Review: “Sin City” – Frank Miller

PODCAST:

S4E6B – Sin City (graphic novels)*

SHOW NOTES:

Wherein we discuss the prolific career and unarguable influence of this storied and stylistic comic book creator. I am joined by former co-host, David Wilkinson a/k/a Wilk, and his friend comic book aficionado, Rob Lloyd II.

Much of our exploration considered the gray morality dogging the vast ensemble of characters, which was in contrast to the majority of stark black and white artwork. We also talked about the amazing myriad of interweaving plots and detailed, but focused world-building that develops and unfolds as the neo-noir ethos of Sin City.

Everyone was in complete agreement that the Sin City yarns we discussed were impressive in both their content and artistic style as well as their ability to distinguish characters. While Ryan found that the dialog grew laborious at times while reading the stories straight through, he didn’t think he wanted anything else from the series. Rob and Wilk both felt that the stories were excellent and enjoyable, but were just shy of considering the work paramount for the simple fact that they enjoyed the author’s Batman work slightly more.

Lastly, Rob and Wilk describe their sordid gripping life on the road finding creepy motels to stay at near Ryan, as well as their secret-agenda-quest / real reason for coming to Chicago: to watch grunge rockers “Pearl Jam” live at Wrigley Field.

-Ryan

 

WRITTEN BOOK REVIEWS:

“Sin City” by Frank Miller (select graphic novels)

 

 

 

 

 

• “The Hard Goodbye (April 1991 – May 1992)” (V1)
• “A Dame to Kill For (November 1993 – May 1994)” (V2)
• “The Big Fat Kill (November 1994 – March 1995)” (V3)
• “That Yellow Bastard (February 1996 – July 1996)” (V4)
• “Booze, Broads, and Bullets (1998)” (V6)

*** * ***

Ryan: 5 Stars “…Imagine getting punched in the gut by some rogue lunatic underworld gladiator who promptly collapses into your kitchen chair and chomps down on a bowl of cheerios with his oversized mitts as you crouch on the floor stunned and drooling blood…there’s a knock on the door and you pick up your corpse of a body to stare through the peephole at a knife-wielding leather-clad dame grimacing while rare classic cars skid onto the scene followed by screaming cop sirens tolling in debauchery and corruption…then the color drops out and real nice like everything goes noir…”

Wilk: 4 Stars “…a juxtaposition of provocation with expectation…vice was not rewarded, but it was celebrated at the same time…”

Rob: 4 Stars “…I think there’s some seminal works that rank above this that are five star works, but it’s right there on the cusp…it’s awesome. I really enjoyed it…”

(Click the links to read full written reviews on Goodreads.com)

 

FUN FACTOIDS:

Frank Miller is a legend in the comic world. As mentioned in the episode, he inspired many other artists including the creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Here is an article called “The fascinating origin story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” by Andrew Farago for The Week on that origin story with early sketch work: https://theweek.com/captured/446321/fascinating-origin-story-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles.

The Guardian article referenced in the episode about Frank Miller’s past troubles was an interview by Sam Theilman and called “Frank Miller: ‘I wasn’t thinking clearly when I said those things'” and it can be read here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/apr/27/frank-miller-xerxes-cursed-sin-city-the-dark-knight-returns.

On the podcast Wilk mentioned the all-things-horror themed Facebook page “Major Horror” run by his wife and past show guest, Laura Valle, which you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/welovescary/. The Michigan comic book store mentioned by Rob and Wilk during our recording is called “Vault of Midnight” and it can be found online here: https://www.vaultofmidnight.com/.

Lastly, much was made of Wilk and Rob’s true purpose behind their journey to visit Ryan–that being a concert at Wrigley Stadium by the famous grunge rock group Pearl Jam! The duo had a blast joining other friends (including former co-host Beam)! After the concert they joined Ryan at Dole’s abode for more fun before finally settling in to a new hotel (one less worrisome). Below is some pics (taken by Rob, Beam or Dave A) and promo images of the concert they attended:

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* DISCLAIMER: Please be advised that the views and opinions of the hosts and guests of NDIOS are completely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of the other hosts and guests or that of NDIOS.

Preview Episode (Sin City)

PODCAST:

S4E6P – Preview Episode (Sin City)

SUBJECT MATTER:

“Sin City” by Frank Miller (select graphic novels)

 

• “The Hard Goodbye (April 1991 – May 1992)” (Volume 1) – “It’s a lousy room in a lousy part of a lousy town. But Marv doesn’t care. There’s an angel in the room. She says her name is Goldie. A few hours later, Goldie’s dead without a mark on her perfect body, and the cops are coming before anyone but Marv could know she’s been killed. Somebody paid good money for this frame . . .” (from Amazon.com)
• “A Dame to Kill For (November 1993 – May 1994)” (Volume 2) – “Stuck with nothing but a seedy gumshoe job and some demons, Dwight’s thinking of all the ways he’s screwed up and what he’d give for one clear chance to wipe the slate clean, to dig his way out of the numb gray hell that is his life. And he’d give anything. Just to feel the fire. One more time. But he can’t let himself lose control again, can’t ever let the monster out. And then Ava calls.”
  (from Amazon.com)
• “The Big Fat Kill (November 1994 – March 1995)” (Volume 3) – “One of Sin City’s most fascinatingly conflicted characters, Dwight, returns in The Big Fat Kill, the third volume of Frank Miller’s seminal noir comic and the inspiration for one of the segments of the blockbuster Sin City film! This third edition is newly redesigned and features a brand-new cover by Miller-some of his first comics art in years! For Dwight, sometimes standing up for his friends means killing a whole lot of people . . . Not for revenge. Not because they deserve it. Not because it’ll make the world a better place. There’s nothing righteous or noble about it. Dwight’s gotta kill them because he needs them dead.” (from Amazon.com)
• “That Yellow Bastard (February 1996 – July 1996)” (Volume 4) – “The worst thing to be in Basin City is an honest cop, but it’s Hartigan’s last day on the job, and he plans to go out with a bang. Little Nancy Callahan, age eleven, has been kidnapped by a psycho who likes to hear children scream, and Hartigan’s going to find her no matter what it takes. No matter who the psycho’s daddy is. All the prison time in the world won’t change that. Hell of a way to start retirement . . .” (from Amazon.com)
• “Booze, Broads, and Bullets (1998)” (Volume 6) – “Collecting classics like “Just Another Saturday Night” and “Silent Night,” both starring the iconic big lug with a condition, Marv; “The Customer Is Always Right,” featured in the Sin City film; and “The Babe Wore Red,” starring Sin City‘s most enduring hero, Dwight; Booze, Broads, and Bullets spans every kind of dark business you might encounter on a cold night in Basin City. It’s sure to scratch your Sin City itch again and again, in just that way that makes you itch for more.” (from Amazon.com)

*** * ***

“Sin City” by Robert Rodriquez (Bruce Willis) (movie)

“Welcome to Sin City. This town beckons to the tough, the corrupt, the brokenhearted. Some call it dark. Hard-boiled. Then there are those who call it home. Crooked cops. Sexy dames. Desperate vigilantes. Some are seeking revenge. Others lust after redemption. And then there are those hoping for a little of both. A universe of unlikely and reluctant heroes still trying to do the right thing in a city that refuses to care. Their stories — shocking, suspenseful and searing — come to the fore in a new motion picture from co-directors Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez, and special guest director Quentin Tarantino.” (from Amazon.com)

 

*** * ***

“Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” by Robert Rodriguez (Josh Brolin) (movie)

“Straight from the pages of Frank Miller’s cutting edge series Sin City, co-directors Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez reunite to bring the visually stunning stories back to the screen. Dwight McCarthy (Josh Brolin) struggles with his inner demons and tries to maintain control until his former lover, the goddess Ava Lord (Eva Green), returns wanting his help to escape her abusive husband. Though once he learns her true intentions are far more sinister than they appear, he recruits the help of Marv (Mickey Rourke) and Gail (Rosario Dawson). While a cocky young gambler (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) takes his chances winning against the most powerful man in Sin City, Senator Roark (Powers Boothe). But this is Senator Roark’s least of problems because Nancy Callahan (Jessica Alba) has been driven insane by John Hartigan’s (Bruce Willis) selfless suicide and is no longer a damsel in distress and is out for blood, compelled to avenge Hartigan by hunting down Senator Roark.” (from Amazon.com)

 

 

* DISCLAIMER: Please be advised that the views and opinions of the hosts and guests of NDIOS are completely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of the other hosts and guests or that of NDIOS.