Summer Reading: Afterlife with Archie

A few covers from the series (from top left to right) Tim Seeley,  Dave Devries, 

and Francesco Franacvilla. 

True confession: I have never been a reader of Archie comic books. That is, until now. I, like most, have always possessed a passing familiarity with the cast: Archie Andrews, Jughead, Bettie, Veronica, Sabrina, Hot Dog and others. Without having spent much time thumbing through the Archie Digest Comics at the supermarket check-out lane, I have somehow come to know these characters. I also know that I am not alone. Thanks to the success of the current CW Riverdale television show (also streaming on Netflix) a whole new generation of viewers may well insure the Archie empire spanning for another 70+ (!) years. The television show’s success combined with the 2015 relaunch of the flagship series, Archie, likely will at the very least keep these characters within the cultural zeitgeist.

The publisher of Archie comics has long been aware of the iconic status of their characters and unlike other cape-centered comic book publishers, they have used this to their advantage for many years, the recent update notwithstanding. Whereas Batman, Spider-man and Superman are frequently being “re-made” to suit the plotting of their respective writers, “Archie-kins”, and the dynamics of his relationships with secondary characters, has been something of a constant. Which brings me to the most recent expansion of, and my first formal foray into, the Archie-verse: Afterlife with Archie.

Had never heard of Archie's dog Vegas prior to this series, 

but won't forget him now.

Afterlife with Archie is that rare comic book that is likely best read in trade (though I remain committed to the single issue format) if only for getting the complete story in one piece. The sum of the pieces might take a while to make whole though. The first issue of Afterlife with Archie was published back in 2013 and after almost five years, only nine of twelve originally solicited issues have seen publication. But what a run it has been this far!

From the first page, storytellers Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla craft a unique vision of the familiar Archie cast as survivors of a zombie apocalypse with its beginnings in Riverdale. Both creators are known (and respected) commodities through their individual work in other comic books, Aguirre-Sacasa as the writer of the complete 30 issue run of Marvel Knights 4 (2004—06) and artist Francavilla from a multitude of variant covers such as those for Dynamite’s Lone Ranger series as well as his own pulpy The Black Beetle (2012).

Each issue includes a secondary 

reprint of classic supernatural stories. 

The chief narrative difference between this Archie and the traditional comic book series, and one shared by other titles in the “Archie Horror” publishing family, is that no character is safe from being (literally) eaten alive. To reveal too much would ruin the surprise, but from issue 1 on, people die violently. Even those characters that one may not know well, such as Archie’s dog Vegas are given strong, if small, character moments. Because Francavilla’s stark and stylized artwork is not particularly detailed, his use of (limited color) and Aguirre-Sacasa’s dialogue is used to maximum emotional effect.

As mentioned, the inconsistent publishing schedule of Afterlife with Archie can frustrate if you are impatient, especially for single issue readers. (I avoided this by buying up the ten issues of the series over a few weeks from my local comic book shop.) The first five issues of the series are available in trade paperback entitled Escape from Riverdale. A second trade, the very-spoilery titled Betty: R.I.P., was solicited (as were issues 11 and 12) but all three have been subsequently cancelled. Based on what I have seen in issues 6 through 10, Cthulhu and Sabrina fans will not be disappointed.

Here's to hoping that Aguirre-Sacasa and Francavilla soon return to conclude the current arc. Given the easy accessibility of these iconic characters, even in a unique setting, as well as the high quality of the content, waiting patience will surely be rewarded.

Seen It (Again): Pacific Rim (2013)

My son and I went to see Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim when it was released two summers ago, and, like many, we left the theater disappointed. We had entered with high expectations of a modern Godzilla-type movie and walked out let down. As a both a fan of Toho's Godzilla movies in youth and a parent who had shared these beloved films with his son, I was hoping for a theatrical experience over which to bond. In retrospect, much of our criticism lay with the performance of the male lead as well as the difficulty in processing the multiple visual and sound stimuli being thrown at us.

This kaiju let down did not, however, dissuade me from continuing to watch, and in some case re-watch for the umpteenth time, classic giant monster movies. In the months since seeing Pacific Rim, I have rewatched a number of relatively "modern" Japanese-produced kaiju movies from both Toho (including Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)) and Daiei (the mid-Nineties Gamera trilogy) Motion Picture Studios. While I enjoyed each of these films, with so many tonal similarities with Pacific Rim, I began to think that maybe I had been wrong in my dismissal of del Toro's giant monster movie.

This past Monday our school had a snow day, and I took advantage of the morning to re-watch Pacific Rim. The original from 1954 and the most recent American adaptation, Godzilla (2014), not withstanding, Godzilla films have never really been about serious actors and serious issues. My Godzilla was the ping-pong ball-eyed hero of Japan (1973's Godzilla vs. Megalon will always be my personal gold standard) who regularly bonded with orphans and latch-key kids while battling an assortment of mutated animals, aliens and pollutants. While the too-serious Godzilla (2014) definitely forgot that (as well as the epic battles), my hazy recollection of Pacific Rim was that it had been less about serious issues and more about simple, giant monsters and robots fighting.

My Godzilla, circa 1974.

Upon further review, Pacific Rim really did get much more right than wrong, and was a surprisingly more rewarding film experience on our 40" flat-screen than in the movie theater. Among the things I had noticed initially as negatives but appreciated later as plusses, were the flat human characters that peopled the movie. Truth is, while Charlie Hunnam as Raleigh Beckett will never be mistaken for Laurence Olivier, or even Mel Gibson, he did effectively fill the role of bland, plot-mover quite nicely. Nobody remembers the lead actors in Godzilla movies, a universal truth which Hunnam illustrates fully. (Fortunately, for those not inclined to accept the old kaiju tropes, most of the other actors such as Idris Elba and Rinko Kikuchi didn't get that memo and are surprisingly charismatic and engaging despite bringing to life broadly written characters.)

I would also suggests that the story itself is far more ambitious than given credit. Rather than setting his "giant monster movie" within an easily recognizable world, del Toro and credited co-writer Travis Beachum opt to create a modern, post-origin world already effected by the emergence of its primary threat. While Godzilla did indeed battle aliens from Planet X very early in his filmography, the primary settings always represented a presented day Japan aesthetic (Godzilla Final Wars being the most obvious departure with it's airborne battle ships and G-Force).

The bottom line: Pacific Rim is much more entertaining than I originally gave it credit for and is that unique movie that improves with repeated viewings... at least to this old school kaiju fan.

Comic Bookshelf: March: Book One

The opening scene in March written by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin
with art by Nate Powell.

Though we have only been back to classes for two weeks, and that on the heels of of a two week Winter Break, today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which of course means no school. Last week, in anticipation of the long weekend, when I reminded students that we would be out of class today, they were naturally excited. Sadly, those who have arguably been most positively impacted by the work of Dr. King and his contemporaries were completely unaware as to the reason for the day off. In many ways, despite good intentions many of us lose sight of the reason for recognizing the achievements of Dr. King. This may because we (and more reasonably, high school students) tend to think in the here-and-now, with little practical connection to our national history.

Occasionally, popular media reminds us of the steps that have been taken thus far, and those strides that are still being attempted, however stilted the gait, toward racial equality. One such powerful reminder that I recall picking up two years ago was the very successful, and honored, graphic novel, March written by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin with art by Eisner Award-winning illustrator Nate Powell.

March: Book One, published by Top Shelf Productions, is the first of a planned trilogy of graphic novels following the life and career of Civil Rights activist and United States Congressman John Lewis (GA, Fifth Congressional District). As the only living member of the "Big Six", Lewis's perspective is unique given his activities on behalf of Civil Rights, including the personal challenges he faced in rising from humble beginnings. Though he ultimately reached elected office and was present at the inauguration of our nation's first African-American president, it was Lewis presence at Edmund Pettus Bridge outside Selma, Alabama, on March 7.

Transition to Lewis' humble
beginnings (page 7).

Much more than a retelling of Congressman Lewis's life, March takes us through multiple historical moments during the Civil Rights Movements. Deftly moving from time period to time period, the storytelling structure allows the reader to experience both the "big" recognizable historical moments as well as the smaller, less publicized interactions with his moments that reflect Lewis personal commitment to continuing the work begun in Selma.

page 73

Though the story told is not new, the graphic novel format employed here is. While the story of Lewis's rise from sharecropper's son to U.S. Congressman has been previously told in his autobiography, Walking with the Wind (1998), Nate Powell's beautiful artwork gives added heft and weight to the visual orientated culture of today. In alternatively soft and stark blacks, whites and grays, Powell creatively uses both panels and wide splash pages to keep the kinetic energy of Lewis's life moving forward in a manner that engages and educates.

One of the challenges of commenting on such widely reviewed works such as March: Book One is that, in most cases, others have already done so in a way that better explains the work's value. If you need further convincing of March: Book One's effectiveness as either an educational tool or quality reading experience, here are a few choice reviews from websites I frequent:

• The Comics Journal Review by Robert Kirby (October 23, 2013)
• Comic Book Resources  Review by Jim Johnson (August 14th, 2013)
• NY Times Sunday Book Review by Ken Tucker (November 21, 2013)

March: Book One is deserving of consideration for reasons both artistic and educational, much as Art Spiegelman's Maus: A Survivor's Tale has (rightly) become the "go-to" graphic novel for high school approved book lists and libraries. Just as Maus has been successful in both connecting the horrors of the holocaust with modern readers (and extending the genre's acceptability by educators), March has the potential  to reframe in an accessible way for young readers the hardships, triumphs and individual contributions of those involved in the Civil Rights movement.

The follow up volume, March: Book Two, will be released in book stores tomorrow.

Seen It: Young Detective Dee: The Rise of the Sea Dragon (2013)

Releasing expensive (and potentially lucrative) prequels/sequels to successful movies is a money-making creative decision common not just too Hollywood, but in other film-making markets internationally. Regardless of the country of origin, prequels/sequels often fall into certain pitfalls such as thinking bigger (more villains, larger threats, higher stakes) is better without concern for narrative quality.

Tsui Hark's 2010 Chinese-Hong Kong action hit Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Secret Flame, (a movie I reviewed previously) spawned a prequel, and unlike lesser movie fare, it proves a worthy follow-up. Returning to Young Detective Dee: The Rise of the Sea Dragon (2013) is the creative force behind the original, director/producer Tsui Hark, while Andy Lau is replaced as Detective Dee by Taiwanese-Canadian actor Mark Chao. Not surprisingly, the contrast between each film's lead actor reflects some key general differences: whereas Lau's Dee was grizzled and driven my a sense of dark foreboding, Chao's younger protagonist is quirky, confident and surprisingly romantic.

With a narrative rooted in Chinese history, providing a quick summary is difficult, and once again Barnes and Noble does so more succinctly than I ever could: "The bustling capital city of Luoyang has come under attack from a powerful force from the depths of the ocean, threatening the entire Celestial Empire. Dispatched by Minister Yan to investigate for the Da Lisi, Detective Dee (Mark Chao) quickly learns that two dragons have appeared in the capital. Meanwhile, the newly crowned Empress Wu (Carina Lau, reprising her role from Mystery of the Secret Flame) has ordered Detective Luchi to investigate as well. Later, the sea monster attacks a ceremonial procession, spreading a wave of chaos throughout the city. When Dee uncovers evidence of a conspiracy implicating the most prominent members of the Imperial Family, he is imprisoned for treason. Now Dee's only hope for exposing the truth behind the bizarre events unfolding in Luoyang is to investigate the radiant courtesan Yin (Angelababy), but in order to do that he'll first need to escape prison with a little help from Shatuo Zhong (Lin Gengxin). Once Dee is free, the race is on to save the city, and expose the treachery that threatens to topple the empire."

Actor Lin Gengxin (pictured right) plays the Robin to Mark Chao's Batman (left).

Beyond the expected wire-fu combat (once again choreographed by the legendary Sammo Hung),  Tsui conceptualizes Dee's powers of deduction (bordering on psychic abilities in the earlier movie) in a variety of ways that give our protagonist the appearance of being superhuman. Early on the film, Dee's ability to read lips is shown visually in a manner reminiscent of Spider-man's spider sense in Sam Riami's original trilogy. Quite a bit of the way objects and scenes interact with the camera (and therefore audience) also seem to suggest a movie that had been intended for release in 3D: ships splinter into the audience's face, weapons come toward the screen, and the camera pans through open porticoes. The special effects have a more obvious CGI appearance than the previous film, but this is liekly due to its use rather than its execution. In (old) Detective Dee, most of the special effects were used to depict backgrounds and architecture; in Young Detective Dee, the narrative requires more interaction by the actors with various CGI elements such as ships on the ocean under attack or giant monsters.

The performances are strong and Chao plays Dee as smart and quirky, but with a naivete playing the younger version allows; Chao's Dee always has something brewing. His relationship with impromptu sidekick Shatuo Zhong (Lin Gengxin) is presented as a respectful, collaborative one rather than for laughs, a refreshing dynamic given some action filmmakers' crutch of using minor characters for comic relief. Many of the nuanced actions and interactions between Dee and Zhong seem to reflect or suggest things that result in the older Dee character from the first film. My sense is that some of the characterization groundwork laid in Rise of the Sea Dragon will come into clearer view after a re-watch of The Secret Flame.

Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon is an effective and entertaining historical action film with strong performances and suitably cartoony effects that do not detract form the overall viewing experience. It is best viewed with the original, to which it is a prequel. Both are available for instant online viewing via Netflix.