Weekend Reading-- Elephantmen
Here's a series I've been meaning to revisit for a while now-- Richard Starking's Elephantmen. I'm actually working up my notes for a review of the latest issue, #23, but this entire series about genetically mutated animals, made to be the perfect soldiers, and then liberated and set free, has been such a wonderful blend of mystery, noir, war and talking animal stories. Starkings has taken his time to tell a story, building up the characters and their environments carefully. There's about 3 or 4 different but linked stories going on here. Also, these books feature some terrific art by guys that just aren't talked about that often like Moritat and Boo Cook. Moritat is on an upcoming Spirit title from DC so hopefully that'll get him some more notice but these guys have taken the original designs of Ladronn and been faithful to them while making the book something different. And I think that one of Starkings' strengths has been gathering a group of artists together who all have different but complimentary styles. Elephantmen isn't reliant on one consistent artist working on the book but yet there's been a strong continuity for the most part in the general art style that's been maintained during this run.
