Written by martin Millar, Illustrated by Simon Fraser. Slab-o-concrete.
And, lo! There will come a time when Martin Millar is generally regarded as a genius. When his books (even Tank Girl : The Movie : The Novel - which I quite like) will be held in awe and wonderment as punk magical realism. For it came to pass after many years of only being able to find issue one of the Acme Comics edition of the series and none of the Dark Horse American series, the lovely folks in Hove collected the story into one volume. And it felt like it was just for me.
The three central characters of the story - self-contred Lux the Poet, depressive Alby Starvation, and bossy Ruby - come from Martin's first three (and quite separate) novels. In this tale, they end up in the same squat in brixton. Downstairs, a group of people worship Ishtar; in the attic, a mighty sage aims to conquer and capture Nirvana for himself. And the Giro's late. And celestial handmaiden Menta has to become the best kisser in the Universe. And Nina and Rachael can't quit heroin.
Not your average EastEnders storyline, then.
I started reading Martin Millar with his book The Good Fairies of New York and managed to read four other books in about a fortnight, passing them onto friends with teh words : "These are brilliant!" Then I had a long wait for the most recent, Love and Peace with melody Paradise. In Lux and Alby I can find threads of ideas that he has since picked up and used in new ways.This graphic novel makes an interesting mid-point of a current career that, I hope, will one-day return to comic writing.
Reprinted from Prism 24.4 July/August 2000.
POE
Written and drawn (mostly) by Jason Asala. Sirius.
At the time of reviewing this on-going work, 25 issues have been published. The stopry is this : in America of the early 1830s, a writer named Edgar Poe mourns the death of his wife, Lenore. He is visited by an angel named Israfel, who tells Poe that if he can destroy twelve earthly demons, Lenore will be returned to him... The only clue is to follow the Raven. however, along the way, Poe collects about him some fine companions, happy to help him in his quest.
The story draws inspiration from the tales of Edgar Allen Poe, encountering a Black Cat, a House of Usher, and a Charles Auguste Dupin. I wonder, if, William Wilson-like, this Poe is a doppelganger of the other, still writing tales that echo the wandering adventures. And as the quest is currently heading Europe-wards, will they visit Stoke Newington?
Jason's art has improved over the years he has been producing the comic, developing an individual style for characters and one issue using colour rather than Grey-o-Vision. This is not a biographical Poe, or a Cormanesque version, but an independent entity that looks to run for around another 120 issues at the current rate of demonic dispatch.
Reprinted from Prism 24.4 July/August 2000.
Addendum : It didn't, sad to say!
THE AUTHORITY : RELENTLESS
Written by Warren Ellis, Illustrated by bryan Hitch and Paul Neary. Wildstorm/DC Comics.
www.warrenellis.com www.wildstorm.com
The Authority is a continuation of the Storm Watch comic that started in 1993. I hadn't read that title and it doesn't really matter, you pick up what backstory you need from the issues collected here.
Jenny Sparks, an electrically powered hero who stopped aging in 1920, runs the Authority from a massive spacecraft in a slightly different dimension. The force includes the Engineer, who has replaced her own blood with a nano-technology gloop; the Doctor, shaman to the global village; and Apollo and the Midnighter, claimed to be the first gay superheroes (though this is open to dispute).
the adventures include an old adversary from the days of Storm Watch and aliens from an alternative Earth. Along the way, we learn a little of Jenny's past, including a stint with the British Space Group - an obvious tribute to both Dane Dare and Quatermass.
Claiming to work on behalf of the United Nations and for the peace of Earth, I get the feeling that the moral of this story will be the old story about power corrupting and ultimate power...
Reprinted from Prism 25.1 Jan/Feb 2001