This week's column is for those who love fantasy. And those who don't. There is a lot of good stuff out there right now that fits into the fantasy genre, but with the large number of superhero titles in each issue of Previews, these books might get lost between the cracks. It's my job to find them for you. If you don't usually like fantasy, I encourage you to look these books over carefully anyway. Why? Because I'm generally not too fond of fantasy myself, but I found some stuff here I really like.
 
 

CASTLE WAITING: THE CURSE OF BRAMBLY HEDGE (OLIO)
DHAMPIRE: STILLBORN (DC Comics/Vertigo)

 Do you like your fantasy light and amusing? Or do you prefer dark and morbid? Two upcoming fantasy series explore those opposite ends of the spectrum by putting new twists on old standards: fairy tales and vampires. The series were recently previewed in special prologue issues which explore the origins of two very different worlds.

CASTLE WAITING takes a new look at the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. The brambly hedge of the title is the one which surrounds the castle of Sleeping Beauty. Writer/artist Linda Medley recounts the Sleeping Beauty legend with lots of light, witty dialogue and a plot chock full of funny anachronisms and twists. But Medley's focus is more on the side characters of the Grimm's stories. Indeed, by the end of the issue, the royal family is gone, and only the castle's staff remains -- awaiting a new king. Future stories promise to draw more Grimm characters to the castle. (Rumplestiltskin has a cameo in this one.)

CASTLE WAITING is purely delightful and very well drawn. Medley has previously drawn JUSTICE LEAGUE and DOOM PATROL for DC, but she leaves the superheroes far behind for this book. If you have kids, you may want to read this to them like the picture book it is. Be forewarned, however, that just like in the original Grimm's stories, characters can die sudden and brutal deaths. Medley, of course, handles such heavy stuff tastefully. This book is a treat for kids of all ages.

 On the other hand, DHAMPIRE: STILLBORN is for mature readers only. It's chock full of sex, violence, suicide, nudity, adult language, and gore. It may be hard to find a darker story this year (excepting DC's PREACHER). It begins and ends with suicide and murder.

 Nicholas Gaunt is insane. At twenty-three, he has made repeated suicide attempts. He is withdrawn but is prone to violent outbursts. He appears to be the product of a dysfunctional family: an unloving mother, a dead father, and an absent older sister. Unknown to him, however, vampire blood is part of his heritage, and it is driving him even deeper into darkness. DHAMPIRE is his story of self-discovery. He makes a trek across Pennsylvania (the closest state name to Transylvania?) to find his sister and himself.

 Writer Nancy A. Collins is no stranger to vampires. She has written several novels about the vampire Sonja Blue: SUNGLASSES AFTER DARK, IN THE BLOOD. Her previous comics work includes a run on SWAMP THING.

DHAMPIRE is painted by newcomer Paul Lee, whose style looks like the middle ground between Jon J. Muth and Kent Williams.

DHAMPIRE is bleak but well done. It has surprising twists and turns. It's not for the faint of heart or readers seeking sympathetic characters. In this world, everyone is evil.

 Both of these prologues promise good things to come. Watch future issues of PREVIEWS for the regular series. Meanwhile, DHAMPIRE: STILLBORN remains available on DC Comics' backlist.
 
 

_____	CASTLE WAITING	Grade: A-
_____	DHAMPIRE	Grade: B

Back to Index...

LEAVE IT TO CHANCE #1 (Image/Homage Comics)

 Imagine if Doctor Strange had a kid. That's the high level premise of LEAVE IT TO CHANCE. But don't let it fool you. Writer James Robinson has created an amazing world populated with interesting characters.

 This is the story of Chance Falconer, a young teenage girl. For generations the sons of the Falconer family have served as the occult protectors of Devil's Echo. Chance is excited; since she is the only child of the current protector, it is now her turn to begin training for the job. But her father has other plans. Y'see, whenever he is not saving the city from demons and whatnot, he's a bit of a jerk. He's arrogant. He's sexist. He's not going to train his daughter for such a difficult and demanding role.

 When business draws her father out of Devil's Echo, Chance takes a chance to prove herself. She begins to investigate a mystery her father passed over. Why has a wandering shaman fallen into a coma? Where is his missing daughter? Chance is, of course, in over her head. Somehow the shaman is mixed up with the candidates of the upcoming mayoral election. And those candidates are willing to go to extremes to keep their secrets. The beautiful art is by Paul Smith. He has previously worked on UNCANNY X-MEN from Marvel and THE GOLDEN AGE from DC (also with writer James Robinson). His style for this story is a mishmash of John Byrne, Frank Miller, and Japanese manga.

 Robinson, who currently writes STARMAN for DC Comics, has made some wonderful assurances in his afterword to the story. He promises to keep storylines confined to 4 issue arcs and make every effort to keep the series accessible to new readers. And to reassure all those fellas out there who aren't sure they can handle a girl protagonist, he says this "is in no way a book for sissies." Indeed, it's a book with something for everyone: magic, dragons, politics, monsters, adventure, horror, intrigue.

 This is a great one, folks. So buy it! Because, in the end, you're not taking a chance. It's a sure bet.
 
 

_____

Grade: A

Back to Index...

DREAMWALKER #1-5 (DreamWalker Press/Caliber Comics)

 Have you ever had a dream so vivid you wake up convinced it was real? Karen Brinson has. She has dreamt details about the lives of her neighbors and acquaintances that she couldn't possibly know. And yet, in the waking world, she's finding out those things are true.

DREAMWALKER is the story of Karen overcoming her own disbelief and controlling her new ability. She is a dream walker. She can enter another person's dreams or draw several people into the same dream. Much of Karen's difficulty stems from the fact that she is just an ordinary person. While awake, Karen struggles with her broken down old car and arriving to work on time.

 There are lots of great supporting characters. Karen has a brash friend who is more willing to accept Karen's new power than Karen herself. Her dream power brings her in contact with some parents whose only child is dying. Karen keeps crossing paths with a policeman who is romantically interested in her. Best of all, Karen keeps returning to the dreams of her next door neighbor, Mrs. Tobias. In Mrs. Tobias' dreams Karen meets butterfly border guards and Mrs. Tobias' dead husband. Mrs. Tobias seems to know what's happening, but she is too scared by the implications of Karen's power to help.

 This book has A+ potential, but Jenni Gregory's art and dialogue are still rough. All she really needs is more practice and time. By the end of this serialized graphic novel, I'm sure she will have realized much of that potential.

 The biggest disservice that could be done to this series is the inevitable comparison to Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN (DC Comics). Beyond the common focal point of dreams, the two series have vastly different means and ends. DREAMWALKER is not trying for the epic scope of SANDMAN and is not attempting the revitalization of myths and legends Gaiman achieved. DREAMWALKER compares to SANDMAN only as the creation of an artist with a very definite story and direction in mind.

 Previously self-published by DreamWalker Press, Gregory has taken the series to Caliber Comics, where it will be published as part of the all-ages Tapestry line of comics. So watch the Caliber section for a new #1.
 
 

_____

Grade: B+

Back to Index...

CAMELOT 3000 trade paperback (DC Comics)

 DC Comics has been mining the fantasy genre for years. Here's an oldie but goody offered every month on the DC Comics backlist. It was one of the first maxi-series (a 12-issue limited series) ever published when it originally began back in 1982. CAMELOT 3000 should be purchased first and foremost just to admire the gorgeous art by Brian Bolland. Unfortunately, in recent years he has restricted himself to cover art for series like ANIMAL MAN and WONDER WOMAN for DC Comics. CAMELOT 3000 and BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE are among his last feature length works. The detail of his linework is incredible.

 As an added bonus, the story is incredible too. Written by Mike W. Barr -- of BATMAN, THE MAZE AGENCY, and G.I. JOE fame -- CAMELOT 3000 tells of the reincarnation of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table in the year 3000. England has need of its greatest legends to fight off an alien invasion created by the sorceress Morgan Lefay. But reincarnation is not all it's cracked up to be. For instance, the sexist and macho Sir Tristan is now a woman. The sensitive and handsome Percival is now a mute giant mutant. And given a second chance to do right by Arthur, Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere must struggle again with their adulterous passions.

CAMELOT 3000 is an epic story of hope, betrayal, slavery and freedom. Combining mythical swords and sorcery with science fiction, Barr has produced his greatest story ever. Even my wife liked this one. So why don't you buy it, already?
 
 

_____

Grade: A

Back to Index...