It's time to return to the mean streets.

 Yes, let's get down into the gutter with the gray- and black-hearted souls that inhabit the world of crime comics. These are stories told from the criminal's point of view, be he a petty thief or a cold-blooded killer. "Crime doesn't pay," goes the old saying, but it sure can entertain.

 In case the tough guys of ROAD TO PERDITION, STRAY BULLETS, and SIN CITY glorify crime a little too much and give some of my readers inappropriate ideas, I'm throwing in CUCKOO to give everyone a reminder that crime has consequences that echo through society long after the clank of the cell door and the final sizzle of the electric chair have faded away.

 (For my previous reviews of crime comics see the February 1997 LWYBM.)
 

ROAD TO PERDITION (DC Comics/Paradox Press)

"I shall escape to wreak vengeance against those who have slandered our family name! I will cast aside the office of executioner and become a lost soul travelling among demons! Listen well, Daigoro! From now on your father follows the road of blood and death, of slaughter without mercy, the assassin's road! Becoming an assassin will enable me to avenge the Ogami clan and crush the traitorous Yagyu clan!" (LONE WOLF AND CUB DELUXE EDITION VOLUME ONE, First Publishing, November,1988, page 5.)

These words, spoken by Itto Ogami to his son Daigoro, launch the famous manga LONE WOLF AND CUB, also known by the movie title, "The Baby Cart Assassin." Debuting in 1970, the Japanese comic book by writer Kazuo Koike and artist Goseki Kojima has already garnered great acclaim worldwide, telling the tale of a betrayed executioner who takes his son with him as he becomes an assassin and walks the tortured road to meifumado: the Japanese hell. LONE WOLF AND CUB's legend is now broadened as it inspires one of the best American graphic novels of the year: ROAD TO PERDITION.

 Writer Max Allan Collins Americanizes the Japanese classic by moving it from feudal Japan to Rock Island, Illinois, in 1930. The clans have been replaced with mobs headed up by legendary gangsters such as Al Capone. The Shogun's executioner is transformed into an infamous hitman named Michael O'Sullivan, known as the "Archangel of Death." After a betrayal destroys his family, O'Sullivan renounces his allegiances and sets out on the vengeance trail and the road to hell . . . to perdition . . . or rather, Perdition, Kansas, where O'Sullivan hopes to find sanctuary for his son.

 I'm torn between thinking the title of ROAD TO PERDITION is incredibly clever or unnecessarily labored, but the travels of O'Sullivan and his son are so gripping that this little quibble is about the only criticism I can really muster about the book. In every other aspect of the story, Collins' wordsmithing creates magic. He expertly takes the best elements of LONE WOLF AND CUB's concept, melds them with actual historical events and people of 1930s America, and adds his own spectacular imagination to produce an outstandingly rich drama. ROAD TO PERDITION is the pinnacle of Collins' career, which includes BATMAN, MS. TREE, WILD DOG, and the DICK TRACY comic strip, as well as several mystery novels; and it is the second creative success of the Paradox Graphic Mystery line, following the amazing A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE. (See the May 1997 LWYBM for a full review.)

 Told from the point of view of the son, ROAD TO PERDITION is a well-rounded novel. Thrill junkies will rave about the gun battles and the cold efficiency of the Archangel. Those interested in family drama will find their hearts torn by the tragedies which are inflicted upon the O'Sullivans and warmed by the constantly growing but complex relationship between father and son. History buffs will glory in all the historical detail while history haters will be thankful for Collins' ability to make the factual matters a seamless and unobtrusive part of the tale. Art lovers will rejoice at the exquisite linework of artist Richard Piers Rayner, whose creator profile lists credits in the comics HELLBLAZER, SWAMP THING, L.E.G.I.O.N., DOCTOR FATE, and DOCTOR WHO.

 One third of the way through ROAD TO PERDITION I knew a review of the graphic novel would lead off this, my next column. Whatever it took, I would find a few other crime books to create an appropriate theme, because I needed to share this book immediately with any unfortunate souls who may have overlooked it. I desperately and sincerely hope my words have won you over, and you'll give ROAD TO PERDITION a try. 'Cause once you've read it, I bet you'll start spreading the word yourself.

_____

Grade: A

(ROAD TO PERDITION is resolicited this month in PREVIEWS on page 102!)

(Catch a sneak peek of a few ROAD TO PERDITION pages at http://www.dccomics.com/paradox/peeks.htm.)

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CUCKOO #1-2 (Green Door Studios)

One aspect of crime fiction that is usually only examined in passing is the consequences upon the innocent victims and bystanders who are martyred to make the villains appear more villainous or to make the heroes more heroic. What happens to the children of the fifth cop who is shot by the gang of bank robbers? What happened to the savagely beaten mugging victim after the fleet-footed, two-fisted do-gooder returns his wallet intact? How is the only woman to survive an attack of the murderous serial rapist doing? Few comics have ever dealt with the ramifications of crime on the human psyche until now. CUCKOO is a survivor's story.

Writer/artist Madison Clell is laying her life bare in an autobiographical comic about her victimization and the emotional and mental trauma which she must now cope with on a daily basis. As the result of a brutal rape, Clell struggles with Multiple Personality Disorder, or, as it is now called Dissociative Identity Disorder (D.I.D.). Clell shares her brain with a number of "alters," or alter egos, distinct personalities over which she has no control.

 CUCKOO is a highly emotional book that cannot fail to move the reader. Clell's artwork is raw, full of fast, scratchy strokes that barely seem in control. Likewise, the narration is rapid-fire to the point of babbling. This style works to incredible effect in scenes of violence, such as Clell's rape, a remembrance of child abuse suffered by an alter, and Clell's long-pent-up release of rage at a self-defense class. The breakneck narration frantically builds up to the moment of violence which is then brutally displayed in a magnificent series of nearly wordless, stunningly frenzied splash pages. The covers of CUCKOO are also achingly beautiful.

 Unfortunately, the sheer power of Clell's storytelling can produce a lack of coherence. The speed of the narratives overrides important elements such as introduction of characters and establishment of setting. At times the artwork is so loose and scratchy differentiating the characters becomes impossible. Clell seems to have acknowledged this fault by actually putting a variation of an asterisk on characters which are real, as opposed to being manifestations of her alters. During the series' reflective moments Clell's scratchy, babbling style is a real detriment. "Peeves and Phenomenon," her interesting sidebars of insights and observations about D.I.D., are especially marred by the style, appearing to be simply sloppy at times. Clell is capable of producing very detailed and controlled linework which could greatly enhance these quieter pages of the book.

 CUCKOO is an open wound into which Clell probes deeply, examining her life. While CUCKOO may not be perfectly drawn or written at all times, it remains fairly engrossing, invoking the same guilty feelings of interest and relief I experience as I slow down to look at a car accident at the side of the road. I cannot pretend to ever fully understand what Clell has undergone, but CUCKOO is her life and she has chosen to share it. The least I can do is pay attention.

_____

Grade: B-

(CUCKOO #6 is solicited this month in PREVIEWS on page 270.)

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STRAY BULLETS #1-14 (El Capitan)
SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR #1-6 (Dark Horse Comics/Legend)

Two of the better crime comics being produced today happen to be polar opposites in approach: substance versus style. Comparing David Lapham's STRAY BULLETS to Frank Miller's SIN CITY is not dissimilar from comparing Quentin Tarantino's PULP FICTION to John Woo's FACE/OFF. But hey, I review comics not movies, so I'm not supposed to compare PULP FICTION to FACE/OFF. Instead, I shall compare STRAY BULLETS to PULP FICTION and SIN CITY to FACE/OFF, then compare STRAY BULLETS to SIN CITY. These are all legitimate, comic-centric comparisons. I, the comic reviewer, hereby deny any responsibility for conclusions drawn by readers with an understanding of the transitive property.

 Though I'm sure Lapham must be sick of the comparison by now, the parallels to be drawn between STRAY BULLETS and PULP FICTION are irresistible to reviewers such as myself. How am I supposed to ignore the fact that two incredibly talented individuals have chosen the same genre and techniques to tell a slew of riveting stories? Both Tarantino and Lapham use non-linear chronology to tell closely interwoven tales of crimes and the people who perpetrate them. Just as Tarantino's three stories jumped hypnotically back and forth through time -- allowing a character killed in the middle of the movie to appear hale and hearty later in the film -- the fourteen issues of STRAY BULLETS skip all over the calendar: starting in 1997 with #1, jumping back to 1977 with #2, and erratically staggering through the late '70s and '80s as Lapham slowly works his way back to the '90s. That Lapham and Tarantino both write rat-a-tat dialogue, create vivid and complex characters, and use shocking violence to maintain a heightened tension simply clinches the comparison for me.

 Woo and Miller, on the other hand, share more intangible qualities. They are masters of larger-than-life, style-over-substance maelstroms of action and violence. Both employ fantastic plot elements or outlandish coincidences to keep the story racing at a fever pitch, and both feature heroes who, while presented as everyday joes with down-to-earth concerns, are capable of nearly superhuman feats in a running firefight. Both Woo and Miller utilize tough guy talk and action sequences so over-the-top as to nearly fall into the abyss of campiness, but the grim seriousness of the characters and situations keep Woo and Miller from plunging over that edge. Ultimately, the plots and character are secondary to the charged atmosphere and dazzling visuals these two artisans create. Just as Woo redefines action thrillers with his ballet of bullets in FACE/OFF and his earlier films, Miller pushes black-and-white comics to a whole new level with his stark penwork on A DAME TO KILL FOR and his other SIN CITY sagas.

 Whenever I think of Miller's work on SIN CITY (or any of his other comics for that matter), immediately several extremely cool images pop into my head. Only later do I start dwelling on some interesting bits of dialogue or an engaging plotline. This is probably because Miller started out as a superb artist (DAREDEVIL) and then turned out to be a rather good writer and writer/artist (DAREDEVIL, ELEKTRA, BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, BATMAN: YEAR ONE). On the other hand, when I think of STRAY BULLETS I immediately start thinking of the characters and the plot. This is probably because Lapham started out as a good artist (SHADOWMAN, HARBINGER, RAI, WARRIORS OF PLASM) and then turned out to be a rather superb writer . . . though still only a good artist.

 STRAY BULLETS began with a bang. Come to think of it, STRAY BULLETS #1 may be the one of the best first issues ever, telling a chilling and brutal tale of murder, insanity, and unrequited love. I don't want to tell any more about it, for fear of ruining it for any newbies in the audience. Suffice it to say, the story is set in 1997 and features a character, Joey, who appears as a boy throughout the rest of the series. In some ways, the series is about this lad and the unfortunate events that shape the man he becomes.

The main character of STRAY BULLETS, however, is Virginia Applejack. Introduced as a young girl, Virginia's life becomes a long sequence of escalating troubles after witnessing an alleyway murder. Schoolyard violence, sexual molestation, domestic abuse, and family tragedy all contribute to Virginia's need to run away from home. Her wanderings bring her into contact with Orson, Beth and Nina. This trio, whose backstory gets as much "screen time" as Virginia's, consists of three young, confused adults on the lam from a crime boss and his thugs with two suitcases of stolen cocaine. Obviously, involvement with the trio is not going to improve Virginia's quality of life. Virginia's only outlet from her awful reality is through stories she writes of her futuristic outlaw doppelganger, Amy Racecar. (Feature-length Amy Racecar stories appear in issues #6, #10 and a color special.) For me, the point of the series boils down to one question: Will Amy Racecar and Virginia's own sensibility keep Virginia from travelling the same troubled path as Joey?

 The story in SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR is not nearly as hard to describe. A down-on-his-luck photographer, Dwight McCarthy is lured by a married ex-girlfriend into a plot full of sex, betrayal, murder and more betrayal. I'm talking tons of hot babes and hotter action here, boys. Literally every other issue features defenestration. (Before those without dictionaries get too hot and bothered, I should point out that defenestration is an act of violence and not a sex act.) For fans of the original SIN CITY mini-series, its protagonist Marv shows up in a supporting role since A DAME TO KILL FOR takes place in time just before and during the events of Marv's own ultra-violent feature. The story is actually pretty irrelevant, but the artwork looks amazing, the narration features wonderfully hard-boiled monologues, and the dialogue is crisp and biting. While the plot is not entirely riveting, Miller's obvious love for the material is sufficiently compelling.

 Visceral or cerebral? Which is your pleasure? Frankly, I want them both whenever possible. For me, that's why PULP FICT- . . . um, STRAY BULLETS, I mean, wins in this showdown. Sure FACE/O- . . . ahem, SIN CITY is exciting to look at while I'm reading it, but once I've put it away in a box I don't dwell on it. STRAY BULLETS, however, stays with me. It has the thrills and violence to keep me on the edge of my seat while I'm reading it, it has the complexity that challenges me to unravel its secrets, and it has the themes and ideas which linger in my brain long into the night. Now, if only Frank Miller would consent to draw STRAY BULLETS under Lapham's scripting I think I'd be in heaven. (Tarantino and Woo together might not be too bad either . . . )

_____	STRAY BULLETS	Grade: A+
_____	SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR	Grade: B

(SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR 2nd Printing TP is resolicited this month by Dark Horse Comics in PREVIEWS on page 40! COLLECTED STRAY BULLETS VOL. 1 TP and AMY RACECAR COLOR SPECIAL #1 are resolicited this month by El Capitan in PREVIEWS on page 257. The newest issue, STRAY BULLETS #16, is solicited on page 256!)

("Cool Beans! The Unofficial Stray Bullets Homepage" is a click away at http://w3.ime.net/akira/st_main.htm. An unofficial SIN CITY page is over at http://hem2.passagen.se/fm4/sincity.html.)

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