Bleed Ink--De: Tales, Tales from Urban Brazil

Peace Space Cowboys,

Another installment of Bleed Ink here. I have been meaning to post a lot sooner, but you know what husslin' is like. I'm always trying to stay one step ahead of the "man". Sometimes even 5 steps. But on to the review.

If you read the previous installment you know that Gabriel Moon did the artwork for The Umbrella Academy.

Well in this lesser known work, Moon and Ba are working together. Not surprising. They're brothers.

This piece of work really lets the artistry speak for itself, in very striking, subtle, ways. It is very surprising that two brothers can work so well together. Some brother can;t even be in the same car together. These guys try to outdo each other story to story panel to panel.

All of the stories have the back drop of Brazil in them and they are all separate vignettes that while have no connecting threads they have the core of Brazil as their center. The stories all differ from the slightly gritty realistic to the way out and strange. All the stories have a strong undertone of fantasy though. No matter how realistic and easy to relate to the stories start they always veer off into a dreamlike world of possibilities. Like the Twilight Zone, pretty much anything can happen.

Don't expect the artwork from "Umbrella" in here though. The brothers have very similar styles but neither of them are going for that kind of zany/occult story.

I say pick this one up if you don;t mind softer slower art and stories that are more meditative and introspective than straight ahead. (It's more Blankets than Sin City).

kind of a self portrait.
Bá on the front, Fábio with the hat.
(Flickr)

Bleed Ink---The Umbrella Academy

Howdy Ninjas,

This is my first review of a comic book. I'm going to call it Bleed Ink. It's emo enough to be cool and refreshing comics enough to make sense. I like how the very second blog would be a comic book review.

Today is a review of Gerard Way (writer) and Gabriel Ba's (illustrations) 'The Umbrella Academy' which recently wrapped up it's 6 part mini-series. Most of you may know Gerard as lead singer for My Chemical Romance, but he actually doesn't suck as a writer. I know *gasp*

But hear me out. Most critics agree with me. The comic is good. It's the now usual dysfunctional family with superpowers. A sadistic unfeeling father, Sir Reginald Hargreeves, adopts 8 children born under the same ominous circumstances across the planet and raises them callously to be the saviors of the Earth....from some unknown danger. Too bad that the real and ever present danger is the lack of love from a father to his children. We see the effects of a lifetime of trying to be loved by a distant parent. Hargreeves dies and the residual baggage spills onto the page.

Did I mention Hargreeves is an alien?
Did I mention that the Umbrella Academy of "adult-children" have to save the world?
Did I mention there is a talking simian?

Yes. This comic has strong influences from 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' in it's use of the occult and coincidental supernatural. Unlike 'Hellboy' which it also reminds me of it doesn't become too convoluted or just plain illogical with it's conspiracies.(I'm the only kid who doesn't like Hellboy, probably). Also, the plot twists happen within the realm of logic but aren't totally predictable. At some points a main character or two is just blasted or jumped upon and it is surprising but not an impossible plot device.

The emotional content drives the heart of the story. I'm very pleasantly surprised by Gerad's consistency and ease of read. He doesn't bore the reader and keeps the pace, page turning. The characters speak like real people and react with real feeling.

The art work by Ba is great and fits the story perfectly. The cover art draws you in and the comic art makes you stay. (If you like this comic look out for Gabriel Ba's and his brother Fabio Moon's blog here:: http://fabioandgabriel.blogspot.com/

also they have the graphic novel De: Tales...it's the shit)

The art is at times clear and at others disjointed and grime, which I guess reflects the universe the characters inhabit.

For a cracked out family, Armageddon, ambiguity about love and if humanity is worth saving, get this series.

Be Aware: Repeated unsettling violence (but not gory) sexual tension, and philosophically unsettling ideas about humanity.


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Now playing: Tokyo Police Club - Nursery Academy
via FoxyTunes

You don't care but I know everything.

This is my first blog in life and let's try to keep it that way for awhile. I've created this little creamsicle of a blog in direct response to Heather F. She's a "crafty" wench if I ever saw one but most would disagree with that.

I plan on reviewing comic books and maybe anime on this thing. Possibly pour my life out and probably do other geeky things. Mostly though I hope to make a great archenemy to Heather's blog.

Also, peep this semi-hard to find/get (for me?) albumn by Dreddie Kreuger doing some hot shit for the Wu. Hottest track being track 9 "ODB tribute". All copyright respect to the Wu. Don't sue me.
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Now playing: GZA & Ras Kass - Lyrical Swords
via FoxyTunes