Graphic novel reviews D

DMZ (6 volumes) - Brian Wood
Depressingly realistic look at a new civil war in America, through the eyes of earnest reporter Matty Roth.  Gritty stuff, well told, unafraid to tackle controversial topics.  Re-readable.  [4]

Daredevil (7 volumes) - Ed Brubaker
Brutal street noir mixed with superhero drama.  Nearly flawless.  [5]

Daredevil - Charles Soule

Daredevil (vols 2-3) - Mark Waid
Waid cuts down on the unrelenting tragedy and lets DD relax just a bit, throwing in some curveballs like an ethical dispute with Mole Man and Latverian agents stealing his radar sense.  Very enjoyable.  [4]

Dark Reign: The Hood - Jeff Parker
Crime boss the Hood struggles to balance his secret domestic life with leading an army of super-villains, as well as trying to rein in the ever-growing influence Dormammu has over his occult powers.  A decent Marvel U story, overly cartoonish art.  Sold.  [3] 

Daybreak - Brian Ralph
A zombie story.  Starting mis-en-scene and entirely from the POV of a nameless, silent protagonist, who meets up with a one-armed man; the two get lost and then fall victim to a crazy man who takes them prisoner.  Detailed brown-and-white pictures of rubble and broken cars, resembling woodcuts.  It's rather unrelentingly bleak.  Well-done but not for me.  Library.  [3]

Disquiet - Noah Van Sciver

District 14 - Pierre Gabus

1. Season 1 - In a bizarre world of humans, aliens, and anthropomorphic animals, a blend of '50s gangster noir and dystopian ruins, modernism and Old World mysticism, an elephant with a shady past comes to District 14.  He becomes friends with a beaver reporter and a sexy poodle lady.  Before long, they're crossing paths with several warring criminal types, as well as a couple of apparent superheroes.  Its intricate, dream-like, and violent plot relies heavily on ideas of class conflict, the ultra-wealthy and the oppressed, the free press, the mob, and the overlords.  Sometimes hard to follow but very addictive.  The obsessively detailed, crosshatched black and white drawings are impressive.  [4.5]
2. Season 2 - The elephant, now horribly disfigured due to a slow poison, becomes a sort of folk hero as he fights the criminal classes from hiding.  His erstwhile friend in journalism finally drops his prejudices against the extra-terrestrials and fights for their rights to become citizens.  Tiger-Man forces his old scientist friend, whom he keeps prisoner, to use alien organs to expand his powers.  There are just so many balls in the air in this wonderfully demented, yet somehow all too human, tale of corruption, love, sex, and power.  I have rarely been as surprised to see the words "The End," but I guess a story has to stop somewhere.  [4.5]
   

 

Deadpool - Daniel Way

1. Secret Invasion - Deadpool is hired by Nick Fury to infiltrate the Skrulls and take them down from the inside.  Also, he is hired by some guy to find his wife, who's apprently run off with a mad scientist who makes zombies.  I like madcap craziness and silly bloodshed, if it's done well, but this isn't my cup of tea.  [3]
2. Dark Reign - Following the Skrull invasion of Earth, Norman Osborn steals information that Deadpool stole from the skulls for Nick Fury.  To clean up his mess, he sends first Tiger Shark and then Bullseye after Deadpool.  Ha ha, they can't because he's invincible and crazy.  I found myself not really caring because, of course, Bullseye is a major character and can't be killed, although obviously given the fictional parameters he would be offed rather easily.  Marginally better than the first book but still not my thing.  [3.5]
   

Defenders Masterworks - Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart

• Volume 1 - Collects the appearances of the Defenders in Sub-Mariner and Marvel Masterworks, as well as the first six issues of their own title.  Taking as given the '60s references, the square attempt at "hip" talk in the the sole minor black character, and the overblown Stan Lee-style speech, this is a pretty good superhero book.  Plot points are dropped, teased, and brought up again, making the story into a coherent, continuous epic.  The speech styles and personalities of Hulk and Namor add spice to the "non-team," making dissent and grudging acquiescence part of it from the beginning.  The addition of Valkyrie leavens the alpha male posturing a bit.  [3.5]
  

Doctor Thirteen: Architecture and Morality - Brian Azzarello

Dr. Thirteen and his daughter meet up with a bunch of old DC properties languishing in Limbo, including  I... Vampire, Infectious Lass, Anthro, and one I never heard of, Genius Jones.  Skeptical of it all, he nevertheless plows through Grant Morrison-esque insanity to meet the Architects (DC writers), who want to have him and the other losers gone from continuity.  Azzarello is at his funniest here, although there's not much of an ending.  Utterly gorgeous Cliff Chiang art.  [4]

Donut the Destroyer - Sarah Graley  [Scholastic Graphix]

Doodleville - Chad Sell

Doomsday Clock - Geoff Johns

Ozymandias, whose plan to bring peace to earth has failed spectacularly, teams up with a new Rorschach to search for Dr. Manhattan, who has seemingly gone to the DC universe.  His interfering there is causing strain in the time-stream and realities start disappearing.  Ozymandias wants Jon to save their world, but will he, or will he destroy the DC universe as well?  Drawn and written in an extremely on-the-nose homage style to Moore's work, this pays tribute to the original while also moving beyond, and building upon, it.  To me this is an absolute masterwork.  [5]

Drama - Raina Telgemeier
A love triangle at school, with a twist.  Sweet, but not up to par with Smile.  [3.5]