Various minor characters get the spotlight for a change, but it's the same old shallow, generic, exploitative, pseudo-political story. I'm outta here.Various minor characters get the spotlight for a change, but it's the same old shallow, generic, exploitative, pseudo-political story. I'm outta here......more
So, like, uh, the Silver Surfer bends the fabric of space, the story becomes a Moebius strip, and everyone gets stuck in this annoying time loop of enSo, like, uh, the Silver Surfer bends the fabric of space, the story becomes a Moebius strip, and everyone gets stuck in this annoying time loop of endless invasions. The invaders finally jump to a place beyond the Giraud Expanse, while our heroes become prisoners of a sentient pleasure planet. Well, and then the shit really hits the fan when all of existence is suddenly being torn apart (it’s crossover-event time!)—but fear not, true believer: the Silver Surfer and Dawn simply outsurf the wave of universal destruction, find the Land of Couldn’t-Be Shouldn’t-Be, and use the power cosmic to remake the universe! Hooray for Dawn & the Silver Surfer!!
This third volume still had its moments of sweetness and earthbound romance, but much of it may have been a tad too cosmic for my little head. Like that Founder dude in the story, though, I “put on a brave face. At least for the children...”...more
So that was it, a very appropriate ending to a great post-apocalyptic series. You should definitely read FreakAngels for yourself, so at this point alSo that was it, a very appropriate ending to a great post-apocalyptic series. You should definitely read FreakAngels for yourself, so at this point all I'm going to say is that it ranks among Warren Ellis’ very best work IMO, up there with Transmetropolitan and The Authority. Even if you don’t consider yourself an Ellis fan you may want to give FreakAngels a try... and let its thoughtful, subtle, humane approach surprise you. Really good stuff!...more
Our young revolutionaries have not exactly achieved Utopia ever since they ended the world as we know it, have they? So what is it they need in order Our young revolutionaries have not exactly achieved Utopia ever since they ended the world as we know it, have they? So what is it they need in order to make a better job of things? Why, an upgrade, of course. And that’s literally what they get in this penultimate volume of the series, in appropriately trippy fashion.
What I like about the upgrade on a conceptual level is that it does not turn our flawed protagonists into more awesome and aloof individuals, quite the contrary. It gives them a new humility, teaches them that in order to make the world a better place they must first “get past all the constant fucking moaning and hating and fighting.”
In other words, our heroes must overcome their egos and finally pull together in the same direction - Sham 69-style, that's right. Cause “if the kids are united, then we'll never be divided...” :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GQMI... ...more
After a slow-burning third volume, this fourth volume delivers all kinds of twists and action. I love how the story jumps around from one plot thread After a slow-burning third volume, this fourth volume delivers all kinds of twists and action. I love how the story jumps around from one plot thread to another, and how each new piece of information makes everything else appear in a different light. We even get to sneak a peek at what happened when “the world ended” six years ago, one that turns the whole story into a crude, horrifically flawed yet undeniably potent case of youth rebellion.
Come to think of it, FreakAngels now reads like an updated, shrewdly reshuffled version of John Wyndham’s 1957 science fiction novel The Midwich Cuckoos (made into two movies, both titled Village of the Damned, in 1960 and 1995). In both the novel and the comic book, a group of children with supernatural abilities is born in England at exactly the same time, and in both cases they represent a growing threat to the establishment as they grow older.
Unlike the authorities of The Midwich Cuckoos, however, those of FreakAngels find themselves unable to remove the threat by taking out those powerful kids. As a result, the kids of FreakAngels actually manage to overthrow the status quo. Coming of age amidst its ruins, they try to build and govern a new world, and the story ultimately revolves around their all too human efforts to do so....more
At its core, this is a story about power, guilt and responsibility. Kinda like Spidey, that’s right. The FreakAngels are far guiltier than Peter ParkeAt its core, this is a story about power, guilt and responsibility. Kinda like Spidey, that’s right. The FreakAngels are far guiltier than Peter Parker ever was, though, and so what really comes to mind while reading this is the role of so-called first-world countries in the devastation of the planet and of so-called third-world countries in particular, and more specifically the current “refugee crisis” in Europe. In other words, FreakAngels is the kind of science fiction dystopia that becomes more relevant by the minute. It is also one of the most thoughtful, nuanced, sincere and best comics Warren Ellis has written to date—read it already!...more
If you think of Warren Ellis as a cynical bastard whose sole talent lies in the creation of nasty, drug-infused, over-the-top comics (it's a persona EIf you think of Warren Ellis as a cynical bastard whose sole talent lies in the creation of nasty, drug-infused, over-the-top comics (it's a persona Ellis himself often flaunts, after all) for a politically alienated and emotionally dulled audience, give FreakAngels a try. It might change your mind.
Despite the post-apocalyptic setting, there is nothing flashy or gimmicky or trippy about FreakAngels. The story is told in a very accessible, engaging, straight-forward style, congenially brought to life by Paul Duffield’s subdued, orderly, unspectacular yet quietly stunning illustrations.
What makes FreakAngels work so well are its characters. To be sure, they swear a lot (this is an Ellis comic), but they are also the most fully realized, fascinating, lifelike comic-book characters I have come across in a while—despite their mysterious superhuman powers.
I highly recommend Freakangels to anybody looking for that rare post-apocalyptic story that has both a brain and a heart!...more
The fighting, torturing and killing continues, as the spotlight shifts from the Green Lanterns to the magicians of the DC Universe, and to John ConstaThe fighting, torturing and killing continues, as the spotlight shifts from the Green Lanterns to the magicians of the DC Universe, and to John Constantine in particular: “I’m gonna kick the Man of Steel in the bollocks.” The story increasingly feels like a Who’s Who in the DC Universe, with countless long-established major and minor characters popping up (and, in many cases, dying) left and right. To the credit of writer Tom Taylor and artists Bruno Redondo and Mike S. Miller, though, the plot remains comprehensible even for someone like myself who is not exactly up to date with most things DC. In fact, it’s kinda fun to get introduced to all these bizarre characters while the fate of the human species hangs in the balance. That being said, the series still does not do justice to its rather complex underlying themes of terrorism and social control, but hey, we're talking about comic books designed to promote a fighting game here... Anyway, I’ll keep turning the pages....more
The showdown between our teenage protagonists and their parents is entertaining enough, if a bit on the generic side. The mole affair in particular coThe showdown between our teenage protagonists and their parents is entertaining enough, if a bit on the generic side. The mole affair in particular could have been handled more convincingly, I thought. Still a fun read, don’t get me wrong, just not quite as original, radical and daring as I had hoped based on the previous two trades. I’ll keep reading, though, especially since the final issue collected here marks a promising return to form. Who knows, maybe our teenage heroes still have bigger fish to fry!?...more
Has the American heartland ever looked more desolate and repulsive? Originally published in the pages of Dan Clowes’ one-man anthology Eightball (onceHas the American heartland ever looked more desolate and repulsive? Originally published in the pages of Dan Clowes’ one-man anthology Eightball (once described by Clowes himself as “an orgy of spite, vengeance, hopelessness, despair and sexual perversion”), Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron takes the reader on an obsessive, disturbing, darkly humorous, often surreal and grotesque journey into a seedy world of corruption, sadism and conspiracy theories. What’s not to like?...more
“23 years ago, twelve strange children were born in England at exactly the same time. 6 years ago, the world ended. This isThe Apocalypse... Done Right!
“23 years ago, twelve strange children were born in England at exactly the same time. 6 years ago, the world ended. This is the story of what happened next.”
That’s how it all starts, and then hints are dropped that those twelve strange children may somehow be responsible for the end of the world as we know it: they felt radical change was needed...
I read this first volume once before several years ago and liked it a lot, but my library back then did not have the other volumes and so I never read on. A few days ago, I finally stumbled upon the complete six-volume set—hooray for my library! I know, this was originally a webcomic, I’m afraid I just can’t get used to those...
Anyway. Rereading this book now, I am amazed at how well I still remember the main characters and their world—especially considering my generally bad memory! That’s well-conceived, effective, memorable character- and worldbuilding for ya, no matter how free-spirited and spontaneous it all feels.
Writer Warren Ellis and artist Paul Duffield have created the rare exception to the rule: a post-apocalyptic story that feels organic and vivid rather than gimmicky and overblown; even the supernatural and the outrageous are treated rather casually. As a result, the post-apocalyptic world of FreakAngels actually comes to life—and you realize how much potential the genre really has!
Bottom line: it’s fooking brilliant is what it is....more
LOVED the first issue (no surprise there, first issues are a Vaughan specialty), the late 80s setting, Chiang's clean and subtle artwork, Wilson's neoLOVED the first issue (no surprise there, first issues are a Vaughan specialty), the late 80s setting, Chiang's clean and subtle artwork, Wilson's neon-drenched coloring, the lively, primarily female cast, the snappy yet realistic dialogue – loved it all so much I got a little dizzy early on. Then came the disfigured teenagers from the future, the dinosaurs, the weird language, the Apple dude - and I got a bit confused. Which was the idea, I guess. Not yet sure how it’ll all come together, hope the time-travel angle won’t overwhelm what I love most about the story so far: its young protagonists.
It's a charming and very enjoyable first volume that brings to mind Brubaker's Deadenders and movies like Stand by Me, E.T. and Looper, but adds a feminist edge. I’m definitely on board for more!...more
Meh. I get the impression that Stephen King was trying to create nothing less than an updated, all-American version of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings epiMeh. I get the impression that Stephen King was trying to create nothing less than an updated, all-American version of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings epic here, but the results feel shallow, overlong, self-important, cheesy, and a little smug in places. The sentences of The Stand appear to be quite pleased with themselves, which can get a bit annoying considering they don’t really have all that much to say.
Then again, The Stand by now has more than 200,000 five-star reviews here at GR (many by good, respected friends), so there must be something to the book that I just don't get. Even I can see that it isn't all bad: King is a solid writer, and here and there the story gets downright interesting for a few pages (usually when either Larry Underwood or Randall Flagg is around). For the most part, though: yawn......more
Old Man Logan does for the bad-ass superhero what Unforgiven did for the outlaw cowboy: it traumatizes him, retires him, removes him from his violent Old Man Logan does for the bad-ass superhero what Unforgiven did for the outlaw cowboy: it traumatizes him, retires him, removes him from his violent past, turns him into a farmer, but then forces him to take on that one last job... and throws in a few dystopian Mad Max landscapes for good measure. So does it work? Well, the story feels a bit derivative and shallow and stagy, but what it lacks in originality and vitality it makes up for in style and design. Old Man Logan may not be the most engaging read in the world, but it does manage to deliver a few memorable, iconic-looking moments of superhero dystopia....more
Josh Simmons’ The Furry Trap is marketed as horror, but the short stories collected between its covers do not feel like yoUgly, Disturbing, Sickening!
Josh Simmons’ The Furry Trap is marketed as horror, but the short stories collected between its covers do not feel like your typical horror fare. Sure, they are chock-full of horrific acts of violence, but the thing is: these acts of violence do not add up to any kind of entertaining or potentially cathartic spectacle.
Instead, they are one thing and one thing only: extremely disturbing. They do not play by any rules of genre or taste. In fact, they appear to be little more than the logical extension of the very real world we have created for ourselves - a world shaped by greed, selfishness, short-sightedness and exploitation, not by holistic or even moral considerations.
Much like Michael Haneke’s 1997 film Funny Games, Simmons’ The Furry Trap holds a mirror up to a society that, bent on self-destruction, treats violence as just another form of entertainment. Like Funny Games, it presents even the most extreme acts of violence in calm, seemingly detached and uncaring fashion, forcing the reader to rediscover their own moral agency and shout: enough of this ugly, sickening mess!
Make no mistake, The Furry Trap kicks you in the gut – real hard. It is the perfect antidote to torture porn, as it will spoil anybody's appetite for fictional violence. I highly recommend the book to fans of the darker, more radical (as well as painful, I'm afraid) kind of alternative comic… but not to anybody else, really. Not even to horror fans. ...more
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