The Escapists #5 is ... well, it's a toughie. To be honest, I've been putting off bringing up this mini-series, even though it's been on the FPF short-list almost every week it's come out. But it can no longer be denied, so feast your eyes on the first-ever two-panel FPF Panelpalooza! Grab your ass with both hands, kids - this is history!
Urm. Yeah, so two wildly different art styles are used to tell two very different - but parallel - stories in this six-parter. One of those stories takes place as a superhero comic, the other as the story of the people creating that comic. Both of them, strangely enough, feature people in costume.
It's all very meta. It's also, at heart, a love letter. Michael Chabon's Pulitzer-winning novel "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" has managed to spin off a series of comic anthologies by various contributors, but The Escapists is the one that lays out the comic-love in all it's geeky glory.
Brian K. Vaughn (man, that dude really IS everywhere!) nicely balances glimpses of the latest story of The Escapist with the mostly mundane story of the three friends producing that story, which is where Vaughn's pitter-pat beats loudest. The superhero story is fun, but it's the everyday lives playing out in Cleveland that you end up caring about most. What the hell was Max thinking? Was that the last straw for Case? Is Denny going to be OK? Are they going to be able to get the next issue out?!?
In a neat twist - who knows if it was on purpose or not - the more sketchily realistic art by Jason Shawn Alexander is used to tell the superhero story while Steve Rolston's rounded-edge, cartoony style depicts the story playing out in the real world. In the comic. I'm not trying to be confusing. Honest.
But look at Alexander's depiction of The Saboteur - man, he just oozes evil! And look at the detail in Case's room; that one panel by Rolston tells you a ton about the character with simple attention to background. Both artists' work sets just the right tone for their respective stories, and dovetail into each seamlessly until they reflect and amplify each other in a way that adds depth to both. It's a pretty slick trick, and one that could easily fall apart if you weren't careful.
But, with one issue left to go, it seems pretty clear that Vaughn, Rolston and Alexander are keeping a protective arm around The Escapists. When you love something, after all, it's only natural.
The Escapists #5: Brian K. Vaughn, writer; Steve Rolston, artist; Jason Shawn Alexander, artist
5 comments:
Alright, once this mini is over you have to lend it to me. #1 didn't catch my attention, but with your finely crafted words of adoration here, those two great panels above (well, mostly Alexander's really), and the fact that BKV cannot be denied (well, maybe except for the Runaways) I now have to try again. You know how I am with BKV and his archs though, so I'll wait for #6. That is, of course, assuming you are willing to lend it, but I don't want to do what you do when you assume. Anyway, a supa fine double-dose FPF sir! Well worth the wait! Believe it or not I was refreshing your site all Friday night and Saturday in anticipation!
The Escapists rocks my socks! I'm going to be so sad when it ends. =(
E: I know what you mean, but you have to give Rolston's art a chance - believe me, it grows on you. It threw me off when I first saw it in Queen & Country, but it ended up seeming so natural that later, more realistic art was almost distracting.
Lisa: Put your socks on, Stinkerbell! Yeah, I'm going to be sorry to see it go, too - I like it so much I'm getting the individual issues AND the trade. There's going to be a trade, right?
Yay! Lisa is back! I was just telling nel that I missed your comments cuz you is funny.
Ohh so there's your Stinkbell comment. You think you're sooo clever don't you? Well I'll show you...
And I'm sure it'll be in trade. It's too awesome not to!
Hi E! I forget to read Nel's blog for extended periods of time because he refuses to get Myspace.
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