Mother Panic, Volume 1 Review

Mother Panic, Volume 1: A Work in Progress. Jody Houser, Tommy Lee Edwards, Shawn Crystal, and Jean-Francois Beaulieu. 2017. DC Comics. 176 pages.

Rating: 3/5

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

Something to keep in mind is that the Young Animal imprint from DC is intended for mature readers, sort of like Marvel's Max line. As such, this book isn't meant for younger readers and has some content, particularly language and violence, that could offend some people.

The idea behind this book is interesting. Without using Bruce Wayne directly, it examines a more modern approach of how a celebrity might pull off leading a dualistic, vigilante life. The public persona is entirely forgettable in this case. She's crass and famous for nothing. Her alter ego and private lives are much more intriguing, with the vigilante aspect taking the lead.

As Mother Panic, she is fighting crime in Gotham, trying to stamp out the what she considers to be a blight on the city. This is done more ruthlessly than Batman and draws the attention of the Bat family. She certainly seems to have the skills and the resources to survive within Gotham, but for how long?

The other side of her life involves her mother, who has some form of mental illness. I like the role she takes on later in the story. It blurs the line on just how aware she really is about what is going on around her. This personal side develops some additional characters that will be making appearances in future issues as comrades to Mother Panic.

The art style didn't grab me. It's not bad by any means. I think it mirrors the darker tone of the book well, but isn't something I'm particularly drawn to. This book built too slowly for my taste. It took a long time for me to really find something about this character that I liked. It's definitely a nice idea, but the execution could have been better.

Star Wars, Volume 1 Review

Star Wars, Volume 1: Skywalker Strikes. Jason Aaron, John Cassaday, and Laura Martin. 2015. Marvel. 160 pages.

Rating: 5/5

Man was this book a lot of fun to read. It helps that I like Jason Aaron's writing. Yet, the artists do a let to shape the story too.

It opens the same way that any Star Wars fan would expect based on the movies. That is the beginning of a story with a very cinematic feel that weaves in common elements from the films that give the book a life of its own. It takes place shortly after A New Hope, and all the expected characters are present, plus a couple unexpected ones. The story fills in some gaps of what happens between the movies, showing how the Rebel Alliance moves against the Empire.

First and foremost, I love the characterization. This book captures the feel of the relationships between the characters and their personalities. Vader is a standout here because it shows off why he is such a feared character. And I enjoyed the art a lot too. It can be difficult to capture the likeness of such iconic characters from the film and this book does it right. All in all, this is a great start to the new Star Wars comic franchise.

I Kill Giants Review

I Kill Giants. Joe Kelly and JM Ken Nimura. 2009. Image Comics. 232 pages.

Rating: 5/5

I recently read this book for the second time after a few years. I remember loving the story when I read it then, and it was just as amazing the second time around. That being said, there are some pretty tough moments in this book. Barbara, the main character, is not particularly likeable. For me, that didn't hurt the story one bit. Some people might be put off by her attitude. I think it makes the other elements of the story more impactful.

There are some fantasy elements in this book, although it is mostly set in the real world. Those fantasy portions connect more to imagination and escapism. They blend well with the rest of the story to the point that it becomes difficult to tell whether they are real or not. The other characters help round out Barbara's story, giving her support and opposition. Together these aspects create a powerfully emotional story.

The art is great. It's in a manga style, which I don't always care for, but it works here. It ties right into Barbara's perspective. The combination of the story and the art create a well rounded book that is worthy of the praise it receives.

Rai, Volume 3 Review

Rai, Volume 3: The Orphan. Matt Kindt and Clayton Crain. 2016. Valiant Entertainment. 112 pages.

Rating: 5/5

This volume is excellent. It follows directly on the heels of volume two. The focus is split between Rai, who is now on Earth, and his friends that are still battling Father on New Japan. That dual story allows the reader a little bit of a break from what has been happening up until now. The best part is that the creators do a wonderful job of making Rai's journey interesting.

There are some different characters introduced in this volume, and some characters from the previous books get a chance to shine, which helps balance the story. I particularly like Rai's growth over the course of the series. There were a couple unexpected turns in this book, which is nice to see.

The art is top notch once again. Crain's style can be a bit off-putting at times, but when he nails a scene it is simply gorgeous. There are numerous moments like that in this volume that made me stop to appreciate his art.

This book leaves off at an odd point. Things have clearly changed over the course of the story, but it is necessary to pick up the next volume to see how things play out. Anyone that has made it this far into the series shouldn't have a problem with wanting it to continue.

Vision, Volume 2 Review

Vision, Volume 2: Little Better Than a Beast. Tom King, Michael Walsh, Gabriel Walta, and Jordie Bellaire. 2016. Marvel. 136 pages.

Rating: 3/5

I liked the second volume of the Vision miniseries more than the first, so I'm glad I decided to read it. This has more elements that I would have liked to have seen earlier, such as details on the creation of the Vision family and more family dynamics. The characters felt a lot more alive because they weren't as static. There are elements that build from the first book that I enjoyed seeing carry through the story.

This series is pretty dark, which I think prevented me from enjoying it quite as much as I could have. The art is very good though. I think the creators did a better job of showing the various elements rather than telling the reader certain things. I would definitely recommend this for the character growth that occurs over the course of the series and to anyone that wants to read something that is different than the normal Marvel stuff.

Clean Room, Volume 1 Review

Clean Room, Volume 1: Immaculate Conception. Gail Simone, Jon David-Hunt, and Quinton Winter. 2016. Vertigo. 144 pages.

Rating: 3/5

I've become a huge fan of Gail Simone's work after reading her work on Batgirl and Red Sonja. She does a great job of creating some fascinating characters, and that trend continues here. This book centers around a reporter, Chloe, and the person she believes is responsible for her fiancée's death, Astrid Mueller.

I think this works because Chloe becomes a believable person to tackle the mystery surrounding Astrid's organization, which shares some characteristics with Scientology. The book splits between the mundane and the supernatural. I like what is done with both of these, but it takes too long to bring them together in a satisfying way. Looking back I enjoy the layout of the story, seeing how early elements really help bring things together by the end of the volume. A reread might be necessary to truly appreciate the work that is done in that regard.

The art is nice, but is definitely meant for a mature audience. It starts off  pretty gruesome, backs off a little, and then ramps things up some more. The characters are drawn well and the coloring is good. Unfortunately, the book didn't excite me enough to justify a reread or picking up the next book.

The Other Shore Review

The Other Shore: A New Translation of the Heart Sutra with Commentaries. Thich Nhat Hanh. 2017. Palm Leaves Press. 196 pages.

Rating: 4/5

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

Going into this book, I felt a little out of place because I had no familiarity with the Heart Sutra. It seemed like I should have known more about it to truly appreciate this book.

Yet, this book does a wonderful job of providing the new translation, an explanation of why this differs from previous translations, and connects it to Buddhist precepts. As I went through the book, I found it possible to follow the ideas that connect to the new translation. They made a lot of sense to me. The amount of detail used to explain the concepts from the Heart Sutra is awesome.

These build on each other, so it may be necessary to reread sections, most of which are short enough to make it easy to do. I really like that each section takes a short portion of the Heart Sutra and breaks it down, and then the translation is provided in its entirety at the end. It makes it possible to read it as a whole and to focus down on individual portions. Worth picking up for anyone interested in Zen practices.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 4 Review

Ultimate Spider-Man, Volume 4: Legacy. Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley. 2006. Marvel. 160 pages.

Rating: 4/5

The first half of this book was a little disappointing. It wasn't bad per se, but it dipped in quality compared to the rest of the series. There were some issues with the dialog that should have been caught in the editing stage. The story wasn't bad, I just felt like it didn't stand out too much.

So, Harry and Norman Osbourne (and the Goblin) are back in this arc. Peter is dealing with being grounded and trying to figure out whether Norman remembers that he is Spider-Man. There isn't anything terribly exciting in this portion of the story. Gwen Stacy gets a good setup in regards to Harry, and it softens some of the conflict between Gwen and Mary Jane from the previous volume.

The second half of this book was outstanding though. I love the fourth issue in the volume because it flips things by showing things through Norman's perspective, which allows Bagley to play with the art a bit. The style set up in the previous volumes is still there, but it goes in a little bit different direction, which I enjoyed. Plus, S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury show up in this volume. Their role in the first half is small, but they come into play more in the second half. This more than anything else made Spider-Man feel more connected to something bigger. I'm not sure if that will become important later on or not.

After this volume, I'm sort of on the fence about Mary Jane. I think some of her reactions were just over the top.

Moon Knight, Volume 2 Review

Moon Knight, Volume 2: Reincarnations. Jeff Lemire, Greg Smallwood, Wilfredo Torres, Francesco Francovilla, and James Stokoe. 2017. Marvel. 112 pages.

Rating: 4/5

This second volume is a bit strange. It jumps around a lot and lacks some explanation early on, which can make it tough to read. The creators are exploring the personalities of Mark Specter. That's not new territory when it comes to Moon Knight, but I think it is still compelling. I enjoyed the different aspects that were used, especially since this book goes off in a slightly different direction compared to other runs.

That being said, this book finishes strong. The final issue brings things together extremely well and made me excited to continue the series. It felt satisfying taken in light with the three previous issues. There is also an issue from the 1980's Moon Knight series that fits in well with the current story. It gives some background to complement one of the storylines. That makes the new book feel more like an homage to the earlier stuff while continuing off of what came before.

The art is fantastic. There are a few different styles included that connect to the different storylines. I've been a fan of this character for a long time and I'm extremely satisfied with this version. I recommend checking it out (start with volume 1 though).

Troublemaker, Book 1 Review

Trouble Maker, Book One. Janet Evanovich, Alex Evanovich, and Joelle Jones. 2010. Dark Horse Books. 112 pages.

Rating: 3/5

I thought this book was fun. It is a short mystery about a friend of the protagonists that goes missing. They set out to find her and take some strange detours along the way. The story could have been stronger though. It felt more like a way to show off the characters than to tell a particular compelling story. The characters get brief introductions, so its not necessary to read any of Evanovich's other works to enjoy this one.

Sam and Alex are members of a racing team (no really, stay with me here; that part isn't all that important to the plot). For reasons I won't get into, they can't go to the police about their missing friend. But this allows the relationship, or non-relationship?, between the main characters to come forward. They aren't particularly deep characters, but what is presented is done well. It gets pretty funny once Sam's mom comes on the scene.

The art has to be the best part of this book though. It is cartoonish yet stylish. I feel like they wanted to gear this toward adults without making the art super realistic, and it works wonderfully. The instances where Jones gets to show off the background and landscapes are great too. This isn't a book that I would normally go out of my way to read (it came as part of a Comic Bento box that I received), but it was a nice distraction and made me want to pick up some other stuff featuring Jones' art.

Appetites Review

Appetites: A Cookbook. Anthony Bourdain. 2016. Ecco. 304 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Anthony Bourdain is an acquired taste. He is crass, opinionated, and knowledgeable about food. This book captures his voice perfectly on all of those levels. Having watched some of his shows, I could hear his voice as I was reading the book.

The recipes all look well crafted and there is a nice range of options. There are simple things like scrambled eggs and grilled cheese, while there is an entire section on preparing a Thanksgiving dinner. He skips out on desserts though, which I'm okay with. There are some nice tips within these recipes that could be useful for new and experienced cooks. And it covers recipes from some different cuisines, so it gives some added flexibility in that regard.

Aside from Bourdain's voice shining through, the thing that stood out most to me is the pictures. These can be off putting, especially for readers unfamiliar with Bourdain. Some of them could make the reader squeamish, but I think they complement the book nicely and take a step toward showcasing where our food comes from. People are so focused on dressing up our food that it is interesting to see this book take the opposite approach. That being said, I didn't have a problem with any of the images. They didn't make anything unappetizing to me, and there are points where the food is dressed up (I'm looking at you Thanksgiving). I'd definitely recommend this book, whether you're a fan of Bourdain or not.

Southern Bastards, Volume 3 Review

Southern Bastards, Volume 3: Homecoming. Jason Aaron and Jason Latour. 2016. Image Comics. 160 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Volume three of Southern Bastards is a bit different from the first two in terms of storytelling style. It has the same brutal, hold nothing back attitude that the first two books had. I like it even though that can be off-putting at times. But getting back to the style. This volume is told through a series of short stories, one for each issue collected in the volume. They all circle around the big Homecoming game and help to flesh out the setting. These set things up for what is going to happen next.

Since these focus on different characters, some of whom haven't been detailed much beforehand, there is a lot of character development in this book. I love that the creators are able to give a sense of who each of these people are, in the case of the ones that we haven't seen much, or built on what came before, particular with the coach, in such a short span compared with the previous books.

I like the art a lot. Anyone who has read the first two volumes knows what they are getting into with the art (and with the general content). It is gritty and in your face. It isn't always pretty, but it sure can leave an impression The art goes a long way to underscoring the tone of the book. Aaron and Latour are a great combination for this series.

Artful Review

Artful. Peter David, Nicole D'Andria, and Laura Neubert. 2018. Action Lab Entertainment. 192 pages.

Rating: 1/5

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

All told, this book just didn't work for me. I like the idea of a spin-off story focusing on the Artful Dodger. Add vampires and you get a nice horror story. I was excited to get a chance to read this adaptation because I enjoyed the novel.

I feel like some of the Artful's personality is lost in this adaptation. It gives the superficial elements, i.e. he's a thief and wants to do good, but there isn't a lot of depth. This sort of carries into the plot in general because it is paced so quickly that it doesn't dig deeper into some of the issues. The setting is evoked really well though, especially with the inclusion of some familiar characters such as Fagin, Oliver, the Van Helsing family, and the Baker Street gang. They prop the book up at times and kept me interested enough to finish it.

I didn't care for the art style. It is geared towards a younger audience for sure. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it dips too much into the cartoony style for my tastes. There aren't any illustrations that stood out to me either, so it becomes forgettable in a format where the pictures should excite me or at least leave some sort of impression. Younger readers should get a kick out of this story.

Generation Zero, Volume 2 Review

Generation Zero, Volume 2: Heroscape. Fred Van Lente, Diego Bernard, and Javier Pulido. 2017. Valiant Entertainment. 112 pages.

Rating:4/5

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

This takes many of the antics from the first volume and amps them up. At the same time, it loses some of the humor that made the first book so much fun. It is a much more serious arc that gives this newer group of heroes a chance to shine. For me, they became much more distinct and I was able to appreciate them more.

The heroes continue to fight against the Cornermen and the people in charge of Rook. Some of the turns the story takes allow the creators to play with different art styles. I really like when a book can do this in a natural way and it works well here. An antagonist comes back in a new way, which provides a rather satisfying foil to Keisha gives a nice boost to the story. The wrap of the arc is great. The series comes full circle at this point while leaving room for it, or others, to grow.

Ultimate Spider-Man, Volume 3 Review

Ultimate Spider-Man, Volume 3: Double Trouble. Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley. 2001. Marvel. 176 pages.

Rating: 4/5

There's a lot going on in this volume. It introduces Gwen Stacy and Kraven the Hunter to the Ultimate series and brings back Otto Octavius as Doctor Octopus.

I love what they do with Doctor Octopus. There is a lot of psychological trauma affecting the character after his accident. He is seeking revenge on the person he blames for it, but grows out of simply wanting to physically hurt him. It shows the intelligence Otto is supposed to have from previous iterations and his role as a scientist. Nicely done.

Kraven it kind of amusing. His portion of the story didn't impress me a whole lot because it seemed more of a diversion away from the Doctor Octopus portion of the story than anything else. But it is fun to see him as a Steve Irwin type character that sets his sights on Spider-Man. The rewrite as a reality TV star fits the character really well. The humor that comes from his part of the story makes it worth including in the book, particularly near the end of the arc when Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus, and Kraven all come together.

Gwen Stacy's appearance is perfect. Her effect on Peter is great. She brings attitude and defiance to his world. It's almost as if she inspires him. I'm looking forward to what she will bring to the series. This sets the tension between Gwen and Mary Jane that sort of defines Peter's love life. As for the art, I don't have much to say. Bagley is doing a great job still.

Harbinger, Volume 3 Review

Harbinger, Volume 3: Harbinger Wars. Joshua Dysart, Khari Evans, Trevor Hairsine, and Mico Suayan. 2013. Valiant Entertainment. 128 pages.

Rating: 3/5

This volume ties into the Harbinger Wars crossover event. The event itself is quite good, but this volume felt a little disjointed. It shifts between the past and present. The past focuses on the early days of the Harbinger Foundation and Toyo Harada's struggle against the group that would become Project Rising Spirit. This complements the Harbinger Wars event nicely by filling in some gaps about the history of these organizations. The present portion of the story details the Renegades' part of the Harbinger Wars story. If I wasn't familiar with the overall event, I think I might have felt a little lost during this part of the story.

The art is great. It helps give a sense of the time when Harada was starting out and shows what these characters are capable of. I love that there are some very character driven illustrations amidst these significant events that could have been all about the action. It gives a nice balance to the arc. While this one felt a little less cohesive than the previous arcs, I still enjoyed it and will definitely continue reading this story.