Stephanie Kay
Oct 14, 2007, 11:11 pm
<a href="http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/6623/cow1uv3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/4034/cowitnsm6.jpg" hspace=10 align=left alt="The Chronicles Of Wormwood #1"></a>Reviewer: Stephanie Kay, children_of_paradise@hotmail.co.uk
“You’re a nice man, Mister Wormwood. You should get credit for the nice things you do.”
Story by: Garth Ennis
Artwork by: Jacen Burrows
Color by: Andrew Dalhouse
Editor In Chief: William Christianson
Published by: Avatar Press (http://www.avatarpress.com)
Nothing alters the reception and subsequent process of writing a comic-review quicker than the changing context by which said comic was released. That notion seemed paramount whilst flicking though the opening issue of Garth Ennis’ The Chronicles of Wormwood, the latest in a line of eagerly anticipated titles from Avatar; one of the ‘independent’ publishers to keep an eye on. Ennis’ mature, perhaps we should say somewhat ‘adult’ title The Boys was bizarrely cancelled (well I was surprised, was I the only one?) after what seemed quite a lucrative launch within the Wildstorm print. The readers began pointing the fingers, no-one was safe, the excuses were made (kinda) and we’ll all left thinking whether high profile censorship in the comic industry has reared its head and bit us quite unexpectedly on liberal temples.
Either way though - whatever the real reason for such a cancellation - it at least cements a reputation for Garth Ennis, however unfortunate the circumstance. It also remains to be seen whether the controversial The Boys and its equally controversial cancellation (I hear it has been picked up now by Dynamite Entertainment?) will provide The Chronicles of Wormwood with any additional publicity – it has been tumultuous fortnight for Ennis. I’ll admit it did seem tempting to see what he’d throw at the comic publishing press now and the split reactions of entourage and critic.
And well, I guess, it’s somewhat more of the same, although executed with plot-tempo and slightly more finesse (although that statement is rated on a distorted sense of relativity between the two titles). The Chronicles of Wormwood ends up striking as not simply an enjoyable and amusing comic in its own right (as it definitely would on an objective viewing of the shelf’s releases) but also a ‘formulaic’ Garth Ennis comic, one blessed with fresh stylistic art on the behalf of Jacen Burrows and Andrew Dalhouse. This review then may appear as a standard set of contradictions as worthy of any lengthy analysis of Ennis’ projects, insomuch that its precise predictability is also due to its extremity of topic matter (also zealously ticking the boxes of profanity, obligatory ambivalent anal sex, religious degradation). I guess more writers need to incorporate a bit of absurd in order for the tags not to be so cleanly attached to Ennis.
Chronicles follows he who is known as Danny Wormwood, a cable TV executive, who to be fair is a pretty ‘ok’ guy considering he is also The Antichrist. Yes one of those plots. Danny controls the entire of the narrative, spending the first issue introducing matters of his ‘ordinary’ persona, his extraordinary origin, his (normal, seemingly, I emphasise that) girlfriend, his job and on-going feuds and to a lesser extent his paradoxical psyche. Contrastingly, that ordinary existence is forever at odds with those little subverting factors that may just bother the average citizen; talking rabbits, some restrained mythical abilities, and not forgetting your best buddy, Jesus Christ himself. Ennis’ preoccupation with the unending parodies of organised religion is of course paramount to the central premise here, but, in what is perhaps the most interesting development, he instils a genuine friendship between Danny and Jay (Jesus). The everyday exploits of Wormwood are somewhat interrupted at the end of the issue by a non-too-welcome guest (well arguably two but…), an event which is likely to take the series in alternative directions.
<a href="http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8493/cow2fp8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/2596/cow2tnqu3.jpg" hspace=10 align=right alt="The Chronicles Of Wormwood #1"></a> The artwork of Jacen Burrows is something I’ve greatly appreciated since picking up a wallet in London’s Covent Garden which incorporated comic art done by Burrows in Alan Moore’s The Courtyard. Fashion accessories through comics, nice. Burrows is overriding in his importance of the developing characterisation of those featured prominently in the opening issue; although Wormwood has quite an extensive voiceover, his brief ribbing explanatory style is not always that revealing to the inner workings of himself and those he knows. On that level, Burrows is in charge, the designs and marked ‘glazed’ expressions of both Wormwood and Jay are particularly worth noting. Wormwood exudes a cold exterior, unintentionally maybe, and something which Dalhouse emphasises in the choice of an icey blue eye-colour. It is especially noticeable in close panels of facial features, something which contrasts excellently to Jay’s slightly 'doped' portrayal. Whether there is an underlying ‘inherent’ commentary on the two friends (simply from basic appearance) is yet unknown, but those simple touches can provide a whole tone of uncertainty.
Design-wise Wormwood, perhaps quite appropriately, is an incredibly weasely looking fellow, but it is Burrows depiction of Jay that is more startling; a Keith Hamilton Cobb lookalike sporting dreadlocks and a hoodie sweatshirt. His simplistic wording is deliberately child-like, but it is rather more attention-grabbing because Burrow gives him a perpetually dreamy manner which is also quite endearing. I don’t apply that word to Wormwood himself, unsurprisingly. But neither the trait of ‘charisma’ – which is odd, as I would usually expect that with characters of ‘his type and background’. It perhaps points to Wormwood being somewhat of a question mark as a protagonist, which I do like thus far; that elusive aspect creates intrigue – over his sense of moral, and also what the disdain for his father actually represents. There is a spanner waiting to be thrown in the works somewhere.
As with every Garth Ennis comic, it’s a matter of taste which decides whether you should pick the Chronicles series up, one probably construed well before you enter the shop. It is however a very solid opener, marred perhaps by its ironic ‘familiarity’. In terms of aesthetic delivery, there is always a fine line between ‘trademarks touches’, and an over-awareness (which in this case becomes a bit of ‘a parody of parody’). How obvious this appears will depend on two aspects: 1) how much of Ennis one reads 2) how much the reader has a pre-existing desire to see Ennis turn his highly inventive style and position into 'other' progressive and distinctive directions. However the stylistic 'absurdity' here is at least put into equilibrium by a lack of pretension, and, well, Jay.
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/avafull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/avafull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/avafull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/avafull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/avanone.jpg
Buy The Chronicles Of Wormwood on X-WORLD and SAVE! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplaycategories.asp?id=1007&cat=AVATAR+PRESS+COMICS)
“You’re a nice man, Mister Wormwood. You should get credit for the nice things you do.”
Story by: Garth Ennis
Artwork by: Jacen Burrows
Color by: Andrew Dalhouse
Editor In Chief: William Christianson
Published by: Avatar Press (http://www.avatarpress.com)
Nothing alters the reception and subsequent process of writing a comic-review quicker than the changing context by which said comic was released. That notion seemed paramount whilst flicking though the opening issue of Garth Ennis’ The Chronicles of Wormwood, the latest in a line of eagerly anticipated titles from Avatar; one of the ‘independent’ publishers to keep an eye on. Ennis’ mature, perhaps we should say somewhat ‘adult’ title The Boys was bizarrely cancelled (well I was surprised, was I the only one?) after what seemed quite a lucrative launch within the Wildstorm print. The readers began pointing the fingers, no-one was safe, the excuses were made (kinda) and we’ll all left thinking whether high profile censorship in the comic industry has reared its head and bit us quite unexpectedly on liberal temples.
Either way though - whatever the real reason for such a cancellation - it at least cements a reputation for Garth Ennis, however unfortunate the circumstance. It also remains to be seen whether the controversial The Boys and its equally controversial cancellation (I hear it has been picked up now by Dynamite Entertainment?) will provide The Chronicles of Wormwood with any additional publicity – it has been tumultuous fortnight for Ennis. I’ll admit it did seem tempting to see what he’d throw at the comic publishing press now and the split reactions of entourage and critic.
And well, I guess, it’s somewhat more of the same, although executed with plot-tempo and slightly more finesse (although that statement is rated on a distorted sense of relativity between the two titles). The Chronicles of Wormwood ends up striking as not simply an enjoyable and amusing comic in its own right (as it definitely would on an objective viewing of the shelf’s releases) but also a ‘formulaic’ Garth Ennis comic, one blessed with fresh stylistic art on the behalf of Jacen Burrows and Andrew Dalhouse. This review then may appear as a standard set of contradictions as worthy of any lengthy analysis of Ennis’ projects, insomuch that its precise predictability is also due to its extremity of topic matter (also zealously ticking the boxes of profanity, obligatory ambivalent anal sex, religious degradation). I guess more writers need to incorporate a bit of absurd in order for the tags not to be so cleanly attached to Ennis.
Chronicles follows he who is known as Danny Wormwood, a cable TV executive, who to be fair is a pretty ‘ok’ guy considering he is also The Antichrist. Yes one of those plots. Danny controls the entire of the narrative, spending the first issue introducing matters of his ‘ordinary’ persona, his extraordinary origin, his (normal, seemingly, I emphasise that) girlfriend, his job and on-going feuds and to a lesser extent his paradoxical psyche. Contrastingly, that ordinary existence is forever at odds with those little subverting factors that may just bother the average citizen; talking rabbits, some restrained mythical abilities, and not forgetting your best buddy, Jesus Christ himself. Ennis’ preoccupation with the unending parodies of organised religion is of course paramount to the central premise here, but, in what is perhaps the most interesting development, he instils a genuine friendship between Danny and Jay (Jesus). The everyday exploits of Wormwood are somewhat interrupted at the end of the issue by a non-too-welcome guest (well arguably two but…), an event which is likely to take the series in alternative directions.
<a href="http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8493/cow2fp8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/2596/cow2tnqu3.jpg" hspace=10 align=right alt="The Chronicles Of Wormwood #1"></a> The artwork of Jacen Burrows is something I’ve greatly appreciated since picking up a wallet in London’s Covent Garden which incorporated comic art done by Burrows in Alan Moore’s The Courtyard. Fashion accessories through comics, nice. Burrows is overriding in his importance of the developing characterisation of those featured prominently in the opening issue; although Wormwood has quite an extensive voiceover, his brief ribbing explanatory style is not always that revealing to the inner workings of himself and those he knows. On that level, Burrows is in charge, the designs and marked ‘glazed’ expressions of both Wormwood and Jay are particularly worth noting. Wormwood exudes a cold exterior, unintentionally maybe, and something which Dalhouse emphasises in the choice of an icey blue eye-colour. It is especially noticeable in close panels of facial features, something which contrasts excellently to Jay’s slightly 'doped' portrayal. Whether there is an underlying ‘inherent’ commentary on the two friends (simply from basic appearance) is yet unknown, but those simple touches can provide a whole tone of uncertainty.
Design-wise Wormwood, perhaps quite appropriately, is an incredibly weasely looking fellow, but it is Burrows depiction of Jay that is more startling; a Keith Hamilton Cobb lookalike sporting dreadlocks and a hoodie sweatshirt. His simplistic wording is deliberately child-like, but it is rather more attention-grabbing because Burrow gives him a perpetually dreamy manner which is also quite endearing. I don’t apply that word to Wormwood himself, unsurprisingly. But neither the trait of ‘charisma’ – which is odd, as I would usually expect that with characters of ‘his type and background’. It perhaps points to Wormwood being somewhat of a question mark as a protagonist, which I do like thus far; that elusive aspect creates intrigue – over his sense of moral, and also what the disdain for his father actually represents. There is a spanner waiting to be thrown in the works somewhere.
As with every Garth Ennis comic, it’s a matter of taste which decides whether you should pick the Chronicles series up, one probably construed well before you enter the shop. It is however a very solid opener, marred perhaps by its ironic ‘familiarity’. In terms of aesthetic delivery, there is always a fine line between ‘trademarks touches’, and an over-awareness (which in this case becomes a bit of ‘a parody of parody’). How obvious this appears will depend on two aspects: 1) how much of Ennis one reads 2) how much the reader has a pre-existing desire to see Ennis turn his highly inventive style and position into 'other' progressive and distinctive directions. However the stylistic 'absurdity' here is at least put into equilibrium by a lack of pretension, and, well, Jay.
OVERALL:
http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/avafull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/avafull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/avafull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/avafull.jpg http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/reviews/avanone.jpg
Buy The Chronicles Of Wormwood on X-WORLD and SAVE! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplaycategories.asp?id=1007&cat=AVATAR+PRESS+COMICS)