Review- MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES

MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES (Image, First Printing, 2018; Hardcover)

Original graphic novel.

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

Colorist: Jacob Phillips

Brubaker and Phillips are the Lennon and McCartney of Crime/Noir comic books. They have developed the type of creative partnership that most writers and artists can only dream of. Each new book is an automatic blind buy on my end. I don't even need to know what it's about, because I know that it will be worthwhile.

People who romanticize heroin addiction frighten me. I have known people addicted to it, and it's an absolute nightmare for everyone involved. I thought that this story might be a cautionary tale about heroin or a story abut addiction spirals. Instead it morphs into a crime story.

Ellie isn't exactly likable or relatable. She seems like someone best avoided the first time that you meet them. I guess that this wouldn't have been an interesting story if Skip was a smart guy to begin with, though. This problem is compounded by the fact that the reader is provided with no knowledge of Ellie or Skip bottoming out. They are just in rehab, where they meet. I get Ellie's fascination with dead junkie musicians and know the material being referenced offhand, but I imagine younger readers sitting there Googling names and listening to YouTube or Spotify to try and piece it all together and still coming up empty-handed. It's a bit of a plot crutch.

This is a quick read, clocking in at 72 pages. This is, in truth, the next Criminal book, albeit more of a standalone story than an outright continuation. It seemed weaker in my mind after making that connection. If it were listed as Criminal Vol. 8 I would have been less gentle in my criticisms, as Criminal is a high mark of 21^st century comic books. This is still worth a read, as Brubaker and Phillips are great and deserve your time and money.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 3.75 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the part where I go into tactile sensations and materials used in physical media. Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or women who are pregnant should exit my blog at their earliest convenience, as their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond this point.

Paper stock: This paper feels like the kind of paper you would find in a Dr. Seuss book. I can't recall any other comic book or collected edition which utilizes this paper stock.

Binding: Sewn binding for $16.99 MSRP? Yes please!

Hardback cover notes: Matte finish on the casewrap.

Review- KILL OR BE KILLED VOL. 4

KILL OR BE KILLED VOL. 4 (Image, First Printing, 2018; Softcover)

Collects Kill Or Be Killed #15-20 (cover dates January- June, 2018)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser

Damn! I don't really know what else to say about this series and its ending other than...damn. Things aren't always as black and white as they seem, but maybe sometimes they are. Or maybe not. Either way, this is now my favorite Brubaker/Phillips collaboration. Elizabeth Breitweiser is one of the best colorists in the business, adding texture and mood to every scene.

This series is timely and timeless. Mass shooters are a seemingly daily occurrence, and Dylan fits the mold. History of mental illness, injudiciously prescribed psychotropic drugs, illegally obtained firearms...this is a nightmare story for any parent in the 21^st century. Put the crime/noir/occult overtones in and you have a series worth reading.

I would like to thank my local library for carrying the first two trades. I am extremely choosy with my purchases these days but had to buy this series after reading those two books. I regret nothing.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the part where I go into tactile sensations and materials used in physical media. Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or women who are pregnant should exit my blog at their earliest convenience, as their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond this point.

The covers are collected in the back of the book, a major pet peeve of mine. While there is a blank red page which serves as a chapter marker for each issue, I dislike it when the covers aren't placed before the issues. Your mileage may vary.

Paper stock: Matte coated stock with minimal sheen. This is some fantastic paper.

Binding: Perfect bound paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Matte coating on the cardstock which is remarkably resistant to scuffing. Image makes quality books these days, and I'm not just referring to the content.

Review- KILL OR BE KILLED VOL. 3

KILL OR BE KILLED VOL. 3 (Image, First Printing, 2018; Softcover)

Collects Kill Or Be Killed #11-14 (cover dates August- November, 2017)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser

It's difficult to talk about this series without spoilers, but I will try to keep them to a minimum. Dylan supposedly imagined the whole thing, with the demon being the result of him being off of his psychotropic meds. With this realization (or his perception of it?) he decides to stop killing “people who deserve it” cold turkey, and you know what? Nothing happens. No demon. He doesn't die all of a sudden. Life goes on.

Dylan takes this opportunity to reevaluate his life and work on things that are important to him. Things like his female friend/ love interest Kira. This is where his recent past catches up to him, when the Russian mobsters have traced him to her place of employment. This spurs Dylan back into action as the masked vigilante and brings us to the end where we see...

...Sorry folks, I try to avoid spoilers. Let's just say that Brubaker likes turning things on end over and over.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the part where I go into tactile sensations and materials used in physical media. Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or women who are pregnant should exit my blog at their earliest convenience, as their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond this point.

The covers are collected in the back of the book, a major pet peeve of mine. While there is a blank red page which serves as a chapter marker for each issue, I dislike it when the covers aren't placed before the issues. Your mileage may vary.

Paper stock: Matte coated stock with minimal sheen. This is some fantastic paper.

Binding: Perfect bound paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Matte coating on the cardstock which is remarkably resistant to scuffing. Image makes quality books these days, and I'm not just referring to the content.

Review- FATALE: THE DELUXE EDITION VOL. 2

FATALE: THE DELUXE EDITION VOL. 2 (Image, First Printing, 2015; Hardcover)

Collects Fatale #11-24 (cover dates January, 2013- July, 2014)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

Colorists: Dave Stewart and Elizabeth Breitweiser

I quit buying the trades after Volume Four, as the double dip game was getting old back then. I've since quit that merrygoround of upgrade insanity. The first two-thirds of this book were a reread for me, and if you want to see what I thought about Volume Three and Volume Four, feel free to click the links.

We see everything tied together nicely in the fifth arc and are brought to a satisfying conclusion. Fatale is/was a fantastic series. This was easily the best thing that Brubaker and Phillips did...until I read Kill Or Be Killed.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the part where I go into tactile sensations and materials used in physical media. Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or women who are pregnant should exit my blog at their earliest convenience, as their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond this point.

Paper stock: Thick coated stock with minimal glare.

Binding: Sewn binding. I dislike the squared spine found on so many hardcovers these days. While they look pretty on your bookshelf they are less enjoyable to handle when you actually read your books. Does anyone actually read these books though? It seems like collected edition fans buy stupid amounts of them and they sit unread.

Hardback cover notes: Image printed on the casewrap. No dustjacket required. The coating on the casewrap is matte and is resistant to scuffing. 

Review- FATALE: THE DELUXE EDITION VOL. 1

The double dip is the bane of the collected editions fan's existence. The upgrade is a never ending chase to experience a story in the finest “fidelity” possible. It's the comic book equivalent of being an audiophile. Collected editions are a curse, but so too is the femme fatale...

FATALE: THE DELUXE EDITION VOL. 1 (Image, First Printing, 2014; Hardcover)

Collects Fatale #1-10 (cover dates January- November, 2012)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

Colorists: Dave Stewart

Since this was a double dip and reread, I turn you over to my reviews for Volume One and Volume Two of the trades to see what I thought at the time. This held up every bit as well on the reread years later.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the part where I go into tactile sensations and materials used in physical media. Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or women who are pregnant should exit my blog at their earliest convenience, as their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond this point.

Paper stock: Thick coated stock with minimal glare.

Binding: Sewn binding. I dislike the squared spine found on so many hardcovers these days. While they look pretty on your bookshelf they are less enjoyable to handle when you actually read your books.

Hardback cover notes: Image printed on the casewrap. No dustjacket required. The coating on the casewrap is matte and is resistant to scuffing.

Review- KILL OR BE KILLED VOL. 2

KILL OR BE KILLED VOL. 2 (Image, First Printing, 2017; Softcover)

Collects Kill Or Be Killed #5-10 (cover dates January- July, 2017)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser

I borrowed this book from my local library.

Things have begun to spiral out of control for Dylan. First, the demon that he is serving by killing one person per month is mocking him. Then we see the entrance of Lily Sharpe, a rookie detective who is the only one to accurately piece together the puzzle. And then we have his personal relationships going from good to bad and bad to worse, respectively.

Without getting too spoilerish, this is being played right down the middle. Is it a demon driving Dylan or is Dylan just a nut who is off of his psychotropic meds? I have an idea but I am not saying. I need to read Volume 3 stat.

Brubaker's writing is top notch, Phillips is doing the best artwork of his career, and Breitweiser is one of the greatest colorists that I have ever seen. These are some great comic books from the “middlebrow” segment of the medium.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the part where I go into tactile sensations and materials used in physical media. Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or women who are pregnant should exit my blog at their earliest convenience, as their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond this point.

This is a copy that I borrowed from the library. Library copies are fascinating studies in workmanship and durability.

The covers are collected in the back of the book, a major pet peeve of mine. While there is a blank red page which serves as a chapter marker for each issue, I dislike it when the covers aren't placed before the issues.

Paper stock: Matte coated stock with minimal sheen. This is some fantastic paper. Readers of digital comics scoff at collected edition snobs like myself, but I am like a vinyl and CD music fan. The tangible physical object makes it more real to me. I love paper.

Binding: Perfect bound paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Matte coating on the cardstock which is remarkably resistant to scuffing. Image makes quality books these days, and I'm not just referring to the content.

Review- KILL OR BE KILLED VOL. 1

KILL OR BE KILLED VOL. 1 (Image, First Printing, 2017; Softcover)

Collects Kill Or Be Killed #1-4 (cover dates August- November, 2016)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser

I borrowed this book from my local library.

Dylan is a loser. Dylan is a 28-year old grad student and suicidal failure. Dylan lives with his friend who ended up in a relationship with his longtime female friend that he's had a thing for. Nothing in Dylan's life is very worthwhile, at least in his mind, so he does what any self-absorbed loser would do. He kills himself by jumping off of the roof of a building.

Being a loser means that Dylan can't even kill himself right, as he gets caught up on a blanket on a clothesline, breaking his fall of six flights as he is further cushioned by a pile of snow. Dylan thinks he's really lucky until woken during his sleep by a demon. The demon tells him that he owes him a life every month since he gave Dylan a second chance. Someone who deserves to be killed, like a childhood friend's older brother whom he remembers molesting his friend due to the conversations they had during childhood which made sense later on. Or Russian mobsters who run some kind of stripper human trafficking thing.

As Dylan starts killing people he discovers some truths about himself, and we discover a few truths about him that he doesn't realize. The last page of the book is a real jaw dropper which turns the whole thing on its head.

Brubaker and Phillips have continually refined their craft. Criminal was better than Sleeper, and Incognito was better than Criminal. All of those were buried by Fatale. Every time that I think they have peaked they top their previous peak. Elizabeth Breitweiser is one of the top colorists in the biz today. She's their secret weapon, adding layers and mood to the artwork. I'm so blown away by this book that I am going to buy it and add yet another book to my collection.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the part where I go into tactile sensations and materials used in physical media. Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or women who are pregnant should exit my blog at their earliest convenience, as their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond this point.

This is a copy that I borrowed from the library. Library copies are fascinating studies in workmanship and durability.

The covers are collected in the back of the book, a major pet peeve of mine. While there is a blank red page which serves as a chapter marker for each issue, I dislike it when the covers aren't placed before the issues.

Paper stock: Matte coated stock with minimal sheen. This is some fantastic paper. Readers of digital comics scoff at collected edition snobs like myself, but I am like a vinyl and CD music fan. The tangible physical object makes it more real to me. I love paper.

Binding: Perfect bound paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Matte coating on the cardstock which is remarkably resistant to scuffing. Image makes quality books these days, and I'm not just referring to the content.

Reviews- VELVET VOL. 2: THE SECRET LIVES OF DEAD MEN and REVIVAL VOL. 5: GATHERING OF WATERS

VELVET VOL. 2: THE SECRET LIVES OF DEAD MEN (Image, First Printing, May, 2015; Softcover)

Collects Velvet #6-10 (cover dates July, 2014- April, 2015)

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Steve Epting

Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser

Take some Dramamine before beginning to read this book, as the numbers of twists and turns may make you ill. Velvet Templeton is or is not nuts, is or is not innocent, and is or is not close to nailing this shut, depending on which twist you're at. Beautifully written, drawn, and colored, I recommend this to everyone. Good stuff that proves that not all modern comics suck...just the vast majority of them.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.25 out of 5.

The OCD zone- Image makes nice books.

Paper stock: Beautiful thick matte coated stock.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Thick waxlike lamination.

REVIVAL VOL. 5: GATHERING OF WATERS (Image, First Printing, May, 2015; Softcover)

Collects Revival #24-29 (cover dates October, 2014- April, 2015)

Writer: Tim Seeley

Artist: Mike Norton

Colorist: Mark Englert

Talk talk talk development. Talk talk talk event. Talk talk talk about the development and then talk talk talk about the event. This “Rural Noir” usually satisfies me but this time it served to only annoy me. Modern comics rely on a “cinematic”, dialogue driven method of writing. I prefer older comics because the third party captions gave it a more literary feel. Modern comics all try to mimic modern day television or movies, which I mostly dislike. Comic books are, to me, the ultimate form of expression because they can combine the emotional weight of text with the impact of images. Leaning too far in either direction robs the medium of it's true potential. I get why modern comic books are written this way. You are dealing with people who can't look up from their phones to cross the street since attention spans are at an all time low. The worst part of all of this is that they make a lot of nothing happen over a lot of pages to pad out a trade paperback. The energy and spontaneity that I crave is absent from this title.

I've given this title two or so years of my life, and I am done. It is good but not good enough to hold my interest without any resolution. Development after development occur, and there has yet to be a definite arc resolution. Some folks may like this kind of thing but we haven't even hit a plateau yet. One of two things can happen. Either the suspense will build and the payoff will bowl you over, or the expectations for a huge payoff are going to be heaped so high that it can do nothing but disappoint. Either way, I won't be finding out.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 3 out of 5.

The OCD zone- Image makes nice books.

Paper stock: Coated stock with a slight sheen.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Matte coating, very resistant to scuffing.