Fan Expo 2010 - The Man with the Getaway Face

Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke
Publisher: IDW
Published: July 2010
Adapted from Richard Stark's Parker: The Man with the Getaway Face

This past weekend was the second time I met Darwyn Cooke. He was at Toronto's Fan Expo where he had a booth setup along fellow comic book artists; he also hosted a one hour discussion on comic book layout and construction. As ever I was beside myself when I talked to the guy. It's hard not to let my fan boy-ness out, but overall I think I did well, even considering the fact I was sporting a Frank Miller Dark Knight t-shirt.

During my meeting with him he was as nice as ever. He spoke a little about his long term plans with his Parker series of graphic novels. He would like to finish them up just in time for his 50th birthday, and then after he was done with them he would take a break - *boo-urns* - but then again, it is a much deserved break.

As I mentioned I also went to his page composition layout discussion. I love these type of events. Not only do you get some tips and ideas on how he works, but you get a chance to actually hear his opinion on a wide range of subjects. One thing that stood out in my mind was his comment that he was limited in 'really conversing' with us fans due to the times...ie. everything is recorded, videotaped, and posted...which he's completely right about considering here I am writing about his discussion. The only difference is I have enough tact to not go into everything...I'm just not interested in stirring the pot as it were. He also mentioned he was a big fan of Dan Clowes, and especially of his book Ice Haven. This surprised me at first, but upon reflection, makes perfect sense. They're both awesome comic creators.

Overall Cooke strikes me as a humble guy, but also a guy who has definite opinions and interesting thoughts. My only wish is that we lived in a society where he could really share his more "controversial" thoughts without it coming back on him due to some fan boy posting it to youtube. I just know he has a unique perspective on the comic industry and it would be great to hear some of those thoughts in more detail.

One detail he mentioned that was quite exciting is that in his next book, The Outfit, Cooke has homaged/parodied the old Hanna Barbara cartoons to visually represent one of the many heists. This alone has me excited for The Outfit.


The Man with the Getaway Face was originally intended to Cooke's second adapted work by Richard Stark's series of Parker novels. Cooke opted to reduce it to a prelude for the Outfit (dropping Oct.5.2010), because it was his least favorite of books and he didn't want to spend a year of his life working on a book he doesn't really care for. I see his point. It's essentially an armored truck robbery, and as Darwyn put it - it gets a bit boring see a bunch of crooks talking about how they're going to pull off the heist - they're are only so many angles you can depict of guys sitting at a table.

However, that being said, don't let this comic pass you by. Although story-wise, it may be Cooke's least favorite of the series, what makes it stand out is it's printed about 95% the size of the original artwork. Most artists work looks better reduced to standard comic size, but in my opinion, Cooke's work looks better at original size. Even though he says you can see the rough passes and 'mistakes' when it's kept close to original size, I think it actually makes his work look better. Each brush stroke or color pass is magnified, and it's just charming as hell...

Here's the final page from the comic, and a Jonah Hex print I bought from Darwyn while at the Expo.




****Note: Over the next week or so, I'll be posting comics of the different artists I visited with, as well as sharing info on our conversations****


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Sin City

Writer/Artist: Jack Chick
Publisher: Chick Publications
Published: 1998

I watched Jesus Camp a few months back. One of the kids in the film was reading a Jack Chick comic, so I felt I'd share another of his comics. I've also been thinking of Frank Miller's Sin City lately. Lo and behold, Jack Chick wrote a strip titled Sin City. But that's about the only element the two have in common.

Jack Chick's Sin City is about a pastor who is protesting homosexuality. Due to his "radical stance", he is nearly beaten to death. While recuperating, he meets a gay priest who harbors a demon, which of course clouds his judgment. After some choice words of wisdom involving Sodom and Gomorrah by the pastor, the demon is excised, and the priest repents his sins. The End.

Not a very uplifting tale, and a bit one sided,...man I don't have the energy to even go into this one. Check the link to read the actual comic...OR... check this link for some tight pants sinning.

Daredevil # 186

Writer: Frank Miller
Artist: Klaus Janson
Publisher: Marvel
Published: September 1982

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

Today it's a comic on everyone's favorite blind defender of justice (who just so happens to be Irish). Issue # 186 is a perfect issue to celebrate a day more often or not responsible for the first quarter of the years stupidities because it has one of the stupidest villains I've ever seen: The Stilt Man!!


Who is easily defeated by Daredevil by fiddling with the balance do-hicky. (I personally would have swept the leg.)

Crash!!


Who? Daredevil or Stilt Man?

All Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder # 10

Writer: Frank Miller
Artist: Jim Lee
Publisher: DC
Published: August 2008

"Holy Shit Batman!"

After a spectacular issue # 9, Miller and Lee follow up with a voyage into Swearville. The story was decent, with Batman rescuing a beat up Catwoman, Batgirl being arrested, Black Canary blowing up a child porn base, and Jim Gordon's wife Barbara in the hospital after drinking and driving. Beyond that, the only element of note was the excessive amount of swearing. Now I can see why DC 'accidentally' published this issue without the swears being entirely blacked out, because with them blacked out I have to spend half my time figuring out what swear works best in the sentence. Are they saying "fuck", "shit" or what? I don't like having to guess what swear works best. Call it my lazy comic book nature, but the reason I buy comics is because the pictures are already created for me and I don't have to "imagine" the visuals. Hiding the words just further complicates my lazy nature, 'cause if I don't even want to imagine the visuals, who the shit Goddamn fuck motherfucking asswipe dickwad fucker' would think that I want to imagine the words!

Show me the muthfuckin' money bitch!

Swearing is wrong. But if Batman can get away with calling Catwoman "Baby " while Miller romanticizes their "sweaty, dirty, glorious mess..." then I guess swearing is the least of concerns.

RoboCop # 1

Writer: Frank Miller, Steven Grant
Artist: Juan Jose Ryp
Publisher: Avatar Press
Published: July 2003

R is for aRibaderchi to criminal scum.

This was Frank Miller's story for the sequel to RoboCop. Like most things in Hollywood it fell through. HOWEVER, us comic folk are left with this adapted version. Initial thoughts: "Gee willikers is RoboCop violent!"

Issue one sets the stage. The cops are on strike, and the media is having a field day reporting on the chaos of the city. The commercials are super-sexed advertisements for a world that doesn't exist. The commercials kinda remind me of Total Recall or Running Man, where the reality on TV is a glossed up illusion, and real life is far from. The city is going to hell, and only the most dedicated cops are on patrol. One of those dedicated cops is RoboCop, and he ain't taking no shit, strike or no strike. Issue one has him rescuing a kidnapped girl, and then storming an illegal child slave ring. The issue ends with RoboCop being forced to choose between killing himself or having a child die in his stead.

Deep stuff. Sort of.

Strictly on a first issue read only, I can see the Millerisms spring forth: city gone horribly bad, lone figure who holds back the darkness, and the self-obsessed media who reports on the madness. If anyone knows Miller, these same themes are straight out of Dark Knight Returns. The only difference I can tell is that the scenes of violence are extremely more graphic, kids as victims are amped, and the level of sex appeal is increased, (but not in a titillating manner - more the overly exaggerated manner to highlight how silly it all is). Overall, I would only recommend this series for Miller or RoboCop fans, of folks who just like it when things go boom, splat, and "IT'S FUCKING ROBOCOP! SHIT, WE'RE FUCKED!"
Next time pay your fine!

All Star Batman & Robin # 1

Writer: Frank Miller
Artist: Jim Lee
Colorist/Inker: Alex Sinclair/Scott Williams
Publisher: DC
Published: July 2005

It's hard to believe that only 11 issues have been released since July 2005. It has been said that the comic book industry is the only industry that allows such poor timely releases. In the case of All Star Batman & Robin, this is all the more interesting. Here's a comic series by Miller and Lee that is both hated and praised in equal measures. Arguments have been posted that this series is the worst take on Batman, yet the sales are still great. How can something so hated and despised, and consistently late, still be a top seller?

Well it helps that it is about Batman, the singular greatest comic character ever created (yeah I'm biased), and also that it's got Miller at the helm. Miller is the writer that is not afraid to purposely twist a character to the point of no return, no matter how much slack is thrown at him. He has a vision, and he doesn't care if you like it or not. And it's this strength/flaw in Miller's character that makes All Star Batman such a great read. Miller is pushing Batman to the extreme and asking...no forcing us Bat-fans to dig deeper into the bat cave. Miller doesn't want to write about the Batman of yesteryear, he wants to explore the belligerent, borderline psycho, sadist Batman. And honestly folks, it's not that far of a stretch...

Now that that is said, lets step back a minute. Batman after all has been around over 60 years now, if anything Batman can stand the test of time, no matter what is tossed his way. Also, it is only one series in a sea of Bat titles, and Miller has always garnered a love/hate relationship with his readers. I for one can't stomach certain works of his, but Batman & Robin is one that I can, since it is just so damn ridiculous and fun. I mean how many times can you hear "I'm the god damn Batman" and not have to suppress a giggle. Ultimately, if anyone is going to bastardize the Dark Knight, it might as well be Miller. He's pretty good at bastardizing.

Oh, and not to forget Lee. His artwork on this series is top-notch. If you like Lee's work, than you'll love this.

All Star Batman & Robin # 1 introduces Dick Grayson into the Bat universe. During a circus performance with his parents, Graysons world is destroyed by two bullets. Much like Bruce Wayne, Grayson is forced to watch as both his parents are murdered beside him. Next thing Grayson knows he is being escorted by Gotham cops to the Gulch, where he is to be dispensed with. Batman intervenes, rescues the boy, and the comic ends with Batman ordering Grayson onto his feet and stating: "You've just been drafted. Into a war." And so begins All Star Batman & Robin, the Boy wonder.