comics I read last week

Sam & Twitch: Udaku, 1- 4

Image Comics

Two New York cops left the service to become private investigators, but quickly went back, when they were unable to earn as freelancers a minimum. Sam and Twitch, however, behave more like private detectives: Very Dark City (and the action takes place there, rather than in New York) has some sort of police problem, since Sam and Twitch are working on their own, only obeying coroner and no one more. Lieutenant of the two detectives has been found with his head severed in the basement, God rest his soul (Lieutenant, not the basement).

For four issues announcements convince us that Sam & Twitch adjoins the Spawn universe, but we are not even close to Spawn (which can not be said about the other damn things). Bendis avoids the "bubble" dialogue, all conversations are tied by the threads to their characters.

At the end of one issue Bendis said that Sam & Twitch was inspired by a dialogue with his wife, who has seen enough of the great TV series Homicide. So the main question that arises while reading Sam & Twitch, should not sound like, "Where is Spawn?", but as «Where is Pembleton?».



The Bulletproof Coffin, 1-4

Image Comics

When life gets to you, you can use a help of a bottle of vodka, but you cango upstairs to your room and read comics. The protagonist of The Bulletproof Coffin is the owner of an unusual profession: he is Voids Contractor. After one cleaning in the hands of Steve Norman lands an unusual collection of old comic books, which actually should not even exist. These comic issues are created by David Hine and Shaky Kane, they also created The Bulletproof Coffin. Yes, it's post-modern comics. Yes, it's a kick in the ass to superhero comics.

Pug

Derek McCulloch (writer), Greg Espinoza (artist)
Pug

Image Comics, 2010

Writer Derek McCulloch and artist Greg Espinoza do not hide in their afterword that the creation of this graphic novel was influenced by their passion for old black and white noir films. The story of former boxer, who quit the sport and forced to make a living by helping the bad guys, actually originated in the 30's of last century, but what even until the plot is striking because is the art of the book.

«Pug», as a film noir, is drawn in an old-fashioned black and white style. By removing all unnecessary, the authors brought their work closer to reality. In the novel there are no beautiful scenes, no broken noses in public, no girls undress in front of a hero, it all remains outside the page.

Jake lost an important fight a few years ago. At the same time his wife with his son left him, and a former boxer now lives with a stripper named Kitten, surviving on a one time job, then another. Drinking in a bar, Jake meets with one guy who is offering Jake a permanent job almost for free. Already at the first working day Jake realizes that the work is not dusty, but not of his type: with a blad man in glasses they go from house to house, knock out debts from gamblers. The pug does not tell Kitty about it: he is ashamed that instead of the normal work he received a dubious job of a muscle at a loan shark. Desperate, but not lost his conscience, Jake comes into conflict with his weasel-employer.

«Pug» is a generally very chamber story, you can count the players here on fingers, and the main action takes place inside Jake: Does he break under the pressure of circumstances, or not? What looks flimsy here it's flashbacks, from which we learn how Jake lost the fight that put the cross on the pug and why he still suffers from the leaving of his wife and son. Past is shown too messy, it has more action, and it does not allow us to see what's going on in heart and mind of Jake.

The pug, if not to take the episodes from the past, until the very end does not even use force, main battle is in his head. And the entire novel, in fact, says one simple truth: if you can, avoid a fight to the last. But if the time has come, then fight to the last. Do not lose in second time, as has already happened once.