PG TIPS No. 13:
PAUL GRAVETT'S RECOMMENDED READING

In a regular series of PG Tips articles, Paul Gravett reviews books of and about comics from his recommended reading list.

De:TALES : Stories from Urban Brazil
by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba
Dark Horse, $14.95

"There's an awful lot of comics in Brazil!" but most are American or Japanese imports, with few outlets for the wealth of local talent. That's why many dream of cracking the US market. The persistence of fraternal, identical-looking twins Fabio and Gabriel has paid off with this collection of twelve short stories, from 2 to 24 pages, crafted together or solo between 2001 and 2005. Both brothers are equally adept artists, but their styles show distinct influences: Fabio, signing with a crescent moon, is inspired by Paul Pope, while Gabriel looks to Eduardo Risso. They conjure up their young, yearning characters who navigate the city's daytime heat and hustle and its nights of parties, bars and the promise of romance in longing glances, missed chances and first encounters. In Late for Coffee they unfold the shifts in dialogue, silence and expressions on a couple's awkward yet tender date, their first and perhaps last. In another tale, a much-missed friend's fleeting return from the dead is calmly accepted as friends and lovers commemorate his birthday. A graphic diary records the brothers' unnerving run-in with a gang on the Paris metro, while in a pair of strips each twin relates the same surreal confusion of identities in his own way. Based on this strong double debut, hopes ride high for their further and longer comics to come.

Strangers In Paradise: The Treasury Edition
by Terry Moore
Harper Perennial Currents, $23.95

Big-time publishers Harper Collins put out this glossy, large-format, 240-page compendium to celebrate the 10th anniversary and over one million copies sold of Terry Moore's ever-changing love triangle Strangers In Paradise. Moore reveals biographical background on how he got started in newspaper strips and self-publishing, how he found his leading characters Katchoo, Francine and David, and a candid 'director's cut' commentary on key scenes. Unseen extras include sketches, references materials, censored panels and all 20 pages of the scrapped first issue. The perfect treat for all SiP fans and a great way for the broader public to discover one of the strongest, character-driven romantic dramas in comics.

Bombaby: The Screen Goddess
by Antony Mazzotta
Amaze Ink/Slave Labor, $13.95

With all the larger-than-life exuberance of Bollywood, this technicolor fantasy is actually made in America. Sangeeta Mukherjee is the spirited daughter of a respectable family in a male-dominated society, who learns she is the reincarnation of India's ancient protector goddess. Mazzotta takes us on her journey of self-discovery and independence.

Road to Perdition 2: On The Road
by Max Allan Collins, José Garcia Lopez, Steve Lieber & Josef Rubinstein
DC/Paradox Press, $14.95

Not a prequel or sequel to the period gangster graphic novel, adapted into a movie by Sam Mendes, but a collection of three stories, set within the film during the six months when wanted hitman Michael O'Sullivan and his son are on the run. Masterful tales which expand and enhance your enjoyment of the original.

American Splendor: Our Movie Year
by Harvey Pekar and various artists
Ballantine Books, $16.95

It's been quite a year for opinionated Cleveland file-clerk Pekar with the movie version of his down-to-earth autobiographical comics bringing him fame, film awards and huge acclaim. From Sundance to Cannes, Pekar reveals his behind-the-screen experiences, illustrated by artists R. Crumb, Mark Zingarelli, Gary Dumm and others.

PG Tips is a monthly sidebar to Paul Gravett's Novel Graphics column in Comics International providing shorter reviews of the latest recommended books of and about comics.