SUPER BOOK CLUB TEAM-UP
VOL. 2
Bitter Root Volume 1: Family Business
PLOT:
In the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance is in full swing, and only the Sangerye Family can save New York-and the world-from the supernatural forces threatening to destroy humanity. But the once-great family of monster hunters has been torn apart by tragedies and conflicting moral codes. The Sangerye Family must heal the wounds of the past and move beyond their differences… or sit back and watch a force of unimaginable evil ravage the human race.
CREATIVE TEAM:
Written by DAVID F. WALKER along with indie veteran CHUCK BROWN (Trench Coats, Cigarettes and Shotguns) and illustrated by SANFORD GREENE (Power Man and Iron Fist).
THE SCORE CARD:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-B38FNZ267
THE STORY:
The Telltale Mind – While it read just fine, the story of a monster-hunting family has been done numerous times whether one thinks of the Bloodstone’s from Marvel or the Van Helsing’s from Vampirella and other popular literature, Sam and Dean from Supernatural or The October Faction from Steve Niles at IDW. It is not exactly a new concept and as such, it feels very familiar despite this being about a Harlem family fighting off creatures called the Jinoo. Overall, it was enjoyable and would definitely read more if given a chance but it was not as compelling as it should have been, perhaps that familiarity preventing it from being as such. If there were any faults to be found, that was it. The characters were interesting, their history and the world-building that Chuck Brown and David F. Walker would do was continuous and began immediately in the first issue which was great to see. Also good was the fact that the book essentially started off with a bit of action, hooking readers right off the bat and keeping them reading as it would rarely let up for the rest of the volume. Everything works on nearly every level except that ‘been there, done that’ feeling.
Mark Radulich – This was not what I expected. I was inspired to read this after reading David F Walker’s run on Power Man and Iron Fist. And while I got something Afrocentric, which is what I wanted, it’s also a barely readable zombie story. It starts off making a degree of sense and those all over the place and near as I can tell we never got a rational explanation for why things were happening the way they were. I’m assuming the back half of the series gives more answers and I’ll probably read them but I’ll admit that I’m a bit disappointed in the series so far.
Charlton Hero – Where do I begin except that the book was a very blustery and quick unfulfilling read and this is nothing special or new!! I started and was intrigued to read all about a family of Monster Hunters battling hordes of the infected or undead but this is a serious retread. Many things in this book have been redone so many times in issues of Marvels Midnight Sons imprints, themes are lifted from books like Kirkman’s The Walking Dead and even DCs Night Force to go waaay back. Now let’s be clear I was NOT bored nor did I dislike the storyline it just wasn’t fresh. There is a tremendous amount of action in the first 5 issues to the point I was left trying to recall the main story issue to issue! The Sangeryes family history is slowly developed throughout this first arc and we get just enough between the action to figure our path through this world that our creative team is building here! I dug the Harlem spin on the entire world vs the undead stories that we are super served in the 2000s. The industry has been in need of some great new diverse characters and this family’s story sets the table nicely for a backdrop that hasn’t been explored in many books from this perspective!
JJ – The story starts out right in the middle of the action and the world building and character development are all accomplished through flashbacks and conversational exposition. It is an interesting, exciting, but sometimes confusing way to tell a story. That being said once I got into it I really liked it. I enjoyed the familiar concepts of using a family structure to build the team of monster hunters and defenders of the world against the unknown and evil.
The Sangerye family is introduced to the reader throughout the entire volume. We first meet the younger generation of excited and strong willed young men and women; Berg, Cullen and Blink. Then we meet the wise old grandmother, Etta, who is withered and small but deceptively wise and strong. Then there is the strong and powerful (cousin or uncle I don’t remember which), Ford. There is also the estranged Uncle Enoch. All the characters are wonderfully designed and drawn by Sanford Greene. The art is frenetic with excellent coloring. I could not help but think of Hellboy while reading this comic. The monsters are really well done, my favorite being the Hawk type beast that Miss Knightsdale turns into.
The story itself jumps right in with men (and women) and monsters and is action packed all the way throughout. It kept me engaged and turning the pages. My only criticism is that it could have had some slower quieter moments to give the reader a chance to catch their breath and digest what they were reading.
CHARACTERS:
The Telltale Mind – The book is populated with interesting characters which is a must as they are ultimately what keeps one reading. The Sangeryes family have been in the monster business a long time, though to be fair they are more in the helping business than anything else. Cullen and Berg are the muscle while Ma Etta and Blink brew the cures needed to disinfect those carrying the Jinoo. There is Ford, a man who hunts his own way and who takes care of the Jinoo in a more permanent fashion and Uncle Enoch who is sort of on the outs with the family for his more outrageous ways of doing things.
All of them have their positives and each is quite unique in design and characteristics and it is their distinctiveness that makes readers gravitate towards them. If there were one that might surprise readers going forward, it would be Cullen as he begins as one thing and ends as another. That being said, each of them are slightly cliché but that does not hamper Walker or Brown from making them as quirky or as fun as they possibly can.
Charlton Hero – The characters are what separate this book from their “Inspirations” we will say! I think that their presentation as super-quirky characters actually took away from my enjoyment of them. Visually I liked their designs but none of them felt like real people dealing with a massive outbreak of zombie like hordes of Jinoo.The strange character of Ma Etta was not a favorite of mine and she seemed super overpowered and skilled at the advanced age..which I guess is the point when The family have been hunting Jinoo for generations! I found myself a little bored with her discussions of Root work and the supernatural elements which again..was necessary to forward the story but made me drift out of panel many times.The character of Berg and the transformation was fun but again derivative and been there done that before which again dampened my energies around this character. Then there is Ford who is by far my favorite character as the bad-ass Jinoo hunter with the stunted punk racist white sidekick who he pulls in and out of danger is a fun balance we rarely step into in today’s comics. White folks are barely represented in the book and when they are it is not in a glowing light. We see them as Clansmen, keystone cops and just out of control citizens running scared and being eaten by Jinoo in the streets..which is cool because the book is not written from a white perspective so again it was fun to enjoy the ride with Ford. The main super bad Doctor Sylverster and his angel of retribution Ms. Nightingale are fun if not super quirky bad guys who at this point in the first five issues have not been a super threat are cast beautifully as hidden figures of the macabre but we don’t find out enough about their motives to get invested. Overall there is a lot to enjoy here we just get lost in the Jinoo battles.
JJ – For me it was the characters that really drove the story. They are familiar archetypes but from a different perspective than what we normally get. Yes, the younger generation are strong willed and hot headed. The older characters are wiser and more patient. The bad guys are intelligent, thoughtful, and menacing. But the well written dialog,and small twists, makes them all more than just the stereotypical strong men and wise woman.
For example when Ford dispatches an entire group of Klansmen, which is a basic revenge fantasy, no one expects the one surviving member to learn the error of his ways and become Ford’s sidekick and companion. It is this kind of very subtle, yet powerful, type of development that makes the story worth reading for me.
They are a family unit that are developed quickly over the course of five issues. We understand their relationships and how they feel about each other right away. I think the most interesting relationship is that of the estranged uncle Enoch. We know the main family wants nothing to do with him, especially Blink, but we don’t know why. We get clues along the way and eventually get most of the answers at the climax of the first volume, but it was intriguing throughout.
I also really liked the Berg character. I am a sucker for the big guy in any story and Berg is no exception. I love the way he is written against type as being the strong guy but is also very intelligent and extremely well spoken. Again it is not anything that is new but that doesn’t mean it is bad, as it is executed perfectly in my mind. The fact that he poisoned, is saved, and rejoins the fight right at the exact moment you need him really did it for me.
Mark Radulich – The characters are OK. I liked grandma. I thought her reticence to let the granddaughter go fight because 1) that’s not what the women do and 2) too many deaths in the family, namely her daughter, rang very true and was sympathetic. It was also fun to see her fight when her back was against the wall. Berg was fun too. The blustery speech he’s given wears a bit thin after a while but it does make him stand out from the rest of the cast. Everybody else kind falls into stereotypes for these kind of stories.
ART:
The Telltale Mind – Each page is bursting with energy and features a good flow from panel to panel. Sanford Greene makes each character look unique and the creature designs are superb as they range from small to extremely large. There are times when some pages are packed with a ton of detail work and others when the action takes center stage negating the need for it and overall, it helps the story move along at a good pace.
Mark Radulich – The art is very colorful, I’ll give it that. It’s very busy. Some parts were a little hard to follow. The panel layout drove me crazy in a few places. It’s not the worst art I’ve seen but it’s not great either.
Charlton Hero- The art looks very good! It has its own quirky charm and life that makes the book explode with action and movement. There is not a page in this series that would not make a great piece of original art to own. Nothing is wasted. Lush backgrounds, outlandishly casted characters and a slick coat of paint over the top to set the mood.
The story is helped by the detail in the art. Each character drawn by Sanford Green while not drawn “realistically” looks like they can exist and stands more as caricatures rather than human models which actually works and is a compliment. The coloring was masterful and really sets the tone and mood of the book so hats off to colorists Rio Renzi and Sanford Greene for making this thing pop!! I would love DC to give Sanford Greene a run on the new Milestone reboot as I think THIS is the artist to properly represent the afro-centric vibe they are looking for! High marks here for visuals!
JJ – As I mentioned previously I could not help but think of Hellboy as I read this. There is a “boxiness” to the art that is reminiscent of Mignola’s work. But only reminiscent, and only because my mind has a need to compare and contrast. The art is really well done as is the coloring. For a monster / horror story everything is well lit. The action is clear. Nothing is hidden with shadows or heavy inks.
The characters are designed in a steampunk style. The coloring is heavy on the reds, oranges, and browns, making the blues, greens and blacks really pop and stand out. The cityscapes evoke a Harlem of the Jazz Age to me. Things are vibrant but not made to look like they are more than they should be. We definitely understand that this is a poor community, but a tight community nonetheless.
CRITICISMS:
The Telltale Mind – It would be nice to see the book break the mold that it is in and go off and do something completely different going forward as the way they leave it off gives them the perfect chance to do as such. The creative team has the chops to do so having proven themselves on many great titles in the past and it is hopeful that they do just that so that Bitter Root might continue on for some time to come.
Charlton Hero- As mentioned before and as The Telltale Mind suggests, once we escape the “Monster Hunter” theme of the book and shift into a more Walking Dead character driven direction I think Bitter Root can have its awakening. There is lots of meat on the bone and stories to be told in this universe and much character. The book moved too quickly and is an example of one that sadly like almost everything on the shelves in 2020 is written with a trade in mind which I really need to get over but I struggle to. Each read as a single issue is one that I would have given up on and not bought another issue. As a trade I think it was worth it as a collected volume. I “would “ read another book to see where we go from here but the next round needs to advance the story and characters more for me to go beyond that. I give this a passing recommendation in that if you are looking for a diverse book with full throttle action and pleasing art that pops on every panel you will enjoy it. Don’t take my word for it, read the reviews..buy a copy and let US know YOUR thoughts on the whole ordeal!!
JJ – My first and really only criticism of the story is that it was a bit confusing at times. That could partially be because I read this on my smaller tablet instead of the full sized one though. I thought it jumped around a bit between present and past and I didn’t necessarily understand that things had shifted. In the latter issues there were text boxes that identified where we were and that helped keep me sorted.
I did think there could have been a quieter, slower scene or two just to break up the action but I expect the point was for Walker and Brown to keep the readers a little off balance by not taking their foot off the gas.
Mark Radulich – It moves at a breakneck pace and there’s not a ton of exposition to keep the reader in the know of what’s going on and why it’s happening. One of the most important elements of storytelling is knowing why the plot is moving in the direction it is and why the characters are doing what they are doing. This comes across like a video game. Here’s your avatars, there’s the zombies, now kill! I need more from my comics. I’m not unhappy I read it, just disappointed it wasn’t as good as the trade I read from Power Man and Iron Fist.
OTHER COMMENTS:
The Telltale Mind – Worth a look for those that love this type of story.
Overall book review: B
Charlton Hero- If you are a supernatural fan of quirky action packed comics then this will not disappoint you. If you are looking for something a little deeper you may want to keep looking. I think I am more a fan of the creative team than the actual work here on Bitter Root. I really think we have a group of creators who are one work away from being a big deal. Now…almost to fly in the face of my critique of story depth..of mention were the amazing info pages of the single issues. Very detailed and gave you TONS of backdrop into the history and real life inspirations of the book itself. I wish this info parlayed more into the actual story of the book instead of being lost on these back text pages. This is a highlight of the series and I think many may dismiss them but please check them out it really enriches the series and getting to know our creators. A serious asset to the piece in general.
Overall book review B-
JJ – I really liked this. I think if you are a creator that is going to do a story that everyone knows then it has to have something different to keep me engaged. Ghostbusters (while excellent) has been overdone, and continues to be overdone without fresh twists. Reading a story from black creators, with black characters as the heroes is something we don’t get enough of in mainstream pop culture and I would love to see more from this team. And lucky for me there is more. I enjoyed this story so much I plan to pick up the next volume when it is completed if it is not already.
The dialog and art is so good that it kept me turning the pages wanting to see what was going to happen and in the end that is all I really want from a comic. I would highly recommend this one.
Overall book review A-
Mark Radulich – Read Power Man and Iron Fist Vol. 1: The Boys are Back in Town for some great David F. Walker. Bitter Root feels like a passion/vanity project for Walker, which is fine but one man’s passion does not always resonate with everyone else.
Overall book review B-
The Wrap Up!
Well..that’s Bitter Root folks!! A big thanks to you for joining us!! I cannot recommend checking out the works of our fine contributors who tirelessly create extra content on the web! Check us out here!! Keep an eye out for more Super Book Club Team-Ups in 2021!
Be safe and behave everyone!!
Our contributors for This round can be found here!!
Chris Bailey (@charlton_hero (Twitter))
Email: Charltonhero@gmail.com
Blog: The Superhero Satellite (www.charltonhero.wordpress.com)
Tumblr: charltonheroscomicsanimation
Podcast: Morituri Mondays, TV Party Tonight: Wrestling Shows
Mark Radulich (@markradulich (Twitter))
Email: mradulich@gmail.com
Podcasts:
Jeremiah Goldstein (@bigox737 (Twitter))
Email: bigox737@gmail.com
Blog:www.comicscomicscomics.blog
Geoff Rosengren (@TheTelltaleMind (Twitter))
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTelltaleMind
Super Book Club Team Up: Secret Headquarters 