Princeless, Volume 2 Review

Princeless, Volume Two: Get Over Yourself. Jeremy Whitley and Emily Martin. 2014. Action Lab. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first book, but it is still really good. Adrienne is one of many daughters of King Ashe, all of whom are locked away in towers with a dragon guardian. Tired of waiting for a knight to come rescue her, she broke out of her prison and is now on a quest to save her sisters.

Adrienne sets out to rescue her sister Angelica, who is considered to be the most beautiful princess in the land. Meanwhile, their father has set the greatest knights in the land to hunt down the mysterious knight that "killed" Adrienne. The clock is ticking for Adrienne as the knights begin to close in on her. Will they discover her secret?

While this book isn't as obvious about poking fun at stereotypical women in fantasy stories, it is still quite enjoyable and has a positive message for girls. The level of humor wasn't the same either. It was still pretty funny, but I didn't laugh out loud quite as much. The artist has changed for this book too, and I like the change to the art.

The second volume in this series is still fun, but takes a more serious turn. I will be on the lookout for a chance to read the next volume.

The Woods, Volume 2 Review

The Woods, Volume 2: The Swarm. James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas. 2015. BOOM! Studios. 112 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Check out my review of volume 1.

A nice continuation to the series. A high school in suburban Milwaukee has been mysteriously transported to another planet. A group of students went out into the wilderness to find out who brought them here and why. Meanwhile, the faculty tries to bring order to the remaining students and help them survive this strange world.

There isn't much in this book about the group that remained at the school. I am a little disappointed because of the way the first book ended. The fallout from that should definitely have been addressed some more. In its place we get a wonderful glimpse into the past of the students.

Interjected throughout the book are snippets of events one year prior to the abduction. This fleshes out who the students are, how they know each other, and gives some explanation for their actions to this point. It all takes place on the night that the school theater group is putting on a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Meanwhile, the group in the woods needs to deal with a confrontation with the "locals". They are split up at this point so there is some jumping back and forth between these groups and the events of the past. This storytelling format carries over from the first volume. The art is on par with the first book. There isn't too much that feels new though. I would like to see some new creatures and an in depth exploration of the world, but this books gives a good background on the characters that was sorely needed.

Southern Bastards, Volume 1 Review

Southern Bastards, Volume 1: Here Was a Man. Jason Aaron and Jason Latour. 2014. Image. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Grit. That is the sum of Earl Tubb. He grew up in Craw County, AL. Being one of the few to move away, Earl returns to settle the affairs of his uncle. He finds that he is still living in his father's shadow though.

Earl gets drawn into the lives of the people still in his hometown, despite intentions to leave as soon as possible. Then there are the phone calls he makes to a mystery person. This all points to a man seeking redemption.

The book is clearly set in the South. There is BBQ, football, and some stereotypical characters. The art reinforces these things, but it can be subtle. There aren't any truly likeable characters. I think they are very well done and distinguishable from one another though.

Earl Tubb acts as a guide into this story, but the other characters and their machinations bring it to life.

The Chief: Mistahimaskwa Review

The Chief: Mistahimaskwa. David Alexander Robertson and Scott B. Henderson. 2016. Highwater Press. 32 pages.

Rating: 3/5

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

This one is pretty short. It tells the history of the Indian chief Mistahimaskwa. A girl's book is struck by lightning and the chief's story comes out of it for her to see. So, the way that she gets to see the story unfold is a little out there given that the rest  of the story seems to be fairly historical.

The chief is an impressive person. He is strong and brave, surviving situations that would overcome other people. It goes through his whole life, which felt abbreviated at times because of how short the book is. I think this could have been expanded, though maybe it would have required more embellishment on behalf of the creators.

For what it is, the story is good. It just didn't wow me in any particular way. Even the art is acceptable rather than outstanding.

Grayson, Volume 3 Review

Grayson, Volume 3: Nemesis. Tom King, Tim Seeley, Mikel Janin, and Jeromy Cox. 2016. DC Comics. 160 pages.

Rating: 4/5

See my reviews of volume 1 and volume 2.

Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, has joined the ranks of Spyral, a spy organization that seeks out secrets of the world's superheroes. Someone is killing people associated with every mission he has gone on for the organization. Is the former Boy Wonder behind it or is he being framed?

I like this book because it delves into Grayson's past a bit more than the previous volumes. He chooses to leave Spyral and strike out on his own. Part of his journey involves finding his former friends and allies to let them know that he is still alive. There are glimpses of the comradery they shared, while tying it into the current plotline. Normally I wouldn't like to see this much crossover, but it worked well.

This feels like a placeholder between volume 2 and 4, though that isn't a bad thing. It gives the reader and the creators a chance to back off the super spy motif a little bit and get back to the roots of the character. It segues from the second volume and sets the stage for the next one. I am definitely interested to see where things go from here.

Black Science, Volume 1 Review

Black Science, Volume 1: How to Fall Forever. Rick Remender, Dean White, and Matteo Scalera. 2014. Image Comics. 152 pages.

Rating: 5/5

Black Science starts off a little weird. The reader follows Grant McKay running for his life with little information on why he is running. It turns out he is part of a research team that has found a way to travel to alternate dimensions in order to obtain vital resources that are limited in our universe. The device used to travel between dimensions activated unexpectedly and the team has to be within its range when it jumps again or be lost.

There is animosity among some of the team members, which creates tension and makes things more interesting. The personality of some of the characters is flat though. It's not that they lack personality, but they are predictable at times. They are still engaging though, which is a triumph for the creators.

I like the art. It is playful at times because the creators are able to explore worlds that are different from and reminiscent of Earth. I am often amazed at the strange creatures that other people can think up. The illustrations can be jumbled at times though. Overall, they hit the mark and pulled me in.

The story and art are similar to another Rick Remender work, Low. I highly recommend this book if you enjoyed his other work. Despite a confusing opening, this is a very well done book.

Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Witches Review

Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Witches. Jim Henson and various. Archaia. 112 pages.

Rating: 5/5

First of all, I picked this up on a whim. I saw it at the library and grabbed it because it had Jim Henson's name on it without really knowing anything about it. Second, I won't say that this is necessarily better than the books I've been reviewing lately at 4/5. I enjoyed it immensely though and that's good enough for me.

Witches is a collection of stories based on folk and fairy tales. Each of the four stories features a witch in some way and has a different writer. Some of these are adapted quite a bit from their original format because they are being told in a different medium. Despite the difficulty of adapting them, I thought they worked very well. The setting for the stories is varied, as is the artwork associated with each one.

The illustrations are absolutely what enamored me about these stories. They are beautiful pieces that evoke multiple emotions. The different approach to the illustrations sets them apart in a great way. I'm not sure if it was purposeful, but each story seems to represent one of the four seasons. It's a subtle aspect to them that helps tie them together, aside from the obvious witch connection. I would definitely read this one again.

Ms. Marvel Vol 3 Review

Ms. Marvel, Volume 3: Crushed. G. Willow Wilson, Takeshi Miyazawa, and Elmo Bondoc. 2015. Marvel. 112 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Check out my reviews of volume 1 and volume 2.

Crushed continues the story of Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, nicely. After wrapping things up with the Inventor, Kamala has some more personal issues to tackle. This arc involves Loki, which felt kind of random but becomes important later on. The person Kamala really has to confront this time isn't a supervillain.

She falls hard for a young man, and her actions as a result felt very natural for someone her age. They may be out of character, but she is a teenager that is coming to terms with romantic love for the first time. I thought the creators pulled it off really well.

Another part that might be difficult for readers to come to terms with is Kamala as a victim. She is a strong character even when she isn't sure of herself, so it might throw people off. It is another aspect that the creators addressed fantastically because the struggle she goes through can be relatable.

The weak point in this book is probably the art. It is not bad by any means, but there is a difference from the earlier books. It may require some adjusting to get used to it. This is a story of a girl in love who happens to be a superhero and it succeeds at that.

Love Addict Review

Love Addict: Confessions of a Serial Dater. Koren Shadmi. 2016. Top Shelf Productions. 232 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

K was recently dumped by his girlfriend. His roommate introduces K to a dating website called LoveBug to take his mind of the failed relationship. As K gains confidence, things spiral out of control.

The title of this book might have been better as Sex Addict. Love doesn't play much of a role in K's dates. At first he tries to get to know the women he is meeting and tries to gauge whether they would be worth having a relationship with. It soon becomes an easy access to sex for him and those thoughts go out the window.

This book did a great job showing how K's addiction forms and the aftermath of it. There is growth to the character, and a recession, that makes him interesting. The art is okay and can be graphic at times. The character isn't always likeable, nor should he be considering the situations that he puts himself and others in. Although the ending can be interpreted a couple different ways, I feel like it shows hope for K and leaves things at the right time.

Codename Baboushka Volume 1 Review

Codename Baboushka, Volume 1: The Conclave of Death. Antony Johnston, Simon Bowland, and Shari Chankhamma. 2016. Image Comics. 136 pages.

Rating: 3/5

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I previously read the first issue and enjoyed it a lot. The rest of the book follows a similar pattern to that first issue, but it left me feeling somewhat indifferent to the story as a whole.

The star of the book is a Russian countess that operated as the head of a crime organization. She fled to the U.S. After several years, she is contacted by a secret government agency that wants her to take on missions that their normal operatives cannot. Her choice is to comply or be deported. In this first mission, she needs to gain access to a closed meeting in which a well known weapons dealer is selling all of his networks, contacts, and merchandise to the highest bidder.

Baboushka herself is pretty cool. We see a few of the different tricks that she has employed over the years, and they are effective. As the plot goes on, we see why she earned her reputation. There is a bit of stereotyping with the characters though, and that put me off a bit. The creators freely admit that they use James Bond as an inspiration, and I feel like that shows through.

I would have liked for the book to get into the characters a bit more. Instead it felt more like a showcase of spy movie tropes. High marks for the character, but not so much for the plot. I am interested to see how things develop down the line.

Camp Midnight Review

Camp Midnight. Steven T. Seagle and Jason Adam Katzenstein. 2016. Image Comics. 248 pages.

Rating: 5/5

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

Skye's parents are divorced. She mostly lives with her mom, except holidays and special occasions. Her dad remarried and his new wife does not get along with Skye. So it makes sense when Skye's mother tells her that she will be spending the summer with her father and stepmother that she is not thrilled with the prospect.

The couple doesn't know how to deal with this young lady effectively, and have arranged to send her to a camp for the summer. Skye ends up on a bus to Camp Midnight, which is a summer camp for all kinds of monsters that pretend to be human the rest of the year. How will she be able to fit in with these creatures?

Skye's attitude at the beginning of the book, and during camp to a lesser degree, is pretty terrible. She fights with her parents and stepmother. She even lashes out at some of the other campers to keep them from getting close to her. But things slowly change for her as she learns more about herself and the other campers. By the end of the book she is pretty likeable.

The creators do a great job of addressing the whole issue of the divorce and remarriage. I think this is a theme that is relatable to a lot of people. Friendship is another big theme for the book. This is where Skye starts to shine through in a positive way. There is also a bit of humor throughout the book, which helps keep the reader engaged around such serious subject matter. The characters are well crafted, both in the art and through their words and deeds.

I enjoyed Camp Midnight a lot. It is funny and well paced. Although it is targeted at middle grade readers, the book is crafted well enough for anyone to pick up and be entertained by.

Grayson, Volume 2 Review

Grayson, Volume 2: We All Die At Dawn. Tim Seeley, Tom King, Mikel Janin, Stephen Mooney, and Jeremy Cox. 2016. DC Comics. 160 Pages.

Rating: 4/5

Check out my review of Grayson volume 1.

I enjoyed the continuation of this series quite a bit. Is Dick Grayson, the former Boy Wonder, a great spy? No, but that isn't really the point. He has joined the ranks of Spyral, a spy organization that steals secrets and is currently collecting organs that give people superpowers, as Agent 37.

The Midnighter returns as a nemesis and ally for Grayson. They are seeking out some of the same people in their attempts to retrieve those super organs. Along the way, Grayson comes into contact with a group called The Fist of Cain, which may have found a way to force humanity to destroy itself.

The flashiness of Dick Grayson that has been established in previous DC books is still here. It works great because the creators are sticking to the character. There is a range of emotion applied to him throughout the book too. We get to see him at both high and low points. Since Dick has always been less serious than his mentor, Batman, the tense points become a bit more effective. Definitely pick up volume 1 if you have any interest in this series.

Chronos Commandos Review

Chronos Commandos: Dawn Patrol. Stuart Jennett. 2014. Titan Comics. 120 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I received this book in the Rewriting History box from Comic Bento. This one is all over the place. The intro from the creator says he was inspired by playing with toys as a child. The mixture of dinosaurs, time travel, and battling in a war is clearly a tale from childhood.

Sarge is the hero of this book. He leads a squad of soldiers that travel back to the time of the dinosaurs to thwart the efforts of the Nazis to change history, thus allowing them to defeat the allies. Albert Einstein is the Professor leading the American effort into time travel. Together Sarge and the Professor fight Nazis across multiple periods of time.

The book is just as ridiculous as it sounds. And that's a good thing. It is fun with a light tone, which is nicely offset by the obviously evil Nazi soldiers. I sort of imagine this as a being inspired by a really bad TV show, where the actors aren't quite sure how to portray a German. So the writing for the dialogue can be a little inconsistent. But that's okay because this is completely off the wall and it doesn't really break the immersion into the story.

Anyone looking for something more serious or in line with a Marvel or DC comic story will want to look elsewhere. The over the top violence, tough as nails Sarge, and reimagining of the battle against the Axis powers in WWII make Chronos Commandos a great read.

Pride & Joy Review

Pride & Joy. Garth Ennis and John Higgins. 2016. Image. 104 pages.

Rating: 3/5

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

This is the second Garth Ennis book I've read. It shares some qualities with Preacher. The main character has a sketchy past and does quite a bit of posturing. Pride & Joy is more grounded in reality, although the antagonist, Stein, has a supernatural element to him.

Basically what happens is that Jimmy Kavanaugh is still struggling with the death of his wife. He has little connection to his son and is figuring out how to raise his daughter. Out of nowhere he gets a phone call from an old associate of his that sparks off the rest of the events in the book. Jimmy wants to protect his family from the real threat that Stein represents, as well as the threat of them learning about his past.

Jimmy's story is good, although a bit pessimistic for my tastes. There is some violence and profanity, so it is recommended for a mature audience. The art isn't bad. Nothing to get too excited about.

The Woods, Volume 1 Review

The Woods, Volume 1: The Arrow. James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas. 2014. BOOM! Studios. 96 pages.

Rating: 4/5

What would you do if your school was mysteriously transported from Earth to an unknown planet? That is what the students of suburban Milwaukee high school must find out in The Woods.

There are a few different groups that form in the aftermath of the sudden move. One goes out to explore the world around them, while the others try to create a semblance of order within the school building. This split drives the plot of the book, with the story jumping back and forth between these two sides.

Some of what happens implies that there is a deeper story about why this school was chosen, if indeed it was. The character personalities felt distinguishable from one another, though they were somewhat shallow at times. The book is a little shorter than most and could have used the extra space to develop these out a bit more. For what is in the book, I think the characters are done well. I look forward to seeing what happens with them.

One thing that kind of bugged me is how quickly things turn sour. It is literally within a day that a tyrannical regime tries to take control of the school. Again, space may have helped here. A slower development to that, even over the course of a couple days, would have seemed more believable. The characters seem to ignore some of the things that happen on an emotional level. I could see the alien environment having an effect on them, but it should be stated more clearly.

I feel like I am bashing on the book a bit, but it is quite good. It sucked me in quickly and had me rooting for certain characters. And the art is great. The strange landscapes and creatures have just enough basis on things from our own world to give the reader a reference point. From there, the creators have some fun letting their imaginations go wild on what might populate this world.

The book may appeal more to high school age students because they would more easily identify with the characters. However, it should appeal to a wider audience.

Princeless, Volume 1 Review

Princeless, Volume 1: Save Yourself. Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin. 2012. Action Lab. 128 pages.

Rating: 5/5

Princeless is pure fun. I picked it up on a whim and am really glad that I did. It plays on a lot of fairy tale and fantasy tropes, much like Rat Queens, but in a more wholesome way. The main character is a teenage princess, Adrienne, that is locked away in a tower with a dragon placed to fight off any knights that come to take her away. After watching incompetent men try to rescue her, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

Together with her dragon protector, Sparky, she goes on a mission to save her sisters. This leads her into encounters with her family, the army, and a young female blacksmith (apprentice technically) that specializes in making armor for women. I feel like the book really took off after she entered the picture.

I love that this book pokes fun at all the stories that portray women as damsels-in-distress or glorified sex objects in skimpy armor. Adrienne is smart, funny, and capable. There are moments where things don't go according to plan, but these make her more likeable. Sparky provides some nice comic relief. The book doesn't take itself too seriously on the whole though. I will definitely continue to read this series.

Ivar, Timewalker, Volume 1 Review

Ivar, Timewalker, Volume 1: Making History. Fred van Lente and Clayton Henry. 2015. Valiant Entertainment, LLC. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Another book from the Comic Bento Rewriting History box. And another Valiant title that I enjoyed quite a bit. Ivar is a time traveler that is trying to protect Neela Sethi, who is about to make a major discovery in terms of time traveling. Neela's discovery is going to be an accident, but once she learns about it she wants to do everything she can to prevent her father's death.

The time travel mechanics can be a little wonky at times. Perhaps it is just the way it is described. The creators make great use of it though, even flipping the panels on the page as the characters jump through multiple periods of history. That and the fourth chapter as a whole are two of the elements that made this one stand out to me.

I liked the characters. Ivar is a little odd, and he disappears for chunks of the story, but he remains an interesting character and I would like to see what happens with him down the line. There are hints at the future relationship between Ivar and Neela throughout the book too. Neela is developed a bit more, and she is the character that most readers would identify with because she is learning these things at the same time we are.

It can be amusing at times as well. I think how they handle the whole "what if you could travel back in time to kill Hitler" question that seems to pop up in regard to time travel. There are parts of the story that need to be addressed down the line, but this is a great start to an interesting story.

Spider-Woman Volume 1 Review

Spider-Woman Volume 1: Spider-Verse. Dennis Hopeless and Greg Land. 2015. Marvel. 112 pages.

Rating: 3/5

Despite being linked to a crossover event, I enjoyed this volume. But seriously, who starts a series as part of a crossover? This is not a book for newcomers to Spider-Woman unless they are reading all of the Spider-Verse stories.

Jessica Drew is Spider-Woman. And a secret agent. And a spy. She does a bit of everything. Here she is protecting Silk with the help of Spider-Man Noir. They are traveling between universes trying to flee members of a group that are hunting Spider heroes. There are some nice twists, but some things go unexplained because of the assumption that you have read the other crossover stuff.

I like the different approaches that the creators were able to take on the characters in different universes. Spider-Woman felt like an afterthought at times because the focus landed on other characters. This is corrected towards the end of the book.

Pop Gun War, Volume 1 Review

Pop Gun War, Volume 1: Gift. Farel Dalrymple. 2016. Image Comics. 136 pages.

Rating: 2/5

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

This book is weird. I usually like weird, but this one didn't click with me. The world is a mixture of the real world with fairy tale elements, kind of like the works of Charles de Lint. There is a talking fish that doesn't need to live in water, and a man that can grow and shrink. The story centers around a young man named Sinclair, who finds a pair of wings in the trash. He puts them on and uses them to travel around the city.

Sinclair goes through a sort of odyssey, with each chapter highlighting another character in the city. I don't like that Sinclair observes more than he acts. He guides the reader through the city but doesn't do much of anything. He does interact with some of the other characters and we get to see his thoughts at least.

The art isn't my preferred style, but it is definitely the best element of the book. Something about the character drawings turned me off. The set pieces are great though. They bring the city to life amid the meandering. I would have liked more focus to the plot, including a hook as to why I should care about these characters.

Aliens/Vampirella Review

Aliens/Vampirella. Corinna Sara Bechko and Javier Garcia-Miranda. 2016. Dynamite Entertainment. 144 pages.

Rating: 3/5

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

Aliens/Vampirella is a crossover that is as ridiculous as it is horrifying. The creators play off the suspense built into the Alien franchise with some cool twists thrown in due to the vampires.

Humanity has established a base on Mars, which they discover is on top of a set of ruins. Vampirella is brought to the colony because the ruins appear to be from an ancient vampire race. When she takes a team into the ruins to learn about these vampires, they come across something much more terrifying.

There is a bit going on in this book. It certainly isn't boring by any means. The art is pretty cool too. As the search team uncovers more about the aliens and the vampires, things just get bigger and badder. The book plays into the tropes one would expect from these two series, but doesn't do much to break out of them.

One thing that bugged me is the way the humans are treating Vampirella. There is some inconsistency that could have been explained better. Perhaps being more familiar with her mythology would cover that. I enjoyed this book, but ultimately the combination just felt over the top to me and that feeling never really dissipated as the book went on.

Nailbiter Volume 1 Review

Nailbiter, Volume 1: There Will Be Blood. Joshua Williamson, Adam Guzowski, and Mike Henderson. 2014. Image Comics. 144 pages.

Rating: 4/5

What would happen in a town full of serial killers? Nailbiter takes a look at a town where a large percentage of the population has become or has the potential to become serial killers. The most famous one was known for chewing the fingernails of his victims.

After receiving a mysterious phone call from an old friend, FBI agent Nicholas Finch heads to Buckaroo, OR to find out what is going on. Upon arriving, he learns that his friend has gone missing and some strange incidents are occurring in town. Finch's search for his friend leads him deeper into the town history and an investigation into the proliferation of killers.

This plays out like a cop drama in many ways. The main characters we see are associated with law enforcement or serial killers in some way. The town itself becomes a major character in the story. There are some twists along the way, which help move things along. One aspect that I particularly enjoyed is the unveiling of some of the killers from the town's past. Each one presents a unique MO and notoriety in the town. One of the residents even set up a shop dedicated to memorabilia from the killers.

The art helps pull the story off quite a bit. I feel like it grounds things within a story that has the potential to be very over the top. The restraint with the art makes some of the twists much more effective.

I Am The Messenger Review

I Am the Messenger. Markus Zusak. 2006. Knopf. 357 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Ed Kennedy is a poker playing, cab driving, beer drinking young man who happened to foil a bank robbery. The opening sequence sets the tone for the whole book. It shows us who Ed and his friends are, and more importantly how they interact with each other. Those interactions are significant throughout the book.

Ed becomes somewhat of a local celebrity after stopping the bank robber, and finds a playing card in his mailbox shortly afterward. It is an ace with addresses and times written on it. Ed has to figure out the meaning and decide what actions to take, if any.  More of these cards are left for him throughout the course of the book.

The writing is fantastic. It keeps the pace of the book moving along without becoming boring or bogged down too heavily at any point. Although the situation Ed is forced into is quite unusual, the characters are very relatable. Amidst the "messages" there is some lightheartedness and fun that occurs.

It seemed odd to me that Ed would decide to start down the path laid before him, but there isn't much else going on in his life at the time. The end was a little disappointing because I felt like there were some issues raised in the book that weren't covered adequately. Despite that, it really shows what one person can do when they decide to take action.

Animal Man, Volume 1 Review

Animal Man, Volume 1: The Hunt. Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman. 2012. DC Comics. 144 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I enjoyed The Hunt quite a bit. It was different from other superhero books I've been reading lately. It stars Animal Man, aka Buddy Baker, who is a retired superhero. We get to see him having a relatively normal life with his family until he learns that his daughter has developed powers.

Others have found out about his daughter's powers and are trying to kill her. Buddy takes his daughter on a journey to learn more about her powers and the strange dream they have shared, while these others chase them and attack the rest of their family.

Travel Foreman's art is king in this book. It can be gruesome at times, though I find it to be horrifically beautiful. There are juxtapositions between the story and the art that tend to make everything have more of an impact. Like a good horror story, these elements aren't present right away. But once things get going, the creators do not let up.

I'm not real familiar with Animal Man, but this feels like a good continuation of the character to me.

Fantastic Four Season One Review

Fantastic Four: Season One. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and David Marquez. 2012. Marvel. 136 pages.

Rating: 3/5

I've never been a huge fan of the Fantastic Four. I think it is mainly Ben Grimm (aka Thing) that does it. He is too dour for my tastes and his accent seems unnecessary compared to the other three heroes. Season One was included as part of the Comic Bento Elementals box I received.

This is an updated telling of the origin story of the Fantastic Four. It is a good version though. Some parts, like the Namor plotline, would not have meant as much if I hadn't read Marvels recently. But the book can still be enjoyed without knowing the original story.

For those that don't know, the Fantastic Four are basically a family that traveled into space, were exposed to radiation, gained powers, and now fight crime. Each of the members has a power corresponding to one of the four principal elements. There are a couple different villains that they face, which gives some variety to the story.

The characters are believable, even if they do bug me at times. There is also an issue from the Jonathan Hickman run at the end of the book. I liked this issue and am interested in reading more.