REVIEW: The Mammoth Book Of Best Crime Comics by Various, Edited by Paul Gravett and designed by Peter Stanbury. Published in the US by Running Press and in the UK by Robinson Publishing
How best to encapsulate this brilliant anthology by comics journalist and historian Paul Gravett? Perhaps simply to say that it’s literally essential reading for anyone who is a fan of of crime comics in any capacity. There is rare and hard-to-find material that would make the jaded and well-read aficionado satisfied. There are examples of some of the classic and celebrated crime comics that will serve as a great introduction to new fans. There are strips from the American Golden Age as well as more contemporary work from Europe’s finest cartoonists. There are writers and artists so highly celebrated (and some not necessarily for their work in this particular genre) that their names transcend the world of comics and there are people whose very deserving work you’ve never heard of. There are works of deep, heart-rending emotion and comics of complete absurdity. This is simply the best cross-section of crime comics ever collected in a single edition and your collection is empty without it.
Represented herein are Alan Moore, whose Warrior-era short is a gritty song about gangster life set to gorgeous Lloyd Thatcher artwork, Simon & Kirby’s post-war story about counterfeiters, and a classic Spirit strip by Eisner that nearly makes it worth the price of admission alone. Also represented are absolute masters of the form who are sometimes tragically neglected by modern-era superhero fans: the himself-tragic Jack Cole tells a hideous cautionary fable about drug abuse, the brilliant Bernie Krigstein tells a tough-to-swallow but intensely conveyed story about a blind painting savant, and Alex Toth is typically stunning, his clean, angular 1950’s style on full display. Fantagraphics mainstay Charles Burns contributes the most bizarre and surreal entry, a Lynchian story of a wrestler-detective uncovering a smalltown insemination scandal. Tried-and-true genre standbys Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty offer a Ms. Tree story, Neil Gamian and Warren Pleece tell a creepy and unsettling story about an underground society and Paul Grist does a welcome and solid Kane comic. And I couldn’t even picture a comprehensive collection of crime comics that didn’t include the genre-defining, Comics Code-defying work of Johnny Craig.
Obviously, a big strength of this anthology is the variety of material and styles. “Crime comics” is a label that is far broader than it’s given credit for. You will almost certainly wind up learning about new cartoonists that you weren’t familiar with. As shamed as I am to say it, I am not as familiar with European cartoonists as I’d like to be. Since purchasing this book, I have discovered many names whose works I now follow and love. Jordi Bernet, whose artwork adorns the cover, is represented in a Torpedo 1936 story scripted by Sanchez Abuli that will absolutely make you a fan of their acclaimed Depression-era gangster series (please also look forward to the newly collected English-language edition of Torpedo, published by IDW). Bernet, who has recently done artwork for DC’s Jonah Hex, is now an indispensable part of my comics collection, as he should be yours. Gianluigi Gonano scripts a very human and street-level story about his character Commissario Spada which is rendered in remarkable realism by Gianni De Luca. Carlos Sampayo and Jose Munoz bring a sketchy, Tothian quality to a story about their character Alack Sinner, whose New York is beautifully realized, especially by two Spaniards originally from Argentina. And I scarcely feel the need to mention Tardi, whose West Coast Blues was recently published by Fantagraphics. I genuinely feel sorry for American readers unfamiliar with these incredible talents.
There could never be a collection of crime comics that didn’t acknowledge American Golden Age newspapers strips. In addition to the aforementioned and indispensable Spirit, novelist Mickey Spillane contributes not one but two entries, his Mike Hammer being a near-guaranteed inclusion. Speaking of novelists working in comics, I might have to choose Dashiell Hammett’s Agent X-9 strip as my single favorite thing in this whole book, both because I am a diehard Hammett fan and also for the undeniably superlative artwork of Alex Raymond. After the publication of his last novel but before he went to Hollywood, Hammett had a stint in the funny pages - his Agent X-9, certainly a detective but also an FBI agent? enjoyed a memorable run, featuring his trademark stark and powerful scripting, sparse and muscular characterization and myriad plot twists. But let’s talk about X-9’s greatest trait, the gorgeous artwork. Raymond, probably best known for Flash Gordon, is at the top of his game here. Every detail is stunningly and realistically rendered, his era-defining aesthetic completely realized. Raymond had a talent for drawing with incredible style and beauty, everyone looking like a model, impeccably dressed and capable of strong facial expressions and sincerity, never mind that every scene is another chance for a glamorous pose. If you love the aesthetic of 1930’s and ‘40’s prose and film, you will love Alex Raymond, whose work embodies everything classy and sexy about the era and that’s the bottom line. You could very well feel compelled to pick up IDW’s compilation of Rip Kirby comics, as well, Rip Kirby being a detective character Raymond created and worked on exclusively for many years (sadly, not represented in this particular anthology).
What’s left to say except that this is a perfectly realized anthology of crime comics that, while not entirely exhaustive, is as close as anyone could possibly ask for, compiled by a gentleman with obvious good taste and a long history studying the artform. If you value crime stories, for their intensity, for their bleak humor, for their desperation and struggle, you owe it to yourself to pick it up.
This is a review I wrote and posted on Simple Art Of Crime, a blog of crime fiction I’ve been invited to contribute to. If you have any inclination at all, please Follow! And big thanks to Pete, who is awesome for starting this blog, even if it was just to get people to give him recommendations.
