by Lucy Softich

Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld, illus. by Keith Thompson
$13.95

Plot

In an alternate history of World War I, Europe is divided into Clankers, countries who are technologically driven and control huge machines, and Darwinists, countries who breed animal ships and symbiodic creatures. Leviathan follows Prince Aleksander of Austria-Hungary, a Clanker nation, and Deryn Sharp, a girl masquerading as a boy to be part of Brittan Darwinist air force.

First Impressions
Lovely art, and the story starts us right off in the mist of action and intrigue, as Alexsander is sneaking out with his instructors for a secret midnight training session.

Lasting Impressions
I’m infamously bad at history, but this book made me want to read up on WWI. The characters are well-developed and easy to like, the plot help my interest to the end, and the illustrations are breathtaking.

Behind the Scenes
There’s an Afterward where the author has a brief summary of what  really happened leading up to WWI, and explains the changes he made and why.

Audience
This book will probably appeal to more boys than girls, but anyone who likes mechanics, fascinating creatures, and exciting military adventures, will really enjoy this book. Aimed at ages 9-13, but an older audience will also get a lot out of it.

by Lucy Softich

Wet Moon, Book 1: Feeble Wanderings, by Ross Campbell
$14.95

Plot

Set in the southern town of Wet Moon, the story follows Cleo and her band of friends as they begin college. Cleo tries to adjust to her dorm room, her new roommates, and the sad slipping feeling of her friends slowly drifting in different directions.

First Impressions
Nice art, slow pacing. We don’t get much of an introduction to the story, we’re kind of thrown into it. The characters and plot unfold slowly on their own.

Lasting Impressions
It’s a very slow, quiet book, told most often in facial expressions and actions instead of dialogue or narration. The mood is thick, the art is beautiful, and the characters are intriguing and more realistic than I’m used to seeing in graphic novels. They’re beautiful and quirky and fascinating.

Behind the Scenes
At the end of this first volume, we get to see some old artwork for the story, including the first five pages of an earlier version of the comic. It’s nice to see how the artist’s artwork, and take on the characters, evolved over time.

Audience
I think Wet Moon will appeal most to a slightly “alternative,” female readership. It reminds me a lot of so many of my friends in high school. However, I think it has universal appeal for anyone in the last few years of high school, or the beginning of college.

Fall of Cthulhu: Godwar, by Michael Alan Nelson

Plot

As three Old Gods wrestle to claim the world for their own, a trio of unlikely companions tries to save humanity from certain destruction. Sure it’s generic, but the story also features an octopus man, which is definitely worth the price of admission.

First Impressions

The first few pages set up the surreal nature of this graphic novel. The intricately drawn beasts (as well as a charmingly revolting, green-skinned monster lady) are a clear counterpoint to the cartoonish artwork of the human characters. This contrast does a good job mirroring the dreamlike quality of the narration.

Lasting Impressions

Tentacles abound in this expansion of the Lovecraft mythos. Because the story is set in purposefully mind-expanding world, the plot becomes somewhat convoluted due to the invisible forces at work. Fortunately, the creepy crawlies  are able to hold the reader’s interest throughout the comic.

Behind the Scenes

Featured content is kept to a minimum, save for the superb illustrations of the various Gods and their servants that are used to seperate the chapters.

Audience

This release is definitely geared for teenage boys in search of a good monster comic. It would also appeal to lovers of all things Lovecraft.

Last Reign: Kings of War, by Walt Becker

Plot

Far in the future, well after humanity has destroyed itself, the last vestiges of civilization are thrown back into a feudal society. From these last remnants, the kings possess armor that has been handed down from before the fall.

First Impressions

The first few pages introduce the comic’s mix of sword, sorcery, and technology. The action scenes start right from the beginning and are the highlight of the comic.

Lasting Impressions

The plot is a good vs. evil story in the same vein as Star Wars with horses. It even has lightsabers. This isn’t Shakespeare. Remember to leave your brain at the door and you’ll have a good time.

Behind the Scenes

The last section of the graphic novel is a compilation of the comic’s different covers.

Audience

The style is an old school throwback similar to the Masters of the Universe comic during the 80s. The story of good vs. evil will appeal to young teen boys who are looking for an action fix.

Fathom, by Michael Turner

This compiled bible of a book is huge, spanning 455 pages of undersea adventure. The story is kinda like if Jonny Quest and Al Gore had a baby. It deals with the adventures of Aspen, an amnesiac girl found in the middle of the ocean. All grown up, she becomes a marine biologist working in a US-Japanese research lab at the bottom of the sea. It’s there that she quickly finds herself in the middle of a struggle between humanity and the beings that live in the deep. The first couple of pages hit you like a dream sequence–sort of a recap of the story thus far. This is a good summary of the first couple of sections. It takes a little while for the action to pick up. It can be a bit annoying, but the pretty pictures do a lot to make up for this interlude. Oh by the way, the pictures are gorgeous. The intricacies of the underwater vistas are truly breathtaking. Soon the explosions start occurring regularly. You’d be surprised to find how many things are able to blow up underwater. Each “chapter” of this collection begins with a foreword describing what the author sets out to accomplish during the following pages. The last 50 pages of the book is a collection of fantastic covers that spans the life of the comic book. Well worth checking out this book just in order to skim them. Teenage boys will come for the action and stay for the women in bikinis. Fans of comic books will appreciate the comic’s throwback 80’s sensibilities. Environmentalists will empathize with the plight of the oceans. Captain Planet Combine!

This comic is recommended for a TEEN audience, ages 16 and up.

Zombies: A Record of the Year of Infection, by Don Roff

In the style of The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity comes this “found” birding journal/record of the zombie holocaust, written by Dr. Robert Twombly. This comic novel documents his attempt to survive in the midst of a world thrown into chaos, and zombies. Each entry is paired with a sketch of pertinent information, which can include anything from the observed zombie decomposition to other survivors that he runs into. In this way, there are fewer drawings than in a straight up comic book, but their dark-even crude-style makes this whole field guide seem very authentic. Special attention has been paid to show the unfolding global holocaust from one small vantage point. The reader sees the world from only the doctor’s eyes, which makes those dark places all the more sinister.

This comic is recommended for a MATURE audience, AGE 18 AND UP.

Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Much like the story’s namesake, Welcome to Lovecraft tells the story of ordinary people who are confronted by situations that threaten to take their lives or their sanity, whichever one comes first. After the murder of Nina’s husband by a deranged student, she takes her family to live in the family’s ramshackle homestead in the heart of New England in order to start over again. Yet not everything is at it seems in Lovecraft, Massachusetts. An unseen force that’s trapped at the bottom of a well wants something from the youngest child, and won’t stop terrorizing the family until it gets it. The story excels at building suspense, which reaches its apex during the bloody climax of the tale. The artwork is also memorable, featuring a modern gothic vibe that is very easy to get lost in. If you enjoy your comics with thrills and chills (and a couple of psychopath killers for good measure), check this one out.

This comic is recommended for MATURE readers, ages 18 and up.

Hack/Slash, by Tim Seeley

Hmmm … Where to start … Oh well, might as well say it. Hack/Slash is about undead zombie midgets dressed as The Wizard of Oz characters stabbing bare-chested goth girls. In other words, it ranks up there with Shakespeare.

Hack/Slash is a great guilty pleasure purely for an adult audience. In fact, I can’t think of any other legitimate comic book that is also partnered with an adult website. But there you have it. This comic book doesn’t try to be something that it’s not. It’s pure junk food. The story loosely follows the adventures of Cassie Hack as she travels across the country with her Franken-friend in order to put killers in their place–six feet under. For all you fans of schlock cinema, watch for a special appearance by the Re-Animator. The full-color panels leave nothing to the imagination, depicting all kinds of T, A, and B. In addition, the last section features cover drawings, slasher fact sheets, and sketchbook pages. You’ll either love it or hate it. But hey, why not take a walk on the wild side?

This comic is recommended for MATURE audiences, ages 18 and up.

Grimm Fairy Tales, by Joe Tyler and Ralph Tedesco

From the twisted minds of Joe Tyler and Ralph Tedesco comes Grimm Fairy Tales … with an emphasis on Grim. Back before Disney added singing birds and pixiedust, Grimm’s fairytales were graphically violent stories of what happened when people strayed from the path of common decency and morality. The authors of this collection want to bring fairytales back to their sinister roots. The anime style of the stories adds an exotic touch to the tales as they depict the stark difference between good and bad. Each story begins with modern day characters who are at a crossroads in their life–deciding between the easy path and the right one. They are pushed in the right direction with the help of a mysterious stranger who tells them versions of fairytales that they didn’t hear when they were a kid. These are hardcore fairy tales for the jaded, MTV crowd. If this is you, then it’s worth checking out.

This comic is recommended for Mature readers, ages 18 and up.

Order of the Stick: No Cure for the Paladin Blues, by Rich Burlew

No Cure for the Paladin Blues follows the further adventures the Order of the Stick, a band of intrepid stick figures charged with sending up the world of sword and sorcery, and maybe saving the world in the process. The storyline draws heavily on the inner geek as it satirizes the RPG/World of Warcraft mythos with every step. The Order of the Stick started its life as a webcomic before making its way into graphic novel form. The addition of pages upon pages of author’s notes and comments about the creation of every aspect of the story–everything from the plot to the clothing–turns this collection into an intriguing insider’s look into the development of a comic. It’s fascinating to read the author deconstruct his jokes and describe how they are used to advance the story. Since the drawings are simple, the story is left to take center stage. Luckily, the story is a charming and self-referential analysis of pop culture cliches. If you are either a huge fan of fantasy stories or enjoy making fun of them every chance that you get, check this collection out.

This comic is recommended for a TEEN audience, ages 16 and up.