After a
couple sparse weeks in terms of comic selection, this week featured a plethora
of choices for someone not seeking the traditional superhero mess. There was Mega Man #15 (Goose’s favorite
series and an overall well-done title), Secret Agent Poyo #1 (which is just as
good as you would expect from Layman and Guillory, pick it up now and you will
not be disappointed) and even Battle Beasts #1 came out. Yes, if you are between the ages of twenty-five
and thirty-two you probably remember Battle Beasts as a toy collection. Well like most things from the 80’s, these
guys have made a comeback. I actually
went into reading that comic thinking it would be pretty sub-standard but good
enough to hit the nostalgia bone. It
actually surprised me and turned out to be a solid comic in its own right. I would suggest any and all of the comics
mentioned above, but none would I suggest more highly than the highlight to the
week (and a comic I have been looking forward to for months) Punk Rock Jesus.
PRJ is a
comic that centers around the cloning of Jesus Christ for a reality show. While that is a central theme in the book,
Sean Murphy makes sure that that is not the only thing about this book that
makes it interesting. He surrounds Jesus
(known as Chris in the book) with other characters that seem stereotypical (the
ex con trying to make good, the dirtbag television producer) but he plays them
in a way that makes them more believable than just cookie-cutter fill-ins for
real people. This is where PRJ really
shines. You can look at the pages in the
book and tell that Murphy is a talented artist (I would put him up there with
some of the best that are working right now) but reading the way that he paces
a story and how he writes people with differing viewpoints makes this an
all-around great read. Murphy throws in
many little twists and turns (including one huge twist at the end that I won’t
spoil for you because it’s that good, like, my jaw on the floor good) that fits
so well in the story that you can tell it was done with a purpose and not just
to shock people. Let’s get to the
nitty-gritty of the book though.
Cover:
Yes, the
cover really doesn’t tell a story as I usually want to see. However, the fact that Murphy combines an
illustration with a powerful graphic design element makes it worthwhile (and
don’t tell me the Marvel Ultimate covers do the same thing, black bars on each
side are not graphic design elements, they are black bars). I assume that the character on the cover is
Chris, but I’m not sure as we only see him as an infant in this issue. I would have maybe made the cover coincide
with a character in the book (Thomas or Gwen, even an infant Chris would have
been a good choice) but without seeing the rest of the covers I can’t fault
Murphy for this as much just yet. Also,
I love the incorporation of the finger print on the cover, it just adds even
more to the idea that this character is going to be an individual (what’s more
individual than a fingerprint) as opposed to the second coming that everyone
thinks he will be.
As a quick
aside, DC has made quite a few decisions lately that have come under intense
scrutiny such as rebooting their entire line or the whole Before Watchmen
fiasco. The best thing they could have
done here was to let Murphy realize his vision without a lot of
micro-management. I am not sure if all
of the choices were Murphy’s or if his editor Karen Berger had input in them,
but the fact that DC backed off shows me they can recognize when something is
going to be special. The two main
aesthetic choices that were perfect fits for this book was the fact that the
interiors were printed in black and white and the paper stock for the
interiors. While there are many talented
colorists out there, any colors on this book would have just muddied everything
up. The black and white art has so much
character and reads so well on its own that color would have not been able to
bring anything to the table and in fact would have hurt the project. The paper stock on the interior was not the
traditional glossy paper that we are now used to seeing from comic books,
especially those from the big two. It
felt like old-school newsprint in terms of its texture, but it was a tad
thicker, giving the book a little more durability than those comics of the
past. Regardless, both choices added to
the appeal of the comic itself and I would like to commend both Murphy and
Berger for making the choices and DC for letting them.
9/10 – This was an 8 just because of the lack of clarity of
the character on the cover and how he relates to the story, but it got bumped
up to a nine because of the paper stock on the interiors (it’s my review I can
make up the rules if I want to).
Story:
I
previously mentioned a good deal about the story so I will just say this: This is how comics should be written. A lot happened in this issue but it still had
specific moments that you look back at and can’t stop thinking about (more on
that below). Not only that but this is
the first comic in a long time that I have finished and immediately anticipated
the next issue. Nothing in this book is
forced, it is all natural and fluid.
Even the cliffhanger is something that just happens, it was a surprise
to me but I could see the natural progression of it and how it would have
happened. The concept is new and
interesting and the characters are appealing.
Murphy hits it out of the park with this one, and the best part, it’s
only issue 1!
10/10 – One of the best written comics I have seen in
years. This is what people can use when
they are touting comics as literature.
Art:
This is a
work of art. Seriously. Each page, each panel, it all works so well
together. The use of black is spot on. It is suffocating where it should be and used
to create a mood when necessary. The
emotion that Murphy evokes through his artwork is better than any I have
seen. Being in the closet with Thomas
feels claustrophobic, when Thomas is holding his father’s hand it makes me feel
for him.
The backgrounds that are
present in nearly every panel just shows how comics are supposed to be
made. Everything is meticulously done
and thought out with design elements incorporated throughout.
This is the first panel of the book. It sets the tone for the craftsmanship that is evident throughout.
Look at Thomas' father's face. You can see the emotion, the love for his son and the desire to see him safe.
Beautifully crafted downshot. Chaos has never looked so well done.
No one creates an establishing shot like Sean Murphy.
While I don't quite get the tame Polar Bear thing yet, this just shows more of Murphy's ability to create a shot and establish not only where we are physically, but where someone is mentally. Look at the clutter as your eye pans right and how it differs from the left side of the room. Thought was put into this.
Christian symbolism is big in this book, but just look at the use of negative space.
More absolutely beautiful establishing shots
The only art
criticism I have involves one panel.
Thomas looks a little undersized as he is being placed on the motorcycle
and his uncle placing him there doesn’t really look right. I realize his uncle is a big, probably very
strong guy, but that panel makes it look like he is lifting him with one hand
and holding him straight while placing him on the bike.
The only
other issue that I have is the lettering.
In terms of word bubbles, that looks fine. My main issues are the sound effects and the
protest signs. Everything else in the
book looks so organic and fluid that having the sound effects as typed block
letters works against the artwork as opposed to with it, as you want from
lettering. The protest signs are also a
typed font, which doesn’t feel believable and really stands out against the
rest of the artwork, to the point of being distracting.
9/10 – The issues were minor and honestly they may have only
triggered in my mind because I read the comic from a critical standpoint. Someone just reading it for the sheer joy of
reading it would probably not notice them.
Besides, the rest of the book is simply beautiful. If you can use the writing to tout the book
as literature, the artwork here can easily be used to prove that comic books
and sequential art are a legitimate art form and, if in the hands of masters of
their craft, can be a truly beautiful thing.
10/10 – I could not recommend this book any more
highly. It is quite possibly the best
book I have picked up in years and reaffirms my faith in the comic book medium
as a legitimate storytelling form and not just the storyboards for a movie. Sean Murphy deserves any and every award that
will be coming his way for this.
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