The One Trick rip-off + Deep cuts

Pope has long been admired for his unique global comics fusion, mixing the sensuous brushwork of European comics, the dynamic layouts and pacing of Japanese manga, and the punk ethos of American youth. This collection of early rarities shows the artist dabbling in styles and developing a distinct visual and narrative voice. The centerpiece, drenched in a Reservoir Dogs-like sense of unraveling calamity, follows two young lovers through a doomed attempt to ditch town with a cache of stolen cash. Also included are various pieces that are closer to poems than stories and some work Pope made while attempting to carve out a career during the burgeoning manga boom of the late 1990s. The hodgepodge whole presents a stylistically dazzling, substantively middleweight, and revealing look at Pope's early work. The collection should slake, at least briefly, fans' thirst for his upcoming Battling Boy, easily one of the most highly anticipated graphic novels of the year.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist

This collection of the earliest published works of Pope (Heavy Liquid, Batman 100) reveals a young cartoonist already "nearly fully formed." At 22, Pope's bravado was matched by an actual ability that is rare at that age. These short stories, which were created between 1993 and 1996, were created at the same time Pope's THB was capturing attention, and they highlight the confidence that he employed in his work. The offerings range from gritty slacker crime drama to mysterious illustrated poetry, as well as the comedic, girlie grossness of "Super Trouble," which may be the most successful story in the book, thanks to its mix of all the elements that define Pope. There is something here for any taste, though, and Pope's artwork, regardless of genre, is always impeccable, pulling from his European influences like Hugo Pratt and finessing that with scrappy, urban grime. At times it resembles a Gilbert Hernandez with less abstract narrative tendencies. Pope's comics are certainly more Godard than Kirby, and that foreign movie tone sets him apart. There's no fumbling in his experimentation, and it's apparent he started out several steps ahead of most young cartoonists in understanding the creative road he wanted to walk and setting off down that road with confidence. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Originally published in the mid-1990s, marking territory in a landscape of comics populated by women characters with disproportionate busts and muscular superheroes gritting their teeth at one another, Eisner Award-winning writer and artist Pope's (Batman: Year 100; THB; Heavy Liquid; 100%) work stood out like a sore thumb. His art marries the romance found in European comics and the frenetic pace of manga, while his writing is both authentic and poetic. The story follows young lovers Tubby and Vim, whose plan to escape the mistakes of their lives involves breaking into a safe belonging to Tubby's gang, the One Tricks. But they aren't the only ones with this plan, and things quickly deteriorate. Reprinted for the first time in color by Jamie Grant (All-Star Superman), the story is followed by a section titled "Deep Cuts," which features some of Pope's rarest works, from two-page illustrated poems and personal reflections to full-length manga adventures. Verdict The work in its entirety is a must-read for Pope fans. Purists might be turned off by the added color, but the "Deep Cuts" are largely historical. A stylish neonoir recommended for crime fiction fans.-Peter Petruski, Cumberland Cty. Lib. Syst., Carlisle, PA (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.