One of the many reasons I like comics is because I truly believe there is a comic for everyone. Although it is hard to shake off the superhero idea from the general public, I’ve learned that comic books (and more so, manga) are much more than superheroes. Sci-fi and horror1, just to name two different genres, allow creators to tell human, impactful, and relevant stories.
Nevertheless, even within the superhero genre, you have all kinds of stories that appeal to different audiences. An example from Marvel: Daredevil (Zdarsky and Checchetto) and Thor (Cates and Klein) tell very different tales happening in the same universe. They have different arguments, themes, lessons, characters, and tones. In addition, there are other superheroes tales - mostly outside the Big 2 - that defy the traditional ideas of what a superhero is, further expanding the mythology.
Murder Falcon (Daniel Warren Johnson, 2019) is a superhero story. But it is not only that. Not by a long shot. It is a story about music, loss, friendship, love, suffering, pain, and bravery when all hope seems lost. It is the story of Jake, a metal musician that has hit rock bottom but now has a mission: save the world. His ally is Murder Falcon, a talking falcon with a metal arm whose fighting skills depend on how good Jake can play his guitar. So, a musician thas has given up on music, and on life in general, has to overcome his fears and concerns to play his best music ever, so his falcon friend can kick the shit out of some monsters. This is comic books at their peak.
Much has been said about the amazing story and art in Murder Falcon, so I will mention two things I personally liked about the book:
1) I’m not a fan of metal2. And even though this book focuses on metal music (definitely a must-read for any fan of the genre), I loved it. Therefore, I admire how this book presents a passion of the author in a way that it is appealing to audiences that are not necessarily 100% into this topic. Also, while reading it I’ve learned about metal. Metal is about facing your problems. Metal is about a talking murderous falcon, whose strength comes from metal musicians playing, riding a mammoth, charging in to fight against an insect-like creature, commanded by the Lord of Darkness to slave humans. Metal is so cool.
2) As someone who doesn’t particularly like metal, I understand that the book goes beyond it, and even beyond music itself. It is about using any art or passion to overcome the difficulties in life. It is about stepping up when it matters and giving everything in the face of impending doom. That I can relate to, and this is why Murder Falcon works for me.
Overall, a great message and a great wait to deliver it. This is what makes an excellent book.
I believe there is a comic book for everyone. Even if not at first glance, comics are full of metaphors, references, and lessons making it possible for everyone to see themselves in the pages. You may not have powers, may not be an alien, or may not know any talking falcons; but we are all humans, including the creators, so we all experience loss, happiness, grievance, success, and failure. It is important when talking about superheroes, horror or sci-fi, that we also mention the themes and feelings that each book discusses. It is another way to assign a book to a particular reader.
The best part of books like Murder Falcon is that, through emotion, through being human, we can connect on a deeper level and start sharing other passions, such as enjoying metal music. I can say that, after reading Murder Falcon, I want to crack open a beer and listen to metal. Even learn to play the guitar, just in case I need to save the world.
Housekeeping!
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Next Friday marks the third anniversary of Stan Lee’s passing so I will publish something about that. Until then, keep being awesome and go read something. Or go watch The Eternals. It is great and there are a couple of fight scenes that match the epicness of the ones in Infinity War! So go watch!
For a great horror comic, read Infidel (Pichetshote and Campbell, 2018).
In my defense, it is not the most popular music genre in Latin America. Or maybe it is and I’m out of the loop.