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Underground > Comic Books >

Southland Tales prequel books

11:03 / 16.01.07

Richard Kelly, the writer/director of Donnie Darko, is coming out with a new film called Southland Tales. He is releasing six prequel comics to get fans ready for the film. The film is about the fall of America.

Apparently the film has been seen by some critics (hiss), and the reviews haven't been all that favorable.

Has anyone read any of the prequels?

12:33 / 16.01.07

Y'know, I love Donnie Darko like I love a part of my own soul, but something about this and the way that Kelly presents his 'comic book' ideas really doesn't sit well with me (spooky coinkydink - the DD soundtrack just started playing on my randomed headphones... oooooh, we have enterred the pocket universe!!11!). I noticed it first when I saw the director's cut of DD, as he's talking to Kevin Smith about all these 'comic book' ideas he's had, he keeps mentioning that he's *gulp* never actually read any comics. Now, TO ME, it's pretty messed up for a writer to pass of some of his (more hackneyed/unbeleivable/unsubtle) ideas as 'comic book', when he's never actually read any of the buggers to start with. The dude dropped around 90% in my estimation of his skills, so I'll be damned if I'll buy his first attempt at writing a comic, a medium even he admits that he knows dick about.

*ahem* rant over, there.

Also, I flicked through it at the store, the art was ropey as hell, so it's a skip. Unless someone here can convince me otherwise?

13:44 / 16.01.07

Well, I'm half way through the first book. It's interesting. I had no idea that he'd never read a comic before, so you don't have to worry about his style. It's fine. (Not amazing style, just fine.)

I kind of like it because I can wrap my brain around it... no massively far out concepts with it yet, and I have to say that Sarah Michelle Gellar's charater is the most entertaining thus far in the book.

If you're a Darko fan, and you're planning on seeing Southland, I'd at least recomment prequel book one. Well, actually, let me finish reading it first.

Long story short, so far so good.

Essential Dazzler

13:56 / 16.01.07

It's only 3 books, the film itself makes up chapters 4-6.

I picked up the first two cheap and liked them Ok. I wouldn't say the art is that bad, I like the colour work especially, and it does a nice job of capturing the look of the actors without it looking stupid.

It's a little confusing and disjointed so far. An amnesiac actor wakes up in a desert, meets a psychic pornstar who's written a screenplay foretelling the apocalypse (due to happen in 6 days). Then he shoots some drugs and takes a rollercoaster ride into the past, apparently.

Book 2 carries on with more drugs, time distortions, screenplays, coming true, etc.

So, OK, not brilliant, they haven't exactly got me slavering in anticipation for the film, and the bad reviews I've read so far sound just as I would have expected if it carries on like the books

Essential Dazzler

13:57 / 16.01.07

Oops, maybe I should have spoilered that.

13:59 / 16.01.07

Then he shoots some drugs and takes a rollercoaster ride into the past, apparently.

Yep, because that's all the coherance and logic you need in comic books...

15:08 / 16.01.07

when did these come out? Haven't seen hide nor hair of them...? (who published them? Image?)

15:28 / 16.01.07

As far as who published the first prequel:

The book's liner notes mention Grafitti(sp?) Designs and it mentions Kevin Smith's company.

11:03 / 17.01.07

OK I finished the first prequel book. I thought it was good. There's definitely enough in there to entice me to buy the second prequel book. Anyone read it? Comments?