The Rainbow Orchid. Volume 3. Garen Ewing (Writer & Artist). Egmont (2012)

Clever and very satisfying conclusion to the story, the cast and plot are excellent, the whole story executed with great style and flair. Julius Chancer, recovering after the savage attack on his group by Evelyn Crow that lead to the death of Nathaniel Crumploe decides to abandon the search for the Rainbow Orchid. As Julius amnd Lily Lawerence are about to return to their camp to search for Nathaniel's body, he appears along with Julius's boss Sir Alfred and Mr Dubbin from the Empire Survey Branch. The search for the orchid is resumed and the journey to the hidden valley where it may be located started. Evelyn Crow, displaying admirable commitment to her task of stopping the party continues in pursuit. At the same time in England the plot involving Urkaz Grope and why he wants to win the Trembling Sword of of Tybalt Stone becomes clearer. In the mountains a forgotten civilization is found and twists and turns of the story continue. The reveals are very clever, the action dramatic and the conclusion entirely satisfying.
Garen Ewing has managed to subtly update the adventure stories of the British Empire without ever loosing or compromising the elements that make them distinctive. The quest by Europeans for a plant that has critical importance to a hidden civilization, the return of a native that opens old political and romantic wounds, the secret agenda of an agent of empire and most of all a really committed, effective and resilient villain are deftly woven together with a light touch. The expectations that the form sets up are neatly and satisfyingly undercut as good more or less triumphs and evil more or less is defeated but triumph and defeat are mixed.
The art is outstanding, suitably old fashioned it captures the spirit of the story and at the same time is entirely contemporary in its story elements. The cast look the part, they fit the historical context and the genre ideas with ease and carry off the sharper modern action with force.
Clever, engaging comic storytelling of the highest order, the whole Rainbow Orchid saga is a treat right to the nicely biting end.

Is That All there Is? Joost Swarte (Writer & Artist). Johannes Van Dam, Art Spiegelman, Frabcoise Mouly, Kim Thompson (Transalation). Fantagraphics Books (2012)

A (nearly) complete collection of the comics of Joost Swarte. This is a curious and engaging collection of comics that are striking, individual and frequently funny. Joost Swarte has a deliberately anachronistic art style that sets up expectations that are neatly confounded and confronted by the actual content of the comics.  "Waiting for Reinforcements" is a story of the destruction of a small force lead by a white European by the Berbers, short, violent and funny it raises some interesting questions. The images of the Berbers, similar to all the non-European characters in the stories are grotesque caricatures. It is entirely a part of the art style of the early 20th century that Joost Swarte uses, in a contemporary context the art  has a distinctively different impact. Artists make choices and so do readers about how to interpret those choices, in this case I think the images can never escape their racist roots and cannot be cleaned or recycled with any amount of irony.
Some of the stories feature Jopo De Pojo, a man wearing Tintin trousers and a fabulous, gravity defying mohawk. Jopo is never lucky, his adventures move in odd directions, often swirling around him without his noticing. In "One Chance in One Hundred Thousand" Jopo becomes unwittingly involved in faked kidnap plot, and finds that rewards are not all they seem.
"Goodbye" is about a police investigation of a rash of suicides, it is consistently unexpected, funny and very sharp. "Babel Revisited", a science fiction story is my favorite in the collection. It is clever, nicely set up and has a great mad science idea all delivered with restrained art that makes the the most of the ideas.
The range of stories is impressive, from long awaited revenge to a crime story about the return of a criminal overlord to the adventures of a used condom.
What unites the collection is Joost Swartes's beautiful art and astonishing design sense. The old fashioned art is done with commitment and care, it is clearly a wholehearted artistic choice. What elevates the art is the way that each panel is filled with details that never crowd out the space or dilute the intended impact of the panel. The way that the art is designed within each panel, the panels designed together and the pages work as a whole is unobtrusively brilliant. All of the elements, other that the visible story elements, do not call attention to them selves, yet they all add depth and clarity to the content, giving strong physical contexts for the action. A whole world is comprehensively conjured up in a single panel at the start of "The Clock Strikes" , the cast at the nightclub are expressive and complete in themselves. It creates exactly the right  tone for the shifting tones of the story that unfolds.
Joost Swarte is a superb comic creator, this collection is a pleasure to read, linger over and savor in spite of some very questionable choices.

Valen the Outcast. Volume 2: Death Eternal. Michael Alan Nelson (Writer), Matteo Scalera (Art), Archie Van Buren (Colours), Ed Dukshire (Letters), BOOM! Studios (2012)

Superb conclusion to a story that puts heart into sword and sorcery without ever compromising on the action. Valen Brand, undead ex-king of Oakhaven is on a journey to recover his soul from the necromancer Korrus Null with his companions Zjanna and Alexio Cordovan. After an encounter with Furies who hate trespassesr on thier seas and a battering meeting with the ghost of his wife, Valen and the other finally make landfall. Their troubles, of course are only starting as the threats they face, including a skulk, a group of women warriors who Zajanna used to belong to, are nothing to the danger they face when they arrive at the court of Korrus Null.The action never flags, the reveals are clever and meaty, the finale surprising and very fitting.
What had started out as a great sword and sorcery action story with a smart plot, engaging cast and tremendous action develops in a most unexpected and satisfying way. The action is as fast as ever, what changes is that as the plot reveals itself it also adds depth and force to the cast, giving them a more resonant context for their actions and reactions. The story becomes more than straightforward recovery and revenge, love,loss, grief and the depths of friendship all come to the fore without every being plastered onto the the story. They arise naturally from the cast and the way choices they make under dreadful circumstances.
Sword and sorcery trades in simple big stories and concepts and Michael  Alan Nelson has a confident sure grasp of this, at the same time he has realised that action give you the room for more subtle moments that add force to the swordplay.
Matteo Scalara'a art is angular and explosive where required and great at the detail as well, This range means that the full scope of the story can be shown, the action when it comes is not just physical, it is a reflection of the character and their choices. The is a great deal of interplay between the cast that gets the sly detail of face and body language to get right and Matteo Scalara provide it.
Archie Van Buren's colours glow and are simply fantastic, they give an extra dimension to the whole story, they highten the contrast where needed, the pick out details and give definition to the context. They capture the heightened  and deliberately alien context that sword and sorcery works best in. Ed Dukeshire's letters are unobtrusive and effective when required and smashingly effective when just the right sound effect is called for.
The women of the skulk are dressed in the usual skimpy garments that are absurd for any fighter, there is minimal protection and maximum exposure. In a small and very telling moment a smart explanation is provided for it. The whole combined story resonates with this kind of thoughtful respect for the reader, small details that take the cast and the story seriously enough so that the reader is taken seriously too. A great story and a wonderful comic.

The Cup of Ghosts. Paul Doherty. Headline (2006)

Wonderfully confident and engaging historical murder mystery. Mathilde of Westminister comes to England as the confidential servant and friend of Princess Isabella, daughter of Phillip of France and wife of Edward II. Mathilde entered Isabella's household as a safe place to hide, her uncle and mentor was a leading member of the Knights Templar who were destroyed by Phillip who wanted their treasures.Isabella needed someone she could trust and Mathilde, with her life threatening secret was the right person. With an uneasy and unstable peace between England and France, the marriage of Isabella and Edward was a sign of peace and reconciliation. When Mathilde discovers a merchant and his household murdered it is the start of a series of murders that will lead to the cup of ghosts. The reveals are very well staged, the context vivid and the cast are sharp and full of life.
The story is a first person narrative which can be hard to manage in a historical context, enough information has to be provided so the cast look and act naturally in their context with out drowning the reader in information or reading like a guided tour of the period. Paul Docherty has the confident knowledge and talent to make it look easy. Mathilde is moving through a world in severe transition, the world she is talking about is already history for those in her present, and she moves as a stranger into the French court and then to England. She has the perfect reason to explain what is new to her and provide both the required details and explanations as a essential part of her narrative.
Mathilde is a great guide through the murky and murderous world of high politics of the period, she has trained to be observant and to draw conclusions from her observations as pas physician, she is close enough to the heart of power to see what is going on and distant enough to allow the plot mechanics operate successfully. The rest of the cast emerge very much as Mathilde sees them, Isabelle as a seriously underestimated woman who has a burning wish for revenge on those who abused her, Edward as a mercurial man who is cursed to never forget or forgive an insult. Gaveston, Edward's favorite and tool used by Edward to cut at the great English aristocracy who had fatally wounded his pride. All stride through the story will steely determination to gain their aims, unaware that that there were others who had plans and the willingness to use any means to achieve them.
The mix of history, motive and plot mechanics is superbly done, costumes change, lust for power and greed for dominance never ages.
Other Voices, Other Views:
http://classicmystery.wordpress.com/2011/09/10/the-cup-of-ghosts-by-paul-doherty/
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/793055.The_Cup_of_Ghosts

The City of Shifting Waters. P. Christin (Writer), J.C. Mezierers (Art) Jerome Saincantin (Translator). Cinebook Ltd. (2010)

Engaging and enjoyable action science fiction about time traveling agents of the Terran Empire in the 28th century. Valerian and Laureline work for the Spatio-Temporal Agents Service which prevent unauthourised time travelers from interfering in history. Valerian is sent back to New York in 1986 to capture Xombul, a dangerous megalomaniac. New York is in ruins, the ice caps have melted as a result of a nuclear explosion and the city is steadily drowning. Valerian encounters a gang of looters in his search for Xombul and is rescued by Laureline. The story has great pace, the reveals are nicely staged and the finale clever.
One of the very nice aspects to the story is that neither Vaerian or Laureline are standard issue action heroes, they use their brains to adapt to the circumstances as they encounter them. They have no prior knowledge of the era as there were very few surviving details, this gives them a chance to be surprised by the conditions and makes their responses sharper and fresher. The rest of the cast are as well thought out, Sun Rae the leader of the looters in New York  has a keen eye for the possibilities that Valerian & Laureline bring with them. The details of the the drowning city are clever and thoughtful, the plot has nice twists that keep the inevitable at bay for as long as possible. The story avoids a lot of the headaches that come with time travel stories by simply ignoring them in favour of pushing ahead with the adventure.
J.C. Mezieres' art is nicely cartoony, the cast are well define and fit well into the context. The details of the drowning city, deserted by those who could get away and being reclaimed by water and plants is done with care. In particular a storm that brings the final destruction of the city is done very well.
The comic was written in the 1970's and feels a bit text heavy, this does not distract or detract from the story once you get used to it. The straightforward nature of the narrative serve it well, the adventure has no sub-text about the past, it is simply an opportunity to create an interesting context for a genre staple. Doing the straightforward well is very hard, there is no where for the writer or artist to hide if the make a mistake or lose momentum. The care and craft that went into this book is hidden behind the success of the story, lighthearted adventurous science fiction delivered with precision.
Other Voices, Other Views:
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2010/city-of-shifting-waters-a-classic-i-just-cant-see-it/
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/18535.html
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7810429-the-city-of-shifting-waters

Eerie Presents El Cid. Budd Lewis, Gerry Boudreau, Bill Bubay, Jeff Rovin (Writers), Gonzalo Mayo (Art) Dark Horse Books (2012)

Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, known as El Cid, an eleventh century military leader who lead both Christians and Moors into battle, is one of the greatest heroes in Spain. The El Cid of this book is a towering sword & sorcery warrior who travels through a mythical version of eleventh century  Spain fighting, trolls, wizards and demons. Taking the legend of El Cid as a departure point these extraordinary stories push the boundaries of the genre in all the right ways.Whether  El Cid is fighting a troll, a wizard to find a missing royal spy or the seven curses of a a dying enemy, he is flamboyant, cunning, thoughtful and unmatched with a sword.
In a genre where purple prose is a requirement Budd Lewis' words are rich and ornate, they need to be savoured as much as read. The language is a decoration that helps define and elevate the project beyond a run of the mill dragon and wizard slaughter fest. El Cid is a Spanish nobleman and his language reflects this, it is as much part of him as his sword.
Gonzalo Mayo's incredible art, dripping with detail requires and repays time and attention. Each panel needs to be read closely and the interaction between the words and the art is critical, each strongly reinforces and reveals the other. If either were less overwrought the balance of the comic would fail.
One of the remarkable aspects of the comic is how it requires the reader to slow down and positively read the action. The density of the art and script means that it a comic that requires patience to read and enjoy to the full.
The creative tension between the historical context for the stories and the requirements of the genre are fruitful, they give the stories a solid context that can be one of the hardest aspects of the genre to achieve. The politics of the court and the Spanish/Moorish conflict are used with considerable effect and balance the shifts into fantasy very well. El Cid always feels like a human hero even as he battles wizards, he is never outsize or absurd. The loyalty of his followers has a genuine ring to it as does his willingness to use his brain as much as his sword.
An unusual, unexpected and delightful comic.
Other Voices, Other Views:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15897231-eerie-presents
http://fanboycomics.net/blogs/ben-rhodes/1753-eerie-presents-el-cid-advance-hardcover-review

The Manhattan Projects. Volume 1. Jonathan Hickman (Writer), Nick Pitarra (Art), Jordie Bellaire (Colours). Rus Wooton (Letters). Image Comics 2012

A Catherine wheel of mad science science fiction, throwing off ideas that sparkle brightly while following a spiral story path of its own. Robert Oppenhheimer is recruited into the Manhattan Projects, the building of the atomic bomb is camouflage for the real work being done in absurd physics and impossible science under the guidance of General Leslie Goves. The story unfolds in a extraordinary fashion, the reveals are breathtaking and the ideas are a constant delight and joy.
With a cast that includes President Roosevelt having a post life existence as an artificial intelligence system, Albert Einstein locked in contemplation of a stone object, Wernher Von Braun with a robot arm and a story that bends and folds like sentient origami that gets a fleeting mention the book is in constant danger of crumbling under its own weight. That it does not do so, that it in fact it steadily gathers pace and momentum as the pieces start to line up together is amazing. Jonathan Hickman has a steely discipline that keeps all the moving parts precisely moving in harmony. This harmony is not apparent on the surface and it takes a while for it to become clear that the story is very considerably more than a random collection of ingenious mad science ideas.
As the  plot mechanics start to engage the sharp edges of the story start to become clearer and the hints and apparent non sequiturs become links in the story chain. The cast are deeply engaging, never simply useful shorthand for ideas, they have strong personal voices and personalities. They move through the strange landscape of the story bringing their own histories with them that add depth and humanity to the bizarre and unexpected. This is vital as the story unfolds the strange humanity of the cast gives force and dark edge to the events.
Nick Pitarra's art is so good that it is impossible to imagine that any other version would capture the delicate balance of the story without tilting it a little too much in one direction or another. The human cast are astonishing in their expressiveness and physical presence in the context. They teeter on the edge of caricature and never become it, reflecting exactly the tension of the story.
The colours by Jordie Bellaire are a full scale character in theior own right, the give the tone of the book and art an extra dimension that is so natural that they almost vanish from recognition. They are exactly the colours of mad science and scientific madness. Rus Wotton's letters are subtle and effective, giving extra expressiveness to the cast. Amazing, exhilarating science fiction, a joy.
Other Voices, Other Views:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15736709-the-manhattan-projects-volume-1-science-bad 
http://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/comic-reviews/3597-comic-review-the-manhattan-projects-volume-1