Not just a tie-in, this throwback builds on the weirdness of its era and offers something more.
Segura brings the “lost” comic book described in his novel Secret Identity(2022) to four-color life with illustrator Jarrell in this 1970s super-hero throwback graphic novel.
In this work, the Legendary Lynx (aka Claudia Calla) is allowed to operate free from her metafictional origins as a character from the mid-1970s stolen from newbie writer Carmen Valdez (neither the character nor the creator ever existed in real life), prowling the shadowed streets of Triumph City clad in a domino mask and cheetah-print bell-bottoms, “sleek, dangerous, and eager to take out Triumph City’s trash.” Trained as an acrobatic, claw-wielding vigilante by the ghost of a prolific cat burglar to avenge her murdered sister, Claudia becomes a hero who both protects and supports women. Lynx stands apart from other characters of the time due to an absence of the racial or gender stereotypes common to the era. This approach makes her noteworthy even today as the narrative inverts tropes, provides queer subtext, and positions the supposedly “mild-mannered” Claudia as the only hope for intrepid reporter Simon Upton, who is stalked by the vampiric Mr. Void and his translucent skeletal army of Voidoids. Jarrell’s dynamic pencils bring the action on faux-faded, yellowed pages, drawing loving inspiration from Sal Buscema’s work on Steve Englehart’s Secret Empire and giving the book a “dated” look that cleverly helps to frame the story as ahead of its time. Comic-book Easter eggs abound, including The Apparition’s Dr. Manhattan-esque word balloons, a muscular medieval villain straight out of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World, and locations referencing creators like Duffy Vohland. These references are a blast and not just a gimmick; a tongue-in-cheek framing device that pulls in comics legend J.M. DeMatteis and Comic Book Resources reporter Brian Cronin also offers frank commentary and a short but thorough history of the comics industry. The end result is a companion piece to a celebrated novel (and its sequel, Alter Ego) that doesn’t just dither in meta-commentary—it’s actually a fun super-hero period piece that stands on its own.
Not just a tie-in, this throwback builds on the weirdness of its era and offers something more.Pub Date: Nov. 12, 2024
ISBN: 9781545814000
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth.
Superman confronts racism and learns to accept himself with the help of new friends.
In this graphic-novel adaptation of the 1940s storyline entitled “The Clan of the Fiery Cross” from The Adventures of Superman radio show, readers are reintroduced to the hero who regularly saves the day but is unsure of himself and his origins. The story also focuses on Roberta Lee, a young Chinese girl. She and her family have just moved from Chinatown to Metropolis proper, and mixed feelings abound. Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane’s colleague from the Daily Planet, takes a larger role here, befriending his new neighbors, the Lees. An altercation following racial slurs directed at Roberta’s brother after he joins the local baseball team escalates into an act of terrorism by the Klan of the Fiery Kross. What starts off as a run-of-the-mill superhero story then becomes a nuanced and personal exploration of the immigrant experience and blatant and internalized racism. Other main characters are White, but Black police inspector William Henderson fights his own battles against prejudice. Clean lines, less-saturated coloring, and character designs reminiscent of vintage comics help set the tone of this period piece while the varied panel cuts and action scenes give it a more modern sensibility. Cantonese dialogue is indicated through red speech bubbles; alien speech is in green.
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth. (author’s note, bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 13-adult)Pub Date: May 12, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77950-421-0
Page Count: 240
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Feb. 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A striking celebration of cinema’s power and a chilling acknowledgment of its limitations.
The latest graphic novel from Burns follows a group of young white suburban friends, centering on the sputtering relationship between a warm, friendly redhead and the awkward artist making her the focus of his new story.
Brian would rather sit in the kitchen and draw tentacled aliens than join the party out in the front room. But when Jimmy, his longtime home-movie collaborator, casts Laurie, a new addition to their friend circle, in their next 8 mm film, Laurie’s warmth and beauty tempt Brian to step out of his mind and fully into the present. Brian’s art (ranging from the uncanny to the explicit) and the fleeting moments of connection between them keep Laurie in Brian’s orbit, and the story alternates between their perspectives, capturing both Laurie’s sense of isolation when Brian gets lost in his appreciation for and creation of movies and Brian’s bittersweet awareness of his drifting, ever-creating mind. As Brian attempts to translate the strange visions in his head (and sketchbook) into a science fiction film shot with friends at a secluded cabin, he sinks deeper into his cinematic escapism while Laurie engages with more immediate pleasures. An aura of horror infuses the pages, with bulbous aliens floating through blue skies and raining down mysterious capsules, dead-eyed stares and skipped medication setting nerves on edge, and time’s unyielding march robbing even pleasant moments of lasting significance. Burns’ clean lines, heavy shadows, and rich colors sumptuously convey the pebbled texture of alien flesh and the rolling waves of Laurie’s hair, while his dialogue and narration crisply capture everything from flirty, friendly banter to awkward and painful self-analysis. His paneling swiftly moves the story along, through both slice-of-life moments and fantastical worlds, occasionally juxtaposing character moments with shots from the films Brian loses himself in, evoking the massive gap between fixation and passion.
A striking celebration of cinema’s power and a chilling acknowledgment of its limitations.Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9780593701706
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Pantheon
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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