Brenden Fletcher

Access a version of the below that includes illustrations on my blog.

I've been a fan of Black Canary since I first encountered Dinah in Green Arrow comics and fell in love. I followed her from there into Birds of Prey, which continued to develop her and her history-- but I felt she was immensely poorly served by the "New 52" reboot, which replaced her long history with a dull one. But from the moment I saw a cover of her New 52 solo series, I was excited. This looked like the Black Canary I show more knew, in that her visuals had returned to their fishnets-and-leather-jacket roots, but it also looked different, in that Dinah was now the punk-styled leader of an alternative band, spinning out of events in writer Brenden Fletcher's excellent Batgirl series.

In Kicking and Screaming, Fletcher and artist Annie Wu create one of those perfect comics books, one that is wholly itself. It's hard to put into words how much I liked this, especially the first few issues, because there's nothing for me to compare it to-- this is the lone exemplar of the superhero-and-rock-band comic book. Panel after panel provides delights. Wu's Dinah is sexy and stylish without being objectified, and completely kick-ass. Usually too kick-ass, as the concerts of Black Canary (here the name of the band; Dinah is just "Dinah" or sometimes "D.D.") often end in violence when Dinah has to fight off government agents and/or protestors. Like I said, I've loved Dinah ever since I first encountered her, but this is the most I've loved her; she's everything I want my female superhero characters to be, violent and attractive and in charge.

Wu's art is amazing, and Lee Loughridge-- always the best colorist in the business-- adds so much to the book's aesthetic too. A couple issues are also drawn by Y: The Last Man's Pia Guerra, who is an excellent artist but maybe not as "punk" as this book requires; her linework is a little too straightforward, while Wu's is dynamic and energetic.

The book's plot is kind of weird, but honestly it's one of those books where I don't care, because it's all about hanging a wacky music-based adventure off it. It's filled with great stuff: Dinah's bandmates include characters named Byron and Heathcliff who actually do look like contemporary kids, one of Black Canary's enemies is the band's disgruntled former singer who now has superpowers, the issues are interpresed with excerpts from a self-produced Burnside music zine, and there's an issue where three "enemy" bands turn up to challenge Black Canary to battle for no readily apparent reason.

I was surprised that this book actually drew on continuity established by the New 52 Birds of Prey and Team 7: Dinah's ex-husband Kurt Lance turns up, as does Amanda Waller, and the book picks up on their situations as of Soul Crisis. Even more surprisingly, the book does more emotionally with Dinah's raised-in-a-dojo backstory than Birds of Prey itself did. There were also some appreciated tie-ins to the Burnside-era Batgirl comics, including an appearance by Operator.

It's not a flawless book (I found the last couple issues, resolving the big ongoing storyline, not entirely satisfying), but it is a unique one, in a way that few DC superhero comics are, but all ought to be. I loved this book despite its flaws, and I'm really looking forward to reading volume 2.

Green Arrow and Black Canary: « Previous in sequence | Next in sequence » show less

The lush and gorgeous artwork cannot be praised enough, but don't think that's all ISOLA has to offer. The story dumps you right in the middle of things, and only very slowly explains what is going on. You will still have many unanswered questions when the volume is over -- but as it is named "Chapter One", I don't have a problem with that. And there's something to be said for experiencing a new fantasy setting from the inside, without contrived exposition. In that sense, it sort of feels show more like a Miazaki film, or a Franco-Belgian graphic novel rather than an American one. In any case, we had no problem following the story, even as every page lead to more questions.

The story itself is for the purposes of this volume rather simple, even though it clearly follows from a complex background we only get to scratch the surface of: A lone warrior is trying to get her tiger safely to some mysterious island named Isola, preferably without attracting attention from anyone at all. Following them on the long walk, we gradually see more and more of this beautiful but harsh and violent world, and learn that things are rarely what they at first glance appear to be. Also, there's a mysterious fox following along at the edges of the story. And come on, who doesn't like beautifully drawn tigers and foxes?

It's fun. And again, the loveliness of the artwork cannot be overstated. show less

2nd read, for Graphic Novel Book Club --
Still absolutely loving this book and I can't wait to discuss it over dinner with the group tomorrow.


1st Read --
This book is startlingly well written for a children's comic. I love the writing, the art, and the number of slowly unwrapping mysteries. I didn't believe it when everyone told me everyone should be reading this, but I, too, now think this is one of those comic books everyone should be reading right now.

Isola is an engrossing, warm, inspiring work of high fantasy from acclaimed storytellers Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl. Isola's thematic and aesthetic homages include films like Princess Mononoke and the game Shadow of Colossus but don't let these influences fool you, this an original work of art. And it just might be the best graphic novel I've read all year. The story-telling and world-building is thoughtful....there is just the right amount of intrigue, action, and heartbreak. And the show more art is amazing.

The Queen of Maar, Olwyn, has had a transformation spell cast on her, a curse that her Captain of the Guard, Rook, is desperate to reverse. It is said that half a world away there is hope, in a place known as Isola, land of the dead... if they can get there alive, without anyone realizing who the cat is!

The story is haunting, heartbreaking, and intense. It's filled with magic and court intrigue and drama. Do not miss ISOLA. show less