Vertigo Reviews Bonanza

Written by: Steve Seagle
Art by: Teddy Kristiansen
Price: $24.95
Review Excerpt: "Few comic readers would argue that the Superman comics aren't in a sorry state right now. Any of these readers will easily identify with It's a Bird and the friction it portrays between man and Superman. Though its status as a true Superman story is debatable, I would consider it one of the best comics to feature the Man of Steel since his space pod crashed into a Kansas field so many years ago."

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Written by: Neil Gaiman
Art by: Yoshitaka Amano
Price: $19.95
Review Excerpt: "The Dream Hunters is only loosely connected to the world of Sandman, with Morpheus himself only appearing briefly. This doesn't hurt the novella, though, and actually works in its favor. Any fan of fantasy - hell - any fan of good stories or pretty pictures will be right at home reading this book. It transcends its status as a spin-off of a popular comic book and become something more akin to true art."

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Written by: Brian Azzarello
Art by: Eduardo Risso
Price: $14.99
Review Excerpt: "100 Bullets: The Hard Way feels like that third glass of whiskey when you're alone at the end of the bar. It's smooth, has a kick, but is also full of melancholy. Those who've never read 100 Bullets may have a hard time jumping in so late. Azzarello's writing assumes you're already used to the pacing and the conceit of the tale. Instead, new readers should start from the beginnings with First Shot, Last Call. Only by starting from book one can you fully appreciate the tangled web of conspiracies, lies and betrayals that string together such a large pool of characters. If crime fiction is your cup of tea, drink up."

Written by: Paul Pope
Art by: Paul Pope
Price: $24.99
Review Excerpt: "100% is more about love and inspiration than sex, drugs or politics. Pope's art is dark, but spirited, much like this bittersweet tale of loves won and lost. As with all great science fiction, the technology and future prognostication is merely a vehicle to examine the human condition. This one's an absolute must for any who appreciate great storytelling."

Written by: John Wagner
Art by: Vince Locke
Price: $9.99
Review Excerpt: "History's set-up is phenomenal and provides Wagner with an incredible opportunity to explore the nature of violence and its effects on an entire community. Instead, Wagner focuses more on the acts of violence themselves, often cutting short the crucial family moments that could have expanded the emotional impact of the story. Tom's wife has little time for angry or doubt, instead all-too-easily sliding aside decades of lies in just a handful of panels."

Written by: Howard Chaykin & David Tischman
Art by: David Hahn
Price: $9.99
Review Excerpt: "Throughout the tale, the third-person narrative separates the Hollywood mythology of vampires from the real deal. Rather than turning the vamps into soulless, ghouls interested in only blood, Bite Club makes them overly human, more susceptible to every vice. The lack of morality as they drink from victims and kill indiscriminately is shown as product of both nature and nurture."

Written by: Neil Gaiman
Art by: Dave McKean
Price: $19.95
Review Excerpt: "Black Orchid is a coming of age story as unique and beautiful as the fictional flower that bears the titles name. McKean's art is a superb fit and feels appropriately subdued compared to his other work. Black Orchid doesn't hold up quite as strongly as Gaiman's Sandman or Moore's Swamp Thing, but is a fascinating read. Those looking for an inspired look into Arkham's madhouse won't be disappointed."

Written by: Ed Brubaker
Art by: Warren Pleece
Price: $9.99
Review Excerpt: "Stealing the Sun shows the incredible potential of the series and is a complete tale in itself. However, it won't answer the majority of questions raised. You won't know what caused the cataclysm, why Beezer has his visions or what any of it really means. That might prove too frustrating to merit a purchase. But if you're interested in seeing Brubaker's earlier work, and a great one at that, you may want to give this a try."

Written by: Robert Hunter
Art by: Timothy Truman
Price: $6.95
Review Excerpt: "Dog Moon is one of those books that you either love or hate. I found myself unable to turn away, needing to know the resolution, but many will find the story too cerebral or slow. This is a dance with steps not all can follow. The story languishes a bit, but is a sweet and memorable love song."

Written by: Darren Aronofsky
Art by: Kent Williams
Price: $39.99
Review Excerpt: "Aronofsky's sardonic wit, seen in Pi and Requiem for a Dream is absent here. Instead, he provides a science-fantasy tale that is more sweet than cynical. When I first finished The Fountain, I thought it was a good, but not quite brilliant piece of fiction. However, writing this review, I found the memory of the story resurfacing emotions, so much that I had to sit down and read The Fountain a second time. Though I still think Aronofsky needed to provide us the stable environment of the modern-day tale sooner, the story has an even great resonance upon a second read."

Written by: Warren Ellis
Art by: Colleen Doran
Price: $17.95 (Softcover)
Review Excerpt: "Ellis might just be the best comics writer we have at turning scientific jargon into easy reading and with Orbiter he's at his peak. Perhaps most surprising is that the normally cynical Ellis is quite optimistic, mixing practicality to flights of fancy. The choice to team up with A Distant Soil's Colleen Doran is a wise one. Her art helps ground some rather fantastical ideas in the real world, making Ellis' theories seem all the more plausible."

Written by: Dave Gibbons
Art by: Dave Gibbons
Price: $24.95
Review Excerpt: "The Originals feels a bit too mean-spirited and ultimately a little pointless. The main character, Lei, just isn't a likable fellow. Do I care if he loses the girl or his best friend? We're never shown enough admirable qualities in Lei to give a damn. That ultimately numbs what could have been a poignant ending. There are lots of books out there and plenty worse than The Originals, but Gibbons' tale just isn't quite good enough to warrant your hard-earned cash."

Written by: Garth Ennis
Art by: John Higgins
Price: $14.95
Review Excerpt: "Ultimately, Pride & Joy is about the difficult relationship between fathers and sons. It's about old-school values conflicting with new world sensibilities. But it doesn't work with the extreme violence and almost supernatural nature of the enemy hunting one man and his family. There are some decent moments, but little good comes of this story."

Written by: Bill Willingham
Art by: Bill Willingham & Paul Guinan
Price: $14.95
Review Excerpt: "For all the ingenuity of the set-up, Proposition Player has mediocre follow-through redeemed mainly by its humor and final. Those looking for something on par with Fables will be disappointed, but as an afternoon read, Proposition Player is amusing enough to be satisfactory."

Written by: Harvey Pekar
Art by: Dean Haspiel
Price: $19.99
Review Excerpt: "You don't have to be a fan of Pekar's previous work to understand or enjoy The Quitter. Were it not for the final few pages, you could read this book and never know that Pekar would become good friends with Robert Crumb and go on to create a small, rabid comic-book fanbase. Those who are familiar with Pekar will get just a tad more from The Quitter. This portrait of a young Harvey Pekar is unexpected, but provides a greater understanding of the man who would go on to American Splendor."

Written by: Jill Thompson
Art by: Jill Thompson
Price: $9.95
Review Excerpt: "The Little Endless Storybook is an endearing and heartfelt story, much like Owly, and should prove to be a welcome addition to any Sandman fan's library. It doesn't take more than a few minutes to read through, but the quirky story and images can serve as a readymade pick-me-up for anyone who needs a little more brightness in their dreary world of grim and gritty comics."

Written by: Grant Morrison
Art by: Cameron Stewart
Price: $9.95
Review Excerpt: "There are some wonderfully nutty characters inhabiting Seaguy's perfect world, but none of them are particularly memorable. The lead character turns out to be the least interesting of the bunch. He's no Batmite, that's for sure. If you want a good laugh, rent Steel Magnolias. This won't have you in stitches -- except over the realization that you just coughed up $10 for a read."

Written by: Brian Azzarello
Art by: Joe Kubert
Price: $17.95
Review Excerpt: "There's a lot to admire in this story, particularly the sentimental finale, but there's something slightly amiss. Whether it's Azzarello's dialogue of the overall pacing of the tale, it's doesn't quite click from start to finish. Instead, we get brilliant pockets of memorable moments linked together by forgettable scenes . All-in-all, it's an enjoyable read that doesn't quite like up to its billing. But if you need a Sgt. Rock fix, this should do ya."

Written by: Peter Milligan
Art by: Chris Bachalo
Price: $17.95
Review Excerpt: "The careers of Milligan and Bachalo were still in infancy with the launch of Shade, but both are also in prime form. Bachalo's art is less refined than his work in the mid-'90s and has a more appealing, unprocessed look to it. Milligan has perhaps never been better. It's a shame Vertigo has only seen to collect the first six issues of this important series. As a stand-alone book, The American Scream is a deep and satisfying read, but once you enter the world of The Changing Man, it will be a sad and quick journey back to reality."

Written by: Garth Ennis
Art by: Various
Price: $19.95
Review Excerpt: "Ennis has a solid foundation in War Stories. If he picks his stories a little more carefully and highlights the most compelling moments, this series could become a thing of legend. Rotating artists gives each tale a unique feel and, remarkably, each artist is the perfect fit for the story they are telling. Fans of classic war tales will be thrilled by most of these tales, but War Stories doesn't maintain enough consistency to merit more than marginal endorsement."

Written by: Grant Morrison
Art by: Frank Quietly
Price: $12.99
Review Excerpt: "Brutal, humorous and heartfelt, WE3 is your typical Disney 'talking animals journeying home picture' with a big fat set of balls. I dare you not to fall in love with the critters of WE3. And once Morrison has his hooks in your heart, he tugs repeatedly with an fast-paced action tale that is easily one of the best of the year."

Written by: Brian K. Vaughan
Art by: Pia Guerra & Others
Price: $12.95 - $14.95 each
Review Excerpt: "Y: The Last Man may have begun as a clever concept, but has quickly grown and deepened into one of the most intelligent comic books on the shelves. Though a few aspects could be nitpicked, such as Vaughan's excessive love of cliffhangers, the minor issues are overshadowed by the power of this imaginative tale. Great fiction is born from great characters. Yorick and company certainly fit that bill and Y: The Last Man could turn out to be one of the greatest stories of the last twenty years -- in any medium."