[Comikist] All about Craig Thompson

Have you read Craig Thompson yet? And I swear I’m not cheating by putting the name of an artist here instead of a list of comics. It’s not like I don’t have a list. Pfft… How could you even think that? It’s just that the list is two specific books by Craig Thompson – Blankets and Habibi. In that particular order.

Thompson’s work, I believe, exemplifies comics as an art. I don’t know where to start talking about it – the exotic stories or the art that merges seamlessly into words. The ink splattered goodness is so heavenly, you can literally tear off every page of the comic (if you have the heart to), get them framed and hang them on your walls. I have lost count of the number of seconds (err… minutes) I have spent lost in a single page while reading the book. And not just while reading, but afterwords. Like googling a quote you’re itching to remember, I’m often stuck looking for a particular page from one of the books, or trying to replicate it by drawing it myself when I can’t get enough of it.

Books are supposed to teleport us into worlds different from our own. Most do it through stories and in novels, the writing style makes all of it happen. Comics, on the other hand, become a double-edged sword. While the images might complement the story, they might even be distracting for the reader, because there is a lot of input to the brain, the flashy images, the stills, the dialog boxes and the words themselves. Craig Thompson executes the style perfectly; so that you feel like the protagonist is holding your hand and leading you through all the confusion that is their story while still have time to swoon over the art.

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Blankets

Then their is the story. Or stories. All of them. The ones I have read till now and the ones I am saving for later, all of them justify the beautiful art they are soaked in. Be it Blankets, where Craig weaves you a story of his first love, each thread spun with nostalgia, or Habibi, a story of slaves and sheikhs as bitter as folklore. If the art is beautiful, the stories enchanting, and tempting you to peak into the future by turning just a few pages.

Even if you don’t read comics, I would urge you to make this one author an exception. If you’re looking for a comfortable spot to edge into the comic world, this is a good way to ease your foot in the door. For starters, I’ll recommend Blankets. And only of you absolutely love Thompson’s style, move to Habibi.

While Blankets is at the end a story – a fond remembrance of Thompson’s first love, Habibi is more of an artistic expression. At many places, it feels like a peak into the author’s mind and his drawing style rather than just a story. I liked the book, but a huge reason behind it is my admiration for Thompson’s art, which made occasional expansions and digressions in the book interesting as it let him expand on how he draws. But for readers who are just interested in the story, these diversions just put them off. In Blankets, the pace of the story is more suited to the readers.

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Habibi

So the verdict is, read Blankets for sure. And if you feel like you start craving more of Thompson’s style, give Habibi a shot.

 

 

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More on comics I’m reading

 

Comikist – My comic pick list

I have just recently been washed up on the shores of the gigantic sea of graphic novels. I like to think that I’m not a complete novice, because I am somewhat familiar with the world of manga. But the fact that I’m fairly new to graphic novels, is still just that – a fact. I’ve been picking up and sampling a number of comics these days, and here’s my opinion on some of the Marvel ones.

bp-coverBlack Panther #1 – #8: Ta-Nahesi Coates, Brian Stelfreeze, Laura Martin

Black Panther has been one of my favorite avengers ever since I read Civil War. He has that mysterious aura around him (which has nothing to do with how he always wears black) and his personality, which jjust exudes class. My interest in him is also somewhat influenced by Storm being his love interest and their wedding scene from Civil War which was just breathtaking.

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Coates however divulges into the world of Wakanda with utter submission. He never fails to bring in subtle aspects of the culture which I can only partially appreciate as I’m not as acquainted with African culture as I would like to be. He doesn’t give up the questioning yourself characteristic trait of a superhero, though it is more subdued (maybe because Wakanda is so obviously in chaos and everyone is doubting T’Challa anyway).

What bought me over to Coates’ side is the constant discourse on monarchy and politics which definitely gives you something to chew on.

Without doubt, these discussions are the treasure trove of the black panther comics. Brian Stelfreeze does a wonderful job with the art. I love the simplicity of T’challa’s costume, the masks that capture the rebelling women and how the colours flow from Wakanda to the dream world to where the rebels are hiding.

This comic has the potential to be a gem in Marvel’s crown of comics with its thoughtful discussions and beautiful art.

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Mosaic #1 & #2: Geoffrey Thorne, Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez

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Remember how I was talking about the self-doubting superhero in Black Panther, Thorne takes all that self-doubt into his hands, wraps it in a fabric of moral obligations, and throws it out of the court of Mosaic.

An acclaimed and repulsively overconfident basketball star, Morris, who has everything in his life – skills, fame, a loving girlfriend, a father as constant support – suddenly has everything brutally taken away from him leaving behind a superpower that feels more like a curse. The only way for Morris to survive is by possessing (or rather becoming) other people and living through them.

The simplicity of the art in the comic contrasts with how intricate Morris’s powers are. Since the comic is in the starting stage, the story is still not developed enough to form a definitive opinion.

One thing I’m really looking forward to is how Morris grows into his superpowers and his view on being a superhero, because he is definitely not one right now.

I also like the name ‘Mosaic’ as a complement to Morris’s powers. Even if the people he’s lived in may forget what happened to them, Morris does not. And some part of them remains in him and will definitely affect his personality. I really like the lettering in the books, done by Joe Sabino, especially when Morris has a personality breakdown during body snatching.

As Mosaic is still developing, I will just be another reader on the sidelines. For now, I can say that it is definitely grippy.

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Groot #1-#5: Jeff Loveness, Brian Kesinger

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This is my first comic on anything related to the Guardians. I’m surprised myself that it took me this long seeing how much I loved the movie. But somehow, Guardians without the music did not really appeal to me that much. However, I feel like I didn’t understand enough of Groot’s personality in the movies except to recognize him as an overly friendly tree who’ll go to any lengths for his friends.

I wasn’t a fan of the art style chosen in the comic. The lining was too harsh even though the expressions were interesting. I didn’t get the dig at Superman with the Kor/Al scene either. What I did like about the comic was how Groot’s character was center stage. You could see the effect he had on people around him, even with his limited three-word vocabulary. The little adventure with silver surfer was fun too.

I wouldn’t call Groot a favorite, though it is good enough for when I’m missing the duo. I did have doubts about the series since it stars a character that can hardly speak. But I soon realized that Groot’s personality needed no more words. I may still grow into the comic. 

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The Mighty Thor #1 – #7: Jason Aaron, Russell Dauterman, Matt Wilson

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The new Thor has been raging strong in The Mighty Thor continuing from where it left off in Thor. The war of the realms that was hinted at since the beginning is finally gaining speed as more realms are thrown into turmoil. I have been a fan of Aaron’s work ever since the first Thor came out. Feminism aside, what drew me into the story was that the new lady Thor is just so… badass. And when the identity was finally revealed at the end, it was a perfect win.

If you’re into women superheroes or even if you would like to give it a start, this is just the book. If not that, the Thor universe in itself is pretty sticky. There is a lot happening in this series with rainbow bridges, light elves, crazy CEOs, Loki being Loki, the All-Father being incredibly stubborn, Malekith being enchantingly evil, and Thor flying around wielding Mjolnir. 

I also forayed into The Unworthy Thor just so I can know what was happening with Odinson all the while that the lady Thor was stealing all the glory. All because the new  comics got me so into the world of Asgard.

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That is all on my mind from the Marvel side of the universe.

So what have you been reading lately?