My girlfriend found this and I enjoyed it enough to share it with you all…
Tony Stark so crazy.
Graphic novels for the uninitiated, plus Cardiff's comics scene
It’s been a long, long time coming since director Robert Rodriguez kept putting other projects first (Machete!? Really?) but Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For seems to be underway, with buzz the last few days being followed by this: a first teaser poster, as seen at Den of Geek:
Not much to go on so far then, except that Rodriguez and Miller return to direct. While the first film mixed three of the graphic novels into one weaving storyline, this film seems to be going with just one book (A Dame to Kill For!) That book centres around Dwight, Clive Owen’s character in Sin City, as he is lured back into a seriously unhealthy relationship by an ex-lover, only to be manipulated into all kinds of awful actions. The catch is that this story takes place before we see him in Sin City, and between times he has undergone plastic surgery- so don’t expect to see Clive Owen returning to the role…
This is a top 10 list of graphic novels that I’ve been mulling over for quite some time. There are a few limits I set myself: they had to be not only superb personal favourites, but suitable for people new to the medium. With this in mind, I’ve also left out superhero comics- there’ll be a whole other list for those bad boys soon enough. Also, as this is still a vaguely Cardiff-based blog, all of these incredible books can be found in the city’s libraries. That’s right, you can read all of these without buying a one. You have literally no excuse not to get into them!
10. V for Vendetta
Alan Moore and David Lloyd
If anybody still believes that graphic novels can’t be mature, that opinion will be smashed by the time they’ve finished this. A dark and dingy tale of facism and revolution, as with nearly all such examples, the film can’t match up to the book. Perfectly illustrating the saying that one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter is V: the man in the mask which has become a symbol in Britain. The story sees a Britain rescued from the ravages of war by a totalitarian facist regime that has only tightened its grip on the country- until V acts.
9. Scott Pilgrim
Bryan Lee O’Malley
A series of six that was condensed heavily for Edgar Wright’s big budget movie, these books are great for people new to graphic novels. They have a fantastic sense of humour which really appeals on an ‘everyman’ level. Scott is 23, ‘between jobs’, in a band, and dating a highschooler. That is, until Ramona Flowers roller-skates through his mind. The original pretty, quirky dream girl (which has now been battered to death as an idea, largely by Zooey Deschanel) Ramona, like the other characters, is likeable, funny and relatable. Beautiful books with heart and humour.
Start with: Vol 1, Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life
8. Fables
Bill Willingham
I’m only four books into this series which at the moment numbers 16 collected editions (hell yes), but already I’m hooked into the concept and the characters. These books began in 2003 and only now is TV catching up to the genius of it, with Grimm and Once Upon a Time doing decent business. Fables sees the occupants of the fairytale kingdoms forced to flee to our world when a despot known only as the Adversary wages war on everything. Here they face the difficulties of living in exile and staying hidden. Willingham’s use of classic fairytale characters is brilliant; like the Beast, who reverts from human to more and more monstrous depending on how pissed off Belle is at him. Lovely.
Start with: Vol. 1, Legends In Exile
7. DMZ
Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli
New York, the near future, just after the Second American Civil War. Rookie journalist Matty Roth finds himself stranded in the DMZ- otherwise known as Manhattan Island. For me DMZ suffers occasional mis-steps, but when it’s good, it’s great. Characterisation of the main figures is not only well done but brave as well, with Roth not always a likeable guy. I’m nearing the end of the series and the story has taken some really interesting turns into moral ambiguity. If you like war films, this is terrific.
Start with: Vol. 1, On The Ground
6. Maus
Art Spiegelman
A one-off rather than a series, and probably the graphic novel that has had the greatest effect on me. Maus is the story of cartoonist Spiegelman’s father, who lived through the Holocaust, and simultaneously the story of Spiegelman’s efforts to interview his father. As you might know, Spiegelman portrays the Jews as mice, and the Nazis as cats. An effective metaphor, but it serves deeper purposes as the author utilises the medium like almost no-one else. (I say almost because I recently read Alice in Sunderland, in which Bryan Talbot goes nuts with history, art styles, theatre, legend, sculpture… it’s remarkable. But not that interesting I thought.) Photos, maps and metaphors of identity abound in a story that is not only important reading, but really interesting too.
5. The Walking Dead
Robert Kirkman
Kirkman posed an intriguing question to start this series: what happens after the traditional zombie film ends? We see the outbreak, the chaos, the fight to escape a situation… and then the film ends. In The Walking Dead we follow Rick, a policeman who was in a coma when a zombie outbreak hit the US, and awoke to a wasteland of roaming corpses. But the series shows no signs of ending- Kirkman intends to see how his characters survive years down the line, meaning we see Rick really change, from a gentle man into one who will do anything to protect his family. Often incredibly harrowing, the books pull no punches at all, and those who’ve seen the TV show will still be shocked, as he’s intentionally written in changes. You think Shane lasts that long in the books…?
Start with: Vol. 1, Days Gone Bye
4. Preacher
Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon
Preacher is the twisted tale of Jesse Custer, a preacher in small-town Texas until sacriligeous events in Heaven lead to Genesis, an entirely new entity, launching itself to Earth and possessing him, incinerating his flock in the process. It grants Jesse the power of the Word of God- the ability to command people to do what he says- and with the help of his ex, Tulip, and strange new friend Cassidy, he sets off to track down God and make him answer for everything. What follows is sex, violence and comedy of the most depraved kinds, a really interesting story that examines the notion of religion, and some of the weirdest, most likeable and most revolting characters in any books. A brilliant story that’s sadly over in just nine collected editions.
Start with: Vol. 1, Gone To Texas
3. Hellblazer
Jamie Delano, et al
These stories are unique on this list in that they’ve been written by a number of authors, and with its beginnings in 1988, Hellblazer is practically as old as I am. The tales of John Constantine have everything I want from a graphic novel- real comedy, gruesome violence, deep sadness, real and deeply flawed characters- they are tremendous books. As you’d expect with different authors coming in and taking the reigns, the quality fluctuates a little, but it generally remains high enough to warrant reading all of them. My personal favourite of the ones I’ve read is probably Garth Ennis’s run, which sees Constantine tring to play off various Lords of Hell, all of whom want his soul when his lung cancer finally catches up with him. The early runs really give you a feel for the bitterness towards Thatcher’s government in Britain, something that’s oddly relevant again now, while Constantine himself is so fiercely anti-authority, cocky and reckless that somehow he’s at once difficult to like, and hard not to.
Start with: Vol.1, Original Sins
2. Sandman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman is a master at what he does in all mediums, and his Sandman series is no exception. His graphic novels follow Dream of The Endless, a group of beings older than time, as he deals with tasks, mistakes, and the lives he touches. The stories are beautifully gothic, bizarre, and dream-like (of course), and the art by Dave McKean is so good that it’s hard to imagine them told any other way. The cast of supporting characters is fantastic, ranging from legends, myths, historical figures, and entirely original creations, and often provide some of the most moving moments. Once again, if anybody thinks graphic novels can’t be mature or intelligent, have a look at this- some of the most intelligent and deep tales committed to paper.
Start with: Vol. 1, Preludes And Nocturnes
1. Y: The Last Man
Brian K Vaughan and Pia Guerra
Maybe not the greatest ever, but this is my list, and this my favourite. The frankly all-time classic sci-fi story sees Yorick Brown left as the last human male on the planet, accompanied by the other last male mammal, his monkey. The secret to the series’ success is the mix of absolute adventure in the tradition of Indiana Jones and James Bond, a great concept which is explored to its full potential, and incredibly likeable characters; Yorick is an ideal everyman- a film and book nerd, amateur escape artist and between jobs. When you have so much invested in characters, twists have so much more drama- Y: The Last Man has real drama, genuine twists, and a perfect ending.
Start with: Vol. 1, Unmanned
If you’ve read any of these, or think I’ve left an obvious one off, comment below! And share the list around, get people reading these books!
[Images copyrighted to respective publishers- Vertigo and Image are awesome.]
Okay, so this is just a bit of silliness I helped create for our magazine and website, DND. The video below is myself interviewing a real-life superhero, ‘The DND Destroyer’.
As I say, a bit of silliness, but hopefully it’s a laugh and if nothing else shows off the fantastic editing skills of my colleague Jade.
Please do check out DND’s website for news on films, games, tech stuff and general daftness.
Another book I picked up at the Expo, Into the Woods is a collection of fairytales published by Aye Saw Comics. It includes nine short stories written and drawn by UK comic creators, and range from traditional tales with a modern twist to abstract original stories (or at least, stories I didn’t know beforehand).
The cover for Into the Woods
Fairytales are making an impact again in the cinema (two versions of Snow White are on their way, and last year we had versions of Beauty and the Beast and Red Riding Hood) and this book is a great example of taking cues from classic stories and giving readers a surprise along with it.
Some of the stories are cruel and surprisingly unpleasant, some are darkly funny and some are just odd. My highlights included Rich McAuliffe‘s Red Riding Hood, really nicely illustrated by Sara Dunkerton, and Blood and Sacrifice by Stuart Tipples. The only down sides are that some of the stories are rather abrupt, and some you wish could go on longer- both inevitable consequences of being short stories!
Into the Woods is definitely worth picking up. It’s a very good-looking little book which justifies its £5 price, and I’d recommend it to fans of dark fairytales- think Guillermo Del Toro, Fables, etc. You can buy it at Aye Saw books.
Big congratulations to editor Stacey Whittle and all the contributors, I’m sure we’ll be seeing some of those names around soon!
Stiffs #1
After splashing the cash at this year’s fantastic Cardiff Comic Expo I have some Welsh comics to review for you.
The first one I’ve gone for is Stiffs, published by Deadstar, written by Drew Davies, PJ Montgomery and Joseph Glass, with art and colouring by Gavin Mitchell and Adam Cadwell.
Stiffs is the story of Don and his talking monkey Kenny, residents of South Wales, and zombie hunters. That right there is a simple pitch, meaning that Stiffs has to live or die by its humour and characters. And, while dying would make a great pun in reviewing a zombie comic, it totally succeeds.
I loved that the book just goes straight into the action, with no hanging around for introductions. They’re there, just cleverly done and not dwelled on. No doubt we’ll get backstory later, but this first issue hits the ground running. We meet Don and Kenny on what they think is a routine night of hunting, while their mates back in the pub discuss where they could be.
It’s a massive relief, and a joy, that the humour in the comic is spot-on. The writers have managed to make Kenny the monkey a sarcastic, likable and not-gimicky little guy, and Don and the guys back in the pub are just funny, regular South Wales folks. (Literally in some cases- you might have seen some of the characters at the Comic Expo!) The art is craggy and cartoony, and works really well.
As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed issue one of Stiffs, and I’m looking forward to the next!
The latest artist to kindly talk to Graphic Scenes is Ana, freelance illustrator and soon-to-be comic book writer.
Ana and her creation- Subo's cat
She started drawing as a young child and was always a fan of art and design through school, but it was when her dad bought her an X-Men comic aged 9 that she really got into comics. Somewhat astonishingly Ana failed her art A- level, and because of this knock to her confidence it wasn’t until she went to university to study English that she picked up a pencil again.
Having rediscovered her love for all things drawn she was accepted to The Kubert School of Comic Art in the US, and has been drawing ever since.
In 2010 Ana got her first major commission, a fully illustrated joke book called ‘SuBo’s Cat: The Imaginings of Susan Boyle’s Pampered Pussy’, published through HarperCollins. As well as this she’s done illustrations for some Cardiff businesses (including Kratos Fitness and Nicholson Jones Partnership) as well as South Wales bands and a few galleries in the USA.
The cover for Subo's Cat
Ana is also working on writing and illustrating her own comic book series, which she hopes will be out at the end of the year.
Though she’s been to many comic conventions over the years, the upcoming Cardiff Comic Expo will be the first at which Ana has her own stall. She says, “I’m really looking forward to interacting with the crowds and seeing what comes from it. Cons are always a huge inspiration to me; having so many creative people in one place. So I cannot wait.” Having visited London Film and Comic Con, and New York Comic Con, she looks forward to these closer to home. Though personally I’d give my left leg to go to New York Comic Con. And both for San Diego.
When it comes to graphic novels Ana has some recommendations: “I am a big fan of Dave McKean‘s artwork, especially in Arkham Asylum and Neil Gaiman‘s Mr Punch. I love how daring he is with collage and lettering, especially in his earlier work (before photoshop).”
An awesome commission: Marcus, Dom and Anya from Gears of War
She’s also inspired by Humberto Ramos, Ben Templesmith and CP Wilson III. “Stuff of Legend is probably one of my favourite series out at the moment, for the story, artwork and general characterization; it’s simply wonderful.”
Ana also lists as favourites Pride of Baghdad, Arkham Asylum, The Killing Joke, We3, It’s A Bird and Laika. I’m about to check out Pride of Baghdad as it’s written by the amazing Brian K Vaughan, and I have to say that Arkham Asylum, The Killing Joke and We3 are all great too.
You can meet Ana at the Cardiff Comic Expo, and buy your very own sketch by her too. Go say hi!
The SuperBowl saw the launch of the shiny new trailer for The Avengers, and mighty fine it looks too:
Hot on its heels comes the trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man, and it’s safe to say this has calmed the fears of those fans who were worried by the less-than-inspiring teaser.
They definitely seem to be going down the route of the Ultimate Spider-Man comics, which consider just who Peter Parker’s father was and what he was working on (leading to cunning stories in which events in the present turn out to be tied to the past.) If anyone wants to get into Spiderman but finds the whole… history of the thing a little daunting, the Ultimate Spider-man series is fantastic.
What do you reckon to the trailers? Excited? Nonplussed? Let us know!
Just to follow up the last blog post, I asked Iz why the Expo is a draw for everybody, not just fans of graphic novels. She had this to say:
It’s the perfect opportunity to dip your proverbial comic toe in the nerdy water really – there is a massive range of material and genre at most comic conventions – and at Cardiff this year we have graphic novels, floppy comics, manga, brand new anthologies, dvd’s, t-shirts, plushies, Dr Who monsters, an actual Dr Who, library workshops, educational seminars, academic panels, masses of artistic talent and more.
Genres including horror, comedy, classical adaptations, war, fantasy, and your traditional superheroes- the list is pretty much endless, so someone can nearly always find *something* they like the look of.
I often feel a convention is a better place to explore your closet nerdiness than your local comic book store due to the massive range of stuff available. Personally I’m more into indie comics than superheroes, so I make a beeline for those tables at a Con – and the chance to see actual artists sketching (and you can look at their portfolios if you’re brave enough) is an opportunity not to be missed. This would particularly appeal to fledgling artists – most creators who attend Cons in a professional capacity (i.e. have a table) are happy to chat about their techniques, artwork etc. The highlight of my first convention was getting sketches off artists I loved – that alone is worth attending for really!
Finally, although somewhere like Cardiff is well served with comic-book and specialist stores, to have them all under one roof is the perfect situation to be in I think! Also, many online outlets attend cons, so you are literally spoilt for choice.
Last year saw the first ever Cardiff Comic Expo and, following the success of the event, the second one promises to be even bigger. Last year around 850 people attended the Mercure Hotel’s Holland House in a single day, prompting Expo producer Mike Allwood to this year expand it to a two-day event.
Cardiff Comic Expo packs out Holland House
Graphic Scenes spoke to Mike as well as Iz McAuliffe, PR guru and queen of the front of house volunteers, about how the event began and what we can expect this year…
GS: How did a Cardiff Expo come about?
Mike: There had been talk of a Comic Con for Wales a couple or 3 years ago, but it never happened sadly. After running Bristol Expo since 2004 I thought “maybe?” Cardiff… I came over to check a few venues and because of the Bristol connection I was totally blown away with the Holland House as an ideal hotel for a Convention. Getting a venue that wants to support a Con is vital, and they were onboard in a heartbeat! The vibe in the City was without peer and I thought, yes lets run this past a few people. After a few calls to Cardiff based creators who I have known for years, the response was FANTASTIC and within a few days we had a show!
Iz: To date, Wales has one other comic/sci-fi convention in Wrexham (the new Dr Who con is JUST Who so I’ve not counted that one) so Cardiff Expo was long overdue in happening. It’s not only the punters that were really keen last year; creators and publishers alike were really enthusiastic about a Welsh event happening – this year, as last, we have a significant Welsh prescence at the Expo, which we are really proud of.
Last year's Expo had a special breed of bouncer
GS: Who are you most excited to see at this year’s Expo?
Mike: John Higgins who, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated creators in the UK and one of the reasons for the Razorjack attack spotlight at the Con. Mike Ploog without question! We go back a few years when I tried several times to get him along to Bristol and he always declined. Then one day I got a phone call after what was at least my fourth attempt to get him to a Convention: “Hey buddy, you got me.” Maybe I just wore him down!!
Gary Russell. I was delighted when he said yes to the invite, I’m a long term Who fan (yes, I did see the first Hartnell episode when I was 7.) Gary’s input over the years to all thing Who should not be underated. Talking of which, Colin Baker, who I have had the pleasure of working alongside at a few shows, is a great guest and a major plus if we are talking Who.
Iz: Mick McMahon! I am a huge 2000AD fan and he is a little bit like 2000AD royalty – this excitement may turn into terror though as I am co-hosting the Saturday afternoon ’2000AD Mega-Panel’ which he is on…
I’m also excited to see the launch of Into The Woods, a small-press anthology of fairytales, and an Expo Exclusive launch.
Cardiff Libraries have joined forces with us for the first time this year, and they are planning a day of workshops as well as encouraging people to sign up for the library to get their hands on a whole range of comic books – I’m genuinely excited that more and more cultural organisations (National Museum of Wales, Swansea University, and University of Glamorgan) are embracing graphic novels and animation, and working with us to promote them.
Crowds around the artists' tables
GS: Will this year’s Expo see any book launches?
Mike: We have something like 14 titles making their debut at CICAE this year!
Graphic novels from Dalen Books, Markosia, Classical Comics, Comics from Corvus Press, TimeBomb and Hellbound Media. Novels from Wayne Simmons, Adam Millard and Scot Stanford’s Darker side of Oz follow up! Not to mention two Expo Exclusive prints from Sweeney Todd and Razorjack!
GS: What should visitors not miss?
Mike: We have again included the small press exhibitors and their work is, in my humble opinion, the best you will find anywhere! The Anime / Manga tangent is superb, and don’t miss the Cosplay Competion Saturday afternoon! The Horror @ the Expo spotlight with special guest Robin Furth, making the trip over from the Dark Tower, should be good!
Iz: When I get a break from running front of house, I’m grabbing my camera and heading straight for the Dr Who monsters display (and Colin Baker of course). A great many very talented artists will either be at their own tables or sketching at their publishers’ tables – I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t been to a convention before to not be shy, have a look at the artists’ portfolios which are often on display, and if you want a sketch, just ask! Some may charge but it’s worth it to be able to take a part of the Expo home with you.
Make sure to get to certain tables before the crowds hit
There’s also the new and improved Cosplay Competition & Parade. Last year we had quite a relaxed Parade with registration on the door, but after listening to feedback, I’ve assumed responsibility for the re-vamping of the Parade & Competition, so now we have an online registration form, set categories within 3 age groups (handmade & bought costumes) with plenty of prizes for each category.
Also at this year’s Expo you can witness the launch of Cape Killer, a Cardiff- based T-shirt design company that you may remember from Graphic Scenes’ little chat with Stuart Tipples. These are T-shirts “designed by geeks, for geeks, but always on the cutting edge of style”, says Iz.
This is why everyone needs to give the Comic Expo a go- there really is something for everyone. Even if you’re not a fan of superhero comics or Judge Dredd, you can find graphic versions of Shakespeare, horror comics, Dr Who stuff in abundance, and all kinds of geeky paraphernalia. Tickets are nice and cheap- £11 for an adult weekend ticket or £6 for just one day, with reduced prices for children. Give it a go, you won’t regret it!
Credit to Amy Tipples for all photos used.
