Written by Alan Moore, illustrated by Eddie Campbell, published by Top Shelf Comics.
The team that created From Hell here turn their attentions to a talk (partly dramatised) given by Alan Moore to the Golden Dawn Society. Yep - its weirdness time.
Along with several references to the Pre-Raphaelites, it is Arthur Machen who is the focus of the comic - of his depression following the death of his first wife, which transforms the London about him into a magical Baghdad where his own fictional characters come-forth to confront him. Alan Moore recounts that he has twice met his creation John Constantine (as an occasional fictional character myself, I know how dangerous it is to meet your creator).
Machen, however, emerges from the fugue and, so, London is also reborn as the bright Syon. After a diversion into the nature of the Universe.
If you've read From Hell, you'll be familiar with Campbell's mix of styles and techniques - which includes having the string showing (like a classic Gerry Anderson show) on the snake during a dance. And, when Alan Moore makes a mistake, you wonder if maybe it isn't significant - surely, it was a wren that was on the farthings, and wrens have a sacred mythology about them as Moore (who's doubtless read The Golden Bough) knows only too well.
No, this isn't a straightforward comic, and infuriates me as much as it educates (when you have to reach for yet another encyclopaedia). But, Mr Moore has always believed that comics have a potential to be as significant as any other medium of art.
Reprinted from Prism Spring 2003.
The Establishment
Written by Ian Edgington, illustrated by Charlie Adlard, published by Wildstorm Comics. www.wildstorm.com
A team of British superheroes with a history dating-back (possibly) to Dr John Dee : Theirs is a part of the Wildstorm Universe, with references to both The Authority and Stormwatch in the first few issues - but, you don't need to know about them in order to enjoy this. The first story of four issues is a cross between Get Carter and an Aliens comic. The retired gangster returns to a sleepy seaside town, just as the alien Daemonites invade. Of course, there's more to the villain than meets the eye, and the story serves as an introduction to the team sent to clear things up.
The problem I find is that the writer is trying to be too clever, inserting loads of references. in the first issue, we have nods to Quatermass, Fawlty Towers and Grange Hill - but misplaced. If you're going to use Grange Hill, get the timescale right and use it in London, not as a throw-away line. Similarly, in the second story Fenn Street School is used - and, here, I mean the old Please, Sir setting - but moved to Birmingham! Oh, and sloppier still, Britain didn't have National Service in 1968.
That aside, it does have some fine points. The Dan Dare pastiche in the second story works because it is a pastiche, not a reference. And how many other comics have a character named after a song by The Fall?
Reprinted from Prism Spring 2003.
Alias
Written by Michael Bendis, illustrated by Michael Gaydes, published by Marvel Max. www.marvel.com
Jessica Jones used to be a superhero, hung-out with the big ones like Iron Man and Thor. Thing was, she wasn't as good at it as she wanted to be. She hung-up her cape, so to speak. Still has her powers, but runs Alias Investigations. Does the small stuff that private investigators do : checking on wives who might be having affairs, tracking down lost sisters, that sort of thing.
Without her noticing, she crosses an invisible line into an inner world where people are murdered and political candidates - while not breaking the law themselves - have 'friends' who might. Should she reveal all to the police? Can old acquaintances like The Avengers help her?
This is one of the first titles from Marvel's adult line, allowing characters to swear and screw. You get guest appearances - like an American TV show - from Luke Cage and Matt Burdock amongst others - which help to place Jessica at the heart of Marvel's superhero world. the ending, though, once she has got so far out-of-her-depth you can practically see the fish, is necessarily a Deus ex Machina.
Bendis has previously written the excellent cops-in-a-superhero-world comic Powers and contemporary crime-drama Jinx. This title continues to prove that he is a writer with a talent. And, Gaydes' covers deserve a mention, as some of the best since McKean's Sandman work.
Reprinted from Prism Spring 2003.
