Run Reader: Dark Ages (2014)

Capatin Hawkherst makes first contact in issue 1 of Dark Ages.

Long a sucker for genre mash-ups in both movies and comic books, Dark Horse Comics' 2014 four issue mini-series Dark Ages nicely scratches the itch by bringing together two of my fave genres, science-fiction and medieval action. Unaware of the title when it was originally published, I first came across Dark Ages on the back issue rack on a rare low new-release Wednesday.

Cover to issue 2 by
series artist
I.N.J. Culbard.

The creative team behind another excellent genre blending project, Vertigo's The New Deadwardians, writer Dan Abnett (of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy comic renown) and artist I.N.J. Culbard once again bring well-researched comic book action to the table. Set in 1333 Europe, an age during which God is feared and the violent skills of sell-swords are in demand, Dark Ages follows the conflict between medieval warriors come face-to-face with "demons." The twist is that the demons are not from Hell, as our character's assume, but rather alien invaders from space.

Utilizing a shifting pair of protagonists, Captain Hawkherst and his second in command, "Lucifer" Galvin, Abnett quickly establishes the world wary nature of our heroes. As Hawkherst explains, the group move from battle to battle thereby embracing the violence of their time as "A dark age [like] that will keep us fed and in steady employment. We would prosper in such an age." While Hawkherst hopes to respond to a potentially lucrative call-to-arms from French royalty, an impromptu invasion from outer space, ultimately set in an austere monastery comes calling first.

The conflict is ultimately joined on both sides by unique characters each reflecting clever twists on common genre tropes. The order of silent monks who populate the monastery are revealed to be harboring a secret understanding of what is happening, dead "rise" in support of the invading "devils," and an unlikely robotic ally (who also shares a name with an angel) keeps the proceedings fresh as all move toward a climactic final confrontation.

I.N.J. Culbard's clean and colorful artwork is very reminiscent of the style often employed to great effect in many of Dark Horse's Mignola-verse titles such as B.P.R.D and Lobster Johnson. In Dark Ages, the artwork helps to ground the intergalactic-medieval characters. After working similarly with the aforementioned New Deadwardians, Culbard, is one artists whose work I would add to my pull list sight unseen--there is a fun energy in his engaging style despite some occasionally heavy or morbid content.

Though some of the elements it chooses to mash-up, Dark Ages is incredibly well-executed and work as a self-contained action adventure sci-fi tale. Revolutionary twist and tuns are not always necessary. As a reader, sit is often enough to be drawn into a story well told (and drawn) with just enough variations on a standard (non-standard) story. Dark Ages is very likely still available in my preferred format (single issues) on your local comic shops' back issue rack in addition to being offered as a trade paperback through larger vendors.

From Dark Ages #3, the "angel" Aphrael explains to "Lucifer" their
 circumstances using spiritual tropes a sci-fi context.

Captain Hawkherst retruns, with cyber-enhancements, for the series' big finale.

Summer Reading: Life of Pi

Though summer break doesn't officially begin for me until June 29, I began my annual summer reading a little early this year, by completing a book I have been "reading" for nearly two years now. Let me explain: I usually have anywhere from 4-6 different novels that I'm working on between pre- or re-reading works that I teach in my classes. Additionally, I read anywhere from 3-10 comic books weekly, as well as assorted graphic novels, newspapers, and magazines.

Some novels grab me instantly and they're read straight through in a few days (Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry or Che: A Revolutionary Life by Jon Lee Anderson being the two most recent) while some take a while to catch fire for me. Yann Martel's tremendously successful novel Life of Pi has long been on my bookshelf, begun only in fits and starts. For whatever reason, I picked it up once about a week ago and it clicked. A fictional survivalist-adventure (with a healthy dose of spirituality), Life of Pi recounts the now familiar fictitious story of Piscene "Pi" Molitor Patel's  227 days at sea following a shipwreck with only two survivors, Pi and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

Though not often the case with popular (translation: financially successful) novels, Life of Pi's greatest attribute, in addition to the ability to move over 10 million copies, is its multiple layers of potential reading value: for the recreational/book club reader there is much to consider, discuss, and entertain. For those seeking opportunities for deeper literary analysis, Pi's narrative structure and unusual character development and conflict also leave much open to reasonable analysis. Modern in its use of a varying storytelling strategies (Martel plays with a number of points-of-view and typographical approaches), Pi offers the reader the choice as to whether or not they wish to dig deeply. Failing to do so, sometimes one just wants to read a book rather than dissect it along the way, Pi still delivers some surprising twists.

I'm not entirely sure why I failed to connect with Martel's novel until recently, except to say that sometimes books reveal themselves to you when you need them. I was looking for some escapist reading with an engaging structure and approach and--wallah!--there was Life of Pi! In the spirit of one of the novels's key themes, when I needed an entertainment, Pi was the either the story I chose, or that chose me, to kick of a summer of stimulating (fingers crossed!) reading.

Comic Bookshelf: Noah (2014)

Aronofsky's Noah makes some difficult choices
 in an effort to achieve his purpose.

The cover to Noah.

Publisher: Image Comics
Writers: Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel
Illustrator: Nico Henrichon
Letterer: Nicholas Senegas
Price: $29.99

In recent months I've found myself reading more mini-series and graphic novels with insular narratives. As a result my comic bookshelf has grown as my comic book pull sheet has fluctuated. Graphic novels, in-particular, offer a unique opportunity to the reader to go in recognizing that in all likelihood (barring a sequel) the worlds they enter and the story being told, will conclude at the book's end.

Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky has dabbled in the form before. Previously, when his film 2006 movie The Fountain was released in theaters, a graphic novel adaptation of his original script, including some plot elements that did not make it into the movie, was published by Vertigo. A few weeks ago, to coincide with the  big screen release of Noah (2014), starring Russell Crowe, Image Comics released a deluxe edition, hardcover graphic novel based on Aronofsky's script. While this was not originally on my "must read" list, after coming across some Nico Henrichon sketches from the book, I asked by local comic shop to order one for me.

Huge in scope and detailed in execution.

Having not seen the movie, I can only review the book Noah on its own merits. The artwork is clearly not created with the actors involved as models, and for a story of this nature that proves a good thing. Detail in execution with an almost watercolor like quality to the coloring, Noah reveals itself like a complex series of storyboards with a heavy emphasis on storytelling visuals. The dialogue that is present serves only to offer exposition, as the artwork clearly communicates the large action set pieces depicted.

As characterized by the writers and artists involved, this Noah is a much more shamanistic in appearance and action than the one most will recall from the Old Testament. In truth, the Biblical basis for the character offers little more than thin story devoid of much beyond a superficial character outline, so by necessity, Aronofsky is tasked with creating more three-dimensional character, complete with a denser backstory. In addition to borrowing obvious plot beats from the Bible, the backstory adds what seems logical (?) and sensible suggestions as to our protagonist's motivations behind building the ark and how the ark's construction comes to pass.

Two-by-two, the animal kingdom aids Noah...

Make no mistake though, as the back of the book reminds the reader, this is a work of "Fantasy/Mythology," albeit it one unafraid to build the myth using pieces alluded to in biblical text. An effort to marry the fantastic and religious elements through the use of scriptural quotes to reinforce the artists' interpretation of the stories (including Creation), put forth therein.

At $29.99, Noah is not inexpensive, but the high quality of its presentation and the clear energy and effort on display does make it a highly re-readable book. Unlike some more disposable entertainment product out there (most books, DVDs, and comic-book tie-ins), I am certain find myself revisiting Aronofsky, Handel and Henrichon's Noah. Even better I look forward to sharing my copy and recommending the purchase of this beautiful book with others.

Rating: 5/5