LOST DOGS
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Jeff Lemire
Top Shelf $9.95
THE UNDERWATER WELDER
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Jeff Lemire
Top Shelf $19.95
"The very essence of literature is the war between emotion and intellect, between life and death." - I. B. Singer
James R: I can clearly remember the first time I saw Jeff Lemire's work. I was sat in the Vertigo panel at the Bristol Comic Expo in May 2009, and Bob Wayne was doing his usual overview of what we could expect from DC's mature books in the upcoming months. "Next, we have Sweet Tooth... this is from writer and artist Jeff Lemire… It's a post-apocalyptic tale that's, well, it's very different, and it's one of the best first issues I've ever read." Behind Bob was the cover of Sweet Tooth #1, and the innocent face of Gus, the series' protagonist, stared out. The eyes seem to play a key role in Lemire's work, and there was an ineffable quality to that image of Gus and his stare. Even though I couldn't say precisely why, I knew I had to get on board with this series. Jump forward to today, and I'm incredibly pleased I did - not only has Sweet Tooth been one of the best series of the new millennium, but Lemire has established himself as one of the premier writers in comics, and the creative force behind three books of DC's New 52.
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Jeff Lemire
Top Shelf $9.95
THE UNDERWATER WELDER
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Jeff Lemire
Top Shelf $19.95
"The very essence of literature is the war between emotion and intellect, between life and death." - I. B. Singer
James R: I can clearly remember the first time I saw Jeff Lemire's work. I was sat in the Vertigo panel at the Bristol Comic Expo in May 2009, and Bob Wayne was doing his usual overview of what we could expect from DC's mature books in the upcoming months. "Next, we have Sweet Tooth... this is from writer and artist Jeff Lemire… It's a post-apocalyptic tale that's, well, it's very different, and it's one of the best first issues I've ever read." Behind Bob was the cover of Sweet Tooth #1, and the innocent face of Gus, the series' protagonist, stared out. The eyes seem to play a key role in Lemire's work, and there was an ineffable quality to that image of Gus and his stare. Even though I couldn't say precisely why, I knew I had to get on board with this series. Jump forward to today, and I'm incredibly pleased I did - not only has Sweet Tooth been one of the best series of the new millennium, but Lemire has established himself as one of the premier writers in comics, and the creative force behind three books of DC's New 52.
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I began reading Lost Dogs with no idea where the story would take me, and I have to say it was comparable to the work of the great Chris Ware for emotional impact. I felt bereft at the end of the Sailor's story, and even though it's a misanthropic tale, it conveys a truth that's hard to ignore - pain, loss and horror are all part of our lives, but equally so is forgiveness and redemption. It also looks remarkable - despite Lemire's claim that his work looks bad in the preface, it's certainly not true. The use of black, white, grey and red gives an amazing sense of time and place which pays off in a crescendo of emotion in the final pages. However, if Lost Dogs is a tale rich in malevolence, his latest work, The Underwater Welder, shows that the depths do not always triumph.
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The Underwater Welder is an incredible achievement on a number of levels, but it's a double whammy in that you could give it to that strangest of person - the non-comics reader - and they would be drawn into Jack Joseph's world as easily as we fanboys. For us, there is the reward of seeing an artist continuing do develop his themes with remarkable skill. When Lemire announced Sweet Tooth would be coming to a natural end, I was heartbroken as (unsurprisingly) I had grown to love and care for the cast of Lemire's post-apocalyptic world, but in reading The Underwater Welder I'm now enthused that there is so much more to come from him. Wherever his writing take us - the past, the future, the depths of the ocean or distant space - we know that it will be a location that is just a backdrop to the immense drama of the human heart. I can't recommend The Underwater Welder highly enough, and if like me you've become a fan of Jeff Lemire, Lost Dogs is an essential addition to your collection too.
Lost Dogs 8/10
The Underwater Welder 10/10
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