Sherlock Frankenstein and the Legion of Evil

This follow-up to the Black Hammer series delves a lot deeper into the complex history and intriguing characters of this alternative superheroic world. With the absence of the super team who have saved the world, there is great sadness and a vacuum as well. Lucy Weber, whose father was Black Hammer, has grown up and become an investigative reporter, and she begins exploring what may have happened to him and his cohorts. Her tactic is to trace the exploits of the extremely cool-named Sherlock Frankenstein, who was their greatest adversary, to find out what his role may have been.

I do not want to spoil much about the plot, but she has a lot of difficulty tracking the villain as he had gone underground soon after the heroes saved the world and mysteriously vanished. What is more, she finds that his actions are somewhat suspect but also puzzling. As she delves deeper and deeper into that mystery, she also finds herself being followed, and all kinds of other complications arise.

 

I know I am being purposefully vague, but I hope that it comes through just how well plotted this book is, with lots of twists and turns of the screw. My expectations were confounded a few times in the course of this relatively short volume. Also, I was thrilled to see all kinds of inventive new characters, most notably Cthu-Louise, who will get her own one-shot soon. If you are into superheroes but are sick of the same-old, same-old, this book and series are for you. I love how it plays with the conventions of superhero comics and weaves them into something fun, poignant, and unique.

This impressive bit of adventure and world-building is a collaboration between two of my favorite creators, writer Jeff Lemire and artist David Rubín. Lemire has a huge list of comics credits and has won a few major awards along the way to boot. Rubín may have fewer credits, but he has drawn an impressive bunch of comics, including the series Rumble and the graphic novel Fall of the House of West. Lemire speaks about his work on this book in this interview, while Rubín discusses his role in it in this interview.

The Black Hammer series has already won an Eisner Award, and this volume was nominated for another this year. The reviews I could find of this trade paperback have been very positive. Phillip Kelly called it "a truly satisfying emotional arc" and "also a necessary piece to the greater world of Black Hammer." A.J. Jones wrote, "The writing is quintessential Lemire, carefully plotted and filled with dialogue that amuses and intrigues by turns," and added further, "Rubín’s distinctive style is a joy to the eye, demonstrating the power of the graphic medium to transcend mere representation."

Sherlock Frankenstein and the Legion of Evil was published by Dark Horse, and they provide previews and more info here.

Sequel Sunday!

Today, I am going to check in with the latest entries in a couple of promising series to see how they are progressing and if they are living up to the great expectations I had reading the first volumes. I think both series feature examples of exceptional world-building and strong character work.

The Chase is the third book in the Last Man series (my first two reviews are here), what has so far been a tale set in a small fictional town, focusing on a fighting tournament. All of those provincial matters from the Valley of the Kings get left way behind here. Mom Marianne has taken her son Adrian out of town to track down his former fighting partner, the scalawag Richard Aldana, who has skipped town with the trophy. Amazingly, she has a badass motorcycle, a map to strange lands, and hitherto unknown ability to summon powerful spells.

The emergence of Marianne's secrets is just one of the surprises this book holds. There are also a massive trek through a wasteland, a battle with corrupt policemen, a surprise rescue from some quite remarkable firemen, a visit to a crazed city, some duck and covering in a brothel, and a trial that is part professional wrestling, part kangaroo court. A lot of the reviews I have read compare it to Mad Max, and there definitely are similar insane energy and situations at play here. There is so much that goes on that it is sort of hard to believe this is the same series as before, but the action is frenetic and breathtaking. And I continue to be won over by the winning characters. They are so much fun to read about and see in action.

Don't mess with Mama, dude...

The artwork is as excellent and expressive as ever, a great mix of European and manga comics conventions. I have not been able to find many reviews of it as of yet, but the ones I have read have been positive. Matthew Garcia called it "engrossing, gripping, and a lot of fun." Comic Bastards called it "another really impressive addition to the Last Man series and a bright spot in the dull year that 2015 has been for comics."

A lot of the action in this book is set in a whorehouse and there are a few threats of sexual violence, so I wonder how kid-friendly this book is. But at the same time I can't help but think that the fast-paced action and broad humor cannot help but win readers over. I'd recommend it for older young adult readers.

Verdict: I am still hooked on reading what will happen for two reasons: 1) to see what awesome and insane venues this adventure will lead, and 2) to see what other surprising twists and turns lay out there for these endearing characters.

Battling Boy was one of my favorite books of 2013, and I was very impressed by the dark turn and  truly scary tone of its follow-up The Rise of Aurora West. Fall of the House of West very much continues in the same vein, and in this book we learn more about the plans and intentions of the monsters. And more importantly we learn the full story about the death of Rosetta West, Aurora's mother. There are a great many revelations in this book, and I have to say that the narrative is very well thought out and quite heartbreaking. It is also quite impressive how all three book's narratives fit together and compliment each other in suspenseful and satisfying manner.

I know that many people are down on the fact that Paul Pope is not drawing this book, but I have to say that I don't miss his artwork because David Rubin's artwork is simply stunning. It is simultaneously realistic, cartoonishly animated, and monstrously frightening. The layouts and storytelling are masterful. He really takes all of the nuances and affordances of sequential and uses them to his advantage here. Even in the smaller paperback format, his art pops and really sells the book.

In his hands, even a moth can be menacing...

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been strongly praising. Dustin Cabeal impressively called this series "the best superhero stories being told in comics to date. Nothing is even remotely close to being as good." Tobias Carroll concluded simply that it was "a terrific ride." Lindsey Morris summed it up as  "Recommended reading for any comics fan."

The monsters and family issues in this book are quite horrible and harrowing, so I don't think this book is quite for younger elementary school students, but I think it would be a great for grades 4 and up, especially if they can handle scary stories.

Verdict: I am very eager to see what the next follow-up in the Battling Boy series will be. It has been a fantastic series full of action and a surprising amount of heart.


Both books were published by First Second. They provide previews and much more information for The Chase here and for Fall of the House of West here.

The Rise of Aurora West

Battling Boy was one of my favorite graphic novels from last year,with its wonderful blend of superheroics, horror, and YA novels. This volume, The Rise of Aurora West, is the first prequel to that story, telling the tale of how Aurora West came into her role as a monster fighter and providing more insight into the villains who terrorize this world and steal its children.

A lot of the book revolves around Aurora's relationship with her father Haggard. He is seasoned hero and monster fighter, and, as you can see below, his mode of child rearing might best be summed up by the term "tough love."

He does not coddle Aurora in the least, because the enemies they face are devious and give no quarter. Eventually, the father and daughter come to a different kind of understanding. Also, along the way, we see how Aurora inadvertently assisted the monster enemies when she was a child and also may have had a hand in her mother's horrible fate. She is a wonderfully conflicted character, and the complicated plot has lots of twists and turns that build suspense and also surprise.

The story here is by Paul Pope and JT Petty. Pope is an award winning comics creator with decades of credits, and he talks about his work on this book here. Petty is a director, video game writer, and author who also wrote the underrated graphic novel Bloody Chester. The artwork is by David Rubín, a Spanish artist whose style is similar to Pope's. He speaks about his work on this book in this interview. He certainly excels at depicting fantastic science fiction landscapes, characters, and creatures, and I feel the black and white format only highlights his line work and narrative flow. These pages are dynamic and atmospheric, and my only complaint is the same one I had with Battling Boy, that I wish the pages were larger. I appreciate the manga paperback size being convenient and portable, but I would still love to luxuriate in a larger sized format.

Even though this is a darker story than Battling Boy, all of the reviews I have read have been celebratory. Kirkus Reviews wrote, "This feels like a very different direction for the characters, and it’s a thrilling one; expect readers to clamor for the next installments of this clever spinoff." Thea called it "a surprising powerful, emotional tale about the bond between a leader and a sidekick, a father and a daughter, rooted in one young heroine’s journey of self-discovery and realization." Win Wiacek concluded that it was "a superb and moving sidebar yarn, packed with clever intoxicating mystery, astounding action, tense suspense and beguiling characters that will delight older kids, and reads even better if you’re their adult keeper or guardian."

The Rise of Aurora West was published by First Second, and they provide reviews and more here.

Thank you, Gina, for the review copy!