Results tagged “John Higgins” from Birmingham Mail - Speech Balloon

Razorjack, the independent comic book series created by acclaimed British artist John Higgins and published by Com.x is to be collected into a 100 page graphic novel featuring an all new four page comic strip.

Debuting in the late 70s British underground comix scene with a cover for Brainstorm Comix John went on to produce covers for science fiction paperback novels and work for the popular weekly 2000AD. He subsequently worked for international publishers, including colouring Watchmen and illustrating one of the first creator-owned series published by DC Comics, World Without End.

"It's always a pleasure to see John's work," said Garth Ennis. "John Higgins sickens me. He can write, pencil, ink and colour all seemingly effortlessly," said Mark Millar. While Mike Carey described Razorjack itself as: "Unique, wonderful, quintessential John Higgins."

Razorjack: The Collected Edition (Perfect Paperback) tells the story of three college kids inadvertently create the opening from the alternate universe of The Twist Dimension and become a focus for the evil that is Razorjack. Maverick cops, Frame and Ross, are assigned a disturbingly horrific multiple-murder case that draws them into what is potentially the final battle between good and evil.

To purchase Razorjack: The Collected Edition (Perfect Paperback) through Amazon check out: www.amazon.com/Razorjack-Collected-John-Higgins/dp/1607438178/ref=sr_

BIG BOYS, bad boys, girls without sugar but plenty of spice -Not every graphic novel is worth its listed price. Welcome to Birch's Bark Part II!

The Witching Hour
By Jeph Loeb & Chris Bachalo/Art Thibert
(DC/Titan)

Initially, this collection has no clear direction, and once the plot develops it's not that original a story I'm afraid.

A small coven of witches are allowed to play the time worn role of The Fates but on a shoe string budget in that they can give mortals the choice over which path their life can take come the stroke of midnight. A modern day all grown-up fairytale? Well, I guess that's a tagline the Vertigo imprint played to for its first ten years.

It pulls you in for Loeb's matter of fact narration that pulsates with ideas casually thrown away in its very conversational flow. I found Bachalo's art to be rather pleasing and influenced by the work of Bernie Wrightson for this book but no one else I've mentioned this to can see it - which only goes to prove how subjective anyone's opinion can be!

Transmetropolitan: Dirge
By Warren Ellis & Darick Robertson/Rodney Ramos
(DC/Titan)

Many claim this is Ellis's old Lazarus Churchyard character rebooted for the American market. I seem to recall him telling quite a tale in a short space within the pages of Blast where Lazarus first appeared. Here it takes a whole graphic novel collection of water treading (for those of us who've just dipped in for the first time) to work out that the President of the United States has set lead character Spider Jerusalem up.

We do this before the lead character, and that may be admirable for our part, but it's of little literal substance when your lead character's supposed to be some Hunter S.Thompson-styled investigative journalist.

There's a nice attitude to some of the dialogue but other than that I would hardly presume this to be one of the must-have collections from the series. If it had run in the weekly British comic 2000AD during its heyday it might have been episode 6 in an 8 part run, and only needed to have lasted 6 pages.

Hellblazer: Haunted
By Warren Ellis & John Higgins
(DC-Vertigo/Titan)

A truly gripping tale is held within these pages as John Constantine seeks the murderer of an old lover and finds black magicians at work in every nook and cranny of London's occult underbelly.

Its plot is only two steps removed from that of Transmetropolitan: Dirge but Ellis stands up to the platform and delivers the goods this time round. This is worthy to stand alongside the early Delano and Ridgway tales for evoking an undercurrent of political intrigue fostered by Old World magic.

Shonen Graphic Novel: Yu-Gi-Oh! Book 1
By Kazuki Takahashi (Viz)

Based on the top rated animation show, card collecting game, and now film, this manga collection features Yuri, a small Japanese kid fascinated by games. When he solves the Millennium Puzzle it miraculously gives him the power to get back at bullies of all shades and sizes.

I'm presuming that it was originally intended for kids around 13 years old but it's a damned sight more mature than anything their English speaking counterparts ever get (or got in my very old case) offered. There's some sheer knee-jerk stuff too so don't get the wrong impression. What I'm talking about here is Takahashi's ability to focus on teenage preoccupations and fears as the regular cast's characters develop.

The stories themselves do veer towards plot set-up similarities though. And the endings are almost consistent in that Yuri uses the Millennium Puzzle to exact his revenge against a bully. Mind you, the gruesome manner that this is undertaken brings to mind those old Michael Fleisher & Jim Aparo stories of The Spectre in DC's Adventure Comics from the 70s. In both that series' case and this book's the unique way the dastardly ends are made are worth going along on the ride for.

The Big Book of Bad
By Various (DC)

From the much overlooked Paradox Press imprint this offers a vast array of cartoonists & artists who deliver, in the main, entertaining, interesting, or both, tales on people and ideas that are considered bad. Stand out artists include Roger Langridge and Brian Buniak.