Ah yes, it's summertime. A season for sun, sand, surf, wilderness, wildlife, wanderlust. And mindless entertainment. Couch potatoes discover that the TV networks are awash with reruns and movie theaters swarm with cinematic sequels and copycat flicks, entertainment that's viewer friendly and doesn't tax our brains. It's nice to relax at the beach or in the backyard, kick back with an ice cold, naturally sweetened beverage and read something lightweight. Here's a handful of comic book graphic novels which aren't exactly mindless, but certainly reflect the spirit of summer.
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (Dark Horse; softcover, color, 206 pages, $19.95). Everybody's favorite archeologist-adventurer may have left the big screen but he's still alive and well and stumbling into trouble in a series of comics mini-series. In this premiere saga, Indy and another of his many attractive femme companions-from-the-past set out to locate the fabled lost continent of Atlantis. The ever-lurking Nazis believe the mythical isle holds a source of immense power which can transform humans into gods. This story was adapted from an abandoned screenplay and captures the cliff-hanging adventure and playful humor that made these movies so much fun. Other Indiana Jones mini-epics include I.J.: Thunder in the Orient and I.J. and the Golden Fleece. Long may Indy crack his whip!
The Crow - James O'Barr (Kitchen Sink; softcover, black & white, 224 pages, $15.95). What do you do when bad things happen to good people? How do you stay sane in the face of a senseless, brutal slaying that takes away the person you love most? How do you handle the conflicting feelings -- rage, anger, emptiness, denial, despair, helplessness and a silent scream for justice you can feel in every fiber of your being?
The critics were duly dazzled by the stunning cinematography and kinetic direction of the first Crow movie. The film's commercial success had the comics' community . . . errr, crowing. Though most film reviewers paid homage to the flick's comic book original, few mentioned it in depth. Which is too bad, since to fully appreciate the Crow movie you have to understand its genesis. Like the character in the comic/film, creator James O'Barr had his heart and soul ripped apart when his fiancee was murdered. Swept away by a tidal wave of feelings that wouldn't let go, he created the Crow comic as self-therapy and revenge fantasy. In his grim and gritty yet deeply heartfelt story, a murder victim is mysteriously resurrected and given the chance to enact justice on his slayers. The Crow character is an enigma. We never learn what force brought him back. His purpose is single-minded, his actions calculated, his feelings . . . detached. He is a living embodiment of the primal self, in pain, screaming for release.
The movie remained faithful to both the intent of the comic and the basic story. (Indeed, some scenes like the confrontation in the pawn shop were lifted whole cloth.) But the big screen writers couldn't resist throwing in some typical Hollywood touches, such as the mega-shootout with the drug kingpins, and the overblown ending. The Crow comic is more stripped down. Where the movie dazzles the senses, the comic stabs you in the gut and startles you into wondering, "If it happened to me, how would I react?" Like the movie, the comic has a rock 'n roll soundtrack. O'Barr quotes liberally from song lyrics by dark artists like Joy Division and The Cure, music he says helped him keep his emotional equilibrium. The comic's stark black and white art is apropos to the story. More than just a violence-ridden thriller, The Crow is at its heart a gritty love sonnet in words and pictures, an homage to a relationship shattered yet refusing to die. A paean to the power of eternal love. If you enjoyed the first Crow movie and expect to see this summer's sequel, The Crow: City of Angels, then you owe it to yourself to check out the film's soul and inspiration.
Aliens: Sacrifice (Dark Horse; one issue, prestige format, color, 48 pages, $4.95). She is a priest and the sole survivor of a spaceship crash on an isolated planet. Rescued, she takes shelter in a remote settlement whose members live in terror of a demon in the jungle. A lone Alien stalks the settlers, for whom the shadows come horrifyingly alive and the night is a dreaded enemy. But the community has made a pact with the beast, offering up regular sacrifices in exchange for a semblance of safety. When she discovers the villagers' grisly secret, she is appalled. Confused, losing faith, yet clinging to her religious belief, she offers herself as a substitute sacrifice. For if there is indeed a devil, then there must be a God who will surely protect his faithful servant. Writer Peter Milligan perceptively uses the Alien as a metaphor reflecting the dark side of human nature and the instinct for survival. The stark, impressionistic painted art touches those tender emotional places we try to hide. This gripping graphic novelette is one of many Aliens mini-series/graphic novels available.
Star Trek: The Modala Imperative (DC; softcover, color, 206 pages, $19.95). Trekkers anxiously awaiting this Fall's Star Trek movie can whet their appetites with a couple of graphic novels. The Modala Imperative, like the last Trek film, successfully combines cast members from the original Trek series and the Next Generation. On a clandestine survey mission to determine whether the planet Modala is ready for Federation membership, Kirk and Chekov become embroiled in a political revolution. Attempting to locate them, Spock and McCoy are captured and sentenced to execution. Of course they all manage to escape and the planet is liberated from its tyrannical oppressors. Many star dates later, Captain Picard and the Enterprise are guests of honor at a centennial celebration on Modala. On board the ship are two survivors of the original uprising -- Spock and McCoy. All are caught up in a hundred-year-old mystery that threatens Modala's future. Writers Michael Jan Friedman and Peter David deftly blend action, humor and the character interaction that makes Star Trek so memorable. (If you thought McCoy had problems with a repressed Vulcan, wait'll you see how he responds to Data.) This satisfying saga will boldly take you where no Trek comic has gone before. As will . . .
Star Trek: The Ashes of Eden (DC; graphic novel, color, 98 pages, $14.95). As usual, "Bones" McCoy says it best. "Damn it Jim, our ancestors had a medical term for what you're going through. They called it middle-aged crazy." But the admonition falls on deaf ears. A troubled, restless James T. Kirk, cast ashore with the decommissioning of the Enterprise, still distraught over the murder of his only son, a hero without a mission, is questioning whether he still has a place in Starfleet. So when a young, attractive Klingon/Romulan named Teilani urgently requests his aid in protecting her homeworld, Chal, and safeguarding a mysterious treasure, he agrees. Shocking his long-time shipmates, Kirk resigns his commission and heads off for space unknown.
Meanwhile, Chekov and Uhura, on a secret mission for the Federation, uncover evidence of a far-reaching conspiracy that stretches from the homeworld of the Klingon high council to the upper echelons of Starfleet Command. The conspiracy is wrapped around rumors of an unbeatable doomsday weapon secreted on a mystery planet known as Chal. Unwittingly, Kirk becomes entangled in a web of intrigue that could brand him a traitor. It becomes the task of his old loyal crew, led by Sulu, to locate their leader and bring him home -- dead or alive.
The good captain's alter ego himself, William Shatner, helped write this engrossing epic which is set in the time immediately following the events of the sixth film, The Undiscovered Country. The tale incorporates all the now-familiar (even de rigeur) elements of the series: Kirk's headstrong nature (and raging libido); Spock's wry wisdom; McCoy's homespun advice; Scotty's almost mystical mechanical aptitude, etc. There are mysteries to be solved, battles to be fought, ethical dilemmas to wrestle with, philosophical questions to ponder. It all plays out in an entertaining, satisfactory manner. Keep an eye out for clever small details in the panel backgrounds, like the Century 24 real estate sign, and the wine bottle labeled from the Picard vineyards.
The Star Trek comics are helping keep alive the legends of both defunct TV series. Some of the best stories fill in details and tell "untold tales" from past Stardates. For the life of me, I can't understand why these comics aren't selling millions of copies. If you consider yourself a Trek fan but aren't reading the comics, then you don't know the full story. So pipe on board and get in touch.