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RARA-AVIS: hardboiled comics
Hello Everybody,
I'm a brazilian newcomer. Since our listowner greenlighted it, I'd like
to submit a very basic, brief list of comics that could be called
hardboiled. My intention is to draw attention to material that some of
you may get interested in. As I said, it is by no means a complete list,
and it is destined above all to the ones who like hb fiction but don't
care about comics.
-HARD BOILED by Frank Miller and Geoff Darrow- sci-fi settings with a
violent approach. Detailed graphics. Dark Horse
-LLOYD LLEWELLYN by Daniel Clowes- basically indescribable, not really
hb, 90's comics with a flair for the 50's- excellent nonetheless.
Fantagraphics
-SECRET AGENT X9 (http://mmnewsstand.com/AgentX/)- spy comic strip
written by Hammett (I'm not sure he wrote all the stories).
-THE SHADOW "Blood and Judgement" by Howard Chaykin and "The Shadow"
#1-19 (DC), by Andy Hefler, Bill Sienckiewicz and Kyle Baker - more pulp
than hb, but these two series are particularly good. There are others.
(http://www.sflovers.rutgers.edu/archive/bibliographies/shadow.txt)
DC Comics
-SIN CITY by Frank Miller- perhaps the best comic to be mentioned here.
"Lone guy/mysterious woman/evil kingpin" storylines and Miller's awe-
some art(http://student-www.uchicago.edu/users/mpschaef/gallery.htm)
make this a very serious option for hb fiction fans. Series' titles
include "A Dame to Kill For", "Big Fat Kill", "That Yellow Bastard"
and so forth.
Dark Horse
-THE SPIRIT by Will Eisner- the stories themselves are often far from
hb,but the dark atmosphere can be compelling.
-TORPEDO by Sanchez Abuli, Jordi Bernet and Alex Toth (who apparently
refused to continue drawing it on account of its violence)- no-scruples
gangster comics from Spain. Catalan
-VIOLENT CASES by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean- you'll keep wondering why
I consider this a hb comic book until you get to the last pages. Maybe
even after that.
Dark Horse
-WATCHMEN by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons- It's the sci-fi/noir title
that started the current superhero revisionist trend. Features an
investigator called Rorschach and it's the greatest comic book I've
ever read. DC Comics
-DICK TRACY by someone called Chester Gould- Totally obscure comic strip
known only to hip initiated comic scholars. Anybody ever heard about it?
Gladstone Books
There's also stuff I've never read like Rick Tommaso's CLOVER HONEY
(whose main character is a hitwoman), Will Gould's RED BARRY (both by
Fantagraphics) and true stories from the Factoids Books series, which
include THE BIG BOOK OF THUGS and THE BIG BOOK OF LITTLE CRIMINALS
(DC Comics). Being new here myself, I welcome reading suggestions.
Except for Tracy, X9 and maybe Spirit, children must be obviously kept
away from the titles above.
Flavio
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