Ten years ago, Neil Gaiman and Yoshitaka Amano teamed up to create the illustrated novella The Dream Hunters. At the time, this book served as a celebration of the 10th anniversary of Gaiman's Sandman. Oddly enough, 10 years later, Sandman: The Dream Hunters is being adapted, as a comic, by P. Craig Russell, just in time for the 20th anniversary.
According to the afterword in the first issue, this isn't being done simply because Gaiman is out of new ideas, but because Russell has been pining away for a chance to adapt this story for the entire last decade. Based on Russell's stellar reputation as an artist, you know a book he cares about this much is going to be something special. Fans of Gaiman or Russell will certainly not be disappointed!
The best thing about this book is that it stands completely on its own, even if you've never picked up a Sandman comic in your life. Long-time fans will enjoy the subtle connections to the universe Gaiman created all those years ago, but the uninitiated will find a complete, charming, story rooted in Japanese folk tales. It is an authentic enough story that you may be tempted to look up Gaiman's sources. Unfortunately, you can't. Gaiman, with a little input from Amano, created the Dream Hunters on his own, and then made up a literary pedigree and back-story for it. He is a naughty writer!
The story itself revolves around a simple, rural, monk living on an isolated mountain in Japan. A fox and a badger decide to trick him out of his simple home, as it is much nicer than a fox's den or a badger's set. These diabolically clever critters take turns using their shape-shifting powers to fool the monk into leaving his home. Of course, the monk turns out to be far cleverer than they give him credit for, and he outfoxes them both. Even the fox. Despite the duplicitous start to their relationship, the fox actually finds herself falling in love with the monk. When she discovers that other forces are plotting against him, she realizes that she is willing to risk anything to save the monk's life.
Russell's art is, as always, absolutely gorgeous. This story, with its timeless and classic feel, is perfectly suited to his style. It reads, and looks, like a brilliant children's story, aimed at adults. The art is loaded with lush detail, and will call you back to examine it more closely, even after mutliple readings. With a chain of creators like Gaiman, Amano, and Russell all involved in the story, you know The Sandman: The Dream Hunters #1 is a special event. The fact that it is also Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week is just an added bonus.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Kicking Tail Puritan Style: Solomon Kane The Castle of the Devil
Most people, when they think of Puritans, think either of deluded idiots burning "witches" left and right, or boring, overly pious, dudes in black, wearing funny hats, and serving turkey on Thanksgiving. Lucky for us, pulp genius Robert E. Howard was not "most people." REH thought Puritan and created a grim, butt-kicking, fighter, who beat down evil for the Lord. Howard was a man wise in the ways of awesome pulp fiction!
Dark Horse comics has already experienced great success with their adaptation of Howard's most renowned character, the boisterous, honorable, and mighty-thewed barbarian, Conan. They are clearly bringing the same level of care and attention to the comic book version of Howard's fighting Puritan, Solomon Kane. This project has amazingly lush and detailed art, with a wood print-like quality, from artist Mario Guevara, and a script by Dark Horse horror editor Scott Allie. Add in character designs by Guy Davis and a story by REH, and this book has all the ingredients for excellence.
Solomon Kane himself couldn't be more different than REH's famous barbarian. Sure, both men are likely to leave their enemies bleeding on the ground, but the similarities end there. Where Conan is raucous and enjoys drinking, wenching, and brawling, Kane is a grim, rigid, joyless man, who lives only to serve God. Conan travels his world mostly to line his own pockets with gold, but Kane roams the land merely seeking to fulfill whatever purpose his Lord intends.
In The Castle of the Devil, Solomon Kane finds himself in the Black Forest of Germany. It is not a welcoming place, but when he finds a seemingly innocent young boy hanging from a gibbet, he feels moved to visit the dreaded castle of the local Baron. And by "moved" I mean that he feels he will probably have to walk in to the Baron's own stronghold and "ease him of his evil life." Of course, Kane, and his fellow traveler John Silent, soon discovers that all may not be as it seems in the Baron's home...
Solomon Kane #2 is this week's guaranteed Book of the Week but, thanks be to providence, there are copies of #1 still to be had! Don't waver from the course of right, for weak men soon fall into the hands of evil. It will do your soul naught but good to read the adventures of the purest man ever to cut the devil down to size: Solomon Kane! Besides, you wouldn't want to give him any reason to suspect that you are not on the side of right, now would you?
Dark Horse comics has already experienced great success with their adaptation of Howard's most renowned character, the boisterous, honorable, and mighty-thewed barbarian, Conan. They are clearly bringing the same level of care and attention to the comic book version of Howard's fighting Puritan, Solomon Kane. This project has amazingly lush and detailed art, with a wood print-like quality, from artist Mario Guevara, and a script by Dark Horse horror editor Scott Allie. Add in character designs by Guy Davis and a story by REH, and this book has all the ingredients for excellence.
Solomon Kane himself couldn't be more different than REH's famous barbarian. Sure, both men are likely to leave their enemies bleeding on the ground, but the similarities end there. Where Conan is raucous and enjoys drinking, wenching, and brawling, Kane is a grim, rigid, joyless man, who lives only to serve God. Conan travels his world mostly to line his own pockets with gold, but Kane roams the land merely seeking to fulfill whatever purpose his Lord intends.
In The Castle of the Devil, Solomon Kane finds himself in the Black Forest of Germany. It is not a welcoming place, but when he finds a seemingly innocent young boy hanging from a gibbet, he feels moved to visit the dreaded castle of the local Baron. And by "moved" I mean that he feels he will probably have to walk in to the Baron's own stronghold and "ease him of his evil life." Of course, Kane, and his fellow traveler John Silent, soon discovers that all may not be as it seems in the Baron's home...
Solomon Kane #2 is this week's guaranteed Book of the Week but, thanks be to providence, there are copies of #1 still to be had! Don't waver from the course of right, for weak men soon fall into the hands of evil. It will do your soul naught but good to read the adventures of the purest man ever to cut the devil down to size: Solomon Kane! Besides, you wouldn't want to give him any reason to suspect that you are not on the side of right, now would you?
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