Espionage 6 - World Comic Book Review

Russians in Comic Books

December 6, 2016December 1, 2016 by DG Stewart

As tensions between the West and Russia have dramatically increased in the past year, so too has the characterisation of Russia in Western comic books.

As we discuss below, most of Western comics’ attention this century has been directed towards the menace of the Soviet Union and its state-sponsored spread of communism as an ideology and a system of government antithetical to Western democracy and capitalism. But in the past five years, particularly, there is a new orientation towards perceptions of Russia in comic books.

In addition, we also take a quick look at the contemporary Russian comic book industry, and its penchant for copying American concepts.

1. Vladimir Putin and Post-Soviet Russia

A brief rundown of the geopolitical sequence of events leading to where we are now is worthwhile:

Injection Vol 1 (Review)

October 21, 2016August 2, 2016 by DG Stewart

“Injection” Vol 1 (review)
Image Comics, July 2016
Writer: Warren Ellis

British writer Warren Ellis has been intensely prolific over the past year, penning the following titles:

a. “Trees“, another Image Comics publication;
b. James Bond – Vargr;
c. a title for Marvel Comics, “Moon Knight”;
d. another title for Marvel Comics, “Karnak”;
d. a novel entitled “Normal”.

“Injection” is the latest from Mr Ellis, and it consists of his trade mark dense concepts and dry wit. But Mr Ellis is treading on old ground in other ways, too.

If you were to squint long enough, “Injection” is a blurred, fuzzy, contemporary and bleaker version of Mr Ellis’ wondrous title, “Planetary” (1998-2009, Wildstorm Comics). In “Planetary”, three (and sometimes four) archeologists explore mysteries each of which have a core in popular culture. These range from pulp heroes from the 1930s to Japanese monster movies to American and English superheroes.

Renato Jones: The One % #1, 2, 3 (review)

October 21, 2016July 26, 2016 by DG Stewart

“Renato Jones: The One %” #1, 2, 3 (review)
(Image Comics, 2016)
Writer: Kaare Kyle Andrews

This is yet another remarkable title from Image Comics, the innovators in American comic books.

The concept of billionaire vigilantes seeking to avenge their parents’ death is well-known in the superhero genre. Yet never has the concept been stripped to such a granular level and imbued with a sense of angry class warfare. If indeed this is some distillation of the Batman formula, it is barely recognisable as such.

Mr Andrews begins his attack on the concept of servants and masters with the front cover. “Created, Written, Drawn, Colored And Owned By Kaare Kyle Andrews”‘ reads the byline, with the word “owned” emphasised in red text. Mr Andrews wishes readers to know that his creative efforts on the title automatically vest in the publisher, and that he is not a hired man servicing a character property. There is a sense, intentional or otherwise, that to buy the book is to directly support the creator.

The Nice Young Man

October 21, 2016April 10, 2016 by DG Stewart

International Iron Man 1
Marvel Comics, May 2016
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Review by DG Stewart, 9 April 2016

This title has been promoted both by its cover art and in marketing copy as having an espionage flavour to it. There is little evidence of that in this first issue aside from a flashback action scene. Instead, it is almost certainly the most interesting Iron Man concept to come from its US publisher, Marvel Comics, since British writer Warren Ellis’ work on the “Extremis” story in 2005-2006.

Marvel Comics’ property Iron Man has been long portrayed as both a billionaire industrialist, and as a gifted inventor who has created a series of weaponised mechanical suits. There has been repeated a updating of Iron Man’s origin by Marvel Comics over the years (the character’s spark of inspiration to build a mechanised suit of armour came when as a hostage of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War). The character was depicted during the 1980s as struggling with alcoholism, has had a succession of unsuccessful relationships, and has been replaced in his persona as Iron Man on many occasions. Iron Man is a foundation member of Marvel Comics’ premier superhero ensemble called “The Avengers”, has saved the world countless times, and a few years ago was depicted as Secretary of Defence in the US government. But the fictional life before the kidnapping event which caused the title character of this series to become Iron Man has been a void, until now.