"Potter's field: Stone cold"

"Potter's field" is the name of the first project writer Mark ("Kingdom Come", "Fantastic Four") Waid released through "Boom!" studious when he became their editor in chief in 2007. Aided by artist Paul ("Daredevil","B.P.R.D. 1946") Azaceta, the long-in-the-making mini-series published three issues, and completing it's first story arc, wrapped up by promising more.

Both creators had much to be happy with, since their efforts made for a very professional book, with an intriguing premise and flawless execution. But that's to be expected from the "Boom!" studios, who never let their status of an independent publisher omit them from putting out highly respectable material, such as "Talent" and "X isle". Still, with the way penciler/inker Azaceta kept getting more and more high profile work in the industry, it became doubtful that he would return soon to the book that just might be his best work.

It stands to the testament of both creators' belief in the concept, that they reunited for this one shot.

Now, having said that, the comic industry is no exception to the common problem of follow-ups, that which traditionally fail to engage the audience in the way the original work did. It's to be applauded then, that the creators take the effort to present the "Stone cold" one shot not only accessible to readers who have not re-read the original mini-series, but present their work in such a way that it's absolutely new-reader friendly.

"Potter's field" is a modern-day update on the pulp murder mysteries of the day, framed around a very distinctive concept. Waid's "Sherlock Holmes" is a mystery-man himself, who has set upon himself to discover the identities of the people buried in unmarked graves on Potter's field cemetery, hoping to bring closure to the tragic way in which their lives ended. Also, just like "the Shadow", he is pragmatic enough to recognise the need for the experts' help, making him more than just methodical, but relatively sociable, a rare trait in genre fiction of the sort.

"Stone cold" one shot starts with a grisly image that drives home perfectly the stakes in what turns out to be another detective mystery. The following several pages are exposition-heavy, but it serves as both a (re)introduction of the concept behind "Potter's field", as well as to lay out the particular problem our protagonist has found himself driven to solve. 

What follows is a mature effort by Waid and Azaceta, both time and again proven storytellers, as they bring their story to a definite conclusion, but not before dropping a few subtle nods as to the direction the series will, hopefully, one day continue in.

Once again, the book is soaked in the atmosphere of a lived-in big city, refreshingly set during winter time. Azaceta avoids using the familiar cues to drive in the "noir" feeling, dispensing with heavy rains, portraying all the characters in a realistic manner, with wrinkles atop their worried faces. This is a very sober and mature way to present a crime procedural series, helped immensely by Nick Filardi's earthy tones, that go hand in hand with Azaceta's afore-mentioned use of snow.

We are introduced to John Doe's current dilemma at night, on Potter's field, as it starts snowing. As her investigation starts, it's a new morning, with the weather changes picking up only later on, as the mood tightens, culminating in a very tense situation that resolves all the creators have been gearing towards. Conveyed in a subtle, but emotive way, all that goes to show the meticulousness of the author's approach, as the sure hands guide this franchise in a way that is to be commended.

The book falters only when it comes to the suspects behind the refreshingly new take on the type of the crime that seems uncommon but really amounts to a new take on the old con. To put it simply, 24 story pages is not enough space to introduce the cast of characters neccessary to plant the seed of doubt in a story where the basic nature of the crime is something that is not easy to explain.

But than again, not every story has to be a "whodunit", and this time around, the motives and reactions of the perpetrators, along with their reaction take center piece. In fact, the simple, even clumsy way, in which the antagonists have proceeded to carry out their scheme, is very convincing. The same is true for the rushed and emotional way in which they react when finally confronted with John Doe and his "agent".

Beat by beat, "Stone cold" remains a textbook example of crime fiction done in a smart, believable way, yet not without a couple of over-the-top action scenes. The final product seems so seamless in it execution that it cleverly disguises the hard work Waid and Azaceta put into it.

Of course, that also means that we've been once again some nods regarding John Doe's identity, that fit in both with the book's theme. In fact, the closing pages go so far as to tie that aspect with the particular crime that's been investigated, in the epilogue that brings the characters full circle to Potter's field at night. It's also a perfect tease for more "Potter's field" stories, that will hopefully show up once the authors find time in their busy schedules to go back to the concept.

the North wind

Now, this bit of review actually got deleted from the publisher's massage board, so I guess it could even be considered controversial!:)

I remember being satisfied with this when I wrote it, and I hope it makes for a nice read.

1. Introduction

Let's try to imagine that North wind is the movie, which will make for a much easier start of the review. Now, North wind the movie is your slightly atypical post-apocalyptic block buster movie, and it just opened in theatres. The story is basically a coming of age tale, set in the backdrop that is much more fantasy than sci-fi.

As a framing device, we're being told the story from a particular point in the future, which makes a framing device whose importance is clear in the epilogue. North Wind the movie doesn't give its main character Pak much to work with, painting him as a classic destiny-obsessed figure, whose idealism does not waver or accept the harsher reality the rest of the characters live in.

That said, most of them are stock characters, playing the roles of strong and ambitious single mother, spiritual wise tutor who steps in for the boy as a father figure, a slightly fazed love-interest, and a ruthless villain whose single redeeming feature conveniently stops being an issue by the end of the second act, just in time for the final confrontation. The less said of the fun-loving drunkard who Pak relies on when he gets to the city of Lost Angeles, the better.

Having said that, the setting is very early established and except for a single characteristic very quickly fades into the background, becoming yet another dark post-apocalyptic city.

As for the rest, there are a few times when a plot point takes the viewer by surprise, especially the ending, but was no doubt agreed upon to differentiate it from many other movies of the same ilk. There's even a tournament Pak enters incognito after he gets in the city, vying to win the chance to play catch up with his long-lost childhood friend, now distressingly in the domain of the evil governor. In the eleventh hour, the writer decides to throw in the obligatory resistance movement, just to raise the stakes for the explosive endgame.

There's not much more that can be said about North Wind the movie, except that there's always a possibility for the sequel. You either like this kind of movie, or you don't, and there's enough of a distinction on the surface, that coupled with a few twists in the story and a healthy dose of special effects, that it can leave it's mark on the jaded audiences, weary from the latest extravaganza that failed to entertain them.

Which is all well and good, but North Wind is a comic-book mini-series, which depending on how you look at that, could change everything.

2. the Mini-series

North Wind was a publishing experiment for Boom! Studios, an independent comic-book company mostly devoted to work on the projects which could be easily adapted into feature films. It also had the distinction of being the first comic-book to be officially distributed for free on MySpace, simultaneously with its release in the more traditional pamphlet format.

It's already optioned as a movie, which might mean nothing in the long run. It's also receiving flattering reviews on the Internet, but most of them are subjective anyway, which are traditionally willing to turn a blind eye towards non-superhero material, in favor of someone actually acting up on the good word and checking out the low-selling stuff too.

This is where things take a turn for the worse. Now, North Wind is by no means a bad comic-book, the writing is crystal clear, approachable, nicely-paced and art is both fitting, serviceable to the story and atmospheric, mostly of the well above-average level. The main problem lies in the basic idea that this is not a comic-book story, but one told in comics because of the inherent pulp thematic connections. The authors don't aim to achieve any particular artistic or entertaining value connected in the comic-book playing field, they are merely just another people trying to find their way to Hollywood by publishing a glorified sales pitch.

Which is not bad for the industry, but still makes the whole thing kind of soulless and interchangeable, particularly today, when the book's competing with many similar projects on the market. And that's where the irony becomes apparent, because even at their worst, comics fare better than retreading the same cliches, sporting your average bland protagonist like the latest CG-fueled movie does. The medium has potential for so much better and more innovative stuff, which has been proved time and time again, both in the mainstream and small press publishing.

Comic creators usually pick a more interesting angle, and find space to tell the story sporting something new and quirky, even when it's clear that they're not dealing with a winner. They try, make the whole thing into an ongoing and change direction, struggle with it, and even after it's ended or cancelled, a lot of questions are still in the air, along with a wealth of story and ideas that can eventually being mined into a solid movie.

North Wind is a comic-book designed from the start not to stray from its point, and thus forced to go through the motions, just to catch it's audience and surprise them when it steers left, at the moment when we all thought it would go right. It's a big action movie, but you are left feeling nobody got to attached to the thing, it was just an exercise in branding something very familiar into the next big thing everyone kids will pay their money to enjoy, and later continue the experience with the obligatory video-game tie-ins.

3. Should you read it?

Now, the only real question is, was the story worth your time and money. And, that depends on the reader – if you're looking to be entertained by a shallow, action-packed movie that hits the ground running and doesn't stop till the big finale, you're in for a fun ride, with some new thrills every once in a while. But, if you're a fan of the medium, and something that is both personal and authentic, you better give this a pass, just like the way you did the last blockbuster that you didn't want anything to do with.