Ursina's Shelf - Comics are back
Issue 38
Dear Readers,
It has been an exciting week! Yesterday one of my favorite stories continued with the release of issue number 55 of Saga after a four year interlude. I fell in love with Saga over a long weekend in the spring of 2020, blown away by its captivating plot with suspenseful cliffhangers, imaginative cast of characters, and treatment of topics from family (biological and found), warfare, prejudices, sexuality, grief, and love. Saga got me back into comics and I continued discovering more from then on, first writing about them in issue 12. Often these multi-issue stories are rather epic, so today I will focus on some shorter comics that can be read in an afternoon.
Short comics
The Private Eye written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Marcos Martin (2015)
Description: This is a classic tale of good and evil, except that it is rather unclear what good and evil means in this version of the future in southern California several years after a catastrophic event—the “cloud burst”—which revealed everyone's private data, especially their search histories. The backlash has led to a culture of extreme privacy with no individual phones or access to the internet... until a group of anarchists shows up fighting to bring the internet back.
My take: Dominic gifted the hardcover book to me for my birthday and it was a perfect afternoon read. I enjoyed the imaginative premise with all of its details and implications. For example, I loved that the libraries' anonymous' work stations are the only way to access the internet and that most characters wear masks to protect their valued privacy. While the story is fun, the implications of the premise truly made me ponder.
Bonus fact: The ten issues were self-published online with readers paying as much as they wanted to, a novelty in the industry. I recommend the hard-cover copy later published by Image Comics. Like most of Vaughan’s work, The Private Eye also earned several of the top industry awards.
The Pride of Baghdad written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Niko Henrichon (2006)
Description: This comic is based loosely on the true story of four escaped lions from the Baghdad Zoo during the American siege of the city and follows them around as they explore the city.
My take: This single volume story passed almost too fast, I was shocked when it was already over. While it made me laugh out loud several times, there are subtle and sometimes less subtle references to oppression and subjugation and an intriguing exploration what it means to be free.
Bonus fact: Each lion represents a different viewpoint on the war. Read it here.
Episode IX: Duel of the Fates illustrated by Andrew Winegarner (2020)
Description: This is a fan fiction comic based on the leaked script of the original story for episode IX. The leaked script by Colin Trevorrow & Derek Connolly caused a lot of controversy over the leaking, but found admirers quickly as an alternate story with Rey, Kylo Ren, and their friends and associates, set across a galaxy far, far away.
My take: I always love spending more time in the Star Wars' universe. After my disappointment with the final film version of Episode IX, I had to satisfy my curiosity about what would have been different had the original script been further developed; it is important to note here that while the script covers a complete plot, there are still rough edges and it was not near-final. Overall, I am satisfied by a smooth plot that felt more true to the values of Star Wars and a more fluid continuation from Episode VIII.
Bonus tip: Have a look here.
Currently reading: The Club: How the English Premier League Became the Wildest, Richest, Most Disruptive Force in Sports by Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg. Thank you for the recommendation, Matt!
Thanks for reading. As always, I am excited to hear your ideas and recommendations. I wish you a lovely weekend and hope you are staying safe and well.