The Contract With God Trilogy

The Contract With God Trilogy by Will Eisner is considered  to be the first graphic novel. It's actually three parts as the name implies: A Contract With God, A Life Force, and Dropsie Avenue. It takes place in New York during the 1930s.

I've spent a fair amount time in New York City because my family is from there and my grandpa grew up during the Great Depression probably in a similar setting. There's also a lot of Yiddish colloquialisms that I'd never picked up before. Since I come from a Jewish family, I'm assuming some expressions have just fallen into disuse. It's amazing that even 80 years ago, the city was so developed; at least, coming from someone who lives in suburbia, it shows that even almost a century doesn't make a difference, it's still nothing like living in the city.

I enjoyed reading it to an extent, but it wasn't my favorite. I found some of it humorous, and the art interesting, and the writing consistent. Dropsie Avenue was kind of drawn out and has no chapters to separate it. The avenue is really the main character, as opposed to people, but that also made it interesting too. The other two stories are interesting as well, although memorable mainly for their art and the struggles the characters endure. For the first graphic novel it is still entirely readable.

Storm Front, Vol. 1 and 2

Jim Butcher's Storm Front as adapted to graphic novel. The book is broken up into two volumes, "The Gathering Storm" and "Maelstrom."

Harry Dresden is a compelling wizard who works privately in Chicago. He is faced with the task of trying to solve the murder of people whose chests were blasted out by magic from far away. There's also a missing person case. There's a ton of magic, and Harry has more than a few tricks up his sleeve.

It's a cool urban fantasy. I definitely recommend this if you like graphic novels. The art and storytelling are top notch and exciting.

This was my introduction to the Dresden Files. It lived up to the hype, and to be able to do so even as a graphic novel adaptation says something. What a great story! I am now interested in reading the original novel by Jim Butcher.

Dungeon: Parade

Dungeon Parade 1: A Dungeon Too Many is a comic fantasy graphic novel. Written by Joann Sfar and Lewis Trondheim originally in French, this volume actually takes place in between the main storyline of the Dungeon series.  But even as a side story, it's fine as a standalone.

It's a fun story of a Dungeon run for adventurers by anthropomorphic characters. The main characters are a Duck and a Dragon for example. The Dungeon Keeper is a Chicken.

A Dragon arrives at the Dungeon looking to the work in management there. The Dungeon Keeper misunderstands and asks for a massage, but after an awkward moment he dispenses some advice. That's the kind of humor you can expect.

Ultimately unsuccessful at getting a job in the Dungeon, the Dragon starts his own dungeon nearby, but it's more of a carnival. Which is why I think it's called Parade. From there, the plot goes haywire.

Dungeon: Parade was enjoyable. There are some funny moments and the art is really good. It's got a lot of personality and I want to read more of the series.

Madman: The Oddity Odyssey by Michael Allred

Madman is not your ordinary superhero. In fact, Madman's kind of an antihero. However, he is formidable. He has a yo-yo and the slingshot as his main weapons, and he's psychic through touch. He wears a strange outfit, which people comment on and wonder why, and even he doesn't really seem to know what his costume means. In spite of his eccentricity or perhaps because of it, Madman is oddly compelling.

In this story, Madman is trying to save the doctor who's frozen in the freezer in his apartment. Madman is told he has to find another doctor in order to bring him back to life. The arch villain is a would-be mad scientist who wants the other doctor's scientific discoveries on life and death for himself. 

The art is good. It's black, white, and blue, which is really kind of neat but also somewhat stark and abstract. It has been called pop art. Throughout the graphic novel, there are good action scenes, philosophizing, characterization, romance, and a ton of weird stuff. Madman really is a sympathetic, personable character.

Madman is sort of an offbeat comic with cult appeal. It really is an "odyssey of oddity" so the title Oddity Odyssey is apt. Michael Allred's Madman has generated a lot of all kinds of praise from seriously big names, as seen on his blog, Allred Art, which is in actual fact brand new. Check it out! And here is his official website. The first issue of the comic can be previewed at Madman: The Oddity Odyssey #1 on comiXology. 

Outlanders by Johji Manabe, Vol 1

Space opera! In Tokyo, aliens invade! Caught amidst the confusion and wreckage, a photojournalist named Tetsuya gets to see the aliens dropping down from the sky and photograph them. Meanwhile, the Japan Self Defense Force tries to fight off the invaders from the alien Empire. Oh my goodness. This comic was awesome. 

The fight is epic! Somehow, the aliens bring down the choppers the Japanese army sent in, so tanks are being called in as backup. Meanwhile, Tetsuya encounters an alien femme fatale with horns and a greatsword. He snaps a few pictures, but then is forced to fight her. After a brief clash, the girl drops her sword and runs away. Very mysterious.

I liked the art style right away. It's sharp, and has a distinct manga flavor while remaining accessible for someone familiar with comics. The buildings and vehicles are especially stunning. The story is really quite amazing, and I would like to know what happens next... Outlanders, Vol 1, by Johji Manabe is definitely the beginning of an epic adventure.

Creature Tech by Doug TenNapel

Dr. Jameson is a power-hungry scientist who wants to rule the world. He has conjured a demonic cat named Hellcat from Hades in exchange for his left hand. The doctor sends out a megaphonic call to bring a Giant Space Eel down to Earth. But the eel crashes into the Earth, because the eel call is too strong, and Hellcat gets zapped when he tries to turn it down. 

150 years later, the present story focuses on Dr. Ong, a scientist working for the government in a research facility commonly known as Creature Tech. His job is to go through boxes and research what's in them.

In one of the boxes, a monster and the ghost of Dr. Jameson emerge. The monster has a parasite on it, and when Dr. Ong defeats the monster, the parasitic alien impales Dr. Ong's heart and attaches to his chest. Now he has become the symbiotic host.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jameson uses the Shroud of Turin, allegedly Jesus's burial shroud, to resurrect himself. Revived, Dr. Jameson starts trying to put his evil plans into place once again and also creates an army of demonic cats to fight for him.

For the good guys, there's Dr. Ong's father, the caretakers of the Museum of the Weird, rednecks, and a giant mantid named Blue sent by the government to aid the doctor.

This graphic novel really surprised me. It's a zany story that's really creative and  amusing. The art is great. It's black and white, and kind of minimalist, but also extremely vivid, detailed at times, and full of contrast. The storytelling is excellent, and Dr. Ong is a protagonist you can't help but root for.

Creature Tech is an enjoyable graphic novel. Doug TenNapel is also the creator of Earthworm Jim, the Neverhood, and GEAR. I would certainly try another one of his comic books.