Post by Administrator on Oct 30, 2005 16:02:38 GMT -5
GRAPHIC NOVELS
CATTY TALK
DISTURBS RABBI
• The Rabbi's Cat. Joann Sfar. Pantheon. 152 pages. $21.95.
It's a rare talent that can create a challenging and entertaining adventure while still subtly informing the reader of a bigger issue. The Rabbi's Cat from French artist Sfar is such a work. Part comic strip, part fairy tale and part religious debate, the story begins innocently enough. The reader is ushered into the life of an endearing rabbi, his sharp-witted daughter and their wide-eyed and thoughtful feline. But when the cat takes the family's cantankerous parrot out of commission, he develops an unexpected talent: he can talk. Brutally honest, cunning and sly, the cat challenges his master's every belief. Warm and pensive from the first page, Sfar's fantastical language and pleasantly messy artwork transport the reader back to a time when it was OK for animals to speak, and the unbelievable was the norm.
• Proof of Concept. Larry Young and various artists. AiT/PlanetLar. 136 pages. $12.95.
Publisher/writer Young is bubbling over with ideas. The thoughts most people have while putting away groceries, Young has all the time. The only difference is, Young puts them down on paper. Some become self-standing graphic novels, such as the critically acclaimed Astronauts in Trouble. But what about the ideas that don't make it that far? They're all here. In a strange and exciting twist on the comic book anthology, Young presents some of his more interesting ideas, each paired with a worthy artistic collaborator. Whether it's a battalion of soldiers throwing down with a zombie dinosaur or the adventures of an Abe Lincoln clone in a strange future, each story screams individuality. Some, like the somewhat forced Hemoglobin -- which tells the tale of vampire hunters centuries in the future -- miss the mark slightly; they're more concept than follow-through. But isn't that the point? Proof of Concept makes for an effective and consistently entertaining collection that eschews genre restrictions.
• Y: The Last Man, Book 5 -- Ring of Truth. Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, Jose Marzan Jr. DC Comics/Vertigo. 192 pages. $14.99
The world of Y: The Last Man isn't nice. The plague has struck, killing all the men in the world instantly -- except for Yorick Brown and his monkey Ampersand. The picture painted by Vaughan and Guerra is one of strife, bloodshed and covert dealings on a daily basis. In book five of the popular Vertigo series, Yorick and his two associates, Dr. Mann and Agent 355, have returned to Mann's lab to expand on their research, in the hopes of discovering just what helped Yorick survive the plague. But Mann and 355 aren't the only people interested in the truth, and the team's brief stop has given their pursuers a chance to catch up. Vaughan's sharp script and knack for the gasp-inducing cliff-hanger (including the real reason why Yorick is still alive and kicking) is at its finest here, with the survival of our heroes never secure. Guerra's artistic mastery makes even the surreal seem perfectly normal in the world of Yorick, whether it's a ninja clinging to a wall or a band of ultra-feminist rebels on the attack with bows and arrows.
Alex Segura Jr. reviewed these books for The Herald.
CATTY TALK
DISTURBS RABBI
• The Rabbi's Cat. Joann Sfar. Pantheon. 152 pages. $21.95.
It's a rare talent that can create a challenging and entertaining adventure while still subtly informing the reader of a bigger issue. The Rabbi's Cat from French artist Sfar is such a work. Part comic strip, part fairy tale and part religious debate, the story begins innocently enough. The reader is ushered into the life of an endearing rabbi, his sharp-witted daughter and their wide-eyed and thoughtful feline. But when the cat takes the family's cantankerous parrot out of commission, he develops an unexpected talent: he can talk. Brutally honest, cunning and sly, the cat challenges his master's every belief. Warm and pensive from the first page, Sfar's fantastical language and pleasantly messy artwork transport the reader back to a time when it was OK for animals to speak, and the unbelievable was the norm.
• Proof of Concept. Larry Young and various artists. AiT/PlanetLar. 136 pages. $12.95.
Publisher/writer Young is bubbling over with ideas. The thoughts most people have while putting away groceries, Young has all the time. The only difference is, Young puts them down on paper. Some become self-standing graphic novels, such as the critically acclaimed Astronauts in Trouble. But what about the ideas that don't make it that far? They're all here. In a strange and exciting twist on the comic book anthology, Young presents some of his more interesting ideas, each paired with a worthy artistic collaborator. Whether it's a battalion of soldiers throwing down with a zombie dinosaur or the adventures of an Abe Lincoln clone in a strange future, each story screams individuality. Some, like the somewhat forced Hemoglobin -- which tells the tale of vampire hunters centuries in the future -- miss the mark slightly; they're more concept than follow-through. But isn't that the point? Proof of Concept makes for an effective and consistently entertaining collection that eschews genre restrictions.
• Y: The Last Man, Book 5 -- Ring of Truth. Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, Jose Marzan Jr. DC Comics/Vertigo. 192 pages. $14.99
The world of Y: The Last Man isn't nice. The plague has struck, killing all the men in the world instantly -- except for Yorick Brown and his monkey Ampersand. The picture painted by Vaughan and Guerra is one of strife, bloodshed and covert dealings on a daily basis. In book five of the popular Vertigo series, Yorick and his two associates, Dr. Mann and Agent 355, have returned to Mann's lab to expand on their research, in the hopes of discovering just what helped Yorick survive the plague. But Mann and 355 aren't the only people interested in the truth, and the team's brief stop has given their pursuers a chance to catch up. Vaughan's sharp script and knack for the gasp-inducing cliff-hanger (including the real reason why Yorick is still alive and kicking) is at its finest here, with the survival of our heroes never secure. Guerra's artistic mastery makes even the surreal seem perfectly normal in the world of Yorick, whether it's a ninja clinging to a wall or a band of ultra-feminist rebels on the attack with bows and arrows.
Alex Segura Jr. reviewed these books for The Herald.