Vertigo: Progetti Futuri

[Azrael]

PREVIEW: FABLES #119

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[Azrael]

"The Unwritten" #39 advances the detective fiction setup of the current "The Wound" story arc, but it also marks a return to the larger meta-level concerns and mythology that writer Mike Carey and artist Peter Gross have previously established. The original triumvirate of main characters Tommy, Lizzie and Richie are still largely absent, except for one page with Richie in Switzerland. However, current protagonists Didge Patterson and Daniel Armitage have separate confrontations with cult leader "Pastor" Lucas Filby, leading them to a connection with Wilson Taylor and other older mysteries.

Peter Gross continues to produce ambitious, well-composed art. His storytelling transitions are as smooth as ever, and he never neglects his backgrounds. His delicate architectural details are especially gorgeous, and I appreciate how the animals imprisoned alongside the unicorn have dejected or curious facial expressions and body language. When Carey has Lucas Filby launch into a flashback story, Gross executes a dramatic experiment in style, to a looser, violent, more heavily inked line. Also, Gross' work continues to be very well-supported by colorist Chris Chuckry. The Filby flashback is set apart in chaotic reds and golds, while most of the issue is colored moody blue-gray. The scene in which a character dissolves is also strikingly pretty, with the puddle of words being a milky mint-green with swirls of letters.

I don't think of Gross as being an action-shot oriented artist, but when Didge has another throw-down with the thugs she met before, Gross draws a short but sweet fight scene, with limbs popping out of the panels. Didge's oral police report for her boss is deftly juxtaposed in text boxes over the appropriate actions in the in the fight, adding ironic humor to the scene. Didge's euphemisms and outright lies, punctuated with her salty, verbally engrossing phrasing, make her the most engaging new character "The Unwritten" has seen for a long while. She's an unusual heroine, a hard-boiled cop with a disability, and she has spent most of her on-panel time in tough cop clothing and a blackened eye. In the hands of a lesser writer, Didge's text box voice overs could easily become info-dump monologues, but instead they are delightfully humorous and natural. Carey advances his character development slowly but surely, and by this point in "The Wound," I care about tough Didge, hapless Danny and even the diffident, prophesying unicorn Shrdlu Silverhoof.

With only one more issue in "The Wound," story arc, I'm wondering how Carey will tie it all up. He's revealed far less of the mystery of the cult than I would have expected at three-quarters of the way in. The nature of Didge's disability is still a mystery, for one thing. Even so, Carey has proven himself to be able to write dense, layered issues, so I have faith that he and Gross will continue to deliver their usual standard of unusually strong storytelling in next issue.

4/5

CBR

[Green Hankey]

è desolante che questa serie non riceva i premi e i riconoscimenti che merita 

[Dude]

Di questi tempi il riconoscimento più grande è dato dal fatto che ancora non l'hanno segata 

[Doktor Sleepless]

Di questi tempi il riconoscimento più grande è dato dal fatto che ancora non l'hanno segata 

Triste verità. 

[Azrael]

The second part of "The Blacklist" delivers more shocks and reveals more secrets in the AMERICAN VAMPIRE world. Do yourself a favor and don't miss this.
The Good
Pearl has become one of my favorite characters. Not just in this comic but overall. She's a wonderful character that has been through a lot. Seeing a flashback to the time before her first appearance was a great way to start off this issue. After being an American Vampire for thirty years, she now finds herself stuck teaming up with Skinner Sweet, the vampire that changed her life.

With each arc, Scott Snyder manages to bring the overall story further along while giving us a different kind of story each time. It all fits together but with the different eras, there is so much variety mixed in with the story, it keeps getting better and better. Seeing Pearl and Skinner work together as 'secret agents' for the Vassals of the Morning Star is not what I expected but such a treat to see.

It's an added treat having Rafael Albuquerque's art on this story. His art beautifully tells the story, even during the gruesome and bloody scenes. This is one of those moments when I shudder at the thought of having to read this issue with someone else's art.

Besides the action, there are more developments. The big question last issue was why and how could Skinner be working for the Vassals. The answer is revealed here...along with an added twist that spices up the story even further.

The Bad
I love this series more each month.

The Verdict
It's hard to believe it's been just over two years since this series has started. With the flashback we get here, it feels as if so much time has gone by. Scott Snyder keeps bringing each arc to a different place with a different feel to each story. Rafael Albuquerque's art goes along with the story so perfectly that it's hard to imagine this issue drawn by anyone else. There is plenty of subterfuge, action and twists here to make long time readers thrilled to be reading such a great series. Each issue delivers more yet makes you hunger for the next issue.

5/5

CVine

[Azrael]

Preview: SWEET TOOTH #36

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[Azrael]

"American Vampire" #29 opens with a flashback to Pearl Jones' first days in Los Angeles. Following that brief reflection, "The Blacklist" continues in 1954, as Pearl joins Skinner Sweet in an effort to hunt down vampires secluded by Hollywood's elite.

Take a moment to digest this: Pearl and Skinner are working together. One begat the other, but spite and anger has fueled their relationship since. Not only that, but Skinner was left for dead from wounds inflicted by Pearl less than a year ago in the comics and over a decade in the "American Vampire" timeline. The unexpected pairing goes along with everything else Scott Snyder has put into this series.

Snyder's cast of characters have evolved over the course of the series and in this issue we see just how driven both Skinner and Pearl are in their assignment for the Vassals of the Morning Star. The writer keeps the focus in tight on Sweet and Preston, using Pearl's voice to narrate the story's flow. Naturally, since the characters are Snyder's from their first appearance, he has a mastery of their nuances and eccentricities.

Rafael Albuquerque matches Snyder's mastery note for note. Other artists have handled portions of the series, but with Albuquerque delivering art, "American Vampire" is a truly different experience. Albuquerque is able to transform both Skinner and Pearl into savage, fearsome creatures with minimal apparent effort. With Albuquerque on the art, it doesn't take much to envision a more pronounced, fluid interpretation of this story like a movie or television show. More significantly, Albuquerque delivers on anything and everything Snyder throws at him, from a pride of lions on the prowl to Skinner Sweet's Corvette in a variety of styles, encouraging Dave McCaig to contribute to the overall process as well.

"American Vampire" has been a disturbingly delightful book since it first hit the stands. Almost three years later, Snyder and Albuquerque revisit some familiar geography for Skinner and Pearl, and through the lens of time and place, the creative duo shows just how much everyone and everything has evolved -- some for the better, some not so much, all forever altered. This is the second installment of "The Blacklist," and the twenty-ninth issue of the series, but the adventures are still fresh, electric and exciting.

4/5

CBR

[Azrael]

Preview: FAIREST #6

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[Azrael]

"American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares" #3 continues the summer tradition of adventures showcasing the Vassals of the Morning Star. In this series, set in the aftermath of World War II, Linden Hobbes and Felicia Book are on a quest to neutralize the king of all vampires with Felicia's son, Gus, in tow.

Although Scott Snyder doesn't give him even one line of dialog, Dracula exerts influence over his followers and others and proves to be one of the most fearsome villains ever created. As the original vampire -- or the Prime Carpathian as Hobbes prefers to refer to him -- Dracula has taken measures to ensure his continued existence. Snyder reveals some of those secrets in this issue, all while threading in bits of the literary history and mythological legend for one of humanity's original bogeymen.

Adding to the mystery, Dustin Nguyen's art is minimalistic, favoring economy and storytelling over detail and clutter. Additionally, Snyder gives Nguyen a couple metaphorical scenes to provide subtext to a tale layered in drama. What Nguyen does show of Dracula is shadowy and dark, leaving so much more to the readers' imaginations. Likewise, Dracula's followers cling to the edges of the scenes they appear in, but when the time comes to reveal themselves, Nguyen puts those revelations front and center, impossible to ignore and disgustingly bold.

In addition to an exciting story with interesting characters, Snyder and Nguyen also introduce "The Firsts." The characters comprising "The Firsts" have issues with Dracula, but they also have no love for the Vassals of the Morning Star, a combination that makes for a dynamic triangle of anxiety and potential trouble.

Last year, Snyder debuted "American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest," which expanded the reach of the Vassals and added diversity to the throngs of creatures going bump in the night. "Lord of Nightmares" adds even more depth and history to the Vassals of the Morning Star, revealing more hints of the true secrets behind the organization. The "American Vampire" franchise is a splendid example of growing a brand organically and the blossoming tradition of a summer Vassals miniseries is a wonderful example of how to nourish that growth while exploring new territory.

4/5

CBR

[Bread v Pak]

Ho visto annunciato sull'ultimo Anteprima il primo numero di Ghost di Johns... anche lui si butta sulla Vertigo?
Qualcuno ne sa di più?

[Azrael]

Ho visto annunciato sull'ultimo Anteprima il primo numero di Ghost di Johns... anche lui si butta sulla Vertigo?
Qualcuno ne sa di più?

Non ne sapevo nulla 
A fine ottobre esce in volume negli USA

[Azrael]

Preview: SAUCER COUNTRY #6

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[Azrael]

HELLBLAZER #297
Written by PETER MILLIGAN
Art by GUISEPPE CAMUNCOLI and STEFANO LANDINI
Cover by SIMON BISLEY
On sale NOVEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS
Hungry ghosts, tainted fairies and a mother's lively corpse converge in Ireland as John Constantine uncovers the serial killer's identity and the terrible truth about his nephew Finn's beautiful wife. "The Curse of the Constantines" reaches its conclusion, and there's nothing W.B. Yeats can do about it.

[Azrael]

Sean Murphy's "Punk Rock Jesus" #2, like the standout first issue, is packed to the gills with gorgeously detailed black and white visuals and enough plot to fill two comics. Moving at a breakneck pace, but finding good places for character development, Murphy proves to be both a great artist and a truly interesting storyteller.

The idea for "Punk Rock Jesus" is great, but great ideas are only as good as their execution. When I first saw the solicits for "Punk Rock Jesus," I was interested based on Murphy's art, but I admit I didn't expect the concept to be nearly so clever or masterful an execution.

In a high-concept book based heavily in the real world (tweaked enough to give plenty of room for creative license), it would be easy to fall into too much world building or vast exposition dumps to get readers the information they need, but Murphy smartly side-steps most of that by just showing readers everything we need to know in real time and flashbacks. Since comics are a visual medium, one would think there would be far fewer issues with telling instead of showing, but it's actually a fairly rampant problem. Murphy doesn't fall into this trap and it's wonderfully refreshing. There are still aspects of his story to wonder about, but there's also a confidence in the execution that makes a reader have faith that all will be revealed.

The first issue left readers with one major twist and issue #2 has hinted at another that may tie creatively to the first. On the whole, this second installment is not as strong as the first largely due to the abrupt ending, which feels jarring compared to the rest of the issue. It doesn't ruin the story by any means, but it feels like the first mistake in an otherwise exceptional first two issues.

Murphy's art is a brilliant reminder of how beautiful a black and white book can be in the right hands. His details are absolutely off the charts and character expression and movement is dead on in every panel. His character design is sublime, and he paces his story beautifully. There's simply not a thing to complain about when it comes to the visuals on this book.

Like many, the first I really saw of Sean Murphy was his gorgeous art for Grant Morrison's "Joe the Barbarian" and I've subsequently bought everything of his I've seen. He's quickly established himself as one of the great comics artists working today, but "Punk Rock Jesus" proves him to be a talent to watch on multiple levels. He has the makings of more than just a great artist, but a great comics creator as well, and we may be seeing it right now with his bold and exciting "Punk Rock Jesus."

4/5

CBR