READING BETWEEN THE PANELS

Kirkman.

Brings to life The Walking Dead

Kirkman

And Invincible

His books I’ve read

Though there are more

To be told

It’s these two

The plots of which

I will unfold

GAHHH! What the fuck am I doing?! Yeah, I’d originally intended to write this month’s Panels entirely in prose, but goddamnit, who wants to read that? Not me, that’s for sure.

Okay, back on topic: Robert Kirkman is a pretty hot writer right now, and for good reason. In an opinion based solely on the books of his that I’ve read (the aforementioned), I know that this guy is going to be around for a long time and may very well bring some deeply needed influential and relevant works to the world of comics. Besides Invincible and The Walking Dead, Kirkman also has produced Battle Pope, Tech Jacket, Cloudfall, Reaper, and I’m sure there are a few others that I haven’t mentioned. And the dude is only 25! (I feel so out of the loop!)

I think the key to Kirkman’s work is CHARACTERIZATION. He seems to be able to tap into the core of what makes people who they are, and can relay it to the reader in a very short amount of time. So, essentially, from the beginning of a story, you feel like you’re walking (or flying, whatever) around with people you’ve known your whole life. And he doesn’t slack off, either. Every character seems to be important to him. No one is too small.

Kirkman is also very good with emotion. Writing dialogue for characters that will make a reader think or be moved is a skill that many in the industry seem to be lacking. Kirkman, however, has it in spades.

In Invincible, Mark Grayson is the son of Omni-Man (a Superman-esque character), the most powerful superhero on the planet. As the story begins, we witness the nonchalant development of 17-year-old Mark’s powers as they seem to just “turn on” one day. Now as the costumed adventurer Invincible, we’re treated to a glimpse of Mark’s life as he deals with school, his relationship with his parents, his friends, his after school job, his interaction with other superheroes, and of course, girls.

The first three trades are out now, collecting issues 1-13 in all. The story starts off at a pretty even pace but... eh... rahhg! I don’t even want to hint at what happens for fear that I’ll ruin it for you! Anyway, go out and buy this book. I guarantee you won’t regret it. It’s a fun yet sophisticated ride, truly reminiscent of early Spider-Man.

The Walking Dead is the classic Romero-influenced zombie tale with just a dash of 28 Days Later thrown in. Here, we’re following the experience of Officer Rick Grimes as he awakens in the hospital from a coma after being shot on duty. The world he wakes up to, however, is far different from the one he remembers. Now, inexplicably infested with slow moving vicious creatures that crave human flesh, Rick struggles to survive and seeks out whatever remnants of human society he can find.

My own personal love for all that is zombie fiction aside, this book is phenomenal. The story is more like a serious drama with zombies sprinkled in, rather than a “zombie comic”. The series is up to issue #10 now, with issues 1-6 collected in trade, and the trade for issues 7-12 being solicited for an October release. However, with issue #10 coming out in September, that date will most likely get pushed back to November or even December!

So please support these books. And while I’m running out of room, I just want to mention that the art in these two books is amazing. Tony Moore, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley are all talents to keep an eye on.

Until next time....