Saga of the Swamp Thing series by Alan Moore

Our next book club selection is one of the most famous comics runs in history, Alan Moore's 1980s Swamp Thing run.  Moore took what started as a rather cheesy action comic into a gothic, cerebral, and quite adult series.  Swamp Thing becomes more than a monster in the first issue and the series gets even less conventional and more creative from there.  Here are discussion questions for this month:

1.  Many reboots of obscure superheroes have been done.  What did Alan Moore do differently?  

2.  Swamp Thing is a small part of the DC Universe, protecting only "the Green" and his swamp in Louisiana.  How do Moore and other writers make him important DC storylines?

3.  What is the importance of Abigail in Swamp Thing's life?  

4.  Many of Moore's Swamp Thing arcs focus on the characters and happenings around him rather than himself.  One later arc sees Abby defending her love for Swamp Thing, another involves Constantine and the fate of Hell.  Nolan's Batman films seem to follow the same formula of not focusing too much on the hero.  What are your thoughts on this storytelling technique?

5.  Other than Moore's run on Swamp Thing, it seems the character has not had much success staying on for extended series.  Why is this?  Does a horror/fantasy character not fit in the DC universe?

6.  Is it inevitable that a hero must die for a reboot to happen?

7.  What did you think of the inclusion of the Floronic Man?  What was Moore's thinking in introducing a character in the DC Universe with similar powers?

8.  The film and television adaptations of Swamp Thing failed spectacularly.  One reviewer of USA's live action Swamp Thing said it wasn't even entertainingly bad.  What's so difficult about getting the character right?

9.  The story arcs occasionally touch on environmentalism and a Bigfoot-esque hunt for Swamp Thing.  Was Moore wise not to focus more on these ideas?

10.  Moore was writing Watchmen simultaneously with Swamp Thing for a while.  Did you see any evidence or hints of this?

11.  Swamp Thing was the first to abandon the Comics Code Authority and cater to adults.  Is this evident?  What effect does that have on the series and other comics released at the time?

Essex County by Jeff Lemire

Hailed as one of the greatest pieces of Canadian literature by well, Canadians and by comics fans as emotionally resonant, Essex County had a lot to live up to.  Fortunately, it delivers on the most part and delivers a trio of interconnected stories in a style that recollects Thompson's Blankets.  Here are the discussion questions: 

1.  What do you think Jeff Lemire set out to do in writing Essex County?

2.  Jeff Lemire writes both traditional superhero comics and these independent autobiographical comics.  Most authors only do one or the other.  Why?

3.  What is the significance of the bird?

4.  How do the characters in Essex County deal with grief and loss?

5.  What is a superhero to Lester?

6.  How does Essex County differ from other similar graphic novels such as Blankets?

7.  Critics applaud Lemire's subtlety and his ability to set a mood.  How does he accomplish this?

8.  Like Concrete, Lemire revels in the mundane.  What differences are there in his prose that makes for more or less riveting storytelling?

9.  The stick-tapping scene is often cited as an example of Lemire's talents.  What does this scene accomplish? 

10.  Lemire creates conflict between characters by having them communicate poorly or in some cases, not communicate at all.  Is this a contrived way of creating conflict or does it ring true to the way people behave?

11.  What is the importance of the setting?  Could the same story take place elsewhere?

12.  How did you feel about the loose line art style?  What mood or visual feel does it give in comparison to Habibi's intricate page designs and mosaics?

Concrete vol. 1: Depths by Paul Chadwick

Concrete is a non-traditional superhero created by Paul Chadwick.  Chadwick has tried a multitude of times in different stories to explain Concrete's origin story, but let's just say it involves aliens.  Concrete has superpowers akin to more traditional superheroes, but his stories are characterized by using his powers for noble causes, such as rescuing miners from a collapsed cave.  Below are discussion questions for the next book club:

1.  Paul Chadwick seems to want Concrete to be a non-traditional superhero.  In what ways does he accomplish this?

2.  Were you satisfied by Concrete's origin story?  Was it superfluous?

3.  What is the significance of Concrete being a former Senatorial speech writer?

4.  What commentary on products and promotion is Chadwick making with all of the Concrete memorabilia?

5.  Did you find the art or layout of Concrete to offer anything of note?

6.  Chadwick has said these stories are semi-autobiographical, such as the one about hiking.  Compare what Concrete tells us about its author versus what Shortcomings says about its author.  Does the lens through which the author reflects upon him or herself make a difference in the end result?

7.  Was it wise for Chadwick to focus on the human element of these stories?  What is offered here that isn't offered in say, The Thing plot arcs?

8.  Concrete was written in the early 80s.  Has this graphic novel aged well?  How so?  What modern conventions are we missing/now accustomed to?

9.  Chadwick seems content with Concrete doing the mundane in his stories.  Is this purposeful to better focus on the human elements of the characters?  Why not have the best of both worlds: big exciting set pieces and human elements?  

10.  Concrete, who wants to write of his adventures, is surrounded by two writers: one for a scientific journal and one aspiring novelist.  What is the significance of this combination of people?

11.  The aliens who transplanted Concrete's body were never heard from again and probably died on their way back to their home planets, Poochie-style.  Why?

12.  The cover up story is that Concrete is a cyborg created by the U.S. government, as opposed to the whole alien thing.  How is this possibly a better alternative  for the masses to know?

13.  Concrete clearly loves Maureen on some level.  Can a doctor/patient relationship or a rock person/non-rock person relationship work?  Why is this important to the series?

Habibi by Craig Thompson

Habibi by Craig Thompson took six years to create and it shows. The incredible detail and research that went into this graphic novel is a shining beacon of accomplishments in the medium. As with Blankets, Thompson explores society and religion's relationship with sex while developing characters, symbolism, and motifs. Habibi especially takes an interest in Arabian calligraphy, which can be seen throughout the tome of a graphic novel. Here are the spoiler-filled discussion questions:

1. What is the significance of calligraphy in the story and in the art?

2. Habibi has been criticized for treating sexuality as forbidden or shameful. Your thoughts?

 3. Why is Habibi's world a mashup of old and new?

4. Keeping in mind the themes of love and affection in Blankets, how has Craig Thompson taken those ideas and evolved them in Habibi? What does it say about his evolution as a writer?

5. What does Habibi say about humanity's relationship with nature?

6. Did you find the interspersed Quran stories enriched the narrative?

7. Robyn Creswell of The New York Times called this book "a work of fantasy about being ashamed of one’s fantasies." Your thoughts?

8. Citing the portrayal of Arabs in Habibi, one critic said "The problem in making something knowingly racist is that the final product can still be read as racist." Do you agree?

9. Why did Zam become a eunuch? Was "purifying his mind" not enough to dispel his disgust with his thoughts and the sexual transgressions against Dodola?

10. What is the importance of the fisherman in the third act?

11. What does Zam and Dodola's ship in the desert represent?

 12. Is romantic love that excludes sex possible? At that point, is it simply sibling-esque love?

Graphic Novel Selections September to December 2012

Hey all, this round of graphic novel selections was inspired partially by the Eisner nominees, so we've got some potential award-winners and mostly new books here. These are what I'm thinking, we need to narrow these down to four.



The Arrival by Shaun Tan - "Tan captures the displacement and awe with which immigrants respond to their new surroundings in this wordless graphic novel. It depicts the journey of one man, threatened by dark shapes that cast shadows on his family's life, to a new country. The only writing is in an invented alphabet, which creates the sensation immigrants must feel when they encounter a strange new language and way of life. A wide variety of ethnicities is represented in Tan's hyper-realistic style, and the sense of warmth and caring for others, regardless of race, age, or background, is present on nearly every page."



Northlanders by Brian Wood - A gory Vertigo graphic novel series depicting the Northlanders, vikings of beardedness. A loose series, each trade follows a different protagonist and time period.



Epileptic by David B. - An autobiographical graphic novel in Craig Thompson's style about the author's epileptic brother. The art's swirly style visualizes the disability.



Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis A dystopian future series follows journalist Spider Jerusalem who has various conspiracy and craziness-ridden adventures.



Jim Henson's Tale of Sand by Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl - "Discovered in the Archives of The Jim Henson Company, A Tale of Sand is an original graphic novel adaptation of an unproduced, feature-length screenplay written by Jim Henson and his frequent writing partner, Jerry Juhl. A Tale of Sand follows scruffy everyman, Mac, who wakes up in an unfamiliar town, and is chased across the desert of the American Southwest by all manners of man and beast of unimaginable proportions. Produced with the complete blessing of Henson co-CEO Lisa Henson, A Tale of Sand will allow Henson fans to recognize some of the inspirations and set pieces that appeared in later Henson Company productions."



Daredevil by Mark Waid - The first five issues of DC's Daredevil reboot has the most Eisner nominations this year and is getting heaps of praise.



Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello - Wonder Woman rebooted as more of a horror comic, "weird and worth your while."



iZombie by Chris Roberson - "Told from a female zombie’s perspective, this smart, witty detective series mixes urban fantasy and romantic dramedy. Gwendolyn “Gwen” Dylan is a 20-something gravedigger in an eco-friendly cemetery. Once a month she must eat a human brain to keep from losing her memories, but in the process she becomes consumed with the thoughts and personality of the dead person – until she eats her next brain. She sets out to fulfill the dead person’s last request, solve a crime or right a wrong."

Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman

Marvel 1602 is Neil Gaiman's first return to graphic novels after finishing the Sandman series and novels such as Neverwhere and American Gods. Much was expected of it and all said and done, it's an audience-splitter. I did not gain an appreciation for it until a second reading. In any case, the story and its characters play to Gaiman's strengths despite a questionable and hurried ending. Here are the questions:

1. In the Afterword, Gaiman points out that Marvel 1602 was divisive among critics. Why do you think this is?

2. With Marvel 1602 and The Eternals, Gaiman has now penned two alternate universe introductions that on their own are popular but these mythologies have mostly failed to continue past the first trade, mostly. Why?

3. Gaiman contends that he was trying not to write in the same style as Sandman in Marvel 1602. Would you say this is a detriment to the writing?

4. Gaiman wrote Marvel 1602 as a post 9/11 no guns, no bombs story. Does this knowledge make any aspects of the graphic novel more significant?

5. What Marvel characters didn't make the cut that you'd have liked to see?

6. Marvel 1602 included the X-Men, but not Wolverine, who even has time-appropriate old timey chops. Your thoughts on his exclusion?

7. Some criticize Marvel 1602's story for rationalizing and explaining the why of these characters being in an Elizabethan time period. Would have it been better unexplained?

8. Were there any 1602-ized characters you didn't like?

9. Gaiman is often criticized for his ability to wrap up his often complex interweaving storylines. Another tidbit to consider: he almost always needs two or more issues to wrap up what are usually proposed to be five-issue arcs. (This and The Eternals). Your thoughts?

10. Other one-shot graphic novels like Kingdom Come require an extensive knowledge of the universe or a Wikipedia page handy while you are reading it. Does Marvel 1602 suffer the same fate?

11. Did the inevitability of Otto Von Doom and Peter Parquagh's fates detract from their character arcs?

12. Where would you have taken Marvel 1602 had it continued? Would it be a better alternate reality a la the X-Men canon?

Daytripper by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon

Daytripper is a graphic novel by Brazilian brothers Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon. It follows Bras, an obituary writer. Each of the ten issues serves as a puzzle piece to his life and the book ends leaving the reader wondering about what the individual pieces mean in context of the world view and philosophies set forth by the authors. Here are the discussion questions:

1. Bras dies at the end of each issue only to pick up at a different spot in his life in the next. Which is the "true" reality? Does it matter?

I think Daytripper is showing various threads and places Bras' life could go should a certain event happen. The optimists in us would like to think the final reality in which Bras is an old man defying cancer treatment is the true reality.

2. What is the significance of Bras' occupation?

As an obituary writer, Bras must summarize the life achievements and admirable things that a person did, depending on the time in life that she or he died. At the end of each issue when Bras dies, our book club suggested that Bras is writing those obituaries, speaking from an omniscient perspective about his life from that issue.

3. What life philosophy does Daytripper ascribe to?

There are many, but it seems to lightly handle death, so one takeaway could be live your life as you will because death can come at any turn. Another strong theme seems to be family and making them the enjoyment of your life. Each issue centers around Bras and a family member or close friend.

4. Why does Jorge act violently when Bras finally tracks him down?

In Jorge's mind, murdering Bras was a way to be together and its what they both wanted. They died together as friends would.

5. What does the novel say about love and fidelity judging from Bras' two relationships?

There is no true love, simply the person who makes you happy at that time.

6. What is the significance of dark and light?

There are multiple interpretations, but one notable occurrence is that Bras almost always dies in darkness on the page. Light usually illustrates happiness or beauty.


7. What does Daytripper say about fatherhood and father/son relationships?

Bras ends up following in his father's footsteps, even smoking the same cigarettes eventually. Even though you may say "I'll never be like him," you share more than just DNA with your family.

8. In his famous "desert speech," Bras' father asks "How do we find something--or someone--we can no longer see, but which is right there before us? And how do we hold on to what is most precious in life?" Do Moon and Ba answer this question? How does one do this?

This speech was meant to be a bit cheesy and manipulative in the context of the graphic novel, but it is an apt question. This is simply reinforcing the idea of fate, I think. Whatever is going to happen to you may be within grasp, but it will not occur until the right stars align.

9. What are the commonalities between all of Bras' deaths? Do any stand out in particular?

Bras always dies in mundane, stupid ways. Often ways that would not usually claim a person's life. This lends creed to the idea that perhaps these are simply visions of how his life could have ended at that time rather than set in stone events.

10. In the back cover synopsis, the fact that Bras dies at the end of each issue is not mentioned once. The only mention of death is the fact that Bras writes other peoples obituaries. What does this say about the book?

As many people said, Daytripper is meant to be confusing upon first reading it. After Bras dies in the first issue, then the next, the reader catches on to the pattern. I think the authors didn't want the book to seem like it was all about death, because it is not.

11. In their author bio, Moon and Ba mention that they take their coffee the same way as Bras does, and draw a parallel between strong coffee and strong storytelling. What does that say about coffee (seriously), about their character, about them and about how they are all related?

Daytripper is set in Brazil and Latin Americans like their coffee strong and black. Moon and Ba I think modeled themselves after Ba and it would stand to reason that family is such an important part of the graphic novel seeing that the authors are twins. Coffee says about the character and the story that Moon and Ba wanted their story to have a complex, lasting flavor. There are some beverages and stories that are quick and sweet and there are stories like this one which take time to savor and enjoy.

12. Why is there no obituary or death "on screen" in the last chapter? Why does Bras refuse treatment?

Perhaps it is showing readers that this is the "true" death or the true ending, that Bras' life will not continue in an alternate universe in the next issue. Bras refuses treatment because he is happy and ready to accept death's fate.