TPBs that need to be: Jamie Delano Edition

COMMENTARY
By Alex Ness
August 21, 2017

(Click on images to make them larger, they are beautiful) As I've openly stated, I like Jamie Delano and Jamie Delano's writing.  I am not unbiased with this entry.  I have read all of the available comics by Jamie.  So, I think, I am not without a certain expertise regarding this.  These three series deserve to be captured in tpb form.

GHOSTDANCING

is a vision of an outsider looking at the American history of the West, and finding it rich in racism, colonial appropriation, and mythic depth.  Divine or semi divine Native Americans enter the cryptic fifth world, one that has no flaws, one that evokes heaven.  A shaman named snake steals your attention, as does the titular drug called Ghostdancing.  We can find paradise, the fifth world, it will only cost you your soul!  The Richard Case art goes along beautifully with the powerful, provocative writing.

NARCOPOLIS 

Narcopolis is a futuristic dystopia.  In this frightful new world, you are encouraged to use drugs and pleasure to take life's edge away.  Why worry, when you can medicate the truth away?  This work evokes Clockwork Orange, Brave New World and is better or equal to any of the best works from Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, or Neil Gaiman.  Delano creates new words, new sorts of paradigms, all the while entertaining the reader.

RAWBONE

When the popular template of a pirate appeared after Johnny Depp and company's Pirates of the Caribbean they were neither dangerous or scary.  They were exciting and naughty.  You can read this series and tell yourself, Delano clearly knows what the pirates were about, and it wasn't lark or teen adventure.  It was about human predators hunting prey in the oceans.  This work features a dangerous and beautiful lead role female, and while I would not suggest it is all ages, it is worthy of being read and critically considered.  The title, RAWBONE is so very apt, the story takes apart any happy go lucky myths you have, at the same time as making the reader uncomfortable, because he is wondering what the hell is going to happen next.