Book of the Week

5-19-10

I mentioned Joe the Barbarian a few months ago when it first started.  We've just passed the halfway point with issue 5, and while I don't want to talk too much about the story, I will say that this comic is still amazing.  Morrison and Murphy work terrifically together.  The story is mostly told through beautiful artwork.  You really should be reading this.

Book of the Week

1-20-10

I haven't loved everything I've read by Grant Morrison. In fact I think most of his recent mainstream work has been below par (apart from All-Star Superman, which I think is probably not only the best Superman comic ever made, but also the best comic of the past decade). I do, however, love everything that he's written for Vertigo.
His first new project since 2005's Viminarama is an eight issue miniseries entitled Joe the Barbarian.

The first issue is a brief introduction of charcters and hints at the story's direction near the end. It's about a disconnected adolescent boy that travels between reality and imagination. It remains to be seen whether this is literal or figurative, but I'm thinking literal.

Morrison is accompanied artist Sean Murphy. Much of the story is told through the art, and the book is filled with gorgeous (sometimes two-page) splashes.

Also, there are several surprise cameos in one of these splashes. One of which is an all time favorite of mine: The Main Man, Lobo. Are you still reading this? Go get it.