Author: Now Read This

By Various (Titan Books)
ISBN: 1-84023-058-4

The Simpsons seem unable to generate poor product no matter what medium they assault, so here’s another collection of strips which originally saw print in their own monthly comic – specifically issues #28-31, which were cobbled together by this creative crowd: Karen Bates, Tim Bavington, Jeanine Black, Chris Clements, Scott M. Gimple, Stephanie Gladden, Gary Glasberg, Tim Harkins, Carl Harmon, Nathan Kane, Jim Lincoln, Bill Morrison, Julius Preite, Phil Ortiz, Jeff Rosenthal, Steve Steere Jr., Mary Trainor, Dan Studney, Chris Ungar, Cindy and Steve Vance and Rob Walton as well the inevitable Matt Groening.

‘Krustonia’ is a piece of inspired madness as Krusty the Clown establishes his own country to avoid paying Income Tax, which is followed by the wordy but engaging ‘Flanders’ Big Score – A Ned Flanders Mystery’. Homer returns to the world of showbiz combat as a wrestler in ‘Let’s Get Ready to Bumble’ and young Maggie Simpson gets her own adventure in ‘Bringing Down Baby’.

Highlight of the book is the insanely dystopian warning to science when Mr, Burn’s simpering yes-man is cloned and cloned again in ‘Smitherses!’ Bart and Milhouse star in ‘Bore Us –the Movie – Gruel’ and we also get to see the floor-plans of Lisa’s Dream house, before a comic fanboy assault begins with ‘Radioactive Homer’, when the man of the house becomes a super-hero – of sorts – and the volume concludes with the Bongo Comics ‘Comic Conventions Survival Guide’. I regret that sad but true fact that every fan will find him/herself in at least one of the damning categories listed here.

Always funny, always great entertainment, and always a wonderful antidote to too much angst and pomposity.

© 1999, 2005 Bongo Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.

By Camilla d’Errico & Joshua Dysart (Titan Books)
ISBN: 1-84576- 683-0

I’m not quite sure of the extent of Avril Lavigne’s creative input in this compelling and enthralling tale of a little girl, isolated and confused in the modern world, but don’t let that deter you from enjoying it.

Hana is not happy or popular. She gets picked on at school, the boy she likes doesn’t know she exists, and her parents are always fighting. She spends too much time on her own, and makes mischief in internet chat rooms. She only has one person she can talk to, and that’s an imaginary version of the pop-star Avril Lavigne.

Then one day she finds the “Make5wishes” website, and eventually succumbs to its seductive offer. In response she receives a diminutive demon who promises to change her life, but constantly warns her that there will be consequences. At first she is content just to have somebody – or rather something – to talk to, but the lure of those wishes just grows and grows…

Of course she succumbs. And the first wish seems to be all gain, no pain. So then she tries another and another. Sometimes the wishes are not instantaneously granted but she’s prepared to wait. She’s still pretty lonely though, and imaginary Avril doesn’t talk to her so much now. She doesn’t approve of the demon or his offer.

Big magic takes time. But soon she gets what she wished for, and even if it all goes bad she still has one wish in reserve… But it does go wrong, and as the delayed requests begin to materialise Hana realises the depth of her folly.

Although ostensibly a fairly derivative tale, with echoes (acknowledged throughout) of Faust and The Monkey’s Paw this is a subtle and chillingly contemporary tale beautifully illustrated. With a haunting tone of predestined tragedy this grips and enchants the reader. The biggest problem will be overcoming the prejudice the celebrity component of the package is likely to engender in casual readers. If you are one such please try to judge this story on its merits, because it is very, very good.

© 2006, 2007 House of Parlance Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

By Gene Luen Yang (First Second – an imprint of Roaring Book Press)
ISBN: 1-59643-152-0

Hugely entertaining retelling of the stories of the Monkey King of Chinese classical fiction, flawlessly blended with a parallel storyline about Chinese Americans attempting to fit into American culture. The result of such attempts is of course always something new and different, but why does getting there always have to be such a titanic struggle?

Jin Jang spent his formative years in the cosmopolitan safe enclave of San Francisco’s Chinatown before his family moved to the woefully provincial suburbs. He is only the second ever Asiatic kid in his elementary school. His experiences growing in this environment form a counterpoint to bright, vibrant reinterpretations of Monkey’s greatest exploits. A third story strand features Danny, an all-American White boy who is perpetually embarrassed by the grotesque racial stereotype that is his cousin Chin-Kee (sound it out… get it?).

How these three elements seamlessly blend into a modern fantasy that pitilessly explores the experience of growing up foreign in your own country makes for a captivating reading experience that can be enjoyed by all ages, although you should be aware that racial issues are dealt with head-on and some images might appear offensive unless you’re actually paying attention.

The book was nominated a National Book Award finalist, won the Michael L. Printz Award 2006 and was the Amazon.com Best Graphic Novel/Comic of the Year as well as garnering a host of other prizes.

© 2006 Gene Yang. All Rights Reserved.

 

By Joss Whedon & John Cassaday (Marvel/Panini UK)
ISBN 0-7851-1531-5

Joss Whedon turned his inimitable skills with choreographing ensemble casts to the ultimate team-book when he started writing the high-profile Astonishing X-Men (the first six issues of which are collected in this volume). With the supremely talented John Cassaday as artist the comic was always going to look great and sell well, but the ease with which Whedon slips into the characters and lifts them out of the mire of decades of convoluted cliché and continuity is a joy to behold.

You’re either aware or not of mutant continuity, so I’ll forego the usual précis and simply state that new readers can jump on with the minimum of confusion, and aided by the skilful use of banter be brought up to speed as the team of Cyclops, Emma “White Queen” Frost, Wolverine, Kitty Pryde and the Beast re-unite as a team of mutant do-gooders, but with a new mission statement.

In a world that hates and fears mutants, these heroes have traditionally fought secretive, furtive battles to save the day, with humanity despising them all the while. The new agenda is simple. Do the battling and saving, but in a public-relations savvy society, do it in such a way that the world knows who to thank. They will become public heroes and change public opinion by doing good, publicly.

The plan to alter those perceptions begins by ending a hostage situation where anti-mutant terrorists led by an alien named Ord of the Breakworld crash a Society function. Even as the hungry press are mobbing the victorious heroes, however, word comes that the media blitz may be unnecessary. An announcement has been made that scientists have found a cure for the mutant gene…

The news divides not just the mutant community, but even the team itself. Is “mutant-ness” even a disease? Is it better to conform or be unique? Where did the cure come from and who actually benefits? What role does Ord play in these earth-shattering events and is he working alone? None of these deep issues get in the way of a rollercoaster-ride of action and genuine suspense that’s been missing since the earliest days of these characters.

Combining stunning action and superb characterisation in a mystery/conspiracy tale is a Whedon trademark. Adding the alienation metaphors that have been such a strong part of the X-Men mystique and the fan psychology makes this a powerful yet entertaining read that will appeal to almost everybody.

© 2004 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

By Megan Rose Gedris (Rosalarian Productions)
ISBN: 0-9794007-0-8

The Worldwide web is becoming an increasingly important factor in the production of comic strips, and a growing number of strips that appear online are eventually making it back into the realm of physical artefacts as trade paperback collections. One such is the award winning Yu+Me Dream which won creator Megan Rose Gedris the 2006 Prism Comics Press Grant – which is how I can be staring at black and white pages instead of peering myopically at a screen

Fiona Thompson is a good Catholic schoolgirl (eighteen years old), although a bit of a class misfit. Consequently, she’d much rather spend her time asleep and dreaming, rather than have to face hostile classmates, her nasty step-mom and Nuns.

Her fantasy world becomes less enticing when a new girl moves in next door and she finds a soul-mate and ally. Lia Riolo plays an increasingly large part in both her real and dream-life and slowly Fiona must deal with the suspicion that she might be Gay and falling in love. Does Lia suspect? Could she possibly ever share these feelings?

Gently funny and sad by turns this charmingly stylish cartoon tale deals with the topic of gender identity in a forthright but non-exploitative way that never forgets the First Rule: “Be Entertaining”. This first volume also contains fan art, a cover gallery, behind the scenes commentary, a mini-comic dream sequence and that most beloved staple of girl’s comics, Cut-out-and-dress paper dolls. Good stuff well done.

© 2007 Megan Rose Gedris. All Rights Reserved
YU+ME: dream contains materials originally published online at http://yume-comic.com.

By Donald Rooum (Freedom Press)
ISBN: 0-900384-60-3

Cartooning legend and man of letters Donald Rooum turns his savagely gentle eye and softly brutal pens and brushes to an examination of the work ethic (or lack of same) in this collection of strips featuring his frenetic feline activist Wildcat – and her minders and entourage, of course, – in a discourse and primer on the true meaning and terminology of the work and society as viewed from a truly Anarchist perspective.

Just for the record: since the strips have to spend so much time clarifying this point, I will too. Suspend the preconceptions you’ve grown up with. Actual Anarchism is the belief and aspiration that, “Society should be a system where there is no Government and Social Relationships are all voluntary.” And while I’ve got the Quotation marks key under my thumb, here’s a couple from the book itself…

“Boss: one who directs, controls or dominates others”

“Government: body of persons who direct, control or dominate a state or other organisation”

Under the guise of a slide show lecture in a church hall, we get to see some funny and thought-provoking alternatives to commercialism and globalism, and the discussion portion after continues the mirth with worth.

Clever, challenging, and potentially life-changing: Surely this is what all art dreams of being? And when it makes you laugh too? This is a must have item for any child of the twenty-first century.

© 1991, 2007 Donald Rooum. All Rights Reserved.