Demon Knights #19 – Review

By: Robert Venditti (story), Bernard Chang (art), Marcelo Maiolo (colors)

The Story: It’s a pretty bad economy when even the devil fears losing his job.*

The Review: I don’t think I’m unique in liking creators who can surprise me, particularly if they can do it without resorting to cheap tricks or totally groundless gimmicks.  If you expose yourself enough to any medium of fiction, you eventually catch on to most of its patterns, formulas, clichés, and tropes, rendering many stories too predictable to enjoy.  A writer who manages to spring some genuinely unexpected moments through all that deserves some credit.

Venditti manages to surprise you in precisely this manner several times in this issue, starting with one that quite impressed me from the opening: Vandal Savage revealing that his recent animosity towards Jason Blood is due to Etrigan nearly cutting Savage’s immortal life short in the title’s last arc.  “I’m immortal, but the demon dragged me into the afterlife anyway,” he states coldly.  The moment he says it, it’s like a switch flips on in your head: of course—makes total sense.  Yet you probably didn’t think of it until Venditti wrote it.

Demon Knights #15 – Review

By: Paul Cornell (story), Bernard Chang (art), Marcelo Maiolo (colors)

The Story: Isn’t it the worst feeling, waking up one day and realizing you’re young?

The Review: So we’ve come to the end of Cornell’s run on this title, and many more’s the pity, since it feels very much like he’s only scratched the surface of what he wanted to do with this particular set of characters.  It wasn’t even that long ago that they were first referred to by their collective identity as the Demon Knights, and here it seems they’re ready to never be identified as such ever again.

Of course, we know there’s no real danger of a permanent split, what with Robert Vendetti taking over for the indefinite future starting next month.  More than that, the strings of fate are wrapped tightly around the Knights, and despite their resistance, they’ll have no choice but to respond when the next crisis calls.  Horsewoman calls them fools for even attempting to thwart what’s been determined:

“To be offered hope—a destiny—and deny it immediately.  If you are still stupid enough to think you should be apart—then it is indeed the doom of humans—that they forget.”

Demon Knights #14 – Review

By: Paul Cornell (story), Bernard Chang (art), Marcelo Maiolo (colors)

The Story: Actually, Hell’s starting to look like a pretty peaceful place, comparatively.

The Review: Last month I felt a distinctly Secret Six sort of vibe from our cast of characters, which can only be a good thing, in my view.  Aside from the obvious connections (the presence of a Savage, romantic ambiguity, etc.), the Demon Knights share the same resignation to a loser’s fate as the Six, although both continue striving (fruitlessly, you might say) for better things to come.

Consider Jason reuniting with Xan.  Though overjoyed at finding each other and the prospect of ridding themselves of Etrigan forever, their happiness barely lasts a couple panels before bitter experience sets in.  Jason immediately recognizes that nothing so good can come that easily for them.  Xan agrees, but neatly describes the cautious optimism (the “desperate hope,” Jason calls it) the Knights all have: moving forward might at least give them “more options,” even if none of them are any good.

Demon Knights #13 – Review

By: Paul Cornell (story), Bernard Chang (art), Marcelo Maiolo (colors)

The Story: Hey, it may be Hell, but at least it’s custom-tailored to your tastes.

The Review: You may have heard by now that Cornell will leave this title in only a few more issues, which is heartbreaking, but apparently par for the course for him, given his records on Captain Britain and MI: 13 and Action Comics.  (I must say, this gives me chills about the future of Saucer Country already).  And even though successor Robert Venditti has gotten approval from Cornell himself, I still worry if he can bring what Cornell brought to this series.

Certainly a Cornell title doesn’t read like any other title out there.  He may not be as audaciously ambitious like Grant Morrison, but he really brings his own flavor of ideas to whatever he writes.  He never tells a story in a straightforward way, but always from an oddball angle completely unique to him.  Consider Demon Knights; the more you read it, the more you perceive the sullen tone it has that prevents it from being a pure sword-and-sorcery fantasy.

Demon Knights #9 – Review

By: Paul Cornell (story), Diógenes Neves & Robson Rocha (pencils), Oclair Albert & Julio Ferreira (inks), Marcelo Maiolo (colors)

The Story: I left my love in Avalon…something, something…And so I’ll travel on to Avalon.

The Review: Now that our “heroes” have proven capable of amazing feats as a team, the next step is seeing if they can go any bigger and if they keep themselves together long enough to do it.  As it stands, they came together by necessity, and arguably only necessity keeps them together.  Yet there seems more at work in their union; considering how drastically different each one’s motives and background are, there must be some great destiny at the end of their collective road.

And does it get any greater than Camelot?  There’s no way to tell even if the Knights succeed in recovering Merlin’s soul, whether that means the kingdom of Alba Sarum will really be considered the newest incarnation of the fabled city  As a concept, Camelot doesn’t seem to be something which someone can create or even earn.  It’s a bit like performance; you rarely know what you did to resonate with the audience, and when you do, it doesn’t work.

The Unwritten #6 – Review

by Mike Carey (writer), Peter Gross (art), Chris Chuckry & Jeanne McGee (colors), and Todd Klein (letters)

The Story: Tom Taylor is thrown in prison and Lizzie Hexam is tasked with breaking him out.

What’s Good: I’ve always enjoyed the beginning of every issue of the Unwritten, which often focuses on another text, whether a real world one (like this month’s “Song of Roland”) or a Tommy Taylor book.  It sets a certain tone and allows Peter Gross to stretch his legs and provide a different, more painted/static style to convey the different text.  More than in past, however, Carey does not just limit these shifts to an opening.  Rather, a couple of times, Carey switches to a frame or two from the “Song of Roland” or Tommy Taylor in a manner that is fluid and perfectly in synch with the events happening to the comic’s characters.  As a result, he gives a sense of this not only being a singular comic, but also a dialogue between several different texts.

I also rather liked the introduction of the decidedly satanic looking thief, Savoy.  I hope he sticks around past this arc.  While he’s definitely a character, Carey chooses to keep him realistic and relatively subdued.  He has just enough flare to provide a nice contrast with Tom, while still keeping Taylor foregrounded.

A scene with the jail warden, meanwhile, provides perhaps the best scene of the book.   Carey is able to once again show the impact of fiction, as the warden’s relationship with the Tommy Taylor books exposes the softer family man below the hardened exterior.  The sudden shift is touching and the scene also shows just how much we invest in literature, our favourite books, and the hope they provide, as well as the lengths we’ll go to protect the illusion and escapism.

On another note, I should also mention that this issue’s ending is awesome and is sure to raise eyebrows.

What’s Not So Good: This is probably Peter Gross’ weakest issue, art-wise.  That’s not to say that it’s bad, nor is it to say that he’s committed any terrible errors.  You won’t be wincing at all at anything in this book, and honestly, it’s pretty decent looking.  However, it’s just under Gross’ usual high standards.  Something about the issue just doesn’t give me quite the same sense of comfort and satisfaction as previous issues did.  I do feel that things look a little less detailed and a touch more scratchy at times, so perhaps that’s the problem.  Though maybe this is intentional, to reflect Tom’s miserable status and surroundings.

I’m also not sold on the introduction of the new “Inside Man” narrator.  While it is logical to add a colorful, self-aware narrator who directly acknowledges the reader to a comic so concerned with text and the metatextual, the presence does nonetheless jar at times.  It also removes some of the sense of foreboding and mystery that has defined the book thus far.  Perhaps this too is intentional, reflecting a shift in the series’ tone, in which case these are just growing pains.

Conclusion: Didn’t like the art as much as usual, but it’s still a great book.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

The Unwritten #5 – Review

by Mike Carey (writer), Peter Gross (art), Chris Chuckry (colors), and Todd Klein (letters)

The Story: We go back in time, witnessing Rudyard Kipling’s encounters with the shadowy, villainous group hounding Tom Taylor.

What’s Good: Well-researched and a clear labor of love, this issue is really quite the achievement on Carey’s part. This is in no small part thanks to the entire issue’s being heavily narrated by Kipling, himself.  Carey carves out a distinctive and engaging voice that really colors the entire book. This is no small feat, given that Carey is working with a real historical figure. Thus, Carey not only has to deliver a believable voice, but also a believable Kipling. Kipling’s voice sounds like one might imagine it, and it is distinctly human, never bland and not once expository. The voice adds color, emotion, and humanity, with the narration being used to add to the story’s impact, not merely telling rather than showing.

Revisionist history stories are always difficult to execute and are often a big pill to swallow, but Carey manages to pull it off, telling a story that gives off the feel of the era it describes while making the presence of real historical figures fun and intriguing, as opposed to head-scratchingly illogical or unbelievable.  Carey, in other words, successfully applies his wacky, physical, pseudo-magical manifestations of the power of writing to actual writers, legitimizing his world, and all its phenomena, by injecting it into human history.  What’s better is that we also finally get some much needed, though still hazy, background info regarding Taylor’s mysterious Illumaniti foes.

Peter Gross meanwhile puts out what may be the best looking issue of the Unwritten thus far, and that’s saying a lot. Gross manages to give the book a definite “old-timey” European feel, going a bit heavier on the shading, or at least the linework, and a lot lighter on the inks. The comic, though still recognizably “Unwritten,” looks nothing like any issue thus far. The sheer amount of creativity that went into this issue also cannot be understated. The panel layouts are at times completely bonkers, images often metaphorical or abstract to go along with the abstract paneling. Gross also makes endlessly creative use with the gutters and borders surrounding the panels. Ultimately, the comic feels like a free, dynamic swirl more than anything else.

What’s Not So Good: Well, the obvious point is that it’s a sudden, jarring departure from Tom Taylor’s adventures and the cliffhanger ending of last month. This issue is all backstory and history. It’s very good, but be aware.

Also, I really enjoyed Carey’s re-reading of Kipling’s Just So Stories into a metaphor for Kipling’s struggles with the Illuminati. It would’ve been the best part of the issue for me, were it not for Carey’s need to spoil it by heavy handedly explaining  just what the metaphor meant and how to read it. It would’ve been far better if we were free to interpret the meaning for ourselves, rather than have it hammered home directly.  Kipling’s whale story became simplified, losing a lot of its impact when it was explained at length on the next page. It felt like a rare misstep on Carey’s part.

Conclusion: As long as you go in knowing that this is a break from Taylor, this is yet another mind-blowing good issue of the most intelligent book on the stands.

Grade: A-

-Alex Evans

The Unwritten #2 – Review

by Mike Carey (writer), Peter Gross (art), Chris Chuckry & Jeanne McGee (colors), and Todd Klein (letters)

The Story: Tom Taylor begins his search for the truth, visiting his Dad’s lover and heading to Switzerland.

What’s Good: Around five pages in, I said to myself out loud, “goddamn, this comic is so good.”  It was a muttered statement and it wasn’t really brought on by any particularly shocking moment, but more of my reaction to this comic as a whole.  It really is a great book and is probably the smartest thing sitting on your comic shop’s new release racks.

In this issue, Carey continues to flex his literary knowledge, but does so in a manner that manages to amuse rather than intimidate (Alan Moore, I’m looking at you).  Tommy’s random facts regarding literary geography and history are still good fun, and certainly educational.

Perhaps more importantly, the Unwritten once again effectively demonstrates its postmodern, deconstructionist stance.  There is an absolutely fascinating scene regarding the nature of “truth” that simply MUST be read.  It’s an incredibly cool sequence backed up by critical ideas that effectively blur the line between the real world England of Tom Taylor and the magical fantasy dungeons of the Tommy Taylor subtext.  Much as Tom/Tommy are interrelated, the fantasy elements, like this scene, find themselves embedded in the “real world,” yet also carry a distinct presence.  It’s hard to explain.  I suppose I’m saying that I feel as though the fantasy and “real” elements of this comic feel like separate presences that are related to one another.

Carey also continues to effectively blend literary forms, mixing the comic with the prose of the Tom Taylor novels, while also including an ingenious page of “Tommy Taylor” internet search results. This technique only enhances what is coming to be an incredibly interesting dynamic in the comic: Tommy Taylor as Messiah and general religious figure.  I can’t wait to see how this develops.

Ultimately, the end result is an incredibly smart comic that creates an ever engaging mystery that reveals an increasing number of hints both of its character’s past and future. Certainly, this issue provides a mystery that deepens, and grows all the more interesting for it.  All the while, the book’s villains grow to be even more ominous and downright threatening.

Peter Gross continues to shine on the art.  In fact, I actually feel that his work has gotten better in this issue, feeling more refined, polished and perhaps a bit more “modern” as well.  I also can’t get enough of Chuckry & McGee’s dark work on the colours.

What’s Not So Good: I tried to think of something, but I just can’t what’s there to complain about.

Conclusion: Solid plot progression in an issue that yet again promises great things to come.  This is a smart, enjoyable mystery that literature buffs, philosophy geeks, and Sandman/Lucifer/Books of Magic fans need to get in on. This is quite possibly the best non-superhero comic out there right now. If you’re not reading this, you better have a really good reason. And no, an empty wallet is not an excuse!

Grade: A-

-Alex Evans

The Unwritten #1 – Review

by Mike Carey (writer), Peter Gross (pencils and inks), Chris Chuckry (colors), and Todd Klein (letters)

The Story: Tom Taylor lives a life of semi-celebrity as the inspiration for Tommy Taylor, the star of a Harry Potter-esque series of books penned by his vanished father.  As his identity becomes questioned, his life begins to fall apart; as does the line between the fictional and “real” worlds.

The Good: This comic has a premise like no other and this issue dives headlong into its winning concept, while nonetheless leaving us knowing full well that there is a LOT more to be revealed.  In that sense, this is a great first issue; it uses its premise to its fullest potential, while also hinting at limitless potential.  This comic is a literary affair, calling into question the juxtaposition of reality and fiction, as well as issues of authenticity and historicism; it’s complex stuff, yet very accessible. In this respect, I feel that the Unwritten fills a certain void in Vertigo’s line-up that was once filled by books like Sandman, Books of Magic, Swamp Thing, or even Carey’s last series, Lucifer.  These series were all of a more academic nature, the sort that you might find alongside Watchmen on a liberal-minded English professor’s course syllabus.  The Unwritten clearly falls into this position and looks to continue its honored thematic lineage. This is an incredibly smart comic that academics, students, and general literature buffs should not pass on, as it’s a concept that lends itself well to deconstructive or post-modern theory and a wide array of critical readings in general.

But of course, that wouldn’t be the case if it wasn’t well written.  Thankfully, Carey returns in prime shape.  The writing is incredibly diverse in style and succeeds in everything it applies itself to. The dialogue feels fluid, dynamic, and alive. Nothing feels at all wooden, and where Carey applies his wit, the dialogue only becomes more enjoyable.  All the characters come across as being unique and engaging. Moreover their conversations feel both real and distinct.

However, on a formal and technical level, where Carey’s writing is most awe-inspiring is where he’s able to seemingly leap between prose forms.  He balances comic-book word bubbles with television news reports, a full page internet news blog, paragraph excerpts from a Tommy Taylor novel, and at one point, an original poem. This is just such an astonishing technical feat that I can only marvel at. How one man can balance so many voices and so many mediums in the space of one comic book issue, I cannot begin to guess.

Of course, this diversity is only made possible through the art of Peter Gross.  The first thing that strikes me is just how varied and creative Gross’s panel layouts are here.  Never static, never repetitive, Gross never once follows a set formula to establish itself.  The paneling is abstract and alive, and when Carey decides to write a news blog or read from a Taylor novel, Gross follows suit, adjusting his layouts dramatically.

His actual art is solid stuff and does well to make itself just distinct enough to avoid “the typical Vertigo comic” look.  What I especially enjoyed was how Gross completely changed his style whenever depicting a scene from a Tommy Taylor novel.  Suddenly, the art becomes less realistic and more whimsical, with more abstract paneling.  It’s as though a different artist stepped in.

The Not So Good: This is an amazing book and there’s really nothing lackluster here at all.  If I really, really tried to find something to whine about, I suppose three or four of the smaller panels looked a little rushed.

Conclusion: A concept like no other, solid artwork, and writing that is intelligent idea-wise and impressive in technical execution, this is a comic not to be missed and this is a perfect first issue.  It is just astonishingly good.  Vertigo potentially has a big hit on its hands here.  It’s also only $1.00 for this double-sized issue, so you really have absolutely no excuse not to give it a shot.  One issue in and for me, this is already the best new series of 2009. Buy this book!

Grade: A

-Alex Evans

Killer of Demons #3 – Review

by Christopher Yost (writer), Scott Wegener (pencils and inks), Ronda Pattison (colors), and Thomas Mauer (letters)

The Story: ‘Killer of Demons’ Dave Sloan enters the final battle with his boss Kent/Archduke Astaroth, and a lot of people die.

The Good: The art is a lot of fun in this comic. Bright colors and angular figures lead to a real “cartoon” feel that makes for an easy, pretty read.  The visuals are probably the best thing going for this comic and cuts it a little slack, overall.

The comic’s main concern is humor, and I’ll admit that anything involving Dave’s friend, Flop, or Dave’s supervisor is absolutely hilarious.  Those are two really solid characters and almost anything that comes out of their mouths is funny.  Generally speaking, the comedy is by far at its best when the normal characters are forced to react to abnormal sights.  Flop is again great in this respect and the office-drone’s reactions to the Satanic hypnotist are a definite high-point in this issue.

There’s also a hell of a lot of action and violence this issue, and hey, who doesn’t like that?

The Bad: Unfortunately, this just isn’t a very good comic. Even the comic’s greatest strength, it’s fun, vibrant art, has problems.  The panel layout is incredibly boring and lifeless and it really detracts from the art and the story-telling.  Also, that afore mentioned office-drone looks almost identical to Dave.  I honestly got confused and thought that Dave was in two places at once.

The humor, which the series relies on, fails more than it succeeds.  The problem is that Yost seems to feel that the comic is a lot more clever than it really is.  The “satire” of the book falls completely flat, with the depictions of the “amoral” modern world and the temptations offered by the demons and humanity’s reactions to those lures being so ludicrous that they end up being neither funny nor witty.  It’s just groan-worthy.  Also, any slight commentary that the comic tries to make on religion, such as in the opening pages or the general theme of Christians being obsessed with restricting themselves, comes across as vapid and hollow.  The satire on both the morality and religious fronts is truly done in a ham-fisted fashion and it doesn’t bring anything new, mature, or intelligent to the table.  If you want to do a wacky comic about a guy killing demons, do that, but don’t go for satire unless you really have something unique to say and can do so in a smart fashion. What’s worse, Dave’s brother– perhaps the funniest character in the series and one of the few times where Yost’s satire on society actually works, is not present in this issue; barring a single frame at the end where he says nothing.

Also, the final showdown with Kent is a complete disappointment. The series has been building up to this since issue #1 and this is supposed to be the big climax of the arc.  The actual battle lasts two pages.  Two pages.  That is the definition of underwhelming.  Part of me wonders if this has anything to do with Lucifer’s presence in the issue, which might have taken away from the Kent/Dave conflict.  Certainly, I did feel that Lucifer was in this issue far, far too much, considering the focus was supposed to be on Kent and Dave.  If Kent’s on the phone with Lucifer telling him he’ll take care of things, having Lucifer show up for several pages once the battle starts just doesn’t make sense.

Bottom-line: This just isn’t a very good comic, but it’s one that thinks it’s great.  Unfortunately, it’s just underwhelming overall and is much more miss than it is hit.

Grade: C-

-Alex Evans