Tobias S. Buckell's Arctic Rising #1 Review

Tobias S. Buckell's Arctic Rising #1. Keith Miller and Thomas Nguyen-Smith. 2016. Rosarium Publishing. 35 pages.

Rating: 2/5

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this ebook through NetGalley for an honest review.

The story of Anika Duncan sounds like it should be a lot more interesting. She is a member of a UN taskforce known as the Polar Guard. Her travelling companion, Tom, pilots what appears to be a zeppelin as they patrol the polar region searching for ships breaking international law.

On a routine inspection, they are attacked and Tom ends up dying as a result. This sets Anika on a path of revenge, which her superiors seem to support. I feel like this encounter is intended to make her more likeable, but she never develops much personality in this snippet. The path the story appears to be going seems forced, as if the writer decided where he wanted the story to go but wasn't quite sure how to connect this first piece with the rest of it. Maybe that would be cleared up later, but it makes this issue hard to swallow.

The art was offputting. Part of this is the color choices. They don't go together very well at times. And the illustrations themselves feel incomplete, like the level of detail isn't quite where it needs to be. There is also a problem with the location of the text bubbles in some of the panels. The way they are laid out causes the dialogue to be choppy. They just aren't set up in a way that is normal for this format and it drew me out of the story multiple times.

Astonishing X-Men Volume 4 Review

Astonishing X-Men, Volume 4: Unstoppable. Joss Whedon and John Cassaday. 2008. Marvel. 200 pages.

Rating: 5/5

Whedon and Cassaday are on top of their game for this one. The previous volume really set the scene, but this one stands on its own. It certainly helps to read the rest of the series to know all the nuances of what is going on.

The X-Men leave Earth for an alien world known as the Breakworld with members of S.W.O.R.D. Their mission is to prevent the destruction of the Earth while overturning a prophecy that an X-Man will destroy the Breakworld.

There is a lot of tension built in because of the current situation and as a result of the events in volume three. This helps the book move at a pretty quick pace. We see a few different pairs of characters with different dynamics, which actually helps things move along. This could have been something that could have interrupted the pacing, but the creators handled it really well. And switching between these groups keeps the book from dragging at points that it could have otherwise.

I like that they moved this beyond just a mission for the X-Men to handle. There are other heroes and groups established in the Marvel universe that are prepared to protect the Earth, and we see a lot of them step up to help. The ending was fantastic, although it left some unanswered questions. The X-Men are heroes, though the line is blurred at times, and this book reminds us of what that means.

East of West Volume 2 Review

East of West, Volume Two: We Are All One. Jonathan  Hickman, Nick Dragotta, and Frank Martin. 2014. Image Comics. 144 pages.

Rating: 5/5

Check out my review of East of West, Volume One.

This series is set in a futuristic America where the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ride the Earth. They are fractured and working towards different goals, using the people they encounter to reach those goals by any means necessary.

I love the art in this series. The work that Dragotta and Martin do to bring the characters to life is fantastic. They are vibrant and believable, even at the most horrific points of the story.

Death is on a journey to find his son, whom he believed to be long dead. The other Horsemen are trying to fulfill their purpose of bringing about the end of the world. A prophecy known as the Message guides the Horsemen and their pawns.

The creators reveal a bit more about the characters in this volume. I feel like the first volume focused on Death, while this one balances it out a bit and introduces some new characters at the same time. The plot unfolds pretty slowly, but it is by no means boring. It reads quite quickly, and there is enough time devoted to each storyline throughout. A great continuation to the series.

Nimona Review

Nimona. Noelle Stevenson. 2015. HarperTeen. 272 pages.

Rating: 5/5

I'm really glad I took a chance on reading this book. I wasn't terribly impressed with the creator's other work that I read, Lumberjanes, and I'm not a big webcomic reader. Even in collected editions like this, I feel like they don't flow quite as nicely as other graphic novels.

This story follows Nimona, a young woman that is also a shapeshifter, as she becomes the apprentice to the villain, Lord Blackheart. The idea that the heroine would side with the bad guy is a nice change of pace. Even though he considers himself the villain, he follows some rules of conduct that actually help make his side of the story believable. Together they attempt to bring down the Institute of Law Enforcement, a.k.a. the good guys.

There is a quirkiness to the book that keeps it fun even as things get serious. Nimona has a great personality and is able to bring Lord Blackheart out of his shell. This touches on right and wrong, friendship, and standing up for what you believe in. Despite the backdrop of knights and magic, there are modern elements to the story. This could be jarring for those that aren't expecting it, but it works quite well for the setting.

Batgirl, Volume 3 Review

Batgirl, Volume 3: Death of the Family. Gail Simone and Daniel Sampere. 2013. DC Comics. 224 pages.

Rating: 3/5

Check out my reviews for volume one and volume two.

I am disappointed that I did not like this one as much as the previous two volumes. It felt like it suffered from a little ADD at times. There were two different writers on this one and they switched off, so that probably has something to do with it.

The Joker storyline was great. It really showcased how insane he can be. It segues into a couple of issues that felt out of place to the series though. While it involved characters that have been introduced, they didn't contribute to Barbara's story much or in an authentic way. Batgirl should be the star, but she is kind of overshadowed.

The plot involving her brother is resolved. This portion of the story just didn't catch me though. Something about James Gordon Jr. just felt off throughout this series. He seemed shoehorned into a villain role that didn't need to exist.

Being a book from DC it isn't bad in any particular way. I think it could have been a lot better. The parts that tie into plots from other titles probably would have been better off in a different collection.

Monologues for the Coming Plague Review

Monologues for the Coming Plague. Anders Nilsen. 2006. Fantagraphics Books. 260 pages.

Rating: 1/5

I feel like there were a lot of elements in this book that didn't work for me. Normally, I am pretty forgiving with the drawings, but these were basically doodles. It felt like there wasn't a lot of effort put into them. When the images aren't appealing, it makes it difficult to be as engaged with the work as a whole.

The second thing that I didn't care for was the lack of continuity between the pieces. With monologues in the title it stands to reason that there will be one shots meant to stand alone. It felt like the creator tried to string things together in some way, but it didn't work well enough. This could be described as stream of consciousness, though I tend to enjoy books that use that method a lot more than this one.

The actual monologues weren't very funny to me either. This is probably what really made me dislike the book. It seemed like it was supposed to be humorous and either I didn't get it or it wasn't done very well. There were sketches that I found amusing. A handful of panels in a 260 page book doesn't cut it though. Unless you are a fan of Nilsen's work, I recommend passing on this one.

A Farewell to Arms Review

A Farewell to Arms. Ernest Hemingway. 2012. Scribner. 353 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to. Hemingway seems to be hit or miss with me. There are definitely elements of the writing that are familiar to anyone who has read his works before.

From what I  know, the plot pulls pretty heavily from Hemingway's own life. The main character is an American named Frederic Henry who enlists in the Italian army during World War I as an ambulance driver. The relationships he has with the Italians seems to be pretty cordial. This may partly be due to his rank. Everything seems to be going well until he is injured in a bombing raid. Prior to this injury he meets an English nurse, Catherine, and a romance begins. This grows during his recuperation and becomes a major part of the story.

As the title suggests, there is a an anti-military theme throughout the book. Hemingway does a fantastic job of not overdoing it, which I feel would have ruined the impact of the story. One other aspect that jumped out at me was the amount of drinking the characters do. This isn't atypical for a Hemingway story, but it is quite present throughout the story. With the other themes, it isn't meant to be subversive, but to capture humanity how it is, whether good or bad. The way the book reflects on our nature is part of what makes it great and continue to be read for years.

The Autumnlands, Volume 1 Review

The Autumnlands, Volume 1: Tooth and Claw. Kurt Busiek, Benjamin Dewey, and Jordie Bellaire. 2015. Image Comics. 184 pages.

Rating: 5/5

This is a world built on magic, but the magic is running out. In a last ditch effort, a rogue group of wizards work together to summon the great champion who brought magic into the world to begin with. What they end up with is wholly unexpected.

The creators did a phenomenal job of bringing the Autumnlands to life. The characters are drawn beautifully and infused with personality. They are each an anthropomorphic depiction of a different animal. And the setting itself is drawn wonderfully as well. The places where these characters live feel real.

There is a lot going on in this book, but it doesn't feel overdone or scattered. The various parts of the plot connect together well. Definitely recommended for fans of fantasy settings and political intrigue.

Orphan Black: Helsinki Review

Orphan Black: Helsinki. Graeme Manson, John Fawcett, Heli Kennedy, and Denton J. Tipton. 2016. IDW Publishing. 120 pages.

Rating: 3/5

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy through NetGalley for an honest review. The galley I received only contained four of the five parts of the story.

I haven't had a chance to check out Orphan Black yet, but I've  heard really good things, which is what prompted my interest in this book. This is set in 2001 in Helsinki. Veera is the main character here and she is dropped right in the middle of a mystery when she discovers her uncle/guardian is spying on her.

She begins to track down the other girls that her uncle is watching, and things spiral out of control when she discovers the other girls look exactly like her. Those familiar with the show will know that they are clones, but the way if unfolds for Veera is done really well.

Something to keep in mind about Veera is that she has been homeschooled. Within the story it means that she is socially awkward. But she is very intelligent and uses that to her advantage. As her counterparts are introduced, it is great to see that they are very different from each other.

I wouldn't recommend this as a starting point for the series because there are things left unexplained that may be covered elsewhere and worth knowing before going in. But fans of the series should enjoy this as it explores a part of the mythos that has only been hinted at.

Astonishing X-Men Volume 3 Review

Astonishing X-Men, Volume 3: Torn. Joss Whedon and John Cassaday. 2007. Marvel. 152 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I've really enjoyed reading this run by Whedon and Cassaday. The cartoon series based on it is quite good as well. Definitely recommend reading the first two volumes before reading this one.

The third volume acts as a bridge between the first two volumes and the fourth volume. It really focuses on the fallout from the previous books while setting up the story for the fourth book. There isn't really a standalone story here.

The art is fantastic once again. So the team is working on bringing itself back together, which makes the subtitle pretty fitting. There is a plotline here featuring Emma Frost that goes along with this theme as well. This plot didn't really stand out for me though. There are suggestions of it in the previous book, and it just didn't feel as strong as the story from the previous volumes.

The team comes together by the end of the book in a nice way though. There is tension throughout and things aren't quite resolved at the end, but that is okay knowing that the story is continued. It is a strong addition to the Whedon/Cassaday run.

Klaw: The First Cycle Review

Klaw: The First Cycle. Antoine Ozenam and Joel Jurion. 2016. Magnetic Press. 144 pages.

Rating: 3/5

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Klaw is about a young man named Angel from a rich family coming of age in Chicago. It is also about the Chinese zodiac. And were-animals.  These seem like they would be at odds, but they come together well.

The first part in particular is very enjoyable, although portions of it don't fit based on what we learn later. It felt like some of the motivation was lost by the end of the book. There were more errors in the text and the characters acted in unexpected ways at times. Jurion's illustrations of were-animals are superb. There are some great details toward the end of the book that could be missed if the reader doesn't look closely.

There are definitely areas that could have been improved upon, but it was a fun read. Angel's training and development felt like they were inspired by various martial arts films. There is also an influence from the superhero genre on this book. Perhaps a tighter focus by the creators would have led to a better progression through the story.

Batman, Volume 2 Review

Batman, Volume 2: The City of Owls. Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, and Rafael Albuquerque. 2013. DC Comics. 208 pages.

Rating: 3/5

The City of Owls continues the Court of Owls storyline. Batman starts at a low point as he begins to take the fight to this organization, rather than simply reacting to them.

I felt like there were some gaps in the story. The book just wasn't cohesive to me. It seemed to jump from plot point to plot point with not enough segue in between. Toward the end this isn't as bad because there is more focus for Batman.

The reveal toward the end and the justification for it are pretty good too. The creators are great at making the story engaging. They understand Batman and the mythos in general to keep things moving, even through some parts that I found less interesting.

Definitely worth reading for Batman fans or anyone interested in the Court of Owl story. It branches into some other series so someone could encounter elsewhere first, but the Scott Snyder books contain the meat of it all.

Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant Review

Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant. Tony Cliff. 2013. First Second. 176 pages.

Rating: 5/5

This book is a ton of fun. The two main characters are Delilah Dirk and Selim, a Turkish Janissary. After Delilah breaks out of a prison in Constantinople, Selim has no choice but to join her on her adventures.

Think of this like Tomb Raider with a PG rating. They wander around ducking Turkish soldiers and followers of a pirate that they cross. Despite Delilah being the title character, this felt like it was more about Selim. Her previous adventures are touched on briefly and there are sections that focus on Selim by himself.

The character development is fantastic. They felt like old friends within a few pages. Their personalities play off each other really well and lead to some humorous exchanges.

The art is beautiful too. The characters are distinctive. Delilah's clothes seem a bit odd, but they didn't detract from the story. This story has a really strong female lead that will appeal to young girls with an adventurous spirit.

I Hate Fairyland, Volume 1 Review

I Hate Fairyland, Volume 1: Madly Ever After. Skottie Young and Jean-François Beaulieu. 2016. Image Comics. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy through NetGalley for an honest review.

I Hate Fairyland is a twist on Alice in Wonderland. The star of the story is a young girl named Gertrude that enters a fantastic world and needs to find the key that unlocks the door back home. She has spent the last 27 years looking for it and is going mad as a result. She is accompanied by a fly that is supposed to act as her guide through Fairyland.

I heard really good things about this book, but I hated the first chapter. It seemed pointless. There wasn't much character or plot development. Gertrude, while understandably angry after being stuck in Fairyland for so long, just lashes out at everyone and everything around her. I think the creators were still feeling out the character and world at that point.

From the second chapter on, things improve dramatically. Gertrude really embraces her wickedness when a rival is introduced. Her anger is channeled in a productive way at this point. This evolution of the character makes the book a lot more fun. There is a lot of violence throughout though. This seems to be Gertrude's response to all situations. I would like to see her move beyond this in the future.

The art is fantastic. It is bright and evocative of the setting. The creators did a great job using the illustrations to ramp things up and make this world their own.

Concrete Park, Volume 1 Review

Concrete Park, Volume 1: You Send Me. Tony Puryear and Erika Alexander. 2014. Dark Horse Books. 72 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Concrete Park is set on a desert planet that is used as a dumping ground for criminals and exiles from Earth. These people join gangs to fight over the limited resources in the town that has formed. Conceptually, this reminded me of Bitch Planet and Escape From New York.

The book is pretty in your face from the beginning. Violence and sex abound. It is great at dialing into the character personalities and showing the struggle that these people have. Luca, the leader of an all female gang, does a nice job of trying to avoid violence though.

It is a little short for my taste. The setting is established very well, but the characters could have been developed a lot more. Since these characters are exiles, it would have been cool to find out more about their pasts. The way the book unfolds leads me to believe that this will be addressed later on, but its absence is notable.

There is quite a bit of diversity in the characters. The main character is female, there are people from different ethnic backgrounds, and some characters that might be aliens. I'm not positive on that last one because the book doesn't go into a lot of detail on these characters.

House of Mystery, Volume 2 Review

House of Mystery, Volume 2: Love Stories for Dead People. Matthew Sturges and Luca Rossi. 2009. Vertigo. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

This is a really nice follow up to the first volume in the House of Mystery series by Matt Sturges. Once again, the setting is within the house itself, which exists between dimensions. This allows travelers from very different worlds to visit it from time to time. The format established in the first book is carried over here as well. The primary plotline acts as a frame for stories being told by various characters, so they are woven together.

The first volume introduced the reader to the house, and now the main characters are on a mission to explore the basement. They are hoping to find a way to leave the house. These main characters are permanent residents, but not by choice. Where other people can leave the house whenever they want, there is no path back to their homes for these characters.

The basement is creepy. It reminded me of a horror movie where you just want to tell the characters not to go down there. The creators do a good job of building this up a little bit and the art punches things home once they head down. The bar still needs to be run, so a couple of characters stay behind. This portion of the story balances out the basement portion pretty well.

While the book answers some questions raised in the first volume, there are others that aren't touched or made more confusing. Not to mention new issues that are raised as things are revealed. This is a good continuation of the series and I highly recommend it if you read volume one.

Stumptown, Volume 2 Review

Stumptown, Volume 2: The Case of the Baby in the Velvet Case. Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth. 2013. Oni Press. 152 pages.

Rating: 4/5

This is the last of the books I received in the Powerless Comic Bento box. It is a detective story set in Portland, OR.

A musician has a guitar stolen at the end of a long tour and hires the detective, Dex Parios, to find it. She is a very typical private eye, but that is just fine for this book. Of course, Dex discovers that there is more to the story as she digs into the investigation. She runs across band members and roadies and is confronted by the DEA.

The art is great. There is a chase sequence about halfway through the book that is fantastic. I always enjoy when creators are willing to take a chance on doing something different like that.

Not much to say on this one. It fits within the genre very well, but I would have liked to have seen some more development on Dex.

Golem Review

Golem. Lorenzo Ceccotti. 2016. Magnetic Press. 280 pages.

Rating: 5/5

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Golem is set in a futuristic Italian state where everyone is hooked in. We see the world through the eyes of a young man named Steno as he goes about his day. Everything is routine until a group of terrorists attack the president.

There is a lot more going on in this book than my brief synopsis states, but it would be hard to give more details without spiraling out of control. Suffice it to say that Steno, the group of terrorists, and the politician that is kidnapped are all connected in an interesting way.

It has a dystopian feel to it mostly because of the militaristic state of the country. The economy has evolved to a point where only a few major corporations supply most of the goods. Logos and references are sprinkled throughout the book to these corporations and other aspects of the story. The way the creator shows things to have evolved feels pretty natural. This is a place that I could see existing at some time.

Another aspect that I liked, but could turn other people off, is the art. It reminded me of an anime from the way the characters and setting are drawn to the overall story. I can see this being made into an animated film or series at some point.

Comic Bento Elementals Box Review

Comic Bento is a blind subscription service for graphic novels. Each month at least four graphic novels are selected based around a theme. The theme for April 2016 is Elementals. As usual, there is a card introducing the theme and each of the books.

I was excited for this theme. There are a lot of possibilities that go along with it. I was a little disappointed at first to see a Fantastic Four book in the box because it seemed like too obvious of a choice.

This one looks really good though. Never really being a huge fan of the Fantastic Four, this will give me an opportunity to read a retelling of their origin story. After flipping through the book it looks like it contains more than a rehash of that original plotline. Despite my initial misgivings it looks pretty good. Each of the characters represent one of the four principal elements. Cover price: $24.99 (hardcover).

The next one that caught my eye is Surface Tension by Jay Gunn. The cover made me think of a Japanese influence, and the description on the back drives this home.

Water is the major element present for this book. The vast majority of humanity was drawn to the sea and never returned. Two people wash up on the shore of a small island and immediately create tension. The sea creatures look fantastic. This book immerses itself in the water theme from the cover to the plot to the art. Cover price: $16.99.

The Book of Death from Valiant Comics initially seems out of place. For a box centered around the elements, including a book about death feels wrong.

The description given by the Comic Bento team, and the back of the book itself, clues into the reason it is included though. It follows the last of the Geomancers, who protect the Earth. She has powers to help achieve this goal. I would place this one within the element of earth. I'm hoping it is as good as the Valiant book from the Powerless box. Cover price: $14.99.

The last of the books included in the box is Four Points: Horsemen from Aspen. Like the Fantastic Four book, this includes characters in touch with the four elements. The take on these characters is a bit different though, and they must protect the world from the Four Horsemen.

It is really cool that there is an exclusive Comic Bento cover for this book. It kind of plays off the Book of Death as well with the appearance of the Four Horsemen. Cover price: $12.99.

For those keeping track, the cover price of these books comes in at $69.96. This is well over the box price of $20 plus shipping. I probably wouldn't have picked up any of these books on my own, which is part of the appeal of the box.

There is a lot of variety in this month's box, but the theme still feels well represented. I will be posting reviews of the individual books over the next month.

The i Word: Image Expo Sessions 4 of 4

So this episode of the i Word has been out for almost a week now, but I just got around to listening to it. The podcast is the official Image Comics podcast. The Imago Expo Sessions are recordings of panel discussions from the Image Expo 2016. These have all been very interesting to listen to. Each of the sessions seems to focus on a different aspect of the comic creation process. In this episode, there is a focus on colorists and how their work enhances the art. It is quite interesting to see comparisons of an illustration after it is drawn and when it is fully colored. I can definitely tell the difference in what the colorist can add.

Anyway, there weren't as many creators on this panel that I was familiar with. Babs Tarr and Brendan Fletcher are the two name that jumped out at me. This may have been the most interesting of the session recordings to me, partly because of the discussion on editors and what they can add to the creation process. It seems like colorists and editors are two contributors to comic works that get overlooked, so its nice to see them both get recognition here. I may not have been paying enough attention at the beginning, but this episode had the same problem for me that an earlier session did. Namely that it was difficult for me to distinguish between some of the creators. It probably wouldn't have been as noticeable at the panel, but it can be distracting in a podcast.

Check it out at Image, Libsyn, or iTunes.

Spider-Gwen Volume 0 Review

Spider-Gwen, Volume 0: Most Wanted? Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez. 2015. Marvel Comics. 112 pages.

Rating: 3/5

I really like the concept behind this book. It is a spin-off of the Spiderverse series. Instead of Peter Parker getting bit by a spider and becoming the star it is Gwen Stacy.

There are some familiar problems for Spider-Man fans as Gwen struggles to balance crime fighting and her personal life. Things fall apart pretty quickly for her though.

The costume is great. It plays into her personality and current trends really well. Gwen and MJ are in a band, which felt right for the series. These are a couple of elements that helped the book shine.

The creators have a different take on some classic characters as well. This makes sense with the change in the universe, but it doesn't always work for me. The appearance of another Spiderverse character in chapter three is perfect though.

It is a fun book that reads really quickly. There isn't a lot of depth to the characters though. They easily could have been developed more within the space given.

Blackcross Review

Blackcross. Warren Ellis, Gabriel Hardman, Declan Shalvey, Tula Lotay, and Colton Worley. 2016. Dynamite Entertainment. 160 pages.

Rating: 4/5

This book was included in the Powerless box I received from Comic Bento. It is part of Project Superheroes, but it is a standalone book and my first foray into the series.

The book is presented more as a mystery. It starts with an apparent suicide outside the town of Blackcross in Washington and the police are trying to figure out what happened and why. As the story unfolds, we learn that many of the characters are being haunted by ghosts. I thought there was a pretty good explanation of what was causing this.

There is also a serial killer on the loose that is being investigated. The two aspects eventually come together and reveal what is behind all of this. The characters themselves could have used some more development. What is present is fine, but doesn't go into depth for background.

I like the art. The characters are drawn well and the setting is developed well. There are some contrasting elements that I thought were great. The use of images alone for the beginning and end sequences worked really well.

House of Mystery Volume 1 Review

House of Mystery, Volume 1: Room & Boredom. Matthew Sturges, Bill Willingham, and Luca Rossi. 2009. Vertigo. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

The House of Mystery series is long standing with DC Comics. The latest iteration led by Matthew Sturges borrows a little from the Sandman mythos, which is in turn based on older DC comic series.

I haven't read the older books, but I still enjoyed this one quite a bit. The House of Mystery stands at a crossroads between dimensions where travelers can come to swap stories. A few have been chosen to become permanent residents. This is ostensibly about the permanent residents, but it features some of the regular attendees to the house as well.

These visitors tell stories as a form of currency to drink and eat at the bar provided by the house. The creators did a great job weaving the main plotline with the various short tales that are told by the visitors. It is set up more like an anthology within a frame story in that way.

The plot focuses on Fig, the most recent person to be chosen as one of the permanent residents of the house. We follow her through a strange opening that leads to her entering the house. As she learns about the house and the people that travel there, we are able to discover things right along with her. But she has a special connection with the house that sets her apart from the others that visit.

This is a great read, but I just wasn't drawn in quite as well as some other books. It might have something to do with the way the story unfolds. There are layers to the story that are hinted at here and likely won't be fully revealed until much later.

The Beauty, Volume 1 Review

The Beauty, Volume 1. Jason Hurley, Jeremy Haun, John Rauch, and Fonografiks. 2016. Image. 164 pages.

Rating: 4/5

The Beauty is a fairly intense book centered around an STI. A new disease is discovered that causes the infected to become beautiful: their weight and general appearance changes to make them more attractive. As a result, many people are actively seeking to become infected.

At the point this book starts out the disease has been around for roughly two years. In the opening sequence we see what appears to be the downside of the disease as someone dies in a pretty graphic way. This sets up the story for the protagonists, detectives who specialize in cases involving people afflicted by the beauty virus.

I like that the creators cover a lot of different angles to the story. We see perspective from the detectives, people with the beauty virus and those without it, pharmaceutical companies working on a cure, and pro- and anti-beauty groups. I felt that there was a pretty pessimistic view put forth by the book.  I hope this gets balanced out a bit more as the story unfolds.

There is actually a lot more action and a lot less sex than I would have anticipated based on the premise. I was reminded of Ordinary by Rob Williams quite a bit while reading this, probably because they both center around a virus and I read that book recently. The creators did a great job making it easy to distinguish between people with beauty and those without just by looking at the images.

The book hits the ground running and gets things up to speed quickly. There are some curveballs in the story, which make it worth reading to the end.

Ninjak: Weaponeer Review

Ninjak, Volume 1: Weaponeer. Matt Kindt, Marguerite Savage, Butch Guice, and Clay Mann. 2015. Valiant. 176 pages.

Rating: 5/5

This is one of the graphic novels that I received in the Powerless box from Comic Bento.

Ninjak is a super-spy. He works unofficially for MI6 doing missions that they do not want connected to them. Sometimes this includes assassinations. Plus, he has all sorts of cool equipment to help him pull off his missions.

In Weaponeer, he is hired to infiltrate and take down the largest black weapons dealer in the world. This is a fast paced story that really shows off Ninjak's skills, from interpersonal to fighting. The story weaves together the past and present to give an understanding of Ninjak and carry along the plot.

There is also a small section at the end of each chapter titled "Lost Files" that tells the reader about his early career. This could have made things pretty muddled, but I feel like the creators did a nice job pulling it off.

I do have one quibble with the main plot toward the end of the book, but it is such a fun read that I will let it slide. Looking forward to more Ninjak.