My 13 Favorite Things of 2009 (Part 5 of 17)

The Hot Breath of War (Sparkplug Comic Books): For me and the small press, it was a good year in general. Whether it was new material from Tom Neely, Josh Cotter, and Ryan Claytor, or Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca announcing another project, the small press this year possessed a vibrancy and razor sharp series of insights that seemed to be so largely lacking in the more mainstream offerings. Portland based Sparkplug, in particular, put out another round of phenomenal books, including Sausage Hand, more issues of Elijah Brubaker’s Reich, and The Hot Breath of War by Trevor Alixopulos. I enjoyed Alixopulos’ debut work Mine Tonight a couple of years ago on a recommendation from Tim Goodyear, and have been long awaiting a follow up project. The Hot Breath of War delivered, though in an unexpected fashion. It’s full of smaller, often quieter, unrelated vignettes rather than the singular crime tale format that Mine Tonight worked in. Rather than depicting crime and all of the social implications it dredged up, The Hot Breath of War has a poetic, lyrical style to it that highlights the contradictions of life during war time. The short story “And His Breath is Hot” remains my favorite; if anything, proving Alixopulos’ versatility in other genres and formats. My personal desire to see more of his work has only emboldened with this divergent tale that disproves the artistic notion of a sophomore slump. I’d proudly pick up a regular series or future OGN from him. Furthermore, he strikes me as someone who could emulate the career-path of a creator like Becky Cloonan, who starts out with more intimate self-published work, but could blossom into crossover popularity with the right Vertigo property as his surprising and unique style continues to refine, finding a larger platform and the well-deserved audience that accompanies it.

Graphic Novel Of The Month

The Hot Breath of War (Sparkplug): Trevor Alixopulos’ collection of six short stories is uneven like many anthology style collections, whether they include multiple contributors or works of just a single creator. The Hot Breath of War is also plagued by a couple of obvious typos that jut out and break what would otherwise be an enjoyable experience. It still sounds like I’m damning with faint praise, but some of the shorts do resonate stronger than others. The couple of pieces I liked, well, I actually loved. My favorite story, “And His Breath is Hot,” centers on a war refugee returning home and his encounter with a young girl off to bury her deceased mother. This short is a jumble of beautiful contradictions. We’re unsure if the protagonist won his war, and judging by his reaction, he seems to question just what “winning” such a conflict means exactly. The girl he encounters is at a precarious age which causes her to defy any sort of pre-conceived notion about her role or relationship with the soldier. “No. I am too young, or too old to be anything to you,” she says. She’s too old to be a daughter that he would tenderly care for, and too young to be a lover that he would take. “A Journey in Time” is also quite interesting. The panel layouts are soft and unique, and the expressive figures within them make the book worth checking out for these 15 pages alone. This short revolves around swirling urban identities that overlap with poetic lines like “I walk the same streets here, waiting for them to weave into my memory.” This book is a departure from Alixopulos’ earlier work Mine Tonight, which was a superb crime caper and offered a more cohesive narrative. The Hot Breath of War plays looser; it is ethereal and haunting. Like the best images and lines, parts of it linger with you long after you’re done reading. As with all anthologies or collections of shorter works, each piece isn't always successful, but this was an interesting experiment that pays off with bits like the stinging observation about modern US desert campaigns, and connects strongly about half the time. Like so many Sparkplug creators, Trevor Alixopulos is one to watch, and I’ve committed to picking up any of his future works. Grade A-.

My 13 Favorite Things of 2009: Summary (Part 17 of 17)

My 13 Favorite Things

Wasteland (Oni Press): “Holding this brick of fiction in your hands you realize at long last that the scale and gravitas of the object delighting your senses finally tangibly reflects the scale of the immense writing talent that spawned it. Yup, big ideas belong in big books.”

Echo (Abstract Studio): “If you want to understand how to make effective comic books in every aspect of their production, watch Terry Moore a while, and look no further than Echo.”

Invincible Iron Man (Marvel): "Yeah, I think I just said that Matt Fraction is the Jamie Foxx of comic books, whatever the fuck that means.”

Scalped (DC/Vertigo): “I’ve been saying all along that I want to see this on HBO. It’s no slam against our beloved comic book medium, it’s simply a testament to the fact that Scalped is deserving of a more widespread audience, one in the millions and not the tens of thousands.”

The Hot Breath of War (Sparkplug Comics): "My personal desire to see more of his work has only emboldened with this divergent tale that disproves the artistic notion of a sophomore slump.”

A Drifting Life (Drawn & Quarterly): "Tatsumi is that rare artist who doesn’t preach a message, but invites you to consider your own thoughts about whatever subject matter he’s become fascinated and inspired by, and that process lends a timeless and enduring quality to his work.”

Northlanders (DC/Vertigo): “It is poised to redefine the genre.”

Detective Comics (DC): “This is mainstream superhero comics at its finest.”

Dark Reign: Zodiac (Marvel): “We should have all paid more attention to this quiet little coup d’etat. Because these guys? These guys are the future.”

Wednesday Comics (DC): “There were sure hits (Strange Adventures), and sure blunders (Teen Titans), and noble failures somewhere in between (Wonder Woman), but like Solo before it, the project conceptually was brilliant and should be encouraged.”

Asterios Polyp (Pantheon): “It’ll probably go down as a, if not the, book of the year when everyone’s lists are finally submitted and the larger meta-lists are tabulated.”

Aya: The Secrets Come Out (Drawn & Quarterly): “If inherent quality of craft were the true driver of fame and success, then the multi-part saga of Aya should catapult these creators to stardom, or at the very least – prolific future projects and enhanced recognition at the Eisner Awards.”

Abhay Khosla’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula: “If that doesn’t make any sense, it’s because Khosla’s writing isn’t just on another level, it’s from an entirely different dimension, and I don’t possess the critical vocabulary necessary to explain it, much less deconstruct its origins or articulate why it’s so successful in execution.”

Honorable Mentions

Driven by Lemons (AdHouse Books): “If only it were a bit more accessible, like its great forerunner Skyscrapers of the Midwest.”

3 Story: The Secret History of the Giant Man (Dark Horse): “Bottom line, pretty frickin’ good, but not quite the intricate achievements that I felt 2 Sisters or especially the superb Super Spy were.”

I Am Legion (DDP/Humanoids): “It won’t be remembered as one of Cassaday’s most popular books, but it is certainly one of his best.”

The Lone Ranger (Dynamite Entertainment): “It’s one of the best examples of a book whose narrative momentum and ultimate greatness is hampered by the floppy serialized format and would function better as a series of OGN’s.”

Luna Park (DC/Vertigo): “Kevin Baker’s debut work in the comic book industry remains a flawed, but deeply engaging read.”

Special Prize

JLA: Cry for Justice (DC): “It was so bad, it was good.”

My (Not So) Favorite Things

Sea Donkey: “If you worked for me in any of the jobs I’ve ever had and brought that same disgruntled befuddled ennui to the table, that general penchant for caca, I’d have fired you long ago.”

The X-Titles Flounder: “It’s been a slow, lazy spiral toward the drain, with occasional bursts of brilliance and beauty like Uncanny X-Men #512 with Yanick Paquette.”

Comic Foundry Goes Bust: “Oh, Comic Foundry. We’ll always have that Jonathan Lethem interview that led me back to Omega: The Unknown.”

Amazing Spider-Man #583 & All It Symbolizes: “1992 called and it wanted the lesson you were already supposed to have learned back.”

I Shouldn’t Complain, but Paul Pope…: “I suppose art takes time and that I should be thankful for the awesome Adam Strange story that largely made Wednesday Comics for me, but damn if it’s hard not to be greedy and feel like the ultimate First Second Pulp Hope c--k tease was in effect this year.”

Expectations Not Met: “There were a few titles that just didn’t live up to my hopes right out of the gate.”

Late, Stalled, Delayed, Postponed, On Hiatus: “Oh, is this book still being published?”

Warren Ellis: “By my totally subjective non-scientific personal arsebiscuit guesstimation, he only “hit” about 40% of the time.”

That, my friends, is 2009 in a nutshell according to 13 Minutes. As I write this, I’ve also just surpassed a personal web traffic milestone. 13 Minutes typically ranges anywhere from 5,000 to 7,000 hits per month, with occasional spikes from things like an Antony Johnston tweet or a link from a CBR article. This month, it was the perfect storm; the combination of people’s love of searching for lists and my end of the year “Favorite 13” posts, my conversation with Ryan Claytor about the relationship between creators and critics, a well-timed tweet from Brian Wood regarding a Northlanders review, and plenty of referral hits from Poopsheet Foundation, which all conspired to push 13 Minutes over the 10,000 hit mark for the first time ever. I thought that was a pretty cool way to end the year and wanted to take a moment to say thanks to everyone who visits. See you next year!

12.24.08 Reviews

The Umbrella Academy: Dallas #2 (Dark Horse): The introduction of a pair of strange new antagonists makes this feel a bit Lynchian, like some of the oddball characters that used to inhabit Twin Peaks. I'll probably catch hell for this, but I'm not as enamored with UA as many people seem to be. I think it's good, but not great. I think its at its best when the actions it depicts are juxtaposed against familiar archetypes and locales. Notice the subtlety of positioning some of this issue's actions amid slices of Americana, like the typical diner scene or something as banal as apple pie or Girl Scout cookies. There's the comedic horror of anthropomorphic versions of Jules Winfield and Vincent Vega ("our man in The City!") extracting the line "W-we use canned apples..." Notice the way Kraken enters and exits the police office, surely a riff on the typical Batman entrance and egress from Commissioner Gordon's. There are just enough nuggets of originality here, like the familial breakdown, the dark side of something like the Teen Titans, and introduction of Mr. Perseus to keep my curiosity piqued. Grade B+.

I also picked up;

The Hot Breath of War (Sparkplug): Being the long-awaited follow up to Trevor Alixopulos' wonderful little crime book Mine Tonight.

Avengers: Volume 1 HC: Avengers Assemble (Marvel): Not released this week of course, but I got this for 30% off at a sale. This is the superb Kurt Busiek and George Perez run in a beautiful oversized hardcover, collecting (I believe) the first 12 issues. If not for this book and the accompanying Avengers Forever, I probably would've never developed an appreciation for this seminal Marvel team.

The Boys: Volume 1: The Name of the Game (Dynamite Entertainment): Again, not a current release, but for 30% off, I'll check it out. Not a huge fan of the creative team, but with some mixed buzz on the interwebs and a discount price, hopefully this will make an entertaining holiday read.

X-Men & Spider-Man #1-2 (Marvel): Picked this up based on a recommendation from a friend; looks like an interesting, time spanning, four issue look at the relationship between Peter and the X-Gang, written by Christos Gage (who doesn't really disappoint, regardless of property) and artist Mario Alberti, who passed the casual flip test with flying colors.

Star Wars #11 [The Wood Pile]

Star Wars #11 (Dark Horse): I love this book! If you’re talking sheer unqualified enjoyment, then this is the book I most look forward to reading every month. It’s like some sort of confectionary treat that delights the eyes and tickles the brain and makes you squee with uncontrollable fanboy glee. When I read this book, I get that nostalgic feeling that I’m witnessing something so pure and concentrated, for the very first time. My mind always drifts back to being 6 years old and what it felt like sitting in the theatre watching Empire Strikes Back on the big screen (I was a little too young to catch Star Wars in the theatre), and even getting choked up with emotion when Han was frozen in carbonite. I always hesitate to use terms like “perfect” or “flawless,” but Brian Wood and Carlos D’Anda’s time on this book makes it so tempting. This issue is non-stop action and engagement, with Birrah Seah fleeing Darth Vader’s wrath after failing at her task to snare a couple of young rebels (one of them called Skywalker), Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator assaulting the Rebel Fleet in that cocksure way the Empire does so well, Luke and Wedge trying to sneak their way back to the fleet hiding in plain sight in TIE Interceptors, and Perla making Han an offer he simply can’t refuse, half out of grounded pragmatism, and half out of smuggler's awe. The entire issue is basically one long succession of little moments that made me smile and chuckle to myself about what a great time I was having reading the book. D’Anda’s action is always crystal clear and full of little details that “sell” what he’s rendering, thinking through things like the depiction of the energy shield around the Mon Calamari Cruiser, and what blasts would look like impacting that. I really liked the shots of Mon Mothma getting jostled around in the corridors of Home One on her way to the War Room/Ops Center where she looked so svelte in her trench coat, the lone woman commanding the other (male) rebel officers on duty. This is hands down the coolest that Mon Mothma has ever looked. D’Anda took what could otherwise come off as dated designs for her and gave her a regal but utilitarian edge that’s an instant hit. Princess Leia is returning from her time away at the remnants of Alderaan and comes in hot to the hangar bay. All of the ships that make these combat landings into the hangar bay are examples of the many moments where the book elevates itself beyond mere writing proficiency and artistic skill and just taps into an indescribable “cool” factor. While Wood is busy lacing the story with auditory callbacks like “cut the chatter” and “lock s-foils in attack position” to line up his LucasFilm consistencies, D’Anda brings so much visual thunder. There’s the close-up on Luke’s face as he’s asking about Prithi, how the rebel pilots' helmets look so used and battered and grimy compared to the pristine gleam of the Interceptor pilots, the way that he draws a panel with an X-Wing pilot upside down because without gravity there’s really no “right side up” in space, and all of the crazy skewed panel angles and camera placements that emphasize the chaos and claustrophobic disorientation of the target-rich space battles. You can hardly catch your breath and keep frenetic pace with everything that’s happening in this issue and the amazing visual wonderland, so when the final startling reveal occurs, all you have left is the ability to just flip the page back and forth to verify you're reading what you think you're reading and then bellow out a joyous “WTF?!” at what happened, one which instantly makes you want to go back and reread the entire series to look for clues or how this new information might color a second reading. Brian Wood and Carlos D’Anda’s Star Wars run has taken the prize for the most “A+” marks I’ve ever given any series. It truly has it all, brains, action, and heart. It captures a sense of fun and sensory immersion that sort of defies critique and embodies what these types of comics are supposed to be all about - escapist wonderment. If you’re not buying it, you’re missing one of the highest watermarks the property has ever attained. Grade A+.

Help Dylan Williams & Sparkplug Comic Books

I never post this sort of "help" message, but Dylan is an absolute man of honor in the small press field, and quite frankly, the Sparkplug worldview is something the industry could use more of. I don't want to say much more because I haven't been authorized to on his behalf, but more info can be found here and here. Do yourself a favor and grab some Sparkplug Comic Books. I wholeheartedly recommend Flesh & Bone, The Disgusting Room, The Heavy Hand, The Hot Breath of War, Reich, Boung & Gagged, Rambo 3.5, Nurse Nurse, Blammo, et al.