"Trains are...Mint" Reinvents the Graphic Novel

For all those who dismiss autobiographical comics as trite, facile, samey, whatever the complaint -- here's the high concept of Trains are...Mint. The author, Oliver East, goes for walks from train station to train station near his home in Manchester, England. He sketches what he sees. The end.
For anyone with a little more sophisticated understanding of what is possible within the artform of comics, East's debut graphic novel is a modest, monumental achievement, a kind of British version of Jiro Taniguchi's The Walking Man.

The immediate appeal of East's book is the watercolour and pen and ink artwork with which he depicts his environment. The simplicity of his line favourably recalls John Porcellino's King-Cat Comics (as does his overall narrative tone, it should be mentioned), but every once in a while he astounds with a sharply observed brick wall or the perspective he conveys in his drawing of a fence, or a row of townhouses. His watercolour technique is subtle and lovely, with the same quiet brick-to-the-head revelatory power Frank Santoro brought to Storeyville.

Like Santoro, East experiments with the way his words interact with the images on his page. A frequent technique here is the conveyance of information through what at first appears to be a sign, or graffiti, or a poster on a wall. It's an arresting stylistic choice, one that really forces attention to what East is doing, and what he is saying. There's an almost inexplicable effect that arises from the way he utilizes this technique, something that makes an unnameable third element out of the cobination of words and pictures.



Alan Moore believes his hometown of Northampton is the center of the universe, and his belief likely stems from the fact that A) He is a keen observer and B) He turns his observations on his own surroundings. Oliver East does the same thing in Trains are...Mint, delivering a microcosm of the graffiti and detritus that infuse these train stations and their environs, unpacking his observations into a universal map of the land we all make our way through every day of our lives.
Trains are...Mint is the first release from UK publisher Blank Slate Books, which is run by a couple of the owners of the legendary Forbidden Planet chain of comic book stores. As you might expect with that pedigree, the book is a thing of beauty not only in what it contains but in how it is produced. It's a compact, strikingly-well-reproduced hardcover that is a tactile joy to experience. And a perfect delivery system for Oliver East's comics.

East's style evokes Porcellino, as I mentioned above. It also recalls for me a little Kevin Huizenga here, a little Lynda Barry there, and a whole lot of Eddie Cambell Alec-sized whimsy and wonder. I have no idea if he actually is influenced by any of these folks, though -- his style feels sui generis in large part, and Trains are...Mint feels fresh and new, a shot across the bow to anyone thinking whatever can be done in comics form already has been done. This is something new, something you can lose yourself in, something you'll want more of.

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Trains are...Mint is published by Blank Slate Books.
by alandaviddoane

Gødland: The Best Superhero Book You're Not Reading

I recently caught up with Joe Casey and Tom Scioli's Gødland, having read the first three trade paperbacks a few months ago. It was a blast reading through #19-23 in one sitting. It's to Casey and Scioli's credit that I could pick the story up easily (three metacosmic weirdos are destroying Las Vegas while Archer and Crashman are trapped inside the Infinity Tower by General Brigg and the government).
Scioli mentioned in a recent interview with Tom Spurgeon that he's been evolving his style, and that is wildly apparent in this run of issues; the Kirby stylings are all but gone (as even the unnamed letters-page author admits), and I missed them, but I gazed in wide wonder, to quote a phrase, at the wild leaps and bounds his visual style has made. The brutal and bizarre battle of Archer and Maxim the cosmic dog versus the three oddballs -- Ed, Supra and some joke on the word "ego" or another -- is a fantastic blend of Scioli's pop art fundamentals with what looks to me like mid-period Frank Miller Moebius pastiche, right down to what I think is an homage to a scene from Ronin. An homage that shows just how far this title has come in a visual sense.

Casey's writing continues to be a pleasing mix of comic book basics with tossed-off bits evoking Moore/Morrison detours into strange dimensions; an editor really is needed to catch the minor typos here and there, from the misuse of the apostrophe-d version of "its" to small, niggling errors that momentarily took me out of the altogether psychedelic (if not psychoactive) goings-on. But the plot and the dialogue are sterling examples of just how damned good Casey can be at his best, and the most recent issue concludes with a deliciously traditional sci-fi take on the cosmic reset button and the nagging sense that things ain't quite what they used to be.

Don't deny yourself the vast world of comics pleasure that is Gødland; you can probably enjoy any single issue about as much as any other, but taken altogether, to date the series is 23 issues of the most spectacular 21st century (if not 22nd) superhero comics storytelling you can possibly imagine. With a Journey gag that just won't quit in one issue, to boot. "Escape," indeed.

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Gødland is published by Image Comics and is available in most comic book stores.

by alandaviddoane

In the Spotlight: Gil Kane

Gil Kane was probably one of the first comic book artists whose style I recognized as unique when I was a kid. He was such a huge figure in comics in my first years reading them, that it's hard to believe he's been gone for so long. Gil Kane died in Florida January 31st, 2000 at the age of 74.

His amazingly fluid, dynamic figure work stood out brilliantly from other artists of the 70s, when I began reading comics. Later, of course, I would easily distinguish Curt Swan as being different from, say, Ross Andru -- but Kane's style was so singular, so -- visionary -- that it's hard to imagine a comics reader of any age wouldn't be able to pick up on him pretty quickly.

Kane's work on Spider-Man and Daredevil for Marvel Comics was what first caught my attention. His depictions of these characters was perfect -- not a line was wasted. That was true of most of Kane's work.

Later I sought out his earlier work, the work I was born too late to buy off the racks. Green Lantern, The Atom, the extraordinary His Name Is Savage -- Kane always had it, it seemed -- that ability to illustrate the human form at a state of perfection. And then to cast those perfect superbeings into the chaos of violence.

Unlike many of the greatest artists of the artform, a company in which Kane certainly belongs, he was recognized as a master. I don't know if he received the financial reward his work deserved (probably not, I'd guess; few comics artists born before the mid-'60s ever got what they deserved from the companies that profited off them) -- but he received many accolades over the years, and one hopes he knew how much his work was loved.

A great example of that is the story Alan Moore wrote for him that was published as Judgment Day: Aftermath, originally published by Rob Liefeld's Awesome Comics and later reprinted in trade paperback form by Checker Books. Moore created a story that celebrated Kane's imagination and skill, and best of all we got to see the story drawn by Kane himself. If you haven't read this story, seek it out; it's a treat for the eyes and Moore's ending is touching.

It's ironic that Rob Liefeld's Awesome published that story, because I've often said I'd give my left arm if I could draw like Kane. I've also said I'd gladly give both arms to not be able to "draw" like Liefeld. It seems even the rightly-ridiculed, talentless Liefeld recognized what a great comics artist Kane was.

Kane's talent was best served when he inked himself, as he usually did in the latter part of his career. I still remember the crushing disappointment I felt after discovering Danny Bulanadi had been hired to embellish Kane on Marvel's Micronauts series. I never much cared for the stories in that comic, but the artwork was nothing short of amazing when the title was introduced with penciler Michael Golden. When Kane took over, I was thrilled at the news, but Bulanadi's heavy-handed inking was wholly inappropriate to the task at hand, and Kane reportedly preferred his own inking in most cases anyway.

Kane completed a two-part Atom/Green Lantern story for the DC anthology series Legends of the DC Universe, which was released soon after his passing. Kane's pencil work was inked by Klaus Janson, always one of Kane's better collaborators, and wrioter Steven Grant tailored the story to Kane's storytelling strengths. It was a fine story to go out on, and one worth looking for.

Another wonderful example of Kane's powerful, latter-day work is The Last Heroes, a hardcover collection of Kane's 1990s series (also with writer Steven Grant). You won't find a more visually powerful superhero story.

A lot of Kane's best work remains in print, but one thing I would like to see is a collection of his 1970s Marvel covers. Kane was Marvel's main cover illustrator for quite a stretch in the '70s. A hardcover collection of the best of those covers would look great on any collector's bookshelf, and if any penciled versions of those covers could be included for comparison, the book would truly be a valuable historical document of the artform.

Kane did some wonderful, Pre-Crisis Superman work, which I would love to see collected in a hardcover with perhaps some of the production sketches he did for the 1980s Superman cartoon.

There is a generally recognized elite of comics artists of the 20th Century: Kirby, Kurtzman, and Kane are now gone, but their work lives on. Make sure, as you explore the wonders of the comics artform, that you take the time to see why they are so well respected long after their passing. You won't regret it a bit.

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Click here to see a list of comics and graphic novels I have available for sale.

Have a comics-related question for Alan? Send it to alandaviddoane AT gmail.com and he will answer it in a future post.

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ADD's Comics in Reviewc

Summer's nearly here, and with it the opportunity (for most of us, anyway) to relax with a good book or two. If you're including comics and graphic novels in your reading plans (and if you aren't, why not?), here's a look at some recent titles that might catch your eye.

2 Guns -- This Steven Grant-written crime comic (published by Boom Studios) involves two criminals who are each not quite what the other thinks; there's plenty of double-dealing, reversals of fortune and, toward the end, moments of revelation that were solidly planted in earlier chapters. The art is somewhat problematical -- there's a good design sense throughout, but a lack of backgrounds and an unfortunate tendency toward xeroxed panels. Grant's story is solid enough that you're drawn through to the end despite these flaws. Grant's Damned with artist Mike Zeck came out a few years back, and is an even better bet if you're looking for an excellent crime comic. You also can't go wrong with Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, published by Marvel/Icon.

MOME Vol. 11 -- Summer, 2008 sees the release of the 11th volume of the excellent Fantagraphics anthology of new and established cartoonists. This time out we get excellent offerings from Tom Kaczynski (a truly riveting tale about corporate immersion, one of his best stories yet, and he's always interesting), Dash Shaw (an outstanding story about art and jealousy and fakery and self-deception), and an amazing text piece (illustrated, yes, but mostly text) by Paul Hornschemeier. Hornschemeier also contributes another chapter of his ongoing "Life with Mr. Dangerous" serial (actually the most intriguing outing yet), but the text piece, "The Guest Speaker," is a real stretch, a prose exploration of a single character that feels like Hornschemeier's creative voice, exploring new boundaries of his storytelling. Also in this volume, Gary Groth interviews lettertype cartoonist Ray Fenwick (coinciding with the release of Fenwick's new Fantagraphics release Hall of Best Knowledge, and the result is a fascinating look at his process and creativity. Cartoonist Al Columbia is in here with four pages of mood and colour that are worth the price of admission all by themselves.

Kirby: King of Comics -- Author Mark Evanier delivers a generously illustrated biography (published by Abrams) of the man born Jacob Kurtzburg, better known as Jack Kirby. Evanier was friends with Kirby from the time he was a teenager, and gives us the scoop on both the humiliations and the triumphs the greatest superhero artist of all time experienced. Kirby's vision and contribution to the comics artform so transcend normal boundaries of accomplishment that it's impossible to overstate his importance and place in history. Kirby: King of Comics is a treasure, a celebration of one of only five or so true geniuses of the comics artform entire.

Lifelike -- Dara Naraghi's been writing small press comics for about as long as I have been writing about comics, and he finally gets a chance in the spotlight with the beautiful hardcover collection Lifelike, published by IDW. Naraghi writes all the stories in this anthology, with a strong collection of up-and-coming artists illustrating his vision. Some, like Steve Black and Tom Williams, are welcome, familiar names; others, like Jerry Lange and Tim McClurg, are new to me. But they all bring their best work to Naraghi's scripts, resulting in a book that is visually diverse but beautiful to look at, and held together by the strength of Naraghi's writing. The stories in Lifelike span a variety of genres, from autobiography to EC-style suspense (the excellent "Double-Cross at the Double Down" with artist MP Mann). But virtually everything here has the spark of genuine creativity and the power to entertain. It's twenty bucks you won't regret spending in the least, and if you're new to Naraghi's writing, a very good entry into his world.

That Salty Air -- Tim Sievert's first graphic novel, published by Top Shelf Productions, is a parable of frustration, rage and grief, with a strong and confident use of black ink that defines the ocean that creates the "salty air" that the protagonist, Hugh, professes to love. The blackness of the ocean hides depths of despair and resentment, in addition to the wondrous creatures of the deep that seem to hover around the edge of Hugh's consciousness. Sievert's story becomes stranger the more it unfolds, and the unknowable oddness of the deepest undersea life is a fine metaphor for the ways in which we are unable to process the most profound and unwelcome moments of our life. That Salty Air concerns itself with Hugh's choices and his ultimate decision, and is a very good first graphic novel from a very promising young talent.

Yearbook Stories 1976-1978 -- Top Shelf co-publisher Chris Staros writes the two tales in this comic book, one longer one illustrated by Bo Hampton in lush black and white, and a shorter one drawn by Rich Tommaso. "The Willful Death of a Stereotype," the Hampton-drawn story, is about Staros attempting to reinvent himself by running for 6th grade class president. Of such stuff are Afterschool Specials made of, but thanks to Hampton's brilliant artwork and Staros's forward-driven narrative, "Willful Death" becomes something special. Great, truthful little moments and a genuinely reflective conclusion leave the reader with real insight into Staros's personality -- hell, even into his inclusive vision of comics. Good autobio comics tell you something about their creator while they entertain you, and "Willful Death" does both. "The Worst Gig I Ever Had" is the pleasant after-dinner mint of the book, a short story about the weird things that can happen to high-schoolers who form a band. Tomasso illustrates the story in an inky sort of Paul-Grist-Meets-Kevin-Huizenga groove, and it ends on an amusing note that would shock and awe the Staros found in the previous story. Top Shelf has priced Yearbook Stories at a hugely reasonable $4.00. It's a nicely-formatted slightly-larger-than-digest-sized pamphlet that will please anyone who's into comics.

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Have a comics-related question for Alan? Send him an email to alandaviddoane AT gmail.com and he will answer it in a future blog post.

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Censorship’s Impact on Comic Book Value

By Jamie

I found this really interesting clip about censorship of comic books in the 1940s and 1950s. Apparently, Dr. Fredric Wertham along with two senators attacked the comic book industry with hearings and a huge smear campaign.

Wertham, who worked with juvenile delinquents, found that one common tie between them was that they all read comic books. Of course, at that time comic books were widely popular with most young people, but Dr. Wertham failed to make this important realization.

Just like today’s hearings about music and video games, the comic book hearings resulted in a rating system. The comic book publishers banded together and decided what to publish based on strict censorship rules. The Comics Code Authority approval had to be granted before any comic was to be published.

Comics were heavily shaped by this code. Super heros like Superman, Bat-man and Wonder Woman all changed their behavior to make people more comfortable. Check out the video for yourself.



I can’t even begin to imagine how huge of an impact this must have had on the comic books we read today. Imagine where the natural evolution of the books would be today if it hadn’t been interrupted. What a shame that so many people who might have enjoyed reading comics, have never even picked on up because the readership levels were cut so sharply, years ago. It is so strange to see that our culture has a way of repeating itself even though the past has proven against it.

I suppose there are some good things that came from this terrible situation. Today’s comics prices might have been higher if demand for them was greatly increased and the worth of comics from before the Comics Code Authority must be astronomical. Collectors are probably foaming at the mouth to get comic books in a more pure form. I’m not sure how long the approval system was in place but comics with the seals of approval might even show up for high dollar amounts in a comic price guide if they are hard to find. I’d be shocked if these comics appraisals weren’t effected by this at all. All comics appraisers know that a collectibles value is often shaped by historical events.

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More Iron Man News

Rumor has it, the new Iron Man game is going to feature multiple Iron Man suites, including both new and classic suits. Apparently, the game will feature seven suits, all of which will be playable and unlockable. Both the Xbox 360 and the PS3 will have an additional platform specific suit. So unless you own both of those systems I’m afraid you won’t get to play with all nine. We don’t have long to wait to see if this rumor is true. The new Iron Man game debuts on May 2, 2008.

The Iron man game has been under development for a long time and they’ve worked extra hard on making a game and controls that can handle all of Iron Man’s abilities. If that sounds exciting to you and you can’t wait to hear more, you are in luck. I’ve found a cool video all about the making of the game. Check it out!



The game featuring multiple suits is likely to have an effect on Iron Man collectibles value. Figurines of all the different suits are sure to follow the release of this game. There will be more Iron Man memorabilia available now than ever before.

Once the movie and game release don’t forget to reevaluate your comics prices. Considering the success of the movie and the game, prices are likely to change. Comics appraisals might be in order. Keep an eye on your favorite comic price guide to be sure.

By Jamie.

Marvel Comics Brings Us Behind the Scenes Footage of Incredible Hulk

By Jamie Gilliam

With the release of the new Incredible Hulk movie only 65 days away, Marvel Comics is making sure we’re ready. Today the top story on their official site was the release of some behind the scenes footage. Check it out!



Personally, I love behind the scenes footage, and that clip didn’t disappoint. Seeing the producer’s and director’s comments was really interesting and I’m even more excited about seeing the movie now.

If that wasn’t enough Hulk for you, don’t worry there is plenty more where that came from. On Marvel’s site you can check out the Hulk’s bio and get photos, videos and wallpaper for your computer. If that still isn’t enough, you can also find more info about the Incredible Hulk video game due out this June.

I think it is really cool that they are making this movie. The Hulk has starred in lots of movies and shows and I think it is time that they finally do it right. For a character who has been around since the time when comics prices were well under a dollar. It amazes me that his story is still so relevant and interesting today. As I’ve said before, I’m really excited to see what this movie does to the worth of comics featuring the Incredible Hulk. I hope the comics appraisers are ready!

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