Now 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 Editor – Digital Amanda Sheriff.
Scarlett Couture: The Munich File
Titan; $17.99
Scarlett Carver is an agent of Covert Investigation Group, an intelligence organization that uses the Chase Couture modeling and fashion company as its cover. She is currently hunting for LADON, a program that can override and plant a mole inside computer systems. What she doesn’t realize is that Simon Klass, the mastermind behind a previous case known as Project Stardust, is using the LADON program to gain influence over governments and grow his criminal empire.
Series creator Des Taylor wrote and provided the art in Scarlett Couture: The Munich File. Like the original series, this five-issue second installment is filled with espionage excitement, complex schemes, and lots of action. On the art side, Taylor showcases his animation style that gives the book a unique look. The details are incredible, putting the reader on the streets in Argentina, in a high-tech command center, and other stylish settings.
The Munich File is like a blockbuster spy thriller movie with beautiful locations, sleek technology, precision fight scenes, and many twists and turns along the way. If you like James Bond and Mission: Impossible, you’ll enjoy Scarlett Couture: The Munich File.
No/One
Image; $24.99
Murders are being committed in Pittsburgh – but that’s only part of the story in No/One. It all started when the whistleblower vigilante known as No/One started exposing the crimes and corruption of powerful citizens in the city. The doxing videos and data dumps inspired a killer who started murdering No/One’s targets. After two murders and an attempted murder, the killer is apprehended and identified as Aaron Kern, the son of a high ranking police officer Ben Kern. All of that happened before the first issue of No/One.
The comic begins when a copycat continues killing well known citizens that he/she/they deem corrupt. Despite being largely discredited and under heavy scrutiny, Ben is looking into the situation, which includes uncomfortable visits to see his son in jail. Crime reporter Julia Paige and her editor Teddy Barstow are also investigating the story via a new podcast that is making the police uncomfortable. Then of course, there’s No/One the original mystery man who has spoken out against the murders and is starting to pop up at the crime scenes.
No/One is one of the best new comic I’ve read in a while. Kyle Higgins and Brian Buccellato wrote a well thought out story with fully formed characters, multiple layers to the plot, and smoothly written dialogue. There is so much going on with each of the main characters making the 10-issue series about far more than just a murder mystery.
The art by Geraldo Borges and colors by Mark Englert pull you into the comic with great detail on the characters and the backgrounds. The action and drama are skillfully expressed page to page whether it’s a crime scene lit by red and blue police lights, a moonlit chase scene, or a somber visit to the prison.
What makes it even more impressive is the extra content. Each issue ends with back material that profiles the characters, provides a timeline of events, and more. There’s also a QR code that will take readers to a monthly companion podcast performed by Rachel Leigh Cook (She’s All That) and Patton Oswalt (The Sandman).
All ten issues of the limited series are now available and the complete trade paperback goes on sale December 10.
Ribbon Queen Vol. 1
AWA; $19.99
Detective Amy Sun is in a tough spot. She’s investigating the death of Bella Rhinebeck, a young woman who narrowly escaped being murdered by a serial killer only to have the leader of the police’s tactical team who saved her become a bit of a stalker. Now she’s dead and police officer Keith Connolly is the number one suspect. But, Amy will quickly learn that something else much more sinister is also at play.
Amy witnesses a truly horrifying supernatural execution of the man who killed Bella. This sets her on an investigative path that uncovers a force of vengeance that was invoked by the victim in the weeks leading to her death. More deaths follow, and when Amy learns of their terrible sins, she questions if the Ribbon Queen should be stopped or left to her rampage.
Writer Garth Ennis packs a lot of content into each entry of the eight-issue series. Right away, he established a messy situation, a lead who clearly has a dark spot in her backstory, a suspect who’s supposed to be a good guy, and a powerful, dangerous presence. The supernatural aspect is the headliner with an entity doing truly terrifying things to its victims. But the story is way more complicated with a victim who may have made a deal with the devil, corrupt cops who think they can do whatever they want, and even a protagonist in the gray area.
Ribbon Queen benefits from the art of Jacen Burrows, Guillermo Ortego, and Dan Brown who bring it to life with realistic characters, fully formed settings, and panel angles that establish the book’s tone. The artists pack a powerful punch in the horror scenes as the Ribbon Queen literary tears her victims to shreds.
It’s a thought provoking crime comic and a boundary pushing horror book all rolled into one.
D.S.R. Deep Space Rescue Vol. 1
NJJ Studio; $20
In the far flung future, humankind has spread out across the cosmos, going as far as the other side of the galaxy. Humanity has found success in colonizing new worlds, though they have yet to meet sentient alien life. One of the biggest dangers faced by the explorers who have ventured deep into space is the lack of rescue options.
Zita is a 19-year-old with a talent for fixing tech who dreams of establishing a Deep Space Rescue team. Since she was once rescued from an escape pod by her now-surrogate father Buxton, Zita feels passionately about helping others in need. But her dream of rescuing others is hindered by a lack of necessary equipment and other obstacles – which often results in Zita being injured. Thankfully her medic friend Aleksy (who also happens to have a crush on Zita) is always there to help.
D.S.R Deep Space Rescue is an imaginative adventure book with heart, humor, and beautiful artwork. The reader is introduced to three main characters (with informative bios at the beginning of the book) who are all instantly likeable. Zita is brave and ambitious, Buxton is the long-suffering, loving father figure, and Aleksy is a healer, doggedly trying to help people. The concept is also refreshing. While most stories set in the distant future are dystopian wastelands or the intergalactic Wild West, this one is about exploration, integration, and helping people.
The book starts with a note from writer and illustrator Nathan Jeffers, an artist who has been creating and selling his work on the comic convention circuit for years. This tidbit of information provides context for the beauty and creativity of the art. He fills every page with details from crowded markets to characters’ expressions to action-packed travel scenes. The same attention is paid to the coloring with a vibrantly rendered palette used on the settings, the backgrounds, and characters themselves.
The Art of Goosebumps
Dynamite; $29.99
In 1992, R.L. Stine introduced Goosebumps, a line of short horror/humor books with preteen protagonists facing any number of monsters, ghouls, and creatures. Part of what made the kid horror classics so popular was the striking cover art by Tim Jacobus.
The Art of Goosebumps by Sarah Rodriguez, Rachel Deering, and Mark McNabb goes deep into the series and that cover art. It starts with an introduction by R.L. Stine in which he lists some of his favorite covers, then an interview with Stine where he talks about what influences his writing, how to craft a horror story, and his writing routine. In Jacobus’ interview, he talks about how he got involved in Goosebumps, which covers were most challenging, his influences, and more.
The meat of the book is a retrospective on the Goosebumps series and cover art. Finalized covers are featured alongside sketches, color mockups, unused designs, and photos used for the art. It has details on the process of crafting the covers, and provides context on the books and factoids about each publication.
This is a great book for members of the Goosebumps target audience. Those of us who read these books with rapt attention as children can read this comprehensive publication with an adult’s appreciation. The books were meant to scare and entertain us as kids and through The Art of Goosebumps, we get to learn about the processes that went into Stine and Jacobus’ work.
Amanda Sheriff is the Editor – Digital of Gemstone Publishing, writer/editor of the weekly e-newsletter, Scoop, and author or co-author of five of Gemstone’s “how to” books.
