Planetary Omnibus

The Planetary Omnibus by Warren Ellis, 864 pages

This book was one of my table finds. By that I mean a patron left this on a table and I discovered it when picking up the books at the end of the day. Now normally I do not read many comic books. I read a fair number of graphic novels, and a large amount of manga, but something about comics never really hold my attention. I think this is likely because the hero nearly always wins and does so in an honest way. Seeing them do that over and over really takes away from what I look for in every book, believability. But something about this omnibus was different. There was a grittiness that made it enjoyable.


Until I read this book, I had never heard of the Planetary Group, or any of the super heroes that are featured. I like that most of them are the no nonsense, kill what gets in the way type. And to make it even better this is not the standard the earth is doomed story. Basically the Earth is rule by four people with extraordinary power. If they fight together no one can stand up to them. But Planetary is tired of being ruled, so they take the fight to them.

I enjoyed this omnibus, but then I have enjoyed nearly everything that Warren Ellis has written. I think if you also enjoy other graphic novels, or even comics by Ellis, then you will enjoy this as well.

Blacksad: Amarillo

Blacksad: Amarillo (Blacksad #5), by Juan Diaz Canales, ill Juanjo Guarnido

Everyone's favorite cat-man-detective Blacksad is back on the case.  This time, he's got a sweet gig driving a beautiful car across the country- so maybe his never-ending bad luck has ended?  Oh, you sweet, wrong individual- of course not.  First the car gets stolen and then the hijinks turn, as they always do, in the direction of murder. 

As usual, the illustrations are really well-done, the story is bittersweet, and you will be VERY interested to see who the translator was (hint: she works here! and is super talented!)

Dead to the World (iZombie #1)

Dead to the World (iZombie #1), by Chris Roberson (ill Mike Allred), 144 pages

Gwen is a gravedigger, and also a high-functioning zombie who has to eat a brain once a month in order to avoid becoming a stereotypical "braaaaains" sort of zombie.  I think it will make more sense in future issues.  Anyway.  When she eats a brain, she gains the memories of the dead person- and when the brain she eats appears to have been the victim of a weird culty murder, she sets out to investigate.  She has a couple of friends- a weredog who is unrequitedly smitten with her, as well as a 1960's ghost.  This could be a cute little series, if you're into mysteries, zombies, and/or strong female characters.

Jupiter's Legacy

Jupiter's Legacy, by Mark Millar, 120 pages

This is one of those comics where I heard the plot and thought, "That sounds interesting"; then the copy arrived and I saw the cover and thought, "This does not look promising"; then I read it and thought, "Meh. It was... alright." Here's the general idea: a group of people discover a mysterious island and then become the world's first superheroes, with superpowers and all.  Then they have children who also have superpowers but are basically entitled and resentful of their parents.  Infighting happens, the families kind of break apart, and then there's a dramatic conclusion that paves the way for the second book that I will not be reading.  It wasn't bad- just not for me.  I was hoping more for an Astro City sort of non-canon superhero comic.

Sexcastle

 Sexcastle, by Kyle Starks, 204 pages

Sometimes, I just want to be entertained.  I'm not looking for depth or introspection- I just want some knowingly cheesey one-liners and ridiculous fight scenes to make me laugh.  That's kind of what this graphic novel was- a comic equivalent to the show Danger 5, if you're into that.  The main character, Sexcastle, (of course that's his name- didn't you read what I just said about this book?) is a reformed assassin who's trying to get his life right, by working in a flower shop.  Naturally, trouble still finds him.  Alot of this is an homage to cheeseball action films like Road House- so be warned.

Soppy

Soppy, by Philippa Rice, 108 pages

You know how sometimes when you're having a bad day, going to a website like cuteoverload, or perhaps just doing a google image search for baby sloth in onesie (personal favorite), can make you smile and put your day back on track?  That's what this book was.  It's not a "story-story," but it's like paging through a series of really cute and sweet scenes of the author/artist and her boyfriend.  It's just fairly mundane, everyday things, but it's pretty stinkin cute.  You don't have to like it, but if you don't, you may want to talk to a professional because there may be something wrong with your heart.

Saga, Volume 4

Saga Volume 4, by Brian K. Vaughan (Fiona Staples, art), 144 pages

In this latest collection of the Saga comics, Marko is getting lonely in what feels like a job as a single dad, Alana is finding the darker, more addictive side of acting, and Hazel is learning to dance. We also learn a little more about the Robot kingdom. It's a compelling work, but I am really losing track of what's going on when I have to wait in between volumes.  Also, this really doesn't sound like a lot, but I think it's really laying some groundwork for the next work. 

Ms. Marvel Vol 1: No Normal

Ms. Marvel Vol 1: No Normal, by G. Willow Wilson, ill by Adrian Alphona, 120 pages

I am so excited by this new Marvel incarnation- Kamala Khan is a Pakistani-American teenager who gets super-powers and takes on the moniker of Ms. Marvel.  Is it a great story?  Not more so than the usual Marvel series.  But I get so pumped when I see a comic book featuring a character who is not cut from the traditional comic hero cloth.  She is a "she," she is Muslim (the first Muslim to have her own comic book series, says Wikipedia), not white, daughter of immigrants, the main plot is not about meeting a guy, and the depiction of her is just so honest.  Kamala Khan wants to be a good Pakistani daughter, and she wants to abide by her family's rules, but when she obtains great powers, she remembers that the Quran states that "whoever has saved one person, it is as if he has saved all of mankind."  Talk about feeling torn.  I don't feel the need to finish out this run, but it is so refreshing to know that it exists.  I would encourage young women interested in comics to check this out.

Constantine: The Spark and the Flame

Constantine Volume 1: The Spark and the Flame by Ray Fawkes, 144 pages

This is a collection of the first six comics in the newly rebooted John Constantine series. My knowledge of the history and previous storylines concerning Constantine is limited to the movie by the same name. This collection of comics seems to follow along closely to that.

It is nice to see an older comic series get a reboot, if nothing else to bring it back into the main streams vision. That being said this first group of comics seem very unsustainable. I hope I am wrong but only time will tell. I will continue reading them though as this reboot deserves the chance.

Hack/Slash, Omnibus 1-5 by Tim Seely, 1500 pages.

Hack/Slash is every slasher movie loving teen's wet dream.  Imagine a combination of Friday 13^th, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Child’s Play (Chucky franchise), throw in a scantily clad Goth girl with a penchant for violence, copious amounts of blood, and you have the Hack/Slash series.

Hack/Slash follows Cassie Hack, and her disfigured sidekick Vlad, as they travel the world (and other worlds) tracking down twisted serial killers (known as Slashers), and dispatching them in the most gruesome ways possible.  In Cassie’s world, people that die full of hatred and malice return from the dead as “Slashers”.  These recently resurrected creatures have a simple agenda – to kill, maim, and spill as much blood as possible.  And it’s Cassie and Vlad’s goal to put them out of action.  But don’t’ worry horror fans, there’s plenty of blood and entrails, and a healthy dose of terrified teenage girls in lingerie to revel in before said Slashers are put six feet deep.

The series contains nods aplenty to the horror genre, with guest appearances by Jason Voorhees, Chucky, and Dr. West (from the Re-Animator movie), to make any horror fan happy.  H.P. Lovecraft and Chuthulu are also a big influence.  It also stays true to the tried and tested tropes of the horror genre- blood, guts, monsters galore, and sexy ladies making questionable decisions (Nope, you shouldn’t go check out what that noise in the basement was, especially dressed in that see-through baby-doll negligee).

As the series goes on, Cassie and Vlad venture further afield in their search for Slashers.  They visit other dimensions, travel to the future, and make trips to other comic worlds.  The series is crossover heaven, with Cassie killing Slashers alongside Ash from the Evil Dead series, killing monsters in the world of Archie (this issue is even done in the same art style as the Archie comics), and even hunting down a demonic Tinman, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion.

There are some deeper, more cerebral storylines to accompany the gore.  Cassie struggles with depression and her sexuality throughout the series.  Her disfigured partner, Vlad, helps the writers explore society’s acceptance (or lack thereof) of those who may be different than the norm, but mainly it’s just bad-guys, blood, and buxom ladies.

The Hack/Slash series can be a bit heavy on the gore, and might show a little too much skin for some readers (to be fair, this element draws from its inspiration – slasher movies), but for horror fans - these books deliver.  I’m not ashamed to say that the teenage boy in me grinned like a baboon from the first page, to the very last.