Stumptown Vol. 4: The Case of a Cup of Joe

Today I finished Stumptown Vol 4 which is the 4th and so far, last edition of the Stumptown series.

Portland's best private investigator Dex Parios is back, and this time, the case is a real grind. When she picks up a simple assignment to escort a package of highly-prized coffee beans, Dex has no idea that she's stepping into the web of the Barista Mafia and eccentric billionaires with no compunction about using force to get the most coveted coffee around. And to top it all off, her sister is in town.

Join Eisner Award-winner Greg Rucka and series artist Justin Greenwood (The Fuse) for the The Case of a Cup of Joe, the fourth case in the critically-acclaimed Stumptown series. This oversized hardcover edition also collects a bonus silent issue, as well as extra material such as issue covers, process pieces, and creator commentary.

This story, like the last, was drawn by Justin Greenwood. Greenwood took over from Mathew Southworth, who did the artwork for the first two of the series.

This story introduces Dex's sister, Fuji. It's no surprise that they don't get along. Dex may be flawed, but her sister is more so. I love Dex's character, but found Fuji rather unlikable.

Once again the story is a fast paced tale, told well by Rucka and again, I enjoyed Greenwoods artwork. A bonus story follows, listed as Chapter 5, but is a fresh tale. There is also a multi-paged interview with Rucka and Greenwood on how the story and art came together.

I hope this isn't the last of the series. Looking back, a new Stumptown came out in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017. Hey! What happened to 2019?

Hopefully, more of this series will follow.

Stumptown Vol. 3

I'm determined to finish all four Stumptown books currently available before the end of January. Today I finished Vol.3, The Case of the King of Clubs.

Greg Rucka's fan-favorite P.I. is back on the case in this new hardcover! When one of investigator Dex Parios's dearest friends is brutalized following a Portland Timbers match, Dex is determined to get to the bottom of the attack no matter who stands in her way! Join Eisner Award-winner Rucka and new series artist Justin Greenwood (The Fuse) as Dex kicks more than just soccer balls in her pursuit of the assailant.

One big difference is the artwork, which is now done by Justin Greenwood instead of  Mathew Southward. It's as well done as before but the panels are brighter. I would take either in any Stumptown graphic novel.

I enjoyed the story, although I wasn't quite satisfied by the ending. Dex is herself and is drawn pretty much the same. Despite all her faults, she is a loyal friend which drives her in this story.

Still hooked on the graphic novels and the TV show. Looking forward to Volume 4.

Stumptown Vol. 2

In December I read my first Stumptown Graphic Novel and loved. Today I finished Volume 2: The Case of the Baby in the Velvet Case.

From Eisner Award-winning writer Greg Rucka and acclaimed artist Matthew Southworth comes a new Stumptown mystery! Dex Parios has finally opened her own office, and her first case is to find rock star Mim Bracca's baby - her prized guitar - which disappeared after her band Tailhook's Portland show. Mim has no leads, and she doesn't want to go to the police, but Dex needs the case, and besides, it shouldn't be that hard to find a missing guitar. As long as the D.E.A. doesn't get involved ... or the Skinheads.

This one is as gritty and fun as the first. I'm not sure if the original Stumptown, published in 2011, was meant as a one off, this one came out 2 years later in 2013 but the backgrounds of Dex Perois and her brother Ansel, have been expanded. Each panel has the same gritty and dark feel as the first volume.

Like the first book, the story is interesting, fast paced, with the art work excellently done. I'm enjoying this series as much as I'm enjoying the TV show.

Stumptown Vol. 1

I rarely read graphic novels. In fact I think I've only ever read a couple. Stumptown, however, interested me as I became quickly hooked by the TV show inspired by it. The other day I picked up all four volumes in the series.

Volume#1 is titled,:The Case of the Girl Who Took her Shampoo (But Left her Mini).

Dex is the proprietor of Stumptown Investigations, and a fairly talented P.I. Unfortunately, she's less adept at throwing dice than solving cases. Her recent streak has left her beyond broke—she's into the Confederated Tribes of the Wind Coast for 18 large. But maybe Dex's luck is about to change.

Sue-Lynne, head of the Wind Coast's casino operation, will clear Dex' debt if she can locate Sue-Lynne's missing granddaughter. Is this job Dex's way out of the hole or a shove down one much much deeper?

I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story by Greg Rucka is a fast paced, dark tale, with a flawed but heroic and moral main character, Dex Perios.

Here's the way she describes herself to another in the story: I gamble, I drink, I smoke, I've got a car that runs half the time. I just took out a second mortgage, half my bills are past due ... I own three pairs of shoes, one dress that I'm not ashamed to be seen in, two pairs of jeans and a collection of t-shirts that say more about my adolescence than I car to remember ... My word is all I have.

How's that for a tragic hero?

The plot is well complimented by the art work of Mathew Southworth. The gritty story is aided by each panel illustrating the gloom and dinginess of the setting.

As a bonus, there is a second short Dex Perois story at the end. I loved both.

I'm looking forward to diving into the next volume in the series

Book Review - We Stand on Guard

I don't read many graphic novels but just finished We Stand on Guard by writer Brian K. Vaughan who wrote the SAGA series and Canadian storyboard artist Steve Skroce, who has done the storyboards for Hollywood blockbusters such as The Matrix Trilogy, I, Robot, and Jupiter Ascending.

Set 100 years in our future, WE STAND ON GUARD follows a heroic band of Canadian civilians turned freedom fighters who must defend their homeland from invasion by a technologically superior opponent...the United States of America.

The original story was told in a series of six comic books, all of which are combined here in one book.

I found that the artwork was great and the story entertaining, but felt that the story moved along too quickly. It would have worked better for me if some of the story lines were more fully flushed out. But that might just be me. As I am not used to reading graphic novels I really don't know if this is the normal pace of a book like this or not.

It's always good to read different kinds of stories and I am glad I read this, as I did enjoy the story.

Book Review - 300 by Frank Miller

I have never read a graphic novel, then gone out to see the movie. It is always the other way around and so it was this time when I read 300. The movie was fantastic, hopefully the book would be too

300 is a story of war and defiance as only Frank Miller can tell. Featuring the watercolor talents of painter Lynn Varley, 300 marks the first collaboration for these two creators since 1990's Elektra Lives Again. The five-part series is collected into a beautiful, 88-page hardcover volume, with each two-page spread from the comic presented as it was originally intended - as a single undivided page, greatly enhancing the graphic and narrative power of this immortal tale of heroic sacrifice.

The story is very loosely based on the Battle of Thermopylae in the 5th century BC where a small band of 300 highly trained Spartan warriors held off a huge Persian army at a small pass at Thermopylae. It is estimated that the 300 killed more than 20,000 Persians in the battle.

I found the artwork excellent but the story confusing. I am glad I got it from the library instead of buying it and it is a very quick read.

Forget the book. See the movie!

Book - Captain Canuck

"Captain Canuck has influenced Canadian cartoonists for more than 30 years! Now Richard Comely and George Freeman''s best-selling opus returns with the first of two beautiful, hardcover collections, completely re-mastered from the original coloring. Collects issues #4-10, as well as the never-before-printed Captain Canuck newspaper strip.

Described as a cross between Captain America and Flash Gordon, the first Captain Canuck patrols Canada in the (then) futuristic world of 1993, where "Canada had become the most powerful country in the world." He was the costumed agent of the CSIS (Canadian Secret Intelligence Services)."

I looked forward reading this book when I first heard of it. This book, described as a graphic novel, is instead a collection of comic issues from the Captain Canuck comic book series. The series ran intermittently from 1975 to 1981.

While it is well-drawn, I did not enjoy the story lines which I found jumped around too much. I was hoping for the series to be much more fun than it was.

I applaud the effort to bring a true Canadian superhero to life but must say this was not for me.