I find that I have little time to read proper books these days. I should be picking up short story collections, yes, but I would end up just reading my usual stablemates of James Joyce, Jorge Luis Borges and Raymond Chandler. Recommendations are welcome.
In lieu of this, I’ve been reading a basketful of graphic novels. Perhaps serialized fiction collections sounds better. Far and away my favourite series at the moment is Fables by Bill Willingham (writer), Mark Buckingham (penciller) and Steve Leialoha (inker). There are others who have lent their artistic talents to the series, but those are the names I remember off the top of my head. Mr. Buckingham is known to me from his amazing work on Neil Gaiman’s run on Miracleman, and Steve Leialoha evokes Steve Englehart’s Coyote every time he draws Bigby wolf. But I digress for anyone who doesn’t read that many comics.
I like Fables more than Gaiman’s Sandman (Not that I could ever write as well as Mr. Gaiman) but the Fables ensemble are are a likable lot, moreso than Morpheus ever was (perhaps with the exception of “Men of Good Fortune” an unconnected story in the Doll’s House Arc, probably one of my top five favourite single comics ever”).
I’ve also been reading Alan Moore’s seminal work on Swamp Thing, and seeing the between it and the Sandman’s first few volumes. Some of the stuff in there transcends the comics medium. Definitely some of the best story and art to ever grace newsprint.
Back to Fables, though, I’m now caught up to #50, except for the ‘Wolves’ storyline, and I’m simply blown away by how well plotted the story arcs are and how much of an emotional connection these make-believe characters in pen and ink can have with you. I recently finished reading “The Mean Seasons” and the last issue in the collection nearly had me in tears. Find out the why Snow White really hates the 7 Dwarves as well.
Been reading the Ultimates as well, and to me it hasn’t been as exceptional as the general critical acclaim of the series would have led me to believe. Art’s amazing, story is post-modern,but man are these alternate Characters ever non-Herioic and unprincipled. Except maybe Thor. (Wonderful throwaway lines in one of the issues has Thor withholding help for a big battle until the USA doubles its foreign aid Budget). Sure it has the general feel of what would big superheroes in the real world really feel like, but didn’t Alan Moore pretty much cover it in his last few issues of Miracleman?
I kinda like the Ultimate Fantastic Four, but haven’t read all of the series to date, just Inhuman, the Zombies one (Volume 4) and the first one. These characters have always appealed to me for no particular reason other than they’re fun. Saw the movie on DVD and it was a reasonably okay job. Sue Storm was sorely miscast, though.
the road less travelled 