The Hidden

THE HIDDEN by Richard Sala (Fantagraphics Books)
A zombie / Frankenstein amalgamation that incorporates the battle between the haves and have nots, Sala’s dystopian storybook is another hypnotic, beautifully rendered grim fairy tale from this singular artist. A few excessively expository pages dam the flow a bit, however, and the conclusion feels frustratingly truncated. But it’s gorgeous.

Comic Book Men

COMIC BOOK MEN
A self-satisfied Kevin Smith barely presides over a reality show set in his NJ comic book store, focusing instead on his put-upon manager and a cadre of alternately pitiable and painfully unlikable cronies. Staged drama (Jason Mewes messes shit up!) adds to the malaise, making for a miserable viewing experience.

Naughty and Nice: The Good Girl Art of Bruce Timm

NAUGHTY AND NICE: THE GOOD GIRL ART OF BRUCE TIMM (Flesk Publications)
Melding Elvgren, Toth, McGinnis, DeCarlo and Frazetta (among others), Timm’s pin-ups are the stuff of a fanboy’s dreams, laid bare in this gorgeous showcase of the animator / cartoonist’s mastery of line, shape and color. A few subjects may veer uncomfortably towards Lolitaesque, but Big Barda never looked better.

Jerry Lewis: Method to the Madness

JERRY LEWIS: METHOD TO THE MADNESS
This isn’t so much a documentary as it is a serenade, alternating between gushing praise from Hollywood A-listers and histrionic recollections from Lewis himself. Film and performance clips range from hysterical to, uh, not, and any controversies are ignored. Fun for the choir, but this ain’t gonna convert any nonbelievers.

I'm Still Here

I’M STILL HERE
Joaquin Phoenix’ mockumentary about abandoning acting for a hip-hop career is ostensibly a statement about faux-reality TV, but it just comes across as smug self-indulgence from a spoiled douchebag. Especially with the hoax revealed, I’M STILL HERE is just a pointless and unentertaining vanity project with delusions of grandeur.