Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Mini-graphic reviews #7

Locke and Key: Clockworks (Volume 5)
Written by: Joe Hill, Illustrated by: Gabriel Rodriguez

Published: 2012

My Thoughts: This penultimate volume is perhaps my favourite so far. It shifted back in time detailing not only the events that lead to the creation of the keys during the Civil War, but the events in Tyler, Kinsey and Bode's father's teenage life that resulted in the chaos they're now well and truly caught up in. It sets the stage perfectly for what will definitely be a mindblowing final volume, but it never loses momentum in setting the stage for what's to come. A rare skill indeed, and just further proof that Joe Hill most certainly is his father's son. If you haven't started reading this series yet, then there's something seriously wrong with you. What are you waiting for!!



Doom Patrol: Crawling from the Wreckage (volume 1)
Written by: Grant Morrison, Illustrated by: Richard Case, Doug Braithwaite, Scott Hanna, Carlos Garzon, John Nyberg.

Published: 2000

My Thoughts: This is a modern remake of a comic from the 1960s that was determined to write a superhero group unlike any others. The characters needed to be twisted up a little to remain offbeat in a modern context, but the focus remains the same; essentially this is a comic book filled with the superheroes that were previously left on the cutting room floor. Crazy Jane is schizophrenic, and each of her personalities has their own superpower, Rebis is the new form of Negative Man (from the original series) infused with his female doctor, Mr Steele is a brain housed in a robotic body after his human body was destroyed in a crash. This is a funny, irreverent and interesting series...can't wait to read more!


American Vampire (Volume 2)
Written by: Scott Snyder, Illustrated by: Rafael Albuquerque

Published: 2011

My Thoughts: Remember this one? Stephen King joined the team for the first volume, writing the origin story for the first of a new vampire species, Skinner Sweet (reviewed here). Moving on a decade (it's now the mid -1930s), Sweet is now in Las Vegas with fellow American vampire, Pearl, and surprise surprise they're up to no good! Unknowingly up against  the vampires is young police chief Cash McCogan, a loving husband with a son on the way...who has no idea what he's getting himself into. Also joining the fray is the mysterious organisation of vampire hunters known as the Vassals of the Morning Stars and a few characters that featured in the earlier volume. Anyway, get onto this series guys, it's really freaking good and it's only going to get better!


American Vampire (Volume 3)
Written by: Scott Snyder, Illustrated by: Rafael Albuquerque

Published: 2012

My Thoughts: Another volume, another decade. This volume takes place in the 1940s amid the horrors of WWII. Split into two separate stories, the first features Skinner Sweet, Pearl and her husband Henry (a non-vampire) and takes place on a small Japanese island where there's a threat of a new breed of vampire that could devastate the Allies position in the war. Story two follows vampire hunters (not naming them to avoid spoiling the volume reviewed above) as they try and source a cure for vampirism from a scientist currently trapped in the grips of Nazi soldiers in Romania. The first story is a little overly patriotic (You didn't win the war alone America!) and almost felt a little like they were trying to justify America dropping the Atom bombs, but once you get past that it's a thoroughly decent story that perfectly blends romance, action and vampires. Story two is just hands down awesome all the way!



2 comments:

  1. Great post!!! I have only read the first American Vampire because King was in that one and have always been curious about the other ones. Also I have been dying to read Locke & Key!! I need to go out and buy them!!

    Angie

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  2. I really like the American Vampire series Angie, but I guess the best way to know whether you should read further depends on whether you enjoyed the story in the first volume that wasn't written by King. Scott Snyder is pretty consistent, so if you liked that one as well then definitely pick the rest up.

    Also, READ LOCKE AND KEY ASAP!! They're so freaking good it's kind of ridiculous!

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