A bonus for you SHNH fans this week, as I have a second post up today, a follow up on my Ross Campbell Spotlight post of yesterday. Today there’s an epic interview of Ross Campbell up. Check it out!
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A spotlight on phenom indie creator Ross Campbell over on She Has No Head! Also, tune in tomorrow for an in-depth interview with Campbell on SHNH as well.
Cover to Campbell's Wet Moon Volume 5
Invite by Lucy Knisley
Head on over to She Has No Head! for the scoop on the great time I had at the second annual Drink & Draw Like A Lady Event last Friday.
New post up on She Has No Head!, CSBG.
Look at these! I LOVE THEM.
They were brought to my attention by my pal Anis and are offered on Etsy by lucyravenscar.
Of course there are some problems. 1. I don’t have any money to buy them. 2. Even if I did have money to buy them I have nowhere to put them. and 3. “They” are not even for sale, but rather the pattern to make them is for sale. And I am A) too lazy to make them myself and B) not at all gifted when it comes to “crafts”.
So I will just have to dream of them…and write blog posts about them.
Tags: things made of awesome, toys!
My good friend, and super talented (not to mention all around great guy) Ross Campbell is auctioning off a few original pieces of artwork on Ebay. Check it out soon, and get in on the bidding. Good luck – both to Ross and any bidders!
Check out my dialogue with IDW Editor Mariah Huehner about Marvel Comics new GIRL COMICS on CSBG.
Find the right female positive comic book for everyone on your holiday shopping list with this week’s ‘She Has No Head!’ Column at CSBG.
Parker: The Hunter. Darwyn Cooke (Writer/Artist). Comic Books/Graphic Novels.
I have been salivating over this new Darwyn Cooke adaption of Richard Stark’s Parker for months, and finally, to “reward” myself for finishing my big novel revision, purchased it at Jim Hanley’s last week and then devoured it in one sitting – my preferred method – swallowing it whole – going back for second reads later.
It’s a beautiful book. I’m a huge fan of Cooke’s illustration/penciling work (see his many covers in my Top 100 list – including one in the Top 25), and this is no exception as it is picture perfect. Individual panels being matched in beauty by the overall pacing and muted color palette.
I have not read the original material, but I assume Cooke was fairly faithful, it certainly feels authentic. I think my main issue with the book, lies not in Cooke’s hands but in Stark’s hands (though I cannot be 100% sure without having read the original material) and that issue is primarily that I tend to have some drama with these kinds of noir/detective-y books. I love a good detective yarn, and who doesn’t love noir? But as a card carrying (and ranty) feminist, it’s easy for me to get my hackles up about the female portrayals in the traditional noir style. They’re always gorgeous femme fatales and bitches that would betray you for a nickle. And while I’m happy to read that character, I get a bit annoyed when that’s all there is. And in this particular story all we have are a betraying wife and a handful of hookers. Now I suppose it’s a given that Parker runs with a more criminal crowd, but it would be nice to see SLIGHTLY more variety there…and perhaps more importantly all the women here are portrayed pretty strongly as victims. So it’s even a step down from the ‘betraying femme fatale’ type, who though not exactly revolutionary, is at least a strong woman with a plan, whereas here we have more of the ‘worthless beautiful victim’ type. Boring. At least as drawn by Cooke they are stunningly beautiful images.
[SPOILERS}
The story sets up well with the badass master thief Parker penniless and looking it, but thumbing his nose up at offers of a ride. Once in the city he fakes an i.d. (much easier back in the day) and makes off with someone’s entire bank account. Well on the road to being all fixed up – clean (ish) and in a suit, he hunts down his old flame, that has betrayed him – ‘natch. Parker does away with her in an extra special way and moves on, following the trail to the man that set him up, betrayed him, stole from him, and got him sent to prison.
My one complaint in the story (other than the female characters issue) is that everything comes REALLY easy to Parker. I mean, I love that he’s the ultimate badass, but there’s very little tension in that there’s just no doubt in your mind that he’s going to get his man and come out the other side smelling like roses. He is perfection…well when perfection comes as revenge and badassitude. And because of that, because there is no weak link in his armor – perhaps his one weak link is his presumably now dead feeling for his wife – but since he offs her first it leaves him free of any weakness – there’s not a lot of surprise in how it all works out.
If I hadn’t been spellbound by Cooke’s artwork, and drawn panel to panel by the beautiful pacing, I think I would have noticed that the actual story was leaving me pretty cold. it’s a masterful feat for Cooke, which makes me appreciate him all the more, but regardless of the skill involved, I didn’t think of the book once after putting it down, there just wasn’t enough story to stay with me.
Ultimately it made for a beautiful but uneventful read.
4.0 Stars*
*on illustration alone I’d give it 4.5 stars easily, but for story, I’d give it a 3.0. I’m going to give Cooke’s illustration the upper hand and split the difference at 4.0
Brian Cronin over at CBR has been doing a Top Five Most Iconic Covers for individual characters, and it’s a really great idea (read: I wish I’d thought of it first). Like most idiots with an opinion I have often been disagreeing with some of his picks, but having learned first hand how hard it is to pick a “top” anything, I’ve been keeping my mouth shut. But he featured my girl Rogue this week and I can no longer be silenced!
The list isn’t even that bad, I think in my own list (see below) I have to use three of the five he uses, however the use of that Paul Smith cover as number one is just criminal. That cover is completely a Wolvie cover, not a Rogue cover and while the actual issue marks pretty big developments for the character and her evolution, the cover does not relay that same message. Epic fail.
So here’s MY list:
5. Andy Kubert
As discussed on my Best 100 Covers post, as an adult and as an artist, I kind of hate this cover for a lot of reasons, but as a 16 year old girl, my heart literally went all ‘pitter pat’ in my chest and didn’t stop for, like, YEARS. And independent of my personal feelings, this relationship was a major part of Rogue’s 90’s storyline, and affected her character hugely both at this point in time and (for good or ill) pretty much the rest the character’s life thus far.
4. Walt Simonson
Cronin is right that this cover is iconic because of the “hope you survive the experience” homage that at this point had become classic and iconic on its own, but perhaps it’s even more iconic because in Rogue’s case it was a more accurate statement than ever before. Although, perhaps they should have changed up the meme to read, “Welcome To The X-Men Rogue…Hope The X-Men Survive The Experience” considering the fact that the entire team tries to quit on principle when Xavier lets her in.
3. John Romita Jr.
This is a great cover, and a great issue, that was a huge development in Rogue’s growth as a character. It foreshadowed great things for the character and managed to be a milestone issue for both Rogue and Storm. Neither of them would ever be the same after this issue – and that is the mark of a great comic – and this cover conveys that feeling – which is the mark of a great cover.
2. Marc Silvestri
This Genosha storyline was a big turning point for Rogue, both emotionally as she battled the unexpected side effects of losing her cursed powers; and perhaps even more importantly, it spotlighted the relationship with the Carol Danvers personality living inside of her. This was the first arc (if I recall correctly) that Rogue and Danvers agreed on an uneasy peace, if only for their combined survival. And it kicked off a fantastic ongoing storyline about their constant battle for control of Rogue’s body.
1. Jim Lee
And here’s where control of that body comes to a head, more than thirty issues later. This milestone issue featured the final and long awaited separation of Carol Danvers and Rogue with surprising results after Rogue was shot through the Siege Perilous by Dazzler (you bitch Dazzler). This issue is important both because it truly highlights how much our heroine has changed, and because as a result of this issue, there are new rules for Rogue and Danvers. They’ve been permanently separated, but Rogue has retained the powers. For good or ill this changed Rogue’s direction and is a critical arc in her evolution. It’s also gorgeous, but you guys know I’m a fan.
Ironically, I think that this cover to X-Men Classic #77…
…really proves my point about why Cronin’s pick of X-Men #173 is a real miss. The cover above, a re-imagining by Adam Hughes of the original Paul Smith X-Men #173 cover is a pretty great example of a Rogue cover…with the positions reversed like this (i.e. Rogue in front instead of back) it works as a Rogue cover, but would you ever in a million years put this on a list of most iconic Wolverine covers? No way. Now of course Wolvie has more iconic covers out there than just about any other Marvel character, but still, I’m sure you can see my point.
Just for fun here are a few of my other favorite covers featuring Rogue. I wouldn’t call them all iconic, but I would call them all awesome. It’s a little bit shocking actually, how few powerful and truly moving covers Rogue has, she’s been a fan favorite for a long time, and it’s really not evident in looking up her covers…