Deadman Collection, The

Rating:
Summary: A Magnificent Collection
Review: This is a gorgeous volume, beautifully reproduced on hard stock paper, and it definitely belongs in the library of all comic book fans. Seeing Neal Adams' work reproduced with high quality printing is a real treat -- it's as if we'd only ever seen the art through a dirty window. If there's one problem, it's that the newly inked version of the second story which Adams did especially for this book makes one wish he had done the same to all of his art. For those unfamiliar with "Deadman," it's a classic revenge story with a supernatural angle: acrobat Boston Brand is murdered by person or persons unknown to him; he's allowed to come back from the dead to track down his own killer. But there's a catch: Brand is a spirit, and has to take over the bodies of living people in order to pursue his quest; the people he possesses have no memory of what happens while they're possessed. Created by Arnold Drake in 1967, the stories (by several writers) are solid and hold up well, and are given their real power by Adams' incredible art. The drawings crackle with energy and emotion, sometimes literally breaking out of the panels. Adams set new standards for comic book art and story telling when he did this work, and it's easy to see how he influenced the next generation of artists. DC Comics is to be highly commended for putting together such an outstanding volume.

Rating:
Summary: A Magnificent Collection
Review: This is a gorgeous volume, beautifully reproduced on hard stock paper, and it definitely belongs in the library of all comic book fans. Seeing Neal Adams' work reproduced with high quality printing is a real treat -- it's as if we'd only ever seen the art through a dirty window. If there's one problem, it's that the newly inked version of the second story which Adams did especially for this book makes one wish he had done the same to all of his art. For those unfamiliar with "Deadman," it's a classic revenge story with a supernatural angle: acrobat Boston Brand is murdered by person or persons unknown to him; he's allowed to come back from the dead to track down his own killer. But there's a catch: Brand is a spirit, and has to take over the bodies of living people in order to pursue his quest; the people he possesses have no memory of what happens while they're possessed. Created by Arnold Drake in 1967, the stories (by several writers) are solid and hold up well, and are given their real power by Adams' incredible art. The drawings crackle with energy and emotion, sometimes literally breaking out of the panels. Adams set new standards for comic book art and story telling when he did this work, and it's easy to see how he influenced the next generation of artists. DC Comics is to be highly commended for putting together such an outstanding volume.