Reviews (2)

His Blue Heaven
If you've read the prior collections in this series and you thought things couldn't get any better, well you ain't seen nothing yet. This installment of the Swamp Thing graphic novel series contains just six issues from Alan Moore's run (#51-56), but that does include the double-sized blockbuster issue #53. In any case, quantity is meaningless here because Moore and his artistic team have reached the dizzying heights of their powers, unleashing the most mindboggling and gutwrenching stories in comic history. The basic subplot running through the series at this point is Abby's arrest for immoral conduct while Swamp Thing was off saving the universe, and her escape to Gotham City. As Swampy is searching for his true love, she is being held by the authorities in Gotham. In the overwhelming "Garden of Earthly Delights" (issue #53) Swamp Thing unleashes his full elemental powers on the uncaring city that imprisons his lover, and even temporarily defeats Batman in the process. Sadly, Swampy is supposedly assassinated by government agents, and finds his spirit floating in outer space. This is where Moore's imagination really goes into overdrive, giving us the highly unique and moving story "My Blue Heaven" (issue #56), a tremendous tale of loneliness and soul-searching, where Swamp Thing is blue in more ways than one. This episode is also another pinnacle for the artistic team, and much credit must go to colorist Tatjana Wood for her moody and unconventional work. By this point regular artists Stephen Bissette and John Totleben had mostly moved on - Bissette was only doing the covers and Totleben's only major contribution is "Garden of Earthly Delights." The artistic torch had been passed to the outstanding team of Rick Veitch and Alfredo Alcala, who barely miss a beat in keeping the series' haunting and lovely artwork rolling. The only sad thing about this edition of the Swamp Thing series is that fact that Moore's run would soon come to a close.

Not like the others
Ever since the Alan Moore's Swamp Thing Graphic Novels have been coming out I've been making sure to get every one. I like the EC horror feeling to them. Most of the time though something bad happens to ordinary mortels and Swamp Thing shows up and is the means to an end. This time things are different.

Abby Cable, after being accused of "hugging vegstibles" flees to Gotham City. There she is picked up again and put on trial. Swamp things returns from the "American Gothic" tour and looks everywhere for his beloved. When he finds out she's in jail in Gotham needless to say he's [angry] and rips Gotham a new one. Now Swamp Thing is the agressor terrorizing all those innocent mortals untill he gets his love back and not even Batman can stop him (Yeah, Batman can kick anyone ..., but swampy is now on a God level. He turns Gotham into a jungle on a whim)
Trying not to give too much away my favorite Swamp thing story in the book (Perhaps the whole series) is "My Blue Heaven". It's a beautiful, exotic, weird and engrossing tale. It's about the human condition set in a weird alien world. Jonathan Lethem would be impressed. He's the writer of "Girl in Landscape" and "Amnisia Moon". Check him out too. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Rock on, Trenchcoat Brigade!
With Books Of Magic, Neil Gaiman pulls together various loose threads in the DC universe, and creates a consistent realm of magic through the familiar theme of a young boy exploring a strange world. The plot isn't the freshest thing Gaiman's ever written - it's the way he writes it that makes the story spectacular. Gaiman intertwines stories of ancient sorcerers, modern-day magicians whose sleight-of-hand is only a convenient front, and the evolution of humans - and magic - in the future. Various DC characters make appearances, notably Gaiman's Dream, Destiny, and Death of the Endless. The choice of artists for each chapter is perfect, so we have a John Bolton Merlin and a wonderful Charles Vess Fairyland. The book gives us glimpses of many characters and stories that could use further development, but it stands alone as a powerful parable of the roles of faith, power, and, of course, magic, in our lives.

Gaiman: Master of the Obscure
As evidenced by his previous works, Neil Gaiman has a penchant for picking up obscure facts, apocrypha, lost myths, forgotten heroes, etc. and weaving it masterfully to his wonderful stories. In Books Of Magic, arguably his closest brush with the mainstream DC Universe, he used all of DCU's magic and supernatural related characters as the catalysts for Tim Hunter's awakening to the world of Magic. Not since the 1985 Blue Devil Annual have I seen the likes of Phantom Stranger, the Demon Etrigan, Zatanna, Black Orchid, etc. in one book. Yes, I'm a sucker for all these get-togethers and what an awesome congregation it is. From the Stranger to Dr. Occult to John Constantine to Mr. E, Gaiman serves up a massive yet coherent tour of the magical realms of DC, all these coupled with unmatched painted art. Also, reading this book in the Harry Potter era (it was published way, way before the Sorceror's Stone), one cannot hide a suspicious thought that J.K. Rowling may have read this book before she wrote young Harry's adventures. There are startling "coincidences" from young Tim's mundane origins to his appearance (glasses!) down to his owl familiar. Heck, it's this Books of Magic is even better than Harry Potter!

Grand, epic and wonderous
Neil Gaiman's, 'Books of Magic,' is a must read for anyone entranced by the Sandman universe and even for those new to his stories and characters. This book is a complete standout both in writing and artwork. Comprised of 4 chapters spanning 200 pages or so, each chapter is masterfully illustrated by AAA artists like John Bolton, Charles Vess, etc. And we're not talking quickie pencil jobs either. Each and every panel in this book is absolutely gorgeous - utilizing lush paint-work, fantastic coloring and razor sharp lettering.

Fans of the Sandman series will particularly appreciate the storyline for its meta views of the Sandman universe. What readers are treated to is essentially a guided tour of the worlds (both in physical reality and nether regions) and timelines (the past, present and the absolute end of infinite time) occupied by the characters in the numerous volumes of the Sandman series. In a nutshell this series is grand and sweeping in every sense of the word(s) and it's absolutely beautiful to look at. Don't miss this one!

Wonderful story telling
Having been a huge fan of Neil Gaiman's for some time now, I discovered the Books Of Magic and purchased it in the hopes of being able to read something fresh and new. At first look, it seems like a Harry Potter rip off, although I later found out that Books Of Magic actually came first. I started reading and was soon swept away by the incredible artwork and brilliant story telling. Using the Trenchcoat Brigade to introduce young Tim Hunter to the world of magic was a stroke of genuis. It is always a joy to see The Phantom Stranger, Dr Occult, John Constantine and Mr E together. The four stories deal with Tim's journeys through the world of magic. The first is taken with the Stranger who shows Tim the past and magic's role from the very beginning. The second and I personally think the best story, is with John Constantine as he takes Tim to meet the various magicians and mages. Appearences by characters such as Madame Xanadu, Etrigan and Jason Blood, Baron Winter, The Spectre and Zatanna just to name a few were cleverly written and at times very amusing. For fans of the Hellblazer himself, John Constantine, this is a must as it has the disreputable mage's character down perfectly from the tacky looking trenchcoat to the ongoing joke of him having his face slapped whenever he tries to chat up a pretty young flight attendant. The interaction between him and young Tim were both warm and amusing at the same time. John Constantine's down to earth character really works well here. Charles Vess's artwork for the next story that takes place in Faerie is breathtaking. We seem to learn a little more about the enigmatic Dr Occult and his female half, Rose in this story arc. The last journey taken with the blind and fanatical Mr E is one of the most interesting although I have to admit I found the artwork very hectic and a little distracting here. And the very last scenes with Tim are wonderful and leaves the way open to the rest of the series. All up I have to say that this is one of Neil Gaiman's best stories. It does help if you have a working knowledge of the DC universe and if you have read The Sandman series as Dream, Destiny and Death all make an appearence. Even Cain and Able get their fifteen minutes as well. This is a book and a series that I would recommend to everyone, as much as I love Harry Potter I have to say that Tim Hunter is the more adult version in storytelling. And besides, in my opinion, any book that includes the Trenchcoat Brigade in always worth a look.

Word, image, and picture ...
... and I don't always know which image is word, and which is picture. Not that it matters.

Whatever they say about "the Golden Age" of comics, I think that the 90s reinvented the medium. Printing process advanced enough to capture watercolor, pastel, and more painterly kinds of work. Remember the two-solid-color-plus-black of Dr. Seuss? That was a technological limit of the cost-effective printing processes available. Comics' "golden age" arose from that same printing technology. Whatever the merits of that time, visual subtlety was not on the list. When good, affordable color reproduction became real, it kindled a wildfire of visual expression.

Gaiman found the artists to match his vision, the artists found the printers to make it work, and Vertigo found the courage to put it into print. (It's still hard to believe that DC was so stodgy and Vertigo was DC.) The media, color scheme, and rendering style all tell parts of the story. I, for one, enjoy the way each artist's style shapes the narration.

The magic is real, by the way. Enjoy the story. Wonder what comes next and what came before, and wonder what it really is that you see. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An entertaining trip down memory lane.
I remember reading some of these comics way back in the mid 70's. It was nice to re-visit some of my memories from 30 years ago. The art by Wrightson was fantastic! I give it my highest recommendation. The stories by Wein were why this graphic novel got four stars instead of five. The stories were competent but still had plot inconsistencies and pacing problems. I found the stories to be a little to hokey and fake at times - even for a comic book. All in all it was worth the money, four stars out of five usually is.

Len Wein and Berni Wrightson create the original Swamp Thing
"Swamp Thing: Dark Genesis" reprints not only the first ten issues of the DC comic but also the short story from 1971's "House of Secrets" #92 that introduced the character. The key thing here is that you have in one trade paperback volume the complete run of artist Berni Wrightson, who created the Swamp Thing along with writer Len Wein. There are actually not one genesis but two in the first two stories (just like the original in fact), not to be confused with the famous revision worked by Alan Moore down the road. The first, shorter version, was about a man who was murdered and dumped into a swamp, where his body metamorphosed into a muck monster that rose up and extracted horrible vengeance upon his killer. The story was a bit reminiscent of a character called the Heap, who showed up in the back of "Airboy and Air Fighters Comics" from 1942-1953, but I do not know if that was really in anybody's mind at the end of 1972 when "Swamp Thing" #1 was produced, however, a more likely antecedent would be "Morto do Pântano", created by the Brazilian artist Eugenio Colonesse only two years before the Swamp Thing's advent.

Now the man in the monster was Dr. Alec Holland, who was working on a top secret bio-restorative formula in the Louisiana bayou. The bad guys want it and when their bomb explodes in Holland's face and drives "countless unclassified chemicals" deep into his burning flesh, he dives into the bog and disappears. In the first issue Holland fails to rescue his wife in time and has to take revenge for both of them, at which point we immediately start a multi-issue story arc with Arcane, a crazy rich guy who wants to live forever. This is the plot line that eventually became the less than stellar movie version of the "Swamp Thing," so it will seem somewhat familiar to the uninitiated. The Swamp Thing even left his swamp long enough to battle Batman in issue #7 in what would be one of the few encounters with a traditional DC superhero for the supernatural star of the comic.

Wein and Wrightson's "Swamp Thing" became a cult classic among comic fans because of its dark, moody Gothic style, but mainly on the strength of the artwork by Wrightson, whose style was perfectly suited for this comic. Historically "Swamp Thing" is an important comic book because it was the first horror comic to be geared towards a more adult oriented readership since the glory days of EC Comics with "Tales of the Crypt" in the 1950s. Eventually "Swamp Thing," during the Moore period, would give birth to DC's Vertigo comic book line, which was always PG-13 if not NC-17. "Saga of the Swamp Thing" would be the first mainstream comic to abandon the Comics Code Authority. These first ten stories rest primarily on Wrightson's distinctive art, but Wein does set the foundation for the character to be able to survive once Wrightson departed.

If you begin with "Dark Genesis" and proceed directly to the Moore years in the 1980s (which is basically what these reprints do), you are not going to be disappointed, because relatively speaking, nothing happened in the years in between. I am just happy to be able to read these comics again without having to take my originals out of their plastic bags.

As of 12/18/02, finally back in print!
It's about time! I missed out on this collection the first time around, but never again will I be without the early issues of the original Swamp Thing by Len Wein & Berni Wrightson. This trade paperback collects the very first story from House of Secrets #92 and the first ten issues of the series it inspired in the early '70s. This is by no means the elemental-fantasy Swamp Thing of Moore/Totleben; this is the horror-oriented version that is more at home in an EC comic or Warren magazine. The classic stories by Wein have some laughably expressive narration and melodramatic dialogue, but they don't detract from the superb plots, including the first appearance of Arcane and his Un-Men, the Patchwork Man, and a great "team-up" with Batman (In fact, I feel that the first 3 issues of the series make up one of the best comic stories ever written). Wrightson's textural and creepy artwork will make you feel the moss and dirt crumbling off of Swampy with every step he takes. Don't get me wrong: I love both incarnations of this character, and Moore & Totleben are no slouches, but Wein & Wrightson will always come first for me. ... Read more

Book Description

Newly rewritten by Gaiman for this graphic novel, these two ominous stories from the author's award-winning prose, Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions, feature animals and people not being quite what they seem. In "The Price," a black cat like a small panther arrives at a country home and is soon beset by mysterious and vicious wounds. What is he fighting every night that could do this, and why does he persist? "The Daughter of Owls" recounts an eerie old tale of a foundling girl who was left - with an owl pellet - as a newborn on the steps of the Dymton Church. She was soon cloistered away in a local convent, but by her fourteenth year word of her beauty had spread - and those who would prey upon her faced unforeseen consequences. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Beguiling Glimpse Into The Twilight.
Able to spin great tales from the endless realms of
human dream and natural wonder, Neil Gaiman is among
the very finest of writers around today. Touching
the bonds between the mundane and the marvelous, with
a flair for language and character which can touch
gently and brusquely arouse, often at the same time,
Gaiman's scope unflinchingly draws our particpation
in some of the most illustrious tales ever told.
Those who've experienced his gripping work in novels
such as AMERICAN GODS, haunting teleplays such as
BABYLON 5's "Day Of The Dead", or Sequential landmarks
such as THE SANDMAN and the playfully-beckoning 1602,
know full well what a Grandmaster of Literature Neil
Gaiman is.

Yet, an area which Gaiman is drawing renewed attention
is the area of the illustrated narrative. Fresh ground
was broken when Gaiman and the superb illustrator Charles
Vess redefined Faerie lore with the award-winning STARDUST.
Now, with the visual depth and engraver's genius of
illustrator Michael Zulli, Gaiman strikes deep with Dark
Horse Comics' CREATURES OF THE NIGHT.

The handsome hardcover offers a pair of tantalizing
vignettes which unveil elusive tableaus of what we cannot
see, or often refuse to face. With word balloons absent
from all but two strategially-placed pages, the result
is a daring read for the attentive spirit, and curious soul.
In "The Price", a black cat's steadfast ordeal is the
window into a deeper mystery as old as Time itself. "The
Daughter Of Owls" peers vividly into essential places
where the wayward and lustful dare not go. Each tale
is delivered with a seamless intimacy which belies
the looming, often terrifying issues at stake.

An artist whose work spans across entire idioms, Neil
Gaiman is a cunning storyteller with much to tell. Those
who think Gaiman's gifts are fit only for any one title,
or should be limited to any one field, do the author-and
themselves-a grave injustice.

Enter evening, reading slowly, mindful of all paths......

Must have for your Gaiman library...
Granted this book is short (note: 48 pages) and consists only of two stories. But they are new and they are good stories. Gaiman does what he does so well- weaves a tale so well that you're captivated until the end (no matter how long or short the story is).

If you're an avid reader of his online journal, you may recognize the black cat in the first story- which has a shocker near the end. I had a, "Whoaaa... No way, man" moment. And the second reads a lot like an old Grimm fairy tale- the kind that doesn't necessarily end "happily ever after" for everyone. And Zulli's artwork is wonderful in both stories.

I collect all of Gaiman's work, so this was a no brainer purchase for me. If you're new to his work, maybe try Murder Mysteries or Stardust or definitely the Sandman series first. You'll get hooked, I promise. I gave this 4 out of 5 stars strictly because it was so short. I wouldn't have minded waiting for a hardcover with at least five stories of the same length as these two. Because then the book would have lasted longer than half an hour! ... Read more

Book Description

Mike Mignola's character has never been more popular, especially in the wake of the long-awaited feature film, and unprecedented success in bookstores. His award-winning series Hellboy has been lauded as much by other artists as it has by award ceremonies and fans. Over the years, many of the best artists in the industry have asked if they could do a backup story just to get a chance to play with the characters and worlds Mignola has created. As Dark Horse basks in the glow of critical praise for the 2004 Hellboy motion picture, we present this lavish collection of stories. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Hellboy Seen Through The Eyes of Others
Hellboy has become a huge success and creator Mike Mignola is busier than ever. So what do you do when the public wants more of your character than you can safely create? You invite other artists to put their own spin on things. This volume is a collection of such stories.

Midnight Cowboy - A young Hellboy gets into trouble at Area 51.
Haunted - Hellboy investigates a supposedly haunted house but finds no trace of ghosts but they find him.
Family Story - Hellboy is doing research and discovers some strange goings on in the family that owns the library.
Hot - Hellboy investigates something that is scaring people out of some Chinese hot springs. The Water Sprite he finds awakens the horn in him.
The Children of the Black Mound - Cold hard reason squares off against ghosts, legends and religion. A tale of a young historical figure.
Big-Top-hell-Boy - Hellboy investigates a cunning array of circus ghosts and find a curious property of his right hand.
Flight Risk - Aces of the jetpack vie for altitude records but some rather large bats may have other ideas.
Hellboy & Co in Downtime - Hellboy has tackled some evil entities in his time. Now he must face his ultimate challenges as he goes up against the office copier and the soda machine
Abe Sapien Star of the BPRD - Hellboy is just a musclebound bulk while Abe Sapien is the one who really brings home the sushi (I mean bacon).
Hey, Hey, Suckers! - Hellboy returns from a gala and can't help boasting and rubbing it in.
Curse of the Haunted Doily - Kate faces her mom's ghost
The Dread Within - Liz vs Possession
Still Born - Hellboy attends a dangerous birth in reality and in his dreams.
Party Pooper - Hellboy's birthday party

This is a fun collection. The stories vary between the silly to the dark and eerie. Art styles also cover most of the spectrum from the beautiful pencils of Hot to the cartoonish Hellboy and Co in Downtime. A must read for any Hellboy fan.

Your Hellboy fix until Mignola returns
Being something of Hellboy purist (if Mignola didn't write and/or draw it, I usually won't go near it), I was initially dissauded from this series when it was first published as individual issues last year. On the whole, the writers and artists in the first "Weird Tales" trade aquit themselves admirably. Standouts include Eric Powell's "Midnight Cowboy", which nails the look and feel of Mignola's HB. If you liked "Pancakes" (see "Right Hand of Doom"), you're going to love this. Set in Japan, Randy Stradley's "Hot" uses a familiar HB plot device, but more than acquits itself with Seung Kim's exceptional artwork, in black and white no less! John Cassady's "Big-Top Hellboy" is a visual treat from the artist who makes Warren Ellis' "Planetary" one of the best titles being published. (BPRD/Planetary crossover, anyone?) Kudos also for Jason Pearson's Liz Sherman story, "The Dread Within," and Fabian Nicienza's "Children of the Black Mound" (the best HB story in this collection that doesn't feature Hellboy). Keeping this collection from attaining five stars are three tails (sic) that either waste Hellboy (Tom Sniegoski's "Haunted"), or do the character a severe disservice in the interest of cheap laughs (John Arcudi's "Abe Sapien: Star of the BPRD" and Bob Fingerman's execrable "Downtime"). Still, in all, until Mignola picks up his pens again, you won't feel weird reading "Weird Tales."

Demon Babies Say the Sweetest Things!
While working for the BPRD, Hellboy and crew see a lot of action. Unfortunately for us, all this glorious information has to take a back seat to the other things pressing Mike Mignola for time. Its an understandable dilemma, mind you, and one that I've patiently worked around, hoping all the while for a few more delicious morsels from the Hellboy table and trying not to complain too much when I don't get much. Still, only having one new story in 2003 come out that left my mouth watering, (in The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings) reminding me of drink without quenching my thirst, wasn't really the greatest feeling.

In order to fill in the gaps and to make us all feel better, Hellboy and the gang have been taken under the wings of mixed group of artists and storytellers, some questionable and some rather talented, allowing other people to work with what Mike started and try to give us that fix we want. And while they aren't Mignola and you can tell it a few times way too much, some do an outstanding job of filling in and dosing up all the Hellboy junkies out there in need of a quick fix.

Now before I continue and rain praise on this parade that could be taken in many different lights, I have to let you in on a little secret. I'm actually a Hellboy junkie, fan of just about anything Mike Mignola touches, and I like following the stream that flows from that magically-tasty trough. I've gone to lengths to follow the BPRD sagas that have been coming out, tracking down one-shots of Abe Sapien before the TPB and finding the little hints Mignola has dropped here and there, so I'm not what you would call "unbiased party." I've followed quite a few forgettable drops in the artistic bucket just to catch three-four pages of a character I can't seem to get enough of, and I'm assuming that most people that would go out and purchase this have to be at least a lower grade of obsessive like myself. For anyone that isn't and is not familiar with the concept of the BPRD, they research the paranormal and they try to remedy those problems. More often than not that results in a little fist-to-face action, and more often than not it also involves some really strange recounts. For anyone unaware of who Hellboy is, there are a few books out there to answer a question that I'm not even going to begin tackling here.

In the Weird Tales installations, there were some rather high notes and quite a few stories. I personally enjoyed seeing a lot of them dedicated to the off-the-beaten-path characters, too, like Liz Sherman and Baba Yaga. While I wouldn't go as far as to say that anything truly meaningful to Hellboy or the BPRD takes place in them, I'd say that they contain a lot of what you'd expect. Sometimes that unfortunately translates into something that I, as a reader knowledgeable in Hellboy, abhor because the writers feel they I have to be reminded of some of the essentials. Other times it also means that we get art that isn't the greatest in the world (and, once or twice, that I wouldn't have let my pet use for diaper duty), and the short stories we find are just that and they aren't really allowed to shuffle things around. A few times, however, everything hits just right, a demon kid breathes a little fire and sets everything ablaze, and I sit thinking that everything therein is just plain creepy. A little Baba Yaga comes to count the fingers of the dead, Hellboy does something interesting or recounts a tale of his youth, and Roger even finds his way into the fray. This happened enough times in the mix, at least once per comic edition to the Graphic Novel, so it made it pay off pretty well and made the other portions and complaints vanish. In fact, it was kind of surprising because I expected a disaster with Mignola off working on the Hellboy movie.

If you really don't know anything about Hellboy and you've picked up on this as something of a primer, I'd advise you to go back and try on Mike Mignola's work so you can get thoroughly acquainted with the idea. In the four main graphic novels, you'll see what's what and how the idea has influenced so many people, understanding what these stories are all about. These are more like tasty little tidbits to tie a person over, given to us by people that enjoy the concept but aren't the Patient Zero of the Hellboy contagion. Its would actually be something akin to a cover in music, only its done with frames instead of melody. Also take note that this isn't the whole collection because there are eight comics in the Weird Tales collection. That means there'll be another graphic novel to come, and some of the stories that'll be in it are really, really superb. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The big story is good, but the small stories are even better
After making it clear to everyone, that 'the strong one is most powerful alone' Lucifer is finally reaping the fruits of his arrogance in the 'Paradiso' and 'Purgatorio' story arcs. When he only survives by the skin of his teeth he finds himself indebted to some characters that he used to treat pretty much like cockroaches in previous encounters.

Truly a masterful parable about power and arrogance that may have a lot of meaning in this day and age. However it is again the short interludes where the genius of Mike Carey shines most brightly. 'The Writing on the Wall' is not only a masterful story in itself (... thousand years are but one day ...) but also a prism shining light on the greater story arc. (Re-read the first page about the importance of communication after you know the whole story and be amazed!) ... Read more

Book Description

Year two on Steve Canyon sees comics master Milton Caniff truly hit his stride. Gorgeously rendered exotic locales, breathlessly paced adventure, and beautiful women as only Caniff could draw await in four story arcs: "Medical Sabotage," "The Nine Maid," "Convoy," "Plantation Sabotage," and "Puppy Love." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

At some variance with the show, but wonderful nonetheless!
March 14, 1971, a new comic strip appeared from the Newspaper Enterprise Association, a comic strip entitled, Dark Shadows. Patterned on the successful (though doomed) American television show of the same name, the comics featured the vampire Barnabas Collins returning to his ancestral home in Maine and protecting his last living relatives, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and her daughter Carolyn. Expertly illustrated by Kenneth Bruce Bald, the black-and-white drawings wonderfully compliment the Gothic setting of the story, and illustrator did an excellent job of capturing Jonathan Frid's likeness.

The comic only ran for 52 week before it too was cancelled, and all of the comics are reproduced in this book. The comics cover six storylines: 1) Barnabas faces an ancient warlock who cannot die until he has killed the last of the Collins; 2) the goddess Isis has found all that she needs to restore her husband Osiris to life, except for his soul which is in the body of a certain vampire; 3) when a werewolf begins stalking the town of Collinsport, Barnabas acts; 4) the master of darkness, Mr. Sinestra, is angered that he never gained control of Barnabas Collins, and he sets out correct that; 5) when the daughter of an old college rival of Elizabeth arrives at Collinwood, people begin to die, and Barnabas needs to stop it; and 6) Barnabas sets out to change history and right a two hundred year wrong. Along the way, Barnabas uses his vampiric powers, but defeats his enemies with his wits and (more often) with his heart.

First of all, it must be said that these comics were written independently of the television show, and does *not* maintain continuity with it. That said, though, the stories are wonderful, the illustrations are excellent, and the book makes a wonderful purchase for anyone who fondly remembers the show. I loved this book, and highly recommend it! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

An American can draw manga after all!
Jill Thompson is the first American artist to succeed at drawing a competent, authentic-feeling comic book in a Japanese manga style.

You don't have to know anything about the "Sandman" series to understand and enjoy this book (I know nothing about Sandman and I didn't get lost at all). All the characters and their roles are briefly introduced at the start of the story and the only piece of back story that you need is worked into the plot. The story itself is a light romp through the afterlife, a tale of what goes wrong in the world when someone opens the door to Hell and lets everyone out. It's the responsibility of the main character, Death (a cute but lethal teenage girl), to patch things up.

It's a great read with wonderful artwork. If you like macabre or manga or anything cute and bloody, definitely get this book.

Stretching Sandman too far
Death: At Death's Door is a retelling of the Sandman storyline Season of Mists. But this time the story is told from Dream's sister Death's point of view. Jill Thompson did a great job in the Sandman story The Parliament of Rooks applying a manga-influenced style to a short, two-and-a-half page tale, so I was looking forward to this book. She has again done a great job capturing the style of Japanese manga with her art and storytelling. But unfortunately, this Death's story is just too thin for the 200 pages.

Get this book to complete your Sandman collection and for the great art. But this book is not a good introduction to Sandman nor a good stand-alone book.

Great fun!!!
After reading the article about shoujo manga in Time, I went down to the local comic store that Saturday and bought this! I loved it, and I reread it every day! :) Basically, Death has to deal with zillions of dead people when her dear older brother, goes to Hell to rescue his one true love, and sending her there after a spat! The humor is quite sarcatic, and is similar to that seen in a Tim Burton movie. Death is really cool as a lead character, and this is a good manga to read! One caveat: Due to the fact that there is a good amount of blood and nudity, and references to religion, I would say that if you wanted to read this, you should be over the age of 16. Other than that, awesome comic!

I hate to rate this so poorly but....
I looked forward to this. But it really didn't live up to expectations. Artistically, to place the Sandman series in a stylized format such as Manga immediately catches you as not being on target. The series itself never used American stylization that you would see from Marvel, Image or DC illustrators, so seeing it in what is the same format with a different cultural bend goes against the rawer illustration that were always used (although Vess can't be considered raw) to depict the saga. And the use of the most childish of the Manga genre with large eyes and title emotions was a poor choice. Something in line with Lone Wolf and Cub wouldn't have been as bad as this.

Now as for the story, Jill Thompson built a solid foundation for the story as to what happened to everyone released from Hell when Lucifer closed up shop (something that I think was quite a smart idea) and she did an excellent job of building her story into that now famous arc. However the details were poor. The story was much longer than necessary. Death was discarded time and time again for the uniteresting goings on in her realm. And it just came off as pure camp. This series is too great to ever treat it campy.

Despair was underutilized and should have beem more of a force in dealing with the multitudes of people that came from her domain. Delirium who was actually the main focal point of the story was not handled as subtely as Gaiman had done. Her outbursts are all outlandish and she lacks that strand of sanity that was brought to the table by Gaiman. In Brief Lives, she has one moment of lucidity that makes you realize that she is only slighty less powerful than Death. And you never look at her the same way again despite her eccentricities. Jill does not underly her with this lucidity and makes the character seem like a crazed Scrappy Doo.

As for Death, she is possibily the best character ever created in any format. So she should not be left to just anyone. Jill is up and down with her, writing her to expectation sometimes and making a mockery of her at others. She would never jump up and down and yell at her brother. Had she ever done so in the series, she may have never become the icon she has become today. If you are a Death fan, this will not go over well with you. Perhaps only Gaiman should be allowed to write her.

Entertaining, but nowhere near perfect
I got this book as a Christmas present, which is just as well as it was on my list of books to buy once I win the lottery.

This is a good book. The art is pleasant to look at, and I like the idea of seeing the events in Sandman: Season of Mists from the point of view of another of the Endless, but there are some major flaws.

First of all, the artistic style isn't consistent. Some panels will be detailed and realistic, with characters drawn in perfect proportion, while others will be distinctly child-like and cutesy. I know that in manga it's traditional to change the style of a panel to suit the emotional mood of the panel, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Sometimes, Death and Delerium will be engaging in silly banter in one style, and then the style switches with the next panel of silly banter, with no apparent break in the mood.

The other quibble, this one a bit more serious, is that not much happens in this book. It's a 192-page book that could have been done with half the pages and only added excitement and interest to the plot. It could best be summed up as "while we see scenes of Season of Mists again, Death, Despair and Delerium phumpher about Death's apartment with a whole bunch of lost souls." You could certainly tell 192 pages of good story from that, but the phumphering takes up too much space and we end up with great art and a tiny, tiny plot.

I've heard that Jill Thompson is planning on doing another volume, this one retelling another chapter of Sandman from the perspective of another of the Endless. Based on this volume, I look forward to the sequel, but I think I'll wait until I've flipped through it before putting it on my Christmas list. ... Read more

Book Description

All-new adventures of the hero from the classic film Army of Darkness, collected here for the very first time! Features a complete cover gallery, including all photo covers, and art covers from: J. Scott Campbell, Marc Silvestri, Ben Templesmith, Greg Land, Richard Isanove, Nick Bradshaw, Aaron Lopresti, Micheal Avon Oeming, Ale Garza, Tim Seeley, and Kaare Andrews! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sweeeeeeeeeet justice!
This thing is sweet! Ive wanted a sequel to "Army of Darkness" for sooooo long, and this collection has eased my suffering! The animation is terrific, and its a pretty fresh new story.Though, lots of the one liners and things are taken from the film, but they still manage to turn them around and make them funny again.And there are definately some new quotes and awesome scenes to look at! Totally worth the purchase.I can't wait until my "Shop 'til you drop Dead" collection comes in the mail! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Manga Goji: Speed Racer vs. Godzilla
This black-and-white, manga version of 1984's "The Return of Godzilla" (U.S. title: "Godzilla 1985") was originally published in the U.S. bu Dark Horse Comics as a six-issue mini-series in 1988/89. The English translation was by Randy Stradley and Mike Richardson. This single-volume collection features a wonderful cover painting by Bob Eggleton. The story is pretty straightforward: after thirty years, Godzilla returns to menace modern Tokyo. Since this was an adaptation of the Japanese cut of the film, there are no scenes with Raymond Burr, who reprised his Steve Martin role for "Godzilla 1985." It's also much clearer in this version that the Russian nuclear missile launch on Japan was a mistake, not intentional. The manga style of art employed by Iwata is an odd mix with a Godzilla story. G-fans not used to it might think the whole thing comes off as a sort of "Speed Racer vs. Godzilla." The collection also comes with a nice gallery of Godzilla art by such U.S. comic artists as Art Adams, Mike Mignola, Steve Bissette, and British artist Alan Moore. For the price, it's well worth it even for marginal 'Zilla maniacs. For fans of the 1998 TriStar "Godzilla" -- shame on you!

Oh no! There goes Tokyo...
This book is a faithful, surprisingly powerful and moving graphic adaptation of the movie "Godzilla 1985". The black and white pages add a somber tone to the tale of the disasterous return of a monster the world has thought long dead. Godzilla himself is lovingly drawn, as are the battle scenes between the Big G and the JSDF's ultimate weapon - the Super-X. The story is sometimes jarred by the "cartoony" appearance of some of the human characters, but overall this is a book any kaiju fan will want to read again and again. ... Read more

Book Description

Steve Niles is the writer of the hit comic 30 Days of Night and the Cal McDonald horror/noir novels, Savage Membrane and Guns, Drugs and Monsters. Niles is also the writer of the monthly comic book Dark Days for IDW Publishing. Steve got his start in the industry when he formed his own publishing company called Arcane Comix, where he published, edited, and adapted several comics and anthologies for Eclipse Comics. His adaptations include works by Clive Barker, Richard Matheson and Harlan Ellison. He has also worked as a writer for Todd MacFarlane Productions and Image comics, creating the series Fused, and contributing to titles such as Spawn: The Dark Ages, Hellspawn, and most recently 9-11: Artists Respond. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Another tale in the wonderfully macabre world of Steve Niles
A friend of mine turned me on to Steve Niles earlier this year with the release of the "Love Me Tenderloin" one-shot. I loved it and knew I'd have to snap up this trade paperback when it was released. This collection of the five-part "Criminal Macabre" (as well as the short "A Letter From B.S." that appeared in a Dark Horse anthology title) is another great story of Niles' detective hero. Cal McDonald is an old-fashioned hardboiled detective, with one major difference. McDonald sees monsters... everywhere. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts and ghouls are a normal part of his world, and when the monsters start disobeying the rules they've adhered to for centuries, something nasty is up.

This is a great detective/horror story with a wickedly healthy dose of dark comedy as well. Ben Templesmith's art style doesn't work quite as well here in Niles' more strictly horrific "30 Days of Night," but it still conveys the story well enough and creates a suitably creepy mood. All things told, this was a great graphic novel and I can't wait for whatever Niles has next. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Great End, but....
I read it, I love it. Ennis couldnt finish his plot in other way but that, we have to see that since Dangerous Habits everything started to become an huge snow ball... Its more then a fair ending, its a perfect ending. So, why I didnt rated 5 stars? Because I think it was an fast ending, Ennis give us the impression that he is trying to finish the history in a tight schedule, or that he doesnt want to prolong too much, leaving too short the ending. Besides the killing of almost everything that he created in Hellblazer universe (leaving almost a blank restart for the next writer) in a surprisely short time (few editions...), the history is amazing .Maybe the fact that the history is so short is that made of it such an great one. ... Read more

Book Description

SPAWN unknowingly reinforces a little boy`s belief in Christmas and later becomes the victim of a pious zealot whose twisted beliefs lead him down a perverted path. Elsewhere, an uncontrollable cybernetic simian experiment has escaped and wreaks havoc in the countryside as his investors frantically try to recapture him before his true purpose can be discovered. Intertwined with this complex story, two police detectives investigate their police chief`s covert ties to several government agencies and his role in some unexplained deaths. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Book!
If you've just started to collect Spawn comics, this book is a great key on the Spawn saga. And if you're already an Spawn reader, you can't miss this Volume 8 for your personal collection. A must have for REAL Spawn fans! ... Read more

Book Description

Second volume in a series reprinting all of Burns' work. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Burn's Best
I have been a devout reader of Burn's Black Hole comic since I first found it on the shelves a couple of years ago. That he is a mesmerizing artist goes without saying. Black Hole has a very meandering plot at times, and it gets somewhat overshadowed by it's technical virtuosity. Big Baby, while it has less scope, is much more concise and places the reader directly in the path of evil. The final story in this volume "Blood Club" is a really haunting tale that I believe is his best work. One minor note, the image above is from Blood Club but it is not the actual cover on the book...It has Big Baby playing with some toys.

Gothic Americana
Graphic storyteller Charles Burns hits his artistic and narrative stride in the three immaculately rendered black and white comics stories reprinted in this beautifully bound, library-quality volume from Fantagraphics. Originally serialized in alternative weekly newpapers in the '80s, CURSE OF THE MOLE MEN, TEEN PLAGUE, and BLOOD CLUB portray the suburbs of "Leave It to Beaver", seen through the eyes of child who can't turn away the violence and seething sexuality behind the facade. Burns is possibly the finest draftsman to come out the 80s comics underground, and integrates a Bauhaus design sense with a flair for Fifties EC horror. Highly recommended for fans of EIGHTBALL, Psychotronic films, and anyone who grew up in Fifties or early Sixties suburbia. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Deserves to be reprinted!
This is one of my favorite Corben books.The stories are very enjoyable, all dealing with werewolves (go figure).The art on the majority of the stories is excellent, but one or two don't compare with the rest.Thehighlight, "Roda and the Wolf", is a beautifully-illustratedstory which retells the Little Red Riding Hood tale, but all in a made-uplanguage which works very well, nonetheless.Plus, it's a sturdy hardcoverwith glossy color covers and no jacket.The cover image is a great pieceof work. ... Read more

Book Description

The Buffy saga takes a bold new direction under the guidance of former X-Men writers Lobdell and Nicieza. It's 1996, and Buffy Summers has just accepted her role as the Vampire Slayer. After the destruction of her high school, she flees to Las Vegas to sort her life out, but there's more than Wayne Newton and hookers in the city of sin. A twisted coven den of vampires has big plans for the strip. And there's a tall, dark, and handsome stranger keeping an eye on her during those dangerous nights in Vegas. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Missing Chapter of Early Buffy
The television show did a pretty good job of rewriting the events of the movie to better fit the series. But there was always something missing from the time line. What happened to Buffy after setting fire to the school gym and before arriving in Sunnydale?

This book tries to answer the question. Here again is Pike, Buffy's companion in slaying. Together they discover a lot of vampires coming to LA from Vegas. Buffy decides she must see what is going on. In the shadows, Angel watches and gains more respect for this slayer's abilities.

A fun story with decent illustrations that fills in a critical hole in the Buffy time line. Even if you don't normally read the Buffy comics, this is a good chapter to read. ... Read more

Book Description

Courtney Crumrin is back in a new adventure that pits her against the town's most powerful warlocks and witches, the Coven of Mystics! When the night things of Courtney's community start causing trouble, it's up to the girl to find out why. The coven blames the hobgoblin initially but quickly turns its ire to Skarrow, a night thing in service to the town's most reclusive witch. Uncle Aloysius doesn't believe the disturbances are that easy to explain. His dismissal of the Coven's alleged culprit starts Courtney down a twisted path that leads to the true mastermind behind all the horror! But does Courtney stand a chance against a being that powerful and manipulative? ... Read more

Reviews (3)

More wonderful tales.
Ted Naifeh has done it again, proving he is one of the most amazing voices working in comics today. The tales here are a bit darker than his previous Courtney Crumrin series, but character has grown a bit since first discovering the world of magick, so it works well. Beautiful art, a compelling storyline, and a heroine who anyone who's ever felt alone can relate to. Wonderful work, Ted!

Even better than the first one
I bought the first comic of Courtney Crumrin on a whim, and I eagerly bought the newest installment, the Coven of Mystics. The plot of this one is even better than the first one. It adds depth to all the existing characters and also introduces us to some promising new ones, such as Ms. Crisp, Courtney's new no-nonsense teacher, and Tobermory, the leader of the cats. The Coven of Mystics also alludes to the politics of the magical community that Courtney is only beginning to venture into.

Basically this story is about love, whether romantic or familial. The story takes many turns, some of them can be terrifying and bad things sometimes happen to good people. It's a very rewarding graphic novel and one well worth your money.

Courtney is Back
Courtney is a school girl whose family has moved in with their great-uncle. The clueless parents have no idea what is really going on and they make are pretty much left out of this volume.

Instead, we get more interaction between Courtney and her uncle, a powerful sorcerer. This volume has more of a continuous plot than the first and gives us a better idea of the magic community.

Courtney may be tough and headstrong, but even she knows to be careful when something very nasty has been summoned in the woods. Will her uncle be able to stand against it?

Then Courtney is privileged to visit the night world of the cats and meets a new friend. A friend that others believe has harmed a popular sorceress. Courtney and her uncle work to save him.

As Courtney works to save her friend, she learns more of the Council and the politics that seem to drive it. Courtney is not pleased.

These four tales are a little darker than those of the first volume, but Courtney shows good character development (see what happens when she reads a poem in school) and the additional information about the world of magic is very well done.

An excellent continuation of the series. I look forward to more. ... Read more