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Paul Is Undead, Drawing Down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess, and Dread Island by Landsdale
For Christmas, I picked up this chuckle-fest for my parents--Paul Is Undead by Alan Goldsher. The synopsis:
"Ladies and gentlemen, meet the zombie Beatles. In Goldsher's alternate universe, the British Invasion takes on new meaning as undead Paul, John, and George and ninja Ringo Starr take the U.S. by storm. Music journalist Goldsher begins the story by 'interviewing' Lennon's mother, Julia, who died in 1958 but was reanimated by John the following week. Zombie Lennon's fateful meeting with McCartney in 1957 is another bloody affair, in which the merging of their gray matter creates an unparalleled songwriting team. Shortly thereafter, with the zombification of George and the addition of Ringo, the band begins its assault on the States. Things start to go awry when Lennon begins dating Ninja Lord Yoko Ono and the Zombies (led by non-zombie Rod Argent) begin to hunt them down. The horror mash-up publishing craze is still spreading like a plague, and while some of its most popular products seem like easy ways to digest the classics, this clever take on the subgenre will bring music nerds into its fandom." (--Carlos Orellana, from Booklist.)
They finished it quickly and told me to read it. I did so readily, and was surprised how fast it, erm, took to digest.
The reviews at Amazon.com weren't very good, which is a shame because my parents and I quite enjoyed it. It's cartoon-like in it's violence, so over the top it's giggle-inducing, not realistic or morbid. In fact, as I read it I saw it animated, in a Yellow Submarine-ish style.
Then again, I'm what some might refer to as strange and unusual in my tastes, so... >;-)
My folks and I are huge fans of the Beatles and Beatle trivia and knowledge, so this was a delightfully absurd treat. Weird, silly, gross-yet-amusing, and fun as hell.
Then it was on to Drawing Down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess by Charles Vess, my X-mas gift from Watchingwolf. The synopsis:
"One of contemporary comics' classiest acts, fantasy artist Vess is even more stunning as a book illustrator. It's altogether fitting, then, that book illustration looms large in this gorgeously produced retrospective album (the heavy, translucent section frontispieces are especially impressive). Vess provides his own very economical notes, which downplay technique in favor of autobiographical and art-appreciative remarks, the latter about his beloved influences, beginning with Arthur Rackham and Aubrey Beardsley, both of whose fluidly slender figures have their ilk in Vess' creations. He also lauds the premier Victorian painter of fairies, Richard Dadd, whose mastery of crowded compositions Vess thoroughly learned; comics artists Hal Foster and Russ Manning, renowned for the ornate and graceful vigor of their work on Tarzan and Prince Valiant; and all manner of literary fantasists, starting with the Scots and English ballad makers and the Shakespeare of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which Vess has rendered in both comics and an illustrated edition of the full text. No wonder he’s the preferred artist of premier modern literary fantasists Neil Gaiman, Charles de Lint, and Susanna Clarke, the last of whom contributes an aptly breathless yet not giddy introduction. (--Ray Olson, from The Booklist.)
When I lived in Michigan with my comic artist friends, they all loved and looked to Charles Vess's work for inspiration. That was my initial introduction to his work, in the early '90's (Sandman! Swamp Thing! etc.) In the last ten years I've rediscovered him through his wonderful illustrations in several books by Charles de Lint.
The book was an amazing journey through time, and even his art as a youth was inspiring. Wow. An impressive tome by a favorite artist of mine.
From there on to a signed hard cover short story from one of my favorite authors of the weird, Joe R. Landsdale. The story, Dread Island, is also featured in what will be my next purchase, Classics Mutilated, which I'll detail in a moment.
Now, Dread Island... my god, where to begin? This read cartoonishly sent my pupils in opposite directions with each new absurd scene. Pure genius. Pure. Effing. Genius.
The synopsis:
"This "Monster Lit" mash-up novella from modern horror master Joe R. Lansdale, a highlight from the recent Classics Mutilated anthology, combines Lovecraft and Mark Twain in a way that can only be described as brilliant. Or, as Lansdale."
Erm, well, that synopsis doesn't cut it. It doesn't even mention Amelia Earhart's daring aerial rescue of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, and Jim from Cthulhu on Dread Island (which, at the time, was being sucked into another plane of existence.) And the most glaring omission was not to bother mentioning Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Bear, and the weasel gangsters residing on the island. Brer Fox and Brer Bear, crazed worshippers of Cthulu!
Genius, and how. Damn.
So, after I nab a copy, Classics Mutilated, here we come!
Synopsis: "Monster Lit meets Remix Culture in IDW's all-new, all-original story collection by top talents from horror, science fiction, and dark fantasy scenes. IDW's first foray into genre prose takes the formula of 'literary classic/historic figure + supernatural element' and drives a stake through its heart with fourteen brand-new stories, all written specifically for this collection, that transform the so-called Monster Lit movement in ways the mainstream could never imagine. Notable characters include Huck Finn, Capt. Ahab, Billy the Kid, Emily Dickensen, Jim Morrison, Edgar Alan Poe, and Albert Einstein, with contributions by John Shirley, Nancy Collins, Mike Resnick, Kristine Rusch, Thomas Tessier, Marc Laidlaw, and Rio Youers, while a masterful new novella by Joe Lansdale anchors the collection."
Awww yeah.
"Ladies and gentlemen, meet the zombie Beatles. In Goldsher's alternate universe, the British Invasion takes on new meaning as undead Paul, John, and George and ninja Ringo Starr take the U.S. by storm. Music journalist Goldsher begins the story by 'interviewing' Lennon's mother, Julia, who died in 1958 but was reanimated by John the following week. Zombie Lennon's fateful meeting with McCartney in 1957 is another bloody affair, in which the merging of their gray matter creates an unparalleled songwriting team. Shortly thereafter, with the zombification of George and the addition of Ringo, the band begins its assault on the States. Things start to go awry when Lennon begins dating Ninja Lord Yoko Ono and the Zombies (led by non-zombie Rod Argent) begin to hunt them down. The horror mash-up publishing craze is still spreading like a plague, and while some of its most popular products seem like easy ways to digest the classics, this clever take on the subgenre will bring music nerds into its fandom." (--Carlos Orellana, from Booklist.)
They finished it quickly and told me to read it. I did so readily, and was surprised how fast it, erm, took to digest.
The reviews at Amazon.com weren't very good, which is a shame because my parents and I quite enjoyed it. It's cartoon-like in it's violence, so over the top it's giggle-inducing, not realistic or morbid. In fact, as I read it I saw it animated, in a Yellow Submarine-ish style.
Then again, I'm what some might refer to as strange and unusual in my tastes, so... >;-)
My folks and I are huge fans of the Beatles and Beatle trivia and knowledge, so this was a delightfully absurd treat. Weird, silly, gross-yet-amusing, and fun as hell.
Then it was on to Drawing Down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess by Charles Vess, my X-mas gift from Watchingwolf. The synopsis:
"One of contemporary comics' classiest acts, fantasy artist Vess is even more stunning as a book illustrator. It's altogether fitting, then, that book illustration looms large in this gorgeously produced retrospective album (the heavy, translucent section frontispieces are especially impressive). Vess provides his own very economical notes, which downplay technique in favor of autobiographical and art-appreciative remarks, the latter about his beloved influences, beginning with Arthur Rackham and Aubrey Beardsley, both of whose fluidly slender figures have their ilk in Vess' creations. He also lauds the premier Victorian painter of fairies, Richard Dadd, whose mastery of crowded compositions Vess thoroughly learned; comics artists Hal Foster and Russ Manning, renowned for the ornate and graceful vigor of their work on Tarzan and Prince Valiant; and all manner of literary fantasists, starting with the Scots and English ballad makers and the Shakespeare of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which Vess has rendered in both comics and an illustrated edition of the full text. No wonder he’s the preferred artist of premier modern literary fantasists Neil Gaiman, Charles de Lint, and Susanna Clarke, the last of whom contributes an aptly breathless yet not giddy introduction. (--Ray Olson, from The Booklist.)
When I lived in Michigan with my comic artist friends, they all loved and looked to Charles Vess's work for inspiration. That was my initial introduction to his work, in the early '90's (Sandman! Swamp Thing! etc.) In the last ten years I've rediscovered him through his wonderful illustrations in several books by Charles de Lint.
The book was an amazing journey through time, and even his art as a youth was inspiring. Wow. An impressive tome by a favorite artist of mine.
From there on to a signed hard cover short story from one of my favorite authors of the weird, Joe R. Landsdale. The story, Dread Island, is also featured in what will be my next purchase, Classics Mutilated, which I'll detail in a moment.
Now, Dread Island... my god, where to begin? This read cartoonishly sent my pupils in opposite directions with each new absurd scene. Pure genius. Pure. Effing. Genius.
The synopsis:
"This "Monster Lit" mash-up novella from modern horror master Joe R. Lansdale, a highlight from the recent Classics Mutilated anthology, combines Lovecraft and Mark Twain in a way that can only be described as brilliant. Or, as Lansdale."
Erm, well, that synopsis doesn't cut it. It doesn't even mention Amelia Earhart's daring aerial rescue of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, and Jim from Cthulhu on Dread Island (which, at the time, was being sucked into another plane of existence.) And the most glaring omission was not to bother mentioning Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Bear, and the weasel gangsters residing on the island. Brer Fox and Brer Bear, crazed worshippers of Cthulu!
Genius, and how. Damn.
So, after I nab a copy, Classics Mutilated, here we come!
Synopsis: "Monster Lit meets Remix Culture in IDW's all-new, all-original story collection by top talents from horror, science fiction, and dark fantasy scenes. IDW's first foray into genre prose takes the formula of 'literary classic/historic figure + supernatural element' and drives a stake through its heart with fourteen brand-new stories, all written specifically for this collection, that transform the so-called Monster Lit movement in ways the mainstream could never imagine. Notable characters include Huck Finn, Capt. Ahab, Billy the Kid, Emily Dickensen, Jim Morrison, Edgar Alan Poe, and Albert Einstein, with contributions by John Shirley, Nancy Collins, Mike Resnick, Kristine Rusch, Thomas Tessier, Marc Laidlaw, and Rio Youers, while a masterful new novella by Joe Lansdale anchors the collection."
Awww yeah.