Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Graphic novels reviews J

JLA: RULES OF ENGAGEMENT - Joe Kelly, Rick Veitch
Fast-paced, frenetic, very Morrison-style JLA.  The Authority in DC costumes.  Fun for superhero stuff.  Library.  [3]

Jack Of Fables - Bill Willingham, Matthew Sturges

James Bond: The Complete Omnibus - Warren Ellis
A pitch-perfect take on Bond.  He's cold, he's cruel, he's a little bit witty and a little sad, he kicks ass.  This omnibus (issues #1-12) contains two arcs: Vargr, in which Bond goes to Berlin to track down a possibly infected drug and meets up with some seriously flawed killers, and Eidolon, which finds Bond in sunny LA with several intelligence services, including the CIA, apparently out to kill him.  I'm not really a fan of the whole Bond mythos, and there are a few scenes where he's more or less superhuman, but Ellis is a good enough writer that I enjoyed it.  [4]

Jerusalem: A FAMILY PORTRAIT - Boaz Yakin [First Second]
A family in Jerusalem split apart over money issues fights the British occupiers, the Arab enemies within and without, and themselves.  A grim look at the cost of warfare in a very troubled region.  It's an sharp story with some twists and turns, but where the book loses some power, for me, is in its refusal to acknowledge the fault of religion in all this senseless death and suffering.  But Yakin makes it clear how easy it is to lose your empathy and humanity in such a place, and maybe that's indictment enough.  [4]

Jessica Jones - Bendis

  1. Uncaged - Out of prison, JJ is hired by a mysterious lady with a grudge to dig up some dirt on Carol Danvers.  [4]
  2. The Secrets of Maria Hill - JJ is hired by ex-SHIELD agent Maria Hill to find out who put out a hit on her.  [4]

Jughead's Time Police - Sina Grace
Banned for life from pie contests, Jughead meddles with timelines to correct his mistake, inadvertently ending up a fugitive from the time police and an evil version of himself.  Fun Archie mythology sandbox playing, but while the writing is somewhat witty and winking, the ending is straight out of the corny 1940s era.  [3]

Justice League Dark -James Tynion IV

Jukebox - Nidhi Chanani