FALLEN ANGEL #1
Written by Peter David and Drawn by J.K. Woodward
Published by IDW

As a diehard fan of the original series when it was appearing from DC, nothing made me happier than to see IDW (and, full disclosure, MPS boss Chris Ryall) step up to the plate and rescue a great book that was being ignored and not given its due.

ANGEL is the story of a mysterious woman named Lee, who lives in a strange city called Bete Noire and helps those who prove that they deserve her power in their corner. The one thing we never learned, however, was who she truly was and where she came from. Now, as we pick up her tale twenty years after the events of the original series, that’s about to change. Lee’s known past (she faked the death of her own child) and unknown past (the appearance of a man named Malachi) are suddenly set upon a collision course as this issue unfolds.

There’s only one noticeable difference in this book as compared to the first volume. The primary one is the presence of Woodward on the art. Co-creator David Lopez didn’t follow the book to IDW, and while I enjoyed his work and was impressed with how he grew through the duration of the original, Woodward makes for a better fit at this point. Lopez’ work was perfect for the production values DC lent; however, Woodward’s painted style plays more to the strength of IDW’S superior production quality. Everything just looks better. There’s talk of Lopez perhaps jumping in and doing an issue down the road, and it will be an interesting test to see how he adapts to the better conditions he’ll be printed under.

While Peter David is still best known for making with the “ha ha,” this book, along with his work on MADROX, X-FACTOR, and SUPERGIRL, demonstrates that he turns out his best work when focusing on strong character drama. The very fact that FALLEN ANGEL lives and has changed publishers is a minor miracle; it happens with some frequency among small indy books, but having a book survive death at DC and be resurrected elsewhere is almost impossible. The one sure thing is that it doesn’t happen to unworthy work. Do yourself a favor and see what the fuss is all about. You’ll be glad you did.

OWLY: FLYING LESSONS
Written and Drawn by Andy Runton
Published by Top Shelf

Each of the first two OWLY volumes has made my yearly “essential” list, and nothing here suggests that this one won’t do the same. Runton’s third effort is a bit more sophisticated than the first two, as he gets a bit more ambitious in not only the story, but in the pictographs in which the characters “speak.”

Owly and Wormy meet a flying squirrel early on in this volume, and hoping to make a new friend, seek to make his acquaintance. However, they run into a near-insurmountable problem: the natural enemy of the flying squirrel is the owl. And the squirrel wants nothing to do with the sweet-natured owl or his friend. So seeing his friend horribly crushed, Wormy sets off to try and build a bridge between the two creatures, looking to find a common ground where they might accept one another for who they are. That common ground? Unlike the rest of his species, Owly’s wings do not propel him through the sky.

Rich in heart and character, OWLY again delivers compassionate storytelling and warm emotion. Runton’s work is full of more humanity than any ten artists working today, and his ability to consistently turn out brilliant material is enough to make you weep. Highly recommended for everyone.

OFF ROAD
Written and Drawn by Sean Murphy
Published by Oni Press

Murphy’s debut graphic novel is the story of three friends brought back together just in time to take complete leave of their good sense. Trent is returning from college to visit, and he hooks up with his rich friend Greg, who’s just gotten a new jeep, and Brad, whom he’s always had a slightly testy relationship with. Desperate to try something different, Trent convinces Greg to take the new vehicle off-roading, and from there, the adventure starts.

Along the way, the guys have to deal with downed trees, redneck ATV riders, Brad’s psychotic father, and Trent’s long and unrequited love for a girl named Leona. Oh, and a forest fire that threatens to kill them all while the jeep is stuck in a river they were unable to cross. There’s quite a bit of plot at work here, but Murphy plays it pretty subtly, keeping a deft comic touch on the proceedings.

The only false move comes in the form of a somewhat deus ex machina ending (which I mean quite literally) to the problem of the jeep being stuck, but I got enough laughs out of the rest of the book to give it a passing grade nonetheless. Murphy also throws in a nice collection of newspaper-style strips featuring the characters that he was trying to sell to the syndicates earlier in his career, adding a nice DVD-extra to the mix. Fun stuff.

THE 101 BEST GRAPHIC NOVELS
Written by Steven Weiner
Published by NBM

This second edition updates Weiner’s listing with some more recent works and a healthy dose of manga, making the book a bit more relevant than it was in the past. However, as with any listing of this nature, there is bound to be some debate about the titles the author chose for his list.

Before one quibbles, however, you have to absorb Weiner’s first caveat: any book listed must actually be in print. Part of what his original guide, published nearly a decade ago, was meant to do was guide librarians towards items that would be suited for their shelves. While the title of the book no longer specifies that purpose, this book is still clearly aimed at that audience. Indeed, that’s the only rational explanation for including a volume of YU-GI-OH! in the mix. That isn’t the only oddity: the inclusion of Karl Stevens’ GUILTY, which is good but not even close to great, is another.

Again, though, you can quibble for days about his selections, but a reasonable examination of Weiner’s picks reveals that most of them are well thought out and indeed should be on the shelves of every library in the nation. No list will ever be perfect, but this one will guide a librarian or a new reader towards a pretty decent start.

See you in seven.

Review materials may be sent to: Marc Mason, P.O. Box 26732, Tempe, AZ 85285. You can also find me at Happy Nonsense and The Comics Waiting Room

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