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Book Review: Clean Room, Volume 1: Immaculate Conception by Gail Simone, art by Jon Davis-Hunt.

Clean Room, Volume 1: Immaculate Conception by Gail Simone, art by Jon Davis-Hunt

Vertigo, 2016

ISBN: 9781401262754

Available: print, Kindle and comixology ebook

Journalist Chloe Pierce’s fiancé, Philip, takes his own life. When his body is found, he’s holding a book by the enigmatic self-help guru, Astrid Mueller, who began her writing career as a horror author. Chloe believes something in the book made him do it, and she will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of it. She storms the headquarters of the author’s Honest World Foundation, demanding an interview with the reclusive Astrid, and is invited into the Clean Room, a space where someone’s fears are exposed and worst moments are revealed. Chloe’s life quickly changes after her experience in the Clean Room when she is visited by an entity called Spark. There is a problem in the room, however. What has Astrid unleashed on the world after a session with one of her adherents goes wrong?

Simone weaves a strong tale in Clean Room. There is more to both Chloe and Astrid than meets the eye. The way Simone intertwines the story of both women is so well done.  Davis-Hunt’s artwork in this volume is beautiful and terrifying. This book is not for the squeamish, though; while the body horror starts out fairly tame, it intensifies as the story proceeds. Highly recommended.

Volume 1 collects Clean Room issues #1-6.

Contains: body horror, mention of child abuse, nudity, violence

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on June 4, 2017 by , Reply

Musings: Transmetropolitan, vol 1: Back on the Street by Warren Ellis, art by Darick Robertson

Transmetropolitan, vol. 1: Back on the Street by Warren Ellis, art by Darick Robertson

Vertigo, 2009

ISBN-13: 978-1401220846

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition, comiXology

 

As I was writing this, it became a little too personal to call it a formal review. Suffice it to say, I was wowed by this graphic novel and by Spider Jerusalem.

Transmetropolitan is science fiction, taking place in a near-future dystopia that is far too close to our present culture and government– uncannily so. The protagonist, Spider Jerusalem, is a former investigative reporter forced into contact with civilization after five years in hiding, in order to fulfill a book contract. Once back in the city, he reverts to the hard-hitting journalist he used to be: a foul-mouthed, vulgar, cranky, wily, angry prankster, ready to take on city government, police, religious cults, and even the President ( who is frighteningly similar to our president-elect, although this issue was published originally in 1997). Ellis has imagined a seedy, violent, consumerist future that challenges what it means to be human. Spider faces it head-on: to him, “journalism is a gun. It’s only got one bullet in it, but if you aim it right, that’s all you need”. As we are living age of false equivalencies, fake news, and media mistrust, it’s inspiring to see that in his world, Spider is on the scene, live, and in the face of anyone claiming to have authority or truth. Outrageous, obnoxious, and blunt to the point of rudeness, Spider is not anything near a traditional hero– but his world, feels so close to ours that they could almost touch, and that someone like him (well, maybe not exactly like him) might exist outside a fictional future gives me hope.

Given the setting I have described, it should not be a surprise that the storylines are dark and gritty, and Darick Robertson’s art brings Spider and his grim world to life. The artwork for the Angels 8 riot is fiery and explosive, and Robertson doesn’t shy from depicting dripping blood and bizarre bodies. In a separate storyline, he impressively manages to depict action, along with despair and anger, as Spider attempts to watch an entire day of television, something which requires almost no movement at all. Ellis is a master at character development and world building– not every issue covers a great crusade, but there are moments that are either small victories for Spider, or illuminate aspects of the society Spider is reporting on, both positive and negative. Transmetropolitan portrays a messy world through the eyes of a complicated character, with moments of both bleakness and laughter, and leaves a space for optimism in what seems, recently, to be a very dark time for the First Amendment. Very highly recommended.

I would like to credit Susie Rodarme at Book Riot for cluing me in to this series. She did me a great service.

Transmetropolitan, vol. 1: Back on the Streets includes issues #1-6.

Contains: body horror, violence, gore, nudity, language, drug use.

 

Reviewed by Kirsten Kowalewski


Posted on December 25, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: B.P.R.D Hell on Earth volume 14: The Exorcist

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Volume 14: The Exorcist  by Mike Mignola, Cameron Stewart, Chris Roberson, and Mike Norton

Dark Horse, 2016

ISBN: 9781506700113

Available: Trade paperback, Kindle edition, comiXology ebook

 

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Volume 14: The Exorcist collects B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Exorcism #1–#2 and B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth #140–#142.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Exorcism was a 2 issue mini-series published from June to July 2012. The plot focuses on field agent Ashley Strode as she investigates a series of exorcisms in a rural Indiana town. After a failed exorcism, and angering the priest in control of the ritual, Agent Strode is deployed to a Mexican village after a demon commands her to release one of its brethren, or lose the soul of a child. Strode attempts to purge a demon from an aged, retired, exorcist, using a deadly rite that sends both of them into a spiritual hell.

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: The Exorcist continues Agent Strode’s career. Strode is searching for missing children in a town called Yamsay, a small mining town that has fallen on hard times. She discovers the reason for the missing children in the abandoned, dilapidated house of the town’s founder, Eustice Coupland. His daughter, long deceased, tells Strode the story of her father’s secrets, and what happened to the missing children of Yamsay. What she doesn’t reveal is more sinister and dangerous than Agent Strode could ever imagine.

I was really impressed with the storytelling in this volume, especially when it comes to Agent Strode’s character development: she begins as a freshly minted rookie in the first story arc, and becomes a confident and capable field agent in the second. In The Exorcism storyline, she puts herself, and others, in danger: she can’t even bring herself to hand the priest the holy water, and then directly addresses the demon, who may or may not be lying to her. Her following interaction with the retired exorcist is what helps form her into the agent she becomes later. He warns her that she needs to be alert and trust in her abilities, especially when they enter the spiritual realm. In the second storyline, she’s working independently in Yamsay, and holds her own very well. I’m finding that I want to read more about her.

The book is also visually appealing. The demons, in particular, are unique and well-rendered. At the end of this volume is an artist’s sketchbook with notes about the creation of Ashely Strode, the demons, and more. This is a nice addition that allows you to see the creative energy that went into these storylines. Recommended.

Contains: some blood

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker



Posted on November 30, 2016 by , Reply
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