Concrete: Think Like A Mountain: Meeting Paul Chadwick at the convention was fun, but listening to him and watching what he did was even more fascinating. While I plan on going into some of that when I post his Aquaman sketch, I will tell you that while my sister and I stood at his table awaiting our turn, someone asked him which Concrete book was the best to start with, waving at all the books Chadwick had available. Chadwick paused a moment, then said that he wrote Concrete with the hope that any story could be picked up and read and enjoyed by anyone without having had to have read any other Concrete story. The fan pressed, and it was clear he wanted to buy one. So Chadwick looked down at his books, and after a short moment pointed to "Think Like A Mountain" and said that this one was best to start with of the ones he had available. So when my sister decided that she wanted to try Concrete, this was the issue she got.
This book doesn't have an origin, although it is referred to. There are lots of characters and events that are referred to but not seen in this one. Previous adventures are referenced in the notes, but none are crucial to understanding the story. As for the story... wow. The words "No Compromise" apply to the story as well as the Earth First! members Concrete has this adventure with. The arguments are laid out, and the reader is invited to judge them from the point of view of the title character, a moderate environmentalist. In the end, you are left wondering if Concrete had the wool pulled over his eyes, or if the Earth First! people are right. There is enough ambiguity there to require you to sit and digest this one for awhile. The Background information provided by Paul Chadwick is a good read on its own. This is pretty amazing for a mere comic book. But then, there really isn't anything "mere" about good comics. 
Hellboy: Seed of Destruction: I was never much of a Mike Mignola fan. His artwork always seemed unfinished and blocky to me. So I never bothered with anything he did, even as people began to sing his praises louder and louder. But I've noticed in the past that my tastes change, and Mignola seems to be in one spot where my tastes have, at least, expanded. I no longer am bothered by whatever it was that pushed me away from Mignola back in the day. So I confessed to a friend that I thought I was ready to try Hellboy, but I wasn't sure I wanted to buy it. She offered to loan me the first trade. In return, I loaned her the first Usagi Yojimbo trade.
This was... fun. It was really fun. Of course, Abe Sapien appeals to me. What, you didn't think an Icthyo Sapien would draw me in? The story was tantalizing, showing hints and pieces without giving away everything. And, while it had an origin story, it also had a lot more. And, very suddenly, I want to read more of this character and his friends. A lot more. I wonder if Carol will let me borrow more? At least until I can afford my own copies... 
Still to review: Batman: Detective #27, Smallville, and WildGuard.
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