The Mundane Adventures of Dishman

I recently received this book after contributing to its fundrazr campaign. The Mundane Adventures of Dishman is a beautiful hardcover collection of  mini-comics mostly published in the 1980s. It is a fun take on superheroes, one that tries to imagine what "real life" superheroes would be like, but it also has a lot of heart and a good sense of humor. The story is: After being exposed to radioactive Fiestaware (a real thing!) over time, schoolteacher Paul Mahler developed the ability to instantaneously clean and put away dirty dishes, which is a very specific though handy trick. Of course, he decides to use his powers for good and to help his community.

After raiding his and his fiancee's wedding savings, Paul procured a pair of costumes (so he could have one ready when he did laundry) and starts roaming the neighborhood looking to assist others. Eventually, he figures out a novel way to fight crime but he also alienates his fiancee, who is A) angry he spent their savings without her consent and B) freaked out that he is being ludicrous about the whole superhero thing. So, (small spoiler) she leaves him.

After this turn of events, Paul starts hanging around his co-worker Helen, and they sort of kindle a relationship. So, in addition to the superhero tropes, there is also a good amount of drama in the mix.

What makes this book exceptional is how it captures a sense of humanity in its characters. Paul feels like someone we get to know over time, and his supporting cast quickly becomes fleshed out. It also features plenty of funny scenes but none that are really mockery. Each chapter is brief but compelling, even though most of what happens is (like the title states) relatively mundane. I think this book may have been meant as a parody at first, but it grows into something much more sincere and relatable. It is a gem well worth seeking out.

This book is the creation of John MacLeod, a painter and cartoonist who has also made the webcomic Space Kid as well as a comic called Not That Magic. He shares his current work and drawings on  Instagram.

I was not able to locate many reviews of this book, but what I have read about it has been positive. Tom Brevoort called it "perhaps the most full-on realization of the trend towards more realistic depictions of super heroes in comics in the 1980s." As of this post, it has a 4.14 (out of 5) star rating on Goodreads.

This collection of The Mundane Adventures of Dishman was published by Black Eye Books, and they offer more info about it here.

The Girl From the Sea

The Girl From the Sea stars a Morgan, a 15-year-old young woman who is a planner. She plans to do a lot with her life once she escapes the small coastal town where she lives as well as a lot of personal drama. She is going to figure out how to cope (from afar) with her parents' divorce and a grouchy younger brother. She is going to get decent grades, hang out with her friends, and do what she can to get by until she can move away, go to college, and live the life she actually wants. Morgan realizes that she is attracted to girls, but she wants to stay closeted and wait to explore that side when she is not under the gaze of an entire small community. Her plans get blown to bits one day, however, when she accidentally falls into the ocean and is rescued by a mysterious young woman named Keltie.

Not to spoil things, but Keltie has a big secret of her own, and she is not entirely human. Also, she does not fit in with Morgan's friends, has a unique style, and really wants to be physical. But Morgan is not ready to be public with their relationship, even though she does feel a strong attraction. When she starts ghosting her family and friends to hang out with Keltie, lots of questions come up, and Morgan has to decide whether or not to be honest or stay in the closet.

This book has lots of personal dimensions, and I love how it explores a variety of relationships, between friends, family, and romantic partners. I feel that the characters are all strong, distinct, and realistic, and I was rapt by the various dynamics of how they try to get along with each other. I also liked how it used social media to deliver both exposition as well as character development. It was an effective, contemporary touch.

The artwork is very expressive in detailing their various emotional states and interactions, and I found this a book that was very easy to get lost in. Even though a few of the plot developments seemed telegraphed, I enjoyed reading it, and would suggest it to any reader, young adult or otherwise, looking for a magical tale of love and searching for identity.

This book's creator Molly Knox Ostertag. is one of my favorite graphic novelists. I love her trilogy of The Witch Boy, The Hidden Witch, and The Winter Witch. I also am a big fan of works she illustrated like the webcomic Strong Female Protagonist, which has been collected in two trade paperbacks from Top Shelf, and the sci-fi tale The Shattered Warrior. She speaks about her career in comics as well as The Girl From The Sea in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Michael Berry called it "a perfect summertime treat -- heartfelt and touched by magic." Avery Kaplan wrote about how it is a book based on cycles and how it "succeeds because it recognizes the beauty in every stage of those cycles: not just the thrill of beginning, but the joy of the journey, and the bittersweet but wholly necessary nature of conclusion." Kirkus Reviews summed it up, "Sweet, fun, Sapphic fluff."

The Girl From the Sea was published by Scholastic Graphix, and they offer more information about it here. 

Frank

I get a bunch of books from various creators and publishers for the Comics Alternative podcast, and we don't get the chance to speak about them all on the show. The book I am writing about today, Frank, falls into that category, and I think it's a unique and compelling book well worth checking out. It walks the fine line between being entertaining and informative, and it both moved me and taught me about Canadian history. This tale is set in 1903 in the town of Frank, which was a coal mining town next to Turtle Mountain in Alberta. The protagonist is a troubled woman named Eve Lee, who finds herself frequently in the local drunk tank. One day, her old flame Oscar mysteriously disappears and she suspects something shady has happened to him, so she starts an investigation. What she discovers (without spoiling so much) is that something is not quite right with the records of the local mining company.

As you might guess, at least two murders are uncovered, and much of this book is involved with Eve trying to get to the bottom of matters while facing various roadblocks. All the while there are slight tremors and disturbances in the mine, and the latter parts of the book occur simultaneously with the Frank Slide, the most deadly rock-slide in Canadian history, when 90 million tons of limestone came loose from Turtle Mountain and decimated the town of Frank.

In the end, I felt that this book was a great blend of fact and fiction, with interesting characters and a complex plot that kept me intrigued throughout. It was the debut graphic novel of Ben Rankel, an illustrator who has had work in a number of indie comics anthologies. He speaks about his work on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read remark positively on the book. Kevin Skinner wrote, "FRANK is both faithful to a profound moment in Canadian history while still creating something new and exciting to engage comic fans who may not even care about Canadian history. " The reviewer at 49th Shelf called Rankel "a gifted graphic novelist, soon to be amongst the most highly regarded." Insha Fitzpatrick summed up, "Frank presents a historical event with a creator that knows how to honor it but also expand it, creating a story that’s heartbreaking yet filled with world building and characters that are intense and riveting."

Frank was published by Renegade Arts Entertainment, and they offer more info about it here.

A review copy was provided by the publisher.

Crater XV

This sequel to Far Arden picks up on the exploits of Army Shanks, who is equal parts government agent, roustabout, explorer, and Popeye. In this book, his tale involves him running into a woman who may or may not be his lost love from his orphanage days.These days she is running with some wayward Russians who may be about to launch a rocket from their ship (or they might be dangerous smugglers). Add to this situation 15-year-old Wendy who just wants to get off of Earth via a top secret Canadian space expedition project, a bunch of government agents, and a couple of ragged and worn astronauts, and what results is a book that covers a whole lot of ground, but does it artfully, with a sense of humor and adventure.

The characters are strongly depicted, full of emotion, history, conviction, and longing, but most impressive is the artwork and how it conveys action, movement, and the surrounding environment in such a fulsome manner. It also combines words with pictures in innovative and arresting ways. This cartoon world is so realized and lively that it propels the narrative like a rocket.

This book's creator Kevin Cannon has a growing number of impressive works under his belt, including the collaborations with Zander Cannon (no relation) Evolution, The Stuff of Life, T-Minus, Bone-Sharps, Cowboys, &; Thunder Lizards, and the electronic comic anthology Double Barrel where this story was first serialized.  His art and storytelling are exemplars of economy, wit, and energy.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been overwhelming in their praise. Seth T. Hahne frankly stated, "I love these books more than I love the vast majority of comics that I love." Publishers Weekly wrote, "Few cartoonists know better the meeting place between grief, humor, and adventure like Cannon, and this second Shanks story is further proof of his abilities as a storyteller." Greg Burgas called it "better than its predecessor." Mike Young rated it 10/10, and Jeremy Nisen raved, "Nothing in the comics canon (pardon the pun) currently merits a higher recommendation in this reviewer's opinion."

A preview and much more is available here from the book's publisher Top Shelf.

Far Arden

Army Shanks sounds like a tough customer, and that name is true to form with the main character of Far Arden. A version of Popeye by way of Canada, he is a sailor, student of history, and explorer who is obsessed with finding the mythical land of Far Arden. This uncharted island lies near the North Pole but is somehow lush and tropical. During his quest he runs afoul of government agents, double-crossers from his past who want his map, a circus owner and a giant man who wrestles bears, a pack of angry orphans, a couple of college students, an ex-girlfriend, and a boy who dresses like a wolf and wants to avenge his father. Many of these folks appear to be one-off characters but are strikingly well developed.

To say this is a fantastical journey is an understatement. There is romance, melancholy, regret, fisticuffs, and intrigue aplenty here, and the story takes many twists and turns which are enhanced by the playful, cartoony art and clever sound effects. I was charmed so many ways by a plot masterfully spun in a complex but not convoluted manner. However the ending is sharply bittersweet, and I am glad to know there is a sequel Crater XV, which is currently appearing serially in the superb digital comic anthology Double Barrel, even if not all the characters make it.

This comic's creator Kevin Cannon has a growing number of impressive works under his belt, including the collaborations with Zander Cannon (no relation), Evolution, The Stuff of Life, T-Minus, and  Bone-Sharps, Cowboys, & Thunder Lizards. His art and storytelling are exemplars of economy, wit, and energy. He speaks more about his career and this book in this excellent interview with Tom Spurgeon from 2009.

Far Arden was nominated for an Eisner Award for "Best Publication for Teens." Other reviews I have read about it concur with this praise and comment on the mix of humor, artistry, and adventure. Matt Peckham gushed, "Far Arden is like breathing that atmosphere laced with caffeine and laughing gas, a romping shaggy-dog story with a not-so-shaggy twist ending, the best practically pocket-sized adventure fiction I’ve read in years." J. Caleb Mozzocco called it "definitely one of the funniest—and most fun—books I’ve read this year." I agree wholeheartedly with Theodore Anderson, who wrote, "His art is a joy to read: characters leap across the page with noodle-limbed physiques, but he can wring surprising emotional depth from their exaggerated features when he chooses." Jen Vaughan wrote, "Far Arden is one of those books you plow through in an excited and ecstatic manner only to slow down towards the end in order to savor every page turn," which is a feeling I can easily relate to in my own reading.

The entire book is available online here, but this is a fun book well worth owning. The hard copy is published by Top Shelf.

The Country Nurse

The third book of the Essex County Trilogy, The Country Nurse simultaneously looks backward and forward. Most of the story happens now, focusing upon Anne Quenneville, a widowed nurse who  "meddles" some in the lives of the townfolk in Essex County. She has lost her husband and is caring for her twentysomething-year-old son, who is distant from her. While she makes her rounds, she looks back at what has happened in the past, finding old wounds, lost relationships, and a present where people do not always know where they came from or even who their parents are.

Constantly, the reader is shown the bleak, spare landscape of the area, which takes up a role like a character among this cast of damaged and unfulfilled people. The book opens on a scene of sewing, and that metaphor runs throughout the book as Annie's trek across the county connects scenery, history, and characters into a narrative whole. This is some fine, subtle storytelling.

This graphic novel is the work of Jeff Lemire, a multiple award winning comics creator. He won a Xeric Award for his debut book Lost Dogs. He has also won a Young Adult Library Services Association Alex Award, a Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Book Creator Award for Outstanding Cartoonist, and the Doug Wright Award for Best Emerging Talent. Currently he writes multiple series for DC Comics, including Justice League Dark and Animal Man. He also has recently published an acclaimed, original graphic novel, The Underwater Welder. Lemire talks more about his work on the Essex County Trilogy in this interview.

Reviews of the book I have read praise Lemire's craft but offer cautious approval. Hebdomeros wrote that Lemire's art is "more cinematic than ever here" but that this book "is completely dependent on what occurred in the first two; anyone new to this story will miss a lot of the subtext." And Andrew Wheeler concluded that it is "still a fine story about Canadians with truly epic-sized noses, and well worth reading for people who enjoyed the first two books – I just wouldn’t recommend starting the series here." I agree with these assessments: The Country Nurse artfully ties together the events of the first two books in the trilogy, but it is not as readable as they are as a stand-alone volume. Also, its revelations are not so impactful without a prior introduction to the characters.

A preview and much more is available from the book's publisher, Top Shelf.

Ghost Stories

A story of two brothers, Ghost Stories is a sad, beautiful book about regret, family, and lost connections. This second book in the Essex County Trilogy focuses on Lou Lebeuf, an elderly, deaf man who lives in the farmhouse where he grew up. The story flashes from the present to the past, with glimpses into Lou's career as a street car driver as well as the time he and his younger but very much bigger brother Vince played professional hockey. While they are away in the big city, Lou falls in love with Vince's fiancee, Beth, and what transpires afterward changes their relationship forever .

This graphic novel is the work of Jeff Lemire, a multiple award winning comics creator. He won a Xeric Award for his debut book Lost Dogs. He has also won a Young Adult Library Services Association Alex Award, a Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Book Creator Award for Outstanding Cartoonist, and the Doug Wright Award for Best Emerging Talent. Lemire talks more about his work on the Essex County Trilogy in this interview.

Reviews of Ghost Stories have been relatively positive, with most comments focusing on the powerful story and evocative art. Benjamin Jacob Hollars commented that "Lemire’s sparse and seemingly unforgiving Canadian landscape only intensifies the cool shivers that the reader finds throughout each page." Brian Heater admitted that the book is driven by melancholy but called the storytelling "so powerful" that it is very affecting. Andrew Wheeler offered a different take on this graphic novel, concluding that "I can’t quite recommend Ghost Stories: it’s technically excellent, and has a real emotional power, but its relentless dreariness turns into something almost like a parody of soap opera by the end."

A preview is available from the book's publisher Top Shelf.