COMIC STUDY 001: NORTHLANDERS #17 (Wood/Lolos)

I’M A SUCKA FOR THEM MOJITOS

Read the first issue of Northlanders here.

Jesus Fucking Christ -- I just HAD to get drunk and talk about a bunch of superhero comics (and The Unwritten), didn’t I? Why didn’t I down a Mojito and wax on about American Virgin, Chris Ware, and the validity of minicomics? A startling lack of mint leaves in the house, for one thing.

Don’t worry, though: I’ll make up for it right now and spend an entire blog post talking about a single comic: Northlanders #17 by Brian Wood and Vasilis Lolos. It’s a Vertigo book about Vikings. I haven’t read any of it until now but critics and readers rave and this particular issue has been buzzing on the ‘net as a great little standalone issue.

Also, this one’s about two Vikings beating the mead out of one another.

Sounds like it was worth three bucks.

HINT: I HATE buying single issues.

HINT: I also realize that single issue sales keep books I like from getting cancelled.

HINT: I STILL hate buying single issues.

HINT: Can we please change this shit?

Oh, right. The cover.

[Takes break to search Google photos of cool, refreshing Mojitos. Finds a recipe for Mojitos and makes a solemn vow.]

MJOLNIR’S GEOMETRY OR “I THINK I JUST THREW MYSELF INTO AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS”

The cover of Northlanders #17, “The Viking Art of Single Combat,” perfectly represents the interior.

First of all, proof that a lack of background does not equal bad art*. Imagine how busy that would look if there were mountains and Valhalla and guitars behind the sharp object swinging.

*See also: Katsuhiro Otomo

You’ve got two blood-spattered Vikings about to SMASH CLANK CRUNCH one another, beautifully rendered by Massimo Carnevale, which I assume is not his real name but an awesome nom de comik. If it weren’t for the warm-yet-muted palette, it could easily be an awesome ‘70s four-color Jim Aparo cover or something. On its own the cover’s fine, but what really makes it great is the layer of diagrams describing every detail of this one action pose -- the pivoting torso, the trajectory of the sword, the weight of the axe.

There’s a lot to look at, just on the cover. You can go over every detail, every arrow, line, and label in the diagram layer, or just step back enjoy the two figures about the tear one another in half.

Ditto for the interior.

It’s almost a representation for the scripted creation of art itself. We writers can put all this Alan Moorish detail into what goes into a single panel -- how many lights are on in which building, what constellation it’s meant to represent, the number of sweat drops on a character’s forehead directly proportional to her distress, whether her unders are matching colors (and what this says about her personality as expressed through her lifted eyebrow) and by god! This is art and it’s serious business! Can’t you see how much choreography went into this scene! Do you realize how much research we put into getting every detail of the period correct?

Meanwhile the reader will just glance, think “Cool” (if you’re lucky) and turn the page.

And you know what? The artist did MOST of the work there. Stupid writers, claiming all the credit.

You, see, that diagram is a script -- essential to building the art below (okay, let’s just pretend even if it isn’t). Remove the diagram, and you still have the art and a cool cover. Remove the art, and you have a bunch of arrows and lines. Still, it represents the art, and that counts for something, right? It took a lot of work for someone to think about. And write down. And tell someone else to draw.

THIS is why aspiring comic book writers outnumber aspiring comic book artists.

NOW LET’S READ THE DAMN THING

There are three ways you can read Northlanders #17. I suggest you go through each way and enjoy a different experience each time.

You can follow along with me if you like.

#1: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF PUNCH VIKINGS AS TOLD TO ALEX HALEY

Let’s read just the words. Yes, you can do this. Mostly. It’s harder than it seems. A good comic has art that draws your eye. This is a good comic, of course, but try not to look at the pictures. Just this one time for me.

Look, I even drew arrows so you can follow along. I don't do that for just anyone.

The captions don’t hold up incredibly well by themselves, nor were they meant to. They have more substance than the diagram stuff on the cover, making for a conversational account of feuds and Viking life. They fare best when they’re not specifically commenting on what’s going on in the panel. When they do, they really need the art. They were written that way, so it’s unfair to judge thus far. The point of this is to realize how the words and the pictures interact, anyway.


#2: PUNCH VIKINGS: THE NEW ADVENTURES

This one’s the easy part: just look at the pretty pictures and maybe the word balloons, since there are only a few, most of which are ejaculations: “Fucker,” “Argh,” and so forth. Those play more a bit more directly into the story than the captions do.

Ah, how easy it is to read through a comic and pay minimal attention to the art. Let’s rectify this oversight right now.

POW BAM ART SWOOSH! This thing reads FAST. How incredibly awesome is Vasilis Lolos’ art? Really incredibly awesome, right? He brings this wonderfully kinetic manga sensibility that feels like Brian Lee O’Malley gone all ugly.

My favorite part is how Lolos depicts motion. His sword swings and punches disappear in motion blur via thick speed lines. It’s not bad art -- they just move faster than he can draw them.

Lolos loves his jagged lines. He uses them for everything in this issue: as motion lines, to create impact bursts -- he even makes sound effects with them!

To evoke another Western mangaesque creator published by Oni Press, I get the same feeling from Lolos’ art that I get from Corey Lewis -- nosebleed-inducing freneticism. Pray he continues to get work.

#3: PUNCH VIKINGS IN STEREO


Okay, let’s try reading it like a real comic. Y’know, the kind with words and pictures that interact even though the words and pictures in this issue only sort of indirectly interact.

Here’s the basic premise: two Vikings from feuding clans duel while the numerous caption boxes give us the background of the fight, some Viking quotes, and details the finer nuances of two Vikings CLANG CLANG CRUNCHing one another: the incident that made Egil Sleggja turn from a dick-waving warrior into a morose punchbastard, the rules they no longer follow, and the usefulness of a dagger.

It’s a bit of a struggle to read, as the captions demand a pacing that clashes with the hyperkinetic art. The drawings beg to be read swift as a shot arrow but the captions want you to take your damn time. It’s for your own good, you know.

It’s a ripping good fight comic, this issue, but it’s so much more than that. The narration gives us reason. Why fight for your lord? What’s at stake? Why not retreat? It seems banal the way I put it but it’s a consideration most of us with our cushioned seats and our newfangled “recorded music” don’t think about. We Americans have a volunteer army that can fight our battles. Our landlord can’t make us go raid the neighbor’s house. I can drink tea and write about a comic book and dream about cool, refreshing Mojitos.

While you might argue that the narration Claremonts (yes, that’s a verb) the whole thing, you might also be wrong. It supplements and enhances the art, yes, but it’s also essential to the book’s enjoyment. This is best seen in the ending of the story. Reading just the art, it’s a bit of an abrupt ending. The battle reaches its climax, and that’s the end. A sad, pastoral scene with birds flying around and bodies in the sand. The narration, however, provides a final quote gives it meaning: this is the end of the story for these characters, but not the end of the story at large. It’s unsure about the future -- a question mark at the end of a mere vignette within the epic of humanity. Like the ending of Battlestar Galactica*.

*This is not up for discussion.

LETS TALK ABOUT OUR FEELINGS OR “THE ANNOTATED PUNCH VIKINGS”

I don’t necessarily think that this comic was meant to be read each of the three ways (especially not the second), but the execution of the issue allows for a study of the interaction of text and art. The script needs the art, but does the art need the script? Not necessarily. Granted, Northlanders is a writer-driven series and without the script the art wouldn’t exist, but gimme a break -- I’m making a point here.

Inevitably, “The Viking Art of Single Combat” is a fierce little fight comic (oh, the PUNCH KICK CLANG!) with a smart use of the narrative captions that enhance rather than muddle the story. Too often do comics simply use them as less-fun versions of thought bubbles (I’m looking your way, Justice League of America) or (to a lesser extent these days) describe what the art is already doing (I’m looking your way, Claremont/Byrne-era Uncanny X-Men). Jesus Christ, I wish I could make comparisons that aren’t superhero books.

Lately, I’ve taken to skipping captions entirely, at least in superhero comics*. They’re largely irrelevant and big fluffy wastes of the reader’s time. Imagine a Jackie Chan movie where you suddenly get audio commentary from Jackie’s brain every fight scene**. Who cares what Nightwing has to say during this particular brawl? Who cares what Nightwing has to say ever? Who cares about Nightwing***?

I say thee nay. I care about Vikings.

*I’ve also lately taken to skipping most superhero comics entirely, but that’s what a tangent sounds like if this weren’t at the end of an essay.

**Actually, this sounds like a great idea. JCVD better watch out.

***Devin Grayson and Chuck Dixon excluded.