marvel 1602

marvel 1602, by neil gaiman, andy kubert, richard isanove

now although i do consider myself a fan of pop culture, i don't think i'm overly obsessed with it, not a "fanboy" - i've never been to a pop culture expo or anything. and i didn't grow up reading many comics. definitely not marvel ones anyway.

i remember going to the school fair when i was about 7 and buying a comic for 5c that had a picture of a hand reaching out of a grave on the front. i don't know what i thought i was doing - one of my teachers (mrs bambury), who knew my mother, took one look at my purchase and said, "i don't think your mother will like that." i knew she was right. but i thought i'd try my luck. when i got home mum made me throw it away, but she did take me down to the bookshop to choose a couple of "more suitable" comics - walt disney ones.

so anyway the point of that giant digression was to illustrate that i have no real experience in the dark world of marvel comics. down at the local library the other day i was browsing the graphic novels (as i do) and came across this. i thought, well, i have to read a marvel comic sometime, and this one had the added intrigue of being set in 1602! i feel very interested in the colonial period at the moment for some reason. age of empires III has been my favourite game for the entire year, and i'm overly excited about the expansion pack that has just come out - but i'm digressing again.

i ended up really enjoying this book which is the story of some of the marvel legends appearing in the 17th century to save the world. of course not knowing marvel all that well i'm sure i missed some of the subtle innuendo, but i caught enough from the movies i've seen. it is brilliantly illustrated and drawn. and i highly recommend it.

on the stereo: 'que bonito' by jose refugio padilla, from the album 'ambient lounge vol 5'