Billy Bat, Volume 1

Set in 1949, Billy Bat tells the tale of Kevin Yamagata, a Japanese-American artist who has hit it big with his popular new series Billy Bat.

As you can see, that comic is a cartoon noir, with lots of subterfuge and, it turns out, communist spies. Everything is going all right until one day, Kevin learns that his character may be based on one that originated in Japan, where he was stationed during World War II. 

Even though the stories that character Billy Bat has are not based on any story he's consciously read, he feels obligated to travel to Japan and track down the original artist in order to get his blessing and also head off any issues with plagiarism. What Kevin finds in Japan instead turns into a tangled web of murder, politics, ancient texts, graffiti, tattoo artists, and communist spies. And the reaches of this conspiracy range far, maybe even beyond planet Earth. There are plenty of twists and turns in this single volume, likely a portent of the amount of suspense to follow.

The kick-off to this series was made by writer/artist Naoki Urusawa and Takashi Nagasaki. Urusawa is an internationally known manga creator, winner of the Shogakukan Manga Award three times, the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize twice, two Eisner Awards, and the Kodansha Manga Award. His works have been some of the most celebrated of recent times and include Asadora!, Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Pluto. Nagasaki is also an award winning manga writer/editor with a long list of credits. Billy Bat has been completed in Japan for some time and only now being published in the US, and editor Kriistina Korpus explains more about why in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Matthew Orozco opined that it is "an enthralling, genre-defying series that combines mystery, historical fiction, conspiracy theory, and metafiction, unfolding across multiple eras and continents." David Brooke called it "exactly the kind of ambitious, unpredictable storytelling that has made Naoki Urasawa one of manga’s most celebrated creators." Kara Dennison wrote, "The art is wonderfully dissonant, slipping easily between stylized mid-century cartoons and a more settled, faded realism."

Billy Bat was published by Kana, and they offer more information about it here.

Eve Stranger

Eve Stranger is a book totally up my alley. It tells the tale of a young woman named Eve Stranger who wakes up once every week alone in a hotel room. She has no memory of the recent past and is surrounded by a used syringe, a gun, a stuffed animal, a notebook where she explains to herself some basic facts, a package containing some assignment, and unlimited credit. If and when anything untoward happens, when she tries to report it to the police she finds the scene completely cleaned up with no evidence of her presence. When she goes to the doctor to give blood, it eats a hole through the beaker. Put simply, this book contains all sort of mysteries to unravel.

Getting to the bottom of her existence and mysterious employers is only part of the fun of this book. It is well plotted, with lots of clues along the way that add up to a satisfying solution. But her missions, which include fast motorcycles, a jet-pack, running with the bulls in Pamplona, contending with a twenty-foot-tall gorilla, and assassinating a potential future tyrant are all fast-paced, madcap adventures full of hand-to-hand combat, chases, and interesting twists. 

 

Finally, I love the artwork done by two of my favorite artists. The main narrative was rendered by Philip Bond, whose work I have been following since I was a teenager on vacation in Greece, reading translated British comics. His style is cool, full of stylish, stylistically unique people and tiny details that pop and also crack me up. He does great spreads that feature action and battle scenes in excellent fashion. 

The second feature in each chapter (or issue, as this book originally appeared as a five-issue limited series) is a sort of comic strip by Liz Prince, where Eve is an intrepid girl reporter. These stories are more frivolous and surreal but also contain more clues about her identity that comment on the main narrative. Combined, the two strands make for intriguing, fascinating storytelling.

My biggest criticism of this book is that I feel it was a fun, wild ride that ended too quickly. Certainly, it ends in a way that seems to beg for a sequel, but unfortunately this is the last book published under the Black Crown imprint. I hope it does well enough to get picked up elsewhere, because I'd love to read more Eve Stranger adventures from this creative team.

Joining Bond and Prince in this collaboration is writer David Barnett. He is a novelist who has also written a number of comics for DC and IDW, notably the series Punk's Not Dead. Bond is known for his work with Deadline and the Vertigo Imprint, especially for the one-shot Kill Your Boyfriend. I have read and reviewed lots of Prince's books, including Tomboy and Be Your Own Backing Band.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Clyde Hall wrote in his spoiler-filled review that there is a "bright Britpop..spirit" that "buoys Eve Stranger above mere Noir." Bruno Savill De Jong called it "a satisfying and exhilarating read that is worth remembering." Max Beaulieu called it a "fun series," adding that Eve is "a mix of vulnerable and badass, childlike and mature, driven and yet romantic."

Eve Stranger was published by Black Crown, and they offer previews and more about the series here.

The Prague Coup

The Prague Coup has a lot going on. It's a crime noir set in a specific historical context, following the movements of author/ex?-spy Graham Greene as he deals with various shady characters in Prague in 1948, when the formerly democratic Czechoslovakia became a communist state. Ostensibly there to research the area for his screenplay for now considered classic film The Third Man, Greene also dabbles in politics, clandestine entertainments, and at least one extramarital affair. I think knowing a lot about the historical context as well as Greene's life and/or the plot of The Third Man would help a reader out, but they are not essential for enjoying this book.

What helped make matters more plain and understandable is that the plot is told from the viewpoint of Elizabeth Montagu, a former actress and ex-spy who guided Greene to various underground spots in Prague. She has her own intentions and a complex set of personal connections, which all combine for some gripping drama and tense cloak and dagger action. All of this story is complemented by the photo-realistic artwork that grounds the book in a grainy, shadowy reality that echoes the look and feel of The Third Man.

This book is a collaboration between writer Jean-Luc Fromental and artist Miles Hyman. Fromental is a translator, script-writer, and author with many books for both adults and children to his credit. Hyman has drawn various comics over the years and also exhibits his art throughout Europe. Both creators speak about their work on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Publishers Weekly concluded, "This example of art imitating life should captivate lovers of spy fiction or Cold War history." Benjamin Welton wrote, "The Prague Coup has everything fans of The Third Man could want—an exploration of Vienna’s extensive sewer system, gunplay, a mysterious plot with international implications, and plenty of witty banter about art, faith, love, sex, and loyalty."

The Prague Coup was published by Hard Case Crime/Titan Books, and they offer more info and a preview here. This book features some nudity and violence, so I recommend it for readers mature enough to deal with those things.

Velvet, Volume 1: Before the Living End

As you might could tell from my reviews over the years, I really like Ed Brubaker's comics. His multiple collaborations with Sean Phillips, Sleeper, Criminal, Incognito, and Fatale, are among my favorite comics ever. I am also a big fan of his superhero work, particularly his runs on Catwoman, Iron Fist, and Captain America. On that latter title, he did the impossible (to me at least), and brought back the character Bucky in an interesting and provocative way.

Looking at his credits, Brubaker gravitates toward certain artists as collaborators, and in this series he pairs up again with his main Captain America/Winter Soldier partner, Steve Epting. Epting is a comics veteran who has consistently been working since the 1990s. His artwork in this volume is crisp, clean, and very cinematic, a blend of photo realism and technicolor. It reminds me of a contemporary version of Paul Gulacy, whose classic runs on Master of Kung Fu and Sabre are seminal. Also, Elizabeth Breitweiser's coloring is exceptional. There are many pages and images that I felt could have been HD movie cels, they are that vibrant and deep.

The concept of Velvet is somewhat simple, a recasting of a James Bond-like spy thriller. Only instead of Bond being the protagonist, it is Ms. Moneypenny who is revealed to be the ultimate spy. Hiding in plain sight as a secretary of the director of a secret intelligence agency, Velvet Templeton knows where all the bodies are buried and when all the covert operations went down. What is more, she is highly trained as an agent and a combatant. I don't want to reveal too much about the plot, but I will say that it involves a mole in the agency, a plot to frame our heroine, and her having to go on the lam to survive and also get to the bottom of things. There are lots of twists, turns, and revelations to keep the suspense and thrills coming.

Reviews of this book I have read have been glowing. Andy Wolverton wrote that it "is filled with such wonderful scenes in a story arc that makes us think that we’ve just scratched the surface of something that could very well be not just good, but great." Joe Gordon remarked on the excellent characterization of Velvet, "Like Emma Peel she’s confident and powerful and while attractive she’s no mere object for the Male Gaze – you’re likely to find Velvet staring right back at you (and more than likely calculating how she can use your attentions and desires to her own ends. She is in charge here.)." The reviewer at The Telltale Mind wrote that "this book grabs you and refuses to let go" and added that "the second volume of this book cannot come fast enough."

Velvet, Volume 1: Before the Living End was published by Image Comics, who provide lots of information and links here.

Mind MGMT, Volume 1: The Manager

An airplane takes off and when it lands all 120 passengers on board (save one 7-year-old boy) have complete amnesia (good things the pilots remembered how to land the plane). These people cannot remember a single detail about their lives, not marriages, relatives, childhoods. Nothing. Add to the mystery that one of the passengers, one Henry Lyme, cannot be found.

Enter Meru, a frustrated author who cannot come up with a follow-up to her debut true crime novel. She decides she is going to get to the bottom of this "amnesia flight" as her new writing project. In her quest for truth, she finds herself penniless, followed by the CIA, hunted by strange and powerful figures, and confronted with the existence of an agency of spies who have psychic abilities. These agents have such control of world situations that human beings almost seem like pets or even insects to them, which lends a frightening aspect to the proceedings.

Apart from the plot, which has its own amazing array of twists and turns, there is also a guidebook entry embedded in each page. These instructions lend a different angle to plot developments, and over time they become more and more relevant. This attention to detail is simply astounding and helps make this book one weird, wild trip.

This book's creator, Matt Kindt, is prolific of late, producing graphic novels like Red Handed and Super Spy while also writing a good number of titles at DC Comics, including Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Justice League of America, and Suicide Squad. He has been nominated for multiple Eisner and Harvey Awards, and is generally a well regarded creator. His writing is full of real world facts and details that lend a realism to the suspenseful situations he creates. His art is sketchy and atmospheric, typically enhanced with watercolors, as you can see in this sample page from the "Mind MGMT Case Files" that end each chapter:

The sketchy aspect of the art contributes to the plot in excellent manner, setting up misdirections and confusion that only sharpen the mysteries and plot twists further. I found this collection of issues #0-6 of the monthly comic book series to be eerie, gripping, and well plotted. There are so many details in this book, and they all contribute to a grand scheme that is not apparent at first. I cannot wait to see where these characters are going and what other secrets will be revealed in future volumes.

Reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. Seth T. Hahne was "incredibly impressed" with Kindt's "seamless, off-handed, perfect world-building." Sean Edgar described how it "reads like a comic that has had an inordinate amount of thought put into it." Leslie at Working for the Mandroid wrote, "This is the most bizarre comic I have ever read, and I could not put it down."I particularly agree with these sentiments, and I felt this book was utterly compelling and engrossing.

This volume of Mind MGMT, like the ongoing comic book series, is published by Dark Horse. There is a preview and more available here.