More Overdue Library Book Reviews (Is That A Pun?)

If Ambush Bug was a nostalgic disappointment, STAGGER LEE and THE FOUNTAIN were the two happy surprises from my "Name things I should read/review from the Multnomah Library System" idea (Feel free to suggest more books in the comments, by the way. Go here for details on how it works, but use these comments for suggestions so I don't lose track. I find it easy to lose track). In both cases, I had what could politely be called lowered expectations, and ended up happily surprised. The Fountain, I was kind of biased against; yes, there's that lovely, beautiful Kent Williams artwork (Seriously, why isn't this man worshipped as an artistic god yet? Even if his line wasn't as assured and just damn right all the time - even his "sloppier" looking work just looks perfect, as if he's somehow translating essential truths about the way things look onto paper - his color sense is just amazingly wonderful; when he does full paintings, as opposed to ink and wash, my breath is taken away with the way in which he sees the world), but I'd heard countless bad things about the movie this accompanied, and the book itself suffers from a terribly overwritten opening, sinking hopes even further. But then, surprisingly, the book opens up to become something both more allegorical and more relatable at the same time, a story of magical realism and kindness that, oddly enough, feels as if it anticipates this year's Lost episodes in many ways. Don't get me wrong; Williams is clearly, unfailingly, the draw here (No pun, etc. etc.) but Darren Aronofksy's script ends up coming a close second; light in many ways - this isn't the wordiest book you'll ever read, and the plot is barely a whisper, apparently trailing behind ideas on Aronofsky's list of things to do - but with a weight that stays with you awhile afterwards. A genuinely surprising Very Good.

Meanwhile, Stagger Lee is one of those books that's easy to admire but also, frustratingly, difficult to love. In terms of scope and intent, Derek McCulloch's writing is impressive as hell, with the book acting as part-essay and part-historical recreation about the facts and fiction surrounding the song "Stagger Lee" and the events contained therein, and Shepherd Hendrix's art is clear and subtle, with a nice P. Craig Russell finish sneaking in at times. But both art and writing are uneven, with sections of the book feeling cramped and rushed when compared with other parts, and consistency sacrificed for clarity and comedy more than once. But even with that, I enjoyed it a lot; it reminded me of things like Sarah Vowell's writing, or (to continue a theme, apparently), This American Life in the way it mixes entertainment and education. I'd like to see more of this kind of thing, especially from these two men - I saw McCulloch had a story in last week's Image FCBD book, but have either gone on to do anything else of note? Good, anyway.

So, yes: What else do you people want me to be reading from the library? Lead me in good directions, people.

Showcase Shocker: Graeme Doesn't Get Ambush Bug

Maybe it's just me, but there's something kind of depressing about SHOWCASE PRESENTS AMBUSH BUG. I remember, when the original series (serieses?) were coming out, thinking that there was something hilarious and subversive about what Keith Giffen and Robert Loren Fleming were up to, even though I didn't get half the jokes (Hey, I was ten years old or something like that; give me a break), but re-reading the stories now - and especially in one large chunk like this collection - I came away feeling as if I was watching the creators fall out of love with comics, or at least the comics industry; what starts as affectionate parody gradually becomes more and more bitter (and repetitive, as if Giffen and Fleming are getting less and less interested in actually trying to entertain) and, because of that, less enjoyable to read. (If I had to pinpoint where it all started to go wrong? The Son Of Ambush Bug mini-series, where it was already feeling as if the joke had worn out its welcome, and Giffen and Fleming were getting more insular and straw-mannish with their targets; if the character had pretty much disappeared after the first series, or the Stocking Stuffer special, it might've been better for all involved. By the time the book's last issue, the Nothing Special rolls around, there's almost some kind of contempt - for the audience, for the comic industry, for themselves - sneaking in, some kind of "You think we can get away with this? Why not?", disguised as irreverence.)

Maybe I'm projecting - It wouldn't be the first time - but this is an interesting book for the wrong reasons; somewhere around the midway point, the stories stop being very entertaining, but I started to get fascinated watching the series, and the character, become smaller and more embittered, raging against the way his medium was going. The Showcase collection is interesting for all the wrong reasons; it's interesting because of what was happening behind the scenes, all the things left unsaid and watching as the satirists lose their sense of fun and just get angry instead. Like I said, maybe I'm projecting, and maybe I just don't get the joke. But, even though this is only an Okay book for me, I can't help but feel like there's more here than I initially expected going in.