As I’ve mentioned in a couple of previous Virgin Reads (and a zillion previous conversations), I am getting married. In one month. ONE MONTH!! And I only mention it again, because it informs the following two things: 1. Why my review of Paloookaville is way past due, and my review of Robin is slightly overdue; and 2. My reactions to the aforementioned comics. You’ll see what I mean.
Palookaville # 19
By Seth
Published by Drawn & Quarterly
It was an obvious choice to me when all the comics of the week were laid out on the TFO table. The cover is striking and unlike any comic book I’ve ever seen. Upon flipping through the art reminded me of Chris Ware. So it was a shoe-in.
I don’t know anything about previous issues, where the comic has been or where it’s going. The entire comic is done in blue, black and white. And well, yes, it’s a sad, morose comic. There’s a lot of positives to be said about this work. It captures that empty feeling of loss in a way that I haven’t experienced a book capturing before. It’s well drawn. Its really a trip through the acceptance of loss and the beginning of grief.
Which is why I had a hard time reading it. I read it on a Wednesday night – two days before my last day of teaching, before my first-ever, professional, Spring-Break as a teacher WHICH lay before me full of bridal showers and wedding chores galore! This could very well be the happiest period of my life so far. I’m loving every minute. Every second of life. I’ve had my share of hard times, depression, loss of direction, lack of hope, struggles, loss and death. So, I will never make light of loss and the process of grief. Each and every difficult period of my life has been very important and those very experience make me who I am today. All experiences have gotten me to this very blissful point in my life. But, honestly, I wasn’t really interested in finishing the comic on my first read. I don’t want to feel sad right now! Not if it's not real for me. I put the comic down after reading only half of it. And I didn’t finish reading it until an entire week later.
I’m glad I finished it. And like I said, it is excellent in achieving exactly what it seems to want to achieve. The reader is inside this man’s head and this man’s grief. Every room of the house; every object in it, is given space for reverence and grief. And it makes one feel sad. And I well, this reader just doesn’t feel like being made to feel sad right now.
Robin # 172
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Chris Batista & Cam Smith
Published by DC Comics
Hitherto, I don’t feel like wasting my time right now. And that’s what Robin was – a time waster, ugh. I don’t know why my reaction to this is so strong. I figured after my enjoyment of All-Star Batman & Robin that I’d enjoy Robin.
I didn’t. I read it once. And upon the last page I said out loud, even though I was alone, “that was stupid.”
I can’t even go into why. I just didn’t care. And clearly, I needed to care about this chick in purple if I were to have any enjoyment of the comic. I mean, again, that Bridal disclaimer – I’ve got a lot going on right now. And reading this made me feel really annoyed. You know, in several of my other reviews I’ve had these epiphanies of how, wow!, it can really be enjoyable to read a comic book! A little fun escape to another world! Or a way of getting me to think about bigger things. But Robin was just lame to me.
And we know that I don’t really like the Superhero comics that much anyhow….this didn’t help.
And puzzle me this: Both Robin and Nightwing hang glide? Are they out in the same sky, during the same time period, surreptitiously hang gliding around New York City or, excuse me, Gotham?
Ya know what….I bet someone out there is going to answer that question and correct me on my lack of comic knowledge. Feel free. I still think hang-gliding among skyscrapers is a stupid idea.
-Nina Miller, 2008
You should perform an experiment and re-read Robin after your honeymoon. I think even then you'll find it equally stupid.
Posted by: Sharif | 2008.03.25 at 16:04