Showcase: Starman Omnibus, Awakening, and Scott Pilgrim: Precious Little Life

[Stephanie]

Welcome to another graphic novel Showcase! Prepare to get star-struck with The Starman Omnibus Vol. 1, surrounded by zombies in Awakening Volume One, and blown away by Scott Pilgrim Vol 1: Precious Little Life.

The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 1

Many readers hold a candle for that beloved comic of days old, but few comic books nowadays are able to make you fall in love with its mysticism like James Robinson's Starman. Gregory Wright's fantastic range of colors, from pastels to vibrant shocks, transforms into something truly bold when positioned against the heavy, shadowed inks of Wade von Grawbadger. Of course, the fictional and somehow new age-y Opal City, where the praised hero Starman resides, wouldn't be quite as dreamy and memorable without Tony Harris' pencils.

When the Golden Age-born Starman comics blinked out of existence, James Robinson gave the book new light and a shining rebirth. But Robinson's writing does more than support the comic's origins—he builds upon the red-and-green clad hero and the dazzling city he protects at the same time he infuses his own, modern take that remains brimming with a classic feel. Jack Knight, son of the first Starman Ted Knight, knows nothing of what he considers his father's cheesy days of fighting costumed lowlifes and running around with frivolously named gadgets and wearing an even sillier outfit. Yet his bored vision of his father's legacy comes clashing against his own nostalgia for hard-to-find trinkets and antique collectibles with a history much dustier than how he values his family's. However, when tragedy strikes—as it always does—he's thrust into the world of Starman whether he likes it or not. Forced to adapt to a danger he never fully understood nor care to know the depths of, Jack must assume the responsibility his aged but still capable father can no longer maintain. But what was once a hazy realm to Jack soon becomes a frightening reality where the people he love are threatened and innocents are caught in needless crossfire. The villains and even the heroes of his father's lifetime change into his own set of rivals that swear their hatred of him, and old faces return in new ways. As Opal City sheds its past visage, so does Jack Knight redefine Starman into something he can fulfill—all while desperately evading the clear role of a "hero."

You won't find a lack of verbal substance with Robinson, who wields the kind of genuine, heartfelt fiction you'd find in a wholesome novel and adapts it to the comic medium just like Jack Knight morphs Starman into something his own. Every character stands out brightly, and even the minor individuals who pass through are given the same intricate, powerful care. Opal City transforms into a living, breathing entity, and the richness of both Robinson's storytelling and strong visuals of the comic itself make Starman an incredible experience that captivates and bewilders.

Awakening Volume One

Newcomer Nick Tapalansky doesn't make his entrance onto the comics writing scene quietly. In fact, he introduces himself with a debut work that re-imagines zombie invasion—if it's even that. Paired with Alex Eckman-Lawn—whose blurred and sketchy art creeps onto the page with dark, moody, and sometimes vibrant colors—Awakening emerges as something along the lines of the Silent Hill comics in looks and The Walking Dead in seriousness. However, in a world where we practically trip over fictional zombies of the slow, fast, or cartoony variety, Tapalansky's version doesn't follow the usual train of thought.

The plot follows Derrick Peters, whose investigation into the wild claims of the often unbelievable Cynthia leads him into the ugly depths of secrecy and truth; like the book's artwork, the lines between the two are often difficult to distinguish. The other half of the comic focuses on Doctor Daniel Howe, who finds himself tasked with figuring out the same mystery Peters can't seem to nail down: Something is turning the people of Park Falls into flesh-eating "zombies" (as Cynthia puts it), and the body trail just might lead back to a company called Cline Pharmaceuticals. Both Peters and Howe work separate sides of the same problem, and for the most part they consistently run into the same dead end: the further they dig, the less they seem to know.

At first I couldn't help drawing a parallel to the Resident Evil video game (and comic) series, which birthed a zombie population when a virus leaked from a pharmaceutical company named Umbrella. Even its workers suffered in more ways than unemployment. However, Awakening takes a much more practical and smart approach to the standard zombie fare. The characters remain uncertain as to whether what they're dealing with is a virus or zombie attack at all, or just some fluke or even an apocalyptic beginning. Instead of focusing on cliche moaning, brain-dead individuals who drag their feet on the pavement, Tapalansky actually gives them an element of intelligence by making their patterns and numbers almost unpredictable. The characters are much more the focus of the comic than the blood-thirsty humans lurking through darkened streets. Instead of looking upon the crisis from an insider's standpoint, the reader is forced to search for the same desperate answers and understanding as the characters. The final issue of Volume One leaves the comic at an unexpected high point, with insights into the characters that make them even more dynamic.

With writing that grips you like a good zombie bite, Awakening stands as one of the best horror comics in a long time. Volume Two will be releasing next year as a graphic novel instead of monthly issue form, so now's the perfect time to explore the town of Park Falls.

Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Precious Little Life

If you haven't heard of Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim, then you're missing out on what has become a fan-favorite joyride into the world of humor and music, a little touch of video games, and the ups and downs of life. In Precious Little Life—the first of what will be six graphic novels—twenty-three-year-old "between jobs" Scott Pilgrim has a pretty good life. He mooches off of his roommate Wallace Wells, stars in a band, and is dating a high school girl named Knives Chau. Everything turns upside-down and complicated, however, when a mysterious girl with vibrantly dyed hair, a star-emblazoned purse, and goggles shows up rollerskating through his dreams, only to pop up in real life the next night. Determined to know Ramona Flowers, he works up a plan to grab her attention—without scaring her off for good. He manages to spark her affection, but he didn't plan on the baggage: Scott is going to have to take down seven evil exes if he wants to be with her.

The comic itself mimics a manga: black and white and dotted with fun, serious, and silly scenes and expressions, but without the hassle of having to read the story from right to left. The characters themselves are lovable despite their supposed good or evil nature, and memorable song lyrics dash through the pages, which twist and turn with the swings of romance and daily life.

Scott Pilgrim's popularity among indy readers has led to the current development of a movie starring Michael Cera, and a video game adaptation is set, as well.

You can find all of these trades over at the Impulse Creations shop. Know a book that deserves a place in the Showcase spotlight? Send an email to wita.gen@gmail.com with the subject line, “Showcase Suggestions.”