Happy # 1 - Grant Morrison & Darick Robertson

There are scenes that make or break a comic. As a writer, one is always trying to come up with something original that, ideally, will fascinate the audience. Sometimes, though, writers cross an invisible line that might either dissatisfy the readers or have a negative impact on them. Fortunately, Happy has nothing but fascinating ideas. Grant Morrison has succeeded in creating one of the best sequences I’ve seen in the past few months.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Happy is the story of Nick Sax, a washed-up detective, an alcoholic and a very unhappy individual. Certainly, his city is a miserable place too. And that’s made evident in page 1, when we see a homeless guy vomiting and a dog pissing on him while two gangsters are talking about killing Nick. The amazing art of Darick Robertson makes us feel every snow flake every speck of dust; his streets feel very real, and there’s something absolutely refreshing about the panels distribution in this page.

But the particular scene that makes Happy click for me is the “fellatio incident”. Jack the Hammer dresses up like a giant bug and kills prostitutes when they are performing oral sex on him. Nonetheless, this time the man ejaculates at the same time his head is blown to pieces. Nick Sax has killed him. “Now I’ve seen everything”, he utters. And I’m sure a lot of readers would agree with him. I don’t think any other artist would have been able to pull this off, but Darick provides all the visual elements that are necessary: the fellatio, the raised hammer that, if not for Nick’s intervention, would have smashed the woman’s skull, and then the climax, the instant of erotic and violent explosion: brains bursting out, the hammer falling down, the man’s semen erupting out of his sexual organ. This page is certainly a brilliant combination of intense narrative and absolutely gorgeous art. After drawing The Boys for years, Darick Robertson was the perfect choice for a title that revolves heavily around sex and violence.

Last panel: homeless guy + dog / última viñeta: mendigo + perro

The prostitute is drenched in “blood and semen”, but that doesn’t prevent Nick from demanding some sort of favor after saving her life. That’s how our protagonist acts. He’s not a benevolent hero, he only does things that are convenient for him. Of course, that means he has made a lot of enemies. And in a matter of minutes he will be subdued by one of his rivals. 

Clearly, this is a very dirty, depraved and obscene world. But Morrison adds something else. He goes against the predictable ‘grim and gritty’ and includes the element of the fantastic: Happy, the horse, a sweet creature that seems to have come out from an oversweetened Disney cartoon. The contrast is brutal. After all the things we’ve seen in these pages, a cartoonish flying horse starts talking to Nick using the purest and nicest language we could possibly imagine. 

I had very high expectations for Happy, and I must say they were met and exceeded. The writer and the artist create a fascinating opening chapter. It’s great to see Morrison in Image doing a creator-owned miniseries, after devoting most of his time in established characters from DC. I can’t wait to read the second issue.  
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Jack's final ejaculation / la última eyaculación de Jack

Hay escenas que elevan o derriban un cómic. Como escritor, uno siempre intenta lograr algo original que, idealmente, fascine a la audiencia. Aunque a veces, los escritores cruzan una línea invisible que podría dejar a los lectores insatisfechos o impactar en ellos de modo negativo. Por suerte, en "Happy" sólo hay ideas fascinantes. Grant Morrison ha tenido éxito al crear una de las mejores secuencias que he visto en los últimos meses. 

Pero no nos adelantemos. "Happy" es la historia de Nick Sax, un detective fracasado, un alcohólico y un individuo infeliz. Ciertamente, su ciudad también es un lugar miserable. Y esto es evidente desde la página 1, en la que vemos a un pordiosero vomitando y a un perro meando encima de él mientras dos gangsters hablan sobre matar a Nick. El asombroso arte de Darick Robertson nos hace sentir cada copo de nieve y cada mota de polvo; sus calles son muy reales, y hay algo absolutamente refrescante en la distribución de las viñetas en esta página.

Pero la escena particular que hace que "Happy" funcione para mí es el "incidente de la felación". Jack el Martillo se viste como un bicho gigante y mata prostitutas cuando ellas le están practicando sexo oral. No obstante, esta vez el hombre eyacula al mismo tiempo que su cabeza estalla en pedazos. Nick Sax lo ha matado. "Ahora lo he visto todo", anuncia. Y estoy seguro que muchos lectores estarían de acuerdo con él. No creo que otro artista hubiese sido capaz de dibujar la escena, pero Darick provee todos los elementos visuales necesarios: la felación, el martillo alzado que, de no ser por la intervención de Nick, habría aplastado el cráneo de la mujer, y luego el clímax, el instante de la violenta explosión erótica: el estallido de los sesos, la caída del martillo, el órgano sexual con la erupción de semen. Esta página es ciertamente una brillante combinación de narrativa intensa y arte absolutamente cautivador. Luego de dibujar "The Boys" por años, Darick Robertson era la elección perfecta para un título que gira en torno al sexo y la violencia.

Nick Sax

La prostituta está empapada en “sangre y semen”, pero eso no impide que Nick exija cierto tipo de favor luego de salvarle la vida. Así es como actúa nuestro protagonista. No es un héroe benevolente, sólo hace cosas que le convienen. Por supuesto, eso significa que se ha ganado muchos enemigos. Y en cuestión de minutos será abatido por uno de sus rivales.

drenched in blood and semen / empapada en sangre y semen

Claramente, este es un mundo muy sucio, depravado y obsceno. Pero Morrison añada algo más. Va en contra de la predecible 'amargura y oscuridad' e incluye el elemento de lo fantástico: Happy (Feliz), el caballo, una dulce criatura que parece salir de un empalagoso dibujo animado de Disney. El contraste es brutal. Después de todas las cosas que hemos visto en estas páginas, un caricaturesco caballo volador empieza a hablar con Nick usando el lenguaje más puro y afable que podamos imaginar.

Happy me había generado muchas expectativas, y debo decir que fueron alcanzadas y superadas. El escritor y el artista crean un fascinante capítulo inicial. Es grandioso ver a Morrison en una miniserie de su propia creación en Image, luego de dedicar la mayor parte de su tiempo a personajes establecidos de DC. No puedo esperar a leer el segundo número.

August comic books / Cómics de agosto

August sure was a good month for comic books. Morning Glories # 11 continued the tradition of digging into the past lives of the main characters, this time it was the turn of Ike, the wealthy and selfish kid that has quickly turned into of my favorite characters. Severed # 1 was a very pleasant surprise, can’t wait for the next issues. Red Wing # 2 was so much better than the first issue, why did Jonathan Hickman decided to start with such an uninspiring first issue? But if I had to choose a favorite that’d be Kick Ass 2 # 3, it made me laugh, it shocked me, so much happened here, this is the antithesis of decompression. Hero Comics 2011 and Caligula # 3 were very good, I’ll try to review them in individual posts. And, of course, Butcher Baker Candlestickmaker # 2 was everything I could hope for from such a creative team as the one formed by Ennis and Robertson. So without further ado here you have my comic books from August (and in no particular order):

ARMY OF DARKNESS #1
By James Kuhoric & Sanford Greene The Army of Darkness ongoing series is here and the first story arc features the crossover no one ever expected to see: Army of Darkness vs. Re-Animator! Ash Vs. West! Winner takes all! Following the exciting conclusion of Shop 'Til You Drop (Dead), this first issue finds Ash committed to Arkham Asylum. It's here that he runs afoul of a rather ghoulish and creepy Herbert West... and the battle of the century begins! Featuring covers by (and shipping in equal increments): J.G. Jones (Wanted), Sanford Greene, Gabriel Dell'Otto (Secret War), and Nick Bradshaw. And, as if that weren't enough, there will a 1-in-25 cover by Nick Bradshaw featuring an 'homage' to classic slasher monster films, inserted in orders shipped! Also available Signed by artist Sanford Green! For the 'discriminating collector,' Dynamite presents a High End Limited Edition with a new 'Boomstick Foil' cover by Sanford Greene!

ARMY OF DARKNESS #2
By James Kuhoric, Sanford Greene, & Scott Kester Locked in an insane asylum, surrounded by re-animated abominations, and low on gas, Ash leads a misfit band of wannabe heroes into the depths of a Deadite-infested madhouse. Facing an entire wing of undead inmates, Ash must uncover the Necronomicon and send the evil spirits back before the gateway to the Old Ones is opened, ushering in the destruction of the human race! Its Cthulhu meets 'Chin-Fu' as everyone's favorite one-handed, wisecracking anti-hero discovers that there are worse things than Deadites detailed in the blood-soaked pages of the Book of the Dead! Can Ash uncover the book and save the day before the 'Chosen One' flies over the cuckoo's nest?!

ARMY OF DARKNESS FROM ASHES #1
by James Kuhoric & Fernando Blanco Fresh from the Marvel Zombies vs. AOD crossover! ... well, not 'minty' fresh, but fresh enough from his appearance in the universe of the Marvel Zombies, our un-intrepid hero has returned to his own world ... but what a world it's become! Evil Ash and his Deadite hordes rule the land, and everywhere Ash turns is filled with mutants and monsters! Can Ashley J. Williams gather his 'chosen' and take down the Deadite hordes and restore order to the world? Read on, and find out! The action and post-apocalyptic excitement is once again brought to you by the creative team of writer James Kuhoric and artist Fernando Blanco, and features a stunning painted cover from Arthur (Savage Tales, Marvel Zombies) Suydam and an alternate cover by Fabiano Neves!

ARMY OF DARKNESS FROM ASHES #2 
by James Kuhoric & Fernando Blanco Dynamite proudly presents the return of Ash and the Army of Darkness! Continuing the undead action and excitement from issue #1 (following the crossover of 2007, Marvel Zombies vs. the Army of Darkness), Ash continues to explore the Deadite-infested wastes of Detroit as he attempts to wrestle control of the world back from Evil Ash and his Deadite minions! Featuring another stunning script by James Kuhoric, awesome art by Fernando Blanco, and sure-to-be coveted covers by Arthur Suydam (75%) and a vicious variant chance cover by Fabiano (Marvel Zombies vs. the Army of Darkness) Neves, this is destined to be the most talked about AOD series yet! Also available in a special Foil Cov

BOYS #10 (M)
Hughie has pieced together the mysterious death of a young man, and a super-human is to blame... but is apprehension of the culprit going to be possible? Can a murderer who wears a cape be punished?

BOYS #12 (M)
The plot thickens as Little Nina's backers are revealed, and the Boys dig deeper into the mystery of the exploding supes. Hughie learns the delicate art of prisoner interrogation, and Vas lets slip the secret of the Black Skull Vodka in 'Glorious Five Year Plan,' Part Two!

BOYS BUTCHER BAKER CANDLESTICKMAKER #2 (MR)
(W) Garth Ennis (A/C) Darick Robertson 1982: on the desolate Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, young Royal Marine Billy Butcher finds his calling. But no one can stay at war forever, and trouble comes when he indulges his love of conflict in civilian life. Butcher's life seems locked on a grim course- but help may be at hand from a rather unexpected source... MATURE THEMES

CALIGULA #3 (OF 6) WRAP CVR (MR)
(W) David Lapham (A) German Nobile David (Crossed) Lapham unveils a new tale of ancient Rome and the most feared emperor of all time. The one name that still speaks volumes of how absolute power can corrupt - Caligula. Things in Rome are reaching the breaking point. Caligula's madness is becoming apparent to some. He must go. However successfully acting on it is a very different matter. Virgin blood ceremonies, gladiator fights rigged for added brutality, and dinner parties where guests are randomly slaughtered - is there a limit to Caligula's depravity? Can Felix keep his focus and sanity in the face of so much misery and horro? A modern master of horror, Lapham digs deep into the world of Rome 37 AD and offers a unique epic of sin. Joined by new talent German Nobile who promises to serve up fully-painted pages dripping with blood, this all-new, full-color series will be six issues of evil that will make any Crossed fan smile with glee. For in the age of Caligula, all roads lead to Hell. Caligula #3 is available with a Regular cover by Jacen Burrows, a Wraparound cover by series artist German Nobile, and a special rare Golden retriever incentive.

HERO COMICS 2011 (ONE SHOT)
Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, John Layman, Richard Starkings, Steven Perry, Ralph Reese (w)  Mike Dringenberg, Sam Kieth, Rob Guillory, Chris Ivy, Stephen R. Bissette, Ralph Reese (a)  J. Scott Campbell, Adam Hughes Hero Comics 2011 reunites the original Sandman creative team for the first time in more than 20 years! Gaiman, Kieth, Dringenberg, together again at last! This is BIG! This is THE BEATLES getting back together for one final album-this is an event that is not to be missed! But that's not all, we also have an exclusive CHEW short story by John Layman and Rob Guillory! Chew was one of the most honored and acclaimed books last year, taking the comics world by storm. Its meteoric rise included an Eisner Award for best new series of the year! Plus, we've got a beauty of an ELEPHANTMAN story by Richard Starkings and Dougie Braithwaite! Special bonus-Sam Kieth brings you a behind-the-scenes mini-memoir of how this Sandman-alum project came to be. Plus true-to-life experiences from comics creators who have personally benefitted from the Hero Initiative!

KICK-ASS 2 #3 (MR)
Written by MARK MILLAR Pencils & Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR. The sequel to the New York Times best-selling comic - which spawned the hit movie - continues! By putting on his now-famous green costume and dishing out his own brand of vigilante justice on street thugs and mob bosses alike, high school loser Dave Lizewski changed the world. Now, after a successful first mission with his new team of self-proclaimed 'super heroes'-?JUSTICE FOREVER - Dave and his crew start to understand what living in this new world really means. Plus, the return of Kick-Ass' arch-nemesis THE RED MIST, and things come to a head for HIT-GIRL! 32 PGS./Mature

MORNING GLORIES #11 (MR)
story NICK SPENCER art JOE EISMA cover RODIN ESQUEJO  He's the Glory everyone loves to hate: This issue, learn all the secrets behind Manhattan's most devious young socialite!

PUNISHER #1
Written by GREG RUCKA Penciled by MARCO CHECCHETTO Cover by BRYAN HITCH Variant Cover by SAL BUSCEMA Variant Cover by NEAL ADAMS Blank cover also available TIME TO GET BACK TO WORK. For Frank Castle death comes easy...life is where things gets complicated. Fully loaded with the Eisner winning writer Greg Rucka (Batwoman, Queen and Country, WOLVERINE) and neo-superstar artist Marco Checchetto (Amazing Spider-Man, Daredevil), the BIGGEST GUN of all returns with blood on his hands and vengeance in his eyes. As New York City's body counts continue to rise, the city's streets are teeming with more methodical criminals than ever and a police force doing it's best to keep its head above water. The Punisher has returned to serve his own brand of justice with everything's he's got... but can he survive the darkness stored in his own arsenal? Plus bonus pages exploring some of the new personalities in Frank's life...and how closely intertwined living is with dying. 40 PGS./Parental Advisory

RED WING #2 (OF 4)
story JONATHAN HICKMAN, A PLUS! PROJECT art & cover NICK PITARRA & RACHELLE ROSENBERG  'LEARNING TO FLY' Lost in time -- deep in enemy history --  the Captain of the First Wing must find a way home so that he can begin the space-time program that will one day save his future.   

SEVERED #1 (MR)
story SCOTT SNYDER & SCOTT TUFT art / cover ATTILA FUTAKI  'NOTHING WASTED,' Part One 1916. A man haunts the roads; a man with sharp teeth and a hunger for flesh. When 12-year-old Jack Garron runs away from home, he'll see how quickly the American Dream becomes a nightmare. Be there at the beginning of the series that everyone will be talking about!  From Eisner-nominated writer SCOTT SNYDER (American Vampire, Detective Comics), SCOTT TUFT and ATTILA FUTAKI (NYT Best-Selling-Artist: Percy Jackson) comes the most terrifying horror series of 2011--SEVERED.

VAMPIRELLA #8 
(W) Eric Trautmann (A) Fabiano Neves (C) Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic (25%), Paul Renaud (25%), Ale Garza (25%), Fabiano Neves (25%) A lonely stretch of highway. A tiny town in the middle of nowhere. A trio of vicious creatures on a mission of murder and destruction. And all that stands in their way is Vampirella. It's a road-trip through death and horror, as Vampirella, still dealing with the aftermath of her first adventure, faces a threat that may finally be her match.

WALKING DEAD #88 (MR)
story ROBERT KIRKMAN art / cover CHARLIE ADLARD & CLIFF RATHBURN  Every day, it becomes a little bit easier.

ZORRO RIDES AGAIN #1
Writer: Matt Wagner Penciller/Inker: Esteve Polls Covers: Matt Wagner The one and only Matt (MAGE, GRENDEL) Wagner returns to conclude his epic story of Zorro! We return to the story as Alejeandro de la Vega finds out that his son, Don Diego, is pulling double-duty as Zorro. How will this affect Zorro's continuing crusade against the alcalde of Los Angeles, Luis Quintero? Find out in ZORRO RIDES AGAIN #1!

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Agosto fue un buen mes para los cómics. Morning Glories # 11 continuó la tradición de escarbar en el pasado de los personajes principales, esta vez fue el turno de Ike, el acaudalado y egoísta chaval que rápidamente se ha convertido en uno de mis personajes predilectos. Severed # 1 fue una sorpresa sumamente agradable, no puedo esperar a leer las próximas entregas. Red Wing # 2 estuvo mucho mejor que el primer número, ¿por qué Jonathan Hickman habrá decidido empezar la miniserie de manera tan débil? Aunque si tuviera que elegir a mi favorito sería Kick Ass 2 # 3, que me hizo reír y me impresionó bastante, pasaron tantas cosas en este ejemplar que se convierte en la antítesis de la descompresión. Hero Comics 2011 y Caligula # 3 fueron muy buenos, y trataré de revisarlos individualmente. Y, por supuesto, Butcher Baker Candlestickmaker # 2 fue todo lo que podría esperar de un equipo tan creativo como el formado por Ennis y Robertson. Así que, sin mayores preámbulos, aquí están mis cómics de agosto: 

ARMY OF DARKNESS #1
El ejército de la oscuridad se enfrentará al Re-Animador.

ARMY OF DARKNESS #2
¿Cómo enfrentarse a las abominaciones reanimadas?

ARMY OF DARKNESS FROM ASHES #1
El mundo ha cambiado. ¿Podrá ASH encontrar a los ‘elegidos’?

ARMY OF DARKNESS FROM ASHES #2  
Es hora de luchar por el control de un mundo peligroso.

My layouts / mis bocetos

BOYS #10 (M)
Un súper-humano es culpable de la muerte de un joven. ¿Pero será posible capturar a un sujeto con tantos poderes? 

BOYS #12 (M)  
El misterio del “supes” explosivo aumenta. Mientras, el delicado arte de interrogar prisioneros pasa a ser algo fundamental.

BOYS BUTCHER BAKER CANDLESTICKMAKER #2 (MR) 
1982: en las desoladas islas del Atlántico Sur, el joven marine Billy encuentra su vocación. Pero nadie puede estar en guerra para siempre.

CALIGULA #3 (OF 6) WRAP CVR (MR) 
La locura de Calígula es evidente para algunos. Y debe terminar. ¿Pero qué se puede hacer contra el césar? Ceremonias con sangre de vírgenes, luchas de gladiadores y cenas en los que los invitados son asesinados al azar. ¿Hay límite a la depravación de Calígula? ¿Podrá Félix conservar la cordura ante tanta miseria y horror?

HERO COMICS 2011 (ONE SHOT)  
Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth & Mike Dringenberg. El equipo creativo original de SANDMAN reunido por primera vez en más de veinte años.

KICK-ASS 2 #3 (MR)
Al usar un traje verde y luchar contra el crimen, KICK-ASS cambió el mundo. Ahora, después de una primera misión exitosa con su nuevo equipo, Dave intentará comprender qué es lo que significa vivir en este mundo.

MORNING GLORIES #11 (MR)
Él es la gloria que todos odian. ¿Cuáles son los siniestros secretos del chico más adinerado e insoportable de todo Manhattan?

PUNISHER #1 
Para Frank la muerte llega fácil... la vida es lo complicado. Frank regresa con sangre en sus manos y venganza en su mirada

RED WING #2 (OF 4) 
Perdido en el tiempo, el capitán del Primer Ala debe encontrar un camino a casa para iniciar el programa que salvará el futuro.

SEVERED #1 (MR) 
En 1916, un hombre acecha los caminos, hambriento de carne. Cuando Jack, un chaval de doce años, escapa de casa descubrirá qué tan rápido el sueño americano se convierte en una pesadilla. 

VAMPIRELLA #8 
Una carretera. Un pequeño pueblo en medio de la nada. Un trío de viciosas criaturas en una misión de asesinato y destrucción.

WALKING DEAD #88
Cada día es más fácil.

ZORRO RIDES AGAIN #1 
Alejandro de la Vega descubre que su hijo, Don Diego, es el nuevo Zorro. ¿Cómo afectará este descubrimiento al Zorro original?