In this week’s Wednesday Comics column, Paul Chadwick’s Concrete returns after a decade-plus hiatus, Hellboy is in love, The Phantom gets a crossover, and much more! Plus, The Prog Report and FOC Watch!
Paul Chadwick’s Concrete: Stars Over Sand #1
Paul Chadwick’s Concrete: Stars Over Sand #1Writer/Artist: Paul ChadwickPublisher: Dark Horse Comics
Review by D. MorrisTwenty years have passed since Paul Chadwick last visited Ron Lithgow, the speechwriter-turned-walking-mountain known in the series as Concrete. There were the odd one offs during the reboot of Dark Horse Presents but no full length stories. Finally the series comes out of hibernation with this new story Stars Over Sand, and boy, is it a welcome return.
Concrete has always been a quiet, reflective series, and Chadwick has not lost that in his return. This first issue isn’t a reset, but it more or less picks up after the previous series The Human Dilemma. Concrete, his assistant Larry, and scientist Maureen travel with the newborn from The Human Dilemma out to Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park. Here while writing a speech, our hero gets struck by lightning and gets lost out there.Nature has always played an important role in Concrete stories and this is no different.
There’s a romantic quality to this story in how nature overwhelms Chadwick always frames figures with nature dominating them. The open splash page features a tiny truck and trailer that look ready to be swallowed by the desert around them. One scene where Concrete and his friends wander out into the dunes turns them into insects. As he has throughout the series, Chadwick reminds readers of the both the grandeur of nature and how small we are in it.
Chadwick’s storytelling also focuses on the ephemeral. Time passing, rain washing away footsteps, and even how short our lifespans are in the grand scheme of things. There’s copious imagery of things lost to the sands, especially in the final pages of the issue. The idea that things grasped can just as easily be lost. It’s all beautiful set up for the series premise that once struck by lightning, Concrete will lose his memories and who he is.
Twenty years away and there’s a much rougher quality to Chadwick’s work than previously. He still has a very naturalistic quality to his line. Figures don’t look exaggerated and there’s a gorgeous attention to detail when it comes to nature. But Concrete looks rougher and Chadwick favors a more jagged line. European artists, like Moebius (especially in the thunderstorm sequence) and Herge, have always been in Chadwick’s artistic DNA but it seems more pronounced here.
What’s really striking about this issue though is how beautifully Paul Chadwick uses the comics medium. There’s so many visual ideas on display here. Frequently he’ll “peek” into the trailer Maureen travels in with the baby by cutting into it while Concrete and Larry have a conversation. He uses long panels with multiple images in them. Seeing a creator at this stage in their career experiment with both form and linework is positively thrilling.
Having a new series from Paul Chadwick’s Concrete after so long is truly a gift to comics readers. If there’s any complaint to be had with this issue, it’s that more of a prologue than a self contained issue. Yet that is a minor quibble when there’s so much more to this issue than that.
Concrete has always been about the slow burn and if it took twenty years to get here, it’s been worth the wait.
Hellboy In Love: Obsidian #1
Hellboy In Love: Obsidian #1Writers: Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden
Artist: Alex Nieto
Letterer: Clem Robins
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Review by Jared Bird
The latest two-part entry in the Hellboy in Love line sees Hellboy’s lover and professional archeologist Anastasia Bransfield called to the Greek island of Crete when an excavation team unearths an ancient tomb bearing markings relating to the mysterious Suaren Artea society she has spent years searching for. As she and Hellboy continue their search into the illusive group, they face danger hidden around every corner…
Following up from the recent Hellboy in Love: Black Eyes one-shot earlier this year, we join Hellboy and his girlfriend Ana in April 1980. What begins as a holiday to Crete eventually becomes a scary, thrilling adventure as the two dive further into the secretive Suaren Artea society they have been chasing the entire line thus far. Their relationship develops along the way too, as we see Ana push Hellboy further out of his comfort zone and try to challenge the unnecessary boundaries he puts on himself and the people around him. It’s odd to say that this is a comic where Hellboy kind-of, sort-of goes skinny-dipping, but it is. It’s a lot of fun, and the relationship between the two protagonists continues to be the strongest element of this specific line of the larger Hellboy universe; they have so much on-page chemistry and it’s a great shift to see the character of Hellboy in a position where he’s having fun as opposed to trying to stop the end of the world all the time. Ana remains one of the most compelling characters in the entire larger universe, witty and fun and a good counter-balance to our loveable Big Red.
The script, written once more by the creative team of Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, continues to be rock-solid. The two have come together so seamlessly as a pair that it’s impossible to tell who does what anymore, as they share one cohesive writing voice at all times. Like every other entry in the line so far, Obsidian has the difficult task of both standing alone in a self-explanatory sense and pushing forward the larger story at the same time, and it does so well. Granted, this is possibly the first entry where the background becomes really important, as it is explicitly building off of and progressing the larger mystery driving the plot, but it still works in a self-contained fashion, telling a beginning-to-end narrative in just two issues that anyone can pick up and read.
Alex Nieto’s artwork continues to be one of the most fun elements of this line of comics. His bubbly, energetic artwork adds a cartoony, whimsical sensibility to the story, but he’s not afraid to get creepy and dark when the narrative calls for it as well. He’s great at communicating the slice of life moments well and providing charm and an air of romance to them. Additionally, he’s shown time and time again that he can craft different atmospheres to match the setting, as the summery, bright energy of Crete is a total departure from Black Eyes’ snowy, cosy English village setting. He’s really made this line of comics his own, standing out as one of the most consistently fun and engaging artists in the larger Hellboy saga.
Overall, Hellboy In Love: Obsidian #1 is another strong entry into the line of Hellboy in Love comics. Whether you’re a long time fan or just getting started, it’s a good and fun comic that provides equal measures of joyful, romantic whimsy and thrilling, mystery-led supernatural storytelling. The creative team has gotten their process finessed down to an exact science, and it works every time. I can’t wait to see what comes next as the story continues to progress and we watch Ana and Hellboy’s relationship continue to blossom.
The Phantom vs. The Red Dragons #1
The Phantom vs. The Red Dragons #1Writer: Ray Fawkes
Artist: Lynne Yoshii
Colors: JUANCHO!
Letters: Taylor Esposito
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Review by Clyde Hall
If you ever wished that The Phantom film had spawned a movie franchise 30 years ago, this is a good NCBD for you. Because Mad Cave’s one-shot, The Phantom vs. The Red Dragons, gives us a Ghost Who Walks reminiscent of Billy Zane’s portrayal of The Phantom, AKA Kit Walker. Writer Ray Fawkes scripts a tale with dialogue you can read with internal Zane narration. I know, because I did!
There is a lightness about this iteration of the Phantom which shines through the tense situations but also turns serious as needed when the bullets fly and innocents are placed in harm’s way. And the story has lots of potential harm aimed Kit’s direction.
This is a follow-up to Fawkes’ recent 5-issue Phantom series and a previous one-shot continuing a grand, unfolding revenge plot aimed at setting several of our hero’s enemies against him. It’s pulp chess, and the Singh Brotherhood, Sala and her Sky Band, and, with this issue, the Red Dragon pirates all have parts to play. The plot lets you in on just enough of the bigger picture to grasp the stakes Kit’s playing for while still making the issue a standalone adventure. Just one with a hook that probably won’t let you go without plans for picking up the next installment, The Phantom vs. The Singh Brotherhood.
The Red Dragons are losing. Losing ships, money, contraband, and pirates in murderous, destructive strikes aimed at crippling their criminal enterprises. And there’s no mystery about who’s to blame because the Phantom’s been seen leaving a bloody trail in his wake. He’s taking his war against evil in all its forms to even the unaffiliated families of Red Dragon members for deadly reckonings. Of course, it’s not the real Ghost Who Walks. These are criminal cosplayers all recruited and part of a ploy meant to ruin the Phantom’s reputation and paint a Red Dragon target on his cowled visage.
We see the reaction of an incarcerated Arif Singh when a representative of the Dragons drops by. And we watch Diana Palmer tackling Kit’s problems of character assassination from a divergent angle than his. And, in the end, a tenuous cease-fire goes into place granting a short-term opportunity for the Phantom to find the right evil responsible and end its manipulations forever. All of which culminates in a Phantom monologue beautifully stating his purpose in facing overwhelming odds for the deliverance of justice. Almost a modernized version of the orphan Christopher Walker’s vow on the shore of Bangalla generations ago.
Not every bit of dialogue lands perfectly here, but at the worst it’s cute. Watching as the Phantom playfully tells his captors why they won’t tie him up or attack him since that’s the surest way of wasting time while making them look all shades of foolish is good. Seeing him explain to Diana exactly how the Phantom will deal with the mountain of peril stacked against him is iconic.
Fawkes makes it all work, leaning heavily into what I always considered the more comic book side of the Phantom. That Billy Zane cool and engagingly optimistic approach. The pulp grit and mystique of the character is less represented, but it’s still there when battle is joined and the time for action arrives. One of the pirates even scoffs at the Phantom as a ‘crimefighter’ and ‘costumed nut’. But it doesn’t lessen the impact of a punch or make Kit’s tactics any more effective.
Another interesting element is an inventive twist on the Singh Brotherhood’s affiliation with the Phantom. Sure, he’s cost them much over the centuries. But like him, they have endured. The Brotherhood has benefitted from their rep among the underworld organizations as the ones who have confronted the masked man the most and still survived. It makes sense other criminals with a Phantom problem would consult with the Singhs. For a fee. Ironic, that the Brotherhood might find the Phantom a residual source of income and influence.
Fawkes’s portrayal of Diana Palmer also satisfies here. She’s her own hero in the way she takes care of business, eluding Red Dragon pursuers. And more, she works the Phantom’s dilemma in her own way, from her own direction, which dovetails with Kit’s approach. Together, their efforts combine and bring probably the best possible outcome, one where the second best would mean one Ghost Who No Longer Walks, permanently.
Lynne Yoshii’s art is clean, dramatic where needed, but delivering humorous overtones in concert with the dialogue. There’s fun had at the expense of the faux Phantoms. Not everyone willing to hire out and play Phantom has the body for it. Or exactly the right accoutrements. Costume details are sometimes wrong, and one crook wasn’t losing his mustache just to match Kit’s cleanshaven appearance. The real Phantom giving his appraisal of the impersonators and echoing readers’ own impressions is a fun part of the issue both visually and narratively.
In the end, you get the feeling that the Phantom knows where the high stakes card game’s being played and he’s dealt himself in at a table consisting of his most formidable enemies. The odds are long against him, and all the other players cheat. Yet, Kit’s mood is upbeat while also determined, which aggravates the opposition. But the creative team united for The Phantom vs. The Red Dragons makes it clear, those villains will soon be more aggravated. The Phantom’s preparing an object lesson on why gathering together and gambling against him isn’t a good idea. And hasn’t been for anyone practicing piracy, greed, cruelty, and injustice, in all their forms, for nearly 500 years.
Land of Never #1
Land of Never #1Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Miquel Mora
Colorist: Fares Maese
Letterer: Micha Myers
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Review by Jordan Jennings
Land of Never #1 is a crime thriller that is a bit different. See, children have been vanishing without a trace across the country. One parent, the disgraced crime lab technician Jim Hoke, is one of the few to witness the masked kidnapper. Jim sets out to get to the bottom of the floating kidnapper while trying to shake suspicions that he is the one behind the crime. If the name and premise isn’t clear, Land of Never is a dark twist on Peter Pan.
Steve Orlando delivers a story that feels like a combination of a Fox network crime procedural and one of those quick public domain horror cash grab movies that have become all the rage in recent years. This isn’t exactly a bad thing. Orlando clearly knows the story is a bit far-fetched but manages to keep the tone serious. It is not a cheap comedy for yucks and winks to the camera. Orlando’s characterization of Jim Hoke is solid albeit a bit cliche. He’s a crime lab tech that tampered with evidence to try to lock away a predator, but his interference ended up setting the criminal free. He’s lost his job and wife. His daughter cares and is understanding of his struggle but he ends up losing her too. While it feels very familiar, it is still well executed.
The art by Miquel Mora is solid and workman-like. The design for the masked assailant is down right creepy with his oversized, hulking form and cracked, static baby doll mask. It truly fits in with modern horror design. The shortcomings with the art comes from some of the anatomy and page composition. Nothing truly dealbreaking but it does feel like art from an up-and-comer to comics. I found myself wondering if the coloring by Fares Maese was a bit more moody at times if the serious tone of the comic would be better served.
Overall, Land of Never #1 is a solid start to a crime thriller, but the central premise may be a bit too much. A dark supernatural crime twist to Peter Pan is a weird concept. I do have faith that Orlando will find the sweet spot in the tone and direction that is serious while being a bit camp. Time will certainly tell.
Trillion Dollar Kid #1
Trillion Dollar Kid #1Writers: Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi
Artist: Stefano Simeone
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Publisher: Image Comics – Ghost Machine
Review by Clyde Hall
“Inventions should solve problems and make people smile.”
Boil The Trillion Dollar Kid #1 down to its essence and you come away with a concept that radical, that simple, and that complex. Especially when spoken by a wunderkind 13 year old trillionaire named Tommy Townsend III. He’s that rarest of commodities in any world, fictional or real-life: A financially successful genius who enjoys showing off, but only in ways which make people happy. Without a selfish agenda, guided by a caring and generous heart. Tommy and Dolly Parton would make a great team in that respect.
And as far as first impressions go, I found myself wondering if writers Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi were pulling a Tony Stark with this title. Marvel famously took a segment of society bearing scrutiny and even public disdain in 1962, that being a wealthy member of the military industrial complex which President Dwight Eisnhower had warned about a few years prior, and placed him on a hero’s journey. One that resulted in the invincible Iron Man.
In Tommy, the creators have taken a juvenile member of the Billionaire’s Boys Club as he passes into Trillionaire status, surpassing the financial width and breadth of some reviled 1% richest individuals on the planet in our modern times, and made a hopeful, worthy protagonist. The kind of teenager who invents a fun student delivery system for schools in his town, a system that doesn’t use buses, and creates new jobs in his company for the bus drivers out of work. Jobs with better benefits and paying double their original salary. All that, and he’s also the inventor of self-folding laundry! Yeah, he’s that kind of hero.
Just one with some weighty, unresolved issues hanging over his head. The legal kind, wherein an underage person with vast wealth could see his status and reality upended by rivals and systems happy to exploit him should those secrets become known. It’s why he sets off looking for answers to the mystery which could undo all the positive differences he’s attempted. To that purpose, Tommy’s taking the ‘improving people’s lives by invention and investment’ show he began in his little hometown of Cherry Pit, Michigan, on the road.
If that sounds way too unbelievable based on our worldly perspective at the moment, it should. Because the Trillion Dollar Kid is at the center of bringing together other unique beings his parents once described as the Unbelievables. This book is a solid, satisfying start for that coming-together process, and it owes a lot to the character build we get on Tommy.
As scripted by Tomasi and Johns, he’s brilliant yet obeys his parents’ wishes initially to keep their successful bandage business interests a secret and go about living an ordinary life despite their wealth. Only when the company is in trouble of folding does Tommy apply his inventive gifts and save it. Then decides he can do more to make people happy with the newfound revenue by doing it boldly. Publicly. Extraordinarily.
But Tommy also understands that money doesn’t buy the most important things in life. And that no one, no matter how well-intended, can make everyone happy. Himself included. He encounters opposition. He gets accused of trying to buy friends. Yet, it never stops him from trying to do right by everyone around him anyway. The kid’s heart is big, and he’ll likely have harsher lessons coming regarding the ideology of ‘Lord, save us from the good people’. Because best intentions can sometimes do more harm than good.
So far, however, Tommy is a young man who anticipates and counters most bumps along the roadway of his altruistic aims. As in the way he creates Sterling, a mech manservant/bodyguard with at least some level of AI. He’s a robot that Tommy treats well and who in return is appreciative of being created. Their relationship appears to be what Baron Frankenstein’s and Adam should have been, and its an interesting, hopeful exploration we should see more of.
Stefano Simeone has an artistic style that glows in a singular ‘ray of sunshine’ manner. It’s put to excellent use here, both in the upbeat moments and in the more troubled private moments Tommy goes through. What could become syrupy is granted foundation in seeing that, as much joy and happiness as Tommy tries to share, one person who doesn’t always partake once the spotlights dim and reporters file their stories is, ironically, himself. Simeone keeps the downside subtle, never dragging us through malaise negating Tommy’s drive to do right and make the lives of others better. The visual balance is masterfully achieved.
One thing about the Ghost World imprint; whether it’s The Unnamed, Hyde Park, or Rook: Exodus, their creators always stay on point establishing the mood intended and exploring their varying genres. In that vein, the Unbelievables introduction is more of the same. If you enjoy their other titles like The Rocketfellers and Hornsby and Halo, you’ll want to grab a copy of The Trillion Dollar Kid #1. Because the crossovers with those two books are getting ready to commence. And more Unbelievables character introductions are on the horizon as well.
The Prog Report
2000AD #2485: This current Judge Dredd story is so weird (complimentary). It’s now called Judge Rico: The Oubliette, and it’s from writer Ken Niemand, artist Jake Lynch, colorist Emily Roach, and letterer Annie Parkhouse. It started as sort of a horror-tinged disorientation tale, centered on Dredd, and now it’s moved into alternate timeline, unlikely team-up territory. I love a good hero erased from existence/memory story, and it’s fun to see Dredd getting that treatment here. It’s definitely more offbeat than the usual Dredd stories that lead The Prog, but that’s not a bad thing, as intriguing as this is. This week’s cover (above) is by Jake Lynch. As always, you can pick up a digital copy of The Prog here. And it is also now available weekly in US comic shops! —Zack Quaintance
2000AD #2485: This current Judge Dredd story is so weird (complimentary). It’s now called Judge Rico: The Oubliette, and it’s from writer Ken Niemand, artist Jake Lynch, colorist Emily Roach, and letterer Annie Parkhouse. It started as sort of a horror-tinged disorientation tale, centered on Dredd, and now it’s moved into alternate timeline, unlikely team-up territory. I love a good hero erased from existence/memory story, and it’s fun to see Dredd getting that treatment here. It’s definitely more offbeat than the usual Dredd stories that lead The Prog, but that’s not a bad thing, as intriguing as this is. This week’s cover (above) is by Jake Lynch. As always, you can pick up a digital copy of Column edited by Zack Quaintance.
Read past entries in the weekly Wednesday Comics reviews series or check-out our other reviews here!
