Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover Review

Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover. Paul Buckley, Elda Rotor, and Audrey Niffenegger. 2016. Penguin Books. 288 pages.

Rating: 5/5

Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review.

As a book lover, this is probably a must read. When I say book lover, I mean more than just reading a lot. There is an appreciation for the appearance of the book from the cover to the layout and fonts used. It's a love for the medium itself and not just the content of the pages. I am prefacing my review with this information because this book is about the design of the Penguin classics books, focusing on the cover art.

After reading this book, I feel a little like my process of preparing to read and review it is similar to how many of the illustrators approached the cover designs. I received this book a while back and I was excited to read it. But instead of getting down to it, I put it off. Eventually, I read little bits of it. Just enough to feel like I was making progress. Then I was getting this nagging feeling like I just needed to get it done. Unlike the artists, I didn't have someone at Penguin emailing me asking when my review would be finished.

The book just blew me away once I made time for it. Almost all of the covers are just gorgeous. There is such a range in the styles and complexity of the illustrations and designs that were used. A few books I recognized immediately from the cover without even seeing the title. It also introduced me to some books that I had never heard of. There are more subsets of classics lines at Penguin than I would have imagined existing. Some are quite broad, while others are narrower in scope.

Throughout it all is Paul Buckley's voice overseeing the projects. Paul is an art director for Penguin, and has worked there for a long time. His input on the titles such as how the artists were chosen, various designs that were tried, and the influence that drove the choices are all fantastic. This is balanced out by input from the illustrators and some other members of the Penguin art team. There is enthusiasm and love for books on every page.

Mayhem and Magic Review

Mayhem and Magic. Sarah Fine, Alex de Campi, Dennis Calero, and Andrew Dalhouse. 2016. Jet City Comics. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

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

Mayhem & Magic is part of the Reliquary series by Sarah Fine. It seems to be a trend with Jet City books that they are connected to a series of novels. I found this one to be developed a bit better than some of the others. As a result, I enjoyed it a bit more too.

This is set in an alternate version of our world where magic exists. Not a new concept by any means, but it does distinguish itself in a couple ways. There are four types of magic and each one allows the user to affect the world in a different way. It is also possible to imbue some of that magic into items or people. There are also some interesting roles based around magic. Some people can use one of the four types of magic, while others are able to see the connections that people and objects have to magic.

Asa Ward is one of the latter type of people, and he uses his ability to track down items imbued with magic, which he then sells. He tries to live below the radar to protect himself and those around him. After crossing a gangster, he is pulled into a battle between different crime factions.

The exciting thing about this book is how Ward interacts with the world around him. His position lets the reader get a glimpse of all four types of magic in action. We see his capabilities, something he cares about, and something he fears. Taken as a whole, these elements give life to the character.

I didn't care much for the art though. Like some of the other Jet City books, there is too much shading used. The characters don't stand out very much. However, this is contrasted nicely by the colors used for the magic. Each type has a different color and it becomes easy to identify which one is being employed by color alone.

I like the setting that Fine created. Ward is a great character to introduce the reader to that world.

Archer & Armstrong, Volume 1 Review

Archer & Armstrong, Volume 1: The Michelangelo Code. Fred Van Lente, Clayton Henry, Matt Milla, Dave Lanphear, and Mico Suayan. 2013. Valiant Entertainment. 112 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Archer is a young man who can replicate any fighting style he sees. He was also raised at a fundamentalist religious theme park to become a trained assassin. Armstrong is a 5,000 year old immortal who is always looking to have a good time, which usually involves alcohol. They meet when Archer leaves his home for the first time on a mission to kill his family's greatest enemy.

This book strives on being ridiculous. The premise is silly while being familiar. I like the asides that mention what sort of style Archer is using in different fights. There are also some nice references to other comics. I've read one other book featuring these characters, but this one sets the stage nicely. It gives enough information to allow the reader to get familiar with the characters. At the same time there is stuff here that hardcore fans will get a kick out of.

There is a bit of a thriller element as they try to track down pieces of a machine known as the Boon. What made this book work is that it combines elements from a few different genres without feeling forced. The art is pretty good too. I definitely like the interior work more than the covers. Something about Mico Suayan's style doesn't appeal to me. The rest of it meshes well with the story being told.

Comic Bento November 2016: Remember the Titans

Comic Bento is a blind subscription box service that provides four or five graphic novels each month. Each monthly box is tied together as part of a theme. The theme for the November 2016 box is Remember the Titans. These books feature characters that are larger than life.

The first book this month is Hulk: Season One (Fred van Lente and Tom Fowler; 2012; Marvel). The Hulk is the perfect character to include in this box because he is such a brute. I don't think I've read a Hulk book yet, so this is perfect for me. Plus, Fred van Lente is writing it. I've read a couple of his other books and they were great. I'm excited to see what he will do with the character. The art looks good, although it is more cartoony than I have come to expect from more recent Marvel products. It seems to fit the character well. There is a sample at the end of the book from another Hulk series that has more realistic art, which looks awesome.

Next up is Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris, Volume 1: Colossus of Mars (Arvid Nelson and Carlos Rafael; 2011; Dynamite Entertainment). If you haven't already, go read A Princess of Mars. This book is based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' series set on Mars. It follows the character Dejah Thoris hundreds of years before she meets John Carter. One thing that I can say about the art is that there is a ton of skin. I'm not sure how this will affect my reading of the book, but I am interested in delving back into this fantastic world.

The third book featured in this box is Thrud the Barbarian (Carl Critchlow; 2013; Titan Comics). Thrud is big of muscle and tiny of head. He'd rather fight his way out of a situation than have to think at all. The book made me think of Conan right away, and it appears to be a parody of the famous character. Comic Bento has done a great job of picking out some pretty humorous books. I hope this follows that trend. Plus, the art looks fantastic.

Fourth, we have Kaijumax Season One (Zander Cannon; 2016; Oni Press). So this book is about a prison for giant monsters like the ones that Godzilla faces off against. I don't think anything else needs to be said about the story. The art is really different on this one, but it seems to fit the story perfectly.

Finally, there is The Champions: No Time for Losers (Tony Isabella and Bill Mantlo; 2016; Marvel). That's right, there are five books for November. This one features Hercules, along with some friends, battling some pretty big opponents. This book collects some classic issues from back in the 70s. I can definitely tell that these are some older comics just flipping through the book, but hey it should be fun to read nonetheless. My only real quibble with this one is that it isn't bound like a normal trade, but is styled after the floppy books.

Shadowman, Volume 1 Review

Shadowman, Volume 1: Birth Rites. Justin Jordan, Patrick Zircher, and Brian Reber. 2013. Valiant Entertainment. 112 pages.

Rating: 4/5

It felt odd reading this so shortly after the Valiant Masters edition of Shadowman. Jack Boniface is presented quite differently in this book. There are some similarities with the earlier rendition, but this version isn't quite as well developed.

Magic is front and center in this book, although it loses some of the voodoo elements. I like how these magic elements play together. It allows the creators to present some interesting villains in the form of demons. Master Darque, who is a long time antagonist to Shadowman, is present, but his servants are the ones doing the heavy lifting here. I enjoyed how these were mixed to show the reach of his power.

Jack has a couple of allies that want to protect him until he can master the Shadowman powers. These allies round out the story in a nice way because they balance out Jack's ignorance of this magical world he gets thrust into. They are able to give him some guidance. In the end, it is up to Jack to embrace his power and take a stand. The sequence that occurs the morning after he first becomes Shadowman is very reminiscent of the earlier series.

The art is phenomenal. We get to see a couple different takes on Shadowman. Master Darque and his minions are executed superbly. And then there are the Deadside sequences, which take place in a magical realm similar to limbo. All in all this is a nice reintroduction to the character. I'm excited to see where it goes from here.

Time Trial Review

Time Trial. Rysa Walker, Heather Nuhfer, and Agustin Padilla. 2016. Jet City Comics. 128 pages.

Rating: 3/5

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

So this book is connected to Rysa Walker's Chronos Files series. I really like the idea behind it. There are time travelers that use keys to move around different eras. One group, known as Cyrists, want to take over the world and another group is out to stop them.

Time Trial seems to take place concurrent and after the events of the novels. There's time travel involved so I wouldn't quibble about any oddities with events. Anyway, Clio is the main character and her family is part of the group fighting the Cyrists. She is coming of age and wants to branch out on her own, ending up in 1931 Chicago. There she becomes involved with the trial of Al Capone and an old acquaintance of her parents.

There is a bit of time jumping that occurs after Clio meets the other time traveler. I liked seeing the different periods, although they could have been more varied. These highlight the differences between the two groups as well, even though it isn't stated outright. It gives a nice feel for the characters. I might have liked the story more if it had been more subtle about bringing in the Cyrists and really just let it be about Clio.

The art varied a bit for me. I like the character art. The period pieces are done nicely. The effectiveness of the coloring threw things off for me. There are times where the illustrations get too dark and muddle the drawings of the characters. This particularly bugged me when it meant half a character's face would be in shadow when it didn't need to be.

Despite some problems with approaches to the art and the story, it is still enjoyable. It takes a unique approach to time travel that is worth checking out.

Valiant Masters: Shadowman Review

Valiant Masters: Shadowman, Volume 1: Spirits Within. Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart, Faye Perozich, David Lapham, Don Perlin, Mark Moretti, Bob Hall, Steve Ditko, and Jose Delbo. 2013. Valiant Entertainment. 184 pages.

Rating: 5/5

This book collects some Shadowman comics from the early 90's. The art shows its age, mostly because it is not as polished as current comics. That didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book though.

Jack Boniface is a jazz musician in New Orleans. After a strange one night stand, he begins to develop powers that are stronger at night, which he uses to fight crime. How Jack adapts to his powers and the characters around him make this stronger than the average superhero story. Of note are Jack's housekeeper Nettie, Elya, and Master Darque.

There are supernatural elements to this story, beginning with Jack's transformation. Voodoo is a big component as well. I love that the creators tied in voodoo and other New Orleans elements because it gives it some more authenticity to the book. The magic isn't as prevalent early on, but becomes a big part with the introduction of Master Darque and the origins of Shadowman.

The story detours away from New Orleans for a couple issues in the middle to tie into a crossover event called Unity. These weren't bad though. I felt like I got enough information on the event to enjoy these issues while still remaining focused on Shadowman. It introduces an important character and sets up some future plotlines. The zero issue does a nice job of tying some things together. All in all Shadowman was a fun read.

Thanks to Comic Bento for including this in the October 2016 box.

Hockey Karma Review

Hockey Karma. Howard Shapiro and Andres Mossa. 2016. Animal Media Group, LLC. 160 pages.

Rating: 4/5

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

This is the third book in the Forever Friends trilogy (The Stereotypical Freaks and The Hockey Saint are the other two books). The book is a progression from the previous stories and is set about 10 years after The Hockey Saint. It follows two friends, Tom Leonard and hockey player Jake Jacobson.

Jake is near the end of his career and battling with replacement and drug addiction. The creators did a great job of showing how these affected other aspects of his life. While Jake's life is deconstructing, Tom is working on building things up. He starts a relationship with his high school crush and develops plans to improve the community where the book is set. These events unfold over the course of the hockey season, which works nicely to pace the story.

The art is markedly different from the previous books. Mostly this is in the characters, which makes sense because they are a bit older now. I enjoyed it in general. There were a couple panels where the angle of the illustration combined with the character design made it look a little odd. The action shots on the ice are well done.

I think this is an excellent conclusion to the series. Although the characters are older now, it should appeal to teens that might have read the first two books or anyone that enjoys hockey stories.

Doctor Strange: The Flight of Bones Review

Doctor Strange: The Flight of Bones. Tony Harris, Daniel Jolley, Ray Snyder, Kieron Gillen, Paul Chadwick, Frazer Irving, Frank Brunner, and Ted McKeever. 1999. Marvel. 192 pages.

Rating: 3/5

I've read a couple of other Doctor Strange books recently. This one came along as part of the October 2016 Comic Bento box. It's a good collection of stories centered around the character, but it didn't feel as strong as the other books.

Doctor Strange is a sorcerer that investigates supernatural phenomena and protects the Marvel universe from magical threats. There is a decent introduction to the character explaining who he was, how he got his powers, and what he does now. This is spread out throughout the book so a new reader shouldn't feel overwhelmed with the information. And it feels like it is geared more as a collection to get new readers familiar with the character than a story meant for long time readers. There are a couple elements that I am familiar with due to the other Doctor Strange books I've read that I don't recall being explained in this book though.

As a collection it is pretty good. I definitely enjoyed it. There are a variety of stories and the art has quite a range. Both the stories and the art range from dark to almost neon levels of brightness. It has a little bit of something for anyone.

The Mask Strikes Back Review

The Mask Strikes Back. John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke. 1996. Dark Horse Books. 128 pages.

Rating: 5/5

If you aren't already aware, the Mask is off the walls bonkers. In this book, a group of teens find the mask and each one proceeds to take a turn wearing it. The cops and an old foe are hunting down the returned Big Head. Since he is able to change shape easily and shrugs off most damage, there isn't much that can phase him.

The tone of the book is mostly consistent even though there are four different personalities that need to contend with the mask. They all try to use it to achieve their dreams with varying results. I haven't read the other books in the series, but I have seen the movie. There are a couple points where I didn't know what the characters were referring to as a result. This is ok because I was able to get the gist of it and those moments weren't key to the story.

The creators clearly had a lot of fun with this book. The trading of the mask between the characters allows them to delve into four different aspects of Big Head without having to start over each time. A couple of these stand out a bit more to me because of the awesome art that came out of it. It can get cartoony at times, which works with this character. The colors are fantastic. Most of the time they make the illustrations pop off the page. This was such a fun book, although there isn't a lot of depth to it.

I received this book in the October 2016 Comic Bento box.

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Vol. 1 Review

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Volume One. Greg Pak, Mirko Colak, and Cory Smith. 2014. Dynamite Entertainment. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Turok has got to be one of the more ridiculous books I've read recently. It follows a young Native American that is an outcast from his tribe on the island of Manhattan before it has been settled by Europeans. The tension comes when a ship arrives with a crew that is looking for gold. They've also brought dinosaurs with them.

There is a lot of action in this book, which helps make it a quick read. Turok is pretty adaptable to it all. I think his status as a loner and the skills he shows early on support this ability. How he became shunned isn't presented in much detail. There is just enough to pique the reader's interest and maybe keep you coming back for more. I would have liked more character development in general.

The art is superb. The dinosaurs look awesome and the knights provide a nice feel to the book. These elements are integrated well. The fairly realistic style works perfectly for the setting too. There are some areas for improvement, but it was a fun read that hit a lot of great elements for me.

I received this book in the October 2016 Comic Bento box, which takes a look at characters and books from the 90s.

Rick and Morty, Volume 1 Review

Rick and Morty, Volume 1. Zac Gorman, CJ Cannon, and Marc Ellerby. 2015. Oni Press. 128 pages.

Rating: 3/5

This is the last book from the September 2016 Comic Bento box. I've never watched Rick and Morty, but this book definitely has an adult swim vibe.

Morty and his grandfather Rick travel to various dimensions generally creating havoc as they go. This felt like a collection of five distinct pieces, although there are some elements that carry through all of them. Those elements show some creativity that made it more enjoyable as it went on.

I liked this book well enough, but it can be pretty superficial. I can't say whether this is a fault of the book or the franchise as a whole. The characters were mostly one dimensional. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I didn't care for any of them. They just weren't very likeable. The plots don't add much depth either.

The art as a whole didn't appeal to me. The character drawings seem true to the show, but doesn't add much. The colors are interesting and some of the aliens/non-human creatures are done well. This should appeal to fans of the show. Others could take it or leave it.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Volume 1 Review

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Volume 1: The Coulson Protocols. Marc Guggenheim and German Peralta. 2016. Marvel. 144 pages.

Rating: 4/5

This book was included in the September 2016 Comic Bento box, which was full of books related to TV shows. Marvel has had a surge of live action shows recently and there are a plethora of animated series that could have been linked into this box. Having watched the first three seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. recently, I'm glad they chose this book.

There are some similarities between this book and the show, particularly the appearance of the main group of characters. All of them are featured on the show and the character art is influenced by the actors. Some people might not like that aspect, but I think it is great. It gives a sort of cohesion between the two mediums. There are some noticeable differences as well, but I won't mention specifics due to potential spoilers.

Anyway, in this book someone has attacked the Pentagon and stolen some information. This causes Coulson to reach out to his old girlfriend, Lola, to find out more about what is going on. From there, it leads to a chase for the perpetrator, which gives the creators an opportunity to bring in some Marvel heroes that couldn't appear in the show.

The characters felt pretty true to what I expected from them. The book is able to capitalize on the relationships built into the show despite the deviations. It even carries some of the same type of humor. I enjoyed the art style quite a bit. The colors worked perfectly and there is some great detail work. I'm interested to see what's in store for the team.

Garbage Pail Kids Review

Garbage Pail Kids. James Kochalka, Hilary Barta, Roger Landridge, and others. 2016. IDW Publishing. 120 pages.

Rating: 1/5

I received this book in the September 2016 Comic Bento box. It was not for me though. I've never seen the show it is based on. The book is filled with toilet humor, which I could probably forgive except there is no story. Each part of this book is a vignette that last no more than 5 or 6 pages tops. These are so disconnected that I felt no connection to this book whatsoever.

There are characters that recur over the course of the book, but they get no introduction, so fans of the show might like it but it can leave anyone else lost. Each one has some gimmick that ties into the humor of the book, although there can be some overlap between characters.

The art seems to be right in line with the cartoon. It isn't my style, and it tries to be disgusting. Sometimes it hits the mark and sometimes it just tries too hard. That being said, there are some clever moments. The art in particular is used to poke fun at quite a range of topics. There are some stories that tackle nerd culture, but these felt like they went on too long.

This book states right out that it is for immature readers and it is not wrong.

The Last Sacrifice #1 Review

The Last Sacrifice #1. Joe Hart, Stuart Moore, and Michael Montenat. 2016. Jet City Comics. 32 pages.

Rating: 3/5

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

The story is set in the near future. Something happened that caused the birth rate of female humans to plummet, which is a reverse of Y: The Last Man. This follows Janie Tanner while she is on the run trying to protect her sister. There are numerous groups that are trying to find any women they can with different agendas.

The art is okay. I can't think of any drawings that were bad, but on the flip side there weren't any that floored me. This is a decent introduction to the story and the characters. It spends a lot of time setting things up. There is a bit of potential in this story, but the portion contained here didn't wow me. I can see this developing into something cool.

Princeless, Volume 3 Review

Princeless, Volume 3: The Pirate Princess. Jeremy Whitley, Rosy Higgins, and Ted Brandt. 2015. Action Lab Entertainment. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Check out my reviews of volume 1 and 2.

Adrienne and Bedelia continue their adventures by rescuing the "princess" Raven, who is the daughter of the king of pirates. Like the other princesses in this series, she has been locked away in a tower. However, she is much more capable of defending herself. She fits in great with the heroines until she heads off to seek revenge on her brothers. Of course, Adrienne chases after her.

The relationship between Adrienne and Raven is really the focus of this volume. These two young women are very similar in many ways, even though they had different upbringings and training. There is just enough tension between them to keep the story interesting. It is paced very well with a lot of action sprinkled throughout. The creators do a nice job of contrasting this with the interaction between the girls. I think the message the book settles on is fantastic as well.

Once again, the art is perfect for the story. There might be a slight variation from the previous volumes, but the characters are instantly recognizable so it wouldn't be a problem. This book hit a little bit of a slump in terms of cleverness. Part of this is the story and part of it is the use of references. I enjoyed the book in spite of it.

Batgirl, Volume 5 Review

Batgirl, Volume 5: Deadline. Gail Simone, Fernando Pasarin, Jonathan Glapion, Robert Gill, and Javier Garron. 2014. DC Comics. 256 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Gail Simone's writing on Batgirl has been superb, and the art backs it up perfectly. There have been some bumps along the way though. Deadline wraps up this run of Batgirl really well.

Although this book doesn't have a cohesive story along all the issues, each piece is strong and adds to the character. And boy is this book off the wall compared to some of the others. Not only does it take a lighter tone at times, it dives into the supernatural elements with gusto.

It starts off with a dream sequence/alternate reality where Batgirl and Knightfall are best friends and Gotham is the safest city in the world. The art for this story is reminiscent of the rest of the series, but it is so much brighter. It gives a nice contrast to the other stories being told. Another issue has Batgirl rescuing a group of teenagers that summon a demon while playing a game.

The supernatural flavor continues with the return of Strix. She teams up with Batgirl to track down a vampire that is preying on the citizens of Gotham. There is also a story centered around Batgirl and Poison Ivy. This one is cool in concept, especially progressing over the course of a year and connecting to each of the seasons. However, I get the feeling this ties into Birds of Prey to a degree, which I have not read. That background might make this particular portion more enjoyable.

Lastly, we get to see some progression with Barbara Gordon's personal life. This isn't really separate from the other stories found in this volume. I love this book because it looks at the character from so many different angles, and each one feels valid. Having read the first book in the next run of Batgirl already, I can say this one sets it up perfectly.

Amaro Review

Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas. Brad Thomas Parsons. 2016. Ten Speed Press. 280 pages.

Rating: 5/5

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

The title is a mouthful, but it tells you exactly what you are getting into. And the author does a great job of embracing the subject in depth. This sort of thing appeals to me, so I might be a bit biased.

As the title suggests, amari are bittersweet, herbal liqueurs. The flavors can range quite a bit, but there is a similarity of ingredients used to make them. The author covers a lot of different varieties too. Most of them are Italian, but some come from other regions. There are even a few American craft amari coming out now. Don't worry, he gives a great overview that tells you everything you need to know about these liqueurs.

In addition to giving a profile on commercial amari, which includes known ingredients, origin, and a flavor profile, he tells us ways that these can be used in making cocktails. This is probably the largest section of the book, and it includes riffs on classic cocktails as well as some new ones. He wraps it up with a small section on making your own amaro. I'll definitely try this down the line, but there are a number of suggested ingredients that I just don't have at this time.

There are a nice variety of pictures in the book, and anecdotes to go along with the pictures and the descriptions of the various liqueurs and cocktails. These give it body that would otherwise be lacking. The photos include bottles of well known amari, examples of the cocktails, and even some of the people he came into contact with while crafting the book. This book should appeal to cocktail nerds.

Wild Card Review

Wild Card. Jim Butcher, Mark Powers, and Carlos Gomez. 2016. Dynamite Entertainment. 144 pages.

Rating: 4/5

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

Wild Card is the second graphic novel set in the Dresden Files universe that I've read. This one takes place further into the series than I've read, but it has a lot of the same elements that make the series so enjoyable.

Harry Dresden is the only private detective in Chicago that is also a wizard. The blend of the realistic setting with magic works great. He is asked to investigate the deaths of two young women, which leads him into a feud between vampires, the mafia, and the police force. This is all orchestrated by a mysterious bad guy.


The art is solid, and the whole book looks great. Karin's depiction is a little off from that I remember from the books. Unless something changed with her that I'm not aware of, it could bug fans. It wasn't anything major though. I swear the bad guy looks very similar to one of the creatures in the other Dresden Files graphic novel I read.

On its own, the book isn't anything special. The story is fun to read, but it doesn't explore any themes in depth and doesn't reveal much history of the characters involved. Anyone that reads the series should enjoy it for another chance to visit these characters though.

4001 A.D. Review

4001 A.D. Matt Kindt and Clayton Crain. 2016. Valiant Entertainment. 128 pages.

Rating: 3/5

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

I feel like I would have enjoyed this book more if I was more familiar with the character Rai. The setting itself is handled well, and I was able to pick up the characters easily. It just didn't seem to stand alone as well as some of the other Valiant events that I've read.

This book is set in the future, obviously. It takes place in the city of New Japan, which orbits the Earth. An authoritarian AI known as Father controls the city. Rai leads a group that is rebelling against Father. An epic battle reminiscent of anime fight scenes occurs.

The impetus behind the story isn't anything new. It is still enjoyable though. This isn't a great place to jump into the Valiant Universe, but I feel like fans of Valiant, and Rai in particular, will love it. It's clear that Rai's story has been building to this event.

The art is awesome. There were a couple times where the pages felt crowded, but that is balanced out by some great spreads that give the feeling of how epic this showdown is meant to be. It ends with a nice interaction between Rai and one of the other characters. Plus, it gives this part of the Valiant Universe a good jumping off point for the next part of the story.

Comic Bento October 2016: Gnarly 90's

First things first, Comic Bento is a blind subscription box service. Every month they select four or five books based on a theme. For October, all of the books are related to subjects that were popular in the 90's. I am pretty excited for this Comic Bento box.

I'm not very familiar with Turok. I know the name and remember there being a video game based on it. Turok, Dinosaur Hunter, Volume 1: Conquest (Greg Pak, Mirko Cook, and Cory Smith; Dynamite Entertainment) looks amazing. There are Indians, dinosaurs, and knights, which makes me think this book will be a lot of fun.

The Mask Strikes Back (John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke; Dark Horse Comics) is probably going to be as ridiculous as Turok. When four teens get a hold of the mysterious artifact, only trouble could follow. Having only seen the Jim Carrey movie, I feel like I am in for a treat with this book. The art looks great, although it isn't quite as polished as current comics, and promises to get pretty out there.

Doctor Strange: The Flight of Bones (Various creators; Marvel) is quite timely with the release of the new movie for the MCU. I've read a couple of other Doctor Strange books recently, so it will be interesting to see how this one compares. This book appears to be a collection of stories, and the art reflects that. It ranges from dark and serious to bright and childish.

Last up is a book in the Valiant Masters series. From what I can gather, subscribers will receive one of three hardcover books covering a classic character from the Valiant universe. I received Shadowman: Spirits Within (Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart, Bob Hall, David Lapham, and Steve Ditko; Valiant Entertainment). I've been loving the books I've read from Valiant's relaunch, but I haven't read any Shadowman books or the earlier stuff yet. I look forward to getting some history on this character, especially with so many big names attached to it. The art is a little dated, but the book still looks amazing.

The Blacklist, Volume 1 Review

The Blacklist, Volume 1: The Gambler. Nicole Phillips and Beni Lobel. 2016. Titan Comics. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

The Blacklist is based on the NBC TV show, and was included in the September 2016 Comic Bento box. I've never seen the show, which is a crime drama. It actually worked really well in the graphic novel format.

This is a brand new story that takes place within the show's setting. The cool thing about it is that one of the writers from the show worked on this book. These lend strength to the book because it isn't just a rehash of the show and it is able to draw on the knowledge of the creators.

As for the story itself, it is pretty solid. It follows Liz Keen, who is an FBI agent, and a criminal informant, Red Reddington, that will only work with her. They are brought onto a case after the FBI is set up for the murder of a politician. Together they have to find out who is behind it and bring him in.

There is a bit of backstory for Liz and Red individually, so people unfamiliar with the show that might be interested in the book can still get something out of it. It does give some information on their working relationship, but it isn't developed too greatly. The supporting characters add some depth to the setting also.

Probably the weakest element of the book is the art. It's good for the most part, although the character faces can be a little off at times. The styling fits the book pretty well though. This wasn't a book I would normally pick up, but I enjoyed it.

Sam and Fuzzy Fix Your Problem Review

Sam & Fuzzy Fix Your Problem. Sam Logan. 2016. Blind Ferret. 365 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I received this book in the August 2016 Comic Bento box, whose theme is animals. It features a character that is basically a live teddy bear. This is Fuzzy. He swears, smokes, has amnesia and creates general mayhem.

The book is told in two time periods. The first is right after Fuzzy awakens with amnesia. He teams up with a young woman who is a notorious thief. Despite their strange meeting, they team up and become friends. The second time period is set ten years later. The young woman is out of the picture, replaced with Sam and a few others. They operate an agency that specializes in solving strange problems. Plus there are ninjas.

There is a bit of humor in this book focusing on ridiculous situations, which is sometimes taken to an extreme. It fits though. This piece manages to pull it off because of the talking teddy bear. Despite being a webcomic originally, this book paces itself pretty well. Sometimes webcomics tend to jump around or just feel choppy. This book didn't have that problem at all.

The art feels right at home with this book. Some of the illustrations are ridiculous, which fits with some of the story elements. It is black and white, and I feel like this is a point in its favor. The drawings are a bit cartoony, but I got used to it pretty quickly. Sometimes that style can keep me from enjoying a book.

This is a longer book, so more can be packed into it, but there is a lot going on here. I enjoyed the characters and want to see what happens with them next.