Graphically Speaking

It's a long weekend, you have been stuck in a reading rut and looking for something to kick off that great reading habit again. For me turning to graphic novels has always been an inspiration, you get to lose yourself in adventure and be regaled by some extraordinary drawings. So I headed into the world of Ms. Marvel and then moved into the artistically twisted mind of Neil Gaiman.

Ms. Marvel, Volume 1: Best of the Best 

by Brian Reed (Writer), Roberto de la Torre, Frank Cho (Cover Artist)
Hardcover, Premiere, 136 pages, Published October 4th 2006 by Marvel
Carol Danvers aka Ms.Marvel is bundled up into a package of stories and artwork by Brian Reed and Roberto De La Torro. The blurb says this a new take on Marvel's greatest longest standing female super heroes.
So what did I get? A woman who is not well defined. She has baggage but spends the majority of the time lamenting no one knows who she is. She has no real purpose except for getting into save the world situations and her outfit does not leave much too the imagination. Well except for wondering how she can do a high kick without exposing her vagina. Seriously that costume was devised not for functionality but to encourage maximum perving opportunities. I found some of the story telling a bit disjointed but I enjoyed it. There is a lot of promise and Danvers is an intriguing character.
I admit it that it's been a long time since I dived into all the characters of the Marvel universe and I may not fully comprehend all the linkages. So it would help if the writers could help newbies or people coming back to the universe know who the alter egos of some characters are, like Jessica Drew. Saying she is in the super hero game is not helping! I did look it up afterwards.

I will be reading the next in the collection Civil War.
Civil War: Ms. Marvel
by Brian Reed (Writer), Roberto de la Torre, Frank Cho (Cover Artist)

Hardcover, Premiere, 134 pages, Published March 21st 2007 by Marvel
After reading Ms Marvel, Best of the Best, I immediately launched into Ms.Marvel - Civil War that ties into the overarching Civil War story line. While I enjoyed the first book, I was hoping that the second would launch Carol Danvers aka Ms Marvel with more character.
Well it was kind of there. The first three stories that deal with the Civil War give Ms Marvel some moral and ethical questions to deal with. The decision as which side of the fence that Ms Marvel picks well it is not convincing and when she questions her decision it just fell flat for me.
The drawings range in calibre from exceptional to a couple where it didn't quite hit the mark. There is picture where Danver's is fighting Rogue and her mouth looks all wrong. That is a small issue compared to what is overall amazing work. However some consideration to the functionality of Ms Marvel's uniform would be nice. I did not get the accent that was bestowed upon Rogue with the continual use of Darling and "Ah need to check" or "Ah can handle this sugar" it read really forced.

While I enjoyed the series of stories pulled together, I still felt that Ms Marvel did not really lift of the page and develop into a more complex character.

The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch
by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author), Dave McKean (Illustrator)
Paperback, 96 pages, Published September 1st 1995 by Vertigo / DC Comics (first published 1994)
I have been a long time fan of Neil Gaiman's work and always looking for his early works. I was really pleased to finally come across Mr Punch.
The work is a combination of hand drawn and photographs and it works. As it compliments the story which is about a young boy trying to come to terms with a period of his life. The story is dark, complex, violent and terribly sad.
I was totally taken into the pages and just lost myself. It a graphic novel that has you thinking long after you have finished reading. It is compelling reading.

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