Tagalong

Every photo that you post takes me somewhere,
to the places which I no longer go.
That is why I so often come here,
and  thought I'd write this down to let you know.

A picture's worth a thousand words,
but words have their merit, too.
And though subject to interpretation,
I like to think that all I see and read is true.

Everyday is like another journey,
I never know what we'll say and do.
And though I can never really be there,
it's nice that I can tag along with you.....

"Zombie Wife and other Tales of Supernatural Law" by Batton Lash (2014)

Back in August of 2012 I reviewed Batton Lash’s highly unusual, and entertaining “The Monsters Meet on Court Street”, which was a new experience for me. That collection of tales was based on the premise that; monsters, just like people; need legal representation from time to time. Either for things which they have done; or, in response to the things people do and say about them. It’s a novel concept.

Now, Mr. Lash is set to release his new work, “Zombie Wife and Other Tales of Supernatural Law.” This one seems to be based on the premise that Zombie women; like their human counterparts; may have marital problems from time to time, necessitating the need for a good attorney. From the cover of this new collection I get the impression that Mavis, the shapely lawyer featured in the “Monsters Meet on Court Street” collection will be highly visible in this one as well.  Again; from the looks of the cover art; everyone involved will have their hands full; even the clients!

Mr. Lash has created a parallel universe with these collections. They’re kind of like the old Action Comics but in a very unique way. The old comics were all based upon the struggle of good versus evil. In this incarnation the stories are inhabited by people on both sides of the law who are compromised; either physically or ethically; making for some strange scenarios. But then again, in real life, attorneys represent humans who are so much more evil than the monsters depicted in these stories.

Another interesting thing is that he’s doing this release by using Kickstarter.com; the web-based program which was begun in 2009 and provides a means for people like you and me to fund the projects of artists and writers in whom we are interested. Another novel idea befitting of the alternate universe which Mr. Lash has created. For more about Kickstarter and “Zombie Wife and Other Tales of Supernatural Law” use this link;

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1379875462/zombie-wife-and-other-tales-of-supernatural-law

And for a quick re-review of “The Monsters Meet on Court Street” use this link;

http://robertwilliamsofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-monsters-meet-on-court-street-by.html

Note: As far as I know this is a one of a kind. It’s a Batton Lash “Yellow Submarine” from 1971. We served on board together for a couple of years in Brooklyn and he drew this one day. I’d gladly return it, but it has my locker combination written on the back…

"The Monsters Meet on Court Street" by Batton Lash (2012)

And now for something completely different; I was never much of a fan of comic books as a kid- except for Illustrated Classics and the Human Torch; for some odd reason he really got to me.  But, this latest offering, by veteran comic artist/writer Batton Lash, has a unique and hip premise to it. Monsters, just as people do, sometimes find themselves in need of legal counsel. And where do they go for this type of service? Well, if you’re a New York based monster, particularly if you are indicted in Kings County; or Brooklyn; then Court Street is the logical place. These people; the lawyers as well as the “monsters”; all have the same problems and dramas of us real life folks.

The series concerns the adventures of defense attorneys Jeff Byrd and Alanna Wolff, of the firm Byrd and Wolff, whose specialty is delivering top notch defense for monsters who may find themselves in legal difficulties. Mostly, this is the result of a misunderstanding of the nature of monsters by those other pesky creatures, “human beings.”

In the first case which opens this book, Ms. Wolff is defending a Frankenstein looking fellow named Fritz, who in spite of his legal troubles is overtly concerned with eating lunch. This little twist puts a comical twist on things as the reader wonders just what, or whom, Fritz would like to eat for lunch. His crime was scaring a lab assistant when he suddenly came to life in the laboratory. Ms. Wolff argues; in an almost politically incorrect fashion; that, as the lab assistant was wearing stiletto heels and a revealing blouse, what response did she expect when this dead man came back to life?

While dealing with these types of cases, the two attorney’s assistants, Mavis and Corey, are busy not only providing support for the defense team, but with their own personal lives as well. The cast of characters includes the somewhat mysterious Charles Hawkins, another attorney; of dubious character; who is in love with Ms. Wolff. Their relationship serves as a sideshow to the main adventures as you wonder just what; if anything; he is up to, and how it will affect Ms. Wolff and her partner, not to mention their clients. Hawkins left Brooklyn’s Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood 25 years ago for the tonier clientele offered by Manhattan’s Park Avenue. To me, he seemed immediately suspect; but of what, I could not say.

The book is composed of a current, or new adventure, and also features some of the past exploits of the Counselors of the Macabre, such as “The Appeal of the 800 Lb., Gorilla.” In this case, the attorneys find themselves at odds with their own client, Nicky Gorillo. He has lost his case and Ms. Wolff is handling his appeal when Nicky goes "ape". In the end he is exposed (literally) for what he really is; a thug with a simian mentality. I really enjoyed the dialogue in this one, as it reminded me of so many of the “mobsters” portrayed on TV and in movies.

This collection is the sixth in “The Supernatural Law” series by Batton Lash and his team of artists and editors, and the first foray by me into the world of illustrated literature. Comic books have a long history of being beneath mainstream literature, but these are not the simple comic books of my youth, and in some respects, can be even more difficult to navigate than your average novel. (I’m a big non-fiction reader, so this was really a pleasant “stretch” for me.) It actually takes a bit more attention to the unwritten details to “get” the whole story. This was a big surprise for me; you don’t have to write like Tolstoy in order to convey a story.

The Supernatural Law series is a unique and fun way to delve into the world of “illustrated literature”; it would seem disrespectful to refer to them as mere “comic books”, as they have a dimension lacking in that genre. As I said, as a veteran, and inveterate, reader, this was something new and different for me, and I have to say it was a pleasurable excursion.