk of the con. Her character designs are a pleasure to watch as they unveil, particularly The Stalk, a menacing bounty-hunter who spins an unsettling sexuality. Vaughan isn’t building worlds here—rather, he’s building universes in Saga. This first arc has the makings of a classic run. Everything changes from one chapter to the next, but only the quality remains consistent. Are you reading Saga? Omni readers, please believe me. You should be.

--Alex

 

Top 10 Comics for Halloween

Happy Halloween, Omni readers! As I type this, the classic horror anthology Creepshow (1982) is on in the background, so let’s please blame any typos on my nerves. Once all the festivities finish today and tonight, the scares do not have to stop. In fact, we’ve compiled a Top 10 list of the most chilling comics published this fall. Full write-ups continue after the jump. Read at your peril.

1. I, Vampire Vol. 1: Tainted Love by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino
2. Creepy Presents: Richard Corben by Richard Corben and various
3. The Hive by Charles Burns
4. Swamp Thing Vol. 1: Raise Them Bones by Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette
5. Fatale Vol. 1: Death Chases Me by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
6. B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Guy Davis, and more
7. "Came the Dawn" and Other Stories by Wallace Wood
8. Ragemoor by Jan Strnad and Richard Corben
9. American Vampire Vol. 4 by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque
10. Creepy Archives Vol. 14 by Various

Graphic Novel Friday: Return of the Walking Dead

In the case of a zombie apocalypse, most reasonable people might opt to hide in a fortified bunker or at least a well-stocked mall; not many would invite the undead into their homes for dinner. And yet, this Sunday millions of eager viewers will do just that for the third season premiere of AMC’s Emmy Award-winning The Walking Dead. Based on the long-running comic book series by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard, the new season boasts a whopping 16 episodes, larger than both prior seasons. Bring on the brains!

For viewers unfamiliar with the plot thus far, jumping into The Walking Dead this weekend isn’t as scary as its subject matter. Spoiler-free synopsis: police officer Rick Grimes awakens from a coma to find the world overrun by zombies. He eventually locates his wife and son on the run with a band of survivors, and the group struggles with inner turmoil as much as the undead gnawing at their heels. But just in case this isn’t enough for newcomers, or maybe fans of the show need a little something to chew on in between episodes, publisher Image Comics has a pair of collections to sate the hungriest of appetites.

The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 2 is the follow-up to the bestselling Volume 1. Both giant paperback collections boast over 1,000 pages each of the comic series, serving as an easy grab for readers who want to sit down with a brick full of zombie stories. These are great companions to the small screen adaptation, allowing readers to follow along and note where the show diverges from the comic. Plus, stacking both books atop one another might make for a good doorstop should the undead come calling.