Monday, January 17, 2011

The Struggle For the Moral Soul: MARTIN LUTHER KING and Civil Rights

"Justice at its best is power
correcting everything that stands against love."
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I think the Civil Rights Movement was the best thing that ever happened to America, because it forced us to redeem ourselves. And it still is.

I grew up in the South and Midwest during the Civil Rights years and their aftermath. It challenged everything about my world and deepened my appreciation of humanity. Not a single day passes where the lessons learned are not affecting my perceptions, my outlook, or my aspirations. What is right nowadays stems from their moral paths, what is wrong tends to come from where any of us have lost the way. It's on each of us to make it better for each other. Selflessness brings us into the better angels of our nature. This is my psalm of love to my heroes, the bravest of the brave.

When you look back at the black and white photos of the tense events of the civil rights struggle in the '50s and '60s, like those shot by Charles Moore, there is a strangely brutal clarity. It seems like all artifice strips away leaving only hate and heroism. There is no theatre. There's only that queasy moment when something terrible is happening, when someone is doing wrong to someone, or recklessly trying to stand up in the face of danger. It is immediate, it's serious, it's real. A black woman cringing from a swung baseball bat. People slammed to the ground by the high-pressure firehoses of Alabama firemen. State Troopers charging church marchers with batons through tear gas. College students bludgeoned by horseback cops. And this was America.

There is a sickness so terrible in those frames, it chills the heart. Studying those snapshots and films, you look in the faces of the racist cop, the klanswoman, the corrupt governor, and you can perhaps also see their fear...of the modern, of change, of the truth. They look like sad relics not quite grasping that their hold is slipping, that critical mass is tiding against them. That every wrong they've ever done is coming up for account.

Hindsight is one thing, but living through that revolution was far more intense; it was painful, personal, and ongoing. And there was really nothing black and white about any of it. Black And White was just ink on a copy page, photos on newsprint, flickers on a television. It was the medium for conveying this moral war, but the reality was too complex for polar absolutes. Those shocking events were actually an alarmingly clear mirror showing the spectrum of our neglect. It ripped up laissez-fair dismissals about the reality of racism to shreds. It stripped away the firewalls that we used to separate it from our lives. Most of all, it forced us to question our national identity, and our personal character. Were you really what you said you were, who you thought you were? Where did you stand, and why? This was no civics lesson or some marketing campaign. This was the new true reality. Not shopping, not cruising, not the cinema. Those images and stories radically challenged how you behaved and what you believed in.

This was a new era where the political was a personal as it gets. Who was the Enemy here; was it the Klan South, the segregationist politicians, outmoded laws? Or also benign ignorance, local injustice, personal acts? Racism was as pervasive in all regions of the country and society as the South. People may have been carefully segregated by opposing terms like Black or White, male or female, Christian or heathen. But that aritifice stripped away when you had to stand at the mirror and face who you really were inside. The truth was that the real enemy was the ugliness in the human heart. There was no Us and Them. There was only each of us having to atone for any flaws in our own daily actions going forward. The moral struggle for the soul of the nation had to happen ultimately within each of us.

Part of the pain of living in the South and Midwest was seeing that poison directly in the ones you loved, in yourself. It's easy for someone to stand outside of an area and point out cardboard villains. It was another thing to live there and see the loved ones you trusted -who put church above all else, were wise and kind, who raised you- also believing in the same cruel hatred that compelled Sheriff James Clark to violently assault protesters. Another thing then to find some of these seeds in yourself and weed them out. Facing these truths left you feeling like a smashed windshield after a collision. It called into question your faith in love itself. How could these very moral people teach such immoral attitudes? How could they be Christian while excluding everyone they were afraid of? The sadness was compounded by watching these people you respected -who cared about family, led decent lives, worked hard every day- then having their sad fears twisted into hate for personal power by men in suits: pastors, police, politicians. Who could you believe in anymore?

"It may well be that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition is not the glaring noisiness of the so-called bad people, but the appalling silence of the so-called good people."
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rosa Parks was tired. She'd worked hard all day and she didn't want to give up her seat on the bus. The law said she should but the law was immoral. By trying to hold on to her dignity in one small moment, Rosa took a stand that changed everything. People stepped forward to stand with her, and more, and more. Now we all had to make decisions on what was better for everyone, even if the written law was unequal to the task.

You could instead choose an honest love, a compassionate outlook, a giving hand, that left hate and hypocrisy behind. The Civil Rights Movement forced you to make a choice. Often between relationships and principle, selfishness and selflessness, between the past and the future, repression or progress. It was the hardest break of all but it was necessary for the soul.

Dr. King never succumbed to hate. He steadfastly remembered that his enemies were just people who could still be reached, befriended, forgiven. Resorting to brutality or hatred only dehumanized any of us. He put all his faith in human dignity, and in the world's support when they saw it being assailed. He was right to and always will be. No one could see the bombing of the church which killed four little girls and not be moved on the deepest level. King believed foremost in our humanity, that we would come through for another in pain. This redemptive love ennobled our nation and inspired us to be better people.

When a flash flood hits, it's pretty overwhelming and dramatic. Then it seeps down out of view, only to flourish seeds in the future. The 1960s and the empowerment ethos ignited by the Civil Rights Movement were like a flash flood worldwide.

Before, the mainstream culture at large had been strictly for the Included. TV ads and shows, churches, schools, and industry were very good about reminding everyone what those parameters were, and how you did or didn't fit into them. But in the biggest generation ever, that left a lot of ostracized people to meet each other and bond together. There was nothing black or white about any of them, they were like a prism of possibilities; Ban The Bomb activists, Folk protestors, Rock hedonists, Jazz boppers, ecologists, vegetarians, student uprisers, international dissidents, disillusioned soldiers, young college women, banned writers, progressive teachers, pacifist clergy, migrant workers, repressed voters, closeted gays, starving artists, fashion forwards, philosophers, shafted unions, poor people...the list was limitless. No one had a monopoly on pain. Its universality connected them. By sharing common grievance they began to see an end to limitations when they pooled their strengths. That's the true '60s...the Empowerment era. En masse, their alienation created a sort of sub-nation, a counterculture. This humanist movement's mantra was freedom, in the sense of personal emancipation.

There's a clear throughline from the Civil Rights movement to Farmworkers' rights, the Paris revolts, Prague Spring, the Counterculture, Feminism and ERA, Chicano pride, AIM, Solidarnosc, Eastern European liberation, ecology, Apartheid's end, and Gay rights. They are all the seeds that grew from the flood that Rosa Parks unleashed that fateful day she made her stand.

For his humane efforts, King was called "an extremist" by conservative attackers. Though never elected to the office, Martin Luther King was the moral President of the United States...and he still is.

"Why have we substituted the arrogant undertaking of policing the whole world, for the high task of setting one's own house in order?

For the evils of racism, poverty, and militarism to die, a new set of values must be born.

Our economy must become more person-centered
than profit- and property-centered."

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1967

Let's keep going forward together.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

BEST COMICS: 2000-2010!

BLACK HOLE,
by Charles Burns
It's always best to count the good things in the tough times: here's my favorite graphix from the last decade!

Shortcut links:
• Best Comic
• Best Comics Company +
• Graphic Novels
• Best Collections/ Reissues
• How To
• • Our Creators
• • MVPs
• "Burn, Hollywood, Burn!"
• Movies And TV

• Rest In Power

B E S T
C O M I C S :

Newly expanded for another generation to catch up to real greatness.

• STARSTRUCK, by Elaine Lee, Michael Wm. Kaluta, and Lee Moyer ⇧ _______

STARSTRUCK was one of the greatest comics of the Renaissance '80s. It was better than anything out then, and it still is.

Smart art for hip people. Get the Deluxe Edition collection in March, 2011!

B E S T
C O M I C S
C O M P A N Y :

America's Best Comics

An entire comics line created and written by the Shakespeare of the form, the unassailable ALAN MOORE. Quietly, with mesmerizing grace, Moore created his second revolution, dedicated to putting wonder and fun back into the medium. Everyone has yet to even attempt catching up.

• THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill ⇧ _______

Which ultimately is the story of one extraordinary woman: Mina Harker, and the teams of classic literary heroes she led across a century's span. It takes the conceit of weaving together all literature as if it were all co-existent and true, and pulls it off.

If you heard there is a film, it isn't true. Ignore it.

• PROMETHEA, by Alan Moore, J.H. Williams III, and Mick Gray ⇧ _______

A fully-realized Wonder Woman without any of the restraints. Promethea is the goddess embodiment of human creativity, fluid and endless, the core of our survival. Moore is more ambitious in scope here than can be comprehended, and artist J.H. WILLIAMS III (Batwoman) perfected his craft here re-inventing comic composition to keep up.

• TOP 10, by Alan Moore, Zander Cannon, and Gene Ha ⇧ _______

There will probably never be a more complex and loving homage to the entire history of Comic Strips and Comic Books than this. With layout artist ZANDER CANNON and the astounding ink finishes of GENE HA, this farcical police procedural investigates every last inch of the genres.

• TOP 10, Season 2 (2008), by Zander Cannon and Gene Ha _______
The artists continued the series on in fine form, but were cancelled halfway through their projected 8 issues by publisher treachery.

• TOM STRONG, by Alan Moore, Chris Sprouse, Alan Gordon, and Karl Story ⇧ _______

Tom Strong is every 20th Century hero archetype distilled into one: Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Doc Savage, Superman, Capt. Marvel. Better still, he is the sense of wonder that comics lost in recent decades confusing violence with maturity. Clean, clear, smart, startling, classic stories honed to a shining gleam by penciller CHRIS SPROUSE.

• TOM STRONG And The Robots Of Doom, by Peter Hogan, Chris Sprouse, and Karl Story _______
A solid attempt to continue the series in this 6-issue arc.

D C

• BATWOMAN, by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III ⇧⇧ _______

The best ongoing series being made. She will kick your ass without a blink, on every level.
J.H. WILLIAMS III took the mainstream by storm with his astounding art, in service to crack stories by GREG RUCKA. (Fans of Williams should go back and explore all of PROMETHEA, as well as the early-'80s art of Gene Day on MASTER OF KUNG FU #101-120.)

• THE NEW FRONTIER, by Darwyn Cooke _______

Darwyn recaptures the early-'60s sense of hope and possibility in his retelling of the birth of The Silver Age heroes. Retro art and postmodern smarts.

• BATMAN DEATHBLOW, by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo _______

That art! LEE BERMEJO is one of the best illustrators to ever grace comics. His fully-functional costume designs for Batman and Superman put Hollywood to shame. A marvel of brutal excellence.

WEDNESDAY Comics:
SUPERMAN, by Lee Bermejo
• WEDNESDAY Comics, Various Artists ⇧ _______

The most valuable person at DC is editor MARK CHIARELLO, an excellent artist who dreams up progressive projects regularly. Here he resurrects the large Sunday Comics strip pages with 15 strips by top creators, who all use this broad new canvas to the hilt.

• IDENTITY CRISIS, by Brad Meltzer and Rags Morales _______

Amid all the aggro-lescent blowouts that pass for 'big event' comics series anymore, here instead is a sharp and heartbreaking story by best-selling Mystery writer BRAD MELTZER, brought to life with deft humanity by artist RAGS MORALES.

• SHAZAM: Power Of Hope, by Paul Dini and Alex Ross _______

• WONDER WOMAN: Spirit Of Truth, by Paul Dini and Alex Ross ⇧ _______
ALEX ROSS, the finest illustrator in modern comics, is also a fleet storyteller with a kid's wonderful reverence and nostalgia. His huge, handpainted tribute volumes to the essence of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the real Captain Marvel are gems that act as 'how-to' lessons for the current generation.

• THE SPECTRE #1-13, by J.M. Dematteis and Ryan Sook _______
The most lyrical and elegant stylist since P. Craig Russell and Mike Mignola, RYAN SOOK's art is breathtaking in this beautiful run.

____________

And last, an unintentional 'trilogy' of how to do the Man Of Tomorrow correctly...

• SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT, by Mark Waid & Leinil Francis Yu _______

The best and most surprising revamping of his origin and emergence one could imagine, one that SMALLVILLE and SUPERMAN RETURNS yearn to match.

• LUTHOR, by Brian Azzarello & Lee Bermejo _______

LEE BERMEJO returns with this revelatory retooling of Lex Luthor that works inadvertently as a perfect bookend to "Birthright".

• ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely _______

Alan Moore summed up the absolute essence of Superman in his two DC finale stories and with the entire SUPREME series. But GRANT MORRISON gives Alan a terrific run for his money with this wonderfully inspired 'last Superman story'.

...plus a bonus rethink of a Clark Kent for our own world.

• SUPERMAN: Secret Identity, by Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen _______

M A R V E L

• DAREDEVIL, by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev ⇧ _______

Adult comics have been better than most any Hollywood film for over two decades. Haunted by Tarantino and Coppola in the best senses, this stunner plays like an illustrated movie of realistic heroism and character depth. ALEX MALEEV's dark and cinematic art is ever amazing for their three year run.

• ALIAS, by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos _______

This series is a parallel companion in tone, style, and sometimes story to the DAREDEVIL run mentioned above. Gritty, sarcastic noir tales of private investigator Jessica Jones, a world-weary smart-ass who brooks no fools but who can't seem to escape her shadowy former-superhero past. Irreverent as it is relevant.

(Released at the same time as the ALIAS TV series, there is no relation. In 2015, the JESSICA JONES series debuted on Netflix.)

• 1602, by Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert _______

Perhaps as close to a THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN as Marvel will ever get, courtesy of maestro Gaiman.

• THE ETERNALS, by Neil Gaiman and John Romita, Jr. _______

Neil Gaiman does Jack Kirby. Nuff said.

• X-FORCE/ X-STATIX, by Peter Milligan and Mike Allred _______

Imagine the classic Lee-Kirby Silver Age comics done as a scathing satire of the 21st century multi-media machine. Timeless retro art, surreal fun, and an unsparing critique of poison glamour and slick greed. You'll laugh, you'll think, you'll cringe at your world!

• EARTH X, by Alex Ross and Jean Paul Leon _______

In the wake of the magisterial KINGDOM COME for DC, Alex Ross proved his writing chops by pulling off the impossible stunt of making a cohesive cosmic history of Marvel's past while charting its best future. JEAN PAUL LEON couldn't be a more opposite artist in terms of style, but the zen essence of his bold brushwork is letter perfect.

W I L D S T O R M

• PLANETARY, by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday ⇧ _______

While Alan Moore reinterpreted all the wonders of 20th pop culture through TOM STRONG, WARREN ELLIS does an alternate take through an askew lens with stark clarity and nuanced sophistication.

• EX MACHINA, by Brian K. Vaughn and Tony Harris _______

A tour-de-force of realistic heroes and the sociopolitical ramifications of their acts.

V E R T I G O

• Y: THE LAST MAN, by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra _______

Everyone loves this series. For me this was Good to Very Good, with some great moments. Wanted more from it, but still worth the journey.

• THE UNWRITTEN, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross _______

An adult reimagining of the same English tradition of British magic fantasy that Harry Potter springs from, this canny series plays with those expectations and subverts them at every turn.

A M E R I C A N
M U L E
Entertainment

• PUBLIC ENEMY, by Chuck D and Adam Wallenta _______

'The Only RAP Band That Matters'* become a different variant of heroes in this fun and pointed 12 issue series. A sorely needed infusion of African-American consciousness into a medium long short of it.

*That's a Clash in-joke, for any of you hotheads out there.

G R A P H I C
N O V E L S :

____________
H E R O I C S :
• TOP 10: The Forty-Niners, by Alan Moore and Gene Ha ⇧

• BATWOMAN: Elegy, by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III

____________

S M A R T
A R T :
• THE PLOT: The Secret Story of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, by Will Eisner
• BERLIN: City Of Stone, by Jason Lutes
• BERLIN: City Of Smoke, by Jason Lutes
• PERSEPOLIS, by Marjane Satrapi

• BLACK HOLE, by Charles Burns
• ASTERIOS POLYP, by David Mazzucchelli
• GEMMA BOVERY, by Posy Simmonds, (1999)
• TAMARA DREWE, by Posy Simmonds

• THE QUITTER, by Harvey Pekar and Dean Haspiel
• BLANKETS, by Craig Thompson
• FUN HOME: A Family Tragicomic, by Alison Bechdel
• THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL: An Account in Words and Pictures, by Phoebe Gloeckner ⇧

• SHORTCOMINGS, by Adrian Tomine
• BLACKSAD, by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido
• SCOTT PILGRIM, by Bryan Lee O'Malley
• LA PERDIDA, by Jessica Abel

• SMILE, by Raina Telgemeier
• AMERICAN BORN CHINESE, by Gene Luen Yang
• SECRET IDENTITIES: The Asian American Superhero Anthology, by Various Creators

____________

D R E A M S :
• SERENITY: The Shepard's Tale, by Zach Whedon and Chris Samnee
• VIMANARAMA, by Grant Morrison and Philip Bond

• CORALINE, by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell
• THE SANDMAN: THE DREAM HUNTERS, by Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell

• SUPERMAN: Earth One, by J. Michael Straczynski, Shane Davis, and Sandra Hope
• Michael Chabon's THE ESCAPISTS, by Brian K. Vaughan, Philip Bond, and Jason Shawn Alexander

B E S T
C O L L E C T I O N S /
R E I S S U E S :

1: Gil Kane
2: Jack Kirby

____________
T H E
T R U E
S C H O O L :
• SHOWCASE
• ESSENTIAL MARVEL ⇧⇧ _______

To learn directly from the great masters, buy the affordable Showcase (DC) and Essential Marvel (MARVEL) trade paperbacks. These 500 page archives of classic comics printed in the original black-and-white line are a treasure trove for teaching aspiring artists.

• "KRAZY & IGNATZ in 'Tiger Tea'", by George Herriman _______

The most surreal and loopy storyline that GEORGE HERRIMAN ever did.

• WONDER WOMAN Chronicles, vol.1, by Wm. Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter _______

Over the years the 'clean line' style of greats like Carl Barks, Herge, and C.C. Beck have earned the respect they always deserved. This volume should turn similar respect to H.G. PETER, the original Wonder Woman artist for her first two decades. His spiraling art nouveau cartoon style is one of comicdom's neglected secret treasures.

• HARVEY COMICS Classics, Vol. 1-5, by various artists _______

The timeless and fun stories are enlivened by the rounded and happy house style of WARREN KREMER, a master class in pop economy.

• FLASH GORDON: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic, by Al Williamson _______

Carrying on the fine tradition of Alex Raymond, here is EC Comics artisan AL WILLIAMSON showing you how it's done.

• MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER 4000 A.D., Vol. 1-3, by Russ Manning _______

RUSS MANNING's ultrasleek style and snappy action adventures are timeless, and a direct influence on Dave Cockrum, Dave Stevens, Steve Rude, and Mike Allred.

• The Complete PEANUTS 1967-1970, Vol. 9-10 , by Charles Schultz
• The Complete PEANUTS 1971-1974, Vol. 11-12 , by Charles Schultz _______

In responding to the counterculture with empathy, CHARLES SCHULTZ's popular newspaper strip inherited the mantle from POGO as a social bellwether while becoming a pop phenomenon.

• Jack Kirby's FOURTH WORLD OMNIBUS, 1-4, by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer _______

The New Gods books have more great ideas in five pages than most series do in decades. JACK KIRBY did virtually everything first and better than anyone.

• SUPERMAN vs. MUHAMMED ALI giant size facsimile edition, by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams _______

The most improbable comic story of all time is also one of The Greatest Of All Time. DENNY O'NEIL's story carries you from intimate urban streets to galactic warfare without a sweat, and NEAL ADAM's art is the best of his career (which is saying a lot).

• THE ROCKETEER: The Complete Adventures, by Dave Stevens _______

DAVE STEVENS was a terrific artist and storyteller, and a great guy. Here's everything you need to know why.

• XENOZOIC TALES, Vol. 1 and 2, by Mark Schultz _______

Inspired by Frank Frazetta's '50s comics work, MARK SCHULTZ is a fine illustrator in his own right at full throttle here with dinosaurs and cadillacs.

• CAGES, by Dave McKean ⇧ _______

We never got Moore and Sienkiewicz's BIG NUMBERS in finished form, but we did get this complex, chameleonic epic from premiere illustrator DAVE McKEAN.

• AMERICAN SPLENDOR, by Harvey Pekar with R. Crumb, etc. _______

Puts together the two trade paperbacks of the '80s that ignited public appreciation of HARVEY PEKAR, back in print in time for the excellent movie.

• THE ESSENTIAL DYKES TO WATCH OUT FOR, by Alison Bechdel _______

ALISON BECHDEL's graphic novel FUN HOME was Time's Book Of The Year 2006. Here's 20 years of her epic and intimate comic strip to school us in how she learned her craft so well.

• X-ED OUT, by Charles Burns _______

A postpunk Tintin, by CHARLES BURNS. How can you lose?

• A CHILD'S LIFE and Other Stories, by Phoebe Gloeckner _______

Brutal truth, sensitive stories, sharp illustration...PHOEBE GLOECKNER does it all.

____________

H I G H E R
L E A R N I N G :

Alan Moore

• FROM HELL, by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell _______

The most complex, all-inclusive, well-researched, and quietly subversive account of Jack The Ripper ever created.

• LOST GIRLS, by Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie _______

Alan turns literature and erotica inside out, while MELINDA GEBBBIE -his life partner and feminist underground comix pioneer- pays homage to Von Bayros, Mucha, Schiele, and Beardsley along the torrid way.

• SUPREME: The Return, by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse _______

The greatest Superman stories never told.

• SUPREME: Story of the Year, by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse _______

Still more of the greatest Superman stories never told.

H O W
T O :

We're blessed in this age to have the most well-trained artists and writers in comics history, thanks to progressive colleges and republished archives.
If you want to know how to do this, there's never been a better time to learn how the right way:

• COMICS AND SEQUENTIAL ART: Principles and Practices, by Will Eisner

• UNDERSTANDING COMICS, by Scott McCloud _______
I went to the oldest art school on the West Coast. Turns out this had a better grasp on the fundamentals of artmaking than anything I ever read there.
• REINVENTING COMICS, by Scott McCloud
• MAKING COMICS, by Scott McCloud ⇧

• The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics, by Dennis O'Neil
• The DC Comics Guide to Pencilling Comics, by Klaus Janson
• The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics, by Freddie E. Williams II
• The DC Comics Guide to Inking Comics, by Klaus Janson
• The DC Comics Guide to Coloring and Lettering Comics, by Mark Chiarello and Todd Klein ⇧

• DRAWING WORDS AND WRITING PICTURES: Making Comics: Manga, Graphic Novels, and Beyond, by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden

O U R
C R E A T O R S :

There are a wealth of retrospective books about the great artists out nowadays. Here are a few terrific ones.

C O M I C S :
• WILL EISNER: A Dreamer's Life in Comics, by Michael Schumacher
• WILL EISNER: A Spirited Life, by Bob Andelman
• WILL EISNER: Portrait of a Sequential Artist (DVD), by Andrew D. Cooke ⇧ _______
It's easy to single someone as The One when they're so great. WILL EISNER was part of a pantheon of great creators who triggered and defined the graphix arts, but his singular innovations leave him without peer.

• KRIGSTEIN, vol. 1, by Greg Sadowski
• KIRBY: King Of Comics, by Mark Evanier
• ALAN MOORE: Portrait Of An Extraordinary Gentleman, tribute by 145 creators
• MYTHOLOGY, by Alex Ross

• Modern Masters, v.12: MICHAEL GOLDEN
• COMIC BOOK ARTIST #6: Will Eisner, a trade paperback tributing the late WILL EISNER by the entire industry.

____________

I L L U S T R A T I O N :

• JOSEPH CLEMENT COLL: A Legacy in Line, edited by John Fleskes

• FRANKLIN BOOTH: American Illustrator, by Manuel Auad ⇧ _______
One folly of youth is to think that the here and now is the ultimate fruition. Only in a relay handoff tied by respect. But, without that respect, good traditions are lost and things devolve. Just look at classical illustrators like COLL, BOOTH, and CLARA ELSENE PECK, and you're reminded quite handily what timeless quality really is.

• The Brinkley Girls: The Best of NELL BRINKLEY's Cartoons from 1913-1940, by Trina Robbins _______
TRINA ROBBINS has done more to rediscover and canonize the women of comics than everyone else combined. All of her books will lead you to a wider dimension of appreciation.

• RGK: The Art Of ROY G. KRENKEL _______
The works of the fine illustrator, from EC Comics to his paperback covers.

• Wings of Twilight: The Art of MICHAEL KALUTA

• The Art Of JEFFREY JONES, by Arnie Fenner and Cathy Fenner _______
JONES and KALUTA are among the modern masters who have continued the finest tradition of the great illustrators.

____________

M A G A Z I N E S :

• BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES, edited by Jim Vadeboncoeur ⇧
• ALTER EGO, edited by Roy Thomas ⇧ _______

While there should be retrospective books about him, it was this magazine (issue #47) that finally gave us the most detailed overview of the career and work of MATT BAKER (Phantom Lady), one of the few African American artists permitted into the Golden Age Of Comics.

• ILLUSTRATION Magazine

• COMIC BOOK ARTIST, vol. 1 (Two Morrows) and vol. 2 (Top Shelf)

• DODGEM LOGIC, edited by Alan Moore _______
An underground grab-bag of conceptual curios and mayhemic mentalities, from ringmaster MOORE and his colourful cadre of calamitous creatives.

____________

H I S T O R Y :

O U R
H I S T O R Y :
• THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER AND CLAY, by Michael Chabon _______

CHABON won the Pulitzer Prize for his epic reimagining of the Golden Age Of Comics, and brought a generation of new eyes to deities like WILL EISNER, LOU FINE, JACK KIRBY, and JIM STERANKO who inspired the book.

• MEN OF TOMORROW: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book, by Gerard Jones _______

Exhaustively researched overview of the entirety of how comic books came to be, from the sacred to the sordid.

• THE 10-CENT PLAGUE: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America, by David Hajdu _______

The story of EC Comics, the most redical innovator in '50s comics... and how the government destroyed it.

____________

O U R
P R O G R E S S :
• REBEL VISIONS: The Underground Comix Revolution 1963-1975, by Patrick Rosenkranz
• EROTIC COMICS: A Graphic History from Tijuana Bibles to Underground Comix, by Tim Pilcher
• EROTIC COMICS 2: A Graphic History from the Liberated '70s to the Internet, by Tim Pilcher

OUR FAMILY:
• GREAT WOMEN CARTOONISTS, by Trina Robbins
• JACKIE ORMES: The First African American Woman Cartoonist, by Nancy Goldstein ⇧ _______
Although MATT BAKER hasn't gotten the book he deserves yet, luckily JACKIE ORMES has. Learn about her struggles and triumphs as a comic artist, writer, and designer in the turbulent '50s.
• BLACK COMIX: African American Independent Comics, Art and Culture, by Damian Duffy

____________

O L Y M P U S :
• SUPERMAN: The Complete History, by Les Daniels
• BATMAN: The Complete History, by Les Daniels
• WONDER WOMAN: The Complete History, by Les Daniels

• SHAZAM! The Golden Age Of The World's Mightiest Mortal, by Chip Kidd
• KIMOTA: The Miracleman Companion, by George Khoury ⇧ _______
Learn the whole crazy history of one of comics' most revolutionary and essential characters; how he went from Marvelman to Miracleman, and the legal labyrinth therein.
With the talents of ALAN MOORE, NEIL GAIMAN, JOHN TOTLEBEN, MARK BUCKINGHAM, and ALAN DAVIS, what more do you want?

B E S T
W E B S I T E S:

• Golden Age Comic Book Stories
• Bud Plant's Art Books
• Robot 6
• Newsarama

• Girls Read Comics Too
• AfriComics

M O S T
V A L U A B L E
P L A Y E R S :

D A R W Y N
C O O K E

L: Darwyn Cooke;
R: My painted acrylic homage to Darwyn Cooke >
A former animator on the quintessential '90s BATMAN cartoons by Bruce Timm, Cooke proved himself 'the man with the golden pen' throughout the decade.

• CATWOMAN ⇧ _______
Cooke retooled Selina Kyle as a reformed and complex woman in Mod DIY biker's leathers. Ed Brubaker's no-frills realistic noir stories belied the simple grace of the art with a gritty depth that built and built. Sadly, Hollywood destroyed it all making a clueless movie for clueless people instead.

• SELINA'S BIG SCORE _______
After only four issues, Darwyn made a prequel graphic novel with the heist that led Selina to this new resurrection.

• THE NEW FRONTIER _______
The dawn of the Justice League in the Kennedy era of hope, with a Wonder Woman you do not cross.

• THE SPIRIT _______
Leery of taking on the loaded course of reviving the most innovative series in comics history, he did just fine balancing the past with the modern. His final act was the best, retelling the ultimate Spirit story about Sand Sarif, but in a lovingly exact capturing of Will Eisner's modern graphic novel style. Pitch perfect and heartwarming.

G R A N T
M O R R I S O N

Morrison proved to be 'the man with the golden keyboard' this decade.

• THE INVISIBLES _______
The millennium started with Morrison killing it and rebooting it in the grand finale of his subversive conceptual molotov series. This book from the late 90's probably jumpstarted Alan Moore into his brilliant ABC Comics years, and most definitely inspired THE MATRIX trilogy.

• WE 3 _______
Three animals and a story that effortlessly balances soulful empathy against brutal bureaucracy. This is what would convince a new reader that comics are Art.

• ALL-STAR SUPERMAN _______
An elegant and majestic summation of everything touching and wondrous about the greatest hero of them all.

• SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY _______
If 1971 Jack Kirby and 1985 Alan Moore had a jam session, it would probably be as cool and inspired as this. A collage epic of seven different series, four issues each, that redefine Kirby for the post-Vertigo era, and bring Silver Age wonder back in to redeem all that darkness. Alive with inspiration.

The art is often staggering. J.H Williams III does line-perfect homages to the art styles of Jean (Moebius) Giraud's "Lt. Blueberry", Jack Kirby's "New Gods", and Winsor McCay's "Little Nemo". And then homages all seven artists from the other Soldier titles all side-by-side in one story: including disparate styles like Simone Bianchi, Ryan Sook, and Doug Mahnke. Whoa.

• FINAL CRISIS _______
Moore makes collage puzzles that have an underlying symmetry, Morrison makes kaleidoscope headgames based on chaos theory. The concepts are so fast and furious that relishing the details matters more than any cohesive whole. Morrison manages to payoff his Seven Soldiers set-ups, give Jack Kirby one of the best epilogues possible, and make an epic bookend for "Crisis On Infinite Earths" (1986). Wow!

• BATMAN titles _______
Morrison took his 'Death of Batman' story as a chance to rebuild him for the future. In connected Bat-family titles he has expanded the Batman concept into a global task force, while perfecting his particular blend of Silver Age fun, Vertigo edge, and freestyle freakiness. Time will look back at this as one of the pivotal, crucial arcs in the character's advancement.

THINGS I HAVEN'T READ YET, Dept.:

Coz, hey, who has all the money in the world? (Greedy corporations who aren't real people.)

HEROICS:
• FABLES, by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Laialoha
• ASTRO CITY, by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson

INDIE:
• THE BEATS: A Graphic History, by Harvey Pekar
• LOVE AND ROCKETS: New Stories", by Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez

CONFESSIONALS:
• ONE HUNDRED DEMONS, by Lynda Barry
• NEED MORE LOVE: A graphic Memoir, by Aline Kominsky-Crumb
• ALEC, by Eddie Campbell

This has been all about the good things to enjoy out of the decade. But here's some bad nonsense that should end.

THINGS I WILL NEVER, EVER READ, Dept.:

✖ immature Mutant comics

✖ Mercenary Killer comics

✖ cosmic Events with rambling plots and no heart

✖ violent Cheap Shock comics

✖ Cheesecake for chuckleheads comics

✖ macho wanker Crime comics by Tarantino wanna-bes

✖ stunt Hero Death comics

✖ cynical rebootings of Once Great Characters by ad-hoc committees

✖ anything that smells of R&D from the Corporate Mafias who have bought up the comics companies

✖ Also, Bad Movie adaptations by stupid studios...
(Cue)

B U R N ,
H O L L Y W O O D ,
B U R N !

a.k.a., Suits Are Stupid, Dept.:

(V enters) "Some observations, by someone who cares. Let's begin."

Art by David Lloyd

✔ Reflect the Format

✔ Serial is serial.
You can’t adapt beloved serial comics into a 2-hour film. Cult favorites like “The Sandman” and “Y: The Last Man” should be adapted as 5-season shows with 13-episodes per season. The example has already been paved by the success of “The Walking Dead”.
Update: Sanity prevailed, and both were adapted as ongoing Cable TV series, as of 2021.

✔ Don’t Be Dumb

✔ Quit Frothing Franchise.
Execs ran SPIDER-MAN 3 into ruin trying to overstuff it with useless clutter for spin-offs. Worldbuild with some sense, all in service to a strong central story.

✔ Don’t muddle the medium.
For example, the phrase "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" is a non-sequitur that makes the medium look that much stupider in the public eye.
Update: The expensive Broadway show closed at a huge financial loss.

✔ Don't sabotage success.
SUPERMAN RETURNS did everything right. And it made more money than BATMAN BEGINS. Execs undertowed its quality success with the financial debt of their Bad-'90s-Development, which simply indicts their continuous failure of vision.

✔ Stop jackhammering us.
Don't show us an entire film in the trailer six months before it comes out. We've seen it all and lose anticipation.

Art by Alex Ross
✔ Honor The Character

✔ Stay true to the character, always.
Superman is not meant to be 'dark'. His villains need to be more powerful and darker to let him shine.
Update: MAN OF STEEL (2013) literally paid the cost for not understanding this.

✔ Come correct.
Execs don't know what to do with Wonder Woman because they think she's just a hottie in a bikini. If you make a faithful movie about the compassionate gladiator instead, it will be a worldwide smash.
Update: WONDER WOMAN (2017), about the compassionate gladiator, was a worldwide smash.

✔ Adapt the best material.
If the studio had adapted Brubaker's and Cooke's ”Catwoman” comic to the screen instead, it would have been a smart character noir with Riot Grrrl appeal and cost no money beyond leathers and a cycle. Where's your ever-impatient ReBoot Dept. for that one?
Update: The smart translation of Catwoman was a central success of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012).

✔ Know the material.
Mind your ignorance, and your cinematic incest. CAPTAIN MARVEL is a man, Billy Batson is a separate kid. Don't get foolish by conflating them just to give us BIG (1988) in a cape.
Update: SHAZAM! (2019) did it anyway. Pretty well actually, and it was a hit. But it's still wrong.

✔ Quality Brings Success

✔ Golden Rule: One Villain, One Great Story.
Period. Example proven, SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004).
Or... Two Villains, One Central Story.
Two villains whose stories directly complement the dilemma of the hero. Example proven, THE DARK KNIGHT (2008).

✔ Adapt Graphic Novels.
GHOST WORLD, AMERICAN SPLENDOR, THE ROAD TO PERDITION, and PERSEPOLIS are the right way to go. Make smart, thrifty Indie films out of adult works like "Love And ROckets", "Cages", and "The Diary Of A Teenage Girl".
Update: Indie graphic novels like BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR (2013), GEMMA BOVERY (2014), and THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL (2015) were adapted into critically acclaimed and successful films.

✔ Capture the visual style.
It's possible to do animated films now that retain an artist's line style using computer programming. Wake up: make animated films in the actual line styles of Jack Kirby ("New Gods"), Herge ("Tintin"), and Milton Caniff ("Terry And The Pirates").

✔ Adapt quality sources.
Elaine Lee's VAMPS series for Vertigo Comics would've made a smarter choice for a Cable vampire series than any of the bad Whitebread-Romance-Novel flicks which glut the market.

Art by Brian Bolland
✔ Respect The Audience

✔ Respect breeds respect.
The producers who greenlight these films should know and understand the medium they are drawing them from.
Update: The rise of Kevin Feige.

✔ Respect the creators.
We revere the writers and artists who created the storylines you use as fodder for films. They should be credited, paid, and their works artistically respected by your money machine.

✔ Respect the crafters.
Great movies are made by creative people, like Christopher Nolan. Marketers and cronies should step back, and let them do the smart work that leads to success.

✔ Respect the audience.
We will support Quality. We will destroy Junk. Do right by us and earn the profits.

Art by David Lloyd
"Good evening." (Exits)

> FourColorFilms: THE Comics Film Review Site!

B E S T
M O V I E S
A N D
T V :

I write and illustrate reviews of all comics-sourced films at the Four Color Films site.
So I guess I should put my money where my mouthiness was...

V FOR VENDETTA,
Art by Tym Stevens,
directly after David Lloyd
____________
____________

- - - - - - - - G R E A T - - - - - - - -

AMERICAN SPLENDOR,
Art by Tym Stevens

2 0 0 0

★ UNBREAKABLE (2000) _______
The right way to do it, as an engaging human story with some mystery and nobility.

2 0 0 2

★ ROAD TO PERDITION (2002) _______
> Four Color Films review

★ HERO (2002)
Zhang Yimou can do no wrong. A good story is a good story.

2 0 0 3

★ AMERICAN SPLENDOR (2003) _______
> Four Color Films review
The other right way to do it: indie character films made from indie character books.

★ X2: X-Men United (2003) _______
> Four Color Films review
Takes it all on, pulls it all off.

★ MATRIX RELOADED (2003) _______
The best Catwoman movie not made.

★ MATRIX REVOLUTIONS (2003) _______
The best Superman movie not made.

2 0 0 4

★ SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW (2004) _______
We exist because of the Pulps. Never forget.

★ SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004) _______
> Four Color Films review
One villain. One great story.

★ GHOST IN THE SHELL II: Innocence (2004) _______
Another way to do it right; Art And Text becomes Art And Sound.

★ THE INCREDIBLES (2004) _______
Arguably the purest superhero movie ever made in reverence and spirit. Definitely the only Fantastic Four movie yet made.

★ KILL BILL, 1 and 2 (2004) _______
There are not enough strong, well-rounded women portrayed in any media.

2 0 0 5

★ MIRRORMASK (2005) _______
The undersung indie film by NEIL GAIMAN and DAVE McKEAN.

★ BATMAN BEGINS (2005) _______
> Four Color Films review
Perfect, and only the warm-up.

2 0 0 6

★ HOLLYWOODLAND (2006) _______
The real death of Superman.

★ V FOR VENDETTA (2006) _______
> Four Color Films review
A film that 100% respects the work it came from, even in its changes.

★ CASINO ROYALE (2006) _______
A James Bond you care about. Brilliant!

★ RENAISSANCE (2006) _______
Cult hit French animation in future noir black'n'white, voiced by Daniel Craig.

2 0 0 7

★ SUPERMAN RETURNS (2007) _______
> Four Color Films review
Not only completes the first two Christopher Reeve films as a perfect trilogy, but lifts our Man into Alex Ross' compassionate savior.

★ PERSEPOLIS (2007) _______
There are not enough strong, well-rounded women portrayed in any media.

2 0 0 8

★ HELLBOY II (2008) _______
> Four Color Films review
Huge and poetic and funny.

★ THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) _______
> Four Color Films review
The epitome. The GODFATHER II of graphix films.
★ DR. HORRIBLE'S SINGALONG BLOG (2008) _______
Smart, fun, affectionate.

2 0 0 9

★ WATCHMEN (2009) _______
> Four Color Films review
It's all there, done with total respect and smart embellishment.

2 0 1 0

★ TAMARA DREWE (2010) _______
> Four Color Films review
A smart, good film of a much deeper, brilliant graphic novel by Posy Simmonds.

★ SCOTT PILGRIM vs. THE WORLD (2010) _______
> Four Color Films review
Plug in, Tune Up, Blast off!

____________
T V :

★ Misfits (UK) _______
If "Heroes" was Marvel, then MISFITS is Vertigo. Rich, tough, shocking, hilarious.
★ Alias, season 2 _______
Lena Olin.
★ The Tick _______
Too funny, too little support.
★ Spaced (UK) _______
Find out where Simon Pegg and his director Edgar Wright got their start. A smack perfect love letter to 'geek' fandom.
★ The Middleman _______
Goofy fun, crack lines, pop culture in-jokes galore, created by writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach (LOST).
★ Smallville, season 10 _______
Once the real mythos kicked in, it now roars on all cylinders.

____________
A N I M A T E D :

★ Samurai Jack
★ Powerpuff Girls _______
There are not enough strong, well-rounded girls portrayed in any media.

★ Animatrix
★ Batman: Gotham Knight
★ The New Frontier

____________
D O C U M E N T A R Y :

★ The Mindscape Of Alan Moore
★ Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked

____________
____________

SIN CITY,
Art by Tym Stevens

- - - - - - - - G O O D - - - - - - - -

✦ X-MEN (2000) _______
The modern superhero film renaissance seeds in BLADE (1998) and flourishes with this film.
✦ FROM HELL (2001) _______
> Four Color Films review
If you're going to do 2/5 of the story, this is a pretty apt way to compress it. But read the book for epic depth.

✦ GHOST WORLD (2001) _______
> Four Color Films review
There are not enough strong, well-rounded grrrls portrayed in any media. Note how 90% of this blog's lists are male and pale.

✦ SPIDER-MAN (2002) _______
> Four Color Films review

✦ HELLBOY (2004) _______
> Four Color Films review

✦ HULK (2003) and INCREDIBLE HULK (2008) _______
> Four Color Films review
> Four Color Films review

✦ CONSTANTINE (2005) _______
> Four Color Films review
Is it different being American? Yeah. But the essence is there and it works as its own Elseworlds take.

✦ SIN CITY (2005) _______
> Four Color Films review

✦ A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (2005) _______
> Four Color Films review

✦ ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL (2006) _______
> Four Color Films review

✦ IRON MAN (2008) and IRON MAN II (2010) _______
> Four Color Films review
> Four Color Films review

✦ HANCOCK (2008) _______
While IRON MAN was really BATMAN BEGINS-Lite with some laughs, this odd film seemed like it was missing its third act. It was that lack of formula that charmed me. When fun is enough.

✦ PUSH (2009) _______
If this had been an adaption of an existing Vertigo series, maybe it would've gotten more credit. Great texture, fun action, just enough heart.

____________

ELEKTRA,
Art by Tym Stevens
G U I L T Y
P L E A S U R E S :

Hey. You like what you like.

• DAREDEVIL (2003) _______
> Four Color Films review
Sure, they compressed his finest storyline too much: Elektra. But in general, for tone and details, it did everything pretty right.
• ELEKTRA (2005) _______
> Four Color Films review
Forgetting our baggage and expectations, this is actually a fine Hong Kong action film on its own merits.
• MY SUPER EX-GIRLFRIEND (2006) _______
Can't watch Superman/Lois flying scenes the same way again after this.
• WHITEOUT (2009) _______
> Four Color Films review
A decent alternate take of the graphic novel, with most of its essence. Not brilliant but not bad.

____________
T V :

• Heroes _______
The tired line: "I liked it in the beginning, then it lost it." Not true; they got better at cohesive arcs and actual character exponentially up to the fine ending.
• Smallville, seasons 1-10 _______
Started fresh but fell into formula and stalemate. Lois and Green Arrow lifted it toward its refreshed second half.
• Dollhouse _______
Half-baked and half-brilliant. The bookend finales about the future drug it up to its highest potential in the end.

____________
____________

THE SPIRIT,
Art by Tym Stevens
- - - - - - - - F A I L - - - - - - - -

✖ CATWOMAN (2004) _______
How to insult the character, the fans, women, and the popcorn crowd in one disposable go.
✖ THE PUNISHERs (2004, 2008) _______
✖ 300 (2007) _______
A circle jerk for jerks.
✖ WANTED (2008) _______
After seeing this for free, I wanted full price back.
✖ TRANSFORMERS (ad infinitum)
✖ G.I. JOE (2009)
✖ KICK-ASS (2010)
✖ JONAH HEX (2010)

✖ THE SPIRIT (2008) _______
This movie broke my heart. The 'Citizen Kane of Comics' reduced to an episode of the '60s Batman show, by a director who should know better both ways. A capitol crime.

"The Spirit", for real, by Will Eisner

R E S T
I N
P O W E R

2000
▪ Don Martin
▪ Gil Kane
▪ Charles M. Schulz
▪ Edward Gorey
▪ Dick Sprang
▪ Carl Barks
▪ Dorothy Woolfolk

2001
▪ Johnny Craig
▪ Gray Morrow
▪ Dan DeCarlo

2002
▪ John Buscema
▪ Kurt Schaffenberger

2003
▪ Warren Kremer
▪ Guido Crepax

2004
▪ Julius Schwartz
▪ Kate Worley

2005 ▪ Will Eisner
▪ Dale Messick

2006
▪ Alex Toth
▪ Dave Cockrum
▪ Martin Nodell

2007
▪ Arnold Drake

2008
▪ Steve Gerber
▪ Dave Stevens
▪ Will Elder
▪ Creig Flessel

2009
▪ Heinz Edelmann

From you, we exist.
Because of you, we persist.

Monday, January 17, 2011

The Struggle For the Moral Soul: MARTIN LUTHER KING and Civil Rights

Sunday, January 9, 2011

BEST COMICS: 2000-2010!

B E S T C O M I C S :

B E S T C O M I C S C O M P A N Y :

America's Best Comics

D C

M A R V E L

W I L D S T O R M

V E R T I G O

A M E R I C A N M U L E Entertainment

G R A P H I C N O V E L S :

B E S T C O L L E C T I O N S / R E I S S U E S :

H O W T O :

O U R C R E A T O R S :

B E S T W E B S I T E S:

M O S T V A L U A B L E P L A Y E R S :

B U R N , H O L L Y W O O D , B U R N !

B E S T M O V I E S A N D T V :

R E S T I N P O W E R