The main thrust of Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer is entirely summed up by its title as the wooden boy protects his small village by killing vampire invaders. And since lie-telling turns him into a mobile wooden stake factory, Pinocchio is quite the competent slayer of the undead. While fighting the evil that has infected his home of Nasolungo, he investigates origin of the vampires and what exactly is turning his world into a darker and more violent place.
So, even though the book has already been well praised, I’ll just add my voice to the consensus. Van Jensen created a tightly told story of a darker Pinocchio with Higgins’ artwork reflecting that darkness without making it off-limits to younger readers. And lets be honest that the youngsters and teens are who this is really aimed at, not the middle-aged curmudgeons on the Web. It’s a smart move on Higgins’ and Van Jensen’s part, as it allows them to get the book into libraries and schools. If comics are going to thrive, it will depend on a younger generation of readers to continue breaking them out of the superhero tar pit. It’s good to know that something as fun and well told as Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer is part of that. Well done, fellows.
Space Raoul
Story and Art: Jamie Smart
SLG Publishing (Slave Labor Graphics)
Space Raoul is a fun and well-illustrated collection of Jamie Smart’s newspaper work following space captain Raoul around the galaxy. Raoul is a typical science fiction hero, a wide-eyed and adventurous … lump? … complete with space helmet, laser blaster, and bubble pipe. Raoul and sidekick Quibble travel across space while generally making a well-meaning mess of things.
I wasn’t sure what to expect out of Space Raoul after reading UbuBubu. Ubu Bubu is very much oriented towards those us who enjoy offensive poop and fart jokes. (You know, people with actual senses of humor.) Space Raoul has the same sense of absurdity from Smart’s previous work without the dirty bits. Raoul’s innocent arrogance and careless attitude made for some very funny stories and showed that Smart isn’t merely a one-trick potty-humor creator. Space Raoul is fun, funny, and worth a look if you like absurdist humor.
So, my promise of SLG week has not come to pass due partially to technical issues but mostly to job interference. (For some reason, they expect me to actually complete the work as part of getting paid! The jerks!) And, I’m still figuring out the scheduling of how to work on the site at a regular pace, keep up the posting, and work through the backlog of comics while still doing justice to the great reading material out there. So, this is turning from SLG Week to SLG Two Weeks. The same amount of fun, but spread across more time! Who could ask for more?
Well, everyone could ask for more, but you’re getting this instead. Suck it, Internet.
Tiki Joe Mysteries Vol. 1
Story and Art: Mark Murphy (with some inks by J.E. Smith)
SLG Publishing (Slave Labor Graphics)
Tiki Joe Mysteries is a short but fun graphic novel set in 1959 Las Vegas. Two stories are included: “The Pay Off” and “The High Stakes Patsy.” Our protagonist Joe runs a tiki bar along with his World War II buddies, and they end up defeating a mob boss and a diamond theft ring. Although the guys may dress up in tiki masks borrowed from the bar, there aren’t any superheroics. The stories are very much straightforward noir with a little bit badass crew mixed with some knight in shining armor.
There isn’t much mystery to the stories. The guys discover the sources of their troubles very quickly, and most of the story follows them figuring out exactly how to carry out their solutions. The resolutions usually involve putting on the masks and giving someone a sound thrashing. Typical, but still fun.
Given the recent success of Mad Men, Tiki Joe seems like the perfect world for another TV show with a historical-ish setting. Think of it as a little like the A-Team but with snazzy suits, classy dames, better writing, and a whole lot of beatdowns. Maybe Hollywood is too reality-show focused to see the brilliance anytime soon, but the graphic novel offers enough enjoyment for the rest of us right now. Definitely worth a read.
Tupelo: The World’s Forgotten Boy
Writer: Matt DeGennaro; Pencils, Inks: Phil Elliott
SLG Publishing (Slave Labor Graphics)
Tupelo is the only item out of my SLG purchase that didn’t grab me. It’s the story of late 70’s punk band Famous Monsters with one member who had superpowers. Or perhaps he was a crazy homeless guy who was slowly going crazier due to his drug habit and was eventually put in a mental institution. Or maybe it was about a totally different guy and his rage against society and final standoff. Or maybe it was something else entirely. Honestly, I couldn’t tell. The story was disjointed and continually left me wondering what it was I was reading. I simply couldn’t follow any of the threads.
While the story didn’t work for me, the art was quite good. Phil Elliott’s work kept me turning the pages even when the story didn’t compel. The characters, backgrounds, and layout worked to tell their own story of New York City and Greenwich Village which was interesting by itself. While I can’t recommend the story to other potential readers, the art is definitely worth checking out.
