Graphic Novel Round Up

Graphic Novel Round Up

A couple of the graphic novels reviewed today take a rigid and settled mythology, and allows us a peek at possible alternatives that could exist. What's more rigid than the Marvel or the DC Universes? They typically have twenty years of publications that are supposed to fit into five year or less of real time.

And if the writers dare forget that Doc Ock once sneezed onto Aunt May's dining room tablecloth in Amazing Spiderman #236, legions of fans will write furious letters of correction.

That's just one of the reasons we enjoy these alternate history sorts of things. They can break out of continuity. Another reason we like them is that the writers can cut loose; they can do what the want with the characters. Imagine, you could turn Spiderman into a tights-wearing ballet dancer who is always in the chorus, never a headliner. Oh, wait, he's that already. Oh well, we hope you get the idea.

1602

What if the Marvel Universe existed in the year 1602? That's the intriguing premise of this lavish, if slow, graphic novel.

The novel is somewhat epic in scope, it rambles all over Europe and North America. And it is intriguing to see such well-known characters and Nick Fury, DareDevil, Peter Parker, the Fantastic Four, and a dozen others wearing lacy ruffles and complaining about the tea service.

Ok, they don't do that, and this graphic novel is a bit slow, it lacks the usual percentage of superhero slugfests, preferring to focus on character and the intrigues of plotting.

We recommend it. It's fun to read, and we liked the familiar characters in their unusual circumstances.

Kingdom Come

Instead of the past, this DC graphic novel takes Superman and what is more or less the JLA into the future, when they've pretty much retired. (Hey, who said that Kal- El was going to get old and gray?)

A nasty incident years before left the whole gang with no taste for doing their thing anymore, and a new breed of superheroes took over. The problem is, these new heroes are more into battling each other and establishing a pecking order than they are actually helping people.

The old guard has to come out of retirement and take a hand at setting things right. Opposed to this are the usual nefarious corporate and government interests, and, nice twist here, Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor.

This one is also fun. Its worth the time and $$ to read.

Hardy Boys

We found a Hardy Boys graphic novel. This, we were thiking, is going to be good. Then, alas, we opened it. (Yes, we made THAT proverbial mistake!) The story was full of fun derring-do, esprit de corps, and a fun mystery to track down and solve.

But the art was anime style! Yuck! This most quintessential of American legends just didn't work looking like Pokemon. Pass on it.

QOT Note

Yes, Queen of Thieves is still progressing. We've just submitted a killer outline to the studio. We'll see what changes they want, and if they will finally greenlight writing the script. Stay tuned.