Good Omens. Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett June 22, 2009
Posted by Cyd in fantasy.Tags: angels, apocalypse, comedy, demons, fantasy, humour, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett
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Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
This novel was originally published in 1990, before Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett were as well known as they are today. It’s a terrifically fun book, full of the silliness that I associate with Pratchett, and the inventiveness that I associate with Gaiman.
Eleven years ago, the stage was set for the end of the world. And now everything has been put in motion for the final battle between the armies of Good and Evil. Except for one small problem – someone’s botched things.
Aziraphale (an Angel) and Crowley (“an Angel who did not so much Fall as Saunter Vaguely Downwards”) are pressed by their respective bosses to make sure that everything goes right in the final moments of the Apocalypse. The problem is things aren’t going right, and the pair, who have been friends for ages (literally), are actually rather happy about that.
Enter into that mix a descendant of Agnes Nutter, Witch, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the last existing members of the Witchfinder Army, a group of kids and an assortment of other characters, and you get this funny story of the end of the world (maybe). There is a lot of action, a lot of confusion, and a good bit of satire about the nature of good and evil, and of end-of-the-world prophecies.
I completely enjoyed reading this book. It’s a great light read, perfect for summer.
Wormwood, Gentleman Corpse – Vol. 1 and 2. Ben Templesmith November 6, 2008
Posted by Cyd in fantasy, graphic novel.Tags: apocalypse, Ben Templesmith, Birds Bees Blood & Beer, Calamari, interdimensional gate, It Only Hurts When I Pee, leprechaun, Medusa, Mr. Pendulum, Phoebe, Trotsky, Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse
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Volume 1: Birds, Bees, Blood & Beer, Volume 2: It Only Hurts When I Pee. Writing and artwork by Ben Templesmith.
I finally got my hands on the first two volumes of Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, after already having read Volume 3: Calamari Rising. I had been wondering if the first volume provided back-story for Wormwood, but it doesn’t really. Instead, little bits of information about who he is and what he’s about are sprinkled throughout the stories. I prefer this approach, it’s more interesting than reading prologues or introductions.
There are a few main characters. Wormwood is a sentient slug living in the eye socket of an animated corpse. His friends include Trotsky, a ghost cop, Mr. Pendulum, mechanical sidekick who looks like a member of ZZ Top (circa 1985), and Phoebe, one of Medusa’s sisterhood of gatekeepers. Somehow, Templesmith makes all of this seem sensible.
Ben Templesmith is a hugely talented artist, and the artwork in the books is excellent. Rich, dark colours and odd looking characters inhabit a dreary world that wouldn’t be out of place in a Ridley Scott movie. His artwork sometimes reminds me of that of Dave McKean.
The stories, though, are the best part. They are funny, satirical, and very off-the-wall. The strangest things happen, and stories are resolved in most unexpected ways. He sneaks in some very subversive bits (for example, secret communications between the Vatican and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in “Segue to Destruction” in Volume 2) that are terrific.
I don’t want to spoil the fun for anyone, so I’m not going to go into a lot of detail. I’ll just say that reading these books was the most fun I’ve had with a graphic novel. I recommend them to anyone looking for something truly original.
Both books include extra artwork and cover art at the end. More artwork can be found on Templesmith’s website – it’s worth having a look.
