I accidently left my Anderson Valley Summer Solstice Beer in the freezer too long. Now I have to wait for it to melt a bit, but find myself with time to post.
Let me begin with one of the most overrated comic authors ever, Frank Miller. He is overrated for a good reason, as he is a legendary author. Some of his works fizzle and don’t live up to the hype, where some take comics to a new avenue and convey a remarkable story. Batman: Year One is one such story that lives up to the mythological man behind it. This tale takes the beginning of Bruce Wayne and shapes him into the hero he becomes. While reading the comic you discover that the film, Batman Begins, has taken a lot from this comic. And if anything, it didn’t take enough.
While I don’t mind Frank Miller’s art and have seen it heighten the material he writes. This is one tale that doesn’t need it and is better off without it. David Mazzucchelli adds realism and grittiness, pairing it perfectly to the tale. Batman: Year One is easily one of the ten, heck five, greatest Batman stories ever told.
My next recommendation is a pre-order. How can I recommend a title that I haven’t even read? That’s easy, because it is based on the Watchmen. Now it isn’t a prequel or a sequel; but rather:
“Enjoy the ultimate companion to a comics masterpiece, as award-winning artist Dave Gibbons gives his own account of the genesis of WATCHMEN in this dust-jacketed hardback volume, opening his vast personal archives to reveal never-published pages, original character designs, page thumbnails, sketches and much more, including posters, covers and rare portfolio art. Featuring the breathtaking design of Chip Kidd and Mike Essl, WATCHING THE WATCHMEN is both a major art book in its own right, and the definitive companion to the graphic novel that changed an industry.” (amazon)
There are some comics I can read, put down, and never really think about again. Then there are is the Watchmen, a comic that I go back to reread and rediscover. The more I have to consume of it the better. Truly a work of art. Another comment from Amazon, for any naysayers:
“Voted among Time magazine’s 100 Best Novels from 1923 to the present, a perennial bestseller over the past twenty years and widely considered the greatest graphic novel of all time, WATCHMEN is a gripping, labyrinthine piece of comic art, which has earned an acclaimed place in modern literary history.”
Amen, and I think my beer is ready.
The LiS Kid 