Tunnels

Tunnels is a splendid graphic novel, intricately plotted, expressively drawn, and colorfully executed. Its plot is complicated, and its characters bold, with each of them so focused on their desires that they do not see a bigger picture. The main character is Nili, an unemployed, single mother who strives to complete her archaeologist father's ultimate quest: to locate the Ark of the Covenant. Because of the onset of dementia, he had been removed from his academic position and is convalescing at home.

 "Aiding her" on her journey is her brother Broshi, but he is secretly in kahoots with Prof. Rafi Sarid, their father's ex-collaborator who is conniving to take the glory that comes with discovery for himself. He has dangled Broshi the prospect of tenure for information leading to locating the Ark, but he has no intentions to honor his deal. Also on the journey is Doctor, Nili's young son who wants nothing but to be left alone with games on a cell phone. The entire enterprise is bankrolled by Emil Abuloff, an antiquities dealer with a penchant for buying artifacts pilfered by ISIS. He is looking for a legitimate score to offset the ill-gotten gains he has made off of terrorists.  Doing the actual digging are two parties, first a team of sycophantic Jews led by Shmuel Gedanken and two Palestinian brothers, Mahdi and Zuzu  who dig the tunnel but want it for smuggling purposes. Gedanken also has in tow Aviva, a red cow that is to be slaughtered upon discovering the Ark.

If you have stuck with me thus far, you can see that there is much going on in this book character-wise. However, just as important as the characters is the setting, the contested lands in Israel and Palestine where huge walls and armed soldiers loom. At stake here are not just the fame that comes with discovery but also the power afforded to political and religious supremacy. Not to mention the fact the some of these people believe that possessing the Ark means that their forces will be unstoppable.

Despite all of these seriousness and intrigue of this quest, the book also features a sense of humor, full of Tintin-esque, colorful characters whose eyes and mouths frequently explode in cartoonish manner. Aviva the cow is also a wild-card, getting into all sorts of mischief and mucking things up. So, this books is a strangely balanced concoction of political jostling, family and academic drama, archaeological adventure, and farce. It is a fascinating, compelling, and substantial book, masterfully crafted and brilliantly illustrated. It also features an essay to close the book, where the author explains her intentions and narrative choices in great detail.

Tunnels was created by Rutu Modan, who has published two other graphic novels. Exit Wounds and The Property, in the US, with both winning Eisner Awards. She has also illustrated a number of picture books, created a variety of short comics, and edited the Hebrew edition of MAD magazine. She speaks about her work on Tunnels in this interview. This book was translated into English by Ishai Mishory.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Hillary Brown wrote that "all these characters are so flawed and fascinating and prickly. They’re predictable and unpredictable in equal parts, which makes them interesting to watch." Etelka Lehoczky opined, "Contemplating the shallowness and entitlement of Modan's characters, readers may wind up reflecting on their own." Rachel Cooke wrote, "Every page is gripping, every frame profoundly political."

Tunnels was published by Drawn & Quarterly, and they offer a preview and more here.

Queen of the Sea

I loved this book so much that it made me want to kick myself for not reading it sooner.

Queen of the Sea is magnificent, an epic historical drama told in an incredibly artful way. I spent a few days reading it because I wanted to savor the plot and revelations, and the ending left me with goosebumps.

This tale of historical fiction revolves around 11-year-old Margaret, who has spent her entire life growing up in an island convent off the coast of Albion (an analogue for England). As we learn more about her and her world, we come to learn that she is living in a fictionalized version of Tudor England, complete with royal intrigue, coups, and retribution aimed at political enemies.

However, none of that seems particularly important in the day-to-day routines of these isolated women who spend their days praying, sewing, and preparing food. You would think it would be boring to observe all of this minutiae, learning about how these nuns pass their days, use specific hand motions when they are to be silent, and sew intricate designs into their fabrics, but it's all presented in utterly compelling ways that contribute to a fully-realized world.

Part of what I admired most about this book was how much care and attention was spent depicting the island and its inhabitants. But what really kicks the book into a different level is how it also layers in an intricate plot about how the power struggles in the royal court reverberate across the realm and end up making an impact on life on the island. Margaret begins to notice more and more, and she starts asking questions. The answers are not always very reassuring. The nuns are not quite who she thought they were, and when she starts learning who she might be, her world really starts going topsy-turvy.

The artwork, plotting, colors, and informational text all coalesced into an organic whole that I did not want to stop reading. The characters are so vibrant, and the artwork just brings everything to life. Historical fiction is not usually high on my list of reading preferences, but this book is exceptionally well-done. It's a masterpiece, and I feel it would be popular with a wide array of readers, both young and old.

This book's author Dylan Meconis impressively did all the artwork, coloring, and lettering here. She has been a comics creator for a good while now, producing an eclectic set of webcomics/graphic novels, including Bite Me! (The French Revolution with vampires involved), Family Man (18th century university life and werewolves), Outfoxed (about a laundress and a magical fox), and The Long Con (a post-apocalyptic tale set at a comic con). She also drew a graphic biography of psychologist Harry Harlow called Wire Mothers. She speaks at length about her work on Queen of the Sea in this interview.

All the reviews I have read of this book have been glowing. Elizabeth Bird called it "Impossible to forget, undeniable in its delights." Kirkus Reviews ended their starred write-up, "With its compelling, complex characters and intrigue-laden plot, this will have readers hoping it’s only the first of many adventures for Meconis’ savvy heroine." In another starred review, Publishers Weekly wrote, "The island world is richly developed, both in its physical particulars and its close-knit community (fascinating digressions into topics such as convent time, hand gestures used at table, and chess and embroidery flesh out daily life), and Margaret proves herself an endearing heroine with a strong voice full of humor and wonder."

Queen of the Sea was published by Walker Books, and they offer a preview and more here.

Copra, Rounds One & Two

I bought both of these books at HeroesCon last summer but only got to read them very recently. Oh man, I am glad I finally did.

What can I say about Copra? It is not quite a superhero book, though it features lots of super-powered individuals. The stories follow a secret government project that employs powerful criminals, sending them on covert, highly dangerous missions. Those who make it back alive received reduced sentences, but they are not really reformed. If anything, they are encouraged to keep on being rotten people.

The artwork in these books is exceptionally gorgeous, and the storytelling taut and action-packed. For fans of comic books, particularity those from the 1990s, there are fun riffs on Dr. Strange, the Punisher, and the Reavers, as well as the obvious Suicide Squad framework that structures the whole narrative. Even though the characters are homages/tributes/analogs of some familiar characters, the costume and figure designs are outstanding. A lot of the commentary I have read about these books talks about it being "superheroes on acid" or something like that, but I think that description sells short just how imaginative and eye-catching the designs are.

Exhibit A

I have to say that these are some of the best action-oriented comics I have read in a while. Most of the chapters start in the middle of some scene, and there is not a whole lot in the way of exposition, but I think that is a great thing here. Part of the fun for me was figuring out what was going on and then how the protagonists were going to get themselves out of multiple tight spots. Also, not really knowing what characters' motivations were made me have to really wonder what they were up to, which created some sense of confusion as well as intrigue. These are not simple comics, but they really reward multiple re-readings.

Exhibit B

Copra is the work of Michel Fiffe, a comics artist dedicated to self-publishing the best, most beautiful comics on the market. He sells most of his work through his Etsy store, and he also has another series called Zegas. He speaks about his works and career in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about these books and the series as a whole have been full of praise. Chris Sims wrote that it contains "genuinely masterful storytelling that engages the reader on every level." Brian Nicholson called it "a comic built, refreshingly for some, around action sequences, with the visual artist pushing himself to experiment and find an approach for each that feels new and worth the reader’s dollar." Matthew Meylikhov summed up by calling it "a pretty fucking awesome comic."

These collections of Copra collect 6 issues each, so I read #1-12 here, and they were published by Bergen Street Comics Press. These books features lots of violence and swearing, as well as some of the best comics storytelling I have seen in a while, and they are suggested for readers who can handle all of those things.

I just saw Michel Fiffe at HeroesCon this past weekend, and I picked up Round 3. I won't wait a whole year to read it, let me tell you. Also, Round 4 will be published soon, if you are interested...