Thoughts From The Land of Frost:
Review City
By Alexander Ness

Welcome to my column. Along with new reviews and commentary, this column includes a number of responses to my reviews. I am not suggesting that I have changed my mind (although I am able to do that) with regards to the comics or points of view responded to, but I want my readers to understand that I respect their views, if I do not necessarily agree.


RAWHIDE KID COMES OUT but it ain't with guns a-blazin'

A number of folks suggested I cover the "event" of Marvel's character the Rawhide Kid being portrayed in his recent mini-series as being Gay. OK, he is gay. In itself it is fine. Certainly any medium which does not portray the world in which we live as being diverse and full of difference is garbage. But, unfortunately, rather than tell a story using an important character who will have an impact upon the comic universe in question, Marvel has chosen to take a character out of mothballs, take him out of the closet as it were, and announce "Oh, by the way, the character some of you have enjoyed and read the tales of? Well, that character, Rawhide Kid, is gay."

It has no real importance; it has no long-lasting effect. To me, if not others, sexual orientation is a private matter anyway. It just doesn't matter to me. I do not hate others for sexual matters, I do not try to think about their behavior unless it is vital to the story. I have no thoughts in any regard about another person's sexual behavior, so to sell me an issue of this comic because a character is gay...well, I do not care.

Beyond this, and more importantly, I thought that the story was poorly told, the dialogue was remarkably bad, and the art, while good enough, was rather lifeless and disappointing. One of Marvel's spokespersons said that the Western is dead and or soon to die as a genre. Making the Old West politically correct retroactively isn't going to revive the Western either.

I would give this a book a very low grade if I were to use my standard four stars system; one star out of four, but if you enjoyed it, I am glad. Marvel took my money and is high-tailin' it into the hills. Now if only Rawhide Kid could catch them varmints and git back me money.


REVIEWS:

From IDW Publishing

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation #1
Written by Max Allan Collins, with an assist by Matthew Clemens, art by Gabriel Rodriguez. Color, $3.99

Investigators are called to the scene of a horrible series of murders, each scene with tell-tale clues and an offender who has a goal to both copy a famous slaying, and taunt the CSI crew.

If you are a fan of the television show CSI this will likely be a comic you enjoy. The look of the art, down to close on facial images of the show's actors, all remind the viewer/reader of the source material this is drawn from. The story telling clips along at a television program like pace and the dialogue is true.

Max Collins is perfect for this story and he gives the story some depth outside of a first issue introductory bit. The art is as good as the writing.

The issues I do have are about the cost per comic here for a five issue series is twenty dollars. It is a bit expensive for what it delivers. But economics aside I think this book is nearly perfect.

*** & 1/2

From Slave Labor Graphics

GLOOMCOOKIE collection Trade Paperback (collects #1-6)
Written by Serena Valentino and art by Ted Naifeh. Black/White $18.95.

Having no real experiences in Goth culture I was worried. I do not need to be involved with something to understand what is part of that culture, but occasionally works are written with a goal to offend, or confuse. GLOOMCOOKIE did neither.

The story follows the dark world that the characters live within. They love, argue, hate and think. Mostly through their own vulnerabilities exposed they deal with one another through a Goth club culture that values a certain type of acceptance along with
a personally important need for love.

Love is what they seek. Do they know how to find it? That is why you need to read the work.

The writing is excellent.
The art is great.

*** & 1/2

From DARK HORSE

REVEAL - a compilation of numerous authors and artists. Varied media, $6.95.

This work is special. The various modern stories are OK, with variable success, but this volume does something for me that I cannot imagine finding elsewhere: a comic strip authentically from the Artist of the Twentieth Century, Pablo Picasso. This work is a gift for me because I am in awe of Picasso's work. To discover this has enhanced my life.

****

 

E-Mail Author  |  Archive  |  Tell A Friend