Review: Pulp HC
Every now and again a book comes along that makes you sit back and think. Pulp is certainly one of those, crafted as it is like a Russian doll, where stories inside of stories conjugate to deliver a book with nuance, panache and style wrapped up in the idea of a life lived, re-started and lived through further.
Pulp focusses on writer Max Winters who writes pulp style westerns in 1930’s New York. With his most famous creation only just helping him eke out a living, he tries to be hero and almost dies. Surviving, he is racked with the guilt of knowing that he will leave his sweetheart, Rosa, is nary a cent to her name. Big dreams require bold decisions and a chance encounter leads Max to confront his past, death, the Nazi’s and his own fears and disappointments. But with a life lived through the decades of the late 1800’s which carries the biggest scars?
Ed Brubaker is a comic veteran having spent time at DC, Marvel and a host os indie companies including Dark Horse and Image. Loved for Gotham City Central and The Winter Soldier, he is a writer’s writer. This is evidenced by the clever layering of this story. One part western, one part crime, one part war and one part snapshot of the early comic book industry, if through metaphor only. Brubaker’s character Max is the focus for these layers, acting as a sort of key stone to it all. Through his eyes, you get to live his history, his present and buy in to his hope and dreams. Small details are hidden in plain sight, only with the big reveal adding to the cleverness of it all. The dialogue works well, in a kind of ersatz gangster way, though it’s Max’s inner monologue that impacts.
The art is supplied by Sean Phillips in a style that has edges. Phillips has to deal with a few different locations; the old west, New York and elements of the war. It is a hard mix for sure, but Phillips handles is with aplomb.  The book has a bit of a Batman Year One kind of look. I have never been a big western fan, though I did spend a summer reading the Hawk books of Mike Adams. Blame my granddad! The art for the various environments is glorious without a doubt; the figures carry the weight of their worlds in a weary way, with Rosa being the only ray of sunshine. The darkness that Max carries is in part visualised through the excellent colors of Jacob Phillips who delivers a consistent approach to the various locales. There is no letterer credited (not even on the Image website), so apologies if I have missed someone out.
This is the sort of book I love to review. At first glance, it’s not for me. Upon second glance, it’s a cowboy book. But then when I sat and read it, my expectations were blown away; I actually cared bout Max, his life and his dreams.
Well done gentlemen, well done indeed.
Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
Overall – 5 Stars
Written by; Ed Brubaker
Art by; Sean Phillips
Colors by; Jacob Phillips
Letters by: ??
Published by; Image Comics
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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