Best of 2004

Okay, yeah, I could go on and on about all the good comics I read in 2004. But you don't want to read it and I don't want to write it. So, briefly, here are the three comics which I think were the best of the past year:





Tiempos Finales, vol. 1

by Samuel Hiti

original review here



We3

by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely

original reviews here and here



Making Rain

by Ursula Murray Husted

original review here





There may have been better comics, but I probably didn't read them. And there were many many good comics. But these are the three comics which either touched me or showed me something exciting and different, pushing the medium forward. Comics which demanded to be experienced over again.



Here's looking forward to 2005!

Quick Manga Reviews

Ai Yori Aoshi, vol. 2

by Kou Fumizuki

At the end of the last volume, Aoi's family agreed to let she and Kaoru be together. That would have made a decent end to the love story, but if the series is to continue without being a constant stream of the two young lovers making googly eyes at each other there needs to be some complications. Complication number one arrives in the form of living arrangements: while Aoi & Kaoru can be together, they are not allowed to be together 24/7; Aoi & Miyabi, Aoi's family's assistant, get to live in a spacious American-style house while Kaoru is relegated to sleeping in the small guest quarters out back. The second complication arrives in the form of the photography club at Kaoru's college, particularly two attractive female coeds: Tina, a brash American (raised in Japan); and Taeko, a shy, clumsy and very busty freshman. Both girls end up as boarders in the house, and though there are many typical pratfalls involving accidental groping, Aoi is not the least bit threatened. She should be though, because both of the new girls have tons of personality compared to the boring Aoi, who only seems to care about making Kaoru happy. There's actually the potential for an interesting series here, one in which Aoi's being brought up to be the perfect wife for a boy she barely knows is examined in light of modern society. But we are never privy to Aoi's internal life, and she remains a bland 'dream girl' with no real personality. It's a shame, because Fumizuki's art and storytelling are quite good, even taking into account the numerous scenes of gratuitous nudity. Ai Yori Aoshi stands on the line with the potential for being rather good, yet it keeps shooting itself in the foot with its young male fantasies.

Rating: 2.5 (of 5)




Angelic Layer, vol. 1

by Clamp

Twelve-year-old Misaki has just moved to the Big City, where she discovers Angelic Layer, the game of remote-controlled combat dolls that is all the rage. With the assistance of a strage and somewhat creepy middle-aged scientist-type she purchases an Angel of her own (hatched from an egg) and begins to compete in the miniature battles. While not a completely unique set-up, there are echoes of something different make the story a bit above the typical kids-with-combat-drones story, including some very subtle subtext about creation and godhood (Angel controllers are called 'Deuses'). Unfortunately the art is miserable; the action scenes are impossible to follow, and the people have a tendancy to be suddenly rendered with freakish squid limbs when the artist is too lazy to do proper rendering. I've seen much better art out of Clamp before--this is just bad.

Rating: 2 (of 5)

Making a Profit

One of the best TV shows you never saw is finally coming to DVD!



TV Shows on DVD has the news that Profit, the extremely short-lived (just four of ten episodes aired) FOX series will be out on DVD by the end of the summer.



(via Crocodile Caucus)



Now if only we can get Cupid, EZ Streets, Misfits of Science, and the second season of Twin Peaks on DVD, I'll be a happy lad.

Quick Comic Reviews

Queen & Country #26-28

by Greg Rucka

In "Operation: Saddlebags," Tara Chase and her new Minder 3, Chris Lankford, undertake what should be a routine mission to Russia, but after it goes all fubar it causes crises of conscience all along the chain of command. It's another great spy story from Rucka, its only fault being that I read it so soon after the superlative A Gentleman's Game novel. Norton's art is at the top of his game, providing clean and sharp interiors along with some great covers. If I had my choice, Norton would be the regular artist on the series instead of the round-robin art (although most of the artists have been quite good in their own right). After this I think that I'm going to switch over to trades for Queen & Country, since I seem to be holding all the individual issues in a story to read all together anyway.

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)




Shaolin Cowboy #1

by Geof Darrow

So, you might see this comic in the shop and be entranced by the pretty cover. Then you might pick it up, leaf through it, and say to yourself: "Hey, this comic has some very nice artwork. I'm going to buy it and take it home and read it." Stop right there! Yes, the artwork is very pretty. But there's no story. None. Nada. It's just a silent guy (with a talking horse) killing a bunch of scum in the wild west. That's it. No plot. No characterization. I only wish I'd been able to warn you all ahead of time. If you see this in a quarter box someday, by all means take it home and look at the pretty pictures. Otherwise, leave it on the shelf. You'll thank me.

Rating: 1.5 (of 5)




Savage Henry: Powerchords #3

by Matt Howarth

They thought they had stopped the other-dimensional alien invasion, but a copy of the infamous dimension-shattering Bulldaggers concert escaped destruction, and unless Henry can stop it from being unleashed we'll all be overrun by The Loud Ones. Can the world be saved? Yes, but only with the help of Lord Lyre, England's Musical Diety, and through the power of... mellow banjo music. Yes, this conclusion may smack a bit of Deus ex Machina, but when you have an Elder God as a member of your band you have to allow for a little divine intervention now and then. As a bonus, this issue also features an in-story discussion of the ethics of bootlegging.

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)

Quick GN Reviews

Gatecrasher: Ring of Fire

by Mark Waid, Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti

Evil other-dimensional aliens are opening trans-dimensional gates and invading Earth, and only the Gatecrashers, an elite secret miltary force, can stop them. The Gatecrashers' secret weapon is Alec Wagner, high school senior and human/alien hybrid. Unfortunately for Earth, Alec would rather go to the prom with his hot girlfriend than save the planet from aliens, much to the dismay of Hazard, the unit's commander. Waid shows an early talent for writing non-super-hero action (though admitedly it's not far from that particular apple tree) and Conner & Palmiotti are in their element with sci-fi action and alien monsters. This is not deep stuff by any means, but it is pulpy good fun.

Rating: 3 (of 5)




Enemy Ace: War in Heaven

by Garth Ennis, Christian Alamy, Chris Weston, Russ Heath; Robert Kanigher & Joe Kubert

It's 1942, and Hans Von Hammer, Germany's Ace pilot during the first World War, has been reluctantly convinced to come back and lead a fighter squadron over the Russian theater. Von Hammer does this only out of concern for the young German fighter pilots, not for any love of the Nazi regime, which gets him into trouble with those more loyal to the National Socialist ideas. But his kill rate and the survival of his squadron cannot be ignored, so Von Hammer is allowed to stay around, until he learns too much about the horrors of modern war. It's nearly impossible to read this and not see parallels with certain present-day armed conflicts, but I suppose that has more to do with the general themes of all war stories. Ennis seems to be strongest when he is writing war comics, and his Enemy Ace is no exception; I suspect that, given his druthers, Ennis would prefer to stay with war stories, as even his horror & super-hero work usually have strong military characters and themes. The art in the first chapter, by Chris Weston over layouts by Christian Alamy, is astounding; I don't think I've ever seen aerial battles depicted in a comic with such fluidity, grace and power. The art in the second chapter is by the legendary Russ Heath, and while it is quite good, it suffers a bit in comparison to the first chapter. Heath appears to be attempting a Joe Kubert look rather than staying with his own style. The colors in both chapters are by Matt Hollingsworth, and they also seem much more vibrant and alive in the first chapter than in the second. It would have been better to keep a consistant look throughout (the story was originally published as two separate 'prestige format' issues). Rounding out this collection is a classic "Enemy Ace" story by Bob Kanigher and Joe Kubert; it's nothing much special, but I'm never going to turn down a chance to look at some Kubert artwork.

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)

Quick Manga Reviews

FLCL, vol. 1

by Gainax & Hajime Ueda

I really wanted to like this. The art by Ueda has a unique, rough style that melds a manga flavor with something resembling Jhonen Vasquez, and the premise--a boy in a slightly surreal Tokyo suburb must help an alien fight robots from destroying Earth--held promise. The problem is that the only reason I know that's the premise is because I read it on the back cover blurb. The story here is totally incomprehensible. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I like to at least have a chance at understanding what my comics are about.

Rating: 1.5 (of 5)




Imadoki! Nowadays, vol. 1: Dandelion

by Yû Watase

Ah, see, now this is how you do a shojo comic. As a new scholarship student at an elite academy, bubbly Tanpopo Yamazaki only wants to make friends. And no matter how much the rich students snub her, she's goign to keep trying until they come around. Her tactic? Start a gardening club! Watase's art is in top form, with strong characters and backgrounds and dynamic yet easy-to-follow storytelling. But it's the personality of the heroine that draws you in. Compared to many mopy shojo protagonists, Tanpopo's sunny disposition and never-say-die attitude is a welcome change. While I tend to burn out on shojo series after a few volumes as they become repetitive (e.g. Kare Kano), I hope that Imadoki! will remain fresh for a while. (Note: Viz rates this 'T+' for 'older teens' though I have no idea why, as there's no reason why younger kids couldn't read and enjoy this. Perhaps things get more intense later in the series?)

Rating: 3.5 (of 5)

Making Music

Jon Silpayamanant over at Mae Mai has posted a cover of "Dancing Queen" by his band Il Troubadore. Some time back I urged Jon to try this ABBA classic, so I'm glad to get a chance to hear their version, done in a Renaissance band style on mandolin and cello.



And since one musical turn deserves another, I've put up a song I created a few months back: "Peach Pit". Enjoy...