Can you tell me about the Genesis of Infinite Kung Fu as a book – how

did it develop?

As soon as I discovered old school martial arts movies in college it kind of took over my artwork. Even if I had to do a school project on the anatomy of the hand I would work in a moustachioed, badly wigged kung fu master to demonstrate the said hand anatomy. I started toying with story ideas around ’99 and self published the first few pages of what would become the graphic novel in 2000. I did about 200 pages on my own before teaming up with Top Shelf to finish the story.

Your love of Kung Fu/Wuxia films is obvious – how did you first get into them and what is it about them that you enjoy so much?

I’m sure it had a lot to do with Wu-Tang’s first album in ’93. After that I started buying bootleg VHS tapes through my local video store guy Colin Geddes, who wrote the forward for the book. The thrill of the hunt was a huge part of it. Finding something really obscure and weird that nobody else knew about was a blast. It’s so easy now online to get whatever you want instantly, that it’s hard to appreciate a clunky VHS tape you waited 8 weeks for with only one good ninja death.
I’ve always had a sore spot for so-bad-it’s-good material, and there’s a lot of that in martial arts movies. But for the higher quality films, obviously the choreography is impressive but I’m drawn to the ideas behind the fights. The characters are superheroes, but not mutants or aliens — just guys who became really powerful through hard work. The training is often just as exciting as the final fight.

Do you have any particular favourite films or actors?

Gordon Liu is a favourite so I was amazed to have him write a blurb for the introduction. I love his ‘monk’ movies — The 36 Chambers of Shaolin, Eight Diagram Pole Fighter. Master of the Flying Guillotine is great, and Shaolin Executioner. I also love the 6 Lone Wolf and Cub films and the whole kung fu subgenre of Black Magic horror movies, like Boxer’s Omen, Black Magic (1 and 2) and Black Magic with Buddha.

Have you ever trained in martial arts yourself? If so, what style(s)?

Nope!

Gordon Liu wrote the foreword for the Infinite Kung Fu collected edition – how did that come about?

Colin Geddes, who I had mentioned above, works for the Toronto International Film Festival and is very connected to a lot of film people. At some point Gordon was in Toronto for a few screenings of some of his films, and Colin couldn’t make it to an Dim Sum with him arranged by the Hong Kong Trade Office. He graciously gave me his spot, and even being the only non-cantonese speaking gweilo in the room I still managed to snag the seat next to Mr. Liu. He’s a great guy, and I put the bug in his ear about the foreward then. Another friend, King Wei Chu of the Montreal Fantasia Festival, helped me get in touch with Gordon later on.

Although the book for the most part stays completely within the conventions of a traditional Kung Fu/Wuxia tale, you’ve also got elements of 70s blaxpoitation and of course zombies in there as well – what are the influences there?

I guess all of those subgenres fit under the “grindhouse” umbrella. Tonnes of movies from each of those genres were being made in the ’70s, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to see them packaged together as a double bill. They all have a similar vibe that I was drawn to; low budgets without much flashy special effects, funky music, real stunts. Honestly, zombies are just fun to draw so that was the reason for working them into the story. There’s so much zombie stuff out there now that I’m almost embarrassed my book has that element, but I guess it is what it is.

In keeping with the blaxpoitation elements, there’s a bit of a tip of the hat to Curtis Mayfield/Isaac Hayes style funksters in Infinite Kung Fu and nowdays, of course, the Wu Tang Clan and other hip hop artists are also associated with the Kung Fu genre – what was the soundtrack in your head as you were writing and drawing?

Right, some of Moog Joogular’s looks are based on George Clinton and Isaac Hayes. I grew up listening to ’80s and ’90s hip hop and later started to get into the music sampled by those artists. If I could recommend a few tracks to check out they might be:
1. Billy Jack by Curtis Mayfield
2. T Plays It Cool by Marvin Gaye
3. Electricty by Allen Toussaint
4. Woman of the Ghetto by Marlena Shaw
5. If I’m In Luck I Might Get Picked Up by Betty Davis
6. The Gym Fight by the Blackbyrds
Your art style is very distinctive – kind of a mixture of traditional asian ink and brush with street art/graffiti sensibilities – who or what are you main influences?

I grew up drawing from Mad magazines, copying Mort Drucker and Jack Davis art. But I do love traditional Chinese drawing and golden age illustration, which is basically anything from the late 1800s up until the ‘70s.

As an artist, how hard is it to capture the dynamic movement of martial arts in a static medium?

I found it was easier than you might think. The films have a very rhythmic quality to them, the fights anyway. Pacing kung fu moves panel to panel seems to echo that, in a way. I definitely didn’t want to try to recreate a movie in comic book form, but to suggest the flavour of the genre.

Brushes and inks seem to be your preferred medium but your pencil work in Moog’s flashback scenes was also awesome! Will we see more of this in any future work?

Sure, I’m not opposed to it. I quite like playing with line widths though and don’t do it enough (it’s easier to use the same brush for a whole drawing). If the project calls for a specific style I can try something different. I definitely wanted the flashbacks to stand apart from the main story in case things got confusing.

As both writer and artist on the title, what’s your process? Do you script it out fully beforehand or do you just have a rough outline and script it out once the art is done?

Scripting beforehand really helps me, at least chapter to chapter. I like to write without pages in mind, then go through the script and draw lines where the page breaks should be. After that I’ll figure out how many panels it will take to illustrate the page.

You’re obviously really busy with your illustration work for magazines – will we see more comics work from you in the future?

I find it hard to say no to assignments but really, all I think about is doing comics.

More Infinite Kung Fu or something else?

Something else, I hope to avoid being pigeonholed as just a kung fu guy. Details early in the spring.

Finally, how would you describe Infinite Kung Fu to someone who’d
never read it before?

Martial masters working to re-achieve the ‘great balance’ after Buddhist reincarnation has gone awry, in an epic fantasy reflecting ’70s kung fu films in tone!

Writer: Nathan Cosby
Artist: Chris Eliopoulos
Page count: 96

Age level: All Ages

Mark One price: $39.90

Reviewed by Matthew Henderson

Lest there be any ambiguity or confusion let me say loud and clear that I flat out, straight up, totally freakin’ love this book! Love it! I know I’ve said that about other books in other reviews (and if I said it I meant it) but this one really is something special.

You know there are concepts that seem so obvious when you first hear them you think, “ah, of course!” and wonder why no one has ever done it before. Cow boy is one of those. Boyd Linney is 10 years old and he’s a Cowboy (a bounty hunter to be precise) – a cowboy boy, if you will (which admittedly doesn’t have quite the same ring to it). Of course a cool premise does not automatically make for a cool comic book (though its a great start). A casual leaf through the pages would suggest a peanuts/Calvin and Hobbes flavored helping of cute kiddie cowboy cartoons. That quick flick through lies like a snake oil salesman in an old western medicine show!

Take the time for a proper read and you’ll find that Cow Boy has some trick shots up its Smith and Wesson. The story has a real weight and heft to it (and not just because of the typically high quality paper and hard cover that comes with it being an Archaia product) that belies its light and fluffy appearance.

Boyd’s big ol cowboy hat and broadly drawn face may look cute, but his motivations are deep and  powerful, and his mission deadly serious . The Cow Boy’s family have done him (and others) serious wrong, causing him to become a one boy righteous force for justice in his mission to even the score. His journey to round up his criminal clan one by one is filled with action, humor (just cos its got some gravitas doesn’t mean it’s not funny), and heart touching (sometimes breaking) emotion. Yes, the book has traces of Calvin & Hobbes, but only if Calvin & Hobbes was written by Sergio Leone – “The Man with No Name” if he was a 10 year old called Boyd Linney, if you will. Sergio in this instance is a fella ‘goes by the name of Nate Cosby and he is a very talented writer indeed.

Cosby gives the story time to breathe and lets things unfold gradually rather than bogging things down with piles of exposition. That’s not to say that it moves slowly, quite the contrary, but its pacing is unhurried in the same way you find in classic Clint Eastwood westerns or Kurosawa films. The dialogue is sharp and snappy but there are many ‘silent’ moments where it’s left to artist Chris Eliopoulos to show the impact of the words through subtly nuanced facial expressions. It’s a perfect marriage of word and art that showcases the very best of what the comics medium can do.

My only previous exposure to Chris Eliopoulos was the Franklin Richards back up cartoons he did for Marvel. While fun, those strips don’t even begin to show how freakishly talented the Cow Boy artist/colourist/letterer is. With a style is very much grounded in traditional cartooning, his faces are infinitely expressive and his backgrounds full and detailed. The colour palate is as dry and dusty as the desert and fits the story and art perfectly.

Cow Boy has been promoted as an “all ages” title. Does it work for kids? In grand comic book tradition I decided to exercise my parental prerogative and carry out a (not very) scientific experiment on my own offspring – namely my 8 year old son. He read it himself but struggled a bit with the ‘accented’ dialogue, so with some Dad provided (truly awful) Old West American voices we spent a great 20 minutes reading it again together. He loved the idea of a kid who could beat up grown up bad guys and the action, laughed out loud at the “funny bits”, but also totally got what was going on at an emotional level. He said he felt sorry for Boyd because he was all by himself and his Momma must be “really mean”.  So while my (not very) scientific experiment was a total failure when it came to equipping my progeny with super powers, it was a roaring success in proving that Cosby and Eliopoulos’ book “works” for readers young and old.

Books this good remind you why you fell in love with comics in the first place. Not just a ‘genre classic’ (given that funny but serious, kid starring, western cartoons is a fairly limited genre), but a classic example of what a great story telling medium comics really are.

This is where I usually put my “recommended for” list, but Cow Boy is just recommended full stop.

Writer: Kagan McLeod
Artist: Kagan McLeod
Cover Artist: Kagan McLeod
Page count: 464 pages

Reviewed by Matthew Henderson

MK1 Price: $45.90

I love this book. Really, really love it. I love it so much that I don’t think I can explain how much or why without waxing long and lyrical. For those for whom long and lyrical waxing is a turn off here’s my ‘cover quote’ review:

If you took the best elements of every martial arts movie ever made, added an oh so cool splash of blaxpoitation, mixed in a hoard of zombies, and added some of the best art in comic books – you probably still wouldn’t be able to cook up a dish as scintillating to your fanboy palate as Kagen McLeod has created with “Infinite Kung Fu”. Buy it now or tear up your comic book geek membership card forever!

Still too long? How about:

The art is visceral, kinetic, and intensely cinematic. McLeod has, perhaps more than any before, truly translated the power and beauty of the martial arts onto the drawn page. He’s a Grand Master of sequential art.

No?

Hits harder than a ‘Buddha Palm’ to the gonads!

Or for you real ADHDers:

It rules! Buy it!

Now, if you’re still reading this and not already at MK1 hitting Chris up for a copy of this fantastic tome, I’ll assume you like to get right down to the actual factual before parting with your hard earned dollars. You like to get both the nitty and the gritty before making a decision. Ok, I respect that, but don’t say I didn’t warn you!
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I hate to admit it, but I’m old enough to remember David Carradine’s “Kung Fu” series being on the tele. Well actually, its probably more accurate to say that I have vivid recollections of seeing the oh-so-enticing ads for said series since my Mum had been to teachers college and had become totally militant in enforcing her ideas about bedtimes and not exposing my young mind to anything remotely (in her view) violent or (in my view) cool. Kung Fu came on at exactly my bedtime so the full extent of my viewing was the forementioned trailers (usually a profound sounding snippet of conversation between the young “grasshopper” and his blind Shaolin Master, followed by some cool action scene of the adult Kwai Chang Caine kicking some bad dude in the head) and if I could manage to reeeeeeally prolong the pre-bedtime ritual putting on of pajamas and brushing of teeth – the first scene and opening credits of the show proper. This would be followed the next day by having to see and hear the endless re-enactments by my friends who all were allowed to watch the whole thing.

In my young mind, Kung Fu became the epitome of Forbidden Coolness and Bad Assery, a conclusion that was finally confirmed when my Uncle assumed baby sitting duties on the nights it was on. Due to his less than rigid adherence to my Mum’s Commandments of TV and Bedtime I was finally able to experience the programme in its fullness. Young Matman was not disappointed.

Although it might seem a bit hokey and slow when viewed all these years later, at the time it was totally unlike anything else on tv. The idea of this mysterious fighting art from China that enabled its proponents to become unbeatable while also gaining hidden wisdom was captivating to my younger (short, skinny, and already a bit nerdy) self.

Fast forward a few years to my 12th birthday when (after years of endless pestering) my Mum finally agreed that I was old enough to watch a Bruce Lee video. It was Fist of Fury (aka the Chinese Connection) and I can remember being as enthralled by the magnetic charisma of Lee as I was amazed by the speed and dynamism of his movements. I watched it twice in a row, fell asleep, woke up and watched it twice more the next day. After that I quickly sought out “The Big Boss”, “Way of the Dragon”, “Game of Death” and “Enter the Dragon”. Having run out of Bruce Lee films to watch I exhausted the Martial Arts section of the local video shop, leading over the years to the discovery of Jackie Chan’s Kung Fu comedy and amazing stunts; the Shaw Brothers films (directed by the great Chang Cheh and Lau Kar-Leung) with exotic titles like “5 Deadly Venoms”. “36th Chamber of Shaolin”; Tsui Hark and his “Once upon a time in China” series; to movies featuring actors like Sammo Hung, Gordon Liu, Jet Li, Donnie Yen; and to mysterious and alluring sounding techniques like the ‘Buddha Palm’, and ‘No Shadow Kick’. The movies had implausible storylines that often relied on outrageous coincidences or launched off on weird tangents, terrible voice dubbing (and/or poorly translated subtitles), and cheap production values – but still had a magnetic pull on me.

I think the source of is that pull is that, at their core, martial arts movies are stories about people achieving the great and the unbelievable through hard work (the literal meaning of Kung Fu), discipline, and self mastery. No radio-active spiders, chemistry set accidents, or powers bestowed by powerful beings from another planet – the Kung Fu hero achieves his power by passing through great trials, making great sacrifices, and exerting great effort. They’re stories that at their heart speak to the power of human potential. You could easily argue that Batman or Daredevil are essentially Kung Fu movie men in tights (which is probably why those 2 are 2 of my my favourite super-heroes…the Kung Fu thing that is, not the tights).

This fascinating voyage through the life of Matman is mainly to point out that I was completely hardwired to either lurve or detest Infinite Kung Fu. if I, as a funny book reading, martial arts movie watching, Bruce Lee imitating fool, am not the target market for this, then it’s hard to think of who is. There have been plenty of crappy comics written/drawn by those with only a passing interest in/knowledge of the genre and if guys like me (believe it or not there are others) don’t buy it (conceptually and financially) then the book it would be hard to imagine that it would find a place in the market. Well, that’s what I thought when I first picked it up anyway. What I found is a book that has much wider appeal than to just the funny book reading, martial arts movie watching, Bruce Lee imitating fools of the world.

It’s obvious from every pencil and brush stroke on every panel of every page of Infinite Kung Fu that Kagen McLeod ‘gets’ what makes the genre work. The book is a 464 love letter to Kung Fu movies that not only references and pays tribute, but joins them in using the classic tropes (plus Moog Joogular: the coolest black man never to appear in a blaxpoitation flick, and the aforementioned zombie hoards) to tell a great story. The book is a tour de force that, perhaps more than any other comic I’ve read, captures the kinetic beauty of martial arts in sequential art (yeah, I know I already said that, but its true and worth repeating).

Although stylistically very different, the art in IKF makes me think of Jeff Smith’s work on Bone in that there’s a lot more happening that you will ever pick up on a casual flick through. Actually if you don’t give yourself some serious time to sit down and really absorb all of the detail you are robbing yourself of much of the coolness. The book is in black and white which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but to be honest, I think that the addition of colour would actually detract from the experience – like adding colour to Frank Miller’s Sin City.

Storywise, the elements are all there. Grand Masters with mysterious powers, deceitful disciples/evil villains who use forbidden techniques, a young hero who has to overcome adversity and train hard to ultimately conquer, hot Kung Fu babes, magic, zombies, and my favourite – Moog Joogular: the coolest black man never to appear in a blaxpoitation flick. The writing is low key and doesn’t stand out in an Alan Moore sort of way but it fits with the art to create the IKF gestalt of awesomeness.

This really is the most fun I’ve had reading a comic book in a long time (and I have a lot of fun reading comic books) and I can’t wait to see what Kagen McLeod does next (Hopefully it’s something with Moog Joogular: the coolest black man never to appear in a blaxpoitation flick)

Recommended for:
• Anyone who has ever enjoyed a Bruce Lee/Jackie Chan/Shaw Bros/Jet Li/Donnie Yen film.
• Anyone who thinks that Shaft is the epitome of coolness and that ‘Sho Nuff’ was the best character in “the Last Dragon”
• Zombie fans.
• People who like fantastic art.
• Ah, to hell with it – everybody! (though given the amount of entrails and detached body parts that fly across the pages, maybe not the Young and the Squeamish)

Phew! As much as I enjoyed reading the selection of DCs new 52 titles that Chris gave me to look at, it has certainly taken a while to catch up with reviewin em! By the time you read this most of the titles reviewed will be up to issue 5 or 6, but the first issues are still in stock or orderable if you want to pick them up. This week some of the lesser lights of the DCU provide the best reading…

Resurrection Man #1-4

A few weeks before the announcement of DC’s 52 new titles, Kurt Busiek posted a question on his facebook page asking which defunct title people would like to see come back (No -  I don’t know him. Yes – he does just friend anyone. Yes – I am that much of a geek). I didn’t even have to think about the answer. I am a huge fan of the original run of Resurrection Man and always thought that it was a shame it didn’t find a wider audience.

For the uninitiated, RM is about Mitch Shelly, an amnesiac wanderer who is returns from the dead (and he dies A Lot), each resurrection being accompanied by him manifesting a different super power. It was a fresh concept with from the writing team of Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett with a great mixture of action, humour, mystery and character and also featured some awesome art from Jackson Guice. He struggled to identify and make use of his new power of the day/week (sometimes powerful ones like super strength and other times completely useless ones like changing skin colour or producing showers of sparkling butterflies) while under attack by powerful foes, feuded with Vandal Savage (and there were hints he had done so throughout the ages), was hunted by the funny, red-hot-but-oh-so-deadly ‘Body Doubles’ (agents of The Lab that evidently gave him his nanotech based powers), and slowly uncovered the mystery of his origins.

It’s not yet clear whether the new title is a reboot or a continuation of the former. Mitch is once again an amnesiac and its not yet clear whether he’s merely forgotten the events of the previous series or if this is a fresh start. Abnett and Lanning are back on board sans Guice (currently plying his trade in Marvel-land) but new artist Fernando Dagnino and cover artist Ivan (“He’s so hot, right now”) Reis  do a great job of maintaining the look and feel of the original title. There are new mystical and metaphysical elements (angels, demons etc.) and the tone is (as with many of the 52 titles) darker. Bonnie & Carmen – the Body Doubles – in particular have had their psycho-factor ramped up substantially (‘Psycho-factor’ – now that’s a show I want to see! Imagine the ‘eliminations’!). Despite the slight shift in tone its still a great read and one I have no problem at all recommending. The original series is also due out very soon in Trade Paperback. Check it out. It’s the Goodness.

Justice League International #1

Dan Jurgens writes a JL title with Booster Gold leading a team of superheroes from around the world. Dan Jurgens, Booster Gold, Justice League International B team – it’s played for  the funny, right? Well, no. There’s definitely some great comic moments in there but Jurgens spins a great yarn that gives a plausible reason for the team’s existence while highlighting the political and character tensions that make sure that there will be anything but ‘cool runnings’ for the group. Particularly well handled is Booster Gold’s self doubt and fumbling as he takes on the leadership role and Batman’s involvement in the team and mentoring of the Gold and Blue Dude. Aaron Lopresti provides the pretty pictures.

Deathstroke #1

The pirate version of Slade Wilson was a surprise hit of the Flashpoint titles. He’s back to business as usual as a gun for hire, this time assisted by a team of up-and-coming mercs. If you think working with a team means that he’s gone soft, think again – he rakes up a high enough of a body count to make sure his cred is well and truly in tact and the surprise ending leaves no doubt at all that Deathstroke is still one of the most Dangerous Dudes in the DCU (today’s review is brought to you by the letter D). If you want deep and meaningful existential musings read Swamp Thing. If you want kick @$$ action, Slade’s your guy

Suicide Squad #1

The DCU’s own Dirty (not quite a) Dozen features Rick Flag, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, El Diablo, Voltaic, Black Spider and King Shark in the familiar – “work for us, or we’ll kill you” scenario. Big on moody vibes and extreme violence, it’s not as good as Deathstroke but should appeal to a similar audience.

Swamp Thing #1

Since Alan Moore’s seminal run on Swamp Thing back in the 80s has cast a huge shadow over any attempt to restart, relaunch, or reboot and despite some great story arcs from the likes of Andy Diggle and Brian K. Vaughan (though admittedly his was more focussed on Swampy’s daughter) readers don’t seem to have taken to any of their efforts to a sufficient degree to sustain an ongoing title. I’m not sure if writer Scott Snyder succeed where others have failed but I really enjoyed this issue.

I hadn’t read much of Snyder’s work prior to this but this book really impressed me (even more so than the Snyder penned Detective Comics that I reviewed in part 1). The writer manages to squeeze in a decent amount of exposition for new readers, a tip of the hat to long time Swamp-o-philes, some Ominous Signs & Startling Revelations, and a visit from Superman in a 24 page book that focuses on the difficulty that Alec Holland has had adjusting to life post his resurrection in ‘Brightest Day’.

The art by Yanick Paquette is phe-Nom-Nom-Nom-inal! Loved it! It’s one of those books I went back over again after reading just to check out the art and almost every page is a visual feast (apart from the 3 or 4 panels featuring Superman. I don’t know whether it’s the new costume or what, but Paquette’s Supes looks like he was drawn by a completely different, and much less talented, artist).

Anyway, based on this very strong first issue, it looks like the latest volume of Swamp Thing could very well have the legs (roots?) to last.

Animal Man # 1

Didn’t know much about Animal Man going into this…actually, didn’t know anything at all apart from the fact that Grant Morrison had a hugely critically acclaimed run on the title…that I’ve…um…never read (but can confidently say that every odd numbered issue was probably as brilliant as the even numbered ones were poos [see my Batman & Robin review if you need clarification]). Never read anything by writer Jeff Lemire either so I was surprised to find that that this issue was one of the best reads in my review pile. As a new reader, Lemire caught me up quickly via the oft used (but extremely useful) device of a magazine interview with the titular Manimal. Buddy Baker has retired from superheroing to spend more time with his family and is struggling to adjust. Lemire does a great job of juxtaposing the normalcy of Buddy’s home life with the tripped out nightmare world of ‘the Red’. (The interactions between Buddy and his family read very real (despite the fact that most parents probably don’t have to deal with their daughter’s emerging superpowers) and the dialogue is great.

Travel Foreman’s art style isn’t my usual cup of tea but it worked for the book – especially when he leaves Buddy’s domestic environment and gets to fly his freak flag in the ‘Red’ zone.

Issue #1 is now on its 4^th re-printing so that should tell you that plenty of other people have discovered something you haven’t. Join them.

…and just to show that I haven’t forgotten you Marvel Fanboys out there:

Moon Knight #1

Marc Spector, aka Moon Knight, is a character that seems to attract high profile writers and repel readers in equal measures. I don’t know how many times I’ve read an interview with a writer where MK has topped his “dudes I’d most like to write” list. You can understand the appeal – Batman-y superhero with split personalities, there’s a lot of stories that could be told there.  Bendis has been talking about how much he wants to write the character for literally years and it says a lot about Marvel’s perceptions about the sales potential (or lack thereof – I mean c’mon, not even having David Finch on the title could get it to sell well!) of the title that, even after essentially gifting BMB with the keys to the kingdom in letting him take the lead in most of the mega-ultra-uber crossovers they’ve had over the past 10 years, they’re only now letting him play in the Moon Knight sandpit.

The result? Some of Bendis’ best Marvel work. Ever. It has all of the usual Bendis hallmarks – snappy dialogue (and heaps of it), Spider-man and Wolverine popping in and doing their odd couple thing (though in this case they’re joined by Captain America so it’s more of a oddage a tois) etc. but his shtick is good shtick and it’s even gooder than usual here. Spector has moved out to the relatively superheroless LA, and so it seems have a lot of the naughty bad guys, finally realizing that it’s probably better fo’ bidness to Live and Die in LA than try to operate in NYC where you can’t swing a (baseball) bat without hitting one of the Avengers/X-Men/FF. Cap, Logan, and Spidey pop in to make sure that Moon Knight is on the job and end up helping out as Mr Hyde (under the orders by Shadowy Forces) starts stuff. Action and hilarity ensue.

The art is by Bendis’ former partner on Daredevil, Alex Maleev, but his style is much changed from that title. There seems to be less use of photoshop collages and more straight sketching here but it works for the title. BMB has even got him drawing action scenes. Maleev! Action! (and not bad action scenes either! Amazinck!).

You may not have picked this title up for a look because its, well, Moon Knight and/or because it’s not connected to any big titles/crossovers  but you really should. If you like Bendis (and based on sales of Ultimate Spidey, Avengers et al there are a lot of fans of the Short Bald One out there) you’re as crazy as Marc Spector if you don’t read this!

Unless you’ve been living in a cave (of the non-Bat/non-Mat variety) you’re well aware that DC has undergone a massive shakeup – rebooting its entire line in a move that, without (much) hyperbole, must surely be one of the biggest events in comics history. Flowing out of the ‘Flashpoint’ mini-series DC has combined the DCU, Wildstorm, and parts of Vertigo into a new universe and timeline and launching or re-launching 52 titles under the creative banner of…uh…’52’.

The new comics are a combination of re-booted mainstays, re-launches of cancelled titles from years past and entirely new offerings. While the reading would be fun – reviewing all 52 books would take up more time and space than is practical (“Dammit Chris, I’m a reviewer, not a Time Lord!”) so the Master of MK1 suggested a quick fire look at a cross-section of what’s on offer. So here we have 12 of the DC 52 titles (+ 1 Marvel one thrown in for all y’all DC haters out there)

Green Arrow #1

A much younger gajillionaire, Oliver Queen uses his archery skills and mega riches to fight crime with the assistance of some skilled employees. If you’re a fan of the Smallville version of the character you’ll feel right at home here. The art is by Dan Jurgens and George Perez there’s no surprise in the fact that it looks fantastic.

Batman #1 and Detective Comics #1

A couple of years ago Frank Miller & Jim Lee’s ‘All Star Batman’ stirred up all sorts of controversy with its dark, ultra-violent, sexualised take on the caped crusader and criticism for how far removed the character was from his depiction in the ‘in continuity’ version. It now seems like that book was just a foreshadowing of things to come because DC have definitely decided to go all Dark Knighty with all of its bat related titles (Dark Knighty: just one of the many items of lingerie worn by Selina Kyle in her  T&A fest  first issue).

There’s some brutal stuff in the pages of DC#1 – gory enough that I wouldn’t let my kids read it. Not only have they ratcheted up the violence but New Batman is a also a ho – shacking up with a new love interest not long after getting his freak on in a 4 page rooftop tryst with Catwoman that makes the 2 panel equivalent in All Star Batman & Robin that set the net on fire look positively tame in comparison (the titles appear to be loosely tied together with the Catwoman hookup being referenced in both DC and Batman).

So ok, you get it, the tone is dark and it’s for mature readers, but are the stories any good? Yep. No worries there. Both Scott Snyder on Batman and Tony Daniel on DC hooked me in good with the set up for their first story arcs. There’s some great dialogue in both books and little touches like the Dark Knight’s circle of trust ratings of the members of Team Batman provide cool insights into where his head is at. Detective Comics in particular finishes on a cliff hanger that could potentially signal a big change for a major character and had me grabbing for the next issue.

Art-wise it’s interesting to see both Greg Capullo and Daniel eschew the smooth bold lines that both of them have been known for and take on a looser, sketchier look. Whether this is an artistic choice or just a by product of them trying to maintain a monthly schedule, it definitely works well with the new tone of the titles.

Green Lantern #1

Reboot? What Reboot? Geoff Johns keeps on truckin’ with one of the best super-hero books around. The story carries straight on from the ‘War of the Green Lanterns’ story line without missing a beat and has all of the great dialogue, characterisation, and ‘wow’ moments that we’ve come to expect from this title. Green Lantern was a must read before ‘52’ and looks to continue to be so now.

The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men #1

When I was a lad (more years ago than I care to admit) we didn’t have pop/pulp culture emporiums like our beloved MK1.  Comics were obtained from local dairies and dodgy book exchanges where there was never any rhyme or reason to what was stocked or in what quantities. It was pretty much impossible to guarantee that you’d get your favourite title every month (which is probably why most stories were only 1 or 2 parts) so a young comic junkie had to develop pretty eclectic tastes and just choose something from what was on offer. Anytime there was a Spider-man, Batman, X-Men Avengers, Green Lantern, Flash, Superman etc. in stock was a great day. If you couldn’t get one of the big guns (more often than not) you would have to pick from what was left in order of preference, with the likes of Firestorm being right at the bottom of the list. You’d still buy/read it if there really was nothing else, but it wasn’t ever your first choice.

Green Lantern, New X-Men artist extraordinaire, Ethan Van Sciver, obviously has quite different memories of the character because given his choice of characters in the DCU to play with he went with Firestorm…Firestorm??! Yellow and red suit with flames coming out of the top of his head Firestorm?! Yep. That Firestorm.

Well, I read it (last of course) and…wow! It’s actually really good! The art is typically great from Van Sciver (though the fact that he’s not inking his own work this time around makes his linework look looser than usual), but he (as Co-plotter) and Gail Simone also do a great job of introducing and establishing the premise and characters in a way that is high on action and low on exposition. The Dialogue is Snappy, Conspiracy Abounds, Characters Conflict, Stuff Happens, Things Go Boom, and even the yellow/red costume suddenly doesn’t look so wussy! (though there’s now a yellow costume, a red costume, and a yellow and red costume…it’s called ‘the nuclear men’…just read the book…)

Now….where’s issue 2?! (actually already on the MK1 shelves!) I can’t believe that I actually like a Firestorm comic! Next thing you know I’ll be saying I like Aquaman (*snigger*)!…

…*cough*…well…um…now that you mention it…

Aquaman #1

Somewhere along the line, Aquaman has become the joke of the DCU. I don’t know if it was the old Super-friends cartoons or maybe it was all those old school JLA comics (Batman: “ Ok – Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern and I will go into space and face the [insert name of interplanetary threat of the month]. Aquaman – you go and talk to the fishies and ask if they’ve seen anything”), but somehow the King of Atlantis just hasn’t seemed to have the same cool factor as the other big guns of the JLA. Some really great writers (Peter David, Kurt Busiek, Erik Larsen) have tried and  failed to generate enough buzz to keep an Aquaman solo title going but it always seems to go porpoise shaped in the end.

Then Geoff Johns strides in like Clint Eastwood to Sort This Crap Out.

I’m convinced that Geoff Johns has a real to goodness Superpower – namely the ability to pick up a tangled mess of continuity and spin it into gold. In this first issue he takes Aquaman’s audience (or lack thereof) baggage head on with the King of Atlantis being faced with people who verbalise all the reasons for his perceived un-coolness.  His responses provide for some great comic moments but also opportunities to reveal nuances to his character. “Aquaman walks into a fish shop…” sounds like the start of a joke, but it’s actually the set up for one of the best and most memorable scenes I’ve read for a while – skewering preconceptions, bringing the LOL, and revealing a touching memory that, along with Arthur’s reactions provides a surprisingly poignant moment.

Johns ignores the usual suspects from Aquaman’s rogues gallery to introduce a brand new serious and decidedly gruesome threat that looks like it could be as big to Mr. Fishy as his creation of the Sinestro Corps and other Lanterns was in his other famous reboot. I’m looking forward to see how it all plays out. Most of all I’m looking forward to finding out more about the Dude From Atlantis – turns out he’s not who I thought he was.

Join me soon in The Mat Signal: 12/52 +1 (part two) where I’ll take a look at:

• Suicide Squad
• Deathstroke
• Swamp Thing
• Resurrection Man
• Animal Man
• Justice League International
• + Moon Knight

• By Nick Spencer, Joe Eisma and Covers by Rodin Esquejo

Reviewed by Matthew Henderson

Morning Glories? Never heard of it. White cover – school uniformed teenagers – doesn’t grab me. Chris says it keeps selling out. Better check it. Sentences short. Sorry. Just finished reading a James Ellroy novel (easily influenced).

Ok – so Morning Glories deals 6 teenagers are the newest arrivals at an exclusive private boarding school. Little do they know that Strange Things are Afoot and that Weird (and somewhat icky) Things are Happening! The book starts strong – setting the school up straight away as not your typical institution of learning. The administration (including the nastiest/hottest teacher you’ve ever met/read – Miss Daramount and the shadowy ‘Headmaster’) are apparently more evil than you ever thought your real teachers were in your wildest imaginings, and  there is murder, supernatural goings on, and some kind of strange scientific phenomena happening in the basement. The youngsters each come in with their own issues and back story and react differently to what’s happening. Friendships are formed, lies and betrayal are perpetrated, and interesting stuff ensues (excuse me if I have exceeded my quota for the word ‘ensue’ already in my reviews to date but I like it how it sounds and it makes me feel all Joss Whedon/Nathan Fillon-y…think I’ll say it again – “ensues”).

Not far into the book I found myself thinking that it was like a cross between ‘Lost’ and Grant Morrison’s ‘New X-men’ run and sure enough just a few pages later found both Lost and Morrison references. A quick google finds series creator Nick Spenser himself describing the title as a cross between Lost and Runaways (see my previous Runaways review ) so I guess I wasn’t too far off. Both comparisons are accurate. Glories provides a continuing string of Lost style ‘what tha?’ events and revelations as a backdrop to strong character interactions and development – and it’s, like, y’know, teenagers, at school, so like the Runaways/New X men thing fits. I’d chuck a pinch of Joss Whedon in that mix as well.

The covers by Rodin Esquejo are beautifully done and give each of the teens a distinctive look. Interior artist Joe Eisma does a great job of keeping these looks consistent most of the time, though I did find that some of his male characters look pretty similar on occasion.

The story moves along briskly and although like Lost – you don’t know exactly what’s going on a lot of the time, there are revelations enough to keep the pages turning and there is a definite sense that there is a master blue print behind what you are reading (ok, so that’s not like Lost). The Morning Glory Academy is an intriguing setting and you want to find out what’s going on. The characters are archetypal but well formed and the interaction between them is well written…and there is a killer twist at the end of the book!

Recommended for:

• Fans of Lost/Runaways/New X-men
• Whedonites
• Mature readers (there’s a bit of gore and the occasional swear word)
• Anyone who was ever convinced that their teachers were part of a huge evil conspiracy, but lacked the evidence to prove it.

Available in Mk1′s webstore

• Volume 01 $19.90
• Volume 02 $25.90

• Format: Trade Paper Back
• Price: $29.90
• Writer: Brian K. Vaughan; Artist: Adrian Alphona

Reviewed by Matthew Henderson.

Most teenagers are secretly convinced that their parents are evil at one point or another, but in the case of Marvel Comics’ Runaways – it’s true. Youngsters Alex, Nico, Chase, Karolina, Molly, and Gertrude discover that they’re the offspring of an evil group of super villains known as the Pride. How do they know that they’re evil? Well, witnessing their parents carrying out a bloody ritual sacrifice of a young girl is a bit of a tip off. Horrified by what they’ve seen they…um…run away, stealing powerful items and discovering inherited abilities from their parents on the way. Super- powered, teen melodrama comic stuff ensues.

Although the teens do have powers (with the exception of the ultra brainy but devoid of the pow-pow and the boom- boom, Alex) and they have a mission (stopping their parents from doing evil stuff) – they aren’t your typical super team. There’s no costumes for a start, they aren’t particularly organised, and they argue and bicker like, well, teenagers.

Brian K. Vaughan (best known for his work on ‘Y – the last man’, ‘Ex-Machina’, and TV’s ‘Lost’) keeps the kids on the run and off balance for much of this first story arch and keeps it real by having them speak and act like actual teens (instead of just having the shorter, skinnier adults you find in other supposedly ‘teen’ teams). The series launched as part of Marvel’s ill fated ‘Tsunami’ line in 2003 (the line was pitched at Manga loving adolescents) and Adrian Alphona’s art does have some of those influences but you wont find an overabundance of big eyes and speedlines. His style is cartoony but still detailed with a reasonable comparison perhaps being to Mark Brooks.

Runaways is set in the Marvel Universe and there is some interaction with other characters (though moreso in later volumes). Despite this, the title develops its own mythos and is for the most part a self contained corner of the MU. By creating all new characters, Vaughan is able to let the story unfold without having to worry about years worth of continuity and characterisation. What this means in practice is, like say Buffy the Vampire Slayer – you can’t assume that your favourite characters are safe. People change, people die, and stuff happens that changes the status quo. All of this makes Runaways a particularly fun and unpredictable ride that is well worth your time. Oh and there’s a telepathic Dinosaur!

Bottom line – great roller-coaster ride of a read for young adults to big people (although marketed by Marvel as an All Ages title I wouldn’t recommend this for the littlies).

Recommended for:

• Buffy fans (Joss Whedon takes over the title in later volumes).
• Brian K. Vaughan fans
• Manga fans looking for an entry point into the Marvel Universe.
• Comic fans of great discernment and taste.

Title List:

• Hard Cover $49.90
• Trade Paperback $29.90

Reviewed by Matthew Henderson.

Grant Morrison, Grant Morrison, Grant Morrison…Oh how I love/hate thee. I love thee for co-writing one of my favourite comics of all time -  the Flash #134 “Still Life in the Fast Lane” –  and making me care about a character I previously hadn’t given a toss about (Jay Garrick). I hate thee for writing one of the most tripped out, incomprehensible issues I’ve ever read (Batman #666) – a product of those psychedelic drugs you profess to love so much if ever there was one. I love that pretty much every odd numbered issue of every title I’ve followed you on (and there have been a few) has been absolutely brilliant. I hate that pretty much every even numbered issue has been extreme crappage. I love the fact that All Star Superman reminded us all how cool Superman could be and cut right to the very essence of who the character is. I hated that you had Batman kill Darkseid with-a-gun in Final Crisis –going against everything the character has stood for since the 1960s. I don’t so much hate, as scratch my head at your claims to have worked magick through comic books and stated aim to use said power to establish the DC universe as a living entity (No wonder you and Alan Moore get on so well)…

….Yup… I’m going to out myself here as a Morrison denier. Despite the wide acclaim he’s had from fans and comic book professionals alike, as you can see from the above I’ve always been a bit conflicted about the Scottish druggie magus. I didn’t love the Batman R.I.P storyline that preceded the Batman & Robin title and wasn’t expecting much to tell the truth but am not afraid to say that I was wronger than Mr Wrongtastic and the League of Wrongness!

I wouldn’t be surprised if GM’s whole purpose in ‘killing’ Bruce Wayne off was to enable him to tell this story. In the aftermath of said death, former Robin/Nightwing, Dick Grayson, teams up with Bruce Wayne’s son Damien (born to R’as Al Ghul’s daughter Talia) as the new Batman and Robin. This new pairing allows Morrison to play with relationship dynamics that would never work in a traditional bat-book. Over time, Bruce Wayne has been made almost infallible by successive writers and his Robins have all come to him already in awe of the Batman persona. The relationship has always been depicted as father/son, or student/pupil and this has limited the range of story telling options to an extent.

Although Dick has years of experience, he is still subject to self doubt and makes mistakes. Damien, having been raised among Ra’s Al Ghul’s League of Assassins comes to the party with an already developed arsenal of lethal fighting skills and under developed sense of morality. The two relate more as older/younger brothers in many regards. Dick is wary of Damien’s lack of a strong moral compass and unused to acting in the mentor role. Damien is a typical know-it-all teenager on steroids and  doesn’t feel that Grayson has anything to teach him. The tension between the two as they develop their partnership provides some of the story’s greatest highlights.

Art-wise – I’m completely convinced that Frank Quitely is a mutant freak with concave areas where his buttocks should be. Why? Because he totally draws his @$$ off on this title! Although still recognisably the same artist that brought us the sublime ‘All Star Superman’, he adapts to the bat-world by using a darker, more highly rendered approach than the simple bold lines he’s usually associated with.

I came to the title with low expectations and ambivalence but was completely won over within a matter of pages. Make no mistake, it is the All Star Superman Grant Morrison on display here and this is a work that deserves similar acclaim (though for very different reasons). Read it.

Recommended for:

• Morrison/Quitely Fan boys
• People who think that they don’t like Grant Morrison*
• Batman fans (or any fan of superhero comics, actually)

* no magick rituals or hallucinogenic drugs necessary to enjoy this title.  Reviewed by Matthew Henderson

Writer: Ed Brubaker, Artist: David Aja (with others) Price: $29.90  Reviewed by Matthew Henderson

I’ve never been a big follower of Marvel’s Iron Fist and, although I’d read a few issues here and there over the years, didn’t know much about the character beyond the basics: Danny Rand – ultra rich super kung fu dude,  acquired his skills by being raised in fictional martial arts mecca called K’un Lun, very 70s bright green and yellow costume complete with deep V-neck cut to highlight the black dragon tattoo on his chest, best mates with the (now) über cool Luke Cage (we know he’s a true friend because he hung with the pre-cool Cage when he was still called Power Man and had the whole yellow pirate shirt/steel tiara/”sweet Christmas” thing going on) fist does glowy thing when he smacks people.  I picked up Immortal Iron Fist purely based on some positive buzz and the fact that I was enjoying the heck out of writer Ed Brubaker’s run on Captain America. Good move, Matman!

Brubaker’s run on Iron Fist (collected in this and subsequent Trade Paperbacks) pulls off something very akin to what Geoff Johns has done with Green Lantern – brought together disparate threads of continuity from previous incarnations no matter stupid or cheesy they may have seemed at the time (I’m looking at you Danny Rand, superspy!) into a coherent whole where they not only make sense, but do so in a way that makes everything much cooler. Also like Johns, Ed doesn’t just bring all of the old elements together but adds a whole heap of great new concepts to the mythos that transform Danny Rand from b-list also-ran into a hugely engaging bad @$$ character.

This first volume pits Rand against the forces of Hydra, against the backdrop of a too good to be true financial deal for Rand Corp. Brubaker builds on the legacy of the Iron Fist by flashing back to previous holders of the mantel throughout the ages. These flashback are linked to the ‘present’ day story and the new characters all cool enough to ensure you’re not in any hurry to go back to the future. He also introduces Orson Randall – prodigal Iron Fist with a mysterious past who teams up with Danny and teaches him (and us) more than a thing or two about what it means to be the Champion of K’un Lun.

Brubaker’s plotting and pacing are spot on and the dialogue sparkles with humour and character. This was my first exposure to David Aja’s art but I became an instant fan. Aja pencils/inks/and colours and is similar in palate and approach to Alex Maleev – but with more clarity and detail and much better action scenes. The flashbacks are drawn by a range of guest artists and each time period is given a unique look which ensures that the jumps are never confusing.

Bottom line – this is a great read and a perfect jumping on point if you’re new to the character. If you think you know Iron Fist and that he’s as cool as disco – try this anyway. This is not your Dad’s Danny Rand.  Although the title is set firmly in the Marvel Universe, there’s more than enough noir and kung fu cinema elements to broaden its appeal to those who want something than standard super heroics.

Recommended for:

• Fans of Brubaker and/or cool stories, great art, great action, funny dialogue; kung fu; noir.
• People with pulses
• Literate zombies.

In stock in the Mk1 online store now! http://www.mk1.co.nz/store/immortal-iron-fist-volume-01.html