The 100 Greatest Graphic Novels of All Time PDF

THE
GREATEST
GRAPHIC
NOVELS
OF ALL TIME!
FROM THE
CREATORS OF
AND
YOUR
MUST-READ
GUIDE!
148 PAGES ON STARRING

HELLBOY
CAPTAIN AMERICA
THE BEST COMICS X-MEN
AND GRAPHIC BATMAN
NOVELS EVER!
FEATURING
ALL-STAR SUPERMAN LOVE AND ROCKETS WATCHMEN

PLUS! INTERVIEWS WITH ALAN MOORE, NEIL GAIMAN, HOWARD CHAYKIN AND MORE
THE
GREATEST
GRAPHIC
NOVELS
OF ALL TIME!
FROM THE
CREATORS OF
AND
Special Editions Editor Will Salmon
Art Editor Mark Mitchell
Production Editor Alex Summersby
CONTRIBUTORS
Carl Anka, Sam Ashurst, David Barnett, Abigail Chandler,
Jonathan Coates, Paul Gravett, Danny Graydon, Miles Hamer,
Stephen Jewell, Rob Lane, James Lovegrove, Andy McGregor,
Michael Molcher, David West, David Quantick, Nick Setchfield.
THANKS TO
W E LCO M E !
Clark Bull and all at DC, Chris DLando, Katie Courtney and all at
IDW, Richard Edwards, Michael Molcher and Rebellion.
COVER ART BY: How do you define a graphic
EDITORS PHOTO 2015 KEVIN LOWE

Brian Bolland, courtesy of DC Comics.
ADVERTISING
novel? If you take the term in
Commercial Sales Director Clare Dove
Advertising Director Lara Jaggon
its literal sense, then youre
Advertising Manager Michael Pyatt
Account Director Steven Pyatt 01225 687713
looking at single, self-
MARKETING contained stories, rather
Direct Marketing Manager Adam Jones 01225 687105
Group Marketing Manager Laura Driffield 01225 687464 than collected serials and
Marketing Manager Kristianne Stanton
ongoing comics. And that
CIRCULATION AND LICENSING
Trade Marketing Manager Michelle Brock would discount most of your
0207 429 3683 michelle.brock@seymour.co.uk
Senior Licensing & Syndication Manager Matt Ellis favourites. No Dark Knight Returns,
(0)1225 442244 Matt.Ellis@futurenet.com
no V For Vendetta (both originally
PRINT, PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION
Premedia and cover manipulation Gary Stuckey serialised), no Love And Rockets (an
Production Controllers Nola Cokely, Vivienne Turner
Production Manager Mark Constance ongoing title)... Clearly, we werent going
Printed in the UK by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd on behalf
of Future. Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East
to go down that route with this list.
Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT. Tel: 0207 429 4000
Overseas distribution by Seymour International
Instead, this is a selection of our 100
MANAGEMENT favourite graphic novels, ongoing comics,
Group Editor-in-Chief Jane Crowther
Group Art Director Graham Dalzell collected editions and individual volumes
Editorial Director Paul Newman
Managing Director Joe McEvoy of larger series in all genres. Its a broad
Content and Marketing Director Nial Ferguson slate of titles that we think are essential
All email addresses are firstname.lastname@futurenet.com
reading, from super-hero classics to the
SUBSCRIPTIONS
UK reader order line and enquiries 0844 848 2852 smartest indies. Its a diverse list where
Overseas reader order line & enquiries +44 (0)1604 251 045
Online www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk each book has only one thing in common:
Email contact@myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
theyre all really, really good.
Are there gaps? Oh, for sure! There are
Future is an award-winning international media group and leading digital business. We reach
more than 49 million international consumers a month and create world-class content and
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way more than 100 great comics out there
and weve tried not to lean too hard on
Future plc is a public Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne
company quoted on the
London Stock Exchange
(symbol: FUTR).
Non-executive chairman Peter Allen
&KLHIQDQFLDORIFHUPenny Ladkin-Brand specific creators (theres more than a little
www.futureplc.com Tel +44 (0)207 042 4000 (London) +44 (0)1225 442 244 (Bath)
Alan Moore and Grant Morrison here, but
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they both could have been far more
Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and
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THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 3
the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)
GREATEST GRAPHIC
THE
NOVELS OF ALL TIME

Words by: Carl Anka, Sam Ashurst, David Barnett, Abigail Chandler, Paul Gravett, Miles Hamer, Stephen
Jewell, Rob Lane, James Lovegrove, Will Salmon, Alasdair Stuart, Sara Westrop.
100
IMAGES BRYAN LEE OMALLEY
SCOTT PILGRIM AND

99
IMAGES MARVEL
THE INFINITE SADNESS Writer Bryan Lee OMalley
Artist Bryan Lee OMalley
Published 2005
Publisher Oni Press
PUNISHER: BORN Writer Garth Ennis
Artist Darick Robertson
Scott Pilgrim is dating Ramona Flowers. Published 2003
This is good. However, to continue dating Publisher Marvel (MAX)
her, Scott must battle her seven evil exes.
This is bad. Especially because, in this third The origins of the Punisher are rather
volume of the utterly individual series, the simple and to the point. After seeing his
ex he must battle is Todd Ingram. Todd is a successful musician family get caught in crossfire between
and is dating Scotts own evil ex, Envy Adams. Even worse? He rival Mafia houses, former Marine Frank
has vegan superpowers... Castle dedicates himself to a one-man war
Bryan Lee OMalleys work positively sings here, almost against organised crime. That was how the Punisher is born.
literally at times. The fight scenes (often the highlights of the Or was it?
series) are gloriously over-the-top and at the same time fiercely In Punisher: Born, Garth Ennis shows us how the seeds for
well-choreographed and hard-hitting. The jokes come thick and the Punisher were sown long before that tragic day in New York.
fast, and the level of visual invention is extraordinarily high. Taking us back to Franks time as a Marine during the Vietnam
But what makes it work are the characters. This is the War, Punisher: Born sees him outgunned, burnt out and facing
volume where we get complex, interesting answers for why Envy total obliteration. The Vietnam setting might be familiar to
and Scott are like they are. Envys transformation is especially those who read Ennis flashbacks scenes in Preacher, but Born
interesting given how understandable the pressures on her uses the senseless war to serve even wilder goals here (the Devil
are, and she, along with the magnificently sniffy Todd, might be here, but hes not playing cards this time). You know
remain arguably the series best villains. Frank will make it out of Cambodia alive, of course, but when
The book really works when it explores why Scott is as you consider the costs he has to pay to do so, youll wonder if
he is, the trail of destruction hes left and the impact this that is a good thing.
has had on those around him. Scott isnt a hero, yet, but Set in the more grounded M for Mature world of Marvel
hes not a villain either, and the unflinching honesty in MAX (where many of our 616 heroes dont exist), this story is
how hes portrayed is one of the things that makes the Ennis refining his already character-defining work on Frank
series, and this volume especially, a Castle. A twisted, exhausting story of futile brutality. Yet at
classic. ALASDAIR STUART the same time, impossible to put down. CARL ANKA

I KILL GIANTS
Writer Joe Kelly
Artist J. M. Ken Niimura
Published 2008-2009
Publisher Image
Barbara Thorson is having a rough old

time of it. She feels like an outsider and is
bullied at school, has a hard home life and
causes trouble for her teachers. She escapes
this difficult mess by getting wrapped up in her imagination.
She carries a hammer in her purse (nicknamed Coveleski after
baseball pitcher Harry Coveleski) and, in her mind, she does
indeed kill giants.
Like Pans Labyrinth reimagined with fabulous manga-
indebted art, this is a short and sweet treat that dazzles at every
turn. Kellys script has a melancholy tinge and an affectionate
sympathy for his troubled hero, despite the fact that, quite often,
IMAGES JOE KELLY & J. M. KEN NIIMURA
Barbara can be kind of annoying. Hey, she is a teenager.
98
Niimuras art is superb throughout, and key to the books
success. A talented artist with a wide-range of styles, it was he
who insisted that I Kill Giants should be drawn in a manga style
(as well as suggesting Barbaras signature rabbit ears). It gives the
book a fresh, modern feel that contrasts nicely with the well-
worn premise. WILL SALMON
VIOLENT CASES
Writer Neil Gaiman
Artist Dave McKean
Published 1987
Publisher Escape/Dark Horse
I wouldnt want to gloss over the true facts, says a narrator

who looks very much like a young Neil Gaiman, in the opening
panels of Violent Cases. Without true facts, where are we? In
this slim graphic novel, where we are is in the misty interzone
between storytelling and reminiscence. Gaimans tale is a short
and bittersweet anecdote about a childhood visit to an elderly
osteopath who claims he treated Al Capone, back in Prohibition-
era Chicago. But who can we trust? Is it something one or other
of them has made up? Faces become mutable, history subjective.
Violent Cases was Gaimans first collaboration with artist
Dave McKean, and while it is a neophyte effort from two
exceptional creators who would, separately and together, go on
IMAGES NEIL GAIMAN & DAVE McKEAN
to produce much more substantial work, its mere 40-odd pages
97
contain multitudes. In delicate pencil and ink beefed up with
dashes of colour for the Dark Horse rerelease McKean captures
beautifully the feeling of fragile uncertainty at the heart of
Gaimans narrative, the sense of a youngster getting a first
glimpse of the dark undertow that pulses in the deep waters
beyond the shallows of life. JAMES LOVEGROVE
6 THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS

96
POWERS VOL. 1: WHO
IMAGES BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & MICHAEL AVON OEMING
KILLED RETRO GIRL?

CRIME PROCEDURAL WITH ENGAGING CHARACTERS...
SET IN A WORLD WITH SUPERHUMANS
Detective Christian Walker has a unique gift for
Powers cases crimes involving superhumans.
Writer Brian Michael
Detective Deena Pilgrim has a unique gift for
Bendis
saying exactly what she thinks and annoying
Artist Michael Avon
Oeming people. Reluctantly partnered together, the two
Published 2000 deal with the biggest case of their careers: the
Publisher Image murder of legendary super-heroine Retro Girl.
Oemings noirish, spiky art keys you into the
Chandler with capes vibe from the first page.
Bendiss scripting is on top form here too, and the
two fit together as easily as Walker and Pilgrim
dont. Theres incredible pace, as well as economy
of storytelling. The world feels lived-in and well
realised, even as you explore it for the first time.
The story perfectly balances the case with the Powers cases and long-suffering attitude all make
characters, and everything that the series pays off him a compelling hero, but its Pilgrim, all cheerful
is introduced here. Walkers massive frame, gift for profanity and casual violence, youll remember.
The series bagged an Eisner Award in 2001 for Best
THE SPIKY ART KEYS INTO THE New Series and inspired the TV show of the same
name. But these first six issues remain the series
CHANDLER WITH CAPES VIBE best arc and certainly one of the best pilot
episodes youll ever read. ALASDAIR STUART

95 CAPTAIN AMERICA:
WINTER SOLDIER
IMAGES MARVEL COMICS
IF DEATH DOESNT ALWAYS MEAN SOMETHING

IN COMICS, THIS RETURN FROM THE DEAD DID
Bucky Barnes was one of the few comic book dangerous US assets during the Second World War.
characters who died and stayed dead. For the best Yes, he was a teen when he fought, but that was
Writer Ed Brubaker part of 40 years, his demise was both the tragic only because he was probably the best hand-to-
Artist Steve Epting origin story of Captain America and the greatest hand combatant in the world at the time. He was
Published 2004 failure in his career. To bring him back would have too good a soldier to not be in the fray.
Publisher Marvel been akin to resurrecting Spider-Mans Uncle Ben Thanks to the excellent Marvel film bearing the
and Gwen Stacy in back-to-back issues. Or having same name, the cat is now out of the bag regarding
Bruce Waynes parents return and revive Jason Todd the identity of the Winter Soldier, but such is the
in the same story. Folly. A silly story that would craft of Brubakers tale that this 14-issue story only
critically undermine Captain America. gains drama when you read it with knowledge of
I knew that if you were going to take away the twist. This isnt the story of how Bucky came
Caps biggest tragedy, you had to replace it with back to life, its the story of why his return is so
another huge tragedy or he would lose that marble important to Steve Rogers, to Sharon Carter, to
for you to play, said writer Ed Brubaker about the the Falcon and to the world at large...
making of Winter Soldier, and so he set about Not only did Winter Soldier pull off the
crafting one of the best stories of reinvention and impossible in reviving Bucky, it also laid the
revival the comic book world has ever seen. groundwork for some of Marvels most important
No more was Bucky the fresh-faced kid sidekick stories of the decade. Comics are undoubtedly
of the war-era comics, but instead one of the most better for Buckys return. CARL ANKA

IMAGES SCOTT McCLOUD / SELF MADE HERO
94 93
IMAGES DAVE SIM & GERHARD
CEREBUS: HIGH SOCIETY THE SCULPTOR

Writer Dave Sim Writer Scott McCloud
Artists Dave Sim & Gerhard Artist Scott McCloud
Published 1977-2004 Published 2015
Publisher Aardvark-Vanaheim Publisher Self Made Hero
Collected in 16 massive telephone- The Sculptor was the first graphic novel
directory-size albums, Cerebus is the story from Scott McCloud in ten years. The
of the titular Aardvarks life, death and expectation, then, was naturally sky-high.
everything in between. The series begins And while The Sculptor may not quite reach
as a piece of light, very funny fantasy. Cerebus is essentially the level of sophistication of his Understanding Comics, that
Conan a short, grey, angry Conan. The first volume is split into simply means that The Sculptor is an exceptionally good graphic
relatively small stories as Sim and Gerhard find their feet. Later novel, rather than a book that will rewire your brain...
volumes expand as they get more comfortable with the pacing David Smith is an artist whose career hasnt quite gone the
and size of the story, and the result is often extraordinary. way he hoped it would. An encounter with Death (personified
The second volume, High Society, is a series highlight. Its a here as his late uncle) ends with David striking a bargain. For
self-contained political thriller, comedy and satire that includes 200 days he will have the ability to craft whatever he wants
some brilliant physical comedy and a Gormenghastian hotel using only his hands. After that, however, he will die. David
matched only by the ambitions leaps at the chance, but after
of the people living within it. he falls for Meg, he begins to
The world opens up further wonder if he has made the right
in later volumes, like Church choice after all...
And State, with increasingly A magic-realist love story
complex plots. However, the with a sly sense of humour and
volumes that follow the tragic a big, beating heart, The
Jakas Story are controversial, Sculptor more than justifies the
with Sims personal, religious long wait and its own length
and political views becoming (the hardback clocks in at more
increasingly prominent in than 500 pages, though expert
the work and increasingly pacing means the story rushes
alienating for many readers. by) with strong characters, lush
The early adventures, however, blue-and-white art and some
remain superb works of comic amusing barbs at the art worlds
fantasy. ALASDAIR STUART expense. WILL SALMON

91
IMAGES REBELLION
JUDGE DREDD: THE
92 CURSED EARTH
Writers Pat Mills and John Wagner

Artists Mike McMahon and Brian Bolland
Published 1978
Publisher Rebellion
HAWKEYE Writer Matt Fraction

It may not have the same epic body count
or world-changing outcome as, say, The
Artist David Aja Apocalypse War, but this early Dredd
Published 2012-2015 mega-epic remains an all-time classic.
Publisher Marvel Comics The 2 T (Fru) T virus has hit Mega-City Two, transforming
its victims into savages. Unable to deliver an antidote by air, the
Matt Fraction and David Ajas Hawkeye run Judges of Mega-City One are forced to send it overland across the
ushered in a new era of modern comics, an irradiated badlands of the Cursed Earth. On the trek, Dredd and
era where the day-to-day life of super-heroes his team of Judges encounter Satanus the Tyrannosaurus rex,
can (once again, as in the 1960s Spider-Man) meet the insane Robert L Booth the last President of the United
be just as engaging and important as their States, who started the nuclear cataclysm that has left the world
super-hero life. Here, Clint Barton is more interested in keeping in such a wretched state and get caught up in a fight between
his apartment building safe from a seemingly-endless army of rival fast food chains. Indeed, the Burger Wars chapters proved
local tracksuit-wearing gangsters than in fighting alongside the so controversial in their depiction of McDonalds, Jolly Green
rest of the Avengers. Giant and Burger King that 2000 AD owners Rebellion have only
Hawkeye is arguably one of the ultimate experimental just secured permission to reprint them, almost 40 years later.
mainstream comics of the 21st century so far, with an issue told Its less a cohesive tale, more a collection of exciting short
entirely from the point of view of a dog (making clever use of stories with an overriding theme, but that only adds to its charm.
icons, rather than dialogue) and another in American Sign The Cursed Earth comes
Language. Ajas art is deceptively simple but enormously smart from a time when Dredds
and expressive, and Fractions lovable loser Barton is infinitely world wasnt quite as well-
more engaging than Jeremy Renners big-screen one. defined as it is now, and you
Aja is the main artist associated with this run, although never quite know what he will
Annie Wu later took over on Kate Bishop encounter next. In getting out
centric issues and Javier Pulido did some of the Big Meg for an extended
sterling stand-in work. But when you picture tour, it lays the tracks for
comic book Clint Barton, once youve read this many future stories to come,
book, its Ajas sad-eyed, Band-Aided version and the cast of characters have
youll think of. Kate comes out of it well, too, a lot of personality notably
getting her fair share of the limelight. Spikes Harvey Rotten, the
And, bro, those tracksuit gangsters. They criminal punk who becomes
were totally a thing, bro. ABIGAIL CHANDLER a noble ally. WILL SALMON

90 THE NEW TEEN TITANS
A MUCH-LOVED CLASSIC OF THE 80s, COMBINING
ACTION, CHARACTERISATION AND YOUTH APPEAL
A few years before they set about destroying the had saved his life and given him enormous power
DC multiverse in Crisis On Infinite Earths, Marv but left him looking and feeling barely human.
IMAGES DC COMICS
Wolfman and George Perez gave DC its best selling Crucially, all these characters were credibly
series of the decade with their 1980 relaunch of the adolescent, and the stories skilfully mixed action
companys premier junior super-group. with the soap-opera elements that made the X-Men
The Teen Titans had been introduced back in so compelling: tangled relationships and romances,
Writer Marv Wolfman
1964, teaming up the kid sidekicks of some of DCs teen angst and anguish. Readers also warmed to
Artist George Perez
biggest names Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad and Perezs lovingly detailed art; while his basic
Published 1980-96
Wonder Girl. They gained their own title in 1966, drawing could still be a little shaky, he displayed
Publisher DC Comics
which bumbled along until 1972. A brief attempt unmatched skill in handling a huge number of
at reviving it in 1976 lasted just a couple of years. characters and keeping them visually distinct even
In 1980, in response to Chris Claremont and John in the most complex action scenes. He was fully
Byrnes runaway success with Marvels youth engaged in the series, often co-plotting the stories
team the Uncanny X-Men, Wolfman and Perez with Wolfman, and the pairs commitment shone.
resurrected the Titans, making them subtly older The series introduced equally memorable foes,
and masterfully capturing the Zeitgeist. notably Deathstroke the Terminator, who featured
In addition to updating Robin, Kid Flash and in a storyline often cited as a high point of the
Wonder Girl, they added intriguing new characters: series, The Judas Contract (issues 42-44 and
the green-skinned Changeling, who was capable 1984s annual), which was soon reissued in one
of transforming into any animal form but whose volume, now scandalously out of print. Still, the
light-hearted demeanour hid a troubled childhood; collected edition of the first eight issues is ample
exiled alien warrior Starfire; brooding empath evidence of why Titans was one of the favourite
Raven; and Cyborg, whose high-tech prostheses super-hero titles of the 1980s. STEPHEN JEWELL

89 BOX OFFICE POISON
ALL IMAGES ALEX ROBISNON 2016
SMART, FUNNY, KNOWING, ALLUSIVE... NEW YORK

AND MODERN LIFE DISTILLED TO THE ESSENCE
Take a pinch of 90s smash series Friends, add directly or peripherally in the cartooning and
a dash of Armistead Maupins Tales of the City comics worlds.
books, throw in a bit of Jaime Hernandezs Love Among them are Jane Pekar, her surname a
Writer Alex Robinson and Rockets stories, and mix well with John nod to underground comics luminary Harvey,
Artist Alex Robinson Hughess post-teen oeuvre such as St Elmos Fire... and Irving Flavor, whose battle with the mighty
Published 2001 and you might get an inkling of Alex Robinsons Zoom Comics for some proper recompense for the
Publisher Top Shelf magnum opus Box Office Poison. Nightstalker character he created for them echoes
Productions Following the intersecting escapades of a cast of similar real-life calls for justice for the likes of
young New Yorkers, the black-and-white epic was Jack Kirby and Siegel & Shuster.
first published by independent company Antarctic Its chock-full of pop-cultural references, from
Press in the latter half of the 90s, then reached a Joseph Hellers Catch-22 (theres a couple with the
wider audience when Top Shelf put out a collected surname Yossarian) to Vonnegut, from Laurel and
edition in 2001. Hardy to Wallace and Gromit.
New Yorker Robinson, who studied at the Big Sometimes Box Office Poison can seem a little
Apples School of Visual Arts under the legendary chaotic as it takes sudden off-road turns into the
Will Eisner, was inspired to create his 600-plus- backstories of relatively minor characters, but it is
page story by Cerebus creator Dave Sims similarly all the richer for it. Robinsons plotting is intricate
monumental vision. But there are no aardvarks and detailed, and he rarely misses a beat as he
in sight here... just a sprawling cast including balances drama and humour to fine effect.
bookstore worker Sherman Davies (Robinson The series is also a love letter to New York, and
himself worked in a bookshop), who lives in Robinsons portrayal of the city and its denizens is
fear of his terrifying boss The Dragon, and his a fully immersive experience, shot through with
extended friendship group, many of whom work warmth and heart. DAVID BARNETT

ASTRO CITY: VOLUME 1
Writer Kurt Busiek
Artist Brent Anderson
Published 1995
Publisher Image Comics
To understand how fresh Astro City felt when

it first appeared, you need to remember just
how grim super-hero comics had grown in the
90s. Watchmen and Dark Knight had blown
everyone away, but publishers gleaned all the wrong lessons and
unleashed a swathe of violent, cynical imitators. Astro City was
the complete antithesis of all that. Bright, optimistic (but not
wishy-washy) and designed to re-inject that all-important sense
of wonder to the genre, it was a joy for long-time comics fans.
The titular city is a hub for powered folk, including numerous
riffs on Marvel and DC characters, such as Superman-alike The
Samaritan. Busieks work repeats some of the techniques hed
used in the classic Marvels the year before telling some stories
88
IMAGES JUKE BOX PRODUCTIONS
from the ground level and the point of view of ordinary people,
revelling in comics nostalgia and packed with clever allusions.
That said, its not a backwards-looking series. The anthology
format allows for a broad range of stories and approaches, all
rendered in Andersons glorious, loving art. The series third
volume began in 2013 and continues to this day. WILL SALMON
TANK GIRL
Writer Alan Martin
Artist Jamie Hewlett
Published 1988
Publisher Titan Books
In a post-Gorillaz world its occasionally

hard to remember just how radical Jamie
Hewletts art seemed in the late 80s/early
90s. Originally published in Deadline magazine, Tank Girl was a
blast of irreverent, anarchic, punkish weirdness straight from the
underground. Today, it looks positively mainstream. This doesnt
take anything away from the book, and especially TG herself.
Alan Martins scripts and Hewletts art have a lunatic energy.
The post-apocalyptic future setting and thin plots were simply
a framework for the daft adventures of the characters (including
TGs mutant kangaroo boyfriend Booga, and pals Jet Girl and Sub
Girl among others). Pop culture references came thick and fast,
IMAGES JAMIE HEWLETT & ALAN C.
and theres a strong anti-authoritarian streak throughout.
87
Sure, the stories are usually ephemeral, but theyre always
funny. And TG herself made a huge impact. Her roots may be
firmly planted in the period, but shes proved to be remarkably
enduring, returning time and again under various creative teams.
Still, its the original Martin and Hewlett strips, collected in
three volumes, that remain the most essential. WILL SALMON

THE ULTIMATES
Writer Mark Millar
Artist Bryan Hitch
Published 2002-2004
Publisher Marvel Comics
Millar and Hitchs original 13-issue limited

run on The Ultimates is probably the most
influential reboot of the modern era of
comics. In the Ultimate imprint, Marvel gave
creators free rein to update its most recognisable heroes, release
them from the shackles of continuity and make them accessible
again to new readers. Millars was the toughest task: lifting the
then unfashionable Avengers. By adding cynicism and violence
and making awesome decisions (basing Nick Fury on Samuel L
Jackson long before Marvel movies existed), the team exceeded
their target, crafting a series thats become beyond iconic.
The move didnt just change comics (even today, Hitchs JLA
attempts to recreate The Ultimates impact for DC) but movies:
86
the Marvel Cinematic Universes Avengers line-up and tone are
carbon copies of what Hitch and Millar achieved on its pages.

The very definition of a blockbuster comic, Hitchs cinematic
art combined with Millars high-concept plots and quotable one-
liners to achieve the unthinkable: The Ultimates made the
Avengers impossibly cool. SAM ASHURST
STRANGERS IN PARADISE: I DREAM OF YOU

Writer Terry Moore
Artist Terry Moore
Published 1996
Publisher Abstract Studio
This second volume of Terry Moores modern

romance makes a far more appealing entry point
than volume one: the characters are better
developed, the art cleaner and the gags funnier. The series follows
the lives of three friends caught in an awkward love triangle.
David Qin is in love with Katina Katchoo Choovanski, who is
in love with her best friend Francine (and harbours some feelings
for David); Francine just feels confused about the whole thing.
I Dream Of You handles all of this sensitively, with a real
understanding of the longing that comes with unrequited love,
and some powerful revelations about the characters murky
pasts. But its the violent return of some ghosts from Katchoos
past that truly elevates the book and the rest of the series,
IMAGES TERRY MOORE / ABSTRACT
85
which ran for 106 individual issues. What started out as a funny,
sweet homage to Moores cartooning heroes, like Peanuts creator
Charles Schulz, took on an entirely different, more complex,
tragic and resonant tone. Moore was nominated for an Eisner for
Strangers In Paradise and its fair to say that his entire career is
founded on this brilliant, captivating book. WILL SALMON

84 DMZ
IMAGES DC COMICS
PATRIOTISM, THE MEDIA, THE BRUTALISING EFFECT
OF WAR... THE POLITICAL IS INTENSELY PERSONAL
Conceived in the early noughties, not long after stance seem to make him a credible threat to the
9/11 and the invasion of Iraq, and serialised over 72 powers-that-be so much so that Delgado becomes
issues from 2005 to 2012, Brian Woods masterpiece the victim of an assassination attempt.
imagines New York City as the locus of a modern- Mattys decision turns out to be one in a series
day American civil war. Manhattan Island, the of missteps and will have serious ramifications, but
titular Demilitarised Zone, is contested by the US at least for the time being he goes from antihero to
Writer Brian Wood
Government on one hand and a ragtag secessionist hero, a proactive player in his own story. Its a mark
Artist Riccardo
Burchielli militia group on the other. The majority of its of Woods writing skill that he can make someone
Published 20052012 inhabitants have fled but some remain and are as self-centred and inept as Matty likeable, but
Publisher Vertigo caught up in the crossfire, their lives blighted by then DMZ is about compromised individuals doing
deprivation, gun battles and missile attacks. their best (and worst) in a compromised situation.
Into this chaos goes photojournalist Matty Naivet and neutrality are not valid positions to
Roth, who inadvertently becomes the main conduit take in a world where corruption reigns. Thats the
for news between the DMZ and the rest of the lesson Matty must learn.
world. Matty starts out hapless and bewildered, Italian artist Riccardo Burchielli illustrates
desperately struggling to maintain his impartiality almost the entire run in a scribbly, grotesque style
even as he forms a romantic bond with local girl that suits the material perfectly. DMZ is a political
Zee Hernandez, a streetwise medical student whos comic, make no mistake, but it is not a shouty,
become a de facto doctor. Its hard not to take sides, spittle-flecked polemic. Its nuanced, sophisticated,
however, and in Book 6 of the 12 volumes, Blood sometimes gut-wrenchingly dark, and offers a clear-
in the Game, Matty finally comes down off the eyed view of the lengths to which the elites will go
fence and throws in with populist demagogue Parco in order to pursue their aims and the steps ordinary
Delgado, whose charisma and anti-establishment folk must take to resist them. JAMES LOVEGROVE

83 BATMAN: THE
LONG HALLOWEEN
ALL IMAGES DC COMICS
ENJOY THE DARK KNIGHT MOVIES? THIS ABSORBING

WHODUNIT IS THEIR ORIGIN AND INSPIRATION
A deeply engrossing whodunit mystery that a straight manner. And, in spite of its fantastical
befits the Worlds Greatest Detective, The Long roster of villains, the narrative sells itself with
Writer Jeph Loeb Halloween finds Batman near the start of his an inherent plausibility. Loebs dialogue has an
Artist Tim Sale career, as Gothams underworld turns from being authenticity, while character motivations are
Published 1996-1997 run by gangster families to colourful arch villainy. well-defined, truthful and logical. Its a story with
Publisher DC Comics From the talented pair of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, purpose, not just punches (though it has those too).
this is one of the best mystery thrillers the Dark Tim Sales muted palette conjures a timeless
Knight has ever taken part in. and distinctive pulp noir Gotham, where everyday
On a frantic search for a serial killer known human characters jar uncomfortably with the
as Holiday amidst a gang battle for supremacy circus freaks of Arkhams rogues gallery, and the
between mob bosses Maroni and Falcone, Bruce scowling, brooding Bat has rarely looked this
Wayne has his work cut out for him. He allies with decidedly badass. Its both crooked nightmare and
Police Captain Jim Gordon and District Attorney gangster drama, with barely a chink of daylight to
Harvey Dent, and the trio aim to take down be found between the pages dark-hearted soul.
Carmine Falcone with perhaps just a little rule- A notable influence in the creation of
bending. And thats before The Joker, Riddler, Christopher Nolans Dark Knight trilogy, The
Poison Ivy and Catwoman et al are Long Halloweens ideas and plot were
thrown into the mix. Not to mention fashioned into the cinematic template for
the evolution of Two-Face... a whole generations on-screen Batman,
A key feature of The and particularly Two-Face. His physical
Long Halloweens success and psychological scarring in a book this
is its ability to tell a well crafted will make you believe in
complicated story in Harvey Dent. MILES HAMER

IMAGES JOHN WAGNER & ARTHUR RANSON
82
IMAGES BOOM ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
LUMBERJANES
81
BUTTON MAN
Writers Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis,
Shannon Watters
Artist Brooke A. Allen
THE KILLING GAME Writer John Wagner
Published 2014-present Artist Arthur Ranson
Publisher BOOM! Studios Published 1995
Publisher Rebellion
This wonderful comic about friendship
and adventure is the brainchild of Shannon Judge Dredd co-creator John Wagner was
Waters, Grace Ellis and Nimona creator clearly channelling The Most Dangerous
Noelle Stevenson. It follows five friends Game when he came up with this
supernatural escapades at Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul atypically grounded thriller for 2000 AD.
Thistle Crumpets Camp for Hardcore Lady-Types. Camp Ex-SAS hardnut Harry Exton is woken in the middle of the night
inhabitants are affectionately known as Lumberjanes. by a phone call. The voice on the other end of the line tells him
Lumberjanes feels like a comic for a new generation, and fans that someone is coming to kill him and that he must defend
of Adventure Time will definitely get a kick out of it. Its fun, himself with extreme prejudice. Exton does only to find out
fresh and full of a youthful exuberance that keeps you enraptured that he is now part of an international Killing Game, where
with these girls. Its a comic written by women about women wealthy unseen Voices bet on the outcome. He quickly grows
and theyre all fleshed out and really wealthy from his involvement in the game, but when he decides
unique characters, including the to quit, he discovers that it isnt that straightforward...
transgender Jo, who is lovingly Its a simple premise, made memorable by Arthur Ransons
accepted and portrayed in a positive European-flavoured art. His work is lifelike, but doesnt suffer
light. Thats rare in comics and, from the stiffness that can come with photorealist work. The
indeed, the media in general. world of Button Man is one of shadowy country roads and
The stories are so entertaining London Underground stations filled with the lurking threat of
and wacky that its a delight to read. murder. The Killing Game and its two Ranson-drawn sequels
Originally set to be an eight issue (a third saw Frazer Irving take over) looks like the best 70s
series, its been so well received by thriller never made, while its flashes of subdued surrealism bring
fans and critics thats its kept on to mind the movies of Nicholas Winding Refn and David Lynch.
going, and were really glad it did. Start Originally intended for short-lived British anthology Toxic!,
with Volume One, Beware The Kitten Button Man found a home at 2000 AD, where it became one of
Holy, and then invest in the second... the comics most fondly-remembered titles despite not featuring
and the third... SARA WESTROP even a whiff of science fiction. WILL SALMON

NORTHLANDERS BRIAN WOOD AND DC COMICS
79
NORTHLANDERS: THE
80
GILLEN & MCKELVIE
PLAGUE WIDOW Writer Brian Wood

Artist Leandro Fernndez
THE WICKED + THE First published 2010

Publisher DC Vertigo
DIVINE: THE FAUST ACT Writer Kieron Gillen

Brian Woods Northlanders is a comic
about Vikings, but its not all longboats
and horned helmets and Odin-related
Artist Jamie McKelvie oaths. Over the course of its 50-issue run
First published 2014 the story arcs range across time periods
Publisher Image and locations, from the Orkneys to Lindisfarne to Dublin to
Paris to Iceland and beyond, and from the eighth century to the
Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie are thirteenth. A mouth-watering selection of artists illustrate, with
comics It Couple, working together Dave McCaigs subdued, grimy colour palette uniting their work.
on critically acclaimed titles such as Best volume of this varied but never less than excellent
Phonogram and Young Avengers, but it series is The Plague Widow. The action takes place in a large
was with The Wicked + The Divine that settlement on the banks of the Volga which is being ravaged by
they finally hit their creative peak. a lethal disease during a long, freezing winter. As the death toll
The series focuses on 12 gods, reincarnated every century mounts and desperate measures are called for, tensions grow
only to live hard for two years and then die. This generation of within the small citys wooden walls, and an ambitious rabble-
gods are all young pop stars, modelled on the likes of Bowie, rouser, Gunborg, spies his chance to seize power. He doesnt
Prince, Rhianna and more. care who he has to trample over or kill to get it, either, and that
In the first volume, The Faust Act, Lucifer Luci for includes Hilda, the widow of a prominent merchant.
short, and getting the best lines, as always finds herself in Drawn with exquisite fluid delicacy by Argentine artist
prison for a crime she swears she didnt commit. Dedicated Leandro Fernndez, The Plague Widow is a harsh, brutal
fangirl Laura sets about trying to uncover a allegory about mob mentality and oppression by violence,
conspiracy at the heart of the pantheon, making the point that the politics of fear isnt a modern
only to find herself in far too deep. invention; it has always been with us. JAMES LOVEGROVE
Its all seriously good-looking. McKelvies
art is gorgeous, assisted by Matt Wilsons
vivid, sometimes hallucinatory colours.
As always in a Gillen/McKelvie book,
things go from fun to heartbreaking in
the turn of a page, and their attitude to
character mortality is alarmingly cavalier.
This is an intelligent book, buried
deep in a dozen diverse mythologies,
but it has more to say about the
fame game and modern celebrity
culture than it does about gods.
ABIGAIL CHANDLER
DC COMICS
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS

A LANDMARK CROSSOVER EVENT, POSSIBLY LESS
78
SHOCKING NOW BUT STILL A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE
Published to coincide with DCs 50th anniversary and JG Joness Final Crisis, the second of two Crisis
in 1985, Crisis on Infinite Earths was designed to sequels (the first being 2005s Infinite Crisis), both
streamline half a century of convoluted, confusing of which served to reverse many of the original
continuity. And while its devastating consequences series radical developments. And its also true that
have been regularly undone and redone in the the events of Crisis were officially undone in 2015s
decades since, the 12-issue maxi-series (reissued Convergence, which saw various heroes travelling
in a one-volume edition in 1998) remains a classic. back through the years to prevent the collapse of
Marv Wolfmans bold plan to simplify DCs the multiverse from ever happening. However, it
super-hero multiverse, and hence reinvigorate was Crisis that laid down the paradigm of the
its appeal to new readers, led to the destruction of company-wide crossover event that redefined
numerous alternative dimensions and the deaths everything (Marvels first crossover a year before,
of many cherished characters, including Aquagirl, Secret Wars, was devised just to sell spin-off toys),
Mirror Master and the Earth Two Wonder Woman. and the original series has stood the test of time.
Earth One Supergirl Kara Zor-El was killed off so Despite a breakneck pace and numerous allusions
that her cousin Superman was once again the last that will make sense only to very-long-term fans,
survivor of Krypton. Even more controversial was the drama and emotional impact are still palpable.
the demise of the Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen: his Wolfmans script admirably juggles a cast of
Writer Marv Wolfman death, while suitably heroic, left readers genuinely thousands along with 50 years worth of storylines
Artist George Perez shocked. Such ruthlessness, or indeed the death of and subplots, and George Perezs dynamic, hugely
Published 1985-1986 any major character, had been unthinkable at DC. detailed artwork still stands out. He displays a
Publisher DC Comics (The companys past cheerful readiness to embrace remarkable ability to squeeze in seemingly
variations and incorporate inconsistencies had been countless characters yet keep it all intelligible.
a major cause of the mess in the first place.) Crisis is now available in a lavish, oversized
True, Barry Allen eventually made a spectacular Absolute Edition, providing a fitting showcase for
return 23 years later on the eve of Grant Morrison Perezs astonishingly intricate art. STEPHEN JEWELL

WILD
FROM THE
ARCHIVES
THING
MARV WOLFMAN LIT UP THE 70S AND
80S WITH DARK HEROES, ELEGANT
STORYTELLING AND SHOCK MOMENTS,
NOT LEAST THE ORIGINAL FROM-THE-
GROUND-UP REINVENTION OF THE DC
UNIVERSE. HE TALKS WITH DAVID WEST
ack in the 70s, of the forces behind that companys
B irrespective
of the quality
of the
actual comics
concerned, one
stunning revival: his relaunched Teen
Titans became its first mainstream
super-hero hit in an age, then his
Crisis On Infinite Earths shook up
continuity in an unheard-of way
name in a Marvel well, unheard-of since the dawn of
(or occasionally DC) the Silver Age, at least and became
credit box added an extra the model for wave after wave of
frisson of excitement: hey, the similar events ever after.
writers called Wolfman! How Indeed, in over 40 years writing
good is this going to be? and editing comic books, Marv
Not that Marv Wolfmans scripts Wolfman has more than made his
werent thrilling enough in their mark: he created Blade and Bullseye,
own right: he was editor-in-chief at the Black Cat and Deathstroke; Nova
Marvel for a stint, where he wrote was one of his, and Cyborg too.
lengthy runs of Amazing Spider- So much to talk about, then,
Man, Doctor Strange and but when we met up with Marv
Fantastic Four, and (together in London with his web comic
with artist Gene Colan) for Shiftylook.com, based on the
made Tomb Of Dracula one videogame Time Crisis, which he
of the greatest horror-themed worked on with artist JJ Kirby we
titles theres ever been. Later, could barely scratch the surface. He
at DC in the 80s, he was one may be in his 60s, but Marv has a

Many of the characters that
Wolfman created for Titans (Starfire,
Cyborg, Raven) are still heavily
featured in DCs comics and
cartoons, but in 2011 a storm of
controversy sprang up around the
many thought overly sexualised
portrayal of Starfire in Scott
Lobdells New 52 series, Red Hood
And The Outlaws. This all must
have annoyed him, surely?
Ive always made it a practice,
Wolfman says, that once I give
up a book, I never read it again.
Remember, there were two series of
Titans before mine. Bob Haney was
the writer back then, and I didnt
lot of work yet to do and a million its just a big, fun romp. Is it my Above: ask him for his opinion on what I
Wolfman should do... If Im doing a book then
stories to tell... Blade? No, but thats okay.
had a
Why does he think horror does so lengthy run Im going to do it my way. Similarly
CUTTING HIS TEETH well in other mediums, but a few on Fantas- with the guys who come after me:
tic Four,
The US comics industry is dominated notable exceptions aside splutters Ill never read it, so Ill never know
launched
by super-heroes and Marvs done along in the comics? Night if they screw it up or do it better
his fair share but, more unusually, Horrors much more of a mass Force and than me.
created
hes also enjoyed a long and fruitful market concept, the Wolfman such char-
But you must have heard about
association with the world of horror replies. Comic shops are a place acters as the debate raging around the
comics too, from editing Marvels for super-heroes. I dont put them Cyborg, portrayal of Starfire, surely?
intergalac-
black-and-white magazine line to down in the slightest when I say that, tic cop Oh, I know about it because
the mighty Tomb of Dracula in because I write that stuff too, but Nova and every fan in the world felt it was
psycho-
the 70s and Night Force, his 80s comic shops are primarily adventure- their duty to email me! But Ive
pathic killer
supernatural series for DC. And then, oriented. Horror and sci-fi appeal to a Bullseye. never read it, so I dont know
of course, theres Blade, created by different audience. the context.
Wolfman and Colan as a vampire- Wolfmans often done more than In fact, Wolfman knows Scott
hunting enemy for old fang-face in just writing: hes been editor-in-chief Lobdell, and when the two met
ToD, but quickly taking on a life of at Marvel, senior editor at DC and up at a comic convention in 2012
his own, not least through three hit comics editor for Disney Adventures they posed for a photo with Marv
films starring Wesley Snipes. Magazine in his time. But in most pretending to strangle Scott. It was a
I loved the first [Blade] movie, readers eyes its the characters hes gag, but some fans took it seriously.
Wolfman says now. Id have added created that hell surely be best My friend, who took the photo,
just a little more humour, but I remembered for: Blade, sure, but put it on his website, and people
thought they caught the character for a more mainstream audience actually wrote to him saying, Yeah!
perfectly. To me, that was as close the thing that really cemented his Marv should be that angry!
to a perfect Blade movie as anyone place in history was a remarkable But youre not angry?
is ever likely to get, and Wesley fan-favourite run on The New Teen Im not! I completely changed
Snipes was brilliant. That said, Titans, working alongside artist Robin, and I didnt even ask Bob
and considering that Im a big fan George Prez. Kane. I didnt ask any of the Batman
of Guillermo Del Toros anyway,
I thought the second Blade was
probably a better horror film than
the first but it was not nearly as
HORRORS MUCH MORE OF A MASS
good a Blade film. The third film,
they went off on their own. I can MARKET CONCEPT COMIC SHOPS ARE
enjoy it purely as something that
has nothing to do with Blade, but A PLACE FOR SUPER-HEROES
and if they did ever buy a DC comic
it would probably be Superman,
Batman or maybe Wonder Woman,
one of those major characters.
Above: who was Supermans mermaid Because of this I had none of
Wolfman friend from Atlantis, and Aquamans those major characters appear in
people. If I can do it, why cant
penned
someone else? Daredevil Atlantis, which was different. I knew those early issues. I wanted to show
in the 70s they were separate stories; I didnt how powerful the villain was first
and made
THE CONTINUITY KILLER his mark in
think that they needed to connect. off, so I used Earth 3 the Villain
It would be awfully hard to accuse other major Didnt Marvel change the rules, Earth, which had these doppelganger
Marv of being afraid to challenge the Marvel titles though, tightening it right up...? characters and within five pages,
as well,
comics status quo this is the man co-creating
I had no problem when Stan Lee the villain kills the doppelganger
behind DCs universe-changing Crisis Black Cat put all his characters in the same Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman,
On Infinite Earths, remember? in Amazing universe and theyd occasionally Green Lantern, Flash. Immediately
Spider-Man
He explains that the influential and many meet, he says, but they didnt you understand, without having any
series was designed to kill others. usually affect each others stories. of the major characters actually in
continuity to start over, because I When it got to the point where there, that the villain is powerful
hate continuity. Oh, I like continuity you have to read everything to enough to destroy all the most
of character, just not continuity of understand anything, thats when powerful characters DC has in five
story or book, and I dont believe in I started to take issue with things. pages. That sets up a mood that
a continuity of the universe. It quickly became ridiculous and moves through the entire storyline.
But doesnt a lack of continuity self-defeating. Crisis was a big hit with comic
make everything confusing? At the time of Crisis, DC super- readers, but it was not an easy ride
As a kid, I never had problems hero sales were in the doldrums for Marv behind the scenes.
differentiating between Lori Lemaris, and Marvel ruled the roost, so Marv Almost to a man, everybody
very specifically set out to attract at editorial was against the whole
Marvels readers, by giving them series, he says. Fortunately the
something they didnt expect from people who liked the concept were
DC books. Dick Giordano, who was editor-in-
Left: Night There are a lot of little things in chief, and Jenette Kahn, who was the
Force, publisher. It was still a nightmare,
Crisis that nobody was even aware
illustrated
by Gene of except maybe Alan Moore, because everyone fought every step
Colan, because he actually spotted it. I of the way which is why I never
actually
was trying to appeal to the Marvel got the ending I wanted. But then,
debuted in
a special readers who didnt know DC: my halfway through, the writers who
insert in assumption was that at some point did cooperate found the sales on
The New
Teen Titans theyd bought a few DC comics but their books jumped and suddenly
in 82. had decided they didnt like them, everybody else wanted to tie-in too!

Marvs original plan for the post- Above: The dont remember, then we invalidate to come, but no. Unfortunately, the
Crisis DCU was to have all the series New Teen everything that came before. I kept lesson everyone learned from Crisis
Titans was
restart with new #1 issues and clean a big hit in saying, in a very snarky fashion, was that, if you do a mega-crossover,
slates. The heroes would have no the 80s for Our heroes dont buy our comics, its going to sell through the roof.
Wolfman
memory of the pre-Crisis universe. they get them free. The readers will Thats not what I was trying to do.
and George
It didnt happen quite like that... Prez. remember, and all those comics are What I wanted was to rebuild the DC
One of the editors there fought still on the shelves, so theyre not universe so all the new books that
me tooth and nail on it, Marv says, going to forget. came out after it would be fresh and
and kept saying that, if the heroes I warned them, if you have the original and fun.
characters remember, its going to Still, Marv believes that hitting
CRISIS ON create problems down the line and,

of course, it did. In the next couple
of years nobody knew what the
the reset button every few decades
remains the right thing to do with
super-hero comics. You should
INFINITE EARTHS continuity should be. If Id been

allowed to do it, it would all have
really be bringing it fresh for every
generation. Thats what happened
WAS DESIGNED TO begun afresh. with me, personally, by sort-of

accident, because the Silver Age
GENERATION GAP
KILL CONTINUITY, Unfortunately, that wasnt what
the comic industry learned from
started at the point I began reading
comics and I didnt even know
there had been Golden Age versions.
TO START OVER, the success of the miniseries. I

actually thought that, because we
So I believe that every 20 or
25 years you should start everything
BECAUSE I HATE were starting the books over, Crisis

itself would be forgotten. I was not
again. But thats a real reason for
doing it not just because, Oh
CONTINUITY assuming it would be anything other

than the launch point for what was
well, I guess its time to do a
crossover again.

77 MARVEL: 1602
HIGH-CONCEPT WHAT-IF BOOK
THATS SURPRISINGLY FUN
ALL IMAGES MARVEL COMICS
Hardcore Marvel fans will remember your favourite heroes getting

What If a series of one-offs
dedicated to wild hypothetical
Elizabethan-themed make-overs.
Thor looks like a wildling from
INSIDE VIEW
In 2013, Comic Heroes caught
up with Neil Gaiman. He had
concepts, such as What If Wolverine Game Of Thrones, Captain America this to say about 1602...
Was Lord Of The Vampires? or becomes a native American named Its funny, because 1602 kind of baffled
Writer Neil Gaiman What If The Punisher Became Rojhaz, and Daredevils a blind Irish people at the time. On the one hand, they
went, Its not Sandman, but on the other
Artist Andy Kubert Captain America? Marvel: 1602 is minstrel/acrobat. hand, it was the top selling comic in
Published 2003 essentially What If The Marvel Just dont expect to see retooled America for eight months, though it
seemed that nobody noticed. We didnt do
Publisher Marvel Universe Existed In Elizabethan versions of recent characters, such any alternate covers, and Wizard magazine
Times? and its glorious. Originally as Wolverine or Deadpool Gaiman which was still going back then didnt
released over eight issues in 2003, the limits himself to 1960s creations. But really cover it. I thought that it was very
odd that I was writing this thing, which
book sees mystical events causing with Marvel currently frequently was far and away the number one comic
Marvels most iconic heroes to dusting off its branded properties month after month, but nobody seemed
to have picked up on that or, if they had,
originate 400 years before their time, see Civil War II for recent proof we they werent saying anything about it!
interacting with real-life historical wonder how long itll be before they Probably because it was so different from
what everybody else was doing at the
figures, including Elizabeth I and tap up Gaiman to pen 1603, featuring time that there wasnt really anything you
James I of England. current favourites. Until then, we could say about it. You couldnt say that it
started a whole new trend, because it
But forget the history lesson a have this ancient events infused obviously didnt; it was just this thing that
large part of the fun of 1602 is seeing with magic and wonder. SAM ASHURST I was doing.

IMAGES TSUGUMI OHBA & TAKESHI OBATA
76 75
IMAGES DC COMICS
DEATH NOTE KINGDOM COME
Writer Mark Waid
Writer Tsugumi Ohba Artist Alex Ross
Artist Takeshi Obata Published 1996
Published 2003-2006 Publisher DC Elseworlds
Publisher Viz Media
Mark Waid and Alex Ross fully painted
Death Note is a relatively short-run series magnum opus is a Norman Rockwell
by manga standards, at a mere 12 volumes painting with added punching and serious ethical discussion.
rather than the customary umpty-billion. The concept is high: Set in a world where the traditional heroes have retired and the
a notebook which enables you to kill anyone by writing their next generation engage in meaningless, empty fights, it follows
name in it is dropped deliberately into our world by its owner, a Norman McKay, a preacher chosen by the Spectre to help pass
mischievous death god called Ryuk, and found by brilliant high- judgement on the end of the world.
school student Light Yagami, who uses it to dispense justice What follows is an astoundingly beautiful exploration of the
according to his own warped moral perspective. Light comes Silver Age of DC, the worst possible version of what follows it,
into conflict with a profoundly weird private detective known and what it means to be a hero. Waids script is full of Easter eggs
only as L, and their battle of wits and wills forms the core of and love for the field but never loses sight of the characters at its
the storys first half. The second half, perhaps not quite as strong, core. Superman has rarely been better written or more flawed
sees Light becoming even more duplicitous and megalomaniacal. or human than he is here, and hes not alone. Wonder Woman,
Ohbas tale excels in its depiction of the machinations of the Batman and countless others all get moments to shine and
antihero and his nemesis, each tying himself up in knots as he moments of understandable, at times desperately sad, fallibility.
tries to anticipate and counteract the others next move. Obatas For all that, though, this is a fundamentally joyous story and
art is clean and stately but bizarre where it needs to be, not least far more even-handed than it first appears. Kingdom Come is
when portraying Ryuk in all his bug-eyed Goth-monsteriness. ultimately a love letter to super-heroes and one of the very few
Death Note is bold and brain-bending stuff, shot through with stories dealing with the violence of modern heroes that has
a ghoulish, macabre sense of humour. JAMES LOVEGROVE something interesting to say. ALASDAIR STUART

74 73
KAZUO KOIKE & GOSEKI KOJIMA
DANIEL CLOWES
DAVID BORING
LONE WOLF AND CUB Writer Kazuo Koike
Writer Daniel Clowes
Artist Daniel Clowes
Published 2000
Artist Goseki Kojima Publisher Pantheon
Published 1970-
Publisher First Comics / Dark Horse Lets get the obvious out of the way first:
David Boring is definitely not boring! A fantastical three-act tale
28 volumes, a sequel series, a reimagining about the protagonists hunt for his ideal woman, Clowes pre-
set in the future, countless TV shows and millennium work is steeped in the paranoia of the time, with
half a dozen movies. Kazuo Koike and end-of-the-word fears offsetting the relative mundanities of
Goseki Kojimas epic story of blood soaked one mans search for love. Sex and death are front and centre
historical vengeance and parental love throughout, as is family and, perhaps more subtly, Freud.
continues to cast a colossal shadow 46 years after it began. Like Clowes most famous work, Ghost World, David Boring
Its the story of Ogami Itt, Shoguns Executioner. The warrior would make a great movie or perhaps an ongoing HBO series.
responsible for assisting those committing sepuku if the pain The irony is that, for a comic so far removed from the norm of
becomes too much, hes an incredible swordsman and holds a comic books, David Boring has Silver Age comics at its very
position of near total power. The first makes him dangerous, the core. The Yellow Streak & Friends annual brightening the books
second makes him and his family a target. black-and-white panels with occasional four-colour, old-style
Itt finds this out to his cost when he returns home to find his super-hero pulp is key to understanding this complex storyline
entire household brutally murdered. The only survivor is his new or at least thats what Clowes would have us believe. Ultimately
born son Daigor. In one of the most powerful scenes in comics, the its as meaningless as life itself: there is no grand plan; as human
boy is given a choice; a ball or a sword. If he crawls towards the beings our raison detre is
ball, his father will kill him. If he crawls towards the sword, he merely survival.
joins his father on a quest for vengeance. He chooses the sword. But survival alone,
What follows is a combination of historical epic, family saga of course, cannot sustain
and brutal action. Kojimas style is clenched with dynamic us as human beings as
tension, a killing stroke never more than a panel away. Its the David, with his hunt
perfect expression of Koikes script and Itt himself. All three are for his perfect woman,
enraged, all three are desperate and all three are torn between the recognises. We also need
needs of the tiny baby at the centre of the story and the need for love, sex, friendship
vengeance. ALASDAIR STUART and comics! ROB LANE

72 MIRACLEMAN: OLYMPUS
A HYPNOTIC, HARROWING EXPLORATION OF THE
INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCES OF GODLIKE POWER
In the first all-new arc to be published following Meanwhile, the bitter rivalry between
Miraclemans move to Eclipse Comics in 1985, Miracleman and his errant erstwhile sidekick
Alan Moore utilised the more expansive format of Johnny Bates alias Kid Miracleman finally
American comics to weave what still stands out as comes to a devastating head. Moore unflinchingly
one of the most revolutionary super-hero stories explores what would be the inevitable, bloody
that has ever been published. Taking Miracleman outcome of a conflict between two such super-
Writer Alan Moore
n Marvelman far beyond its 1950s origins as powered beings, with harrowing scenes of
Artist John Totleben
a Captain Marvel imitation, Moore built on the destruction as vast swathes of London are laid
Published 1987-89
revisionist approach that he had already taken in waste and the majority of the citys population
Publisher Marvel
reviving the character in British anthology Warrior. written off as collateral damage.
Heavily alluding to Greek Following less successful runs by
mythology, Olympus depicts the Chuck Austen and then Rick Veitch,
Zeus-like Miracleman and his equally the art is by one-time Swamp Thing
powerful companions (including inker John Totleben, whose ornate,
Miraclewoman) as unknowable godlike painstakingly detailed art adds a real
beings presiding over a futuristic sense of pathos to the carnage.
utopian society. Tellingly, Liz Moran Its a pity that Moore chose to
splits from the being who was once her remove his name from the credits,
husband Mick Moran, despite having instead being billed as The Original
stuck by him since his spectacular Writer: his run on Miracleman and
transformation when he muttered the Olympus in particular is a hugely
fateful trigger word Kimota during impressive work and almost the
a siege at a nuclear base. equal of Watchmen. STEPHEN JEWELL

71 100 BULLETS
PERSONAL REVENGE AND CONSPIRACY
IMAGES BRIAN AZZARELLO / DC COMICS
MIX IN AN INTRIGUING NOIR THRILLER

One hundred bullets, one hundred issues, and is a dish not best served
one damn good reason to read it: its absolutely cold, but rather with a side-
brilliant. Pulpish, noirish, violent and brutal, 100 order of a white-hot hail of
Bullets would be a masterclass in crime fiction righteous ordnance.
in any medium. Its so unbearably, heart-achingly Argentinian artist Eduardo
stylish, you could dress it up in an Armani suit Rissos incredible linework
Writer Brian Azzarello
and send it down the catwalk at Paris. gives 100 Bullets that smoky,
Artist Eduardo Risso
Debuting in 1999, 100 Bullets did exactly what down-at-heel, shadowy
Published 1999-2009
it said on the tin. Each issue, the mysterious Agent mystery that Azzarellos story begs for, an alliance
Graves would rock up to an unwitting stranger, of words and pictures that makes you feel 100
present them with a gun and the titular hundred Bullets is the greatest film noir you never saw on
slugs, and give them a targets name. What they did screen. And Azzarellos dialogue is both pin-sharp
next was up to them. But Agent Graves picked his and fogged with agreeable obtuseness, a melange
would-be assassins, and his targets, very carefully. of regional dialects that leap off the page and
Each person he approaches has been wronged in metaphysical philosophising that suggests heres
some terrible way, and the name they are given a writer who should be tapped up for True
is the architect of their despair. Detective Season Three.
What could so easily have become a quickly Of course, theres an overarching conspiracy,
tiresome offing of the month was kept fresh, one that spans the globe, gives a satisfying reason
vibrant and shocking at Azzarellos hands as he for Gravess murderous mission, and is neatly
skilfully delved into the backstories of both wrapped up by the end. If there are eight million
victims and oppressors. Some people declined stories in the naked city, heres an even hundred
Gravess offer; most didnt, proving that revenge to keep you going... DAVID BARNETT

KICK-ASS
Writer Mark Millar
Artist John Romita Jr
Published 2008-
Publisher Icon (Marvel Comics)
Dave Lizewski wants to be a hero. So he buys

a wetsuit, turns it into a costume, goes out on
patrol, and... is immediately beaten so badly
that hes hospitalised.
Dusting himself off, and after a lot of physical rehab, Dave
tries again. Street-level superheroes are rising up to oppose the
citys villains, and Kick-Ass is on the front lines.
Where the movie is endearingly goofy, the original graphic
novel hits hard, hits below the belt and doesnt stop once its
opponents go down. The movie is brutal but good-hearted. The
graphic novel is just plain brutal. That will no doubt disappoint
IMAGES MARK MILLAR & JOHN S. ROMITA
some, but theres a lot to enjoy here. The comic version of Big
Daddy is especially good, and the common ground that he and
70
Dave share works far better than in the movie. Hit-Girl is both
a terrifying and an awesome creation.
Romitas brawny art, with Tom Palmers inks and Dean
Whites colours, is a perfect fit for some of Mark Millars best
and most bloody-knuckled work. If youve never met him before,
go say hi to Dave. ALASDAIR STUART
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET

Writer Jim Starlin
Artists George Perez, Ron Lim
Published 1991
Publisher Marvel Comics
The Infinity Gauntlet imagines the Marvel

Universe as the ultimate disaster movie
blockbuster, as Thanos is revived by the
embodiment of Death to even the score
between the numbers of the living and the dead.
Only thing is, Thanos has a little crush on Death, so rather
that simply do her bidding and buy her a box of chocolates when
the deal is done, the Mad Titan sets out to eliminate life in half
the universe in order to impress her. Quite the romantic gesture.
With the stakes possibly the highest theyve ever been, what
keeps the story anchored is Thanos himself, with Starlin turning
him into an alluring, swaggering colossus. Now omnipotent, the
normally sour super-villain can finally have a laugh in between
69
all his Shakespearean monologues, his deranged enjoyment
keeping everything ticking.

That George Perez and Ron Lim bring their A-game to the
pencil work only helps. This is widescreen comic books before
they were such a thing, with panels possessing an irresistible
sense of forward movement. CARL ANKA

IMAGES MILKFED CRIMINAL MASTERMINDS, INC.
68 67
IMAGES DAVE McKEAN
CAGES
Writer Dave McKean
Artist Dave McKean
Published 1990
BITCH PLANET
Writer Kelly Sue DeConnick
Publisher Tundra/Kitchen Sink Artist Valentine De Landro
Published 2014-
Dave McKeans first published comics Publisher Image
work was his 1987 collaboration with
Neil Gaiman, Violent Cases, and in the years after this his Captain Marvels Kelly Sue DeConnick and
highly original style became almost inseparable from Gaiman X-Factor artist Valentine De Landro have
as McKean provided the covers for each and every issue of struck gold with this superb ongoing series for Image. One of the
Sandman. But in 1990 McKean flew solo with Cages, a ten-issue best books currently on the stands, its also very different from
graphic novel initially published by Teenage Mutant Ninja the titles the pair were previously best known for.
Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastmans Tundra publishing house. Set on a futuristic Auxiliary Compliance Outpost in space,
When Tundra closed down, seven issues into Cages, Kitchen it focuses on a cast of all-female prisoners fighting to survive in
Sink picked up the remaining three, and the whole thing has extreme circumstances. Its a future dominated by the patriarchy,
been collected in a single volume four separate times. where women (including, notably, many women of colour) are
Temporarily eschewing the combination of photos and routinely demeaned, abused and imprisoned for innocuous
painted montages which made his name, McKean rendered crimes such as disappointing their husbands. Its an extreme,
Cages in a bleached-out line-drawing style, and proved that his but pointed, extrapolation of the worst aspects of our own
storytelling powers were as good as his amazing artistic abilities. present, and it practically boils over with righteous fury.
The story follows a struggling artist and focuses on different That said, its also witty and exciting. A reimagining of the
characters in his apartment women in prison movie sub-genre, its a pulpy thrill-ride that,
block: the musician with an first and foremost, aims to entertain and succeeds in style.
almost supernatural handle Alongside the likes of Saga and Sex Criminals, Bitch Planet
on his craft; the Salman is one of the ongoing titles that has marked Image out as the
Rushdie-esque author forced home of the boldest and most interesting comics at the moment.
into hiding because of the The first volume,
inflammatory novel he has Extraordinary
written; the woman with Machine, collects the
whom Rear Window-style initial six instalments
the artist becomes mildly of a planned 30-issue
obsessed. Its dark and run, and we seriously
sometimes bleak but utterly advise you to hop
compelling and confirms on this surprising,
McKean as a master of the frightening comic right
graphic novel. DAVID BARNETT away. WILL SALMON

66
JUDGE DREDD: AMERICA
NOT THE MOST HIGH-PROFILE DREDD SAGA AND NOT
QUITE TYPICAL, BUT A MOVING INTRODUCTION
IMAGES REBELLION
Whenever the good droids at 2000 AD are asked fascist. Although he displays a glimmer of
what makes a good starting point for Judge Dredd sympathy for the protestors (something that the
(a series, lets not forget, that has been running for series continues to explore intriguingly), he is
nearly 40 years now), they pick America. It was unswervingly loyal to the law and that puts the
the first story published in 2000 ADs spin-off title, books protagonists squarely in his firing line.
Writer John Wagner
the Judge Dredd Megazine, and has been collected MacNeils beautiful, fully-painted work here
Artist Colin MacNeil
many times most recently as the first volume is colourful, but haunted with long shadows and
Published 1990
in the hardback Mega Collection series. Ironically, blood stains. A couple of decent sequels followed
Publisher Rebellion
it doesnt actually feature the big-chinned Judge (usually collected in the same volume), but without
himself that much... Instead, this is the story of MacNeil they dont quite reach the same heights
Bennett Beeny and his childhood friend, America though they do develop the dangling threads in
Jara. Beeny tries and fails to woo an uninterested intriguing ways.
America, but they grow up together as firm friends Is this the best ever Judge Dredd story? Perhaps
until she becomes a although it is atypical, with less of the weird
campaigner for democracy humour the series is known for. And with such
in the totalitarian Mega-City a rich history of great stories and characters, its
One a decision that makes impossible to pick an all-time best. But America is
her an enemy of Dredd and certainly among the most affecting and politically
the rest of the Judges... engaged, and its known to be Dredd co-creator
By turns romantic and John Wagners own personal favourite. While Dredd
tragic, America is the series himself may be sidelined, it works as an excellent
at its most hard-hitting. introduction to his frightening world. WILL SALMON
Compared to the enemies he
faces, Dredd often seems like
a sympathetic character, but
DREDD AT ITS MOST
it should never be forgotten
that he is an unrepentant HARD-HITTING
65 SUPERMAN FOR
ALL SEASONS
ALL IMAGES DC COMICS 2016.
SEEING SUPES AS OTHERS SEE HIM,

THE INSPIRATION FOR SMALLVILLE
Jeph Loebs nostalgia-swaddled exploration of inspirational hero to, and protector of, mankind.
the man behind the Super is a gently refreshing Recalling past incarnations, and with an
Writer Jeph Loeb reinvigoration of Smallvilles favourite export. exaggerated beefiness, Superman has rarely
Artists Tim Sale with A character piece told across four seasons, looked as powerful as he is awkward, contrasting
Bjarne Hansen
Clark Kents journey from farm boy to day-saving effectively with the scrawny frailty of his parents
Published 1998
super-hero is recounted by those whose lives his or the ugly brutishness of Lex Luthor. With Tim
Publisher DC Comics
mere existence has affected deeply: Pa Kent, Lois Sales Norman Rockwell inspired artwork and
Lane, Lex Luthor, and Lana Lang. Originally told in Bjarne Hansens elegant watercolours adding a
four separate issues, one per season, it presents the touch of understated class, the book boasts a
Man of Steel from very distinct viewpoints: as son, sumptuous, luxurious quality to every page.
saviour, adversary, and sweetheart. In 1998, keeping up with the comics knotted
A story thats light on action but strong on continuity entanglements following the characters
introspection, it starts, naturally enough, in the death wasnt easy. Even his wider pop culture
apple-pie Americana of Smallville. A rural idyll of reputation was in disarray the movie series had
wicker fences, freshly ploughed fields and humble crashed with the dismal Quest for Peace, the Tim
folks, its rendered beautifully as the perfect Burton reboot failed to happen, and the Lois &
unassuming homestead. Through Jonathan Kents Clark TV series had been unceremoniously canned.
fatherly narration, were invited to see Clarks Superman For All Seasons washes away that
formative years as not only a son but school distaste with a palate-cleansing affirmation of the
friend, townsperson, and yes, alien. We are Man of Steels legacy. While nods throughout
reminded throughout that Clark is the perennial acknowledge the series heritage, its the humane
outsider, and despite the pangs of self-doubt, his charm which sells Loeb and Sales origin story as
isolation is what drives his desire to be the uniquely super. MILES HAMER

FABLES
Writer Bill Willingham
Artist Mark Buckingham
Published 2002-2015
Fables takes place in a universe where

every fairy tale is real, from Little Red
Riding Hood to Aladdin. They all happened
to real beings on different worlds throughout
a multiverse known as the Homelands. But when a big bad
known as The Adversary waged war on the Homelands, the
survivors were forced to flee to a world without magic: our own.
A sprawling epic that ran to 150 issues before wrapping up
last year, Fables was Vertigos best kept secret. It wasnt a
household name like Sandman, but it had a cult following that
kept the book at the top of the charts, thanks to Willinghams
smart, engaging scripts and some wonderful pencils from various
artists chief among them Mark Buckingham, whose elegant
64
BILL WILLINGHAM / DC COMICS
work grounds these fantastical beings in a tangible reality. With

complex characterisation and flawed, interesting characters
(particularly Bigby Wolf, a down-at-heel Big Bad Wolf turned
sheriff of Fabletown), it was a series that kept you on your toes
as to who exactly you should be rooting for and one that bagged
an astonishing 14 Eisner Awards over its lifetime. WILL SALMON
PLANETARY
Writer Warren Ellis
Artist John Cassaday
Published 1999-2009
Publisher DC Comics
Many consider Planetary to be Warren Elliss

masterpiece, and its easy to see why. It also
shows off the considerable talents and varying
styles of John Cassaday, even in his early work.
The narrative centres on new recruit Elijah Snow, who joins
the mysterious and independently funded Planetary organisation
on a mission to discover the worlds secret history. These self-
styled Archaeologists Of The Impossible comprise three super-
powered agents: Jakita Wagner, The Drummer, and Snow, who
replaced the late, but still influential, Ambrose Chase.
A post-modern, alternative take on superheroes with a dash
of League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen style intertextuality
thrown in for good measure Planetary starts out as a series of
63
lovely one-shot tales, then evolves into something that is
ultimately a great deal more than the sum of its parts. Ellis has
fun with his sandbox of alternative takes on Thor, Superman,
Green Lantern, Hulk, Wonder Woman, James Bond, Doc Savage
DC COMICS
and the Fantastic Four but this is also a serious, exciting book
that blurs genre lines with considerable style. ROB LANE

DOTTER OF HER
FATHERS EYES Writer Mary M Talbot
Artist Bryan Talbot
Published 2012
Publisher Jonathan Cape
Academic Dr Mary Talbots first graphic

novel tells the story of her childhood in
1950s Wigan in parallel to that of James
Joyces daughter Lucia in the early 20th
century. Marys father, also called James, was a renowned Joycean
scholar but a difficult man, whose fiery tempers caused frictions
during Marys childhood, in counterpoint to Lucia Joyce, whose
own father was a gentle man partnered to a fiery woman.
A triumph in sequential storytelling with no framed panels,
Dotter is beautifully illustrated, mainly in ink wash with some
pencil marks joyfully still in evidence. The 50s are represented
IMAGES MARY M TALBOT & BRYAN
62
by a sepia wash, the early 20th century in blue/black, and Marys
teenage and adult years in full colour. Typewriter font text to
echo the constant tap, tap, tap of Marys father as he works on his
Joyce thesis sits comfortably alongside subtle speech bubbles,
giving this graphic novel a deserved scholarly authority that in
no way detracts from its enjoyment. ROB LANE
BATMAN: HUSH
Writer Jeph Loeb
Artist Jim Lee
Published 2002-2003
Publisher DC Comics
Running for a year across Batman issues 608-

619, Hush felt, at the time, like a massive
change of pace. The length of the story, its
scope, and the sheer magnitude of the talent behind it made it
one of the first true event series of the 2000s. Written by Jeph
Loeb, pencilled by Jim Lee, inked by Scott Williams and coloured
by Alex Sinclair, it was and remains an impressive piece of work.
The story is a puzzle box that unfolds slowly and takes in
an old friend from Batmans past, the history of his parents, his
entire rogues gallery, and Superman.
Some of the later beats feel a little creaky these days, but
the sheer scope of it is such that they never really damage the
story. The art is top-notch, and the characterisation and depth
61
first-rate. Everyone gets their moment and previously overlooked
characters, like Batmans mechanic, are used in fun ways. The
IMAGES DC COMICS
story gets positively operatic towards the end but Lees muscular
pencils and Williams and Sinclairs inks and colours ensure that
Gotham has never looked so good. Very much the blueprint for
the 21st century run of Bat titles. ALASDAIR STUART

60 ASTONISHING
X-MEN
THE FAN-FAVOURITE WRITERS
TAKE ON THE MUTANT TEAM
When Joss Whedon undertook an X-Men run, reading it right through from the beginning.
MARVEL
fans braced for something special. Hed cited the The X-Men have always been about unity and
X-Men as a massive influence on his work, notably acceptance, but Whedon focused more on their
Writer Joss Whedon Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and unsurprisingly his friendship dynamics and their less-than-perfect
Artist John Cassaday run is one of the best in the teams history. pasts. They might be mutants, but Whedon makes
Published 2004-2008 He immediately put his stamp on the series, them achingly human. Whether thats by looking
Publisher Marvel introducing new characters who have all become at the past mistakes of Charles Xavier or, in one
Comics
staples of the X-Men and wider Marvel universes. particularly memorable sequence, giving Wolverine
The dialogue is fast and witty, and Whedon nails the mind of a six-year-old, Whedon undercuts their
the voices and motivations of the characters better squeaky-clean heroism at every opportunity.
than perhaps anyone since Claremont. In his hands Nothing is black-and-white in Whedons
Kitty Pryde became the powerful character she still X-Men. The mutant cure is a source of great moral
is today and Colossus made a long-awaited return. conflict, one that resonates particularly with Beast,
In Gifted, his first story arc, a scientist is and the romantic relationships are all messy and
developing a mutant cure, but the X-Men are flawed, even when the couple are deeply in love.
deeply suspicious of it. And if that story sounds This is a stripped-back X-Men, with many
familiar, its because it was butchered a few years popular characters simply not appearing at all
later in Brett Ratners X-Men: The Last Stand. (dont hold your breath for the likes of Storm,
John Cassaday was the ideal choice of artist, Rogue or Gambit). And perhaps Cyclops and
capable of bringing humour, emotion and action Colossus are not known for being particularly
to vivid life on the page. The famously verbose fun to read. But in Whedons hands, theyre as
Whedon even stripped back his own dialogue in good as theyve ever been.
places because Cassadays art conveyed the Whedons X-Men are scared and determined
message clearly enough. and breakable. They make mistakes and try to
Whedons run tells a complete and satisfying fix them, they sacrifice themselves when they
story, all connected by the warrior alien Ord, who have to, and they remain fiercely loyal even
is convinced that one day an X-Man will destroy Emma Frost. Whedon knows that bravery is far
his planet. The story pays off in spectacular style in more interesting when its a struggle, and, boy,
the final volume, but wed strongly recommended do his X-Men struggle. ABIGAIL CHANDLER

THE LEAGUE
59 OF EXTRAORDINARY
GENTLEMEN
A STEAMPUNK ROMP, IN WHICH ALAN MOORE DOES
IMAGES ALAN MOORE & KEVIN ONEILL
HIS REVISIONIST THING WITH VICTORIAN CULTURE

If youve seen the film adaptation, pretend you desperate last-ditch heroism to Moores characters,
havent. Block it entirely from your mind. Instead, though, with most of them (especially Mina and
picture a steampunk world where characters from Quatermain) eager to atone for their crimes.
Victorian literature are recruited to fight a great ONeills art resembles detailed Victorian
evil. Picture the whole thing covered in a layer of illustrations, and he throws in an overwhelming
grime, where the heroes are monsters and where amount of background detail, from portraits of
Writer Alan Moore even the best-read reader wont be able to place all Leagues from previous generations to unnamed
Artist Kevin ONeill the clever literary cameos and references. cameos including a grown-up Artful Dodger. Many
Published 1999- In the first volume of the series, the recently- of his background characters were even designed
Publisher Americas divorced Mina Murray (her married name Harker to resemble ancestors of Eastenders characters,
Best Comics/Top
might be more familiar to readers and movie fans...) ensuring that the series is set completely in a
Shelf/Knockabout
is approached by MI5 to recruit a team to act as a world of fiction, both past and present.
force against threats to the British Empire. It boggles the mind that every single character
She soon recruits Allan Quatermain, Captain in the series comes from fiction, or is a descendent
Nemo, Dr Jekyll (and Mr Hyde, of course) and or ancestor of a fictional character (the teams MI5
Hawley Griffin the Invisible Man from a variety handler, Campion Bond, is clearly a grandfather of
of sleazy and murderous backgrounds. And if James...). Moore appears to have read every single
youre imagining Mina to be some sort of sexy book written in the latter half of the 1800s or
vampire lady, then dont. Here shes the calm and possibly every single book ever. You could spend
collected leader of the team, with no vampiric days picking apart the references and still not find
qualities besides a horribly scarred neck and a them all. And thats before you get to the
strangely long lifespan. background material included.
The characters may be from So yes, its smart but it doesnt matter if
famous fiction but Moore feels youre not a literature buff. All the references that
no obligation to portray them in a are key to the plot are embedded deeply enough in
flattering light: Quatermain is a past- pop culture that you cant miss them. The book is
his-prime opium addict, Hyde is never too clever for its own good: its a rollicking
shockingly violent, Griffin starts off entirely good penny dreadful first, and a treasure trove of
irredeemable and then gets worse. Theres a literary references second. ABIGAIL CHANDLER
58
IMAGES DC COMICS
SUPERMAN: WHATEVER
HAPPENED TO THE MAN
57
OF TOMORROW? Writer Alan Moore
Artist Curt Swan
Published 1986
Publisher DC Comics MS. MARVEL Writer G. Willow Wilson
Released in the wake of Crisis on Infinite Artist Adrian Alphona
Earths wholesale overhaul of the DC Published 2014-
Universe, Alan Moores affectionate Publisher Marvel
swansong for the Silver Age Superman is
one of Big Blues most memorable stories. Kamala Khan is a welcome breath of fresh
Originally told in Superman #423 and Action Comics #523, the air. A Muslim teenager from Jersey City,
final issues of both titles before the character was rebooted in she goes from being a super-hero fangirl to a
John Byrnes Man Of Steel mini-series, the two-parter celebrated shapeshifting Inhuman thanks to a dose of
all that was weird and wonderful about the Last Son of Krypton. Terrigen mist.
Given a free hand in this Imaginary Tale the tag DC used Ms. Marvel explores how she juggles her superhero persona
in the Silver Age for stories that departed from canon in some with her real-life responsibilities and how she fits in with her
way Moore brings his devastating logic to bear on the entire very traditional family. Were used to super-heroes struggling to
Superman mythos and reveals the true natures of foes such as make their real lives work alongside their duties as a hero, but
Brainiac, Toyman, Mxyzptlk and Bizarro, all far darker here than its done with a lot of humour here, and Kamalas religion is
ever before. There are deaths along the way, an awful lot of them, shown as a positive aspect in her life. Being the first Muslim
but all meaningful and genuinely touching (including Bizarros), character to headline her own Marvel book, Kamala does
and the bittersweet twist ending remains one of Moores finest encounter racism, and the series explores that unflinchingly.
moments. The art too is a triumphant Swansong by Supermans G. Willow Wilson writes with warmth and wit. The whole
signature Silver Age penciller Curt Swan at his peak, shamefully comic is full of youthful exuberance, which Adrian Alphonas
forced into abrupt retirement by DCs ruthless insistence that art captures beautifully. Kamalas costume has its roots in her
the reboot required a more fashionable look. An instant classic faith but still has a young and fun vibe to it as the legions of
thats deservedly never gone out of print. STEPHEN JEWELL enthusiastic Ms. Marvel cosplayers prove. SARA WESTROP

UNCANNY X MEN:
DAYS OF FUTURE PAST Writers Chris Claremont, John Byrne
Artist John Byrne
First published 1981
Publisher Marvel
Days of Future Past is a fitting climax to the

phenomenal creative team of X-Men writer
Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne. The
plot will be familiar to anyone whos seen the
beloved 90s cartoon or the recent movie. A mutant is sent back
in time from a dystopian future to prevent an assassination that
will set off a mass culling. But what makes this story sing is the
characterisation. Claremont understood that the X-Men, at heart,
is a colourful soap opera, its best stories featuring tales of family
drama and romantic intrigue among all the crash bang wallop.
So here, Claremont and Byrne present us with all of the great
56
mutant relationships, and in a spectacular narrative flourish they
do it with the introduction of a favourite character, Kitty Pryde.
The art too, is timeless, a vibrant cartoony style that lends
itself well to both action and pathos. Days of Future Past is a
MARVEL
blueprint for how the greatest super-hero stories are always

rooted in family, loss and eventually reconciliation. CARL ANKA
ASTERIOS POLYP
Writer David Mazzucchelli
Artist Asterios Polyp
First published 2009
Publisher Pantheon Books
Asterios Polyp is a self-important paper

architect whos never had any of his lauded
designs built. His life story is narrated by his
twin brother, Ignazio, who died at birth. Asterios has always been
haunted by this death, which could so easily have been his, and
by the idea that he might have been his twins murderer.
David Mazzucchelli unfolds his tale through flashbacks
to the architects family roots, his dying father and his romance
with a sculptress, Hana and through present-day scenes of him
rebuilding his ego by working as a small-town auto mechanic,
a world away from his former elite milieu. The whole is framed
by acts of God, from the opening lightning bolt that destroys
Asterioss apartment to a potentially equally dramatic finale.
55
An innovative formalist, Mazzucchelli assigns each of the
principal characters a personal visual style, balloon shape and
DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI
dialogue typeface. As Asterios and Hana fall in love, they take on

each others visual register, their combined style spreading to
everything around them. Throughout, Mazzucchelli masterfully
demonstrates the mediums allusive possibilities. PAUL GRAVETT

ALL IMAGES BRYAN TALBOT / JONATHAN CAPE
GRANDVILLE
54 A STEAMPUNK FUNNY-ANIMAL THRILLER BY ONE OF
THE TRUE GRANDMASTERS OF THE GRAPHIC NOVEL
Any book that cites both Rupert the Bear and
Quentin Tarantino among its influences is off to
a good start. When that book is written and drawn
by one of the greatest comic creators of the last two
Talbots clean lines, precision design work and
absolute understanding of expression and character
mean that every page of the book is beautiful.
Playful and witty, then dark and brutal by turns,
centuries, it becomes essential... the script grips you from the start and never lets go,
Bryan Talbots entire body of work is a must-read with pointed references to our (real) world
for fans and fellow creators alike, but Grandville throughout. A brilliantly realised story on every
is arguably his most accessible work. It centres on level. Buy the original, read it and then get the (so
Inspector Archie LeBrock, a Scotland Yard detective far) three sequels. ALASDAIR STUART
(oh, and anthropomorphic badger), whose latest
case takes him to the streets of Grandville, this
Writer Bryan Talbot

universes version of belle epoque Paris. In this
reality, Britain lost the Napoleonic wars and
PLAYFUL THEN
Artist Bryan Talbot
Published 2009-
returned to independence just a few decades before
the story begins. Relationships between the two DARK, THE TALE GRIPS
Publisher Jonathan
Cape
countries crackle with tension, and LeBrock soon
finds himself a pawn in a dangerous political game. FROM THE START
53 SAGA
IMAGES BRIAN K VAUGHAN & FIONA STAPLES
A HIT SPACE OPERA ABOUT PARENTHOOD, WITH AN

ALMOST UNIQUELY PERSONAL VOICE AND VISION
Saga knows how to grab your attention. Even came in for the most praise. Her painted and self-
before the first issue was released some people coloured art is lush and expressive, her characters
wanted to ban it because it featured a breast- are distinctive, their expressions are emotionally
feeding woman on the front cover. Since then, powerful, yet she can also draw crazy sci-fi beasties
issues have been banned by ComiXology for with the best of them. Saga marked the arrival of
graphic imagery, favourite characters have been an immense new talent on the comics scene.
Writer Brian K
killed off, and readers are always having the rug Saga is one of the boldest sci-fi/fantasy comics
Vaughan
pulled out from under them. out there, populated with outlandish characters
Artist Fiona Staples
But despite all this, Saga is never sensationalist. (hello, Lying Cat) and a complicated backstory of
Published 2012-
Its a Romeo-and-Juliet saga about a couple from war, delicate political alliances and racism. But
Publisher Image
opposing sides of an alien war falling in love, what really makes it such a great book is the
having a child and trying to keep her safe in a character drama. You might not be able to relate to
world where all sides want her dead. The deaths an intergalactic war, but Saga finds other ways to
of characters are so shocking because of how speak to its audience. The story of Marko, Alana
much the book makes you care about them. and their daughter Hazel has a universality to
And the sex is graphic because, well, when it that moves parents to tears, while anyone
is real sex ever coy? whos had a bad break-up can sympathise
Writer Brian K Vaughan already with bounty hunter The Wills struggle to get
had a fan following from his previous over his strangely beguiling spider-lady ex.
work on Y: The Last Man and Best of all, Volume One is just the
Runaways, so at the start it was beginning, and the series quality
Fiona Staples, the almost- has yet to dip, some 36 issues
unknown artist of Saga, who in. ABIGAIL CHANDLER

To date, the
Star Wars saga has only
picked up one Oscar
nod for acting. Name
the nominated thesp!
SMARTERMOVIEMAG
51
MATT FRACTION & CHIP ZDARSKY
52
GUY DELISLE
PYONGYANG Writer Guy Delisle
SEX CRIMINALS Artist Guy Delisle

Published 2004
Publisher Drawn And Quarterly
Writer Matt Fraction
Artist Chip Zdarsky This graphic travelogue was the result
Published 2015- of French-Canadian Guy Delisles posting
Publisher Image Comics in early 2001 for two months to North
Koreas little-understood capital as
Dont let the provocative name put you supervisor on a floundering childrens
off... While Sex Criminals is undeniably animation production. Though rarely able to evade his minders,
x-rated, its also one of the most powerful Delisle unearthed more than they intended through his keen
and humane comics around at the moment. observations of the bizarre, sometimes chilling aspects of the
While its currently in its third arc, the first Communist regimes ceaseless manipulation of its people.
two books have been collected into one gorgeous hardback titled Delisle draws himself and the North Koreans he encounters
Big Hard Sex Criminals. Because of course. with conscious simplicity, almost as caricatural ciphers, in
Suzie has a gift: whenever she orgasms, time stops and contrast to the dominating and meticulously detailed
thats not a metaphor. She meets Jon, who has a similar ability, architecture and state monuments. He does not disguise his
and the two decide to hook up and rob banks in order to save privileges and prejudices, portraying himself as a largely spoilt
Suzies library. Things soon escalate, however, and they find and harshly judgmental Westerner. Yet it remains hard for
themselves on the run from the self-styled Sex Police... anyone to comprehend how omnipresent the countrys beloved
Packed with sight gags thanks to Zdarskys precise, hilarious leader has become. On a rare trip into the country, Delisle finds
art and with a script that practically vibrates with filthy jokes, Kim Il-Sungs carved name and pronouncements scarring an
its a funny book in the truest sense. But its the compassionate entire mountainside, and one disturbing
handling of mental health issues and the wonderful characters result of his policies is the complete
that make it such a powerful read. As in real life, everyone in Sex absence of disabled people.
Criminals is struggling to understand themselves and get by in Consistently confounded and kept
a tough world, but the book conjures a real sense that were all off-balance, Delisle struggles to penetrate
in this together. Its this the all-pervasive propaganda. Only a very
emotional core that has occasional crack is detected, as overall the
connected with its large smiling mask stays sinisterly intact. His
and devoted audience. subsequent stays in Shenzhen, Burma
That and all the dick and Jerusalem resulted in further candid
gags, natch. WILL SALMON autobiographical journals. PAUL GRAVETT

Take the smart
movie quiz...
www.gamesradar.com/new-totalfilm-quiz
SMARTERMOVIEMAG
50
300
FRANK MILLER, INC.
A GRAND, THEATRICAL CELEBRATION OF HEROISM

AND MASCULINITY FROM A MASTER STYLIST
Writer Frank Miller
Artist Frank Miller In the 80s, Frank Miller brought operatic themes tasked with seeing off waves of Persian warriors
Published 1998 to the Batman universe with his peerless Dark intent on invading Greece. Despite facing multiple
Publisher Dark Horse Knight Returns. In the 90s, he brought those thousands of soldiers, Leonidas band hold for three
grand theatrical influences to real-world history, days, before a Spartan betrayal sparks a final battle
transforming the Battle of Thermopylae one that will change the course of history.
into a mysticism-tinged celebration of But forget the plot, whats simply
masculinity, featuring a side-theme of mesmerising about Millers
the inspirational potential of facing magnificent book is the
overwhelming odds. incredible art. Its
Taking the perspective of King astonishing, exaggerated
Leonidas of Sparta, the story sees to the point of symbol,
our man forming 300 of his a towering tribute to
best men into an army of Millers individual
super-tough defenders stylistic instincts. Its

arguably the pinnacle of his specific developed his own trademark style
gifts. That said, muscular credit has (extreme slo-mo) in the edit to enable
to go to colorist Lynne Varley, whose him to capture the feel of Millers
impressionistic, painted additions to double-page vistas for his beyond- Above and of a relatively obscure historical
opposite:
Millers drawings amp up the high-art faithful big screen adaptation. If battle featuring exaggerated art and
300 is
ambitions inherent in the work. youve seen that adaptation, you operatic, a downbeat ending. But such was
Miller was inspired by cinema, should also seek out the original. with con- Millers artistic power in the 90s,
sciously
with a childhood viewing of 1962 Despite source material dedication, he could have suggested adapting his
symbolic
CinemaScope epic The 300 Spartans one cannot replace the other you design. shopping list and it would have got an
teaching him a key lesson that recurs need to experience both. eight-issue run. Thankfully, he chose
throughout his work: sometimes, the On paper, 300 sounds potentially to retell a story that had a profound
good guys lose. In fact, sometimes ridiculous a myth-inflected retelling impact on him when he was five
the fact that the good guys fight years old: facing the overwhelming
knowing theyll lose is the very thing
that defines them as good guys. EXAGGERATED odds of what traditionally works in
comic-book publishing, he succeeded
Millers 300 is so perfectly paced
that film director Zack Snyder TO THE SYMBOLIC in creating a work that will echo
through the ages. SAM ASHURST

IMAGES GILLEN AND MCKELVIE 2016
49 48
IMAGES DC COMICS
MAD LOVE PHONOGRAM

Writer Kieron Gillen
Writer Paul Dini Artist Jamie McKelvie
Artist Bruce Timm Published 2006-2016
Published 1994 Publisher Image
Publisher DC Comics
Could there be a more perfect marriage
Mad Love is, in the words of no less than made in heaven (or, more likely, the other
Frank Miller, the best Batman story of the place...) than comics and pop music? Not according to Kieron
decade. And that guy knows his Gotham. It is the chaotically Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, whose three-volume Phonogram is
engaging origin story of The Jokers number one gal, Harley an absolute joy from start to finish.
Quinn. She debuted two years before in the magnificently moody The central concept here is that music is power magical
Batman: The Animated Series, and the creative team took just power to be precise. And its shaped and moulded and generally
one issue of tie-in comic The Batman Adventures to explain abused by phonomancers. These are not the magicians of your
and explore her irresistible insanity. Appropriately, its a darkly fathers... theyd even give John Constantine a run for his money.
bonkers story told with efficiency, wit and not a little tragedy. Young, beautiful and boozy, they party all night and raise hell.
Partly narrating her own tale to a pack of guffawing hyenas, Following disillusioned phonomancer David Kohl, the first
no less Dr Harleen Quinzel recalls how she fell in love with a volume, Rue Britannia, is a shirts-off, fists-in-the-air paean to
homicidal lunatic, in a confession every inch as sympathetic as Britpop and the 90s. Part Two, The Singles Club, takes place
it is psychotic. Her determination to impress her barmy boyf has over one night in a club, focussing on a different magician each
her concocting a rapturously madcap plot: feeding Batman to a episode. The final volume, The Immaterial Girl, centres on
tank of piranhas (upside down, so that they appear to be smiling). Emily Aster and the transient nature of pop culture.
The pages crackle at every turn, each panel sizzles with Perhaps the most surprising thing of all about a comic so
energy, and onomatopoeic tropes litter the artwork with jubilant quintessentially British is that it was put out by a US publisher.
glee. It even makes playful jokes at the mediums expense (why But then Image has never stinted on originality and risk-
not just shoot Batman?!). Plus, its a terrific adventure in its own taking, and this is one needle on the record that paid off big-
right: the Joker is equal parts sadistic and silly, the Dark Knight time. Altogether Phonogram is smart, sexy, sassy and soulful.
gets to save the day with brain as well as brawn, and it ends on Tune! DAVID BARNETT
an ironically bittersweet twist, as all great Batman stories should.
Mad Love was in turn made into an episode of the animated
New Batman Adventures, but thanks to a bizarrely re-rendered
Joker isnt quite as satisfying (even with the wonderful vocals
of Arleen Sorkin and Mark Hamill). So, pick up the original to
savour a creative team every bit as much in love with their craft
and character as Harley is with her puddin, Mr J. MILES HAMER

ALL IMAGES GLYN DILLON / SELF MADE HERO
THE NAO OF BROWN

47 A BEAUTIFULLY-DRAWN BOOK THAT EXPLORES A
PERSONS INNER LIFE IN A WAY ONLY COMICS CAN
The Nao of Brown is the story of Nao a half-
Japanese, half-English woman who wrestles with
OCD. The book doesnt have her obsessively
tidying or hand washing, but instead it looks at
showcasing with unflinching brutality how
difficult it is living day to day being out of control
of your own thought processes. Its by no means the
first to take a look at living with mental illness,
her experience of suffering OCD with intrusive but its such an honest portrayal that it makes it
and often violent thoughts. a really worthwhile read.
The book is the work of Glyn Dillon, who has
since been busy working as a costume concept THE REAL AND THE FANTASTICAL
artist on Star Wars: Rogue One and The Force The book keeps one foot in the realm of social
Awakens. Dillon is a superb artist and this is a realism (it deals with some pretty heavy stuff
spectacular showcase for his work, which makes along the way, including alcoholism and sexual
the contrast between Naos violent thoughts and abuse) and the other firmly in the fantastical. But
Writer Glyn Dillon
more mundane everyday interactions sharp but if that sounds like it might be a tough read, dont
Artist Glyn Dillon
not jarring. The colour palette is used to great worry its compelling story is also laced with
Published 2012
effect Naos signature colour is red, and that humour throughout. SARA WESTROP
Publisher Self Made
Hero pop of bright colour in more muted backgrounds
is a very pleasing contrast.
The story doesnt always get the portrayal of HEAVY BUT LACED
living with this type of mental illness spot-on,
but it does a lot to increase awareness around it, WITH HUMOUR
FROM THE
ARCHIVES
LONDON GIRL
in my heart, because thats when I
fell in love with the medium.
CH: You hung out with the Deadline

crew, of course
GD: I was really in the second wave
of artists; I was 17 or 18 and working
IN 2012, MATT BIELBY SAT DOWN WITH on Crisis when Deadline first started.
My brother was keen that thered be
GLYN DILLON TO TALK ABOUT HIS
no nepotism he wanted me to make
GLORIOUS DEPICTION OF SLICE-OF-LIFE it on my own merit and it wasnt
LONDON ANGST, THE NAO OF BROWN... until Dave Elliot took over the
editing reins that I was asked to do
lyns a name from the past Comic Heroes: With a family like something. So me and Alan (Martin)
G
Above: The
eponymous
younger brother to the mighty yours (Glyns dad is also an artist), pitched Planet Swerve.
Nao Brown:
Steve, of Preacher and were guessing comics were always fond of red They were great times. Living in
Punisher fame; promising part of your world trousers. Worthing, we all flat shared, coming
And red
Vertigo career cut short whos Glyn Dillon: One early memory is of shirts.
up with stupid ideas and helping
suddenly re-emerged with a grim-yet- my brother putting my name, spelt each other out on all-nighters and
bouncy tale of mighty ambition and backwards, on a plane in a Nick Fury deadlines. My lifelong friends are all
no small craft. The Nao Of Brown strip for The Hulk Weekly. I was from that period, but Jamie Hewlett
is an original graphic novel of some in the infants at the time, and and Phil Bond were the two artists I
200 pages, set very specifically and took that comic into school to looked up to most. I loved that Phil
recognisably in north west London. unashamedly show off about could come up with a wittily written
Its lead is an Anglo-Japanese it. But I was met with: Your and beautifully drawn four-to-eight
girl with a similar mix of hip-geek brother didnt do that! Comics pager every month. I could never do
appeal and hidden darknesses; her life arent drawn! Theyre just that; couldnt do it now.
combines kitchen-sink drama with printed! And so began my life Jamie, too. Hes gone and done
bold fantasy sequences and moments as an outsider. alright for himself, but he was
of frightening, self-destructive anger. I got passed down all always the one who worked the
This is a comic to appeal to Steves substantial War hardest, and he definitely deserves
about as wide a demographic as the Picture Library collection, his rewards. Alans really made
medium gets: boys and girls, fans of but 2000 AD was the next Tank Girl come alive again in
European biographical comics and the big influence. Seeing the recent years, but for me despite
more broken-hearted end of manga, Mean Arena come together in the new artists being great n
Vertigo readers and Posy Simmonds our garage, which had been all itll always be the original
devotees. Dillon announces himself converted into a studio for Hewlett/Martin version that
as a confident, high-reaching writer Steve, was very inspiring. I go to. Looking back, I didnt
here, but its his art thats going to The Hulk, Abslom Daak: understand how lucky we were:
grab the attention. Were impressed; Dalek Killer, Judge Dredd: to be able to have a stupid idea then
we think you will be too. all that stuff has a special place two weeks later itd be on sale.

But it was also around that time that
things started to change in Worthing;
we were no longer the youngest kids
on the block. We were all getting
older, and the new art school girls
were getting younger. It felt like the
right time to break away. I fancied I
might be able to make it as a director,
so I headed up to London in search of
storyboarding work.
As it happened, the friends we
made through Deadline were all
becoming successful bands, and
Britpop was beginning to blossom.
I did a bit of storyboarding for
commercials, and a few videos
here and there, but I also went
on a European tour with Pulp as
their swagman (the person who
sells the merchandise). I worked
CH: Youve said Moebius is your freedom to develop my own style Above: at Jim Hensons for a few years,
Nao recalls
favourite artist. What is it you like which is, of course, what Jean Giraud got into concept design as well as
a trip to
about him? would have wanted. the storyboarding, made friends with
GD: A lot of great things were In terms of The Nao Of Brown, seaside the amazing Dermot Power, Rob
written about him after he passed the Ichi pages the story within Bliss, guys like that. Storyboarded on
away and the fact that I couldnt stop the story bit are supposed to be location in Turkey for three months.
myself crying when I heard the news drawn by a fictional half-French, Had lots of amazing adventures,
despite having never met the man half-Japanese artist, thus allowing intense relationships, drank and
goes some way towards showing me to try my best to emulate my drugged myself silly all culminating
how much he meant to me. His two, maybe three, favourite artists: in a big nervous breakdown.
effortless line always amazed me; his Moebius, Miyazaki and Otomo. But
incredible imagination, his ability to they were just my influences I CH: And was that part of the genesis
jump between wildly different styles, havent ripped off anything directly! of The Nao Of Brown?
while still maintaining his identity. GD: Originally it was going to be
He was a true genius and theres not CH: Readers may remember you from more Gregorys story, and I wanted to
many of them about. Vertigo: maybe Shade The Changing do it for a possible anthology comic
I think if you were to trawl back Man, or the 1995 miniseries Egypt much like Deadline, really. Alan
through some of my Deadline efforts GD: Its funny. At the time there was Martin, who Id pitched my idea to,
youd see a more direct influence a bit of a comics boom, and suddenly was into it but busy with Tank Girl
(or, to be honest, me shamelessly we were getting offered very healthy commitments. However, it wasnt
ripping him off). But I think having page rates from DC Vertigo. I got to long before Id come up with enough
grown up, and the fact that I had a do a few things with Pete Milligan, material to consider going it alone,
long break from comics, gave me the who I always thought was a genius. without the help of a proper writer.
Alan gave me his blessing and I
forged on, a bit scared.
CH: Where does the OCD aspect

come from?
GD: In 2001 I ended up in the
Nightingale Mental Health Hospital
in Marylebone for three months,
Left: that diagnosed with depression and
didnt turn
out quite as
addiction issues. I was in therapy
she hoped. for a year, got completely clean and

between that and people with OCD. CH: Did you write it very tightly
The more they tried to control their first, or just loosely plan it?
mind, the more out of control it GD: I had a weird three days quite
would get. This was where a lot of early on, when I found a certain Jung
themes in the book came from. quote and a washing machine quote
Then, over a period of time, all in the same bookshop, on this
my wife revealed to me that shed one weirdly-lit evening. A bookshop
suffered terribly with OCD as a child that had seemingly appeared out of
and into her late teens. Not the same nowhere, on a street that I thought
kind of obsessive thoughts as Nao, I knew well but it hadnt had a
but she did have similar compulsions, bookshop the last time Id been there.
the mental rituals performed to ease It all felt a bit magic, like Mr Benns
the anxiety. She was very supportive shopkeeper appearing. And in the two
of me doing the book, and a great days that followed Id managed to
sounding board. Although Nao is plot out the whole book.
a fictional character, it was a very Then, when I got the interest I
personal project. wrote a one page elevator pitch
then a four page treatment, which
CH: A big, original graphic novel that showed more about the characters.
you write and draw yourself seems a Then, finally, an 11-page treatment
daunting way back into comics that plotted out everything that
GD: I was fed up with trying to get happened. Id also already drawn,
pet projects off the ground in film painted and lettered the first 11 or 12
sorted a lot of stuff out. At the same Above: and television. Suddenly I saw the pages as a sample of the artwork.
Naos
time it rekindled my interest in Carl beautiful simplicity of sitting at my Once the deal was agreed I had
doodles
Jung, and I became intrigued by all reveal the desk, on my own, in my spare time three months to deliver the finished
kinds of mental disorders but the morbid and just doing my own thing. It was script. That first draft was the
obsessions
specific interest in OCD came when that plague
a proper little epiphany, and so I toughest then, like everyone says,
I saw the Channel 4 programme her. just got going and I wouldve kept each subsequent draft got easier. I
House Of OCD. (This was a while going, I think, until a mutual friend called in Si Spencer, ex-Deadline
after my treatment, and I was by now told Doug at Self Made Hero about editor and now professional script
happily married.) my blog, which Id started just to doctor, and with each new draft Id
Around the same time Id started track my progress and post up the email it to him and we would meet in
taking a course in meditation occasional teasers. Luckily, Emma the pub to go through his notes.
at a Buddhist centre. The often and Doug at SMH seemed to be into It took six drafts before I delivered
misguided idea about meditation what I was doing, and I liked them it to them, and then the final draft
is that youre trying to empty your instantly. It was easy to tell they had was done during the lettering: that
mind; the trying is what makes passion and seemed to know what was the most satisfying edit of all.
that impossible, and I saw parallels they were doing. Because itd been such a long time

THE KITCHEN
SINK/WASHING
MACHINE REALISM
COMES PRETTY
EASILY TO ME
Left: Wise my watercolour method. But then I
words from did take longer drawing those pages.
the deity
of the
washing CH: Youre using Photoshop as an
machine!
intrinsic part of your artistic process?
GD: Yes! Taught to me by Rob Bliss,
whod hit my hand with his ruler if I
asked stupid questions.
Its easy to play around with
the levels, so a crisp HB pencil line
looks like a fresh and spontaneous
inked line. Id always wanted to ink
like Hugo Pratt, with that kind of
loose abandonment, and Photoshop
allowed me to retain the freshness of
that original pencil line. On all my
previous comics work, I always felt
like my inking had killed the image;
now, if a panel goes wrong, Ill just
throw it away and do it again.
I drew all of Nao on photocopy paper,
since Id written it, it was much they had to go through the filter of using a retractable HB pencil, then
easier to see what was working. me. Some of the stories happened I darkened up the line in Photoshop
to friends. One Steve story, in and printed it out as a very faint
CH: Tell us a bit about the art style. particular, was my very own but it grey onto watercolour paper. Id then
GD: Pedro Almodvar always does wasnt the worst one, it was the one paint the watercolour page and, after
great stuff with colour: his films with the duvet. And Naos fly story scanning that in, I could put them
look like beautiful European comics. happened to me, exactly as its told back together digitally.
Im a big fan of his, and his director in the book.
of photography Jose Luis Alcaine CH: Now youre done with this,
as well as costume designer Bina CH: Tell us a bit about the Ichi hows your love of comics?
Daigeler. When it came to colour, pages, and how you came up with GD: I love comics! But when I started
ALL IMAGES GLYN DILLON / SLEF MADE HERO 2016
Volver was a big influence on Nao. their very different style on this, I felt I had some catching up
Storyboarding adverts involves GD: I dont really want to explain to do. Id never read Maus! I read all
drawing people doing mundane the Ichi story; I think thats six volumes of Akira... The whole
things. The kitchen sink/washing something for the reader to work thing has been a massive learning
machine realism comes easily to me. out. But I really enjoyed doing them, curve, and a very enjoyable one.
and it was a challenge to try to make
CH: Who are these characters? And, them feel as though they were by CH: And finally, what is it with all
to your mind, what are they about? another artist: I had to, yknow, get the washing machines anyway?
GD: Theyre all me in some way or into character. Colouring it digitally GD: Yeah! What is it with washing
another; because I imagined them, was a lot of fun, and quicker than machines?

46 DAREDEVIL: THE
MAN WITHOUT FEAR
A SENSITIVE RETELLING OF A CLASSIC ORIGIN STORY
MADE ALL THE RICHER BY ITS UPDATED OUTLOOK
MARVEL
Miller and Romitas terse, minimalist approach moment for Matt is when his actions lead directly
Writer Frank Miller pares this revision of DDs origin story down to the to the death of a woman who, yes, was tied up with
Artist John Romita Jr bone. This is a grounded, real, tough place a world the villains but didnt deserve this.
Published 1993 of blood, gym sweat and desperation. Working-class There are moments of hope and beauty too
Publisher Marvel heroes like Matts father Jack Murdoch are crushed not least because of Romitas wonderfully dynamic,
Comics by the criminal forces that control them, and even always moving art and Al Williamsons shadowy
Matts super-hero name is bitterly ironic. inks. A stunning splash page renders Matt framed
We follow Matt Murdoch as he grows from an upside down against a full moon, before we realise
idealistic kid, through his first stumbling attempts he is bounding through the city, on the way to his
to thwart crime, to his eventual entanglement with fateful first meeting with Elektra. JR Jr foregrounds
Wilson Fisk and first meetings with Elektra. Thats the joy in Murdochs return to life after years of
a lot to pack into a mere five issues, but it flows despair as much as he does the gritty violence.
beautifully thanks to Millers approach mostly While its a stretch to say the recent Netflix
caption-led, with dialogue only when necessary, series is an adaptation of The Man Without Fear,
aiding the sense that these characters are closed off the book is clearly a strong influence. But more
and alone. It hones in only on the key moments in important was the books impact in general. Miller
Matts journey from damaged to Daredevil. and Romitas masterpiece proved popular enough to
It is, of course, wincingly violent. Jack Murdoch bring Daredevil back from the brink of cancellation
is pretty much defined by his bruises, and Romita and solidified much of the characters mythology in
lets you feel every blow from Daredevils weapons the public mind. Gritty but not unrelenting, bleak
(here usually a cane or a baseball bat it is early but beautiful, its an essential part of the Daredevil
days). The creators dont shy away from the moral canon and some of Miller and JR Jrs finest work
ambiguity inherent in vigilantism, either. A pivotal and thats saying something. WILL SALMON

MOUSE GUARD:
FALL 1152 Writer David Petersen
Artist David Petersen
Published 2006
Publisher Archaia Studios Press
Mouse Guard is something very special.

You can tell that from the moment you
pick up an issue. Its an 8x8 square instead of the usual format.
Then, when you open it you see just how different it is.
The book is set in a medieval world where mice are the
dominant culture. Not the dominant species though, as the war
against a weasel warlord in the books immediate past shows.
The leads are members of the Mouse Guard, an elite army. But
with the war over, the Guard find their job far more complex than
just fighting evil.
Petersons delicate line art and open pages would make the
45
series, which begins with Fall 1152, essential all by themselves.
IMAGES DAVID PETERSEN
Nothing else being published looks like Mouse Guard and very
little is as beautiful, but it has substance as well as style.
Mouse Guard is an epic and unique fantasy adventure story
thats packed with subtle metaphor and gentle characterisation,
especially in prequel series Black Axe. ALASDAIR STUART
USAGI YOJIMBO
Writer Stan Sakai
Artist Stan Sakai
Published 1984-
Publisher Dark Horse Comics
Usagi Yojimbo has had a long, storied career

on and off the page. The creation of Stan Sakai,
Usagi was originally intended to be a human
character partially based on swordsman Miyamoto Musashi.
However, when doodling, Sakai added a pair of bunny ears to the
character in a Samurai topknot and Usagi was born. He made his
first appearance in Albedo Anthropomorphics #2 in 1984, moved
to Fantagraphics in 1987 and has since moved again to Dark Horse.
Much like the swordsman at its heart, theres not a single
wasted action here. Sakais open style combines with the
disarmingly friendly appearance of the characters to draw you in.
IMAGES STAN SAKAI / DARK HORSE COMICS
The anthropomorphic characters act as a universal lens

through which Sakai tells stories about and drawn from Japanese
44
culture. The attention to detail is huge but theres no clunky
exposition or infodumps. Instead, youre told what you need to
know as you know it. You learn as Usagi learns and the book
is as much about the world he moves through as the plots and
characters he encounters. Follow the white rabbit we promise
you wont regret it. Alasdair Stuart

IMAGES THE ESTATE OF HARVEY PEKAR
43 42
IMAGES DC COMICS
AMERICAN SPLENDOR SUPERMAN: RED SON
Writer Harvey Pekar Writer Mark Millar
Artists Various Artists Dave Johnson, Kilian Plunkett
Published 1976-2008 Published 2003
Publisher Self-published/Dark Horse/ Publisher DC Comics / Elseworlds
Vertigo
Red Son imagines a world where
From off the streets of Cleveland comes... Superman crash-landed not in Kansas,
American Splendor proclaimed the cover but in the Soviet Union. In Mark Millars
of the first issue of the ironically-titled anthology written and acclaimed mini-series, the action begins
self-published by Harvey Pekar in 1976. In the early 60s, Pekar, in the 1950s, with Russia announcing
a file clerk living in Cleveland, had been a neighbour and friend Superman to the world, triggering a global
of underground comix legend Robert Crumb. Through their arms race that focuses on superhumans rather than nukes.
shared passion for record collecting, Pekar would later persuade As well as giving us a Soviet Superman, we also get to see
Crumb to illustrate for his new magazine some of his stick-figure Wonder Woman and a furry-hat-wearing Batman transplanted
scripts, which Pekar based on his seemingly banal workaday into Russia, while Lex Luthor becomes the USAs only hope of
world. The results were a strikingly fresh approach to the stopping Superman and the ever expanding USSR from becoming
portrayal of reality in comics. Crumb praised Pekars perception their new benevolent dictators.
of the everyday, which he said gives us its poignant moments, The switcheroo means that Red Son can focus on the cores of
its humour, absurdity, irony... and mostly, its absolute truth. these characters. Would Superman still be a good man if he was
Pekar would collaborate with numerous other artists until raised in the Soviet Union? Would Lex Luthor have become a
his death in 2010, notably Frank Stack on Our Cancer Year, the villain without Superman on his turf?
award-winning graphic memoir of Pekars battle with cancer, Theres something thrilling about alternate reality stories, a
co-written with his wife Joyce Brabner. The couple appeared on chance to show familiar old characters in a whole new light. But
screen alongside the actors portraying them in the playful meta- where Red Son really shines is in its redefinition of Luthor as an
movie of American Splendor, a surprise hit in 2003. Discovering antihero, and it makes you wonder if the world might have been
Pekar is discovering an outspoken, opinionated, one-of-a-kind better off without Superman after all. It helps, of course, that
original whose truthful storytelling will transform how you it also has one of the most memorable endings in comic book
understand the medium forever. PAUL GRAVETT history ABIGAIL CHANDLER

41 AMERICAN
ALL IMAGES HOWARD CHAYKIN / DYNAMITE 2016
FLAGG!
THIS GRAPHICALLY INVENTIVE TALE IS
THAT RARE THING, A FUN DYSTOPIA
Set in a near future where the US government has Written and drawn by Chaykin, the opening
relocated to Mars and citizens who remain behind story arc is American Flagg! at its finest. (It was
Writer Howard
Chaykin are ruled over by self-serving corporation The Plex, originally published as four interrelated three-part
Artist Howard Chaykin Howard Chaykins American Flagg! is an acerbic segments over 12 issues; modern collected editions
Published 1983-1989 satire of consumerist society, surveillance culture split this into two separate parts.) Creatively
Publisher Dynamite and reality television, decades ahead of its time integrating Ken Bruzenaks distinctive lettering and
Entertainment when it was originally published by fledgling indie explosive sound effects, Chaykins gritty, angular
publisher First Comics starting in 1983. art has never looked better, and it tells its story
The star of the show is Reuben Flagg, handsome using a wide range of narrative tricks and graphic
and incorrigible (but, it turns out, fundamentally devices that (mostly) still feel fresh and exciting.
principled) formerly-famous actor, who turns to a The series flagged (pun intended) after the end
career in law enforcement as a Plexus Ranger after of its first, freewheeling story arc, and its unique
being replaced by a hologram of himself in the top- original vision inevitably became diluted when
rating TV show Mark Thrust, Sexus Ranger. Chaykin relinquished the art duties (with issue 26)
and then the writing as well (after #31). When First
YOU ARE BEING CONTROLLED Comics folded in 1991, American Flagg! languished
Dispatched to Chicagos Plexmall to replace its until Dynamite and Image brought out a collected
fallen deputy, Flagg sets out to make a difference, edition in 2008. Its now readily available in trade
stirring things up with the locals and stopping a paperback and well worth reading not so much
series of subliminal messages that are intended as great sci-fi (you can sometimes tell it was being
to provoke gang violence. His actions eventually made up on the fly), but as a wildly inventive and
expose the sinister nature of the Plex itself, which entertaining satire skewering targets that, if
naturally incurs the wrath of his employers. anything, mean even more today. STEPHEN JEWELL

FROM THE
ARCHIVES
FLAGG OF OUR FATHERS

STEPHEN JEWELL HUNKERS DOWN WITH A LIVING LEGEND MR
HOWARD CHAYKIN, CREATOR OF THE SEMINAL AMERICAN FLAGG!
ust like Reuben Flagg the and Neal Adams before going on to then Im okay. When thats forgotten,
J full-on star of his best-known

work, American Flagg!
Howard Chaykin doesnt pull
any punches. Interviewing him at
Londons SuperCon [in 2012] proves
illustrate Marvel and DC titles like
Killraven, Star Wars and World Of
Krypton. But it was on American
Flagg! that he made his name.
Initially published by the now
I go berserk!
The bleak vision of the future in
Flagg! brings to mind Ridley Scotts
equally seminal Blade Runner (1982)
and William Gibsons landmark
to be a truly entertaining experience, defunct First Comics in 1983, the debut novel Neuromancer (1984).
as he breaks off to produce a new satirical tale of a TV star turned I never read any of that cyberpunk
sketch or to sign some books for the law enforcement officer living in a stuff but Im aware of its existence,
queuing fans, gently admonishing dystopian, consumerist America still insists Chaykin. By the time I
them for their apparent meekness. appears to be eerily ahead of its time. started Flagg!, Id stopped reading
You Brits are passive-aggressive, Flagg! is a book that reflects sci-fi and started on crime fiction.
he says with a wry laugh. Youre not my politics, obsessions and manias
that nice. I was in Trafalgar Square when I was in my early 30s, recalls DARK DYSTOPIA
yesterday and I realised that you guys Chaykin, now in his 60s. I dont Like all good sci-fi, Flagg! reflects
ALL IMAGES HOWARD CHAYKIN / IMAGE COMICS 2016
laid rape to the world for so many believe in predictive stuff but I do the era in which it was created.
years and now youre acting polite believe that Flagg! couldnt reach a Thats also true of Westerns, crime
about it. When I think of Britain, I wide readership at the time because and all genre fiction, counters
think of these huge hulking guys just it was published by a small company. Chaykin. I stay away from that sort
knocking the shit out of Romans. But it influenced an entire generation of thing. What I was doing in Flagg!
Born in New Jersey but now based of cartoonists. To a great extent, seemed perfectly logical. The story
in California, Chaykin embarked on Flagg! is more influential than it is that I was telling seemed exactly
his near-five-decade-long comics popular. As long as there are people like the way things were going. If
career in the early 70s, initially out there who are aware of the you look at it from a predictive
working as an assistant to Gil Kane influence its had on all these careers perspective, I got a lot right.

IRONY WAS
SURGICALLY
REMOVED FROM
THE CULTURE
ABOUT 20
YEARS AGO Chaykin also credits innovative
letterer Ken Bruzenak for much of the
However, Chaykin believes that success of American Flagg!. Ken and
his artistic techniques in American I are twin sons of different mothers,
Flagg! have had more of an influence he laughs. Im never happier than
than its story content: For me, the when he and I are working together.
importance of Flagg! was less what I Hes an absolutely brilliant talent, Above: computers were going to eliminate
got right from a historical perspective who gets nowhere near the props that Chaykin paper and the concept of recycling
worked on
and more the introduction of a he deserves as hes responsible for major titles, hadnt evolved, so paper was going to
different visual language to the introducing so many tropes into the but it was disappear anyway.
American
material. I was trying to find different visual language of comics.
Flagg! that
ways to tell a story visually. While Dynamite Entertainment made his KILLING THE HEROES
To Chaykin, his art doesnt suit collected the first 14-issue story arc name. Chaykin also believed Alan Moore
the traditional six-panel grid. I dont of Flagg! in a hardback edition in and Dave Gibbons Watchmen would
draw in a particularly dynamic style, 2008, complete with a new eight-page be the last word on super-heroes. In
he says. My work has a finished and story, Chaykin has not so far returned my own naivety, I thought that a
studied quality about it and I dont to the series. Weve talked about the book like that, which so completely
have the kind of dynamism that Jack possibility, but its a different world Below: shits all over everything that super-
Kirby and his acolytes have, or had. now, he explains. You have to Chaykin hero comics stand for, should have
collabor-
So I needed to create dynamics in the understand that my generation was been the end of the market, he says.
ated with
graphic as opposed to the image and fairly apocalyptic in the sense of the Michael It should have absolutely killed
thats what I set out to do with Flagg!, direction the world was going back in Moorcock super-hero comics. But what it
on a noted
to find a way to reintegrate different the 80s. We assumed wed be the last graphic actually did was to create another
narrative styles. generation of cartoonists because novel. language for second-rate talent to
recreate comics in a language that
reflected what Moore and Gibbons
were doing. This is true of everything
that happened post 1985/86, which
demonstrates that Ive been right all
along, in that irony was surgically

removed from the culture about 20 Right:
Gideon
years ago. Faust:
Chaykin caught his first glimpse Warlock
of Watchmen in DCs New York At Large and-white and having no idea that Shadow four-parter, Blood &
by Chaykin
offices prior to agreeing to write and and Len the real value of those first few issues Judgment, which had controversially
draw his 1986 Shadow limited series. Wein. was the back-up feature, Under the brought the pulp character into the
I saw the first issue on editor Andy Hood. Im also of the mind that modern world. Im amazed about
Helfers desk and I actually had them while I love Watchmen, its the that because the entire function of
Below:
add a clause to my Shadow contract perfect illustration of Alan Moores The Shadow seemed to be to piss
Chaykin
that made it necessary for them to dragged inability to finish a job. For all the people off, laughs Chaykin. Im
send me the black-and-whites of The Shad- shit the movie took, I thought what not going to make friends by saying
ow from
Watchmen, he recalls. As they the 30s to Zack Snyder did in terms of tying it, but I was never a huge fan of the
came in, I was reading them in black- the 80s. everything together was actually a original material and I dont care for
much more effective narrative job. the Shadow very much.
In 2012, Dynamite released a DCs then managing editor Dick
new hardback edition of Chaykins Giordano offered Chaykin the book
shortly before Chaykin relocated to
California in 1985. I didnt have any
work lined up, so he asked me if Id
do The Shadow, he recalls. I said,
Sure, its on the schedule. At the
time, Dick was one of my favourite
people in the world. [When Giordano
died in 2010], I flew to New York on
my own nickel for his memorial
because it was my responsibility to
demonstrate my love for Dick by
being there.
Despite Chaykins misgivings,
Blood & Judgment has stood the test

of time: Theres nothing about it The shockingly explicit Black
that shames me, and Im ashamed Kiss, first unleashed in 1988 by short-
of a lot of stuff. The problem with a lived Canadian outfit Vortex Comics,
career as long and varied as mine is returned for a second series of six Above left: miniseries in 2009-10 set in the
that theres some shit out there! issues from Image Comics in 2012- Chaykin 1930s. I also enjoy writing Fury and
revamped
Chaykin doesnt distinguish 13, collected in one volume in 2013. Blackhawk doing period material. I had a great
between his numerous work-for-hire Chaykin says he took inspiration for DC. time on the series and my editor did
assignments over the years, such as from Stephen Sondheims 2010 lyric a phenomenal job of reining me in on
Above:
his 2011 Marvel miniseries Avengers collection Finishing The Hat. He Black Kiss, some of the weirder shit.
1959, and more personal creator- talks about Im Still Here, the probably There were things that I wanted
his most
owned projects like American Flagg! closing song of the first act of Follies, controver-
to do but couldnt because there were
or controversial erotic vampire series which is sung by a character called sial work. some continuity glitches, but overall
Black Kiss. Ive always felt that if Carlotta Campion. He talks about I think we covered a lot of bases.
I dont deliver the same quality of how her life is a fictionalised pastiche Id like to do a sequel involving
work with everything I do, Im of Joan Crawfords career. Thats the Blonde Phantom, Chaykin adds,
cheating everyone, he says. Its my when the concept for Black Kiss 2 and I want to do a bit more with the
responsibility to do the best job I can came together. Did he plan it to be Agents of Atlas, and something with
no matter who owns the property, just as disgusting as the first Black the Dread Dormammu.
because sooner Kiss? Most definitely! While a successor to Avengers
or later it all 1959 has yet to appear, Chaykin
comes back REVIVING THE PAST collaborated with Iron Man/Thor
to you. Chaykin also hopes to produce a writer Matt Fraction on a creator-
follow-up to Avengers 1959, which owned Icon title, Satellite Sam. Again
featured a version of Marvels super- displaying the artists love of period
team made up of Nick Fury, material, it is set in 1951, a noir
Namora, Sabretooth, mystery riddled with sex, depravity
Bloodstone, Silver Sable and and violence and childrens TV,
Dominic Fortune. exposing the seedy underbelly of the
I know other golden age of television. The 15-
people have done part series finished in July 2015 and
Dominic Fortune is available in a collected edition.
stories but I dont Coming full circle, despite
acknowledge the existence Chaykins ambivalence about the
of anything that I havent character, he returned to The Shadow
written, says Chaykin, who as writer-artist of the 2014 miniseries
created the garrulous freebooter Midnight in Moscow, set in 1950 this
for Marvel in 1975 and wrote time. The collected edition appeared
and illustrated a four-part in September 2015.

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40 SIN CITY: THAT
YELLOW BASTARD
ALL IMAGES FRANK MILLER INC.
CRIME NOIR WITH A SPLASH OF HORRIFYING,

SICKENING COLOUR MAKES A MASTERPIECE
This chronologically earliest story in the Sin City When Hartigan rescues 11-year-old Nancy
Writer Frank Miller graphic novel collection is actually the series Callahan from the paedophile son of evil Basin
Artist Frank Miller fourth book, but were glad Frank Miller took his City official Senator Roark, he enters a dark world
Published 1996 time to craft his universes stunning beginning. of corruption and must balance his continuing
Publisher Dark Horse Considered by most critics to be the best in the protection of Nancy with the fight to save his
epic noir series, Bastard is certainly the simplest reputation from Roarks revenge.
narratively and morally. Previous tales followed Making this instalment a battle between
corrupt or insanely violent leads, confronting grouchy good and some of the purest evil Millers
readers with complex anti-heroes. Here, our hero ever put on the page intensifies Bastards events to
is purer. We watch cop John Hartigan as he stands an almost unbearable degree. Miller deconstructs
on the precipice of forced retirement, struggling on film noir tropes throughout this series, but Bastard
the side of good in the face of impossible odds. frequently feels like a horror book, with torture

scenes so vicious youll find yourself According to Miller, Bastard Above and Rodriguez adapting the first, third
opposite:
not just cringing but retrieving the was written in reaction to The and fourth books, juggling their
Stylised,
book from the far corner of the room, Dead Pool, the disappointing fifth almost narratives at will but wed make
where you flung it out of sheer reflex. and final Dirty Harry movie (which abstract the case for reading the first three
forms in
Much of that horror vibe comes is why Nancy shares the same black and
instalments before this one. The
from the titular character. In keeping surname as Clint Eastwoods white no Hard Goodbye, A Dame to Kill For
with its noir roots, previous parts of character, Harry Callahan), making grey build and The Big Fat Kill all have huge
an utterly
Sin City were black-and-white with it his attempt to right the wrongs of distinctive merits. Theyre brilliant noir tales in
splashes of red, but here Roark Jr is that film. Not only did Miller achieve world. their own right and their darkness
literally yellow, giving him a monster his goal, but he came full circle when gives Bastards occasional light more
movie look and making our pages Bastards events became the central powerful contrast. Also, Bastards
tremble every time we see his sickly narrative in one of the great comic- full of references to events weve
signature colour. book movies, Robert Rodriguezs seen in previous books, so if you
Contrast the characterisation adaptation of Sin City. want to appreciate those payoffs,
of Roark Jr with the most likeable The series volumes can arguably you have to be patient. But its well
leads of the series (youre instantly be read in any order hence worth the wait Bastard is the
attached to Hartigan and Nancy, and king of crime comics, with Miller
their growing connection to each
other only intensifies those feelings) THIS IS THE KING operating at his highest level to
deliver one of the most impactful
and youve got one of the most
compelling stories in comics. OF CRIME COMICS and influential tragedies in modern
literature. SAM ASHURST

39 BATMAN: THE
KILLING JOKE
ALL IMAGES DC COMICS 2016
A LANDMARK PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

THAT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME
Alan Moore famously dislikes The Killing Joke, accident. Trying to escape a pursuing Batman, he
his superb one-shot exploration of the relationship stumbles into a chemical plant, where his skin is
Writer Alan Moore
between Batman and arch-nemesis the Joker. Why? accidentally bleached white. The combination of
Artist Brian Bolland
He told George Khoury in The Extraordinary Works disastrous events on this one bad day drives him
Published 1988
Of Alan Moore, The Killing Joke is a story about murderously insane.
Publisher DC Comics
Batman and the Joker; it isnt about anything that This origin of the Joker was intended not as
youre ever going to encounter in real life... Theres canon but as merely one possibility, and its only
no important human information being imparted. a small part of the books appeal. Instead, this is a
He has a point but, with respect to the grand brilliant psychological thriller that relies heavily on
wizard, that misses the importance that these the relationship between Batman and his nemesis
characters have played in readers lives. Batman and the (admittedly now well-worn) idea that
and the Joker may not live in the real world but Batman is only a few degrees less psychopathic
they exist in our imaginations, and The Killing than Joker. Moore demonstrates a degree of
Joke remains one of the most potent explorations sympathy for the Clown Prince of Crime even
of two pop culture icons. It helps, of course, that when he commits one of his most heinous acts...
the mighty Brian Bolland is on art duties and that The Killing Joke won the Eisner Award for Best
with this book he casually created some of the Graphic Album in 1989, and its influence can be
most enduring images in comics. felt in both Tim Burtons Batman and The Dark
Knight, which also plays with the idea of the Joker
ONE BAD DAY as an unreliable narrator. Rich with ambiguity but
The premise is simple. A man quits his job to vividly rendered with Bollands crisp lines, its a
become a stand-up comedian but gets caught up multi-layered masterpiece that proves Moore and
in a robbery. Shortly after, his wife is killed in an Bolland make for a truly dynamic duo. WILL SALMON

37
IMAGES DC COMICS
TRANSMETROPOLITAN
38 MARVELS
Writer Kurt Busiek
Writer Warren Ellis
Artist Darick Robertson
Published 1997-2002
Publisher Helix / Vertigo
Transmetropolitan is both a dazzling future

shock and an astute portrait of politics
at the turn of the millennium. Spider
Jerusalem is a journalist. Bitter, spiteful
IMAGES MARVEL COMICS 2016
Artist Alex Ross and occasionally despicable, hes also the

Published 1994 only person with enough strength of will to get to the heart of
Publisher Marvel Comics a conspiracy involving the Smiler a slick politician with an
eerie, Blairite grin, who manipulates his way into power.
The premise of this legendary miniseries is Youll alternate between loving and hating Spider across
beautifully simple and instantly appealing. this gripping 60-issue saga, but hes never less than fascinating.
Its a retelling of the early years of the Marvel Universe, but seen Robertsons art, meanwhile, perfectly evokes the City an
from the point of view of the everyday people who bear witness environment that makes Mega-City One look sane. WILL SALMON
to the sudden explosion of miraculous events around them.
In 1939 war is raging across Europe, but America is more
concerned with the sudden rise of super-heroes. The Human
Torch and Sub-Mariner are fighting in the city, and mutants are
starting to make their first appearances. By putting us at ground
level, Marvels restores a sense of wonder to super-comics that
had, perhaps, been tarnished by years of over-familiarity.
A lot happens in just four issues but Alex Rosss fully-
painted art is glorious throughout. All muted greys and browns
in the early scenes of everyday New York, it explodes into colour
whenever a powered character is on the page (quite literally,
when the Human Torch first ignites), becoming brighter and
more joyful as the likes of the Fantastic Four and Thor make
their first appearances. Blessed with a lovely retro vibe, but
with a brisk, modern pace thanks to Busieks scripts, it truly
lives up to its name. WILL SALMON

IMAGES REBELLION
35
THE BALLAD OF
HALO JONES Writer Alan Moore
Artist Ian Gibson
Published 1984-86
Publisher Titan Books
36
Halo Jones is a normal young woman living
on the Hoop, a circular floating city in the
Atlantic. She has everyday concerns: paying
the bills, doing the shopping, and surviving
the increasingly absurd, violent world she lives in. That process
begins with her leaving the Hoop and ends with her striking out
WE3
into the galaxy on her own, and on her own terms.
Along the way Moore shifts the tone and scope of the story
constantly. The first volume is a Ballardian, absurdist piece of
Writer Grant Morrison domestic sci-fi that plays with cyberpunk elements as Halo picks
Artist Frank Quitely her way through the politely ruined elements of Hoop life. Its
Published 2004 funny and disturbing and grounded, like the rest of the story, in
IMAGES DC VERTIGO
Publisher DC Vertigo her emotional reactions.

Those reactions are especially key to Book 2, where Halo is
We3 is Quitely and Morrisons hyper-violent working her passage as a stewardess on a yearlong space voyage.
western Manga. Bristling with kinetic A lot of the questions from Book 1 are answered, and Halos
energy, it sometimes feels like a Disney cartoon gone horribly worldview, and ethics, are forcibly changed by her experiences.
wrong. Stripped down, with many pages of wordless action, it This book is both one of the funniest and darkest things Moore
tells the story of three cyborg assassins who break out of their has ever written, with some truly haunting moments. Book 3
holding pen and flee from the pursuing military. The twist here sees Halo enlist and becomes a Catch 22-esque tragicomic war
is that they are animals specifically a dog, a cat and a rabbit, story. Moore again shifts the storys focus and scale, expanding it
kidnapped, rebuilt and armed to the teeth. in lockstep with Halos experiences. Its virtuoso writing and its
Morrisons script and especially Quitelys art tug at the heart matched note for note by Gibsons art. His rounded, futurist style
as our three heroes try to find their way back to a home that can is a perfect fit for Halos world and throws everything from the
no longer exist for them. Animal rights has long been a theme in horror to the comedy and the pathos into sharp, chromed relief.
Morrisons work and its rather rammed home here. Luckily, the 30 years after its initial publication, Halo is still a modern
terrific action, innovative use of panels and memorably grotesque classic. Moore and Gibson have been upfront about both their
violence mean that this is more entertainment than sermon. love for the character and the obstacles stopping her returning.
We3 is fast and furious, but with a core of righteous anger at the Even if she never does, this funny, horrific, poignant, grounded
cruelty of humankind. Plus theres an ace bit where they all have story remains one of 2000 ADs finest hours and Halo herself is
a scrap with an enormous robot mastiff. WILL SALMON one of the greatest SF heroines of all time. ALASDAIR STUART

34 THE INCAL
ALL IMAGES JODOROWSKY & MBIUS / HUMANOIDS
A SWEEPING SPACE OPERA, IN WHICH A RELUCTANT

HERO ROMPS THROUGH A RIOTOUS ADVENTURE
What a talent the world lost in 2012, with the government officials to the aliens who created it, to
death of Jean Henri Gaston Giraud, better known rebel factions, and seemingly everyone in between.
by his nom de plume Mbius. He left us a legacy The series initially released in French and
of distinctive, surreal and off-the-wall comics that then in English by Marvels Epic Comics line
Writer Alejandro bestrode genres, from the Western Blueberry to the formed the cornerstone for what would become
Jodorowsky
often impenetrable Airtight Garage. a cohesive universe of Jodorowsky-penned titles
Artist Mbius
And, in a collaboration with Chilean-born (without Mbius) which included Incal prequels,
Published 1981-1988
avant-garde film-maker, poet and composer (and the Metabarons series, and Technopriests.
Publisher Epic Comics
/ Humanoids possessor of a dozen other talents) Alejandro If the heavily-stylised universe of The Incal
Jodorowsky, he gave us The Incal... and its often-cowardly protagonist DiFool sounds
The Incal is a picaresque, metaphysical space naggingly familiar... well, you might be forgiven
opera that debuted in 1981 and was the sort of for thinking of Luc Bessons 1997 movie The Fifth
comic that back then only European-originated Element, starring Milla Jovovich and Bruce Willis.
graphic storytelling seemed to be able to do right. The publishers of The Incal tried to sue Besson,
On a backwater planet of the galactic empire, claiming that the plot of the film was a direct lift
whisky-soaked private eye and reluctant hero John from the comic. The case failed according to
DiFool is given a powerful crystal the Light Incal Jodorowsky in one interview, because Mbius
of the title by a dying alien, which plunges him, had worked with Besson on the look of the movie,
and the reader, into an often chaotic plot thats part negating the claim.
meditation on the nature of the Tarot (characters But best not to dwell on any unpleasantness
are based on it), part satire, and part joyful insanity. that might have marred the creative teams
John DiFool doesnt want the Incal, but relationship in later years... Rather, just buckle up
everyone else does, from cultists to corrupt and enjoy the crazy ride. DAVID BARNETT

MOEBIUS TRIP
THE DEATH OF JEAN GIRAUD IN 2012 MADE HEADLINES AROUND
THE WORLD. MICHAEL MOLCHER CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF A MAN
FROM THE
ARCHIVES
WHOSE ART INFLUENCED EVERYTHING FROM ANIME TO ALIEN

ean Giraud helped make modern With his rough looks and roguish members of the comic art group
J
Above:
comics what they are today. A glorious charm, Lieutenant Blueberry Les Humanodes Associs. Its first
example of
Born in the suburbs of Paris Moebiuss became Fort Navajos most popular publication, Mtal Hurlant, changed
on the eve of World War 2, the inimitable character. In a genre of time-worn comics forever.
style.
Frenchman would go on to have such clichs, Blueberry was a different Moebius created stunning work
a lasting impact on the medium that kind of Western. Michael Blueberry for the title. Strips such as The
it is difficult not to find an artist, Donovan was a real anti-hero. Airtight Garage and Arzach carved
or indeed writer, who has not been A lieutenant in the US Cavalry, a reputation for non-linear plots and
influenced in some way by his work. he started out as an unabashed surreal flights of the imagination
Although he had some formal Southern racist but he was saved rendered in a style that evoked
training at the Institute of Applied by an African-American after he was the Ligne claire style of Herg or
Art and worked as an illustrator in framed for murder, and became an the innocence of Little Nemo In
advertising and fashion, Giraud was enemy of discrimination, fighting Slumberland, with a subtlety and
producing Western comics before against the Confederates in the colouring reminiscent of the art
he reached 18 a career that was American Civil War. The series has nouveau of Klimt or Mucha.
interrupted only by military service continued for more than 45 years. In a world still dominated by
in Algiers. In 1961, he became But its his other childhood American superheroes, these were
apprentice to one of the top artists in love sci-fi for which hes most groundbreaking. Arzach was entirely
Europe at the time, Joseph Gillain, famous. His nom de plume, Moebius, wordless and mixed medieval fantasy
otherwise known as Jij. A year later originally appeared in obscure satire with a futuristic world, while The
he collaborated with writer Jean- magazine Hara-Kiri in 1963, but re- Airtight Garage is a sublime jumble
Michel Charlier on the strip Fort emerged a decade later. In early 1975, of plots about a man constructing his
Navajo, and a legend was born. Moebius was one of the founder own universe on an asteroid.

Above:
Blueberry
wasnt your
typical
Western
hero.
Left: Comic
legends
unite for
Silver
Surfer.
Right:
Moebius
brought Moebius influence can be felt He had such a vast understanding
fantasy
far beyond comics. As well as of space, light and movement and
worlds to
vivid life. collaborating with director Hayao he drew with such masterly ability.
Miyazaki, he worked on Alien, Probably, more than anything, it
Tron, The Fifth Element, Star Wars: was his quality of line that was so
Episode V, and Jodorowskys unmade dynamic, so fluid and beautiful. He
adaptation of Dune, as well as the deeply loved beauty and expressed
animated movie Les Matres du that in each line of every image.
In 1981 he began his famous temps (Time Masters). Giraud died in March 2012,
LIncal (The Incal) with filmmaker When so little of his work has aged 73 after a long battle with
and writer Alejandro Jodorowsky. been translated into English, how cancer. Tributes poured in not just
And in an incredible meeting of has he become so influential? Taylor from the comics world but from
comic book giants, he also worked believes he defies easy classification. representatives of a vast number
on an award-winning and mind- His style is hard to pin down, he of seemingly unrelated creative
blowing two-issue Silver Surfer says. He produced so much work industries. His work subtle, surreal,
miniseries (later collected as Silver and very rarely repeated himself. astonishing had reached far beyond
Surfer: Parable), with Stan Lee. What made his work so visually the pages of comic books. Inimitable
Superman/Batman and 2000 pleasing was his vast knowledge of and irreplaceable, Giraud rightly
AD artist Dave Taylor was a how to turn a real object in 3D or deserves to be lauded as one of the
close friend. When you spoke just an idea into an aesthetic image. greatest comic artists of all time.
with Jean, he recalls, whoever
you were, youd always get
the same warmth and bright-
eyed enthusiasm. Ive sat and
HE HAD SUCH A VAST
watched him at numerous comic
conventions while he signed UNDERSTANDING OF SPACE,
and sketched for folk. He was
consistently a joy to meet. LIGHT AND MOVEMENT
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33 X-MEN: THE DARK
PHOENIX SAGA
ALL IMAGES MARVEL
A LANDMARK STORYLINE THAT

STILL HAS POWER TO MOVE YOU
Chris Claremonts run on The X-Men is legendary, cant face
Writers Chris with complex, even convoluted plots and intense, bringing their
Claremont, character-driven, soap-opera storylines. The art friend and
John Byrne by John Byrne is some of the most dynamic and former team
Artist John Byrne memorable in the X-Mens illustrious history. mate down.
Published 1980 In this famous story Jean Grey embraces god- The saga
Publisher Marvel like power through the cosmic Phoenix force, but also introduced
with tragic consequences. Shes manipulated into popular X-Men
embracing a villainous persona, the Dark Phoenix, foes the Hellfire Club,
which brings her into conflict with her fellow saw the villainous
X-Men and snowballs into committing genocide beginnings of Emma Frost,
before she begins fighting to regain herself. and marked the debut of fan
Theres a running theme of how power corrupts favourite Kitty Pryde. And this arc
from within and love blinds people to things they helped cement the status of Wolverine
just dont want to see. At its core, this is a love as a seriously kickass one man army.
story, not just about the love between Jean and The storyline has had a huge influence on
Scott but between the X-Men as a group. Theres comics ever since: the super-hero-turned-bad
conflict and heartache as they come to realise they is a familiar theme, but feels fresh here. It was
also a big deal at the time killing off one of
IT WAS A BIG DEAL AND HAS the original X-Men and breaking up one of
comics most iconic couples, and the
HAD A HUGE INFLUENCE SINCE influence of it is still felt in X-Men titles

today, 32 years later. SARA WESTROP

BLANKETS Writer Craig Thompson
Artist Craig Thompson
Published 2003
Publisher Top Shelf Productions
This semi-autobiographical novel is an

unflinching and beautiful work that stays
with you long after youve finished reading.
The story follows the main character Craigs
journey as he wrestles with doubts about the Christianity he has
grown up with. The book also explores his first love, burgeoning
sexuality and the pressure of enforced responsibility.
IMAGES CRAIG THOMPSON / TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS

Its a mammoth read at some 600 pages, but it covers almost a
decade in the lives of the characters and the artwork is so rich and
32
evocative that it never feels like a chore to read. Its whimsical and
melancholic at the same time. The more surreal parts of the book
are darker and full of heavy background detail while everything
rooted in reality is simpler, with focus resting on the characters.
Blankets won a string of awards and acts as a reminder that
there are no limits in comics. It has something that everyone can
relate to. If youre a comics fan, this one has to go on your reading
bucket list... Actually, it should even if youre not. SARA WESTROP
31
SAFE AREA GORADE
Writer Joe Sacco
Artist Joe Sacco
Published 2000
Publisher Jonathan Cape
In his debut documentary graphic novel

Palestine, Joe Sacco reaffirmed the power
of autobiographical comics as a journalistic
medium. Following that assignment, he turned to the brutal
ethnic cleansing of non-Serbs in Bosnia and the international
communitys failure to intervene. He travelled four times to
Gorade in 1995-96 to witness for himself a town designated a
safe area by the United Nations yet besieged by Bosnian Serb
forces. He spoke first-hand with the mainly Muslim population,
who were suffering fierce attacks and serious deprivations but
were determined never to surrender their hometown.
Sacco caricatures himself unflatteringly, his glasses left blank
IMAGES JOE SACCO / JONATHAN CAPE
so we cannot see his expressions. Self-aware without being self-

righteous, he manages to avoid being polemical or pompous. He
gives the locals a voice we rarely get to hear through news media.
Drawn with immersive detail and sharp observation, Safe Area
Gorade makes this tragic yet unfamiliar conflict accessible and
human. It became one of four reports from the region alongside
Christmas With Karadzic, Soba and The Fixer. PAUL GRAVETT

Writer Garth Ennis

Artist Steve Dillon
Published 1995-2000
30 PREACHER
A WILDLY IRREVERENT MODERN AMERICAN
EPIC OF LIFE, LOVE AND REDEMPTION
Jesse Custer is a preacher in rural
Texas whose faith is all but gone
until he is possessed by Genesis,
series, and there are at least two
later volumes that buckle under the
weight of the constantly escalating
Above and
opposite:
Super-
natural and
Jesse and Cassidy make another
great duo. Their friendship is one of
the best realised in modern comics,
the child of an angel and a demon, horror and gross-out comedy that satirical in mixing love with jealousy, pity,
equal parts,
the embodiment of uncontrolled, sometimes threatens to smother the horror, redemption and Guinness.
Preacher is
conscienceless power looking for book altogether. However, volume 1, a wild ride. Cassidy himself is arguably Garth
something, anything, to anchor to. Gone to Texas, suffers none of Enniss greatest creation: an
It finds Jesse, who in turn discovers those problems, instead setting up effortlessly charming, sociopathic
the truth: God has left Heaven. the series with a first arc thats coward of a vampire who is both
Armed with the Word of God tremendously effective even today. everything and nothing like you
(the ability to make anybody he A huge part of that is how this expect him to be. Again, later
speaks to carry out his will) and aided arc establishes the relationships that volumes do especially interesting
by Tulip, his former girlfriend, and drive the book out. Jesse and Tulip things with him, but his introduction
Cassidy, an Irish vampire, Jesse sets are one of comics great couples a here remains one of his strongest
out to find God and punish Him for pair of fiercely individualistic people showings. Hilarious, terrifying and
abandoning everyone. who are broken when apart but endearingly rubbish at times, Cassidy
All of which sounds immensely whose shards fit perfectly together. is the third corner of an endlessly
heavy and grim and, well, it is. But Theyre equals throughout, and later fascinating triangle of lead characters.
thats not all there is to Preacher. volumes do really interesting stuff These three resolutely flawed
The series (an astounding with how Tulip is not the damsel- people make the huge religious issues
21 years old this year...) in-distress that Jesse is conditioned at the books heart easy to relate to.
contains multitudes. Its to think she is. Their love is They have different attitudes to their
a love story, a buddy story, complicated and spiky, acting as quest, and all three find their personal
a tragedy, a comedy, an the grounded fulcrum around which ethics tested to near destruction as
action movie, a horror the entire book revolves. the series progresses. That carries the
story, a western and book even in the middle, uneven,
a religious parable,
often all at once. THE FIRST ARC story arcs. Preacher is difficult, brutal
and wildly over-the-top at times, but
At times that
works against the IS TREMENDOUS its also a truly unique, and brave,
series. ALASDAIR STUART

28
TM & MIKE MIGNOLA

29 HELLBOY: SEED OF
POSY SIMMONDS
DESTRUCTION
TAMARA DREWE Writer Posy Simmonds
Writers Mike Mignola and John Byrne
Artist Mike Mignola
Artist Posy Simmonds Published 1993
Published 2005-2007 Publisher Dark Horse
Publisher The Guardian/Jonathan Cape
Mike Mignolas glorious demon detective
Posy Simmonds is Britains grande dame has been the star of two movies, two games,
of graphic novels. She first serialised two animated movies and an astonishing 50-
Tamara Drewe in The Guardian from plus graphic novels. It all starts with this
2005, on a weekly basis in the newspapers Saturday Review book. Seed Of Destruction opens with the
section, reaching a vast readership new to comics. It brought her discovery of Hellboy and his liberation from the Nazi occultists
flair with colour, polished first on childrens books, to adult who summoned him. Raised by scientist Trevor Bruttenholm, he
comics at last. becomes a renowned investigator and member of the Bureau of
After reinterpreting Gustav Flauberts racy Madame Bovary Paranormal Research and Defence. But when tragedy strikes the
into her Gemma Bovery serial, Simmonds alludes in Tamara BPRD, Hellboy, aquatic partner Abe Sapien and pyrokinetic Liz
Drewe to Thomas Hardys 1874 novel Far From The Madding Sherman find themselves in way over their heads...
Crowd but transposes it to contemporary, celebrity-obsessed Seed Of Destruction is a perfect introduction to the character
Britain. When ambitious urbanite and newspaper columnist and his world. Hellboy, Abe and Liz are all introduced in a way
Tamara returns to the family home she has inherited in the that makes them feel familiar even as youre getting to know
sleepy English countryside, her stunning looks, helped by a nose- them for the first time. Hellboys concerns about his past, Abes
job, turn the heads of three rival males her former boyfriend, endless calm and Lizs caution are all right here, fully realised,
her new rock-star lover, and a philandering crime writer at a and all three drive future volumes.
local writers retreat and soon the whole village is abuzz with A big part of that is Mignolas art. Stark blacks and angular
secrets and desires. characters match with his instinctive use of space to give you
Simmonds is especially convincing in her sympathetic a story that feels claustrophobic, unsettling and expansive all
portrayal of Casey and Jody, two listless, working-class teenage at once. Theres a sense of power barely beneath the surface,
girls, desperate to escape their dull event-proofed village. and when the menace gives way to action you see that power
Tamara Drewe confronts the gulf between city and countryside unleashed in every one of his clean, precise lines. Funny, horrific,
and the challenges facing Britains younger generation. Forget epic and exuberant, this is an all-time classic and the perfect
Stephen Frears movie the original has true bite. PAUL GRAVETT introduction to a great hero. ALASDAIR STUART

27 DC: THE NEW FRONTIER
A JOYOUS, VISUALLY SUMPTUOUS CELEBRATION
OF SUPER-HEROES, COMICS AND LIFE ITSELF
Writer/artist Darwyn Cookes most enduring J Bone) perfectly matched. Its a celebration of
work is this visual masterpiece. Set in the early DCs rich cast of characters that also gives many
days of the DC universe later retconned into an of the companys less-celebrated heroes a chance
Elseworlds tale set on Earth-21 its a beautiful to shine. Jonn JOnzz, the Martian Manhunter, is
mash-up of the Golden and Silver Age heroes. a standout, and current team du jour the Suicide
Batman and Wonder Woman stride into battle Squad get a big moment.
Writer Darwyn Cooke
alongside the likes of Flash, Green Lantern and The series deservedly bagged Eisner, Harvey
Artist Darwyn Cooke
Martian Manhunter, all rendered in their iconic and Shuster Awards, and has since been adapted
Published 2004
original garb with assured lan by Cooke. into an animated feature that retains Cookes
Publisher DC Comics
Its the 1950s and the Cold War is in full effect. cartoony style. It remains a sumptuous visual
Super-heroes have mostly gone underground to treat the sort of book you want to sit and stare
escape the all-pervading paranoia of the times, but at every panel of for hours.
the rise of a monstrous Lovecraftian alien enemy At the time of writing, we have just learned
forces them back into action to save the world. of Cookes tragic passing at the age of just 53. He
The simplicity of that premise might be drew many wonderful comics in his career,
seen as a flaw, except that its the perfect including Batman, Catwoman, Before
showcase for Cookes jaw-dropping skills. Watchmen and Vertigos recent,
This is the comic as pop art virtually stunning, The Twilight Children with
every panel in this book would look Gilbert Hernandez. But its The New
at home framed and hung in a gallery. Frontier for which he will likely be best
His retro character design is elegant remembered a homage to comics past
and evocative, with the colouring (also that also promised a bright, optimistic
by Cooke, with uncredited help from and uncynical future. WILL SALMON

26
ARKHAM ASYLUM:
A SERIOUS HOUSE ON SERIOUS EARTH
A SURREAL, CAPTIVATING, HAUNTING

EXPERIENCE LIKE NOTHING ELSE
Written in Glasgows West End, mostly at 3am, layered and narratively complex. Working closely
surrounded by cats and books, Grant Morrisons with artist Dave McKean whose astonishing
first Batman story feels like half fever dream, half fully-painted art remains a revelation and
Writer Grant Morrison magic trick probably because thats what it is. encouraged by Vertigo editor Karen Berger to make
Artist Dave McKean Inspiration first struck Morrison as he flicked something different, Morrison set out to create a
Published 1989 through the classic encyclopaedia series Whos Batman book in the mould of European art-house
Publisher DC Comics Who in the DC Universe, landing on Len Weins cinema, influenced by directors including Derek
Arkham Asylum entry, a single page sketching out Jarman and Peter Greenaway. Somehow, this
the history of Gothams infamous sanitorium. outsider ambition produced one of the most
Reading that short section of text, its easy to successful graphic novels in history, selling half
see why it appealed to Morrison so much: Dr a million copies by 2004.
Amadeus Arkhams origin reads like something Directly quoting psychologist Carl Jung,
from Morrisons trippy run on Doom Patrol, with notorious occultist Aleister Crowley and surreal
madness, music and dark installation art at its kids classic Alice In Wonderland, Asylum has
heart. But whatever chord it struck, it gave the dream logic at its heart, making it a perfect
writer the idea to parallel Amadeuss story with amalgamation of artist and writer, with McKeans
Batmans journey on a surreal, expressionistic and haunting imagery as clear a representation of
symbolic stage. nightmare vistas as captured in any artform.
The plot has the Joker taking Arkham Asylum Arkham Asylum is a rare example of high art
hostage, forcing Batman to take part in a twisted crossing over with mainstream tastes, a graphic
game of hide and seek pitting him against novel so good that it deserves both its astonishing
multiple villains hes committed to the mental commercial success and its incomparable critical
hospital. But that one-line description cant reputation. If you havent read it yet, its as
possibly do justice to a story so psychologically essential as sleep. SAM ASHURST

24
BRIAN K. VAUGHAN & NIKO HENRICHON
BRYAN TALBOT
25 PRIDE OF
THE ADVENTURES OF
LUTHER ARKWRIGHT Writer Bryan Talbot
Artist Bryan Talbot
BAGHDAD
Writer Brian K. Vaughan
Published 1978-1989
Publisher Valkyrie Press
Artist Niko Henrichon First serialised in underground anthology

Published 2006 Near Myths in 1978, Bryan Talbots The
Publisher DC Vertigo Adventures of Luther Arkwright was one
of the most influential graphic novels of
Baghdad Zoo was destroyed in 2003 during the US invasion of the 1980s, inspiring seminal creators such as Alan Moore,
Iraq. The 700 or so animals living there were either killed in the Grant Morrison and Warren Ellis.
attacks or stolen by looters. By the end of the campaign only 35 Its heavily indebted to Michael Moorcocks Jerry Cornelius
remained unharmed, but the story that most captured the public saga, as the titular enigmatic secret agent and his partner Rose
imagination following this tragedy was the escape of four of the Wylde travel across a plethora of parallel universes, combating
zoos seven lions. Vaughan and Henrichons short and striking the sinister Disruptors, who are seeking to unleash a doomsday
graphic novel takes this as the starting point for a powerful story device, Foxfire, upon the multiverse.
thats as much about the politics around the Iraq War as it is a While his finished art was a lot rougher around the edges than
painfully sad account of mans abuse of the animal kingdom. now, Talbots layouts and narrative approach were revolutionary
Henrichons art is beautiful and horrible. Detailed, yet with for the day, as he drew on the distinctive jumpcut, cinematic
a subtle cartooniness, it feels like a Disney movie thats turned techniques of The Man Who Fell To Earth director Nic Roeg.
nightmarishly violent as in the heart-stopping early spread Talbot published Luther throughout the 80s in a number
where Zill looks up to see three US jets swooping low overhead. of outlets including Psst magazine and Valkyrie, and finally
Each of the four members of the pride (smartly and tastefully completed his story in 1989. Then in 1999, he wrote and drew a
anthropomorphised here, neither too human nor completely sequel, Heart Of Empire: The Legacy of Luther Arkwright, which
unrelatable) represents a different view of exactly what freedom is set 23 years later and centres on the long-vanished Arkwrights
means, and the book doesnt settle on any trite, easy answers by daughter, Princess Victoria, who discovers she has preternatural
the time it reaches its conclusion. Thought-provoking, angry, abilities of her own. It was later collected together with the first
occasionally funny and moving, its a powerful snapshot of a series as Arkwright Integral, but the original Adventures, for all
dark time. WILL SALMON its flaws, still shines as a classic. STEPHEN JEWELL

23
BRIAN K. VAUGHAN & PIA GUERRA

22
JEFF SMITH
BONE
Writer Jeff Smith
Artist Jeff Smith
Y: THE LAST MAN
Published 1991-2004 Writer Brian K. Vaughan
Publisher Cartoon Books / Image Comics Artists Pia Guerra, Goran Suduka,
Paul Chadwick
One of the greatest fantasy comics ever Published 2002-2008
written, Bone is the story of Phoney, Smiley Publisher DC Vertigo
and Fone Bone, three small white humanoid creatures thrown
out of Boneville after Phoney decided to cheat in the mayoral Before Saga, Brian K. Vaughan was best
election. Separated in a storm of locusts, the three find their way known for this science-fiction classic, which
to the Valley. Where Boneville was a modern town, the Valley is focuses on a very specific apocalypse...
a medieval paradise. One they soon realise is in a lot of trouble... One day, every mammal on Earth with
Jeff Smiths one-man fantasy epic is astounding. The art is a Y chromosome dies, leaving behind a planet with an entirely
open and friendly, and Smith effortlessly balances caricature female population. Or, rather, an entirely female population plus
with fluid, expressive characters and action that never feels two: amateur escape artist Yorick Brown and his pet monkey,
cheap or without significance. Better still, Smith is able to both of whom have survived. Brown sets out for the Australian
change the whole tone of the book with incredible speed and Outback to try to find his lost love, Beth, enduring an endless
elegance. This is a series array of hardships and adventures along the way.
that takes in comedy, Part character-driven
romance, horror, epic exploration of humanity and
fantasy and a cow race. part pacey globe-trotting
Theres never a sense of travelogue with shades of The
anything being forced, Walking Dead, Y: The Last
either, just a huge story Man made a huge impact,
about three small characters establishing Vaughan as one of
and the massive changes the best modern writers, while
they can make in the world. co-creator Pia Guerras clean,
Funny, sweet, epic and characterful work does a
personal, Bone is a classic. wonderful job of evoking this
If youve read it, you already strange new world.
know that. If you havent, The series won an Eisner in
then honestly, we envy you. 2008 for Best Continuing Series
Enjoy your first trip to the and is a fine example of ideas-
Valley. ALASDAIR STUART led sci-fi comics. WILL SALMON

21 FUN HOME: A
IMAGES ALISON BECHDEL / JONATHAN CAPE
FAMILY TRAGICOMIC
A MEMOIR WITH CULTURAL RESONANCE
AND CLEVER NON-LINEAR STRUCTURE
Fun Home is an autobiographical account of what makes this book both heartbreaking and eye-
Alison Bechdels childhood and early years. It tells opening. Bruce keeps his sexuality hidden,
Writer Alison Bechdel
the story of how she embraced being gay alongside ashamed of who he is, fighting to hide it and
Artist Alison Bechdel
the story of her relationship with her father, who keeping the illusion of his perfect family unit
Published 2006
was himself struggling with his sexual identity. alive. Alison, however, is decisive: once she moves
Publisher Jonathan
Cape Bechdel describes growing up in what seem away from home she quickly establishes her sexual
like idyllic surroundings, her parents buying a identity and writes to inform her parents that she
Victorian Gothic house and her father is a lesbian.
meticulously restoring the historic property, his
attention to detail bordering on maniacal at times. BOOK CULTURE
The restoration is a metaphor for how her father The book is littered with literary references, with
wanted to be seen, with elaborate details filling the reading being one of the few ways that Alison and
house, everything tightly controlled and carefully her father connected. Bechdel sees similarities
micro-managed like many other aspects of his life. between her father and various novels he reads
Bechdels evocative description of her early throughout his life, noting his fascination with
years also working in her familys funeral parlour both Gatsby and James Joyce. The author uses
(the titular Fun Home) gives a real sense of her this cleverly to depict different sides of her father
day-to-day life. Theres a deliberate repetition throughout the narrative.
as events are shown again as new information This book deserves its place on this list not
becomes available, the non-linear narrative helping just for the beautiful way the story is told but
build up a sense of overlap between Alisons and also because of its intense focus on how attitudes
her fathers separate sexual awakenings. towards sexuality and gender norms have changed
The contrast between their experiences is over the course of the 20th century. SARA WESTROP

DEATH: THE HIGH
20 COST OF LIVING
WHAT CAN DEATH TEACH YOU ABOUT LIVING AND
LOVING AND THE VALUE OF SIMPLE PLEASURES?
With a title like that, youd expect this book to be as the crunch of a good apple) and grasping that
a fairly depressing affair. And, sure, the narrative kindness isnt necessarily its own reward (you get
does revolve around a suicidal teen gradually more by being nice than being mean), and that all
falling in love with death. But this is Neil Gaiman, powerful experiences good and bad are valid, as
and Neil Gaiman has never met an expectation he they all make you feel more alive. Its heady stuff,
IMAGES DC COMICS
couldnt subvert. beautifully delivered. What could seem preachy

Death, usually represented by a hooded frequently feels profound, with easily identifiable
skeleton carrying a scythe, here takes the form experiences mixed in with the magic.
of Didi, a beautiful young woman wearing an ankh, Spun off from Sandman, this is a more low-
Writer Neil Gaiman the ancient Egyptian symbol for life. And, rather key affair than that sweeping epic, containing
Artist Chris Bachalo than appearing to our depressed lead Sexton to adventures more focused on solving internal
Published 1993 carry him to the afterlife, shes on earth to teach problems than defeating external threats.
Publisher DC Vertigo him how to appreciate his current existence. The art has been criticised in some circles
This book is as joyful an experience as a for being simplistic certainly compared to
deconstruction of death should ever be. Didi Sandmans propensity for glorious experimentation
teaches Sexton many lessons during their journey, but half of this books joy comes from Deaths
including appreciating the simple pleasures (such upbeat and sweet personality, which is frequently

communicated purely via facial what she looks like. A small part of
expressions and body language. the larger family epic of the Sandman
Making readers fall in love with a series which follows Destiny,
series of drawings isnt easy. Even Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium
smarter, images that may be and Destruction this close-up focus
simplistic on the surface help made her a favourite among fans.
communicate the books key Ironically, considering the storys Above and similarly themed American Gods
opposite:
message, that simple pleasures have focus on life versus afterlife, a movie hits TV screens via US network
The book
far-reaching effects, more effectively version has been in the limbo of helped Starz, the property will be picked
than over-elaborate art ever could. development hell for over a decade, define DCs back up by DC/Warner Bros. We
Vertigo
Gaiman originally envisioned despite Gaimans strong approval of imprint. certainly hope so. Its a story that
Didi as a blonde, but artist Mike the great script. Perhaps when his deserves to reach as wide an audience
Dringenberg used his goth pal as possible, and if a movie adaptation
Cinnamon as the model for the first
Death drawing and changed the IT FREQUENTLY leads to a Watchmen-like spike in
sales, all the better. Forgive our
direction of the character. As soon
as Gaiman saw it, he said Oh, thats FEELS PROFOUND optimism but, like Didi, we believe
in happy endings. SAM ASHURST

19
UNDERSTANDING COMICS
A BLOCKBUSTER 200-PAGE COMIC BOOK ABOUT
HOW COMICS WORK AND HOW TO READ THEM
IMAGES SCOTT McCLOUD
This might come as a surprise to people who grew Why was this important? From the mid 80s to
up with comics, but knowing how to read comics the early 90s, comics experienced something of a
is not necessarily an instinctive thing. People who boom period, with numerous publishers springing
come to comics whose previous experiences of up and a flood of comic books from enthusiastic
storytelling are purely prose, TV, cinema or theatre but inexperienced creators. Many people came to
Writer Scott McCloud might actually need guidance on how to read comics both as readers and as creators who
Artist Scott McCloud comics. Which is where Scott McCloud comes in. had not had the medium as part of their everyday
Published 1993 McClouds 1993 book Understanding Comics life, brought in thanks to the mainstream media
Publisher Kitchen was a groundbreaking treatise on the history, form attention given to titles such as Watchmen, The
Sink Press
and function of graphic storytelling. But more than Dark Knight Returns and Sandman.
that, it was the first substantial guide for general In response, McCloud put out there the idea
readers to the simple matter of how to read comics. that comics were a distinct artform with their own

specific vocabulary, and sometimes more detailed, realistic backgrounds) Above and Why is Understanding Comics in
opposite:
the way to access this medium had allows the reader to identify with the this list? Well, McCloud is a comics
McCloud
to be learned. Comics had words, characters and project on to them. uses the creator his manga-influenced Zot!
but they were not novels. They had Was McCloud over-thinking the medium was one of the jewels in the 80s
of comics
pictures, but they were not movies. whole thing? Some have said so, and inventively comics boom and realised that the
One of McClouds most thought- Understanding Comics is at times and enter- way to teach people to understand
provoking assertions was that the quite heavy going. But try giving your tainingly graphic storytelling is to use the
to explain
cartoonish style, particularly in the favourite comic book to someone the medi- medium of graphic storytelling. So,
depiction of central characters, was whos never read one before. Do they um of Understanding Comics is a 200-odd-
comics.
absolutely essential to comics. Alan get as much out of it as they should? page graphical work (if not exactly a
Moore once wrote that if you were Do they just read the words, ignoring novel), which begins with the basic
to shave the heads of pretty much the subtleties of characterisation and building blocks and develops into one
every Marvel character back in the storytelling in the images? If so, they of the finest, most nuanced critical
1980s, they would all look the same. might as well be reading prose. discussions of graphic novels ever. It
McCloud saw this as not a criticism may not be the most accessible way
(as Moore meant it), but a primary
ingredient in comics minimalist USES COMICS TO to interest a non comics reading
friend in the medium, but its a major
character styling (especially when
contrasted, as in many manga, with EXPLAIN COMICS achievement, both intellectually and
creatively. DAVID BARNETT

18
THE INVISIBLES
A TIME-HOPPING, MIND-EXPANDING EXPERIENCE
TM GRANT MORRISON & DC COMICS
WITH A SIDE ORDER OF KINK AND UFOLOGY...

What is The Invisibles about? Well, thats a little consciousness ramble on all his favourite topics.
complicated... Inspired by the writings of American It also, if you believe Morrison, was designed as
mystic Terrence McKenna, the occult, James Bond, a magickal spell to set the world right again.
punk, dance and hip-hop, weird old TV shows, and Dane McGowan is an angry Northern teenager,
Grant Morrisons own apparent alien abduction rebelling fruitlessly against everything, until he
Writer Grant Morrison experience, The Invisibles is about more or less encounters masked terrorist/psychic freedom
Artist Various everything. Morrisons most personal work, its not fighter King Mob and his cell of Invisibles a secret
Published 19942000 as concise and perfect as We3, or as emotionally army waging a war against the forces of repression,
Publisher DC Vertigo potent as All-Star Superman, but in its rambling, as represented by the demonic Outer Church. But
ramshackle craziness it distills the essence of the what initially seems like a simple case of cool, sexy
pre-Millennial Zeitgeist into a heady, thrilling and goodies vs. sleazy baddies rapidly becomes far more
at times completely barking adventure serial. morally complex. Remorselessly violent at times,
Sometimes it feels like Morrison has co-opted his its a book that dedicates an entire issue to the
artists into drawing an extremely long stream-of- everyday life of one of the henchmen our heroes

mercilessly gun down in issue 1. and the eerie feel of the series, while Above and series sails and, indeed, its sales.
The book may have its bloody cake Phil Jimenez and Chris Westons opposite: But, bit-by-bit, the comic won people
Not just a
and eat it at times, but Morrison slick pencils brought consistency thriller with over and avoided cancellation.
explores the moral and psychological to Volume Two. The final volume rebels batt- (Whether this was down to the spell
ling a vast
consequences of violence. The Matrix returned to a shifting roster of artists. that Morrison asked readers to cast
conspiracy.
this is not (although that didnt stop The Invisibles had a tough time by masturbating over a sigil in issue
the Wachowskis from, shall we during its publication. After a strong 16, or just the book finding its feet
charitably say, drawing inspiration start, sales fell rapidly with the and getting better, is open to debate.)
from The Invisibles for their first second arc. Deemed too obscure by And, the thing is, while its
Matrix flick). readers, and with some strangely reputation may make the series
unappealing art from Jill Thompson, sound oblique, its actually
HARD WON VICTORY Arcadia took the wind out of the remarkably lucid on its grand
The series was divided into three themes. The Invisibles ends on a
volumes and illustrated by a plethora
of artists. Steve Yeowells work on MORRISONS MOST point of philosophical enlightenment
for mankind thats compassionate
the opening and closing stories of
Volume One defined the characters PERSONAL WORK and hopeful as well as satisfyingly
mind-bending. WILL SALMON

17 ITS A GOOD LIFE, IF
YOU DONT WEAKEN
IMAGES SETH / DRAWN AND QUARTERLY
A REFLECTIVE, GENTLY MELANCHOLY TALE ABOUT

THE COMPROMISES OUT OF WHICH A LIFE IS MADE
Seth is the pen-name of a nostalgic Canadian in the snow, and rundown buildings, usually with
Writer Seth who much prefers living in the past to coping nobody around, beneath a starry sky and evoke
Artist Seth with the headlong rush of the present. First a gentle, exquisite sadness. The elegant artwork
Published 1993-1996 serialised in early issues of his one-man comic in black and pale blue on cream paper adds to the
Publisher Drawn and book Palookaville, Its A Good Life If You Dont wistful atmosphere. Seths perseverance pays off, he
Quarterly Weaken took its title from his mothers advice. Her locates Kalos daughter and together they share the
mantra ultimately serves as a consoling response to pieces of the puzzle of why her father abandoned
his anxiety about how the past is being trampled cartooning despite achieving many aspiring
over by the rapid changes in modern life. professionals highest goal, selling a single cartoon
Seths first picture-novella is an understated to The New Yorker magazine. Whether Kalo existed
story about his obsessive quest to find out or not, its as if through him Seth can imagine how
whatever happened to a mystery gag cartoonist he might have lived as a cartoonist who made it
who signed himself Kalo during his brief career only so far and no further, and who gave up not out
and has been all but forgotten by posterity. From of weakness but the need to support his family.
clues in the fading pages of old magazines, Seths Seth combines unravelling mystery, self-
investigations take him to Strathroy, the town critical autobiography, failed romance and
where Kalo lived and, not by coincidence, where appreciation of how comics can affect us with a
Seth himself was also raised. subtle contemplation of the struggles and choices
As parallels gradually emerge between the two that shape anyones fate. As he reflects about life:
men from different periods, Seth increasingly sees Youve got to make of it the best you can. This
himself in Kalo. Plaintive images haunt these pages stands as Seths first and arguably still his most
wintry landscapes, a faded childrens playground poignant masterwork. PAUL GRAVETT

ImagineFX presents a collection of some
of the finest concept art in the world!
Order your copy today!

For print and digital: http://ifxm.ag/concept_artist
CHRIS WARE
JIMMY CORRIGAN, THE

16 SMARTEST KID ON EARTH
A TOUCHING PSYCHO-DRAMA TOLD THROUGH
ASTOUNDING MASTERY OF THE COMICS FORM
If youre ever in a mood to have your heart broken, find I have a great sense of humour. People say I am
then you need to read Jimmy Corrigan, The great fun to be with, however at times I guess I am
Smartest Kid On Earth. Chris Ware is nothing less a little shy.
than a genius, and his masterwork Jimmy Corrigan Forget all that. Jimmy Corrigan is really 36
Writer Chris Ware quite rightly won the Guardian First Book Award years old but looks prematurely aged, dresses like
Artist Chris Ware in 2001 the first graphic novel ever to do so. his grandfather, and talks like a down-home James
Published 1995-2000 So who is Jimmy Corrigan? Lets hear it from Stewart. He has a mind-numbing, paper-shuffling
Publisher Pantheon
the man himself: Hello. My name is Jimmy. I am office job. Hes the person you ignore on the streets,
Books
five feet eleven and one half inches tall, and I hold or maybe laugh at if youre a little mean-minded.
an average weight. I have hazel/blue-grey eyes, Partly autobiographical, Wares tale is about the
naturally brown hair, and a sparkle to my smile. I Thanksgiving weekend when Jimmy meets up for

IN THE MINUTIAE
OF LIFE IS PATHOS
AND TRAGEDY
Above and cleanliness of line and a curious
opposite: absence of shadow that is both
Wares
mastery of comforting and oddly unsettling, as
his medium though Jimmys world is a stage-set
makes this
on to which hes stumbled, not really
a comic like
nothing knowing his part or his lines.
else youve Ware also has a habit of
ever read.
the first time with the father he never underdoggiest underdog of them all. occasionally placing his characters
knew, entwined with the story of Ware tells his story in an off-centre in his panels, as though
Jimmys grandfather, James, whose elongated, stripped-down style, our attention is drifting away from
mother died in childbirth and whose following every step of Jimmys day them, as though Jimmy Corrigan
violent, unpleasant father took him at work, say, or trip to the grocery really is the sort of person youd
to the top of a tower at the 1893 store. But in the minutiae of a life hurry past on the street or avoid
Chicago Worlds Fair and just walked most boring, we find pathos and making eye contact with at work,
away and abandoned him. tragedy, and just a little comedy. for fear of getting drawn into a
It doesnt sound like the most Theres almost something of conversation you didnt want to have.
exciting story in the world, and it Little Nemo in Slumberland in But Ware makes us look, forbids
isnt. But it is utterly absorbing and Wares precise, regimented panels, us to ignore Jimmy, and ultimately
involving, and we alternately cringe as if Jimmy is Little Nemo himself, we are rewarded with not only an
at Jimmys social misfit life, which all grown up and having forgotten insight into an often painful life, but
we can only peer at through our how to dream. Wares art has a also the suggestion of hope borne on
fingers, or we cheer him on, the draughtsman-like quality, a Thanksgiving snow. DAVID BARNETT

BATMAN: YEAR ONE

15 A MASTERLY RETELLING OF THE ARCHETYPAL ORIGIN
ENRICHED BY MILLERS SIGNATURE NOIR SENSIBILITY
In the mid-1980s, DC was busy revamping its core
trinity of super-heroes: Superman, Wonder Woman
and Batman. The first two were in need of serious
updating, and got it. Batman, on the other hand
thanks to the return to his roots by Neal Adams et
al in the early 70s was as fresh and contemporary
as when first conceived by Bob Kane and Bill Finger
back in 1939. His genesis was perfect as it was
unimprovable. His motivations for fighting crime
were still relevant, half a century on. There have
always been, and will always be, a lot of cowardly, suffering for both characters. Neither learns a
superstitious criminals into whose hearts a night- lesson that isnt hard-won, and usually painful
black, bat-garbed figure can strike terror. too, leaving scars both external and internal. At
Writer Frank Miller
It was decided, therefore, that Batmans backstory the same time, both discover a mutual respect and
Artist David
needed to be deepened rather than substantially forge the bond that will serve them well later on.
Mazzucchelli
altered, and Frank Miller volunteered for the job. Miller originally planned to draw as well as write
Published 1987
He had recently produced the peerless Dark Knight the book, but stepped aside to let Mazzucchelli
Publisher DC Comics
Returns, set in a feverish, apocalyptic near-future illustrate instead. A year earlier the two had
at the tail end of Batmans career. Batman: Year collaborated on the much-lauded Born Again
One took him all the way back to the beginning arc of Daredevil, and the synthesis of their talents
and prompted him to tell a noir-inflected pulp tale proved just as glorious on Year One. Mazzucchellis
of vigilantism and integrity, focused on a good man style is bold and graceful, full of interesting angles,
doing the right thing in a dirty world. artful blacks, superb compositions and stunning
Two good men, in fact, for the comic is as much panel transitions for proof, look no further than
about James Gordon the future Commissioner of the bridge-fight sequence that provides the storys
the Gotham City Police Department as it is about dnouement. Add gorgeous colouring by Richmond
Bruce Wayne and his caped alter ego. In the opening Lewis (controversially reworked and more garish
pages Gordon arrives in Gotham, aware that he is in new collected editions) and you have a sublime
entering an urban cesspool and fearful that he is visual treat, images that both suit and offset the
dragging his wife and their unborn child down into bleak, bone-crunching brutality of the plot.
the muck along with him. As this straight-arrow Year One established the template for all Batman
cop butts up against endemic corruption in the origin stories to follow, including the film Batman
police force, Wayne himself starts to develop the Begins and TV series Gotham. It is about rumpled,
skills and techniques that will eventually make determined heroes taking their first tentative steps
him the much-feared scourge of crooks everywhere. down mean streets, on their way to becoming the
This involves several missteps and a great deal of legends they are destined to be. JAMES LOVEGROVE

14
BLACK HOLE
ALL IMAGES CHARLES BURNS / JONATHAN CAPE 2016
SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DEFORMITIES TURN

GROWING UP INTO A REAL HORROR STORY
An illustrated exercise in raw ugliness and among the teenagers. Some become feral outcasts,
rejection, Charles Burns monochromatic body shunning and being shunned by the rest of their
horror drama is often as revolting as it is former classmates. A few keep secret their terrible
intoxicating. Set in the Seattle suburbs of the new afflictions, grinning outwardly despite the
1970s, Black Hole centres on a group of teenagers pain. And the remainder just hide in the dark,
Writer Charles Burns
contracting a rampantly virulent sexually drinking beer, smoking weed and listening to
Artist Charles Burns
transmitted disease, the symptoms of which Bowie. Hey, it was the 70s.
Published 1995-2005
are varied, debilitating and grotesque. And here lies the crux of the novel. Despite
Publisher Pantheon
Books Originally serialised in 12 parts (and across ten the diseases repulsive nature, its actual effect on
years of writing), the plot juggles the complicated the teenagers is just to magnify their properties
and infectious sex lives of its four main as... well, teenagers.
protagonists, Keith, Eliza, Chris and Rob. The Black Hole reminds us that adolescence is to
mutations are deformities ranging from the be uncomfortable with your changing body, be
stomach-churning such as pustules, shedding sex-obsessed, have weighty and crippling anxieties
skin and a second mouth to the less immediately about your appearance, and, of course, to act and
problematic, such as a wagging tail. think in the hyperbole of the moment, all of the
As the infected come to terms with their new- time. The characters talk in terms of absolutes
found abnormalities, alienation and fear spread and punctuated exaggeration. They splinter into

friendship groups defined by switching the readers point-of-view Above and unsurprisingly, there arent many
opposite:
popularity. Their plans are reckless, and sympathies; and splash pages pages youd want to turn into art
Woodcut-
self-serving and, on occasion, are used rarely and judiciously for like artwork prints (unless you really want open
desperately tragic. But theres no maximum impact. captures wounds on your wall). Nevertheless,
the horror
judgement here: theyre teenagers, There are no greys Burns of a world its a wholly mesmeric experience, to
and with luck theyll grow out of it. visuals are composed entirely of thats stark say nothing of the dream sequences
(Curiously, excised from the collected black on white, the lighting for black and a nightmarish foray into a well of
white in
edition is the revelation that the which is a stunning achievement. more ways pitiless paranoia. With their deeply
disease eventually wears off, which The books inescapable deep, black than one. troubling sexual metaphors and
confirms Burns sympathies.) inks are arrestingly intense, and all bleak, savage imagery, they define
At first glance, the artwork may the more stark against the gleaming visually the black hole of the title
seem like The Joy of Sex minus the white of the page. Perhaps down which the characters find
joy, but it excels at exploiting the themselves tumbling.
medium for all its worth: frames
jitter skittishly during hallucinations MONOCHROMATIC Disturbing? Yes. But if you
remember the growing pains of
and flashbacks evoking unease;
symmetry is employed frequently, BODY HORROR adolescence, this is an essential and
oddly reassuring read. MILES HAMER

Writer Grant Morrison
Artist Frank Quitely
Published 2005-2008

Publisher DC Comics
13 ALL-STAR SUPERMAN
MORRISON AND QUITELYS WARM-HEARTED
REINVENTION IS A MODERN CLASSIC
All-Star Superman is the least
flashy, least stylised, least out there
of all Grant Morrisons many
before, but at a cost he will soon
die. Accepting that his time is
running out, he sets about putting
Above and
opposite:
Heroic but
human,
sees Superman wrap his arms around
a suicidal teenager, is breathtaking in
its economy.
collaborations with Frank Quitely. his affairs in order, along the way both super Jamie Grants rainbow colouring
and a man,
Compare it to the stylised hyper- encountering a parade of mirror- fits this psychedelic peacenik tone
at the
violence of We3 or their wild New image enemies which he proceeds same time. perfectly, while Quitely gets the
X-Men run and it looks almost old- to defeat using his nobility and chance to draw some wonderful
fashioned. And yet, these 12 issues kindness, rather than his super- quieter moments. The differences
pack the strongest emotional punch strength (er, mostly theres still between his Clark and his Superman
of both creators careers. Sitting to a fair amount of punching here). are striking Clark is bulky,
one side of regular DC continuity, its For a story about an alien, its the bumbling, hunched, while Superman
a pared-back, revisionist take on the humanity that shines through here. always looks utterly at ease with
Man of Steel that encapsulates all Morrisons work can, on occasion, himself and yet theyre clearly the
that is wonderful about the character. be icy and distant. His super-hero same man. And while some of the
Super-hero books can be difficult work is clever and conceptual but backgrounds are a little vague this
for outsiders to latch on to (just try sometimes at the expense of is a world of big, open skies it fits
explaining decades of Avengers emotion. In All-Star Superman, with the books optimism. When
continuity to someone who has only however, he wants you to experience they visit the Underverse, its a
ever watched the movies), but this the original super-hero anew. The claustrophobic contrast.
streamlined revision is easy to pick characters origin is recapped in a Remember that line from Man
up, utterly mainstream and yet still, scant four panels and the Funeral In Of Steel you know, the good one?
somehow, subtly avant garde. Smallville chapter moves from the Its cribbed from here. Early on,
achingly sad death of Jonathan Kent Jor-El says to his son of humanity:
HUMAN EMOTION into a hopeful vision of the future. They will race, and stumble, and
When Lex Luthor executes one of his One page from volume two, which fall and crawl... and curse... And
typically mad schemes, Superman is finally... they will join you in the sun,
forced to swoop in and save the day.
In the process he is saturated with EXPERIENCE THE Kal-El. Tinged with melancholy, yet
hopeful for the future, All-Star
solar radiation, the source of his
powers. He grows stronger than ever ORIGINAL ANEW Superman is a humanist masterpiece.
WILL SALMON

12
V FOR VENDETTA
A NUANCED, UNSETTLING POLITICAL FABLE PITTING
RUTHLESS FASCISM AGAINST RUTHLESS ANARCHISM
V For Vendetta was born in the early 1980s very enabling Moore and artist David Lloyd to complete
much as a response to Thatcherism. Nevertheless, the rest, seven years after they had begun. The
it has barely dated, and its message government stark black-and-white art of the original was given
is not to be trusted and the populace must learn to added colouring in the form of subdued pastel
shake off its chains, through insurrection if need be washes. The result, looking rather like a series
Writer Alan Moore remains bracingly, if chillingly, perennial. of old tinted photographs, is weirdly effective.
Artist David Lloyd The strip first appeared in British anthology The setting is the then near future of 1997. The
Published 1988-1989 magazine Warrior, which during its short but UK has become a police state after a global nuclear
Publisher Quality memorable lifespan helped midwife the careers war. Our protagonist, Evey, is a teenage girl forced
Communications / DC of many who became giants of the comics scene, to turn to prostitution in order to get by. She is
Vertigo among them Grant Morrison, Steve Dillon, Alan rescued from secret police officers (and would-be
Davis and Alan Moore. When Warrior died, V For rapists) by a cloaked figure wearing a Guy Fawkes
Vendetta remained unfinished. DC stepped in, mask. This is V, an anarchist whom the authorities
reprinting the existing parts of the story and consider a dangerous terrorist, and no wonder

right after saving Evey he blows up Evey, are highly questionable. Above and negative space, but for all his
the Houses of Parliament. Cunningly, Moore and Lloyd never opposite: contributions this is mainly Moores
The original
V takes Evey under his wing, but reveal his true face or true identity, chiaroscuro show. The story offers up rounded
at one stage this involves subjecting and therefore never humanise him. mono art characterisation (not least for the
had colour
her to outright torture and abuse, all He becomes almost a living idea, the villains), wordplay (every chapter
added for
in order to strengthen her resolve embodiment of the spirit of rebellion. the US title begins with the letter V), and
and mould her into an effective rebel. By the end youre left wondering edition. experimentation (one chapter takes
Meanwhile he steps up his campaign whether or not you should have the form of a song, complete with
of assassination and propaganda, but been rooting for him at all. musical notation).
his motives are not purely altruistic: Lloyd was a full co-creator on the V For Vendetta is a dystopian
he also seeks revenge for hideous strip, and his artwork is a masterclass tour-de-force offering no easy answers
medical experiments inflicted on in the use of high contrast and and no neat resolution. Presented
him when he was in custody. with a tale about liberty and choices,
V, then, is a very compromised
antihero. Even if the overthrow of A DYSTOPIAN we readers must decide whether we
prefer chaos or order and what we
tyranny is justifiable, his methods,
not least his callous treatment of TOUR-DE-FORCE should be prepared to sacrifice to
gain either. JAMES LOVEGROVE

11
AKIRA
ALL IMAGES KATSUHIRO OTOMO / KODANSHA
THE EPIC SAGA THAT INTRODUCED THE WORLD TO

SCI-FI MANGA AND CYBERPUNK... WITH MOTORBIKES
You can argue until the electric blue virtual reality began, and William Gibsons Neuromancer was
cows come home who kick-started the cyberpunk still two years away from publication.
genre, but Katsuhiro Otomos high-octane manga Set in 2019, some 30-odd years after World War
Akira, which began serialisation in 1982, has to be III, Akira takes place in Neo-Tokyo, a garish, high-
Writer Katsuhiro in there with a shout. tech, lowlife city that rose from the ashes of old
Otomo Its one of the most famous manga, and one Tokyo. Vicious gangs run rampant, post-nuclear-
Artist Katsuhiro of the first to come to Western notice, thanks to war children are born with startling abilities, and
Otomo a translated 38-issue series published by Marvels everyone rides motorbikes. Big, flashy motorbikes.
Published 1982-1990 Epic imprint from 1988. Akira embodies the tropes You might also know Akira from the 1988
Publisher Kodansha of cyberpunk which we now know so well anime; although the two-hour film necessarily
but were fresh and exciting at the time truncated much of the epic manga (2,000 pages by
remember, Blade Runner came out its conclusion in 1990), it is still considered one
in 1982, the same year Akira of the seminal anime movies.

So who, or what, is Akira? Well, for the key elements of sci-fi manga, Above and Magazine from its inception in 1982
in brief, World War III began on 6th and indeed introduced it to the West opposite: until it concluded in 1990 the story
In the form
December 1982, when Tokyo was an incredible sense of movement, in which is often sprawling, with a huge cast of
destroyed in an apparent nuclear ultraviolence, big guns, motorbikes. the West characters, and it is never anything
came to
explosion. But what emerges through Did we mention the motorbikes? less than epic in its scope.
know it,
the mangas narrative is that the city Although the US Epic series was Akira is still From down-and-dirty gangsters
was actually unwittingly destroyed coloured in fact, the first ongoing stunning. to government conspiracies to the
by Akira, a small boy with psychic comic to feature digital colouring destruction (yet again) of Tokyo,
powers verging on the godlike. the original episodes were black-and- followed by the rise of a new Japanese
The surviving government white, and were reprinted for English- empire fuelled by Akiras almost
scientists freeze him in suspended speaking audiences in their intended limitless powers, this is one manga
animation, where he remains until format by Dark Horse (and Titan in that doesnt stint on ambition and
2019, when the principal characters the UK) in the early 2000s. delivers with speed lines aplenty.
of the series, gang member Kaneda Thanks to its episodic nature Akira was birthed from the
and terrorist Kei, stumble across the it ran originally in the weekly Young culture that was so influential on
project and, thanks to Kanedas gang- cyberpunk when it took hold in
rival Tetsuo, set in motion the events
that will awaken the child. SPRAWLING BUT the 80s. Or as William Gibson once
said, Modern Japan simply was
As well as being archetypal
cyberpunk, Akira set out the stall EPIC IN SCOPE cyberpunk. And cyberpunk, quite
simply, was Akira. DAVID BARNETT

FROM THE
ARCHIVES

TOKYO
TRAILBLAZER
THE GREATEST, MOST INFLUENTIAL OF ALL MODERN MANGA
ARTISTS AT LEAST AS FAR AS MOST IN THE WEST ARE
CONCERNED IS KATSUHIRO OTOMO. BY PAUL GRAVETT
s The Japan Times recently put capable of deploying unprecedented When talking about Akira he
A it, Without Akira there would

be no Cool Japan. Manga get
taken for granted today, widely
available as English paperbacks and
inspiring global artists with their
inner energies but at a terrible price.
A secret military agency wants to
harness these gifts for its own ends,
but the fragile mind of the child-
like Akira, the most powerful and
also pays tribute to his childhood
favourite manga by Mitsuteru
Yokoyama, the giant robot classic
Tetsujin 28 Go (1956-66), released
as an animated cartoon in America
dynamic styles and techniques. But temperamental of these Espers, as Gigantor, and to the lasting
25 years ago, what would become an cannot be contained. Psychic forces, impressions on him of American
international tsunami of Japanese seismic urban destruction and films such as Easy Rider and Bonnie
comics was barely a ripple. physical deformations surge out of And Clyde.
In May 1987, independent US control, threatening to plunge the
publishers First and Eclipse instigated city into a second apocalypse. DIG THE NEW BREED
the first wave with Lone Wolf And Akira was cyberpunk before Akira was also a new breed of
Cub and The Legend Of Kamui, but cyberpunk; the term was not yet manga faster, stronger, smarter, and
the big impact came in 1988, when in the culture when Otomo began more naturalistic. American comic
Marvels creator-owned imprint Epic serialising his tale in 1982 in Young book fans hooked on Neal Adams,
unleashed Katsuhiro Otomos Akira, Magazine. He would not come John Byrne and Frank Miller were not
in prestige, squarebound comics. across William Gibsons seminal yet ready for the alien distortions and
His black-and-white pages were put 1984 book Neuromancer until 1985. large-eyed caricatures of more typical
into colour, making the first use of Instead, Otomo cites the novels manga, but they were blown away by
a vibrant, sophisticated computer by Seishi Yokomizo and their Otomos detailed, realistic fantasy.
palette devised by Steve Oliff. Here preoccupation with new breeds of His innovative approach grew out
was a gripping, fast-paced sci-fi humans mutating to adapt to volatile of his studies in draughtsmanship
manga that would truly cross over to conditions as inspiration, a mood and architecture, and his admiration
Western audiences. echoed in Japans rebel youth and for the meticulous locations in the
rioting students of the 60s. manga of Shigeru Mizuki (published
WAR CHILD Born in 1954, Otomo sought in English by Drawn & Quarterly).
Echoing the atomic bombings of to evoke this volatile period he As for those normal, unexaggerated
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Otomo knew well in the future-world of eyes, he started by using his friends
opens Akira with the detonation Akira. I wanted to revive a Japan as models for his drawing. My style
of a mysterious bomb over Japan, like the one I grew up in, he said, took shape naturally by observing
triggering a Third World War. after the Second World War, with them, he said. I try to draw things
Almost 40 years later, the world of a government in difficulty, a world as true as possible, without falling
2030 is rebuilding and a sprawling being rebuilt, external political into mannerism.
Neo-Tokyo rises from the ashes, pressures, an uncertain future Another crucial ingredient to
besieged with biker gangs and anti- and a gang of kids left to fend for Otomos style was the aesthetic
government terrorists. This future themselves, who cheat boredom by shock in the late 70s of discovering
belongs to a new breed of human, racing on motorbikes. the work of Frances master of sci-fi

comics, Moebius, alias Jean Giraud. Above: the big screen, he created a hugely deadline. I then needed half a day to
Akira the
At the time, manga was confined to innovative production, advancing the draw all the characters, then I gave
movie and
the real, the everyday, the concrete, Akira the state-of-the-art of adult animation a finishing touch to the buildings by
the social, he explained. Everyone comic were to unprecedented heights. He had trying to instil them with life and
both highly
swore only by gekiga, the adult effective
not finished his manga story at that expressiveness, with dust, cracks,
version of manga which used lots of time, however, so he had to come up broken windows. Id finish the
frames and sombre compositions. The with an original ending for the film. last pencils on Sunday at 5am, the
clear yet very expressive and detailed Despite running well over budget, inking of the characters by 7pm, and
line of Moebius was a real revelation. Akira the movie and Akira the comic the episode was delivered Monday
A fantastical universe like Arzach reinforced each others success. morning at 8am.
pushed us out of our routines. After the movie, Otomo resumed
The distinctive look of Akira A HANDMADE WORLD his manga and unfolded his much
greatly helped it to cross language For its original magazine serialisation, longer, richer, more complex vision,
and culture barriers and implant Otomo was expected to produce a 20- completing it in 1990. With many
manga internationally. In Japan, the page episode every two weeks, which more characters and subplots, it
instant success of the first volume put great demands on him. finally filled six albums of about 400
in a special, oversized, high-priced My method was to completely pages each, released first in English
format at 1,000 selling out draw the first page as a warm-up by Dark Horse and currently by
immediately of two print-runs, without preparatory sketches, Japanese publishers Kodansha.
totalling 300,000 copies led to directly on the final board, with no Otomo began getting his comics
Otomo being commissioned to reworking, to get going as quickly published in 1973, mainly for Manga
direct his own animated movie as possible, he said. Once that Action magazine, but avoided sci-fi
version in 1988. Alongside manga, first page was done, an assistant until he switched more to rival title
he had been working in the anime inked the decors and buildings with Young Magazine, where he left his
field since 1983, and had been a Rotring pen and ruler. Meanwhile, first stab at the genre, Fireball,
getting noticed and praised. Granted I pencilled the following pages, unfinished in 1979.
complete control to bring his epic to finishing usually two days before the In many ways, his follow-up

Domu: A Childs Dream, serialised
from 1980 and published as a single
volume in 1983 is a more accessible
I FELT THE NEED TO RETURN TO
entry point than Akira. Lets hope
Kodansha will put it back into print
A MANUAL WAY OF WORKING, A
shortly. This chiller presages Akira
by focusing on a battle between HANDMADE WORLD
psychically empowered tenants As for comics, Otomo keeps his Above: Otomo created DJ Teck no Morning
of a crowded, rundown apartment hand in, creating new, mostly short Otomos Attack, an original eight-page colour
other
complex in present-day Tokyo. pieces or even writing scripts for works, manga, for Geijitsu Shincho. It was
Mixing the mundane with the strange others. Otomo often uses his manga before in this arts magazine that he revealed
Akira and
and sometimes horrifying, Domu was as springboards for his later anime his return to full-length serial manga.
since, are
lined up for a live-action film, which projects too. For example, three of well worth Ive decided to come back, he
has yet to happen. his earlier comics inspired three exploring said, I felt the need to return to an
too, in
In cinema, Otomos other sections of the anthology animated particular
entirely manual way of working, a
achievements include his affectionate film Memories in 1995, Otomo DJ Teck handmade world, while theres still
reinterpretation of Osamu Tezukas directing the tale Cannon Fodder and Domu: time, and without an assistant.
A Childs
1949 manga Metropolis. He also himself. Similarly, his short cartoon, Dream. Otomos already spent several
directed a 2007 live-action adaptation Combustible part of an ensemble years developing what will be
of Yuki Urushibaras folklore fables movie called Short Peace grew from his first manga aimed at an
Mushishi about an occult detective in a nine-page manga of the same name adolescent readership.
an imaginary Japanese past. Perhaps which he crafted for the debut issue It may be just as well that
most significantly, Otomo wrote and of the anthology Comic Cue. It was Hollywoods mooted live-action
directed the ambitious Steamboy, shortlisted as one of 10 nominees for remake of Akira has been abandoned.
realising a striking steampunk 2013s Oscars. After three decades, it is Otomos
Victorian England. Sadly, it failed to In April 2012, to accompany an vision which still astonishes in both
set Western box offices on fire. interview and features about him, comics and film.

10
A CONTRACT WITH GOD
Writer Will Eisner THE FIRST GRAPHIC NOVEL? WELL, NOT QUITE, BUT
Artist Will Eisner ITS STILL IN A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN...
Published 1978
Publisher Baronet Historic twice over, Will Eisners A Contract With long-form stories. Hey, its existence is pretty
Books God is a hugely important tome. Both a monument much the reason your local bookstore has a section
in comics chronology and also a piece of social devoted to trade paperbacks and graphic novels.
history, it carries considerable heft as part of the
mediums sometimes awkward journey towards PERSONAL RESONANCE
academic respect and mainstream acceptability. But lets be clear: Contract is not here just because
No, it is not the first use of the term graphic its pioneering. If it hadnt been any good then
novel, but it was Eisners determination to tell an graphic novels would have been prints amusing
adult tale of fierce intelligence and deep emotional sidestep, rather than a powerhouse of publishing.
pull, only with pictures, that kick-started the slow Eisners often bleak but resonant set of four linked
process of the medium winning some scholarly short stories can be an emotionally overwhelming
credibility. Its the book that in the publics and the read. In a semi-autobiographical account of his own
industrys eyes legitimised using the techniques early life in New Yorks poverty-stricken Bronx
of the newspaper funnies and comic books to tell tenements, Eisner recalls the desperation and the

ALL IMAGES THE ESTATE OF WILL EISNER
hardened resilience of his upbringing, breathtakingly bitter burst of Above and anchor the tale around a mood.
opposite:
and the characters around him. illustrative fury that demonstrates The playful, cartoonish whimsy is
Eisners
Most personal is the first story, exactly why this story needed to be individual, occasionally shattered to devastating
about Russian Jewish immigrant told visually. often car- effect with barely a panels notice,
toony, style
Frimme Hersh. A deeply religious In fact, what may be most serves a a juddering stark tonal contrast
and moral man, he accuses God of surprising is that the book deploys serious delivered with brutal poignancy.
breaking a contract when his adopted familiar conventions of the medium purpose. The street singers vicious domestic
daughter dies at the age of 16. Its a throughout. With years of experience, abuse, the spousal beating and Mr
heartbreaking and at times cruel Eisner is simply a great visual Scuggss fevered sexual dreams, are
story that hangs heavy with its storyteller, using every trick of the all shocking moments, made all the
themes of faith, loss and duty. Eisner medium onomatopoeia, speed lines, more so by Eisners craft.
lost his own daughter at the same characters popping out of frame to A Contract With God deserves its
age, and his raw anger and sense of place in this list not because its the
injustice at the tragedy reverberates
through the pages. The rightly IF NOT THE FIRST, first, but because its one of the best
an intoxicating and urgent milestone
famous splash panel of Hersh railing
at Gods perceived betrayal is a ONE OF THE BEST of the genre. No wonder they named
an award after him. MILES HAMER

9 ALICE IN SUNDERLAND
IMAGES BRYAN TALBOT / JONATHAN CAPE
A SWEEPING, UTTERLY IMMERSIVE TRIP DOWN THE

RABBIT HOLE OF HISTORY, MYTH AND IMAGINATION
Bryan Talbot is one of the finest creators working its a pleasing mishmash of a hundred different
in British graphic novels today. Wigan-born and styles, and is less a standard narrative than an
living in the North-East, he is your actual Northern explosion in an ideas factory.
Powerhouse of comics, with a diverse body of work Centred on, of course, his adopted Sunderland,
including the alternative-history romp of Luther the graphic novel ostensibly looks at the links
Writer Bryan Talbot
Arkwright, the sci-fi horror of 2000 ADs Nemesis between Alice In Wonderland author Lewis Carroll
Artist Bryan Talbot
the Warlock, the moving and uncompromising look and the town, drawing on assertions that it was
Published 2007
at child abuse in The Tale Of One Bad Rat, and his Carrolls visit to Sunderland that sparked the idea
Publisher Jonathan
Cape most recent work, with wife Mary, including their for his classic childrens novel.
latest The Red Virgin And The Vision of Utopia. But this book is so much more than that. In
Sitting in the middle of all this is 2007s Alice tracing the story of Sunderland from prehistoric
In Sunderland, which straddles the border between times it basically encapsulates the history of
his more fantastical early work (though he has kept the entire country, told through the eyes of a
up that side of things with his anthropomorphic wandering narrator.
animal steampunk mystery series Grandville) and Its the sort of mythic, labyrinthine,
his more socially-relevant later efforts with Mary. psychogeographical tale done so well by the likes
One of those enviable comics people who of Iain Sinclair and, latterly, Alan Moore, a cherry-
illustrates as well as he writes, Talbot seems to picking of the unknown, the forgotten and the
have poured everything into Alice in Sunderland absurd moments of history that are nevertheless

embedded in our DNA, no matter would certainly have gone out on a
whether we hail from Sunderland, high. But rather than cap his career,
Stourbridge or Southampton. Alice In Sunderland seems to have
At almost 330 pages you dont half revitalised it, given Talbot a new
get your moneys worth with this on lease of life, almost as if he was
page-count alone, but what is really granting himself permission to scale
astonishing is the amount of detailed ever-higher peaks and drive forward
work that Talbot put into this collage the medium of graphic storytelling
of a graphic novel. Its almost as if with every new project.
this was the culmination of a lifes Alice In Sunderland is a beautiful,
work, the embodiment of everything satisfying and fulsome book, and just
Bryan Talbot the comics creator had
to offer.
as the narrative breaks down the
boundaries between reality and AN EXPLOSION IN
Were that the case, and were this
the last thing he had ever done, he
fantasy, so it demolishes and defies
genre categorisations. DAVID BARNETT AN IDEAS FACTORY
8 LOVE AND ROCKETS
SPANNING FIVE DECADES AND COUNTING, THIS IS
SURELY THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INDIE COMIC EVER
Love and Rockets is one of the most enduring indie But Jaimes equally wide ensemble have
comics of all time, now about to start its fourth changed along with the focus of his stories
incarnation in 35 years. It was first published in Maggie left the rockets behind and her story
magazine format by Fantagraphics in 1982, after morphed into the wider canvas of Hoppers, a
Writer Gilbert
Hernandez, Jaime three brothers from Oxnard, California Jaime, Californian town based on Oxnard, and the lives
Hernandez, Mario Gilbert and Mario Hernandez put out their own and loves of her and her friends.
Hernandez self-published comic the year before. The appeal of Love and Rockets is almost
Artist Gilbert In the early days, Gilbert provided the love certainly down to Los Bros Hernandezs almost
Hernandez, Jaime
while Jaime took care of the rockets. Although supernatural talent for creating memorable,
Hernandez, Mario
Hernandez they and initially Mario contributed a wide realistic characters. Anyone who has read the
Published 1982- range of strips, the two major storylines that comic for any length of time will feel immersed in
Publisher endure to this days were Gilberts Palomar tales, the lives of Luba, Pipo, Chelo and the rest of the
Fantagraphics set in a rural Latin American village, and Jaimes Palomar tribe, and if you threw a rock at a bunch of
Mechanics stories, about Maggie, an engineer who comic fans youre pretty much guaranteed to hit
fixed up rocket ships and had adventures. someone whos just a little bit in love with Maggie.
Gilberts stories, following a huge cast of Another interesting facet of Love and Rockets
characters, have maintained their magic realist feel is that its pretty much progressed in real time.
over the past three and a half decades. Maggie and Hopey are in their 40s now and there is

ALL IMAGES THE HERNANDEZ BROTHERS / FANTAGRAPHICS
fresh, younger blood in the cast of in Hoppers and grabs the attention of Above: The
both Gilberts and Jaimes stories. local hothead stud Speedy Ortiz, but Death Of
Speedy arc
Time doesnt stand still in either Esthers boyfriend back in rival is Love And
Hoppers or Palomar. Dairytown isnt happy and threatens Rockets at
its most raw
Newcomers often wonder where to start a gang war.
and moving.
to start. There are various collections One of Gilberts many masterful
of the earlier work, some focusing on epics is Human Diastrophism,
Jaime and Gilberts work individually, sometimes collected as Blood of
some collecting stories from both. Palomar, in which a serial killer
Many of the arcs are self-contained, stalks the remote village. But dont be put off by the breadth
so its not a bad idea to drop into of the worlds the Hernandez Brothers
something from the middle period
when the bros have honed their craft.
TIME DOESNT have created its vast and full of
people youre not sure youll ever
For Jaime, try the Death of
Speedy storyline, collected as Vol 7 STAND STILL IN LOVE understand properly, but thats pretty
much the same as in real life just
of The Complete Love and Rockets.
Maggies cousin Esther comes to stay AND ROCKETS with the occasional robot and lady
wrestler. DAVID BARNETT

GHOST
7 WORLD
NOT LITERALLY A GHOST STORY BUT A TALE ABOUT
DRIFTING IN A WORLD YOURE ALIENATED FROM
Chronicling the meanderings of a pair of snarky Clowes sympathetic stance (her name is literally
Writer Daniel Clowes high school graduates, Ghost World is author- an anagram of his). Her last grasp at youth is a
Artist Daniel Clowes illustrator Daniel Clowes discourse on the recurring motif throughout the book: she clings on
Published 1993-1997 disaffected adolescence of the 90s slacker desperately to childhood treasures and tangible
Publisher generation. Except, you know, wickedly funny. possessions, a feeling any nostalgia-soaked adult
Fantagraphics Books Often scabrous and occasionally sentimental, has while mourning their own loss of innocence.
the comic began life during the peak of Americas
grunge scene. Scaling the counter-culture landscape LOST WORLD
crafted by the likes of Kurt Cobain and Kevin The Ghost World of the title is the Anytown
Smith are waspish Enid Coleslaw and blonde USA whose soft underbelly of freaks, weirdos and
WASP Rebecca Doppelmeyer. The best friends are a the dispossessed provide much nourishment for
pair of disenfranchised misfits whose very Enid and Rebeccas hunger to ridicule but there
existence thrives on disdain and cynicism. As they are also ghosts of Enids past everywhere, and the
wander through the grey haze of teenage life while book exudes a vaguely hallucinatory and somewhat
ruminating, hilariously, on everything from sports elegiac tone across the shuffling narrative.
to politics and music to comedy, nothing escapes Yes, Ghost World is probably now better known
their acidic scrutiny. The naturalistic dialogue by its (very good) film adaptation, which boasts
nails expertly the dismissive ire of the stunted geek chic, hipster cool and a more refined plot, but
adult mindset: youre defined not by what you like, it is these 80 pages in which Enid and Rebeccas
but by what you hate. satisfyingly unambitious exploits make the most
In the wrong hands, this could become very of the most mundane.
tiresome very swiftly, but Enids razor-sharp anti- Theres no denying Ghost World feels rooted
conformist attitude is softened enormously by inextricably to the Generation X era in which it
was created (hey, even the duotone colour scheme
DISENFRANCHISED MISFITS gives it the feel of a 90s punk zine). However, the
themes it explores growing-up, friendship and
THRIVING ON CYNICISM alienation are universal, timeless and relatable.

Oh, and again, its really, really funny. MILES HAMER

ALL IMAGES DANIEL CLOWES 2016

6
THE SANDMAN
NEIL GAIMANS ASTONISHING MODERN FANTASY AND
ITS POST-MODERN HIGHLIGHT, WORLDS END...
ALL IMAGES DC VERTIGO 2016
Neil Gaimans popular, acclaimed Sandman series and Reflections and longer single tales such as
centres on the Endless, seven immortal siblings The Dolls House and Season of Mists.
more powerful than gods Dream, Desire, Despair, The series highlight, Worlds End, is both of
Delirium, Destiny, Destruction and Death who these at once. Mimicking the episodic structure of
like any family have their feuds and internal Chaucers Canterbury Tales, Gaiman assembles a
alliances, their golden boys and their black sheep. group of disparate travellers in what purports to be
Writer Neil Gaiman
Dream, the Sandman of the title, is also known a quaint, Tudor-period inn. They have been driven
Artist Various
Published 1989-1996 as Morpheus among many other names, and is a to seek shelter there from a reality storm that is
Publisher DC Vertigo self-absorbed, brooding soul, prone to melancholy assailing every dimension, and to pass the time
and pique but basically benevolent. He drifts they drink and tell stories, either about themselves
languorously through life, seeming both protagonist or about people theyve met. Almost all of the tales
and spectator, a character as hard to pin down as feature an appearance by Morpheus, which is apt:
his namesake yet sympathetic all the same. The he is not only Lord of Dreams, but in the episode
series traces his efforts to overcome his pride and titled The Golden Boy he dubs himself Prince of
atone for past mistakes and transgressions, moving Stories. The line dividing dream from imagination
inexorably towards a doomy conclusion. The story is, after all, vanishingly thin.
arcs fall into two distinct categories: short-story The writing is a feast of poetic prose and wide-
collections such as Dream Country and Fables ranging allusiveness, but by this point in the

comics initial 75-issue run, readers The book is a story about stories. Above and the life of a place of death. It all
There are stories within the stories, opposite: culminates in a grand, sombre vision
had come to expect that. Always less
This vol-
certain was the art, especially in the and stories within those, nesting ume is a of a funeral cortge passing by in
single-story arcs. In this volume a neatly one inside the other. There tour-de- some higher realm, a foreshadowing
force of
sumptuous range of illustrators is are mysterious cities, sea serpents of a tragedy to come. All tales, even
different
recruited, and Gaiman writes to the and fairy tricksters. Theres an tales and the tallest ones, even ones about
strengths of each Alec Stevens affectionate reworking of the short- artistic immortal entities, must have their
styles that
spare, woodblocky style, Mike lived 1970s DC oddity Prez, about subtly knit
climax and dnouement.
Allreds 60s-influenced wackiness, a flower-power teen President of the together. In Worlds End Gaiman really let
John Watkisss masterful use of USA. Theres a tale about ghoul-like his imagination loose. It fits tidily
brushwork and blacks. Everything is workers in a vast necropolis thats as inside the Sandman universe, with
tied together by the recurrent framing grisly as it is matter-of-fact a day in callbacks for a number of the existing
sequence by Bryan Talbot, who excels cast of characters and references to
in his depiction of the earthy, lamp-
lit interior of the storm-battered inn THIS IS A STORY events both past and future, but it
stands out, too, as a testament to
with its host of wayward wanderers
and washed-up neer-do-wells. ABOUT STORIES its authors sheer, abiding love of
storytelling. JAMES LOVEGROVE

t begins, as so many things do,
I very small. Just a simple advert,

running throughout DC Comics
monthly comic book titles. The
profile of a gaunt, pale face, black
hair strewn across it, inside of which
the eyes are small red, fiercely
burning orbs. A hand reaches into
the foreground of the image. A tiny
golden glow. A spark. A supernova.
I will show you terror in a
handful of dust, reads the tagline
a proclamation and a promise
borrowed from TS Eliots The Waste
Land. Additional words run across
the bottom of the ad: The Sandman:
HE CONTROLS YOUR DREAMS.
A horror-edged fantasy set in the
DC Universe.
Neil Gaimans wildly popular,
critically adored and terrifically
trendsetting comic cosmology
began its landmark 75-issue run
(eventually collected in 10 volumes)
at the perfect time, in January
of 1989. Inheriting an audience
eager for adult graphic literature
like that of Alan Moore and Frank
Miller, Sandman provided Gaiman
with the perfect means to explore
the mediums potential and
incorporate the narrative ideas and
techniques of the finest prose fiction
while examining the foundations
of graphic storytelling.
It would draw from world
mythologies, theologies,
philosophies, punk music, modern
art, transgender subculture and Mary
Poppins. But, first and foremost,
it was a story. One its creator
summarised as The King of Dreams
FROM THE realises he must change or die and he
ARCHIVES makes his choice. It would prove a
IN DREAMS
fitting epitaph for the comic itself.
I always knew that was what the
book was going to be about, Gaiman
tells SFX. What I didnt know was
whether or not I was going to be able
to tell that story, which is slightly
MORE THAN 25 YEARS AFTER NEIL GAIMANS different. I set up pretty much
everything I needed. The important
FANTASY EPIC BEGAN, JOSEPH MCCABE TALKS part of the end was set up in probably
TO THE MAN HIMSELF ABOUT HIS TRIUMPH the first two issues, over the first

four or five. Although Preludes House Of Mystery and House Of Above: The Im like Jimi Hendrix in the Beatles.
And Nocturnes really didnt hit its Secrets out of which came Bernie Sandman Im miserable here. And we were
with a mask
stride or hit its shape until the end, Wrightson and Len Weins Swamp that recalls all relieved I was terribly relieved
most of what I was doing there I Thing, and Alan Moores 80s reboot his 30s when Sam quit. Not because I
predecessor.
knew where it would end. of the title. The early issues of didnt want Sam as an artist, but
I was setting up in the very Sandman, collected in Preludes because Id have these phone calls
beginning. I didnt believe that I And Nocturnes, are bursting with with him, and he would sound like
was ever going to get to tell my a passion for such material. Though he was going to slit his wrists Hi
story, but I didnt see there was any some growing pains were felt. Sam. Hows it going? Theyre going
reason not to set up for the kind of Sandman #1 was written to see this comic come out and they
story I wanted to tell. If that makes without really knowing who was will hate me. I dont think they will
any sense. drawing it, says Gaiman. I think hate you
I had to write Sandman #1 while Kieth eventually chose to leave
ENDLESS DREAM we were still looking for an artist. and, with issue #6, his friend and
In telling his tale, Gaiman conceived Sandman #2 was written to Sams inker Dringenberg took over the
of the seven dysfunctional Endless strengths, because it was sort of books pencilling, helping Gaiman
siblings, each an embodiment of a pure Bernie Wrightson. Sandman #4, establish a style and tone that would
particular aspect of the universe: I wrote to Sams strengths, and Sam become synonymous with The
Destiny, Death, Destruction, loved it so much, he went off and Sandman. Most famously with the
Despair, Desire, Delirium and inked the double-page spread [pages introduction of Death, Dreams older,
the tall, moody, haunted title 12-13] himself. eternally wise and perennially perky
character himself, Dream whose Though Gaiman would tailor his
lengthy imprisonment on Earth, scripts to the skills and interests of
and subsequent release, is detailed
in the series first issue, inked by
each of his artists, Sandmans first
illustrator felt he was the wrong
I ALWAYS KNEW
then newcomer Mike Dringenberg
and illustrated by Sam Kieth. All
choice for a story that quickly
transcended its horror roots. WHAT THE BOOK WAS
three gentlemen had a deep love of
DCs 70s horror titles books like
Sam was miserable. Sam really
was in the wrong band. Sam said, GOING TO BE ABOUT
CHANGE OR
DIE. IN THE END
DREAM MADE
HIS CHOICE
sister, in #8 (The Sound Of
Her Wings).
With Mike working on the
book, explains Gaiman, I had that
sense of place. I could actually say,
Great. I have a diner. I have the front
of this diner, I have this whole space,
and I can move people around in it.
And you will believe in it the whole Above: The like to do some painting, I would like blamed the Prince of Stories for the
time. In the same way that I could Cure cover to do something more loss of her son. The resulting conflict
that never
do #8 and move the Sandman across was? Because Mike had gone off and would forever alter the Sandmans
New York. Although, even when Sam we got Kelley Jones in, we just sort of realm, the Dreaming.
was still on the book, it was always had the perfect artist doing Season Technically, the thing Im most
planned that one was going to be Of Mists. At that point, there was proud of, in the whole of Sandman,
drawn by Mike. a sort of Okay, what are we going says Gaiman, is probably in The
After 11 issues, which spanned to do now? How are we going to do Kindly Ones watching Lyta Hall,
Preludes And Nocturnes, the titles this? Are we going to try and get a on the one hand, going through this
acclaimed second volume The regular artist for the book forever? I huge internal quest through all sorts
Dolls House, and the prologue and think there were things that Kelley of mythic realms with all sorts of
epilogue of volume 4, Season Of wanted to do. For A Game Of You, mythological characters, and, on
Mists, Dringenberg too departed, I began by saying I want an Eric another level, wandering completely
and a new artist was brought on for Shanower kind of look. And we crazy around LA. You realise that
each subsequent story arc. got Shawn McManus, who I loved. shes talking to her reflection, or
Mikes departure was a I loved his Pog, his Swamp Thing a traffic light, or whatever. And
complicated thing. Mike basically story. For Brief Lives, I wanted managing to make that work and
said, I cant always do a monthly something very, very understated. Marc Hempels genius in designing
book. I cant meet these deadlines. Id Very realistic. Done by somebody the pages so that you realise that
who could draw girls who looked like both of these things are true. One
DREAM A girls. I was shown this Jill Thompson

drawing and I thought, Yes, thats
of them is a way of looking inside
her head.
LITTLE DREAM
what I want. March of 1996 marked the release
of Sandmans final issue, #75, The
SISTER ACT Tempest. This standalone tale was
ON DESIGNING THE SANDMAN Brief Lives found Dream and illustrated by Charles Vess, the artist
Dave McKean had drawn a couple of pictures of a his mad sister Delirium (formerly with whom Gaiman had won, in
guy in a trench coat, says Sandmans first penciller Delight) on a quest to find their 1991, what is to date the only World
Sam Kieth. He looked like John Constantine I brother Destruction, whod Fantasy Award (for Best Short
sent some sketches off, and nobody liked the first abandoned his realm. The Sandmans Fiction) ever given to a comic book
round. Then I sent a second round off and the one
next major arc, The Kindly Ones, #19s similarly Shakespearean A
they chose is the one we went with, which looked a
little like David Bowie, a little bit of a cropped top. would be its longest. Adorned with Midsummer Nights Dream.
The look was really heavily championed through the minimalist art of Marc Hempel, Change or die. In the end,
Neil and Karen Berger I would have his hair matted it pitted Dream against the Furies Dream made his choice. Did it
to his head. I wasnt with the whole, hip trendy
(or Fates), who sought vengeance reflect any options that Gaiman
Sandman. I wanted the goofy Sandman.
on behalf of a human woman who himself had faced?

LITTLE DEAD GIRL
THE SANDMANS MOST POPULAR
CHARACTER WAS NO DREAM
The way Neil originally described her, says artist
Mike Dringenberg of Dreams older sister, was
very much a Louise Brooks kind of concoction.
He wanted that look, with sort of a short, black
bob [But] Death is based on, primarily, my friend
Cinnamon, who was a ballet dancer. Deaths ankh
was indeed my idea. Since Cinnamon was prone to
wearing a little silver ankh a sign of immortality
and rebirth I thought it both a fitting tribute to a
beauty, and a lovely irony worthy of such a deity, a
kind of cosmic joke.
Left: The Nights. A 25th anniversary project,

foxiest grim The Sandman: Overture, written
reaper you
ever did by Gaiman and illustrated by JH
see. Williams III, also started at the end
of 2013. (Ed Overture was beset by
delays during its original publication,
but is now complete and available in
a handsome collected edition.)
Sandmans greatest legacy may
be in addition to launching the
career of one of the most popular and
acclaimed writers of our time the
sheer number of doors it opened
for storytellers not only seeking to
I dont know, he tells us. Though The Sandmans story tell comic book stories with the
Thats the most honest answer. ended, as befits one of the Endless depth and complexity of prose, but
There are three different philosophies it never really stopped. Spin-off who wish to tell full, complete,
about coping with untenable titles like The Dreaming, Lucifer, Below left: adult stories within the medium.
Theres
situations. There is Destructions the rebooted House Of Mystery and Per Gaimans wishes, DC has not
always
point of view and there is Lucifers a line of Sandman Presents books Alton continued Sandman since he ended
point of view, both of which sum followed, as well as Gaimans own Towers. his saga. Instead, the books success
up to, You really dont have to stay Death miniseries (The High Cost launched the publishers Vertigo line,
Below
anywhere forever. You can move. Of Living and The Time Of Your right: Sam and the many titles comprising it,
If its horrible, you get out of there. Life), his illustrated novella The Kieth mad from Preacher to The Invisibles, 100
landscapes
If youre not happy, you move on. Dream Hunters, and his anthology and goofy
Bullets to Y: The Last Man. And it all
And then theres Dreams point of collection Endless hero. began with a handful of dust.
view, which is You do the right
thing if it kills you. You have
your responsibilities. You cannot
walk out on them. There are things
you cannot get out of. Im sure that
I must have been in both of those
positions during my life. Im pretty
much more likely to do a Sandman
than I ever would be to do a Lucifer.
Im much more likely to stick to
somewhere, even if its untenable,
and say, I gave my word, Im going to
see this one through.

THE DARK KNIGHT
5 RETURNS
A LANDMARK REIMAGINING OF AN ICONIC CHARACTER
BY A VISIONARY CREATOR AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME
Frank Millers densely plotted, still-dizzying devolve from ageing billionaire into a far more
Writer Frank Miller masterpiece of masked mayhem is an astonishingly ruthless avenger than weve ever seen before.
Artists Frank Miller angry rebuild of the Batman mythology. Ten years Millers depiction pushes the Bat to the extreme,
and Klaus Janson after The Dark Knights retirement, Gotham crystallising his utter essence for what feels very
Published 1986 has devolved into an oppressive, sweltering city much like a final savage victory lap. His physical
Publisher DC Comics of crime and fear, and ideological battles with Superman highlight
provoking the ageing, the crucial differences between them: Clark is an
grizzled, now rather alien who tries to see the best in humanity and so
corpulent Bruce Wayne serves it; Bruce has seen the worst in humanity and
back into the cape and in its protection distances himself further.
cowl once more. What ensues
is an epic and operatic narrative HECTIC YET ICONIC
that summons immense strength from Visually, Miller crams his pages with a bewildering
its chaos, making for one of the most exhausting array of panels and background detail. His
comics ever published. audacious framing devices demonstrate his mastery
The seams-bursting busyness of its many of the medium the pages jumble with juxtaposed
threads threatens constantly enemies, TV screen insets provide satirical media
to tear the story apart, but commentary over battle footage, and heroes
beneath the many textures of making un-heroic decisions are cast in ominous
detail the talk show hosts, silhouette against a raging, painful sky. Renderings
Gordons retirement, the range from the mundane to the macabre, and the
nuclear arms race lies
Batmans still vengeful
obsession with taking down
PUSHES THE BAT
criminals. Across the tales
four parts, we see the character TO THE EXTREME
sheer hectic excess of art and text is Above and to both balance out his ferocity and
an overwhelming experience. opposite: ensure that his legacy endures.
Frank Miller
Its even more impressive then brought us Thanks to Frank Miller, The
that the book is responsible for so a Batman Dark Knight returned in more than
we had
many instantly iconic images: the just his own fiction. A monumental
never seen
Dark Knight on horseback, the before, but publishing success that kicked into
shockingly emaciated figure of a he and the touch any lingering trace of the
world he
lightning-bolt-struck Superman, and inhabited
characters once camp past, became
the Jokers final bitter, ironic grin are proved to a touchstone for his future portrayal,
just a few of the many times Miller be utterly and became a benchmark for multi-
compelling.
widens the frame and allows his layered adult-orientated storytelling,
pencils to create moments of pure The Dark Knight Returns is an
aesthetic awe. Batmans portrayal as indispensable read.
a huge, brutish adversary is offset Its a seismic and dystopian
beautifully by one of his few tender blockbuster still demonstrably
moments in the book cradling the influential 30 years on. You dont
new Robin, Carrie Kelley. Bright, need to be a Batman fan to read
kickass and fiercely loyal, shes the it, but itll make you become
young Robin that this Batman needs one anyway. MILES HAMER


THE DARK KNIGHT
FROM THE
ARCHIVES REFLECTS
IN 1986 FRANK MILLERS FEROCIOUSLY DARK VISION OF BATMAN
SENT SHOCKWAVES THROUGH COMICS. 20 YEARS ON, IN 2006, HE
SPOKE WITH DANNY GRAYDON ABOUT THE LEGENDARY SERIES
y the 1980s, the popular image wonderful creative periods where I took Bob Kane and Bill Finger at
B
Left: Dark
Knight saw
of Batman was still mired in your blood is on fire. And if creating their word and made him a terrorist
an older
memories of the 1960s TV Dark Knight ignited Millers blood, and much striking terror. That notion goes right
show, with a comically-earnest its effect on the comics industry was grimmer back to the first few pages of Batman
Batman...
Adam West gallivanting around a similarly incendiary. Not only did it ever written!
broad-daylight Gotham City in an ill- ignite Batmans long-sagging sales Below: The Surprisingly, given the radical
fitting costume a far cry from the but, alongside Alan Moore and Dave series was nature of Millers story and the fact
also much
original image of a terrifying avenger Gibbonss Watchmen, Dark Knight less comic he was utilising one of DCs flagship
prowling the night, obsessively helped raise the comics medium to book than properties, he encountered little
waging war on crime. In 1986, a mature level of literature. comics had resistance from the publisher: After
been in its
however, this camp legacy was I was really just trying to write portrayal of the initial wave of shock, their
thoroughly blown away with the a kick-ass Batman story, Miller violence. support was total especially when
release of The Dark Knight Returns, says. I certainly didnt realise how they saw the sales numbers.
a four-issue mini-series chronicling political it would get, or how intense The presence of Robin always
Batmans apocalyptic last stand. the reaction would be. a tricky element of the Batman
Written and pencilled by Frank
Miller, it radically reinvented and THE KEY TO THE BATMAN
reinvigorated Batman, hugely When conceiving Dark Knight,
amplifying the characters inherent Miller confronted the frustrating
darkness and placing him squarely in dichotomy that dogged Batman
the kind of grim, hard-edged territory comics in the early 80s: I felt there
most notably psychological that was a reason why Batman always
super-hero comics rarely, if ever, seemed to be top of the list of
explored. Today, the series is regarded favourite characters and bottom of
as one of the very best and most the list regarding sales. People were
influential Batman stories ever missing the whole point. He was not
written. To commemorate its 20th your classic hero.
anniversary, DC Comics released Millers answer? Focus on the
Absolute Dark Knight, an opulent characters least heroic but key trait:
slip-cased hardcover set which
collects the series and its 2001 sequel
in an oversized format, along with an
array of rare supplemental features.
I JUST TRIED TO
Its hard to argue with something
that made my career, Miller told us WRITE A KICK-ASS
candidly. Its one of my most fond
professional memories, one of those BATMAN STORY
mythos was an undecided issue Above: fatherly role would humanise him. Consequently, such ideas led Miller
until Miller shared a flight with Batmans As striking as Millers re-casting to a masterful evolution of Batmans
relationship
fellow artist John Byrne in 1985. to Robin is of Robin was, it was easily trumped war against criminals into something
Byrne said Robin must be a girl. different... by his deeply cynical portrayal of larger and more complex: As I was
Miller loved the idea, and Carrie Superman, now squarely under the working though it, I was going
Below:
Kelly was born. It was immediate. Take that, thumb of a Reagan-esque US through the Batman villains, but then
All of a sudden, that stupid costume flyboy! government. It allowed Miller to pass it crystallised in my mind that the
Heroes and
made sense, Miller exclaims. philoso- intriguing comment on the ideologies real enemy was Superman. So, I
Forcing [Batman] into a more overtly phies clash. of super-heroes and their loyalties: I turned Worlds Finest on its head.
tried to think of both characters in The powerful result saw an end
Nietzschean terms. Batman is clearly to what had previously been a
I LIKE PUTTING Dionysus, the volcanic, passionate

figure, and Superman is Apollo: more
benign relationship in the comics,
highlighting tensions now routinely
BATMAN THROUGH responsible, more worried, who sees

an order to the world. Batman doesnt
explored today to great effect.
Not that the classic Batman
HIS PACES believe there is any order in the

world, it just has to make sense.
villains were given short shrift: I had
to use the Joker because my career
wouldnt be complete otherwise
and I wanted Two-Face because he
was a fun emblem for Batmans own
dichotomy. Batmans doom-laden
final encounter with the Joker is one
of Dark Knights high points and
ranks as Millers favourite sequence.
I wrestled with that scene a lot,
Miller remembers. DCs irreversible
dictum was that Batman never kills.
Actually, it was a healthy limitation:
if there is anyone hes going to
murder, its [the Joker]. But then,
the Joker literally manages to get the
last laugh by killing himself, which
was a far stronger climax.
For the first time, Batmans
relationship with his nemesis was
given a macabre new edge: Batman is
literally Jokers raison detre, an idea
similarly explored in Alan Moores
seminal The Killing Joke.
Above left: to his own at the end of his career.
Alan and I happened to be on the back? That story jumped into my Millers in- He is a revolutionary. The punchline
terpretation
same track simultaneously. The main head while on vacation. I thought of Joker is of Dark Knight is that hes chasing
difference was that I was giving it about it for months and, suddenly, also contro- down murderers and robbers not
versial.
more of a sexual edge. The idea that something emerged that was worth realising who his real enemies were.
Joker wouldnt exist without Batman trying: bring back the glamour of Above: The Dark Knight still stands as a
is one of the foremost and fun these characters. story raises radical vision of a classic character.
questions
ambiguities of the entire mythology. Despite a massive promotional about Bat-
A story that is good and strong is
In the wake of Dark Knight, campaign and huge sales, DK2 did mans true going to resonate, Miller observes.
mainstream comics ravenously not receive the same critical acclaim legacy. In the case of DK, I hit a chord that
appropriated the series so-called as the original, sharply dividing fans. somebody had to hit sooner or later.
grim n gritty tone, albeit typically With a forthright satirical slant People were dying for a real kick-ass
as an excuse to showcase gratuitous targeting both politics and the Batman. Now his third Dark Knight
violence. Does Miller regret this gratuitousness of the post-Dark series (2015-16), as he promised in
aspect of Dark Knights influence? I Knight super-hero genre and a 2006, is as different from the first
Below:
cant regret anything about it. I will celebration of the genres more The Joker two as the second one was from the
say that they should have realised it surreal, eccentric aspects, it was not had never first. As he has done throughout his
been quite
was grim and gritty and funny! the direct sequel that many were so crazy career, Miller is determined to keep
In particular, the series caused expecting, despite being an enjoyable ever before. pushing creative boundaries.
a sea change in the way Batman was super-hero yarn
portrayed for better and for worse. nonetheless.
I was definitely surprised that it was Whats more, the
so influential. Dark Knight screams garish, cartoony,
adventure. Its not about a guy whos Photoshop-
twice the age of his parents when enhanced artwork
they died and moaning about it. and the clear
Thats not who the character is. influence of
Millers Sin City
BRINGING BACK THE GLAMOUR further removed
In 2001, DC announced a sequel, the book from the
The Dark Knight Strikes Again (also originals dark,
known as DK2). Its set three years dramatically-rich
after Dark Knight, and Batman roots. But, Miller
essentially becomes a cipher for says, that was the
social revolution, leading his army point: I like
against an overwhelmingly corrupt putting Batman
government while also facing, along through his paces
with an array of heroes, the more in a haphazard
cosmic threat of Brainiac. Why go way. He comes in

4
FROM HELL
ALL IMAGES MOORE AND CAMPBELL / KNOCKABOUT
OBSESSIVELY DENSE YET WILDLY FAR-REACHING,

DARK, DISTURBING... A UNIQUE WORK OF GENIUS
Alan Moore and Eddie Campbells forensic analysis novel form, clocking in at nearly 600 pages, is
of the Jack the Ripper murders is possibly the most dense and allusive, a work of dizzying, almost
exhaustive study of the subject and thats saying lunatic detail, perching atop a whole mountain of
something, given the plethora of books that have research. Some would call it Moores masterpiece,
Writer Alan Moore been written about the unknown perpetrator superior even to Watchmen, Promethea and The
Artist Eddie Campbell behind the grisly deaths of five prostitutes in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Certainly it
Published 1989-1997 Londons Whitechapel district in 1888. is unrivalled in the comics world, and perhaps the
Publisher Eddie While centred on the theory that Sir William literary world, in its evocation of period. Seldom
Campbell Comics/Top
Shelf/Knockabout Gull, Queen Victorias personal physician, was the has late-nineteenth-century Britain been shown
culprit, Moores script ranges far and wide, drawing in quite such a bright, unflinching light, as a place
in just about every other potential suspect along of vast social inequality, appalling squalor and
with numerous contemporary celebrity figures and grandiose imperialism. Like a petri dish alive with
weaving them all together into a Byzantine bacteria, the world of From Hell teems and festers,
conspiracy that incorporates Freemasonry, fertile soil for a set of serial killings which
psychogeography, masculine/feminine caught the public imagination like no
duality, visions of God, a royal other and inspire curiosity and
bastard child, and more. fascination even today.
This weighty police Much of the credit for
procedural in graphic the books achievement

must go to Campbell, whose scratchy of interrupting the gory business with
art deliberately evokes the often lurid a time-slip vision of a hundred years
engravings that graced the gutter in the future, the murderer
press and penny dreadfuls of the time. witnessing the 1990s in all its Above and Accompanying the story are
Working within the same three-by- money- and technology-obsessed opposite: copious text notes where Moore sets
Campbells
three panel grid that Moore and glory. When his coachman scratchy art out what is authentic and a matter
Dave Gibbons used to such effect accomplice John Netley asks him grounds of record and what he has invented
the book in
in Watchmen, Campbell brings a afterwards, Is it finished?, a visibly or massaged for the sake of narrative
reality while
restrained, metronomic tempo to shaken Gull replies, It is beginning, its ideas cohesion. A lengthy epilogue, Dance
the proceedings. There is space and Netley. Only just beginning. The take flight. of the Gull-Catchers, outlines the
darkness and a scalpel-fineness in twentieth century. I have delivered evolution of Ripperology and his own
his lines, which are softened by it. A future of conflict, slaughter and and Campbells place in it. From Hell
occasional forays into ink wash. misery comes bawling into existence, takes one of historys most notorious
Campbells visual storytelling birthed by blood sacrifice. unsolved crimes and not only posits
skills are never better displayed than a solution but, in a manner both
in the long, almost wordless sequence
during which Gull eviscerates and DENSE, ALMOST chilling and brilliant, extrapolates
from it a compulsive enquiry into
dismembers his final victim, Mary
Jane Kelly. Moore takes the bold step LUNATIC DETAIL the deepest, darkest crevices of the
human soul. JAMES LOVEGROVE

3
PERSEPOLIS
A REVEALING PERSONAL REFLECTION ON ONE OF
Writer Marjane Satrapi THE SEISMIC REVOLUTIONS OF THE 20TH CENTURY
Artist Marjane Satrapi
Marjane Satrapis superb graphic memoir of growing Persepolis is the ancient name for the Persian
Published 2000
up in Iran in the 1980s should be and often is capital, and what Satrapi has created under the title
Publisher Pantheon
taught in schools as a matter of course. Its also Persepolis is actually two novels, The Story of a
banned in some schools, as it was in Chicago a Childhood and The Story of a Return. In the first
couple of years ago on the grounds of graphic segment, Satrapi details from her perspective as a
language and images. Which is disturbing as were 10-year-old in 1980 what happened when her
not talking over-the-top superhero violence here, temperate, liberal world is turned upside down by
were talking about things that actually happened, a new hardline regime that takes control in Iran.
conveyed using a blocky monochrome drawing style. She goes from attending a non-religious,
And for an understanding of something thats bilingual school, which teaches French and allows
very important to us yet remains shrouded in mixed classes, to a single-sex establishment where
mystery for many the 1979 Islamic revolution in she must wear the veil. Her parents modern and
Iran Satrapis work is not just required reading, its avant-garde protest the new regime and attend
utterly vital. demonstrations against the imposition of the head-

Above and
opposite:
Satrapis
clear art
conveys
an eye-
opening
story.
scarf for women, but it gradually the increasingly religious and and-white art technique across both
becomes very clear that the new repressive Iran by her parents. books she manages not only to shine
government is not going away... and Here we see what it is like for a a spotlight on the hidden mysteries
will not brook dissent. moderate Muslim transplanted to the of Iran but also to enable us to cast
For anyone to whom Iran is just West, and how her newfound freedom an often critical gaze upon our own
a distant, fundamentalist Muslim both chimes and jars with the life Western society. The effect of the
country seen in snatches of news and the family she has left behind, two books read back-to-back is quite
broadcasts, Persepolis is both an eye- as she discovers boys and drugs and astonishing. Satrapi, who now lives
opener and a timely reminder that yet always feels different and other in Paris, writes in her introduction to
people are people, wherever you go. from her peers. Persepolis: I believe that an entire
ALL IMAGES MARJANE SATRAPI 2016
Its a neat inversion on Satrapis nation should not be judged by the

NEWFOUND FREEDOM part, and using the same flat black- wrongdoings of a few extremists.
Whereas the first book offers us an Too extreme for schoolchildren?
insight into an utterly alien world,
the second flips this entirely on its AN INSIGHT INTO This book should not only be on the
syllabus of every school in the world,
head by having the teenage Satrapi
studying in Europe, sent away from AN ALIEN WORLD but mandatory for every politician in
the West as well. DAVID BARNETT

FROM THE
ARCHIVES

THE POWER
OF MEMORY
MARJANE SATRAPI, IRANIAN CREATOR OF THE MAGNIFICENT
PERSEPOLIS, TALKS PERSONAL, POLITICAL AND
POSSIBILITY WITH PAUL GRAVETT...
here were you on 11 Marjane opens her tale in 1980 on art school, and continued to protest
W September 2001? My
mother and I were in
upstate New York, having
flown in the night before. On the
Tuesday morning we woke to news
the first anniversary of the Shah Of
Iran being deposed, when the new
regime decrees that all women must
henceforth wear traditional Islamic
headdress. Marjane, just ten, has to
against injustices and absurdities
such as a life-drawing class where the
female model had to be covered head-
to-toe in a chador. France has been
her home since 1994.
of those shocking attacks by Islamic start wearing hers at school, which This summer, Marjane Satrapi
terrorists. Amid the subsequent is now sex-segregated and no longer came to London for the Barbican
demonising of the Axis Of Evil, bilingual and decadent. Centres spectacular exhibition
some people wanted to understand Watch Me Move: The Animation
more about what Islam really KEEPING PROMISES Show (open until 11 September),
means and how it affects the lives We then flash back to Marjane aged which spotlights the Oscar-
of ordinary people. I thought back to six, growing up in Tehran in a well- nominated animated feature
interviewing Marjane Satrapi for the to-do, politicised family during the adaptation of Persepolis that she
first time earlier in 2001, when she final troubled years of the Shah, co-directed in 2007. She explained
had won the Prix du Lion in Brussels, as she tries to make sense of the how she might never have become
Belgium for her debut graphic novel, injustices around her, even in her a cartoonist, if not for her exile in
Persepolis. I had met a charismatic own home where her maid is not Austria. In an Iranian family, if you
Iranian exile, a gifted cartoonist allowed to eat at the same table. dont become president of the world,
living in Paris, who was relating with In a life-changing scene, her uncle you must at least become a doctor or
great humanity and humour how she Anouche is arrested, accused of being lawyer. I was good at maths so it was
grew up in Tehran under the Islamic a spy, and before his execution is obvious I would become an engineer
regime during the Iran-Iraq war. granted just one ten-minute visit. He like my father. But in Austria I met
From the books modest origins in chooses to see his little niece Marjane lots of alternative people, when
French from the alternative creator- and tells her his familys secrets I was living in communes with
run collective LAssociation, its first because they must not be lost. I will hippies and punks. I had been told
volume sold out of four printings never forget, she promises him. Its a that if you didnt live in this certain
totalling 16,000 copies. Post-9/11, promise she will ultimately fulfil by way, you would be miserable, but
as Satrapi finished her story in four creating Persepolis. I realised this wasnt true. They
volumes, Persepolis would take off, In 1984, as a teenager, Marjane were much happier than anyone
topping two million copies and still was forced to leave her homeland, else I knew. I had always drawn, so I
counting. Its even been taught to partly to escape the bombings, but started engineering school for a few
cadets at Americas military academy also for her own safety, because she months, but I didnt like the ugly
West Point. had been denouncing the Islamic boys in the school I didnt want to
Drawing with a spare, childlike regime. After her five years of exile in marry one of those! So I decided to
directness in bold black-and-white, Vienna, she returned to Iran to attend take art studies.

As a young girl, she and her
younger cousin were not widely read
in comics. This toyshop near our
IF WE DONT USE THE TALENT AND
house was selling American comics
including Dracula. Inside it said that INTELLIGENCE OF HALF OUR SOCIETY,
if you wanted to become Dracula
yourself, you had to eat raw chicken,
so the whole summer we were
WE CANT ADVANCE
stealing pieces of raw chicken, and as what she had witnessed through the who create a climate of fear, so you
a result both of us got worms! After graphic novel medium. I left Iran dont think any more and they can
that, I stopped reading comics. What twice, first in 1984 to Austria, then manipulate you. The same thing
brought Satrapi back was discovering in 1994 for France, and both times, happened in Germany, in Chile, in
Top left: In
Art Spiegelmans memoir of his Europe its when I was asked Where do you China the ideology might change a
parents survival of the Holocaust, important come from?, if you answered Iran, bit, but the mechanism is the same.
to smoke
Maus, in 1994. I realised that comics while
it might well take 45 minutes of I wanted to describe this mechanism
is not a genre, its just a way of telling looking explanation. I am Iranian but my because as Pushkin said, if you want
a story where I could feel exactly moody. father is not Ayatollah Khomeini! to talk about the whole world, write
what was going on. Drawing is much Above left: And he doesnt have 15 wives! I about your small village.
closer to a human being than a photo, Standing didnt want Persepolis to become a
because you create the world in out from the
crowd may
political, historical or sociological LAUGHTER IN THE DARK
your own image its very personal, cause statement its only my truth, the Considering these sombre
an international language. Before offence... way I saw it. circumstances, Persepolis is
humans started talking, first they It happens in Iran, but surprisingly humorous. In the worst
Above
started drawing. right: The dictatorships anywhere in the whole moments of life, you make a joke.
It was the ignorance Satrapi benefits of world work in the same way. You I dont think I laughed so much as
being heard:
encountered in the West towards her scenes from have a revolution made by idealists, during the Iran-Iraq war because that
country that inspired her to share Persepolis. its recuperated by the cynical ones was our only way to survive. When

you have a regime that arrests you the studio should be in the centre Above: has less rights than the other. If we
for having one hair out of place, of Paris, because no way I would Loves dont use the talent and intelligence
young
with all the executions, bombings, go to the suburbs, I want Catherine nightmare? of half our society, we cant advance.
no matter what happened, the next Deneuve, and I want this, I want that. Marjanes She has just co-directed a live-action
relationship
day we could make jokes about it And two months later they said yes adaptation of her third graphic novel,
with
because it might be your last day. to everything, and Im like, Shit! Markus in Chicken With Plums, about her great-
Satrapis self-portrait as a Now I have to make this movie! I Persepolis uncle, a musician, who tells his life
skewers
teenager also surprised many didnt have a clue how animation Western
story over the last few days before he
Western readers. People here might worked so I had to learn everything. male dies, which is released in France on
think that kids in Iran in 1984 were She also got her wishes when it came attitudes 26 October.
towards
sitting reading the Koran and crying, to the English translation. Im a fan exotic Satrapi has not been back to
beating themselves and wanting to of Iggy Pop since I was aged thirteen, women. Iran in 12 years, but she expects to
blow up the world! No, they listened and he said yes! I met Iggy Pop in return one day. I grew up in Tehran
to rock music, they had posters. I London and suddenly he takes off his with the mountain 6,000 metres
remember when Duran Duran were t-shirt because the guy has to always high, with eternal snow, like the
popular, we all had that Simon Le be naked! guardian of the city. In Paris I just
Bon haircut. Thats why I put the see the Eiffel Tower! I have to go
Kim Wilde chapter in, because WAITING FOR CHANGE back there even if its not for living,
when I was l listening to her, kids In her second graphic novel then for dying. Today when 65-70
around the world the same age were Embroideries, Satrapi recounts some per cent of the students are women,
also listening to her, so that makes of the hilariously frank conversations later theyll have to work and theyre
a connection. that her grandmother, aunts and more educated than their father, their
When the offer came to film friends used to have about love and brother, and their own husband. This
Persepolis, Satrapi tried to avoid it sex. Its important to talk about new generation has much more guts.
by asking for the impossible. I want womens sexuality. The biggest When the Green Revolution started
animation, black-and-white, 2D, enemy of democracy is not a Mullah, in 2009, I believed that change would
everything should be drawn by hand, its patriarchal culture. Half of society come. I still believe that.

Writer Art Spiegelman
Artist Art Spiegelman
Published 1980-1991
Publisher Pantheon
Books
MAUS
2 A LANDMARK STORY OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVAL AND
RELATIONSHIPS TOLD THROUGH FUNNY ANIMALS
Art Spiegelmans Maus is the graphic
novel all your intellectual non comic
reading friends have heard of, and
commonly associated with childrens
books or Disney animation, in any
way lessen the story that Spiegelman
Above and
opposite:
Depicting
people as
This is not to suggest that the
story Spiegelman tells is without
humanity, or not as grim and horrific
might even have read. And thats no is trying to tell? different as the reality. Maus packs a greater
types of
surprise: in 1992, Maus was the first The answer has to be no. By emotional punch than almost any
animals
graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize, replacing people with animals, subverts, other book, comic or otherwise.
and in the 30-odd years since it first Spiegelman allows us to put a little disturbs Counterpointing the central story
but also
appeared its won legions of admirers. distance between ourselves and the challenges
of Spiegelmans parents experiences
Maus began life in the indie story while at the same time fully the Nazis during the war and afterwards his
comics magazine Raw, which immersing ourselves in it. Had he assertion mother Anja killed herself in 1968
that the
Spiegelman co-edited, serialised from drawn in a more realistic style, Jews are is an examination of the authors own
1980 to 1991. It wasnt, perhaps, until Maus might have been a story of not human. relationship with his father, revealed
it was first published in its collected unremitting bleakness too much to through their sometimes awkward
edition in 1986 that it came to bear, perhaps a story that should not meetings as Vladek tells his story to
mainstream attention. The second be told in comic book form at all. Art for the comic book hes creating.
volume in 1991 cemented its place Its at once a testament both to
in both comics and literary history. REMAKING MEMORIES the inhumanity and the humanity of
Maus is a tough read. Its That is Spiegelmans masterstroke man, filtered through the cartoonists
uncompromising, its desperately here. Maus, though a memoir based eye, which skews the world we know
personal, it saddens and enrages. Its a on the authors own interviews with just enough, so that we are looking
multi-layered story that at its heart is his father, would not be the story it at the horrors of our recent history
IMAGES ART SPIEGELMAN / PANTHEON BOOKS
the tale of Spiegelmans Polish-born is without the animal characters. It through Spiegelmans pen-and-ink
father, Vladek, and his experiences is a story that could only ever be told safety net. This functions not, of
amid the horrors of the concentration in the graphic novel format. Maus is course, to insulate us from the evil,
camps of Auschwitz and Dachau. comics, pure and simple. but conversely to allow us to get
Even if youve never read Maus, closer to it, through a subversion of
youll know its central conceit: Jews
are portrayed as mice, the Nazis as MAUS IS COMICS, the familiar and comforting funny
animal genre, so we might recognise
cats, Poles as pigs, Americans as dogs.
Does such anthropomorphism, more PURE AND SIMPLE it for what it is and never forget
what happened. DAVID BARNETT

1
WATCHMEN
INVITED TO REWORK SOME MORIBUND CHARACTERS,
TWO MASTERS CRAFTED A COMPELLING NEW WORLD
A few pages back, James Lovegrove referred to storytelling genius from two creators at the
From Hell as being perhaps the pinnacle of Alan height of their powers.
IMAGES DC COMICS
Moores comics work. Hes not wrong that book

is a multi-layered masterpiece that looks at a real- EVERYTHING CHANGES
life subject in a fresh, exciting way. So why have Its hard to imagine that anyone reading this
we picked Watchmen for our number one slot publication hasnt read Watchmen, but just in
Writer Alan Moore
instead of that? case you need a refresher... The story takes place
Artist Dave Gibbons
Quite simply because Watchmen remains the in an alternative 1980s. The body of Edward Blake
Published 1986-1987
most important, influential and ground- alias government-backed super-hero The
Publisher DC Comics
breaking work in the medium. Other Comedian has been discovered. Rorschach, an
comics may have been grander in scale, ink-blot-masked vigilante, begins to
or conversely smaller and more investigate Blakes death but soon gets
focussed in their characterisation, but drawn into a conspiracy that will change
Watchmen remains a work of the world forever...

Put like that the plot sounds like Then, of course, theres the sheer Above and youve finished the book and see how
opposite:
a bit of standard-issue pulp fun. The craftsmanship of the thing. Gibbons it neatly encapsulates the story.
Moore and
difference here, however, was in the sticks to a nine-panel grid structure Gibbons Its no exaggeration to say that
way that Moore and Gibbons treated throughout, merging panels at certain ask simply Watchmen redefined super-hero
What if
their subject matter, approaching the moments for impact. This rhythmic super- comics and what they could be.
question what if super-heroes were approach perfectly suits a ticking heroes Through a combination of talent,
real? with forensic precision. And time bomb plot that is laden with were real? timing and innovation, the book
and then
they created a world that was both apocalyptic dread. Likewise, Moores make it so. wowed fans while also introducing
brand-new yet steeped in a palpable puzzlebox script is perfectly tooled a whole new audience to their many
sense of history. The existence and designed for multiple re-readings. and varied charms. Morally complex,
of their blue-skinned Superman Look back at the opening pages with troubling, weird and funny, it fully
analogue, Dr Manhattan, has altered the ranting street preacher after deserves the hype.
society fundamentally, and theres a Ignore the movie (its fine but
thick vein of cynical realism at work.
In one memorable flashback a super- AN EPIC TOLD ON fundamentally redundant and we still
prefer the books nutso ending) and
hero gets his cape trapped in a door
and is consequently shot dead... A HUMAN SCALE pick up the original. Frankly, were
all here because of it. WILL SALMON

WATCHMAKER
NICK SETCHFIELD MEETS COMIC BOOK LEGEND DAVE GIBBONS
FROM THE
WATCHMEN and all related characters and elements are TM and DC Comics. All Rights Reserved
ARCHIVES
ave Gibbons is one of the quiet their primal appeal for you as a kid? Above: fabled land. For all I knew when I
D revolutionaries of comic books.

Watchmen, his landmark 1986
collaboration with Alan Moore,
was a loving assault on the certitudes
of super-heroics. But his career has
Theres something almost dreamlike
about the world of the super-hero.
And American super-heroes were
in colour, of course. A lot of British
comics were in black-and-white
Fixated
vigilante
Rorschach
represents
the obses-
sive, driven
side of the
was a little kid, they really did have
super-heroes in America. And there
are lots of elements in the classic
super-heroes that appeal to a kid.
The stories of Superman and Batman
been so much more than that genre- and a bit murky and a bit fusty, but super-hero. play to innate fears and desires in
shaking graphic novel. Over three American super-hero comics had this children. Theyre both orphans, and
decades Gibbons has lent his slick, clarity and this luminosity to them. the most terrifying thing a child can
kinetic yet characterful style to every And it wasnt just the stories. It was imagine is their parents dying. But
pop-culture icon from Superman and the sense of them being an artifact then somehow afterwards youre
Batman to Dan Dare and Doctor from somewhere else. Youd get these redeemed, or you have these powers...
Who. All I ever wanted to do was advertisements for Schwinn bicycles Theyre very primal. They were
draw comics, he says. I never had and Tootsie Rolls this whole other created by people who werent
an aspiration to be any other kind world. I remember the first time I trying to create myths, but theres
of artist. Telling stories was what I went to New York. A lot of people something very raw and personal
wanted to do, and I only ever wanted would be thrilled to see the Empire about super-heroes.
to draw well enough to tell a story State Building or the Statue of
and make people believe it. Liberty. Me, I was thrilled to see the There was a huge American influence
water towers on the rooftops, just on your art...
Watchmen obviously came from a like Steve Ditko had drawn them in Yeah, it was primarily American
deep love for super-heroes. What was Spider-Man! It was this glimpse of a comics that I was interested in. My

Above: original in that it featured the Mekon
Watchmen and so on, it turned into some kind of
rough for
fanzine quasi-super-hero thing where he had
Amazing this glove that contained the power
Heroes.
cosmic... It wasnt very satisfactory.
Left: 50s
throwback: Did you ever meet Frank Hampson?
Gibbons
reinvented
I was lucky enough to meet him
Dan Dare in towards the end of his career. He was
2000 AD. rather a bitter man, and thats a great
favourite kind of artists were what the 50s. There was this tangibly real shame, because he wasnt treated
I would call transatlantic artists sense about Dan Dare, and that did well, as so many people of his
people like Joe Kubert, Wally Wood. imprint itself on me. And certainly generation ultimately werent. He
I saw a lot of this American stuff in when I came to do Watchmen I didnt own Dan Dare, despite the fact
black-and-white to begin with, and I wanted to make everything about the that hed created everything about it.
learnt to draw by copying it. I think world equally as real and consistent I was introduced to him rather
my work has got a transatlantic feel, and bullet-proof. The circumstances mischievously by Denis Gifford, who
and it was fortunate that I was under which Hampson produced Dan was a comics historian. He said, Oh
coming into my own when 2000 AD Dare were unique in the field of Frank, this is Dave Gibbons, whos
started up, because it was a fusion of comics comics has always been a drawing Dan Dare for 2000 AD... I
American and European influences. really cheap operation, but Hampson said Its a great pleasure to meet
There was a whole generation of us had half a dozen assistants, a huge you, Frank. I only wish I could do it
myself, Brian Bolland, Kevin ONeill photographic budget, produced two a tenth as well as you did it. And he
who had grown up with the same pages of artwork a week... this was said Oh, thats alright, old son, we
influences. I think 2000 AD changed the reason it looked so wonderful. all have to make a living! And I felt
everything. We finally had a club- When I got the chance to do Dan that at least if I hadnt been blessed
house where we could work with our Dare I felt slightly cheated, because then Id been absolved of my sins!
fellows, a group of artists almost in obviously they say to you Hey Dave,
friendly competition with each other, do you want to draw Dan Dare? Did you always have your sights set
not wanting to let the team down. and you think Oh yeah! and then on working in American comics?
you think Oh God, thats a heavy I did, though in the early days it
And thats where you got to do Dan mantle to carry... The first version I seemed to be an impossible thing. It
Dare. Did you feel the long shadow of did was very militaristic it was like all seemed to be run by gangsters
Frank Hampson and the classic strip? a military Star Trek. Then when we people with Italian names who were
Oh yeah. Dan Dare was almost a revived him again and I was promised obviously part of the Mob! Or hard-
supernatural kind of thing to read in it would be much closer to the bitten Kirbys and Ditkos. But the real

corner-turning moment for me was Above: with me, showed them around, didnt But also
when I bought a copy of Nick Fury, Gibbons get any work, though on the back of familiar. It
own take
Agent Of SHIELD and I thought it on first them I did get some work for British was subversive.
was terribly drawn. And it was drawn meeting his comics. Then several years later, in Sure, and that
Watchmen
by somebody called Barry Smith, 1981, the Americans came over here was very much the idea. I deliberately
co-creator.
from Britain. And I thought Hold on and recruited me and some others to drew Watchmen in a very accessible,
a minute, this is a guy from England... draw their comics. It was a long path, no-frills style, completely direct.
Hes drawing Marvel comics! It can but there was a point at which I Alan used this phrase: what a good
be done! So I went and bought 20- Above realised it was not an impossible story does is beckon you down the
odd sheets of illustration board and right: Gun path, and that kept me going. leafy path, and then once youre in
crazy: a
redrew the whole story to show that the shadows it beats you over the
cover illus-
I could do it better than Barry Smith. tration of What did that wave of British talent head with a baseball bat. When
As it happened, I probably didnt do it the Bionic bring to the American comics scene? people read Watchmen they should
Commando
better than him. In 1973 I went over from I think that sense of wonder, of think Oh yeah, this is just like a
to the States and took my samples Capcom. being an observer of something comic book... but hold on a minute!
other. Things that are everyday to It feels wrong, it feels strange...
Americans, like the water towers on
MEET DAVE
THE GLORIES OF GIBBONS
the roof, like fire [hydrants] in the
street, to me were objects of wonder.
I think we saw things that were
Did your love of super-heroes clash
with the need to deconstruct them?
Its good that you identify that there
2000 AD Futuresport tale Harlem obvious to Americans in a completely was a great love of super-heroes,
Heroes helps launch Britains punky different way, which was refreshing. because thats what a lot of people
SF weekly in 77. Gibbons later
resurrects Dan Dare for the same And theres a certain kind of anarchy missed. We loved the idea of super-
title and co-creates Rogue Trooper.
that we bring to things. 2000 AD was heroes, we loved the characters. It
Doctor Who In Marvels adaptation Gibbons illustrates
both Baker and Davison incarnations between 79 and 82. very scurrilous and very sarcastic and was an act of love. There was nothing
Green Lantern Gibbons makes his US debut in 82 with satirical. I think we brought a little cynical about it. We said, lets just be
Tales Of The Green Lantern Corps (and he returns to DCs
cosmic hero in 2005). of that. The bloodline of American honest about these things that we
Superman 1985 finds Gibbons collaborating with Alan comics had got a little inbred and love: if super-heroes were real, what
Moore on classic tale For The Man Who Has Everything.
incestuous, and this was new blood. would they really be like? And we
Watchmen Moore and Gibbons reteam in 86 for
momentous, career-best deconstruction of super-heroes. tried to answer that question
Everything changes. Do you think that only two Brits truthfully. And as much as there are
Worlds Finest Gibbons proves his writing chops in 1990s
Batman-Superman team-up, illustrated by Steve Rude. could have done Watchmen? depressing, dark and gritty passages
Give Me Liberty 1990 begins the You can always play the what Rorschach looking into the fire and
politically charged saga of Martha
Washington, a collaboration with Dark if? game, but only Alan and I deciding that there is no God its
Knight creator Frank Miller. could have done Watchmen as it offset with Nite Owl in the basement
The Originals Gibbons
2005 homage to his
is. Again its timing. We were in with his Owlship and his wonderful
60s youth with this the right place, wed honed our gadgets. This was completely
monochrome, Mod-
flavoured SF yarn. talents. And just as US comics misunderstood by mainstream
The Secret Service In felt quirky and off-centre to me, American comics [creators], who
2012 Gibbons illustrates
this pointed spy-spoof Watchmen was quirky and off- thought Right, lets give everybody
written by Mark Millar, centre to the bulk of American a psychological problem, lets make
made into a movie as
Kingsman (2014). comics. It was just different everybody a drunk or a junkie...
enough to be intriguing. They completely missed the point.

WE WERE DISAPPOINTED
THAT ONLY THE SUPERFICIALS
WERE PICKED UP ON
reconstruction. And it was made at asked me Is Alan Moore really
the right time, when the moviegoing crazy? and I had to say no, he isnt.
audience was as familiar with super- Hes a very intelligent, thoughtful
heroes as comic book readers were man who processes things in a very
Scary thought: were as far removed Above: in the 80s. You could deconstruct rational way. But to Hollywood,
from Watchmen as Watchmen was Using an without having to explain what it is which is all about fame and money,
intention-
from Lee and Kirbys Fantastic Four. ally direct that youre deconstructing. they just cant understand it. It does
Are you disappointed that nothing so style, Dave seem crazy in their value system.
Gibbons
revolutionary has come along since? Alan Moore famously wants nothing
made each
We were certainly disappointed that Watchmen to do with the film. Do you think he How do you view the relationship
it was only the superficials that were character has no curiosity about it at all? between comics and movies?
individual
picked up on. There was a wonderful and very
Well, if he says he hasnt then I Movies have always dealt in legend
feeling in the mid 80s... I compared it relatable. believe him. I would find it hard not and fable and archetypal situations
once to D-Day. Finally weve made to have curiosity. Alans a man of and stories, [but] I think you have to
the beachhead! Heres Watchmen, principle and Im sure if he says hes respect that they are two different
heres Dark Knight, heres Maus... not going to see it then he wont. mediums. [That said,] I find it
Come on, guys! And nobody was inconceivable that anybody who buys
there behind us! Is it true that he banned you from the Watchmen DVD will only watch
talking about it to him? it once. I think people are going to do
What did you think of the Watchmen Yeah, we did reach that point. He said exactly what they do with the book:
film? Is it a buzz seeing it come alive? he was pleased that I was enjoying theyre going to stop and step back,
Its very strange. Its almost as if it myself but that he couldnt share my come back to it and find more stuff.
existed and Alan and I did a comic enthusiasm. And although he was And of course were going to get
book version of it. always perfectly happy to talk to me thousands and thousands of new
and [felt] Id behaved impeccably as readers looking at the original work.
Are you surprised its so faithful? far as anything to do with Watchmen If nothing else I see that as
I suppose I am. I didnt ever think was concerned, he really didnt want a positive thing!
it would be as well done. I thought to talk about it with me any more.
theyd take the characters and mess And I respect that. Im really sad that
them around. [But] it works as a its come to that because creatively it
movie. Its not an attempt to slavishly was such a wonderful experience to
recreate the comic. A lot of things share, and hes now unable to enjoy
have been recreated but only because it... But I do understand. Alans a
they are essential to telling the story. unique figure in comics, and hes had
And there are new scenes in it which pressures and expectations put on
were never in the graphic novel but him and has almost become prey for
work perfectly in terms of the film. so many people that he is put in very
They amalgamate elements, they Right: difficult positions. If he finds that he
Gothams
shortcut. To some people that would has more peace of mind by not
finest has
be sacrilege, but to me its more also been being involved then I support
important that it be a good movie and brought to him entirely. He doesnt want
life by the
be true to the spirit and the message versatile
his name on it and he doesnt
of Watchmen, rather than a slavish artist. want the money. Someone
THE EXTRAORDINARY
FROM THE
ARCHIVES
GENTLEMAN
MINDS DONT COME MORE FERTILE THAN ALAN MOORES. IN 2009
DAVID QUANTICK PROBED HIS LITTLE GREY CELLS
eniuses are not supposed to each other, and the slightly more Its a good day to go shopping,
G
Top left:
Tossing and
be prolific. Theyre supposed strait-laced League Of Extraordinary and a fine pretext to telephone
turning in
to think of one brilliant Gentlemen, which does pretty much 1910. Alan Moore (throw the phone
thing, do it, and then die of the same thing with heroes of boys number away after the interview,
Top right:
exhaustion. In fact, proper geniuses fiction, only with more fighting and says his press representative, and
Kevin
like Beethoven, Spike Milligan and less sex. Both are, in their many ONeill dont mention the movies. I didnt
Paul McCartney are always doing levels of imagination, experience provides mention the movies, but I did call
Leagues
brilliant things, and terrible things, and knowledge, typically Mooreish exemplary him back with more questions a
and things that are baffling, often (nobody else is so detailist as Alan art. week later, and he was utterly lovely)
simultaneously. One such prolific Moore) and both are like nothing else and talk to him about, you know,
genius is Alan Moore. Apart from in modern fiction. everything. Not that an interview
accidentally inspiring most of the You can now buy Lost Girls with Moore is entirely conventional...
interesting movies, comics, and ideas in a huge mauve box, while the
of the last 25 years, Moore produces latest League is among us, taking What are you up to right now?
works of genius with a regularity the story into the 20th century Ive just been writing today, as usual.
my local post office can only dream and bringing in more heroes and At the moment Im working on
of. Currently he is the man behind villains from fiction. This time The chapter 26 of my novel Jerusalem.
two extraordinary virtual siblings; League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen Probably somewhere near three
the very rude, pinkly proud Lost references Performance, the Kray quarters of a million words. Ive
Girls, which takes several of the twins, Michael Moorcocks brilliant suddenly decided to make matters
most powerful female archetypes of Jerry Cornelius and perhaps more difficult for myself by telling
19th century childrens literature unsurprisingly for magic practitioner the story of Lucia Joyce, James
and makes them have it off with Moore Aleister Crowley. Joyces daughter, who spent 31 years

FIVE BRILLIANT
MOORE CHARACTERS
1 SINISTER
GLOVES
From the strip Who
Killed RocknRoll in
the late, great rock
weekly Sounds, Sinister
Gloves was the man
responsible for the
death of rock and roll.
Hes still working
2 THE
COMEDIAN
The Comedian is
both lynchpin to the
Watchmen story and
the bleakest superhero
ever. Just dont ask him
where he was when
Kennedy died.
3 HALO JONES
Ordinary can be
brilliant too, as The
in Saint Andrews Hospital. Ive know you were that smart, its hard Above: Ballad Of Halo Jones,
decided to make it her wandering drugs in the writing stakes. Youre Melinda the story of a fairly
Gebbies normal girl who went
around the madhouse grounds but in never gonna be able to put it down. vibrant and saw the universe,
an approximation of her dads use of panels for proved.
Lost Girls.
language, so Im having to make up Theres one thing that recurs in so 4 LADY
every word. Im having fun with it, much of your work, from reinventing FAIRCHILD
She may be Alice
its a fantastic chapter. Batman and Swamp Thing in the Liddell all grown up,
1980s, to reimagining the characters but your servants are
definitely not safe with
Over the years youve written epic who make up Lost Girls and The
her, as the cast of Lost
serialisations, produced comics League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Girls find out, again and
like Watchmen and written novels which is taking an archetypal again and again.
which begin with pre-linguistic fictional character and getting inside 5 NAMRON
speech is there anything you do it and seeing just what that character LAMRON
The man who lived
that doesnt involve making a rod for actually is, or means. You really use his life backwards, in
your own back? those fictional archetypes. Moores poignant story
for 2000 ADs Future
Em no. Its a bit of a problem, Increasingly since I went completely Shocks. Same idea as
that. I think it probably dates back mad and got into magic, one of the Amiss Times Arrow,
only 200 pages shorter
to when Id just finished Watchmen, principles of how I live my life and
and 500 times better.
Christ, 25 years ago. After Id how I do my work, is that actually
finished that and it had got this the world of fiction, the world of the
ridiculous reception I thought I imagination, is a completely separate up. In the first issue we suddenly
can either do something that isnt world to the physical world we realised wed got Robert Stevensons
good as Watchmen or I can try inhabit, but is if anything more real Mister Hyde murdering Emile Zolas
to do something thats as good or and more important. These fictional Nana in the Rue Morgue and I
better. And I thought if I try and do characters that we assume are there thought, this is fantastic, what if we
something as good or better what purely for entertainment purposes, made everything in this entire series
then? Thats a problem Im wrestling we shape our lives around them. a reference to some pre-existing work
with. After this book I wont be When were looking for someone to of fiction? And that was what threw
trying to write anything as long shape our lives around, some real it all open. Its become obsessive.
person, some mentor, very often if
Well, you say that now youre talking about young children Youre now a magician yet much of
Once youve actually done it, and its going to be a fantasy figure. your work has been around the world
done something where you really With the League particularly its the of science fiction. So which is better,
surprised yourself, where you didnt possibilities that that world opens magic or science?

I dont really see that theres any do without standing on the shoulders Top left: Its like many of us, its reached an
discrepancy at all. Science is of giants, and one of the giants was Rorschach age where it became resentful of, and
one of the
something that grows out of magic. Doctor John Dee who was for my troubling a bit embarrassed by, its parents, who
It depends how far you want to money the greatest magician of all heroes at sat in the corner mumbling magic
the heart of
take science. Look at ancient Egypt, time and also the bloke who invented words and drawing talismans in the
Watchmen.
the city of Khem where they were the world were living in today. And air. So what science would like to do
creating all of these new alloys and yet he spent the greater part of his Top right: is get magic carted off to a maximum
Taking the
metals and they were attributing life communicating with angels in plunge into
security home. It would like to say
properties to the metals, theyd a language that had been revealed to League... this is all completely nonsense. But
link gold with the sun, and Khem him in a crystal ball. a lot of us, even if were embarrassed
is where the word alchemy comes by our parents, we reach a certain
from. Albert Einstein had a copy So you think that theres not actually age and we find actually weve got
of Madame Blavatskys The Secret much difference between the two? a lot in common with them. Look
Doctrine by his desk. Isaac Newton I dont think theres a huge at quantum theory. I would say,
was an alchemist and he said he discrepancy. Ill tell you what its like. with quantum theory you have got
couldnt have done the work he did Science is actually the child of magic. a range of concepts that are more
unfathomable and maybe even less
proveable than the demonology of
FIVE MAJESTIC MOORE MOMENTS the 16th century. Its not a huge
leap from talking about all these
1 The
ending of
homage to early Mad magazine. with one on others back and
shanking she, by look of they. hypothesized angels that youre
Watchmen.
The best
cutting of
4 The finale to The League Of
Extraordinary Gentlemen
Black Dossier
Moores first novel takes on the
English vernacular and wins.
never going to see but you believe
are there to a bunch of particles that
a Gordian in which the youre never going to see but the
knot (look idea of story is
it up) in celebrated, and mathematics suggest are there.
history. the Golliwogg
rescued from
But what about people who say that
2 The Swamp Thing episode
when the cast of Pogo come
Carol Thatcher.
this is a rational world, and more
to earth. Eco-sad.
5 Now looks
I down, to
importantly, that weve spent the last
hundred years trying to get away from
3 Chronocops in Thargs
Future Shocks. A brilliantly
drawn (by Dave Gibbons)
grass in low of hill,
and sees I pigs.
Big pigs and long
religious fundamentalists?
Ive got the greatest sympathy for

anybody like Richard Dawkins whos
trying to battle against the tide of
nonsense that the creationists are
putting out. At the same time, I think
he forgets what the word religion
means. It comes from the Latin word
ligare, which has the same root as
ligature or ligament, and what it
means is tied together in one belief. not Mervyn Peakes Gormenghast. Above: years on that. League will continue
That doesnt have to be a spiritual Peakes Gormenghast is the language One of the indefinitely Id really like to write
strands of
belief in fact, ardent believers in he used to write it they were the Century an enormous poem. Something with
Darwin, whether they like it or not, books that someone said taught concerns clout. On the scale of TS Eliots
a dying
are part of a religion. And so youll them the immense power of fiction. Wasteland, only probably nowhere
Captain
get people like Dawkins sometimes Thats not a bad description. Youre Nemo. near as good. Id like to give it a try.
sounding every bit as dogmatic in his immersed in a completely invented And I might even play around with
pronouncements as the religions hes world which seems more real to you film. On an amateurish level and it
attacking are in theirs. than your own front room. wouldnt see the light of day, and it
wouldnt be treated as a commercial
So its not just crazy wizards versus Apart from everything, whats left? project. It would just be me having
clever scientists? When Ive completed the projects Im fun, playing in a new playpen, with a
Just because science is admittedly the working on now The Moon And camera and some friends. Most of my
best tool we have for understanding Serpent Bumper Book Of Magic, and favourite films look like they cost ten
the universe, that doesnt mean that the League books which Im doing quid to make.
it knows everything, and most of the coherently and quite amusingly at
best scientists would admit that. times then Jerusalem is the main Alan Moores movies now that
thing. Im going to be a couple of would be something.
If everything was erased from your I believe theres a straightforward
mind, what would be the last thing inverse equation that applies not just
to go?
I dont know, theres such a lot of
ID LIKE TO to films but lots of areas, and that
is the inverse relationship of money
contenders. Whichever one I say,
therell be 50 alternatives at the
WRITE AN ENORMOUS and imagination. If you havent got
any money then youre going to
back of my mind screaming for
attention. Ill go with Mervyn Peakes POEM. SOMETHING have to use an incredible amount of
imagination. Whereas if youve got
Gormenghast. If youve only ever
seen the television series, that is WITH CLOUT tons of money, youre not going to
have to use any....

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148 PAGES ON STARRING

ALL-STAR SUPERMAN LOVE AND ROCKETS WATCHMEN

EDITORS PHOTO 2015 KEVIN LOWE

We encourage you to recycle this magazine,

We are committed to only using magazine paper which is

NOVELS OF ALL TIME

SCOTT PILGRIM AND

THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 5

Barbara Thorson is having a rough old

Barbara can be kind of annoying. Hey, she is a teenager.

I wouldnt want to gloss over the true facts, says a narrator

to produce much more substantial work, its mere 40-odd pages

6 THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS

KILLED RETRO GIRL?

THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 7

IF DEATH DOESNT ALWAYS MEAN SOMETHING

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CEREBUS: HIGH SOCIETY THE SCULPTOR

THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 9

Writers Pat Mills and John Wagner

HAWKEYE Writer Matt Fraction

10 THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS

THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 11

SMART, FUNNY, KNOWING, ALLUSIVE... NEW YORK

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To understand how fresh Astro City felt when

In a post-Gorillaz world its occasionally

and theres a strong anti-authoritarian streak throughout.

THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 13

Millar and Hitchs original 13-issue limited

carbon copies of what Hitch and Millar achieved on its pages.

STRANGERS IN PARADISE: I DREAM OF YOU

This second volume of Terry Moores modern

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THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 15

ENJOY THE DARK KNIGHT MOVIES? THIS ABSORBING

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PLAGUE WIDOW Writer Brian Wood

THE WICKED + THE First published 2010

DIVINE: THE FAUST ACT Writer Kieron Gillen

CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS

THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 19

20 THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS

22 THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS

CRISIS ON create problems down the line and,

INFINITE EARTHS continuity should be. If Id been

WAS DESIGNED TO begun afresh. with me, personally, by sort-of

TO START OVER, the success of the miniseries. I

BECAUSE I HATE were starting the books over, Crisis

CONTINUITY assuming it would be anything other

THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 23

Hardcore Marvel fans will remember your favourite heroes getting

24 THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS

THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 25

26 THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS

THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS 27

MIX IN AN INTRIGUING NOIR THRILLER

28 THE 100 GREATEST GRAPHIC NOVELS

Dave Lizewski wants to be a hero. So he buys

THE INFINITY GAUNTLET

The Infinity Gauntlet imagines the Marvel