Comic books have a long history of taking shots at the establishment. Superhero comics are pretty much predicated on the little guy standing up to the big corrupt guy; but if we’re being honest, they’re pretty tame in their dissent. They are published by the big guy, after all.
You really want to stick it to the man? You want comics that challenge the way you think? Comics that aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty? Comics where the “hero” uses a bowel disruptor on the President? (I’m looking at you Spider Jerusalem.) In the spirit of radical books like “Transmetropolitan” and “The Invisibles,” here are three current comic books that go where guys like Batman and Captain America can’t.
“TOKYO GHOST”
“Tokyo Ghost” is the newest comic from one of my favorite working writers in comics, Rick Remender (“Black Science,” “Deadly Class,” “Low”), and superstar artist Sean Murphy (“Punk Rock Jesus,” “The Wake,” “Chrononauts”). Set against the backdrop of a Blade Runner-esque dystopian Los Angeles where massive skyscrapers and pollution blot out the sun, “Tokyo Ghost” is the story of two outsiders, Debbie Decay and Led Dent, and their conflicted relationship with technology. In their future, humanity has descended into a society of pitiful addicts, always looking for the next source of stimulation, be it from blood sport, gambling, porn, reality TV, or any of the other feeds that can be streamed directly to their eyeballs. Debbie and Led, who could be loosely described as “law-enforcement”, have one last criminal to bring in before they split town and go to Tokyo, a technology-free oasis and their last bastion of hope in a filthy world.
Exceptionally raunchy, fowl-mouthed and ultra-violent, this book is not for the faint of heart. It’s excessive in these aspects, but it’s also chock full of jet-black dark humor. If “Tokyo Ghost” sounds bleak, that’s because it is, but mainly in the service of making a satirical point that we’re all basically hopeless techno-zombies already. The people of this world are so mollified and detached that you might be forgiven for assuming they were playing “Pokemon Go” (cheap shot.) Led Dent is so lost in his holographic smut, he can barely string two words together. The man who provides the people with their addictive technology is Mr. Flak, C.E.O. of the Flak Corporation. Obsessed with his own genitalia, plastering his name on everything, and the proud owner a party-boat battleship with a digital “border wall” to only let in the “best” and “classiest” people, he may remind you of somebody… Long story short, Debbie and Led make it to Tokyo, things don’t go as planned, and the titular “Tokyo Ghost” returns to Los Angeles to make Flak and his lackeys pay. If you’re looking for a healthy, vicarious way to take out your anger on a certain presidential candidate, here it is.
“SCARLET”
This book is a rough read, and it just keeps getting rougher as our real world spirals out of control. “Scarlet” is written by the prolific Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by his frequent collaborator, Alex Maleev. It’s the story of a young woman from Portland and her call to action following her near execution and the murder of her boyfriend at the hands of a corrupt police force. First published in 2010, and quite sporadically since (#10 just hit stands), this is one book that has, sadly, only become more relevant as time goes on. Shockingly, the first issue opens with Scarlet strangling a police officer to death and then dares you to try and understand why.
Now, I’m not here to debate whether Scarlet’s actions are right or wrong, but what’s fascinating about this book is that it’s nuanced to the point that any two different readers may have two completely different reactions to it. The narrative may be firmly set in Scarlet’s point-of-view (she frequently breaks the fourth wall and explains herself to the reader) but it’s purpose is to help you understand her role as a victim, not necessarily defend her reaction. And it’s not just her either. One issue puts you in the shoes of a girl whose father was murdered by the police in a case of racial profiling. Another introduces a veteran suffering from PTSD from a traumatizing experience overseas involving a disgusting display of civilian casualties. Another, the story of a woman whose partner killed herself after a barrage of homophobia and harassment. In each of their cases, the system was complicit because it either did nothing to make the situation right or was guilty of causing it in the first place. These are people who have been failed by our society and are justifiably angry. Justified enough to take the law into their own hands? I’ll bet you’ve already decided, but damned if Scarlet isn’t going to attempt to convince you she’s right.
In the end, whatever side you come out on, this book is likely going to break your heart. There’s no satire or sardonic humor going on here, folks; “Scarlet” is dark, challenging and angry.
“RENATO JONES: THE ONE%”
Renato Jones is the best new comic of 2016 and that’s mainly because it feels fresh and original in the way that “Transmetropolitan” and “The Invisibles” must have felt when those books debuted. Kaare Andrews (“Iron Fist: The Living Weapon”, “Spider-Man: Reign,” “Astonishing X-Men”) has already been carving out a niche style for himself over the last few years, but this is the first thing he’s done that feels like it is totally and uniquely Kaare Andrews.
The set up is pretty simple, a “One-Percenter” decides to use his wealth for good by putting on a mask and putting the screws to the other “One-Percenters.” His story is not dissimilar from Bruce Wayne’s (he even has his own Alfred) but his motivation is different. See, Renato Jones is not actually Renato Jones. He’s a little boy from Jakarta who looks remarkably like a little boy named Renato who disappeared years before. He takes up his name and soon discovers that Grandma Jones is responsible for the death of the real Renato and his parents. In attempting to finish the job, Grandma accidentally blows her own brains out (with a magnificently disgusting shot of a shotgun barrel sliding through her head) and Renato gets his first taste of blood. Mr. Church (his badass… butler? …manservant? Let’s just call him his Alfred) tells him that this is “restitution.” He explains to him that “Renato” means “rebirth” and that everything has a price, so “EARN IT!”
It’s important to note that Renato is not out for revenge and has no personal stake in this game because it’s part of what makes this book so interesting. He may look like Batman and sound like Robin Hood, but he’s more of a Dexter. He’s not doing what he’s doing because they killed his family or kidnapped his girlfriend or something, he’s doing it because he can use his status as one of their own against them and because it’s the right thing to do. Renato is not on a crusade, he’s just doing what he can to balance the scales. It’s easy to look at this book and think that it’s trying to be controversial or incendiary or that it’s an even angrier story than “Scarlet,” but I don’t think that it comes from an angry place. If I had to use one word to describe Renato Jones, it would be FUN.
And the reason this book is fun is because Kaare Andrews is a master storyteller. His inventive visual storytelling is cinematic in a way that comics rarely achieve and is comic-booky in ways that a movie could never be. From the Bond-esque cold opens to the fight scenes that use sound effects as a canvas for Renato to flip around like Stretch Armstrong doing ballet, every page is packed to the rafters with style and surprise. Each issue I find it impossible to guess what will happen next, but I do know it will be magnificently depicted. A panel looking down the POV of a gun, Renato’s victim flying backward (minus a head) and a trail of blood spiraling beautifully away. An attention grabbing tagline: “How many killer sex-bots does it take to fuck the world?” A two-page spread of a(nother) Donald Trump stand-in getting pegged by his trophy girlfriend. A sadistic billionaire who hits a button on his watch and becomes a raging hulk monster (and thinking to myself, oh this is THAT kind of book.) I could go on and on and there’s only been three issues!
Each issue makes a point of letting readers know that “Renato Jones: The ONE%” is created, written, drawn and OWNED (emphasis is sic) by Kaare Kyle Andrews. What that means is by supporting this book you’re supporting an individual artist’s vision. Not a committee’s vision or a corporate IP factory’s vision. Definitely not the big guy’s vision. The big guy’s vision has no room for comic books about shooting rich people in the face. So you really want to stick it to the man? Here’s your chance.
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Tokyo Ghost vol. 1, Scarlet vol. 1 and Renato Jones: The ONE% #3 are all available now at your favorite comic book store, assuming they aren’t total narcs.