Pride and Joy - Garth Ennis & John Higgins

“He was born and raised in Ireland in a place called Castlemaine, he was his father's only son, his mother's pride and joy, and dearly did his parents love the wild colonial boy” goes a well-known song by The Clancy Brothers. It is with the lyrics of this particular song that Irish author Garth Ennis opens the first chapter of the 4-issue miniseries Pride and Joy, published by Vertigo from July to October, 1997. 

Usually, for most parents, their children are their “pride and joy”, and that’s what the song is about. But what happens when children don’t feel proud about their parents? From the beginning of the story, we have a strong conflict between Jimmy Kavanaugh, a widower who lives a simple life, constantly remembering the past, and Patrick Kavanaugh, his son who is about to move to a different state to go to college. For Jimmy, the past is always glorious and happy, he remembers his beloved wife and also his father, a hero from War World II. 

Patrick, however, is a young man who despises violence and hates the concept of war. For him, there’s no such thing as war heroes. Patrick is also a shy kid, constantly ignored by girls, and for that he’s mocked by his friends who say things like “you might be happy jerking yourself to sleep every night”. And then there’s Rachel Kavanaugh, Patrick’s younger sister. Rachel absolutely adores Jimmy and she can’t understand why her brother is so hostile toward their father. Ennis is a writer specialized in creating unique and very special relationships between characters, and he manages to convey the family dynamic effortlessly.

Patrick Kavanaugh

It’s in this context that Stein reappears. Stein was a dangerous gangster that Jimmy almost killed many years ago. Now he’s back and plans to kill Jimmy, his family and all his friends. For those who read “A History of Violence” or saw the filmic adaptation directed by David Cronenberg and starred by Viggo Mortensen, the similitudes will be more than evident. In both comic titles we have a family man, an ordinary guy living a boring and unassuming existence, who has been hiding a horrible secret past, in both stories the gangsters go after the protagonist, who must fight back with everything he’s got to defend his family.

In an interview for ComicBookResources, Ennis stated that Pride and Joy “was something I was keen to do at the time largely because Vertigo was still dominated by gothic fantasy or new wave superhero stories -- I thought it would be good to use the imprint's creative freedom to do something relatively new for mainstream comics at the time”. However, Pride and Joy wasn’t as well received by the critic, and perhaps that happened because “A History of Violence” was published in April 1997 (3 months before Pride and Joy) and I’d venture to say that John Wagner, one of the most prolific British writers and creator of such massively popular characters as Judge Dredd, found a way to make his protagonist more relatable to the audience.

Jimmy Kavanaugh & Rachel Kavanaugh

However, I still think one of Ennis most important contributions to this story is the conflict between the father and his son, and the way he develops this conflict in more dramatic circumstances, when the family is on the run, fighting for their lives. The penciler, inker, colorist and cover artist is John Higgins, one of the most talented British artists who started his career in 2000 AD. “Pride & Joy was the first comic story I had worked on that felt complete, like a suspense novel, visceral, and violent”, explained Higgins, who created some violent and shocking scenes, and also comes up with a unique style for the covers, combining original painted art with photo manipulation. I really enjoyed reading Pride and Joy, and I think the last chapter is especially revealing. 
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“Nació y creció en Irlanda en un lugar llamado Castlemaine, era el único hijo de su padre, el orgullo y la alegría de su madre, y sus padres amaban mucho al salvaje niño colonial”, dice una canción muy conocida de The Clancy Brothers. Con la letra de esta canción en particular, el autor irlandés Garth Ennis abre el primer capítulo de la miniserie de 4 números Pride and Joy, publicada por Vertigo de julio a octubre de 1997.

Stein

Por lo general, para la mayoría de los padres, sus hijos son a menudo “orgullo y alegría”, y de eso se trata la canción. ¿Pero qué sucede cuando los hijos no se sienten orgullosos de sus padres? Desde el comienzo de la historia, hay un fuerte conflicto entre Jimmy Kavanaugh, un viudo que vive una vida simple, recordando constantemente el pasado, y Patrick Kavanaugh, su hijo que está a punto de mudarse a un estado diferente para ir a la universidad. Para Jimmy, el pasado siempre es glorioso y feliz, recuerda a su amada esposa y también a su padre, un héroe de la Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Sin embargo, Patrick es un joven que desprecia la violencia y odia el concepto de guerra. Para él, no hay héroes de guerra. Patrick también es un muchacho tímido, constantemente ignorado por las chicas, y por eso sus amigos se burlan de él y dicen cosas como “puede que tú te sientas feliz masturbándote hasta quedarte dormido todas las noches”. Y luego está Rachel Kavanaugh, la hermana menor de Patrick. Rachel adora absolutamente a Jimmy y no puede entender por qué su hermano es tan hostil hacia su padre. Ennis es un escritor especializado en crear relaciones únicas y muy especiales entre personajes, y logra transmitir magníficamente la dinámica familiar.

Jimmy's past / el pasado de Jimmy

Es en este contexto que Stein reaparece. Stein era un peligroso gangster que Jimmy intentó matar hace muchos años. Ahora está de regreso y planea matar a Jimmy, su familia y todos sus amigos. Para quienes leyeron “Una historia de violencia” o vieron la adaptación cinematográfica dirigida por David Cronenberg y protagonizada por Viggo Mortensen, las similitudes serán más que evidentes. En ambos títulos tenemos a un hombre de familia, un tipo común que vive una existencia aburrida y sin pretensiones, que ha estado ocultando un horrible pasado secreto, en ambas historias los gangsters persiguen al protagonista, que debe luchar con uñas y dientes para defender a su familia.

En una entrevista para ComicBookResources, Ennis declaró que Pride and Joy “era algo que estaba ansioso por hacer en ese momento en gran medida porque Vertigo todavía estaba dominado por la fantasía gótica o las historias de superhéroes de la nueva ola. Pensé que sería bueno usar la libertad creativa del sello editorial para hacer algo relativamente nuevo en el mundo de los cómics en esa coyuntura”. Sin embargo, Pride and Joy no fue tan bien recibida por la crítica, y tal vez eso sucedió porque “Una historia de violencia” se publicó en abril de 1997 (3 meses antes que Pride and Joy) y me atrevería a decir que John Wagner, uno de los escritores británicos más prolíficos y creador de personajes tan populares como el Juez Dredd, logró que el público se identificara mejor con su protagonista.

Stein versus Jimmy

Sin embargo, creo que una de las contribuciones más importantes de Ennis a esta historia es el conflicto entre padre e hijo, y la forma en que desarrolla este conflicto en circunstancias tan dramáticas, cuando la familia está huyendo, cuando están luchando por sus vidas. El dibujante, entintador, colorista y portadista es John Higgins, uno de los artistas británicos más talentosos que comenzó su carrera en 2000 AD. “Pride and Joy fue el primer cómic en el que trabajé que se sintió completo, como una novela de suspenso, visceral y violenta”, explicó Higgins, quien crea algunas escenas violentas e impactantes, y también presenta un estilo único para las portadas, combinando arte original pintado a mano con manipulación de fotos. Realmente disfruté leyendo Pride and Joy, y creo que el último capítulo es especialmente revelador.

September comics / Cómics de setiembre

There were some promising first issues in September, like Doom Patrol #1. Cinema Purgatorio continues to impress me, but my favorite issue of the month was Silver Surfer #6. And now, without further ado, here are September comics as per solicitations:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 
(W) Dan Slott (A) Giuseppe Camuncoli (CA) Alex Ross. Spider-Man has gone global! Parker Industries is more successful than ever, with offices in New York, Shanghai, London and San Francisco and Peter Parker is racking up the frequent flyer miles with his 'bodyguard' Spider-Man in tow, of course. But success breeds enemies and a reinvigorated Zodiac have also widened their scope to threaten the whole world. Join Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camuncoli as they take Spider-Man to the next level! This huge first issue also includes stories featuring Silk, Spidey 2099, Spider-Woman and much more! Rated T

CINEMA PURGATORIO #5 
(W) Alan Moore & Various (A) Kevin O'Neil & Various (CA) Ignacio Calero. They've taken your ticket and ushered you to a seat. You know something is wrong here. You can feel it in the very fabric of the dingy and smoky theatre you sit in. It's an almost palpable dread you feel as the lights go down and the first reel begins to play... This issue continues Cinema Purgatorio by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill, A More Perfect Union by Max Brooks and Michael DiPascale, Code Pru by Garth Ennis and Raulo Caceres, Modded by Kieron Gillen and Ignacio Calero, and The Vast by Christos Gage and Gabriel Andrade. Each story has its own cover by the series artist and there is also an Ancient Tome Premium edition limited to 1000 copies.

DOOM PATROL #1 BOLLAND CVR 
(W) Gerard Way (A) Nick Derington (CA) Brian Bolland. The atoms are buzzing. The daydreams crowd sentient streets, and the creative team has been warned, 'Turn back now or suffer the mighty consequence of sheer, psycho-maniacal mayhem.' Generation-arsonists unite-this is DOOM PATROL, and the God of the Super Heroes is bleeding on the floor. A blenderized reimagining of the ultimate series of the strange, DOOM PATROL combines elements from classic runs, new directions, and things that could not be. Our entry point is Casey Brinke, a young EMT on the graveyard shift to abstract enlightenment, with a past so odd that she's not entirely sure what is real and what is not. Along with her partner, Sam Reynolds, the pair blaze a path through the city and its denizens, finding the only quiet that exists at 3am is the chaos of the brain. When the pair answer a hit-and-run call, they find themselves face to face with a familiar figure: Cliff Steele, AKA Robotman. 'It gets weirder from here,' writer Gerard Way had to say about the book, with artist Nick Derington gripping tightly on the wheel of the ambulance. The pair's only communication? Shouting out of the open windows while at high velocity. Who needs a new roommate? Who names a cat 'Lotion'? And when do we get to see all those muscles? Find your answers inside the pages of this comic book, as we set the stage for new beginnings, as well as the re-introduction of some classic DOOM PATROL characters, including Niles Caulder, Negative Man, Flex Mentallo, and Crazy Jane. The debut title of DC's Young Animal line kicks off with a removable sticker on its cover: Pull back the gyro to reveal its secrets, but be warned-there is no turning back.

EMPRESS #6 
(W) Mark Millar (A/CA) Stuart Immonen. After an intrepid chase across the galaxies, Emporia and the gang arrive at her long-lost sister's planet to escape Morax's murderous rampage. Embedded within this new-age sanctuary, Dane and Emporia decide to let their hair down a little and enjoy each other's company. They are being watched though, and Daddy's little girl is out for revenge. Rated T+

INTERNATIONAL IRON MAN #7 
(W) Brian Michael Bendis (A/CA) Alex Maleev. CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN! • In the middle of the events of Civil War, Tony finds out the truth about his parents and their connection to the history of the Marvel Universe. Rated T+

JACKED #1 (MR) 
(W) Eric Kripke (A) John Higgins (CA) Glenn Fabry. Eric Kripke (creator of Supernatural) teams up with Vertigo veterans John Higgins (HELLBLAZER) and Glenn Fabry (PREACHER) to bring you a very Vertigo take on the modern superhero in this six-issue miniseries. Josh Jaffe, a neurotic family man mid-midlife crisis, buys an online 'smart pill' to increase his focus and jolt him out of his slump. But to Josh's surprise, the pill gives him incredible strength and power-but its cost is that it's extremely addictive. This irreverent and brutally realistic story examines both the mighty highs and humiliating lows of being a real-life superhero.

KARNAK #2 
(W) Warren Ellis (A) Gerardo Zaffino (CA) David Aja. (W) Warren Ellis (A) Gerardo Zaffino (CA) David Aja. Karnak versus a warehouse full of enemy agents! The agents don't stand a chance. But the Zen Gunner can turn the air itself into a deadly weapon? Karnak's in trouble. Rated T+

LAST GANG IN TOWN #1 (MR) 
(W) Simon Oliver (A) Rufus Dayglo (CA) Rob Davis. Forget what you know of England, of the 'Land of Hope and Glory.' Instead, try damp and depressing, and embrace this miserable island for what it is. Our story kicks off in 1976: the country coming apart at its flared corduroy seams, a decade after the Great Train Robbery, when British crime has gone decidedly soft in the middle. Time for a new generation of criminals to rise: a band of snotty-nosed heroes driven by destiny and cheap cider, who will strike fear back into the establishment, put art back into crime and crime back into art, and pull off what will become known as the heist of the century. This new series from Simon Oliver (FBP: FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS) and Rufus Dayglo (Tank Girl), spans three decades, from the punk rock '70s to the decadent '80s and beyond, charting the rise, fall and redemption of a group of bandits that changed the face of the criminal underworld and closed the door on a legacy.

MIRACLEMAN BY GAIMAN & BUCKINGHAM #5 (MR)  
(W) Neil Gaiman (A/CA) Mark Buckingham. Fear and paranoia are alive and well in The Golden Age. For Sandra Walsh, every dark corner in The City conceals a threat - but does one hold the truth? Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham's first Miracleman story, 'Screaming,' reintroduces a familiar face from Miracleman's past! The Golden Age's god of the dead joins Miracleman's Infra-Space 'Retrieval.' Including material originally presented in MIRACLEMAN (1985) #21 and TOTAL ECLIPSE #4, plus bonus content. Mature

SILVER SURFER #5 
(W) Dan Slott (A/CA) Mike Allred. 'Citizen of Earth' STARTS NOW! • Are you still reeling from the massive status quo change from SILVER SURFER #3? Think our heroes need a break? • No such luck. Because when the Surfer uses his powers to make Dawn's time on Earth 'better', he unintentionally does something so devastating it might scar her for life. • Get ready for the shocking revelation... that leads into the 200th Silver Surfer comic! You do NOT want to miss this one, True Believer! Rated T+

SILVER SURFER #6
(W) Dan Slott (A/CA) Mike Allred. SILVER SURFER #200! Oversized anniversary issue! • After Norin Radd's massive status quo change in the 50th Anniversary issue (no spoilers!), it's now Dawn Greenwood's turn. With one simple act of kindness, the Surfer may have forever changed her world. • What's going on? Why is San Francisco overrun by monsters? And what wall-crawling, web-spinning guest-star is swinging by to help out? (Okay, we'll tell you that one! It's Peter Parker, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN!) • All this and tons of cosmic weirdness, surprise super heroes, and special stories as we celebrate the 200th Silver Surfer issue! Rated T+

VELVET #14 
(W) Ed Brubaker (A/CA) Steve Epting, Elizabeth Breitweiser. To be announced.

WONDER WOMAN EARTH ONE HC 
(W) Grant Morrison (A/CA) Yanick Paquette. In this new installment of the New York Times best-selling Earth One original graphic novel line, Grant Morrison (THE MULTIVERSITY) joins with Yanick Paquette (SWAMP THING, BATMAN, INC.) to reimagine Wonder Woman for a new era. Encompassing the vision of her original creator, William Moulton Marston, Morrison presents a Diana who yearns to break free from her mother and the utopian society on Paradise Island to learn about the forbidden outside world. Her dreams may come true when Air Force pilot Steve Trevor crashes on their shores, and she must defy the laws of the Amazons to return him to Man's World. Is she ready for the culture shock that awaits her in America? And is the world ready for this Wonder Woman?

ZENITH HC VOL 1
"Phase I!" Collects Zenith Phase I (1992) #1-3. Written by Grant Morrison. Art and cover by Steve Yeowell. Available for the first time in 20 years, the legendary early work by Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell! Berlin, 1945: The allies unleashed the World War II hero Maximan upon the German super soldier Masterman. Maximan's defeat was only kept secret by the nuclear bomb which destroyed both men. Forty-plus years later, and twenty years after a generation of '60s British superpowered heroes came and went, the teenage pop star Zenith is the only superhuman left - and his only interest in women, drugs, alchohol and fame. So when he is contacted about the threat from the many-angled ones and the impending destruction of our world, his first reaction is to steer well clear. But the superhumans of the past have other plans!
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En setiembre hubo algunos primeros números prometedores, como Doom Patrol #1. Cinema Purgatorio continúa impresionándome, pero mi cómic favorito del mes fue Silver Surfer #6. Y ahora, sin mayores preámbulos, aquí están los cómics de setiembre:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1
Número gigante especial. 

CINEMA PURGATORIO # 5
Te han llevado a un asiento. Sabes que algo está mal aquí. Lo puedes sentir en el recubrimiento del cine sucio y humeante, te sientas. Sientes un temor casi palpable, las luces se apagan y el primer carrete comienza a rodar.

DOOM PATROL # 1 BOLLAND CVR
Los átomos están zumbando. Los ensueños llenan calles vivientes, y el equipo creativo ha sido advertido: "Retroceded ahora o sufrid la poderosa consecuencia de un caos puramente psico-maníaco". Una versión re-imaginada de la Patrulla Condenada, que combina elementos de etapas clásicas, nuevas direcciones y cosas que no podrían ser. 

EMPRESS # 6
Después de una persecución intrépida a través de las galaxias, Emporia y los suyos llegan al planeta de su hermana para escapar de la ola de asesinatos de MORAX. Embebidos dentro de este santuario de la nueva era, DANE y Emporia deciden relajarse. Sin embargo, están siendo vigilados. Y la venganza llegará pronto.

INTERNATIONAL IRON MAN # 7
En medio de los acontecimientos de la Guerra Civil, Tony descubre la verdad sobre sus padres y su conexión con la historia reciente. 

JACKED # 1 (MR)
Josh, un neurótico padre de familia que atraviesa la crisis de la mediana edad, compra una "píldora inteligente" en línea para aumentar su concentración y tener más energía. Pero, para sorpresa de Josh, la píldora le da súper fuerza y un poder increíble, pero el precio es que se vuelve extremadamente adictiva. Esta historia irreverente y brutalmente realista examina tanto los grandes momentos como las situaciones humillantes de un superhéroe de la vida real.

KARNAK # 2
KARNAK se enfrenta a una horda de agentes enemigos. Los agentes no tienen ninguna posibilidad. Pero el artillero Zen puede convertir el aire mismo en un arma mortal. 

LAST GANG IN TOWN #1 (MR)
Olvídate de lo que sabes de Inglaterra. No es la “Tierra de Esperanza y Gloria”, sino un lugar húmedo y deprimente, una isla miserable. Nuestra historia comienza en 1976: el país se deshace en sus costuras de paño, una década después del gran robo de tren, cuando el crimen británico se ha ido suavizando. Es hora de que una nueva generación de delincuentes se levante: una banda de héroes de nariz adusta, impulsados por el destino y la sidra barata, que devolverán el miedo al establecimiento, devolverán el arte al crimen y al crimen de vuelta al arte y sacarán adelante lo que será conocido como el robo del siglo. Esta nueva serie de abarca tres décadas, desde el punk rock de los 70s hasta los decadentes años 80 y más allá, trazando el ascenso, la caída y la redención de un grupo de bandidos que cambiaron la faz del bajo mundo criminal y dejaron un tremendo legado.

MIRACLEMAN BY GAIMAN & BUCKINGHAM #5 (MR)
El miedo y la paranoia están más presentes que nunca en la edad de oro. Para Sandra, cada esquina de la ciudad encierra una oscura amenaza.

SILVER SURFER #5
Comienza “Ciudadano de la Tierra”. ¿Aun estáis aturdidos por el tremendo cambio de status quo? ¿Pensáis que nuestro héroe necesita un descanso? De ninguna manera. Cuando SILVER SURFER utiliza sus poderes para ayudar a DAWN en la Tierra, sin querer hace algo tan devastador que podría dejar cicatrices de por vida. Preparaos para una sorprendente revelación.

SILVER SURFER #6
Luego de lo ocurrido en números recientes, Ahora es el turno de DAWN. Con un simple acto de bondad, SILVER SURFER quizá haya cambiado para siempre este mundo. ¿Qué está pasando? ¿Por qué hay monstruos invadiendo San Francisco? Además, SPIDER-MAN, llega para ayudar. Todo esto más toneladas de rareza cósmica, superhéroes sorpresa, y las historias especiales que servirán para celebrar el número 200 de SILVER SURFER.

VELVET # 14
Las intrigas en torno a VELVET aumentan, y el peligro también.

WONDER WOMAN EARTH ONE HC
WONDER WOMAN es re-imaginada para una nueva era. Adaptando la visión de su creador original, William Moulton Marston, Grant Morrison presenta a una Diana que anhela liberarse de su madre y de la sociedad utópica en Paradise Island para aprender sobre el mundo exterior prohibido. Sus sueños pueden hacerse realidad cuando el piloto de la Fuerza Aérea Steve Trevor se estrella en sus costas y debe desafiar las leyes de las Amazonas para devolverlo al Mundo del Hombre. ¿Está preparada para el choque cultural que le espera en América? ¿Y el mundo está listo para esta WONDER WOMAN?

ZENITH HC VOL 1
Primer volumen de la legendaria obra de Grant Morrison y Steve Yeowell.