I'm from the other side of the island Kate Beaton grew up on and I'm living not terribly far from where mosThis book felt profoundly important to me.
I'm from the other side of the island Kate Beaton grew up on and I'm living not terribly far from where most of this book is set. My experiences have been different, of course, but everything Beaton writes rings true. You notice it in the little things: buildings that look familiar, or that you realize looked like that in the years her story was taking place, or the way she draws certain documents, or realizing you might have a very vague connection to one of the people who die in an accident in the book, and then that sense of nailing it extends outward to the issues she's covering. There's a landscape drawing of Cape Breton early in the book that looks like a photo that hangs on my mother's wall, except they're from two slightly different angles.
What makes the book really special is that she gives people a fair hearing, and tries to understand where they're coming from. The stuff about the old guys in the book really rings true to me. Ducks transcends culture war bullshit and becomes real literature, important beyond the confines of the time and place she's writing about.
The only demerit I would issue is that I think in the end, the oil sands get off a little bit too lightly. Giving a few thousand pay cheques to Maritimers doesn't make up for the fact that this industry is destroying our ability to live on this planet and poisoning the water downstream on the Athabasca. But then, what the fuck am I doing about it? Nothing. And I know too many people who, like Beaton, have had a better life because the money they've made in this place.
So I dunno. It's a heartbreaking work and all the better for it....more
Think I liked these two stories (Like a Sniper Lining Up His Shot and Run Like Crazy, Run Like Hell) more than the Manchette novels they're based on (Think I liked these two stories (Like a Sniper Lining Up His Shot and Run Like Crazy, Run Like Hell) more than the Manchette novels they're based on (The Prone Gunman and The Mad and the Bad). Think it's because these two are further away from crime fiction and and have more heightened elements (contract killers, assassination plots, etc) and the art helps ground it all, make it seem plausible? I dunno. Also I can't remember if the ending is changed between Prone/Like a Sniper, but certainly the ending came off as more plausible here. Whereas the first the first time around I wasn't as sold on it....more
I love how 2000AD stuff all has that over-the-top hyperbole like full-on 90s Image/Marvel hyperbole, but then you read it and they actually have some I love how 2000AD stuff all has that over-the-top hyperbole like full-on 90s Image/Marvel hyperbole, but then you read it and they actually have some ideas, and good ones. Actually, I've got that backwards, haven't I? 2000AD would've come first and surely the Americans were trying to imitate it. Anyway, this works both as agitprop and entertainment. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Did a twitter thread of some of my favourite panels here....more
Great art, and the story of Slaine's paternity was a nice wrap to a story that was threatening to drag on past its ending point. And bonus points for Great art, and the story of Slaine's paternity was a nice wrap to a story that was threatening to drag on past its ending point. And bonus points for avoiding the cliche Darth Vader-type situation by giving Slaine's mother both agency and humanity. Looking forward to more Slaine! ...more
This ruled, and was a useful aid for learning a bit about Irish myth. The author himself admits in an intro to the previous volume that Celtic stuff iThis ruled, and was a useful aid for learning a bit about Irish myth. The author himself admits in an intro to the previous volume that Celtic stuff isn't as straightforward as Norse/Greek stories, and the part that gets me is keeping track of the name. So this made for a great Saturday afternoon, lazily reading a page and then spending a half hour looking up terms of interest on wikipedia. Really liked the fishhead drune who wore the Salmon of Knowledge. ...more
Spent the weekend reading the Slaine Brutania Chronicles and absolutely loving them, despite previous difficulties getting into both 2000AD and Irish Spent the weekend reading the Slaine Brutania Chronicles and absolutely loving them, despite previous difficulties getting into both 2000AD and Irish mythology. Gonna track down more Slain stuff, then more Pat Mills stuff, then more 2000AD stuff, in that order....more
Really cool. A cowboy long past his prime is barely scraping by, turning his past into pulp fiction. A former Pinkerton agent tracks him down and talkReally cool. A cowboy long past his prime is barely scraping by, turning his past into pulp fiction. A former Pinkerton agent tracks him down and talks him into robbing American Nazis when they put on their rally in Madison Square Garden. One of the few pieces of contemporary art that manages to feel timely. Wish there was more of this....more
Story about a collapsed utopian space habitat turning on itself. Amazing visuals of monumental architecture long overgrown with vegetation, clunky robStory about a collapsed utopian space habitat turning on itself. Amazing visuals of monumental architecture long overgrown with vegetation, clunky robots and hobbled together space tech alongside feral bands of survivors. Every one of this book's 96 pages has some design you could just stare at for hours. Beautiful, check it out....more
Historical fantasy where both the story and the art come alive through the attention to detail. This absolutely ruled. Viking outcast goes hunting an Historical fantasy where both the story and the art come alive through the attention to detail. This absolutely ruled. Viking outcast goes hunting an eel monster in the fjords. Beautiful. I love it....more
Highly recommend this one. Visual storytelling at its best, not a spare word written. The back cover blurb calls it a cyrillic fever dream, full of siHighly recommend this one. Visual storytelling at its best, not a spare word written. The back cover blurb calls it a cyrillic fever dream, full of signs and portents. Think Samurai Jack as a Russian orthodox monk. Would love to see a sequel, although it's also perfect on its own....more
Really like the colours, the bright red of his mask contrasting with his black hoodie and the darkness of the city, kind of like the Zapatista aesthetReally like the colours, the bright red of his mask contrasting with his black hoodie and the darkness of the city, kind of like the Zapatista aesthetic.
The plot start to fix the one problem I had with the earlier issues, in that the Russian mafia is a bit too generic an enemy. But now you get the sense that their operations are complex, if not the individuals who comprise it, as Dylan starts to observe them and create a plan to take them down.
I read a blurb somewhere that said Brubaker is trying to combine 70s vigilante movies, 70s Spider-Man plots, and Breaking Bad. It's an odd choice but I think I get it....more
The story expands in scope. We see more of Kira and the cop. The Russian mafia seems a bit vague or generic, which is unfortunate because this book isThe story expands in scope. We see more of Kira and the cop. The Russian mafia seems a bit vague or generic, which is unfortunate because this book is most exciting when it takes a look at real material conditions in America. For example, I really like how it incorporated the lack of pharmacare and the American police state into the plot. There's a War Nerd dictum about how when your have police have death squads, they lose the ability to do detective work. Because they just kill their problems, I guess. It's the same problem with the militarization of police, and I hope future issues are able to draw that connection out a bit more....more
Wolverine as a Canadian soldier in the First World War! His lieutenant is a crippled telepath, and they have to take a German bridge. Logan's at his mWolverine as a Canadian soldier in the First World War! His lieutenant is a crippled telepath, and they have to take a German bridge. Logan's at his most badass when he's actually trying to limit the bloodshed and carnage that follows him around.
The story with Jubilee was okay, too. And there was another one set in the prohibition era, this time by Frank Tieri. And Logan as a motorcycling drifter who saves protesting latinos from a riot on the day JFK was assassinated....more
Loading...
