Culture Shock

Down to the Dirt: Joel Thomas Hynes By Alex Murray

A Canadian book, by a man who knows about the side of Canada rarely seen, even by ourselves. This is a savagely funny look at the underside of the lowest classes of Newfoundland. Hynes brings a unique twist to Canadian literature with this gritty, dark novel about an anti-hero named Keith Kavanagh. This book is filled with sick jokes, weird people, hard drinking, hard fighting, and above all a sense of reality.

Yes, this could actually happen.

Scuzzy (is that a word?): that is the feeling that this book holds. You want to take a shower after reading it. Keith is a person not to be trifled with. His outlandish behaviour and “might’ave been me” escapades are both criminally funny and modestly criminal.

If you are a person who stays to the safe side of the tracks and keeps out of trouble, this book might not be for you. Actually, axe that. This book should be read by everyone. It shows a world that is most likely very different from your own and quite possibly one that exists, just down the road in fact.

Above all, read this book because vulgar Canadian literature like this doesn’t come along that often.

Kick Ass: Icon Comics By Brad Denbow

More than just an awesome name, Kick Ass is a superbly written and visually stunning, no-holds-barred comic book filled with action, laughs, and all kinds of nerdy comic references.

Written by Mark Millar (Civil War, The Ultimates) with art by Johm Romita Jr. (Amazing Spiderman, and almost every major Marvel title), Kick tells the story of a kid that wanted to be a superhero so bad that one day he dressed up to fight crime . . . and got his ass kicked, but that didn’t stop him. Shortly after his initial beat-down, Dave (our “hero”) teams up with others that are into dressing up and acting like Peter Parker. Before he knows it, Dave is dragged into a world far more real and visceral than the pages that birthed his crime-fighting spirit.

With this month’s eighth issue, the first story arc is concluded with page after page of blood-splattered, mobster-crushing fun, so look for the compiled graph novel coming out soon, but not too soon.

The one problem I have with this book is, that since John Romita Jr. is the only artist working on this book, their schedule is crap - like, one issue every few months, and when each issue trails off with a wicked cliffhanger, three months is far too long to wait. That aside, I would have to say that Kick Ass is a surprisingly original and fresh take on the well-worn superhero genera.