Death: The High Cost of Living

This graphic novel features characters from Neil Gaiman's popular Sandman series, but because it is a standalone story, it can be read on its own and is a great introduction to the series. The protagonist is teenage Sexton (he's heard all the bad jokes about his name, so don't bother), who sits at his computer composing a suicide note. He wants to check out, not because his life is unbearable or horrific, but because it is empty and meaningless. He is jaded, bitter, and bored.

His mother decides to spring clean the apartment, despite the fact that it's actually summertime, and Sexton gets kicked out of the house for the day while she gets to work. He may seem a bit spoiled and melodramatic, but he gains the reader's sympathy with his matter-of-fact kindness and respect for the severely handicapped boy he passes in the hallway on his way out. He heads to the city dump, a place that reflects his dark mood.

When the pile of garbage he's standing on collapses without warning, Sexton plunges into the pile of trash and is trapped beneath a refrigerator. A lovely dark-haired girl answers his cries for help, introducing herself as Didi. She takes him back to her apartment so he can disinfect and bandage his wounds.

She tells him that she is Death, brought into the world to live as a human once every hundred years so she can fully experience humanity, the better to understand the value of the lives she takes. He thinks she has some serious psychological issues, but when strange things start to happen, Sexton finds himself along for the ride. Suddenly life doesn't look quite so meaningless - and when he finds himself locked into a dark underground room by a crazy, scary man, and is stuck there with a dead body and Didi, life starts looking pretty precious indeed.

The characters drive this compelling tale, and Death is the star. She is charming, upbeat and funny, exactly the sort of person you'd like to have waiting for you on the other side (or to help you cross over). Although as I write this, it occurs to me that I also have a great fondness for Discworld's Death. I would love to be a fly on the wall if the two of them are ever in the same room together.
This is an excellent introduction to the world of the Sandman and his family of immortals. Oh, and a word of caution - these books are dark and violent, definitely for mature readers. The illustrations are lush and colorful, and as an added bonus there is an informative and amusing public service story about STDs, narrated by Death, with practical advice on safe sex. For those who choose not to follow her advice, Death smiles and says, "I'll be seeing you!" I've been meaning to reread the first few books in the series and continue on through to the end, and my visit with Death in this book has made me impatient to get started.

Death: The High Cost of Living by Neil Gaiman; illustrated by Chris Bachalo, Mark Buckingham an David McKean; with an introduction by Tori Amos (DC Comics, 1994)

Also reviewed at:

Fyrefly's Book Blog: "At base, there’s not a whole lot to this story other than watching Death bubble her way around New York City trailing Sexton in her wake… but she’s so charming that it’s just about enough."

Things Mean a Lot: "this one does hold a special place in my heart. It’s a Sandman spinoff, but you don’t need to have read the series to understand and enjoy the story."

Valentina's Room: "Reading Death felt like reading a Charles de Lint short story, for some reason. Just this is enough to qualify as a great read. The fact that it was in graphic novel form gave it an extra appeal."

Courtney Crumrin's Monstrous Holiday

Courtney and her Great-Uncle Aloysius take a European vacation together in this fourth volume of the Courtney Crumrin series. This one is a departure from earlier books in the series, which focus on Courtney coming to terms with her developing magical powers against the backdrop of her small town, school, and less-than-stellar parents.

In this volume Uncle Aloysius is constantly at a loss as to how to best take care of his independent and often angry little niece. At every turn it seems that Courtney encounters adults in situations, usually of their own making, that are spiraling out of control for what appears to Courtney to be ridiculous reasons. While Aloysius tries to keep her safe and discourages her involvement, Courtney just can't help herself. She has a fierce sense of justice and does all in her power to make things right, even when the consequences are ultimately disappointing - and occasionally devastating.

This book is divided into two separate parts, one set in Romania (that involves werewolves) and another in Germany (that involves her ancestral home and some nasty vampires). I love the artwork, first of all - it is evocative and perfectly conveys the dark atmosphere of Courtney's world. Who would have thought that a noseless face could be so wonderfully expressive? And I adore Courtney. She is a tough and insecure, angry and loving, impatient and impulsive, intelligent and often lonesome. She is wise but inexperienced, and she makes mistakes because of her inexperience, but she always makes them for the right reasons. The books are dark but also have moments of humor, which is one of the reasons I love them so much - and this one no exception.

It was interesting to see Courtney far from her usual setting, and to see her spending some "quality time" with her uncle. I am eagerly awaiting her further adventures.

Neifeh, Ted - Courtney Crumrin series:

1. Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things

2. Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics

3. Courtney Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom

4. Courtney Crumin's Monstrous Holiday

And also:
Courtney Crumrin Tales: Portrait of the Warlock as a Young Man

Courtney Crumrin and the Fire Thief's Tale

Courtney Crumrin and the Prince of Nowhere
Courtney Crumrin's Monstrous Holiday (#4 in the Courtney Crumin series) by Ted Naifeh (Oni Press, 2009)

Also reviewed at:

Beyond Books: "It was different from the other volumes, and although I still enjoyed Courtney and the writing, I found the flow of the story to be… odd. I like reading about Courtney’s life in her Uncle’s house and with the kids at school."

Courtney Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom

Courtney Crumrin is back in this third volume of her adventures. The book opens as she returns to her old neighborhood, where she lived with her parents before they were invited to move to the huge old Victorian house in another town and live with her eccentric old uncle. Her parents have been unable to sell their old house, and while they are wheeling and dealing, Courtney hooks up with her old best friend. Being with him makes him realize how much things have changed for her - and how the decisions she has made, for better or worse, have changed her life.

Things are still not easy for her - particularly now, as a rift has formed between her and Uncle Aloysius following the events that occured at the close of the previous book. As if that weren't bad enough, she must now attend "Saturday School" with other magically gifted children. She quickly discovers that she doesn't fit in any better there than at regular school. When a curse one of the other students casts, just to show off, has disastrous consequences, Courtney feels obliged to help fix the situation, even though it means returning to the very dangerous Twilight Kingdom.

In previous volumes, Courtney has taken some rather ruthless steps to see that justice (as she sees it) is served - edging very close to the darkest side of the magical world. Here she is thrust into a new position of responsibility, and it is fascinating to see her maneuver through these new demands and ethical choices. She has been on her own, for the most part, in the previous volumes, but now she is with - gasp - some...could they actually be friends?

This is fast becoming one of my favorite graphic novel series. I love the dark humor, the striking illustrations, the moral ambiguity that is explored throughout, and most of all, smart, feisty, no-nonsense Courtney, whose character is further developed in each volume of this compelling series.

Books in the Courtney Crumrin series:
1. Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things
2. Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics
3. Courtney Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom
4. Courtney Crumin's Monstrous Holiday

And also:
Courtney Crumrin Tales: Portrait of the Warlock as a Young Man
Courtney Crumrin and the Fire Thief's Tale
Courtney Crumrin and the Prince of Nowhere

Courtney Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom (#3 in the Courtney Crumrin graphic novel series) by Ted Naifeh (Oni Press, 2004)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Scott Pilgrim returns in this second installment of his quirky, action-packed romance graphic novel series, and his troubles are far from over. The story opens with a flashback to Scott's high school days, when he was new to school and became friends with Kim, the current drummer of their band, Sex-Bob-omb. He rescues her from some psychopathic bullies, and they began dating.

Cut to the present, as Scott's roommate Wallace threatens that if Scott doesn't break up with Knives, his high-school girlfriend he was seeing when he fell in love with Ramona in the last book, Wallace is going to tell Ramona about her. Scott genuinely likes Knives, and he is a non-confrontational sort of guy. But he really, really doesn't want Ramona to know about her, and in a hilarious but pathos-filled scene, Scott finally tells Knives they can't be together anymore.

Knives turns out not to be the timid, compliant girl she appears to be, and her fury and bitterness at the end of the relationship spur her to take some drastic measures, particularly when she sees Scott with Ramona and realizes what has happened. My favorite scene of the entire book is when Knives stages a surprise ninja attack on Ramona in the Toronto Reference Library. Meanwhile, the second of Ramona's evil ex-boyfriends whom Scott must defeat arrives in town. He turns out to be a famous actor and former pro skater, a formidable opponent - but to compound Scott's troubles, his ex-girlfriend calls. She needs an opening band to replace once that canceled, and she's wondering if Sex Bob-omb would like to play. It is clear that Scott has yet to recover from that relationship, but until we see him huddled and trembling on the floor in the wake of her phone call, it becomes evident that he has a ways to go before he can put the relationship behind him.

I find it difficult to articulate what it is about this series that has me hooked. I love the quirky quality - you never know just where it's going to go, and it's fresh and surprising. The relationships among the characters are portrayed so well, through the bold, energetic illustrations as well as the dialogue, and there is an emotional resonance present that is not typical of many graphic novels. The social commentary is there, but it's clever and understated, and the humor is often sneaky and surprising. Readers who are looking for something different, something that will make them think and laugh, will be sure to enjoy this series.

Books in the Scott Pilgrim series:
1. Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
2. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
3. Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness
4. Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together
5. Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (#2 in the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni Press, 2005)

Also reviewed at:
A Book a Week: "The art is simple, attractive, and easy to follow. It's set in Toronto and spends a surprising amount of time in recognizable Toronto libraries, so I would love it for that alone. But the story and the characters don't need any help. They've got me hooked."
Painted Smiles; Written Words: "The characters really are nothing short of adorable, but that doesn’t stop the series from having some fantastically dynamic action shots. And it’s a mixture of detailed and stylized backgrounds and surroundings that moves the story from the real world, surreal in varying degrees, to what feels like an epic video game."

This is cross-posted at my blog, Books and Other Thoughts.

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life

This one is entirely Kiirsten's fault. Her excellent review of the first two volumes in this graphic novel series completely won me over. She described the books as possessing that quirky combination of humor and oddness and compelling characters that never fails to entice me. And she was absolutely right.

Scott Pilgrim is an unprepossessing kind of guy. He's twenty-three years old, is dating a high school girl (in an odd kind of platonic way), plays in a bad band, is unemployed, and even though he seems like a total slacker loser, comes off as sweet and funny and manages to grab the reader's sympathy in spite of himself. He shares an apartment with Wallace, who is gay and boy crazy and always has a funny, caustic remark at the ready.

When Scott has vivid dreams about a pretty Rollerblading girl, and then actually runs into her in real life at a party, he becomes obsessed with her. He learns that her name is Ramona Flowers, she is American, and she works as a delivery girl for Amazon in Toronto, where the story is set. Scott's initial encounter with her doesn't go too well, since he's still reeling about the fact that he's seen her in his dreams. He hatches a plan to see her again (a plan that involves ordering merchandise from Amazon and paying for it with Wallace's credit card), and this time things go a bit better. She admits that she's been using Scott's head as a shortcut when delivering packages: "It's just, like, this really convenient subspace highway happens to go through your head, it's like three miles in fifteen seconds," Ramona tells him. Of course he falls in love with her, but little does he know that Ramona happens to come with a some emotional...baggage...so to speak.

This was such a fun story. I found the characters to be quirky and engaging, and the dialogue rang true and kept me laughing as I read. The characters' relationships were believable and realistically portrayed, as with, for example, Scott and his little sister Stacey. She calls him up in the middle of the night after Wallace tells her about Scott dating the teenager. Their phone conversation perfectly captures the mixture of bafflement, affection and concern a little sister would feel towards a beloved but exasperating brother in such a situation.

I won't reveal any surprises, but let me say that the final scenes of the story are unexpected and hilarious. This is a delightful, intelligent, refreshing read, and I am very much looking forward to the continuation of Scott's story in the next volume of this series. The book classifies itself as "T" for teen, ages 13 and up. My library shelves these in the adult section, though, probably because while (at least in this volume) there is no graphic sexual imagery, there are some fairly adult themes. To date there are five volumes, the most recent of which was released just last month, and there is also a film in the works, which should apparently be released some time in 2009.

Books in the Scott Pilgrim series:
1. Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
2. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
3. Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness
4. Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together
5. Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (#1 in the Scott Pilgrim series) by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni Press, 2004)

Boneyard

I had not heard of this graphic novel series until reading The Book Zombie's review last month. Her description of the story's combination of humor, horror and the fantastical hooked me immediately, and when I got my own copy, I was not disappointed.

The book opens as Michael Paris, a young man who's just inherited some property from his grandfather, is driving out to the country to finalize the details of its sale. It isn't until he arrives that he discovers that the property is actually a graveyard, and the townspeople are up in arms because they claim that it is an evil place and must be destroyed. The mayor is the most passionate advocate of its destruction and urges Paris to sign the papers immediately.

But Paris is not the sort of guy to jump to conclusions - luckily for the odd denizens of the graveyard. Paris discovers a whole host of creepy but evidently harmless creatures living there, residents who will be displaced should the graveyard be razed as the mayor insists. Paris maintains that each side should have its say, and then he'll decide what to do. The situation becomes a kind of political campaign, with each side overtly courting his favor. Poor Paris doesn't know if he should be more frightened of the (admittedly sexy) vampire, the werewolf, the swamp monster - or the matronly ladies, each bearing a freshly baked pie, he discovers in his hotel room when he comes out of the shower wearing only a towel.

It quickly becomes apparent that there is more to the situation than meets the eye, and that not everything is as it seems in the town of Raven's Hollow. I enjoyed the quirky characters and original premise of this first book in the series, which is a compilation of the first four issues of the comic. The dialogue is fabulous, and there is something on every page to make readers smile or laugh out loud. The images included in the Book Zombie's review were in color; my library's copy, alas, is entirely in black and white. Even so, the images are a perfect complement to the tone of the story. The book has a satisfying conclusion, yet leaves an impression that there is much more in store for our young hero and the boneyard characters. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in this very funny series.

Boneyard, Volume 1 by Richard Moore (NBM Publishing, 2002)

Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics

This second collected volume of Courtney Crumrin (graphic novel) tales sees Courtney beginning to settle into her new life. If she hasn't made friends at her new school, at least she's figured out how to get along without making too many waves. She and her uncle have formed a friendship - and he's even teaching her from his many books of magic.

Then her teacher reveals a few surprises, leaving Courtney feeling rather bewildered and resentful. Courtney also discovers mysterious events afoot that her uncle seems determined to prevent her from learning about. Of course, Courtney being Courtney, she ignores him and investigates on her own, discovering a truly horrific being that has all the other wizards in town cowering in fear. The monster, she learns, has an easily understandable, straightforward sort of evil nature; this does not prove to be the case with some of the so-called "normal" humans around her, unfortunately. This volume also sees her venturing forth on a nighttime adventure in cat form in a delightful chapter that reminded me a bit of Charles de Lint's compelling tale, A Circle of Cats. I loved her cute cat shape!
This volume in the series is a bit darker than the first, but it maintains the same quirky humor and evocative artwork. Life is not easy for Courtney. She has tough decisions to make, and things don't always turn out right; sometimes they're downright heartbreaking. But not to worry - Courtney is a tough, determined little girl, and she is unafraid to take justice into her own hands, which leaves the reader to ponder the moral ambiguity of her actions. This is a delightful, thought-provoking series, and I'm very much looking forward to spending more time with Courtney in future installments.

Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics (#2 in the Courtney Crumrin series) by Ted Naifeh (Oni Press, 2003)

This post is cross-posted to my blog, Books and Other Thoughts.

Rapunzel's Revenge

Fairytale meets Western in this humorous, rollicking adventure tale featuring Rapunzel, a pampered only child growing up in a beautiful castle. Her mother, Gothel, is the ruler of the castle - at least, Rapunzel believes she is her mother.

When Rapunzel becomes dissatisfied with her life, yearning to see the world beyond the picture-perfect palace and gardens, beset by disturbing dreams that hint at forgotten people and places, Gothel grows angry. "Ignore the dreams, my dear," she says, "And they'll go away." But Rapunzel can't ignore them. Against Gothel's wishes, she finds a way out of the castle - and what she discovers beyond its walls shakes her world, leaving her horrified, angry and determined to take action.

And so her adventures begin - taking her from a safe, stultifying existence to the rough-and-tumble life of a wild west outlaw. When she teams up with Jack, a young man she meets in her travels, they journey together, experiencing all kinds of hilarious and hair-raising adventures. But Rapunzel knows she must return to face Gothel - yet how can she hope to defeat someone with such amazingly strong magical powers?

This graphic novel was great fun to read. I particularly enjoyed the slapstick humor and the many "inside" fairytale jokes that are a great payoff to fairytale fans. Rapunzel is an excellent, feisty, tough and kind heroine, and the wild west setting was a surprising and effective backdrop for the tale. I will be looking forward to further works by this talented team - and I hope I won't have to wait too long!

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale; illustrated by Nathan Hale (Bloomsbury, 2008)

This review was cross-posted on my blog, Books and Other Thoughts.

Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things

In this first in a series of graphic novels, young Courtney Crumin moves to the suburbs with her vapid parents to stay with their wealthy elderly uncle, Professor Aloysius Crumrin. His house is a rambling old Victorian mansion, the creepiest house in town that everyone tells all kinds of dark, speculative stories about. Her uncle is a cold, unfriendly man who makes it perfectly clear that he wishes to be left alone.

Courtney's parents are delighted, because they feel the move is a huge improvement to their social status. Courtney, on the other hand, is not at all pleased. She is an outcast at her new school, where not only is she hopeless as far as finding a group to fit in with, but she's immediately set upon by a group of bullies on her way home on the very first day - and when she runs into the woods to escape them, she finds even worse things lurking there. To top things off, she doesn't even feel safe in her new home - there are dark creatures roaming its halls at night. Her parents don't seem to notice them - but her uncle does.

Courtney "borrows" a book about magical creatures that she finds in her uncle's off-limits study, and she begins to use her new-found knowledge to her advantage - although not without risks and ill effects. She is surprised to discover an unlikely ally in her uncle, which is a lucky thing when she finds herself well in over her head. Courtney comes up against all kinds of night things (and unpleasant human day things, too), tricky faeries, obnoxious changelings, inscrutable black cats - even her own dark side. She is not a sweet, nice little girl - she is headstrong and sometimes unkind, but she does try to do the right thing (by her lights, at any rate), and in the end she is an admirable, feisty, strong and thoroughly likable young heroine. She is very much alone in many ways, but she comes to terms with that in a satisfying way that readers are sure to identify with. The excellent artwork fits the dark stories perfectly, adding touches of whimsy and humor to some of the spookier moments and lending wonderful expression to the characters' faces.

I disagree, however, with the publisher's rating of "Y" (ages 7 and up) for this series. This is a dark series, with disturbing and violent events (in the first story, one of her classmates, a fellow bully victim, is devoured by a goblin in the woods, for example), and where older readers would be more likely to see the dark humor in the stories, some younger children might find it an altogether different experience. My library shelves this in the teen section, and I agree with that decision (not that it might not be the perfect fit for some younger readers). I would recommend this for ages twelve and up.

I am looking forward to reading the further adventures of Courtney in the next volume in this engaging graphic novel series.

Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things, Vol. 1 by Ted Naifeh (Oni Press, 2002)

This review is cross-posted on my blog, Books and Other Thoughts.