December is the time of year when gift-giving is on our minds as we hunt for the perfect presents for friends and family. If you are seeking gifts for the comic book lovers in your life, the Gemstone staff would like to offer some interesting suggestions of trades and graphic novels that they might enjoy. In this case, the selections come from our Vice-President of Publishing, J.C. Vaughn.
Planet of the Apes: Ursus
BOOM! Studios; $19.99
BOOM! Studios has been a tremendous steward for the Planet of the Apes franchise in comics, and their sterling reputation among original series POTA fans will only be enhanced by Planet of the Apes: Ursus, the new trade paperback collecting the six-issue miniseries by writer David Walker (Luke Cage) and artists Christopher Mooneyham (Five Ghosts) and Lalit Kumar Sharma (Witchblade).
Taking a character as clearly defined as Beneath the Planet of the Apes’ General Ursus (portrayed in the film and distinctively voiced by the late James Gregory) and adding layers of complexity without altering what the reader or viewer already knows is difficult work, but clearly Walker and company were up to the task. They give us a compelling back story that entwines things from the films and from BOOM!’s own prequel comic book efforts, and they build it into a complex narrative that ends up where it had to… but leaves you wishing it didn’t.
A tremendous job by all involved, and an easy addition to your gift-giving list for the POTA fans on your Christmas or Hanukkah lists this year.
Mattéo – Book One: 1914-1915
IDW Publishing/EuroComics; $19.95
For many other American comic book readers, writer-artist Jean-Pierre Gibrat wasn’t on the radar until Dean Mullaney and his EuroComics team published Flight of the Raven and its prequel, The Reprieve. Now he’s turned into one of those “must have” creators, which he demonstrates in full force with Mattéo – Book One: 1914-1915.
This full-color, 64-page hardcover original graphic novel in the European album format is glorious. It begins with the earliest days of World War I, as the world around Mattéo, a pacifist son of Spanish refugees sees his friends called up for the conflict, and even his girlfriend now looks at him differently.
Like Flight and Reprieve, this is another beautifully drawn work by Gibrat, who captures emotional complexity and ambiguity very well with his story. It’s a highly compelling graphic novel, one that leaves the reader immediately ready for Book Two, which is reportedly even better.
Fashion in Action
Bedside Press; $20
Well, it’s about darn time! Someone – in the form of Bedside Press Editor Hope Nicholson – finally realized that John K. Snyder III’s pioneering female action hero team was crying out to be back in print. In an age when so many are talking about female empowerment, diversity of body types, and so many other things along those lines, it’s important to remember that people did all those things and managed to do it with fantastic stories in the early days of creator-ownership.
Originally appearing as a back-up feature in Tim Truman’s Scout at Eclipse Comics, Snyder’s Fashion in Action also was showcased in two standalone one-shots and was then seemingly consigned to history. But no more!
Thank goodness Nicholson convinced Snyder to reissue this gem! The restoration work is stunning, a powerful example of a stylish, substantive work brought back and made instantly accessible to the modern audience. The colors are more vibrant than ever. The beautiful paper was a great choice for both the art and the color. And the story? That story from the 1980s? It hasn’t missed a beat!
Black Hood - Volume 3
Archie Comic Publications; $14.99
If you have someone on your list who likes both superhero and crime comics and has missed out on The Black Hood from Archie’s Dark Circle line, don’t start with this excellent third volume in the series. Go back and get the first two, then jump on board this one. If your friend or loved one already has read the other two, it’s hard to imagine a better crime/superhero blend than this one.
Writer Duane Swierczynski and artist Greg Scott set a ruthless and doggedly persistent assassin known as The Nobody on the trail of former cop and vigilante Greg Hettinger. Of course it’s heading toward a major confrontation between the two, but it’s the how-we-get-there journey that makes this such compelling reading.
It seems this third volume will be the last for now, which is a real shame. However, given The Black Hood’s presence on The CW’s Riverdale, perhaps we haven’t seen the last of this incarnation of the character.
Vampire, PA
American Mythology; $19.99
Sorry, but this last one is self-serving. That said, I wouldn’t suggest it if I wasn’t pretty sure you’d enjoy it.
The original 2007 miniseries that put vampires on the Pennsylvania map is finally collected in trade paperback. Dean Marklin never believed in vampires until he was attacked by one. Now he’s more than a believer. He’s kept his day job as an HVAC repairman so he can afford to hunt vampires by night in the normally sleepy Pittsburgh suburb of Dormont (where there is a surprisingly large undead population). Illustrated by Brendon and Brian Fraim (The Three Stooges), and colored and covered by Mark Wheatley (Breathtaker), it’s written by yours truly. This volume includes bonus pages not included in the individual issues and the original short story that inspired the series.
Editor’s note: And of course we hope you'll consider our books for your holiday gift-giving needs as well, including The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #48, The Overstreet Price Guide to Star Wars Collectibles, The Overstreet Guide to Collecting Tabletop Games, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Horror, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Concert Posters, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Video Games, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Movie Posters, The Overstreet Guide To Cosplay, The Overstreet Guide To Grading Comics, The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comic & Animation Art, and The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comics. They’re all fun and make great gifts for the collectors in your life.
