Maus

Just about everyone I know has heard of Maus. After all, Art Spiegelman's biographical depiction of his father's experiences in the holocaust did win him a Pulitzer and an Eisner among a host of other awards and nominations. For those of you who haven't actually read it, here's the  story in brief. 

Art begins the story with a visit to his father, Vladek, and expresses an interest in drawing the story of his and Anja's (Art's mother) experiences in the holocaust. Vladek agrees and begins his tale with how, as a poor young man, he left his longtime girlfriend to marry Anja because of the dowry and the family money. With the support of his new family, Vladek starts his own business and is quite successful. The invasion of Poland by Germany interrupts this dream life and the rest is, literally, history i.e., oppression-disappearances-killings-holocaust-transportation by train-concentration camps-gas chambers-escape etc. 

On one hand, it's a first-person account of surviving hardships through cunning and ingenuity, and of betrayal by friends & neighbors. On the other, it's about how experiences shape lives and engrain traits in us. Some readers may find me treating it very curtly, but that's because I found Maus quite disappointing. Surprised? Let me explain.

Here's what I like. Spiegelman's writing is excellent, as is his characterization. His neurotic father's miserly ways, which are a hangover from the holocaust, are well portrayed in everyday life. The representation of people as anthropomorphic animals is creatively used. For instance, while Jews are mice and Germans are cats, the child of a Jew and a German is a mouse with cat stripes. And the portrayal of his (often tumultuous) relationship with his father is honest. That's about everything I liked about the book.

Here's what I didn't like. There's nothing new about it - not a point-of-view, not an opinion… nothing. If you've seen any of the numerous movies like 'Schindler's List' or 'Escape from Sorbibor', Maus doesn't add anything to it. It's simply an engaging story from an "adventure" stand-point and the fact that it's not fiction helps build it up even more. 

Opinions aside though, it's worth a read. 

I'm sure most readers will have different views… so let's hear them. 

It's a Bird

One of my friends got back from a vacation some days back and, knowing of my interest in graphic novels, told me of a book that one of her friends back home had gifted her. "It's called It's a Bird", she said. I hadn't heard of it, but I asked to see it. She brought it to me the following day.

 

When I looked at the cover, I hesitated. There was an illustration of people with red 's' emblems on them. I was slightly taken aback. The title fell into context - this was a Superman comic.

 

Like just about everybody I know, I've read several Superman comics over the years. Yet, if I were asked what Superman meant to me, I'd be hard put to come up with a satisfactory answer - especially to myself. In the early years, he was just busy beating up the baddies. Then he started seeing (and eventually marrying) Lois Lane and the comics drifted into exploring what a personal relationship to him might be like. I especially hated this particular phase since, to me, it was no different from the various soaps on TV. I guess my thoughts on the character were something along the lines of "I'm growing up; why doesn't he?".

 

And I stopped reading Superman comics altogether. Nothing the man did interested me; there was simply no connect. If it were a romance, I guess I'd say we were stagnant and decided to part ways. That should give you a clue about the mindset with which I set about reading It's a bird.

 

It's a Bird is not like any Superman comic I've ever read. It's not concerned with what Lex Luthor is up to, or how many baddies Superman is beating up, or what Lois Lane is doing. It's written from My point of view as a person who has read Superman, and stopped.

 

Written by Steven T. Seagle and illustrated by Teddy Kristiansen, the story is a biography of Steve (not the writer). Steve is a comic book writer who's been asked to write the next Superman comic. And does he jump at the chance? No. He wants nothing to do with it. He hates Superman - and I don't just mean the comic. Steve dislikes the very concept of a Superman. As you can imagine, Steve's editor is very surprised by his refusal to write Superman, and tells him that he won't accept "Because I don't like him" as an answer, giving Steve a few days to think it over.

 

Everywhere Steve goes, he encounters people who love Superman and is surprised by Steve's dislike. The story progresses in 3 parallel flows. One consists of intermittent flashbacks to Steve's childhood which holds a dark and shameful family secret and is the story of one day he spent at a hospital when his grandma passed away. A second one follows the present, where Steve meets various people, goes home to meet his mother, fights with his girlfriend, looks up college classmates, speaks to a mechanic, colleagues in the industry and other events in his daily life.

 

The third flow, peppered across the story, are Steve's thoughts on Superman. His introspection on the man and his analysis from a purely characterization point of view. While Seagle has expertly weaved the three threads together, this third is my favorite. The analysis done is largely common sense. It's what you and I already know, but have possibly never consciously pulled together. Steve's politics also come out very clearly, especially when he breaks down the concepts of power, justice and alienation, and how the world continues to work on a "might is right" philosophy. Even more interesting is his breakdown of how the Superman creators were Jews themselves and why possibly they thought of a Superman character as important in the world, and reflects on the choice of costume colors.

 

If you still need another reason to read this book, then consider that Kristiansen won an Eisner for his art in the book. Although done in dull colors, the artwork reflects the mood of the story perfectly. Everywhere Steve goes, he finds some sort of support for Superman, usually in the form of someone wearing an 'S' t-shirt to a point where even the reader starts to empathize with Steve's irritation with the subject. Yet its completely called for and adds and extra star to the already strong storyline.

 

Do let me know if any of you have read this one and what you thought of it. 

Exit Wounds - Dignified Excellence

2007 was a good year for the Graphic Novel. First, the success of movies based on them spurred a whole new set of readers to read the original works. Popular movies even used the medium for promotion by launching novels of their own. Then, having established itself as a treasure chest for screenplays (with the benefit of already being storyboarded), the industry saw an influx of capital with rights to various 'scripts' being bought. While all this catered to the masses, the year also produced some phenomenal work that was critically acclaimed. Rutu Modan's Exit Wounds was one of those. Despite winning the coveted 'Best Book of the Year' at the Eisner Awards earlier this year, very few readers in India have actually heard of it or read it. 

While Modan has been in the international spotlight for several years now, a lot of comic aficionados had not heard of her prior to the release of Exit Wounds. Not surprising though since almost all her work has been done in Israel, having worked on comic strips for leading newspapers and won several awards including the Andersen Award for Illustration(2001). Additionally, she's been nominated for the Eisner Awards for Best Comics Anthology of the Year as well as the Promising New Talent Award at the Ignatz Awards. 

With credentials like that, it's no surprise that Exit Wounds is a must-read for any serious graphic novel fan. And if you already are a comic buff, then this is the book that you should hold up to those who say that it's all kid's stuff. 

If you're wondering whether it’s the story or the illustration… well, it's neither by itself, but the balance of both.  Exit Wounds is the story of Koby Franco, a Tel Aviv cab driver in his twenties. The story begins when a woman soldier, tells him that she believes his estranged father was recently killed by a suicide bomber. Koby's initial reaction is one of nonchalance, but she convinces him to help her find out if he did die in the blast. And why is she so concerned about an old man whose own son couldn't care less? Because she was romantically involved with him. And so begins the cross-country hunt.

Modan tells the story expertly; weaving theories for the reader only to shatter them and pull them deeper into the mystery. The chemistry between the two central characters is built up as they constantly fight and allows the reader comic relief, while building up sympathies with their confusion. The backdrop of Tel Aviv adds greatly to this, with the artwork peppered with real-life trauma of those who live there. Yet, not once, do Modan or any of her characters place blame on anyone. This lack of hatred builds up compassion in the reader. 

The artwork is characteristically modest. Modan's bold colours are used with a lot of discretion and contrast well in order to highlight what the author wants the reader to see. It is simple, yet engaging - just right for such a strong story. 

Do make an effort to read this one, if you haven't already. 

P.S - Before I sign off, here's a bit of trivia on Rutu Modan. While most people think of her only as an author of serious contemporary novels, she's also the co-editor of the Hebrew edition of MAD Magazine! 

DevaShard: At First Light - An epic is born

Some months back, a friend referred me to a blog about a new company in Hong Kong called Fluid Friction. They had apparently put together an international team of writers and artists to come out with Hong Kong's first international graphic novel. Intrigued, I checked it out. 

The blog was a record of artwork development for a story called DevaShard which was loosely based on the Mahabharata. Not only did the blog capture each stage of the creation of a graphic novel and its characters, but there were even images of the brilliant artwork that was being developed for it. I loved it.

That's why I was excited when I finally got the first book in the series: At First Light. To say the least, it's a feast for the eyes. 

Before the comic begins, there's a short note from the Fluid Friction team. It declares that their intent is to create an alternate fantasy world for readers - where one can be immersed in a fantastic story and art. 

Do they live up to it? Let's see. 

First, the art. 

The book portrays quite a variety of settings as the story jumps through time and place. In Rhimn, where it’s a rainy night in a garden lit with green-flamed torches. At Lasan, where everything is made of ice. In Ethaar, where there's a rainforest with a river. Each presents a surrounding that has been carefully thought out by the creators. Pains have been taken to ensure that even the flora and fauna are different.  

The ensemble of characters is for the most part humanoid - some have a couple of extra limbs. More interesting, though, are the variations of style and features within these characters. The 5-tailed daemon king has a very east-European face with high cheekbones and long straight hair (and has one blue and one red eye). The voluptuous queen and the charioteer have very distinct Indian features and wouldn't be out of place in some of the current Indian comics. The young prince and the princess have a very 'manga' look to them. Despite these differences, there's a distinct style that blends the characters together. Kudos to the art team for that. 

The inking and coloring for each of the panels had been done with painstaking care - with the colors always just supporting, complimenting, and never overshadowing, the finely inked lines. I would love to get my hands on the original artwork of some of the panels. 

The 'art' aspect of their goal has definitely been achieved. While the book itself is an easy read, it's the art which keeps the eyes roving over the panels repeatedly, which are at times incredibly detailed.

Now, for the story.

Like the first chapter of any story, At First Light sets the tone and background for a story that is yet to come, introducing characters and giving snippets of events that are as yet not connected. I don't expect to see the main story begin to unfold till the 3rd chapter. But that doesn't mean it's not racy - it is, in fact, quite fast paced.

To help readers get an idea of the story to come, the book has two story overviews. The first is the back cover which tells us that DevaShard is about a boy "who's robbed of his birthright and plunged into a land gripped by darkness" where he must "fight to become a fearsome warrior if he is to survive". 

The second is the longer prologue inside. It introduces Bhumi as a magical world and tells us that a war is about to come where mankind's sole hope will be a daemon army. It also introduces "Moonstones", which are portals spread across Bhumi. More importantly, though, it tells us what to expect in terms of a story - which is about two forsaken sons whose lives are destined to be interlinked in a struggle, be tested by adversity and loss, and learn that "some fights, no matter how unjust cannot be walked away from". 

My verdict on the story: very promising. The world of Bhumi has a lot of potential and can become a base for several stories like DevaShard. 

The last few pages of the comic has brief bios of a few characters and a map of Bhumi. While the map is good for reference, it would have been helpful, especially since this is the first installment, if they had put short bios of some of the characters in this chapter before the story began. Also, it does take some amount of turning back pages to get your bearings - more because the reader needs to get familiar with an entire cast of new characters. 

All in all, it's not often that one gets  the chance to see the birth of an epic - and a stunner like this one is not to be missed. 

You can see the DevaShard blog here and visit the official site here. 

Kashmir Pending: Better Drawn than Written

In the world of Indian comics, one of the things I'm glad about is that while the output is relatively lower in number than say the US or UK, the quality is not. The issues with which they deal are contemporary and real; be it the double-life of Kari, or the journals of The Barn Owl's Capers. Penned by Naseer Ahmed, Kashmir Pending is yet another novel on these same lines. 

Naseer takes on the decades old strife in the Kashmir Valley, one that we now take so much for granted that it no longer even makes the news. The story, however, is not from an outsider's point of view where facts and events are laid out so that good and bad are as easy to tell apart as black and white. Instead, it takes us into the life of young Muslim boys growing up in Kashmir and being manipulated by larger forces. 

But before going on to discussing what I think is the true highlight of the book, here's a short brief on the storyline: The chief protagonist is Mustaq, a boy with unresolved anger issues against the army. To top it off, his family is not supportive of his artistic abilities. While at the university, he attends fiery lectures by charismatic leaders of the Kashmir freedom movement and is so smitten that he goes off to a terrorist camp across the border for training. 

While there, he, along with other incumbents from across the border, are treated with scorn. He starts getting disenchanted with it all and, bribing the guard with a wrist watch, makes his way back to the Valley. He then discovers that the militant recruiters themselves are involved in double-crossing conspiracy, and loses his best friend to them. This finally sets him on the path to reformation. 

That's basically it. What comes out of it is the question of ownership: who's war is it? 

Apologies if that didn't want to make you pick up the book and read it, but I've tried to copy the same bland manner of the author. It's disappointing that given a situation like Kashmir, where there's plenty of opportunity to infuse the dialogue with wit and irony, Naseer chooses to be simple.  But here's why you should go and get the book: the artwork. 

Saurabh Singh's dark and harsh portrayal of prisoners in cells, smoking, praying, and talking set the tone brilliantly for the book. Making the cells shadowy, so  that if it weren't for the bars, you'd think they were caves, gives the story a distinct no-nonsense look. Readers will also be reminded of Sin City in Singh's use of black and red. 

The storyboarding has also been done very interestingly. If it were a movie, it would jump from far shots to close-up zooms, which gives the novel a very surrealistic feeling. All in all, I wouldn't really ask you to go mad looking for it, or even buy it if you see it… but it's a good book to borrow. 

Note to readers: I'm sure that many of you would have read this book. It's possible that I got so taken with the artwork that it set my expectations of the story much higher. Do let me know your views on it. 

"Who watches the Watchmen"

Note to readers:  Alan Moore's 'Watchmen' has been in the news for quite some time now. Thousands across the world are awaiting the release of the movie in March '09 - which the director has promised, is as close to the novel as possible. Judging from the trailer, it might well be. I'm optimistic that it won't turn out to be the disappointment that Wanted was. But still, why take the chance of judging the book from the movie when there's plenty of time to read it first.

 

In 1939, masked heroes arose. Some called them the Minutemen. Others, the Watchmen. Guarding society against crime. Battling criminals on their own terms. Going beyond the law whenever necessary. For 38 years, they reigned. Two generations of disguised crime-fighters.

 

In 1977, the Law was passed. Vigilantism became illegal. The heroes were forced to give up their masks. Only the ones who already worked for the government were allowed. And there were few enough of them. Once more, urban crime-fighting became the realm of the Police.

 

Now, it is 1985.  The US had won the Vietnam war. Nixon is still President, now in his fifth term. And the Cold War is at its height with the US and Soviet Union edging towards a war.

This is the alternate history which forms the background of the Hugo Award winning Watchmen. 

 

The novel opens to a murder. A man has been beaten and thrown out of his high-rise apartment window. Two investigations ensue. One, by the Police. The other, by the only remaining independent (hence illegal) vigilante - Rorschach. The man who has been killed used to be the vigilante formerly known as The Comedian. A man who worked for the government and one of two legal vigilantes in the US. So that makes Watchmen a murder mystery.

 

The story revolves around 6 vigilantes: The Comedian, Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, Dr. Manhattan and Ozymandias. The volumes skip between the Now and the Past, giving the reader biographies of each of the characters, how they came to be vigilantes, insights into the frictions within the community, and their love lives. So that makes Watchmen a drama.

 

Of them all, only Dr Manhattan has super powers - that's strength and intelligence. His conversations on humanity, actions, consequences and on life itself are at times unethical, but always logical. He is the one character that seeks to understand, rather than know. His view of himself? "There is a God and He is American." That, perhaps, makes Watchmen philosophical.

 

Watchmen also has one more thing. It's debatable since its got a long ending, but I thought it had a surprise ending.

 

In terms of illustration, the style is simple, but there's loads for the reader to look out for. The pattern of Rorschach's mask keeps changing, for instance.  The graffiti on the walls often says "Who watches the watchmen".  Each volume ends with a quote by a famous person, which encapsulates the thoughts of the character that is the subject of that volume. Notice what the people in the background are doing. The back covers of each of the 12 volumes features a clock which progressively inches towards midnight. It's the doomsday clock. All of it builds up to the fatalistic society that is portrayed within.

 

Watchmen also has a 'comic within a comic' where there's one character who's reading a comic next to a news stand throughout the book. The reader can hear snatches of conversation going on around him, but can also read the comic - which in itself is a noir 'Count of Monte Cristo meets Robinson Crusoe'.

 

All of this makes Watchmen a classic. Ever since DC Comics brought it out in 1986, it has enjoyed a cult following, and, in many ways, set a benchmark for graphic novels that few others have equaled. If you're going to be reading it for the first time, then here's a word of caution. Don't compare the novel's characters with other vigilantes. When it comes to superheroes, familiarity breeds superiority and you may lose interest in the initial volumes. In Watchmen, vigilantes aren't about skills, gadgets or intelligence. They're simply people out to do the right thing.

 

Before I sign off, here's a bit of trivia. In the novel, there is a dialogue that explains the etymology of the title as something that John F. Kennedy wanted to say in a speech. However, the quote 'who watches the watchmen' is from the writings of the Roman political  satirist Juvenal (circa 100 AD). He wrote:

"I hear always the admonishment of my friends:

'Bolt her in, and constrain her!'

But who watches the watchmen?

The wife arranges accordingly, and begins with them."

 

Well, that's enough said. I'll leave the rest to you. For those of you who've already read it, let's talk about it. 

Ghost in the Shell

Note to readers: The iconic Masamune Shirow's works are pretty hard to come across in English (and in India), and I found one tucked away in an airport bookshop. I simply had to leave my other projects mid-way to read the original manga - albeit in English. Apologies for the delay to those of you who've written to me asking when the next review would be out, and to those of you I had promised to do Sandman and Watchmen. These, I promise, will be next. 

Most comic (and movie) buffs have heard of 'The Ghost in the Shell'. Thus far, I had contented myself on just the animated movies (which are iconic in their own right). If you haven't read the book but watched the movies, then you're pretty well clued into the story. It doesn't deviate from the book and I can only imagine the pains with which the screenplay for the animation was written since it does indeed put forth the philosophical aspects rather well. 

The year is 2029. Cybernetic technology has successfully (to a large degree) molded Man and Machine. Hands and legs can be easily replaced by more technically advanced limbs. Eyes can be replaced by electronic lenses that allow you to zoom or change visual medium (think Robocop). Even the brain can be downloaded and transferred to a human exoskeleton, called a Shell. With all human organs easily replicable, what's left is the 'Ghost' of the person that existed earlier; call it a 'consciousness' if you will. This forms the basis for the title's etymology. 

The world is basically one large electronic network.  And since one can actually plug in one's brain to this 'internet', interpersonal communication can happen via thought without actually speaking. Of course, there's the chance that if you let someone into your head, they may find stuff you don't want them to - but this can be guarded against (like using firewalls on your computer). This is the background on which the story rests. 

What hasn't changed in the world is this: countries are still haggling with each other for economic profit and power. 

The plot revolves around a special division of the paramilitary forces called Public Security Section 9 which deals with external threats to the country (in this case, Japan). They report only to the highest authorities and enjoy almost limitless freedom to take action as they see fit. The protagonists are all part of Section 9. The soldiers (in order of hierarchy) are  Kusanagi a.k.a. the Major, Batou, Ishikawa, and Togusa. The unit is headed by Aramaki (who's also referred to as 'ape-face' - with good reason). The unit also uses an 'intelligent' single-seater armored tanks called Fuchikoma and other state-of-the-art weaponry (including personal armour that can render you invisible). 

The story starts with Section 9 being formed after a government-authorized assassination. After that, the team carries out a series of seemingly routine operations that include an orphanage where an inmate tries to run away, chasing down a bomber, a brutal mafia boss who's trying to escape the country and dirty politicians. As the story progresses, they realize that the crimes are all somehow connected at the highest levels with a secret government project called the Puppet Master - a cyborg that claims to have a consciousness. That apart, there's the interdepartmental rivalry, the team members' personal lives and relationships, and the rapport they develop with one another in the course of their work. Enough, I suppose, to say that there's something for everyone. But what sets the novel apart are Artwork, Technological detailing and Philosophy. 

The Dark Horse Manga edition I bought is interspersed with full color spreads, as in the original collected format. There was an earlier edition which was less graphic and explicit. Needless to say, Masamune brings stories to life as few others can. 

Reading the novel reminded me of Michael Crichton's writing, which is full of scientific/technical explanations. 'Ghost in the Shell' features writing between the frames which are small notes. They give bits of information that either clarify technology or describe what's been drawn. For instance, when a nurse asks "Feel any pain around the brain, hon?", there's a small note below the panel which says "The brain itself cannot feel pain". There are quite a few pages that illustrate technology and how it works. In fact, most of the technology he speaks of actually exists. 

But what makes it 'cult' is the philosophical discussion that emerges within. A sort of case against Cartesian Dualism. For instance, if the mind can be replicated, then what's the definition of being human? How far can/should Man and Machine integrate? What part of us makes up our 'identity'? 

Reading the book won't make you hate the movie in any way at all. It'll give you scenes and insights into characters which weren't included in the movie and add depth to what you would already know. And it's definitely worth the read. Do try to get your hands on this one.

1602: Marvel goes retro

Last night, I was going through my collection and came across one of my favorites: the Marvel 1602 series. Written by Neil Gaiman, the story features characters from the X-Men, as well as Captain America, Nick Fury and The Fantastic Four in the Elizabethan Era. Villains like Dr. Doom and Magneto appear as well. 

The plot revolves around the central characters in the year 1602. None of them know how they've come to be there and slowly start realizing that they don't belong in that age. Several stories spin out simultaneously sometimes coming together and then again splitting ways. Nick Fury's avatar, Sir Nicholas, heads the Queen's intelligence bureau and is charged with appropriating the secret treasure/weapon of the Templars. Javier (Charles Xavier) runs a safe home for "the witchbreed", which the Spanish High Inquisitor wants to blame for the sudden strange weather across Europe. A tall man and his young charge come from the Americas to seek the Queen's protection, but have strange abilities that they themselves do not understand. A Count Von Doom, the ruler of Latveria, has been building strange machines. And the Fantastic Four are hapless prisoners in his castle. 

Enough to whet your interest in it? Saying more would reveal the interesting twists in a carefully crafted plot. While the story is a great 1st time read, and may not tempt you to go back for a 2nd read anytime soon, its the artwork that will make you want to frame each page. The night-time lighting in the frames is exceptional. Since the artists didn't have the freedom to presume a well-lit room (with bulbs et al.), they are restricted to working with "torches" that burn on walls near the characters. I was so intrigued by it that I did some research and it turns out that they used a technique called "enhanced pencils" wherein the pencil drawings bypass the inker and go straight to the colorist. Do try and get your hands on this one.

A Preacher you should listen to

Presume God exists. Suppose he decided he didn't want to be responsible for the world anymore and simply got up and left… leaving Heaven to be run by his scientists and army. 

Believe there is a Devil. Suppose that he died at the hands of one of his own creations - the Saint of Killers.

Know there is a Man. A Preacher. Suppose he has imbibed a power called Genesis that renders him unquestioned obedience to the words he says… and he wants to ask God why He has abandoned his creation.

Add to that a conspiracy by a group of Christian extremists who want to bring about Armageddon before they produce a Saviour.    

That is the foundation of Preacher - a comic series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. 

But its more than that. As the Preacher and his assassin-lover search for God, their paths cross with a vampire who becomes his best friend, a sexually deviant ruthless military commander, a kid with a mutilated face - all of whom play key roles in the story. An interesting angle is John Wayne (yes, the man himself!) as the Preacher's imaginary friend who makes appearances throughout the series. 

With a storyline that sometimes moves into flashbacks giving the reader insights into the characters' past, we see examples of society's dark side and stark examples of deviant desires. On one level, the dialogue on religion is controversial, yet its also about a 'never say die' spirit across all its characters. While the protagonists have a marked 'take no shit' attitude, the reader also understands why some of the others do 'take shit'. 

Another way of looking at it is through individual philosophy. Each character has his/her own philosophy of life and they never waver from it. Each one has clarity about what he/she has to do next… and does it without any compunctions of any kind. As individuals, they are flawed, and don't even pretend to apologize for it. 

Read it once for the story. Take it in like you would a Oliver Stone film. Then go back and spend time on the monologues/thoughts of the characters. Now look at the modern America and the image it tries to project and what it tries to hide. The poverty of the poor. The underlying racial tension. The lobbies within the government.  The clash of cultures. The search of identity in youth and modes of expression. 

Ennis' dark writing is brought to life by  Dillon's stark no-holds-barred artwork. The ugly are ugly. Scars add character, and not a 'cool' factor. The fights are dirty with no-quarter given. Moods and thoughts are shown with entire pages of repeated frames where only the character's facial expressions change. If the narration is dark, so is the frame. The series is dotted with pitch black frames with just a few words in a box. 

But it's not all dark... there're frames that'll have you laughing. Herr Starr's unfortunate wounds, mishaps and frustrations are a source of constant comedy. Indeed, if it weren't for that, the story would have been much harder to read, since these allow the reader some breathing space.

The series consists of 75 issues in total — 66 regular issues and five one-shot specials and a four-issue Saint of Killers limited series. Read it. 

Kari

Following on the footsteps of Sarnath Banerji comes another Indian graphic novelist - Amruta Patil. 'Kari' is the story of its eponymous heroine, who leads a double life. By day, Kari is a writer in an ad agency, and at night, she's a boatman.

The story begins with a double suicide. Two women jump off their respective roof tops. One, Ruth, is saved by a safety net, while the other, Kari, survives when her fall is safely broken by the sewers. Thus begins the double life, the 'boatman' who cleans up the sewers.

As the story goes on, you meet her roommates and their boyfriends. This is the real life, one you can accept. On her way to work, you see roads opening up where there aren't any. This is her mythical world - the world that belongs to Ruth. Obsessed with life and death,
Kari's life deals constantly with both - whether in the form of comforting her colleague Lazarus at work, or in the form of Ruth finding fetuses in the gutter. This often entwines with the ad campaign that she's working on for 'Fairytale Hair', and, the story does end on a fairytale note. Not the traditional 'ever after', but with a promise of 'to be continued'.

What sets Patil apart, in my mind, is not the story - but the illustration style and the underlying religious undertones.

Patil's style is dark; not 'Sin City' dark, but 'Persepolis' dark. Colour, is something she uses with a lot of care - its presence only conveys a certain mood that wouldn't have been possible in the black & white which dominates the novel. Added to this, are the stark straight lines with hints of Cubism.

When you read Kari, read it twice. The first time, for the story. The second, for the religious undertones. The ones which shout out are the names - Ruth, Lazarus and Angel. The other cues are more subtle. Pay close attention at all times to what's happening around Kari in the frames. For instance, you'll spot how a newspaper spine has deftly been turned into a cross… and the accompanying text panel ends in 'crossed over'.

This one is a must read. You can also take a look at her blog - Umbilical.

Lucky Luke

Remember reading Asterix and Tintin? I certainly do. And like most people, I go back and re-read them time and again. There’s a certain ageless quality to them that comics today lack. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled to see Lucky Luke series out in the market here. Never heard of him? Well… even though he was translated into English from the original French quite some time back, the books surprisingly never came into India. Why surprising? Because Rene Goscinny co-produced them, and his other famous work, Asterix, is still a bestseller.

Lucky Luke is ‘The man who shoots faster than his own shadow’. Based in the wild west, the comics follow the adventures of a cowboy. This yellow-shirted lemonade-drinking cowboy roams the plains and deserts of America in the mid-1800s, drifting from town to town setting wrongs right (sometimes on government request). Lucky Luke stories have all the humor and pull that one would expect from an Asterix comic.

Morris, the original creator, took on a several co-authors and the entire series actually consists of a whooping 72 books. Of these, the Goscinny period (a series of 45 books!), is called the Golden Age of Lucky Luke. Each book is a complete story and as our hero roams the prairies, he comes across many colourful characters… some of which actually existed, like Billy the Kid, Calamity Jane, and Jesse James, to name a few. Some stories are themed… like ‘In the Shadow of the Derricks’, which is based on the oil strikes. In addition to Luke, the other recurring characters are his horse, Jolly Jumper – the smartest horse in the world, Rantanplan – the stupidest dog in the universe, and the fumbling criminals, the four Dalton brothers – each being progressively taller and dumber. Most of the comics end with Luke riding off into the horizon singing ‘I’m a poor lonesome cowboy.

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Before you go rushing off to ransack the nearest Crossword for Lucky Luke, here’s an interesting bit of trivia: the early comics have Luke with a cigarette between the lips while the later ones have him chewing on straw. In fact, if you happen to pick up a copy of the first adventure, ‘Billy the Kid’ (published by Cinebook), the cover has him chewing on a piece of straw while the panels inside show a cigarette.

Fowl is Good

Ever hear of Artemis Fowl? Don't curse yourself if you have not. Outside of Europe, not too many people have. After all, the author is Irish. But here's something that should impress you. He is one of the few teen fantasy heroes to have survived the Harry Potter phase. The reason l mention this is that comic afficionados have a rare opportunity coming up: the chance to compare a novel to its graphic novel adaptation to its movie adaptation. Not bad, eh?

For those of you who aren't in the know, here's a short introduction. The Artemis Fowl series of books by Eoin Colfer is the next big thing in fantasy fiction. Its Harry Potter gone super-smart and hi-tech meets criminal genius Muggle. The good news is that they're on the same side (not quite accurate, but its the best I can do; you'll have to read the book to understand). And you'll be rooting for the Muggle, or Mud Man, as we're called here. It doesn't have witches, but there's fairies, centaurs, goblins, trolls, dwarves, wizards, warlocks and pixies- which isn't bad compensation if you're a Harry Potter fan.

Artemis Fowl - the graphic novel has been adapted to a comic by author Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight). It features art by Giovanni Rigano (Incredibles) and colour by Paolo Lamanna (Daffodil series).

Now, if you've read the book, the first thing you'll do is good long look at the cover of the comic, which is a collage of all the characters in the book. Not just to compare them to the images we all form of characters while we read, but more because of the cryptic biographer that Colfer claims to be.

Confused? Well, just pick up any Artemis Fowl book and read the back. Colfer claims the stories are from classified files, which Artemis allows to be printed on condition that his face never be shown. Indeed, the covers of the novel feature stylized silhouettes, and never any faces.

The comic starts out just like the novel, with a note from the author on Fowl's background, almost like a prologue. Since its on the left page of the book, there's a good chance you might miss it. Then, the first few frames illustrate the narration, moving into the story, just like the novel.

The storyboarding has been done extremely well, with all the story highlights being covered. Am sure Colfer made sure of that. Now, this is where the graphic novel is better than the book. Colfer's style of writing gets slightly irritating because the story jumps perspectives when there is no real call for it. An amateurish attempt at suspense. The graphic novel is linear, with well-placed chapter breaks, and a pleasure to read.

I've read the entire series of novels and I hope all of them get adapted to graphic novels. And that's the verdict: the comic is better than the novel.

(un)Wanted

The other day I was browsing for upcoming movies and was pleasantly surprised to see that 'Wanted' is going to be released later this month. Having enjoyed the comic, I couldn't wait to check out the trailer online. Like most men, I'm always happy to see Angelina Jolie on screen. Something about her holding a gun does a lot for me.

The trailer started off well enough and for a moment I thought the story might actually follow the comic but I was wrong. From what I could make of the trailer, it seems to be just another action flick like Mr and Mrs Smith. While that may make a lot of box office sense, I'm disappointed to see the loss of a great opportunity. Let me attempt to explain.

First, a small introduction for those who haven't read the comic. 'Wanted' is a six-part comic written by Mark Millar. It begins with a frame of a girl stripping in front of a guy with the narration "This is my girlfriend fucking my best friend." in a very matter-of-fact way. This is followed by several other panels describing other aspects of his life. The gist of it is that he establishes that he is a typical blue-collared guy who never takes a stand against anything no matter what life dishes out to him.

One day, at a diner, a girl introduces herself and tells him that he's got to come with her. And before he can offer an opinion, goes on to shoot everyone else in the diner in cold blood. Virtually kidnapped, he's introduced to a cartel of hi-tech, costumed supervillains (some from parallel dimensions) who run the world (as we know it) behind the scenes with a mafia-style understanding between the main 'families' who have split the continents between them (much like The Godfather).

The head honcho (The Professor) tells him that his father (who abandoned him long back) died the previous day and left him fifty million dollars in cash. The catch, however, is that to get it, he must spend the next 6 months getting trained to "be a man" and in control of his life. He accepts and begins training. This involves getting desensitised to morals, ethics and basically everything that modern society rests on. Beginning with 2 weeks in a slaughter house to rapes and killing sprees. With a standard weapons drill thrown in, of course. Sound good so far?

Millar dishes it out over 6 issues. The internal politics. The conspiracy. The betrayal. The mutiny. And an abrupt conclusion. Back comes the narrator. And then comes the ending. And though I wish I could tell you that, I won't spoil the surprise. It needs to be read from start to finish. A violent ballet that mixes two cult movies: Fight Club and The Usual Suspects.

While adapting it directly to a film would almost certainly trivialize it, I feel a manga-style anime akin to 'Ghost in the Shell' is called for.

Groo-vy!

Ever heard of Sergio Aragones? No? Well… here's a short bio. Once upon a time, there was a small boy born in the Spain. But because of the Spanish Civil War (called so because it happened in… you guessed it - Spain!) his family moved to Mexico. The boy grew up drawing cartoons (what else is a kid supposed to do in school anyway) and by age 17, was selling his work professionally. Then, in 1962, having accumulated a fortune of $20, he came to New York… where he ended up working for Mad magazine and, unlike dead heroes, is alive and kicking (or drawing, at least). Among other features, he also did the "Marginal Thinking" cartoons which are printed on the page margins.

But no, this article isn't about him… or about Mad. Its about Groo! Who? Groo the Wanderer! The roaming barbarian, who's as dangerous as a "stampede of cattle… and almost as smart". The quoted description is the most accurate one I've heard. Set in medieval times, the cartoons follow the adventures of a well-intentioned barbarian who always leaves behind a stream of destruction and mayhem. Usually, he's not aware of what he's done. Yet, entire cities and even civilizations have fallen to this one-man demolition squad. But this is no fumbling warrior who wins battles by sheer luck. As a spoof on Conan the Barbarbarian, Groo is a good fighter. And even he knows it. With a battle cry of 'Now Groo does what Groo does best', he has single-handedly taken on entire armies.

So far, Aragones has come out with 12 Groo books. The comedy apart, they can be collected if only for the detail in the frames. Aragones takes inspiration from National Geographic photos for his landscapes, and a single frame can have nearly a hundred characters. Apart from Groo, there is a great selection of other characters who make repeat appearances in the series as well. This includes Rufferto, Groo's dog; Captain Ahax, whose ship always sinks by virtue of Groo coming aboard; a pair of witches who keep trying to cast spells on him and several other memorable characters.

Getting your hands on one of these masterpieces, however, isn't easy. Not all bookstores will have them, and even if they do, it'll probably be lost under a huge pile of comics since not too many people know about them. The good news is that you can order them online from Indiaplaza (www.indiaplaza.in). They may be slightly on the expensive side, but they're worth every penny.

Biggles: new writer; old style.

Recently, I picked up a 3-in-1 compilation of Biggles at an airport bookstore. Titled 'Sky Wars', I felt the same delight as I had when I saw Commando comics on bookshelves. And yes, it was a Euro Books publication again. In a rush, I bought the book. But as I began reading the first story, 'The 13th Tooth of the Devil', something was amiss. Biggles looked the same. There were plenty of cigarettes and drinks. Lots of planes too… but something was not quite right. I looked at the credits page again and spotted the words 'based on characters created by W.E Johns'.

I was disappointed, but decided that it was unfair to "judge a book by the cover" (so to speak). And I'm glad I did. Picking up Biggles where W.E Johns left him, i.e. after WWI as an investigator for the Scotland Yard's Royal Air Police, Michel Oleffe (the new writer) uses the same settings for a host of new stories and does for Biggles what Marvel Comics writers failed to do with 'The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones'.

Oleffe retains every important aspect of Biggles that endeared him to readers. The classic airplanes, the old-time pilot's uniforms, the romance of the RAF in its heyday, the self-assured way in which the men carry themselves, and of course, his buddies, Algy, Bertie and Ginger. And yes, they're all still single and quite eligible.

The plots are good too. The stories themselves have an order, with references made to past adventures. Oleffe does a good job of following WWII and basing stories in that chronology. There's just one hiccup though, and this was one that W.E Johns had slipped up as well… the ageing of the characters. Biggles seems to have stopped aging since Johns last put a pencil to him. But that can be forgiven. What matters is that Biggles lives on!

Indiana Jones - Then, Now, and Again

Ever since I first saw Harrison Ford being chased by a huge boulder through a cave, I've been a die hard fan of the Indiana Jones series. I was therefore delighted to see 'The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. It'd come after a very long wait. In the interim, which lasted nearly two decades, I satisfied myself by reading every Indian Jones comic I could lay my hands on. I think I got them all.

Apart from the comic versions of 'Raiders of the lost ark', 'Temple of Doom' and 'Last Crusade', Marvel Comics also brought out an original adventure series titled 'The further adventures of Indiana Jones'. This 34 comic series had Dr. Jones rushing across the world after various artifacts with whip and fedora. Back then, I enjoyed reading them. Yesterday, when I dug out a few, I was appalled. How could I have ever liked these, I wondered. The stories were okay, but nothing to write about (pardon the pun). The artwork was sketchy at best (sorry again), and the writing was shifty at best. I realized it was because, as a kid, I had imagined Ford doing it all (being an only child, I had a very active imagination and loads of imaginary friends). I think that's possibly why the series sold at all. Kids like me would have a movie running in their minds as we read them. Otherwise, it was all pretty drab. It was a good thing the movie came out first. If I had flipped though a 'Further adventures…' comic, I probably would never have gone for the movie.

Thankfully, Marvel sold the rights to Dark Horse Comics, who published eight original stories over 3-4 comics each, starting with a four-issue adaptation of the 'Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis' computer game. The artwork was much superior to its predecessors and the writing wasn't staccato. These were comics I probably would have been tempted to pick up even without having previously known the character.

The release of 'The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' has brought about the Indiana Jones fervor once more, and while the comic adaptation of the movie was recently released (I don't have this series… yet), there are talks to take the Indiana Jones comic series ahead once more. This time, however, they will be targeted at kids - ages 8-10 I'd guess. Moreover, I've heard that they're going to model it after the 'Clone Wars' series (a la Star Wars).

I have two problems with this. One; I hate the modern straight line approach to artwork that the Clone Wars series has. Two; the content will definitely take a hit. The writing of the previous series (the ones done by Dark Horse, of course) were of a very high quality. They took into account actual history (with respect to the movement of the Nazis), and included a host of other characters, like Marion Ravenwood, Marcus Brody, Sallah, Katanga and Short Round. They built up Indy's liaisons with Marion Ravenwood and Sophia Hapgood. All in all, they were aimed at a 13-18 age group.

While there may be a lot more 8-10 year olds reading comics today than there are 13-18 year old's but will Indy make the same impact on them? After all, remember that most of them probably haven't seen the older Indiana Jones movies. If Crystal Skull is the first one they saw, then they're going to be wondering what the big deal is over this old guy in a old hat and leather jacket.

Recently, a friend who had never seen an Indiana Jones movie before (and she has my sympathies) went to watch 'The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. She remarked that "it was good, but not as racy as 'The Da Vinci Code'." At first, I was completely thrown. I had no idea what to make of it. But then, think about it. Isn't 'The Da Vinci Code' the latest relic-hunting phenomena? And no, National Treasure and its sequel aren't worth mentioning. If someone hasn't grown up with Indiana Jones, or seen the previous movies, can they be converted to the Indy religion? I doubt it. For now, I'm waiting for the new series to hit the stands. Keeping fingers crossed.

Why Ironman failed...

Some weeks back, the movie "Ironman" premiered, and though I enthusiastically went for it, I was quite dismayed to find that the theatre was relatively empty. I don't know what happened worldwide, but I'm sure it wouldn't have been quite as bad. Thinking of it, I guess I shouldn't be surprised at all. After all, I don't remember seeing too many Ironman comics in stores 15 years back, and I haven't come across too many of them on shelves even now. I have a theory on why this is so.

Unlike the west, comics in India are targeted at ages 8-15. Only in the past few years has the concept of 'graphic novel' for more mature readers caught on. Tony Stark a.k.a. Ironman was created by Stan Lee in March 1963. Tony's character is that of a glamorous genius -millionaire-playboy businessman… possibly too much for India's youth to digest back then - especially the ladies' man bit. This would have been chiefly due to a fewreasons.

First, India's weak economy at the time made the capitalist consumer's 'good life' a bit far-fetched. For instance, back then, there were barely 3 types of cars available to the common man (after being on a waiting list for at least a year) while Tony Stark was buying sports cars.

Two, the middle class was not given to squandering money on comics and only the most popular ones ever really made it to the stands. Laurel & Hardy, the Phantom, Mandrake the Magician and some Disney were the popular ones, along with Asterix and Tintin. The DC comics which did make it (like Superman and Spiderman) were more expensive, as were Disney's Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse.

Third, and most important, was the conservative traditional outlook that the majority maintained. Anything remotely related to sex and nudity was frowned upon and there was an atmosphere of 'moral policing'. The cinema of the time is testimony to this. The Indian film industry, popularly called Bollywood, was churning out movies with messages of classical ethics and morals, where the good guys always won, and, more to the point, were virgin monogamists.

Times have changed now, and a teen hero like Superboy (not to mention Knockout!)does well enough in the market. Perhaps now would be a good time to introduce Ironman in the market here.

The Sadhu

Yesterday, at the bookstore, I overheard a 15-year old asking an attendant for "The comic that has Nicholas Cage in it." I wasn't sure how to react. Smile because he had his facts jumbled? Or feel sorry that he hadn't heard of it till he saw the news on TV? I remembered reading the series last year and decided that it wasn't much to write about. But I also wasn't surprised that it was going to be adapted into a movie. Why? Because it’s the stuff shoddy Hollywood flicks on eastern ascetics is made of. And getting Nicholas Cage on board will help the box office. I suppose it was a natural thing to do after the hastily put-together National Treasure (which Disney used to cash in on the Da Vinci Code hype).

Anyways, for those of you who aren't familiar with The Sadhu, here's a brief overview of the first part of the series. The story is set in colonial India, when the East India Company ruled. The story begins in 2 parts: in India, the British army is fighting a group of rebel bandits led by a sadhu called Dada Thakur. Outnumbered and outgunned, the bandits are fighting a losing battle, but Dada Thakur is visited by a goddess who tells him that help is on the way.

Meanwhile, in England, two unemployed brothers, James and William are looking for work on the docks. While William manages to get a place on one of the ships, James is approached by a soldier who offers him a chance to join the Imperial Army in India. He reluctantly accepts, knowing that it is the only way he can earn a livelihood for Tess, his pregnant wife.

In India, James finds himself under the command of an especially brutal Col. Timothy Townsend. Townsend has his eyes set on Tess, and following an altercation with James, has him beaten up. He sexually assaults Tess and later kills her and James' new born son in front of him. Though left for dead, James flees to the jungles where he is saved by Dada Thakur.

Impressed by Dada Thakur's mystic powers, and a burning desire for vengeance on Townsend, James starts training under Dada Thakur, who believes him to be the help that the goddess has promised. After 3 years, James quits his training abruptly to go to England, trailing Townsend. He discovers that Townsend is a 'demon sadhu' and loses the ensuing fight.

Although not dead, James is badly wounded. Recovering from his wounds, he determines to continue on his quest for revenge.

The first series of books ends here. The story continues in 'The Silent Ones', a 5-issue mini-series. Still have to get my hands on that series, but I've heard that James discovers that his son is not dead, but in the clutches of an evil cult. Should be interesting. Do feel free to write in and add to this synopsis.

The New Commando Comics

Just a few weeks after I wrote about the 'True Brit' collection, I walked into a bookstore and staring me in the face was a stack of Commando comics. But the format was wrong, I noted. These seemed larger. Picking up one, I saw that these were indeed a far cry from the Commando comics of yore. A closer look revealed that these were printed on higher quality paper as well. In keeping with the earlier Commando series, these had colour covers, with black & white illustrations inside. Priced at Rs.60, this is the latest offering from Euro Books to hit the market has 24 titles on offer. Instead of picking up a single, you might want to pick up the '3 in 1' compilations, which are available at Rs.150 each. I couldn't help myself as I picked up five compilations! Having read 'True Brit' some time back, I've become truly hooked again.

There is, however, one major goof-up that I spotted: one of the stories was not complete. In the 'Journey to Freedom' compilation, the last story 'Battle Shield' is incomplete… or at least I think it is. Unlike every other Commando story that I've read, this one seems to end in failure. Perhaps it’s a satire, which I very much doubt. If its supposed to be a story in two parts, then it'd have made sense to put them both in one compilation. Or, from a marketing/sales perspective, another compilation with the second part would have made readers buy that one as well. But that's not the case. There's no second part.

The other thing that bothered me was the quality of the stories themselves. I don't know about other readers, but I felt they weren't as good as the older ones. While the majority of the stories dealt with WWII, there were a couple that were stories of brave tribes (like the afore mentioned Battle Shield). Perhaps Euro Books could select better stories next time. After all, the name 'Commando' hardly brings feathers and war paint to mind. But, all in all, I must say that I'm pleased to see Commando books back in the market.