Caper, Django Unchained, DMZ

Caper 1-12

Judd Winick writes a multi-generational epic, telling three stories of the Weiss clan over the course of a hundred years.  The last name is the only thing that the protagonists have in common, so the connective thread is tenuous at best.

The opening arc tells the tale of Jacob and Isadore Weiss, hitman brothers in San Francisco during the early 1900s.  It’s a nicely told story about their struggle to survive amidst the local gang politics and violence. It all ends very abruptly when the big quake of 1906 reminds everyone that nature doesn’t give a crap about man-made violence.  Isadore dies and Jacob heads down to LA to become a film mogul. I would have liked to read about that journey very much.

Instead, we jump ahead to learn about his granddaughter Annie, lawyer for the biggest movie stars in Hollywood.  She finds herself defending her next-door movie star neighbor against a spousal murder charge. As with the previous arc, Winick does an amazing job crafting the environment in which these characters live.  I want to spend more time in the 1970s Tinseltown he’s created, just as I did the streets of San Francisco. There’s a depth and texture to his settings that is compelling and remarkable.

But just like the story of Jacob, Annie’s plot finishes on an awkward note.  It comes out of left field, and not in a satisfying way. But it’s not enough to ruin a good bit of storytelling.

The final four issues, on the other hand, are a total mess.  Winick opts to go for straight up slapstick humor. The newest generation of Weiss is a complete idiot, as is his partner-in-crime.  After the well-executed gravitas of the previous two arcs, this is an unwelcome, tonally discordant ending to the series. I’d cut it, but I can’t bring myself to break up the set…

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? Yes (No for 9-12)

Rating: Nice (Stupid for 9-12)

Django Unchained 1-7

I don’t have the nerve to watch most Quentin Tarantino films.  I don’t have the stomach for the exquisite tension that he so effortlessly crafts.  “Who’s going to die out of nowhere? I can’t take it!!!” is usually my inner monologue.  That fact notwithstanding, I’m a huge fan of Tarantino’s ability. His dialogue, his technical craftsmanship, and his unparalleled ability to get the most out of a soundtrack entrance me, and I wish I was able to watch more of his work.

A comic adaptation of his screenplay is the next best thing.  And yeah, there are some things in here that I’m glad I didn’t have to watch in movie form.  But it’s a masterpiece of storytelling, and an awful lot of fun to read.

It loses some points with the art.  The collective group of pencillers, led mostly by RM Guera, do a fine job, but I would have liked to see something just a touch better.

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? Yes

Would read again? Yes

Rating: Pretty good

DMV 1-12

I got the first couple of trades really cheap at a used bookstore, and really liked what Brian Wood was doing with it.  But as I kept buying the volumes as they came out, I gradually lost interest. Will the same hold true this time around?

So far, yes.  Wood and artist Riccardo Burchielli create a thought out, richly populated, war-torn New York City.  It’s entertaining enough to learn about this world, but unless a larger plot starts manifesting itself soon, I’m going to congratulate past me for stopping before Wood did.  I like war stories, but I’m not as much a fan of reading about the civilian side of it. Like the general public that Zee justifiably despises, I just don’t find it as sexy. None of this is on Wood, and I recognize the quality of what he’s doing here.  

Regret buying? No

Would buy again? No

Would read again? Yes

Rating: Nice