Off The Shelf: The Hernandez Brothers Will Teach You About Gasoline Alleys

The Return of Mister X
Written by Gilbert Hernandez, Mario Hernandez & Dean Motter
Art by Jaime Hernandez, Paul Rivoche & Klaus Schonefeld
1987, Published by Warner Books
Originally Serialized by Vortex Comics

One of those random comics that slid right by this reader until now, Mister X was worked on by some of the greatest comics artists of all time--the Hernandez Brothers.  Found in a bargain bin on an out-of-town holiday trip, The Factual's Field Reporter returned with eyes agog, saying "Fuck man, did you even know this existed?"  Printed by Warner Books, this trade contains the first four issues of the Dean Motter creation "Mister X," an insomniac architect who now roams the secret tunnels of the city he had helped create--one that has a dirty penchant for driving some of it's inhabitants insane.  Oddly, in the happy version of oddly, this comic actually reads like the combination of some city-based Love & Rockets mixed with Fritz Lang's Metropolis.  (Or Dark City.  Nobody uses Metropolis for a reference anymore, because they've only seen the Kiefer Sutherland movie Dark City.  And they loved it.  And it's so great.  And blah blah blah Dark City.)  Although the story reaches a sort of climax, it's one that leaves quite a few balls in the air, and it's unfortunate that these trades are no longer in print. 

Walt & Skeezix, Vol 2
By Frank King
2006, Published by Drawn & Quarterly
Originally Serialized 1923-1924

While this reader is ecstatic about the continuing reprints of Schulz's Peanuts and Segar's Popeye, it's Walt & Skeezix that makes the nostalgic gold rush all worthwhile.  Beautiful and touching, Frank King's Gasoline Alley is without a doubt one of the greatest examples of comics that's ever existed.  It's impossible to really know if people knew how lucky they were to read these stories the way they were first printed, a day at a time--but it's completely apparent how lucky we are now, to be able to dive in for hours.  For the next few years at least, Drawn & Quarterly has a lock on the best comics of the year--it's Walt & Skeezix, every time.

The Technopriests Book Two: Rebellion
Written by Alexandro Jodorowsky
Art by Zoran Janjetov & Fred Beltran
Translated by Sasha Watson
2004, Published by Humanoids/DC Comics

As was mentioned in the comments when we first looked at the Technopriests, this second volume of Jodorowsky's science fiction story is the one where the God Damn Wouldn't It Be Awesome To Fuck Mom subtext stops messing around and makes itself clear.  It's also the volume where we get to learn about retractable testicles.  Beyond that, there's really nothing that jumps out to make this any different than the first volume--if you liked reading about Super Albino (yes, he calls himself that,) grey skinned space pirates and lesbian harem armies, than you'll probably still going to like reading about it again, and this time you'll get references to Popes and religious cults as well.  Reading something like this, something that seems so much like every other run of the mill sci-fi story ever written, one begins to wonder what else it is American readers are missing--not because the Technopriests seems like such a tip-of-the-iceberg book, but because it really doesn't.  It's ridiculously xenophobic to assume that America has a lock on the best that modern cartooning has to offer, an attitude best seen by how long it's taken for the US to catch on to guys like Yoshihiro Tatsumi and, of course, even Osama Tezuka.  Europe has, in recent years, been a much more welcoming environment to its artists and writers, and it's too depressing to believe that there isn't a lot more great untranslated stuff across the pond.  Unfortunately, the only things that are making it across are the big guns from France, an unending supply of reprinted Asterix and Tintin, and whatever nerdy sci-fi shit American companies try to pawn off on Battlestar Galactica fans.

Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus, Vol. 2
By Jack Kirby
2007, Published by DC Comics
Orignally Serialized by DC Comics, 1971-1972

The only line in the sand we'd have to draw on this is the irritating paper debate--meaning that a lot of random websites and Amazon reviews are still crying foul about how DC decided to print these Kirby books on what seems to be all that Baxter paper left over from the 80's.  It's sort of like a heavier newsprint, as opposed to the glossy pages they use for their sister Archives publications.  Here at the Factual offices, we're fully in support of the way the Kirby Omnibuses look and feel--if the other option was that glossy shit, we're really happy.  (Either way, it's a moot point--these books are selling well enough, and in enough random mainstream stores, that DC won't be heeding the complaints of people with Amazon usernames like starfirelovesbuddy3489 anytime soon.)

Moving on to the contents of the book, it's been made clear around the debating table that it all comes down to whether you like Kirby or you don't--if you're not a fan of his art and setting the record for over-the-top dialog, than you'll find no quarter here.  But if you even like him a little, it seems impossible to believe that the Fourth World Omnibus isn't going to become a prized possession--after all, this is Kirby at his Hard Cock Finest--an outrageously extravagant core story that behaves as if it's starting at the end of 70 years of comics, told throughout separate comics in pursuit of their own narrative, all featuring art and dialog by the man-who-they-named-King.  (Seriously.  People called him that.)  Few of the characters here had ever appeared before, and none of them were dealt with this well since, so it's a pretty satisfying read for somebody with little spandex history--but who are we kidding?  If you haven't picked up a spandex comic before, it's unlikely that you're in the market for a $50 book of 1970's comics about a intergalactic struggle between gods over the Anti-Life Equation, fights settled with Cosmic Energies and characters with names like Granny Goodness and Mister Miracle.  I mean, you should want to read this stuff.  It'll make you happy. 

But seriously, you're not going to if you haven't already bumped into it.  Hopefully it'll always be out there, if you change your mind.

-Tucker Stone, 2007

Comments

[Sharif]

I don't know about you, but I'd buy an ongoing series starring Granny Goodness.

[Tucker Stone]

Sharif, In all seriousness, so would I. And that's what makes us different from the majority of comics readers: Taste.

[fermentor]

What a joke! 'Technopriests' is mediocre and generic to you?? What a fool you must be, drunk off your own snotty, typically over-enlarged internet-ego, so much so that you cannot even realize the mad brilliance of the universe Jodorowsky has created. It is unlike ANYTHING I have ever read or watched and is wildly imaginative. But you are clearly a grumpy little twat to be so damning as to call it generic and sub-par. Must either be some nerd-grudge because you were ignored at a comic-con, or you are just looking for attention. Well, this is as much as you will get. You are a fool, most likely reclusive and friendless off the net, and your reviews are not even worthy off a continuing-ed "Review Writing" class.

You probably thought "The Incal" was unoriginal and boring, even though it is widely considered one of, if not THE best sci-fi comics ever, as well as a massive influence on the entire genre in every form. You must be very proud of your poser, wannabe-be different opinions that make you out to be ignorant and tasteless.

I will now take leave of this obscure website that I have had the gross misfortune of stumbling across thanks to a poor Google search, and hopefully I will not have to read your tripe again.

[fermentor]

What a joke! 'Technopriests' is mediocre and generic to you?? What a fool you must be, drunk off your own snotty, typically over-enlarged internet-ego, so much so that you cannot even realize the mad brilliance of the universe Jodorowsky has created. It is unlike ANYTHING I have ever read or watched and is wildly imaginative. But you are clearly a grumpy little twat to be so damning as to call it generic and sub-par. Must either be some nerd-grudge because you were ignored at a comic-con, or you are just looking for attention. Well, this is as much as you will get. You are a fool, most likely reclusive and friendless off the net, and your reviews are not even worthy off a continuing-ed "Review Writing" class.

You probably thought "The Incal" was unoriginal and boring, even though it is widely considered one of, if not THE best sci-fi comics ever, as well as a massive influence on the entire genre in every form. You must be very proud of your poser, wannabe-be different opinions that make you out to be ignorant and tasteless.

I will now take leave of this obscure website that I have had the gross misfortune of stumbling across thanks to a poor Google search, and hopefully I will not have to read your tripe again.

[MC Stank Booty]

Dude, you got ferminated.

[Jonathan Nolan]

Until recently, every comics site I read made me feel that I was slipping in and out of a parallel world where most modern comics didn't suck ass, at least to the people doing reviews. Chris Sims in particular is an undeclared shill of the status quo despite his "hilarious" "reviews" ie relentless soft weapon marketing.

Then I find this which makes me junkie nod along to everything said. Nice work. Or at least, nice work according to someone who agrees with you. Turns out I am not in a minority of one.