The Walking Dead, Vol. 2 Review

The Walking Dead, Volume Two: Miles Behind Us. Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, and Cliff Rathburn. 2004. Image Comics. 136 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Volume two gives us a nice change as the group moves away from the outskirts of Atlanta and we begin to see more of this new world. There are two major locations: a sub-division and the farm.

I like that this deals with the encounter at the end of volume one between Rick and Shane in a couple of ways. It gives some physical reactions, e.g. the move away from the former campsite, and emotional reactions from a lot of the party. These give us a believable world within this fantastic environment and really builds the characters in some nice ways.

There are a couple additions to this main group, as well as a few losses. I like the growth this gives the book. Despite all the odds this group continues to survive, but is looking for something more permanent. This is a theme that comes up again and again in this volume. It does a nice job of giving motivation to the characters beyond mere survival.

The art is just as good as the first volume. It can be a bit of an acquired taste though. Two things of note about this book/the series in general. First, it is quite wordy. This isn't a bad thing since it is all dialogue between the characters. Second, there are a few inconsistencies with some minor story elements. It's not a detriment to the story that is being told at this point. Otherwise, this is a great character driven book that sets the hook for the next volume.

Faith and the Future Force Review

Faith and the Future Force. Jody Houser, Stephen Segovia, and Barry Kitson. 2017. Valiant Entertainment. 112 pages.

Rating: 3/5

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

I really like Faith and most of the Valiant comics in general. This one didn't really work for me though because it felt kind of rushed. It does include some of the humor and references that I would expect from the featured characters though.

The main plotline in this book is that there is a killer robot from an alternate timeline that wants to destroy the Valiant universe. Neela, who was introduced in the Ivar, Timewalker series, reaches out to Faith for help in stopping the robot. This mixture works well because they are both kind of sci-fi nerds, one by choice and one by circumstance. There isn't a ton of characterization, which is what I tend to respond to in books.

The plot on this one felt more like a traditional superhero comic book than I'm used to getting from Valiant. Although the idea of a malicious robot bent on killing everything isn't new, the creators put a decent spin on it that leads to a satisfying ending. There is some repetition in the story as they work through how to defeat the robot. It's fun to see the ever increasing cast of characters that are brought in to fight this threat.

I liked the art though. The characters are drawn really well. There are visual cues that add some humor to the book that would be lost in another format, so I appreciate that they used the medium in a good way. The way it is designed sort of reminds me of Groundhog Day. I want to see more from these characters, but there needs to be some more substance.

Bitch Planet, Vol. 2 Review

Bitch Planet, Volume Two: President Bitch. Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine De Landro, and Taki Soma. 2017. Image Comics. 144 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Let's start a riot! This book takes us back to the prison planet and goes into the aftermath at the end of volume one. While the first volume was more of an establishing book, introducing the setting and the characters, this second volume takes more focus and fleshes out a few specific aspects. DeConnick's writing is good and the art team does a wonderful job driving things home.

Starting with the art, there is a lot of nudity and violence. This shouldn't be a surprise for anyone that read the first book, but I think it still needs to be said. Anyone that might have been expecting this to let up in that regard will be disappointed. I think the illustrations normalize the setting. For one, the characters are fairly ordinary. There are a wide range of body types but nothing inhuman. And the locations feel like they could be set on Earth somewhere even though much of the book takes place on another planet.

The plot mostly follows one character. We get to see her background as far as the events that led up to her imprisonment. There are some great elements the suggest the type of world these characters are living in, particularly the secret meetings intended to educate young women. I like this glimpse into the regime and how ordinary citizens are reacting to it.

That part of the story is mixed with the present day. The focal character is searching for her sister and ends up finding someone much more influential to the setting. Add on top of this a riot that leads to exposing more of what the regime is up to and the story comes together pretty nicely. It does leave some questions on where the series is going. I like the direction its going in and can't wait to get more of it.

The Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk Review

The Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk. Greg Pak, Carlo Pagulayan, Aaron Lopresti, Gary Frank, and Takeshi Miyazawi. 2007. Marvel. 416 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I've never been a huge fan of the Hulk. He always seems to be portrayed as a big, dumb green monster that will kill everyone yet somehow manages to avoid it. And the premise of this book takes that to the extreme by having the Hulk exiled from Earth by some of his best friends. To say the least, I was not impressed by this beginning.

But it gets way better once Hulk ends up on an alien planet, which of course is not where he was supposed to go. The world building is awesome. There are a bunch of different alien species that are represented along with a familiar face or two. The creators do a fantastic job of fleshing them all out and giving them a purpose. This is a long story arc that gets a good opportunity to ramp up.

Hulk is shown to be a lot more complex in this book than I expected. Sure, there is a lot of fighting and he struggles with being a "monster". By the end of this book he is so much more than that. He displays loyalty, integrity, and even vulnerability. This book takes him from being purely destructive to a realistic character in spite of his powers and origin.

I loved the art. It is very detailed and covers a pretty wide range of characters and settings. There are a few stumbling points where characters seemed a little out of proportion, but they are all pretty minor. There is an excerpt from an issue of Amazing Fantasy featuring Amadeus Cho that really didn't need to be in here. It didn't quite fit with the rest of the book in terms of the story and the art. This book is really a lot of fun to read and took a character in which I had no interest and made me excited to read more.

Princess Leia Review

Star Wars: Princess Leia. Mark Waid, Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson, and Jordie Bellaire. 2015. Mavel. 120 pages.

Rating: 2/5

A miniseries featuring Princess Leia sounds like it should be pretty awesome, right? This one just didn't do it for me though. It has a lot of good elements that just don't come together well.

Leia is struggling with the destruction of her home planet, Alderaan, right after A New Hope. She sees herself as responsible in a way and is trying to figure out what to do about the remnants of her people scattered across the galaxy. She picks up a sidekick of sorts who acts as Leia's conscience throughout the miniseries.

There is a lot of push for Leia to organize these people without a home and become their leader. The way she takes of to do this and some of the subsequent action made her feel kind of flighty. And I never felt like she stepped into the leadership role her people needed. The way the book ends reinforced that for me.

I didn't care for the art in this book. It came off as too cartoonish, which didn't mesh well with the subject matter. It made it hard for me to take Leia seriously. I liked the idea behind this book, but felt the execution was lacking.

Snotgirl, Vol. 1 Review

Snotgirl, Volume One: Green Hair Don't Care. Bryan Lee O'Malley and Leslie Hung. 2017. Image Comics. 136 pages.

Rating: 3/5

I only picked this up because of Bryan Lee O'Malley. For those that don't know, he wrote a little series known as Scott Pilgrim and if you haven't read it, go do so now.

Back to Snotgirl. This book is about a fashion blogger named Lottie Person with some serious allergy issues. It compares her public persona to her real life quite a bit and how there is a disconnect between them. She is friends with a lot of other fashion bloggers and is constantly comparing herself to them. There is an insecurity about the character that makes it seem that despite the title she does care.

This book has some really good elements that bring it to the verge of being great, but there is a quality to the writing that holds it back. The whole subplot about her ex's new girlfriend is a perfect example. There is clearly something going on there and yet the protagonist comes off as petty about the whole thing. Could her fears be real? Sure, but her attitude throws me off too much for it to matter. I do like the bits with "Cool Girl" and think that part of the story has the most potential to bring this book up a level in future volumes. I just need a reason to care about Lottie and it isn't there yet.

I did enjoy the art. The coloring is wonderful. The illustrations seem more fitting to a manga, which usually doesn't appeal to me much. It tends to be overly expressive and that pulls me out of the story. This book reigns that in to a degree. By the end of this volume I was enjoying the story and the small mystery. I'd like to see Lottie grow beyond the petty person in this volume but I'm not sure if I'm willing to come back for more.

Cimarronin: The Complete Graphic Novel Review

Cimarronin: The Complete Graphic Novel. Neal Stephenson, Charles C. Mann, Mark Teppo, Ellis Amdur, Robert Sammelin, and Dean Kotz. 2015. Jet City. 160 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I thought this was a pretty cool book. It tells the story of a fallen samurai who travels to Mexico with a Jesuit priest and a Chinese princess. They each have their own motivations for making this trip, but they end up crossing paths in a very interesting way. As someone who likes history, this was a really strong story. It mixes in just enough of some seemingly disparate elements to give it the feel of something that could have happened.

While this isn't a humor book by any means, there are some nice moments that amused me. Mostly these involve the copious amount of brothers that the Jesuit priest has. The relationships between the characters bolster the story a lot too. That combined with the historical details made it enjoyable even though it might not appeal to everyone.

For the most part I enjoyed the art. The coloring and lettering are both done well. There is more action in this book than I initially expected. The only downfall to this is that sometimes the action didn't flow well from one panel to the next, making it difficult to understand how certain scenes unfolded. I was drawn in by Neal Stephenson's connection to the book and it didn't disappoint.

4001 A.D.: Beyond New Japan Review

4001 A.D.: Beyond New Japan. Robert Venditti, Jeff Lemire, Jody Houser, Rafer Roberts, Fred Van Lente, Clayton Henry, Doug Braithwaite, and Robert Gil. 2016. Valiant Entertainment. 112 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I liked this book quite a bit. It is a collection of four tie in stories to the 4001 A.D. event from Valiant. It features three previous Valiant heroes and one new one.

The first story tells the history of the massive X-O armor that plays a role in the main 4001 event. I enjoyed seeing the origins of this armor and how it tied into the future storyline. Next up is a story about Bloodshot. Specifically, it is about the nanites and their final mission. This felt like the weakest of the stories to me. Bloodshot has become one of my favorite Valiant characters thanks to Jeff Lemire. It's a nice transition story but didn't add much to the character.

Third is a Shadowman tale. This one raised a bunch of questions for me regarding Shadowman and the Loa. It's pretty cool though because it is set on Earth and explains how these coexisting towns have been able to survive. It also introduces a new character that could easily pick up the Shadowman mantle in the future storyline. Lastly, is the story about Warmother, the new Valiant hero. Also set on Earth, this one shows what I think might be a more common way of life for the planet-bound people in 4001. There is a lot of isolation and scramble for tech. The character is strong and has the makings of a great leader.

The art on all of these are pretty solid. The Bloodshot story has some interesting effects with the nanites. Warmother shows off Earth of the future wonderfully. I thought these stories were great, even though they are mostly tangential to the 4001 event. I recommend reading 4001 A.D. first just because it is easier to see how these stories fit alongside it.

Lighter Than My Shadow

Lighter Than My Shadow. Katie Green. 2017. Lion Forge. 516 pages.

Rating: 5/5

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

There is some pretty rough subject matter in this book. It details one woman's struggle with an eating disorder and sexual assault. I think the book does a wonderful job portraying these issues and shows why it can be so difficult for people that suffer from them to overcome them. While I don't imagine I would ever have to deal with these sorts of problems, I found myself identifying with her at some points.

I loved the art. The use of the "shadow" lingering around her pretty much non-stop was a great visual indicator of what was going on in her mind. It emphasized the struggle and horror of these events. Some of the images can be repetitive at times, which really serves to show how pervasive these type of issues can be in someone's life.

This wasn't an easy book to read, but when I gave it my full attention it move quickly. I have a lot of respect for the creator for putting this out there.

The Walking Dead, Vol. 1 Review

The Walking Dead, Volume One: Days Gone Bye. Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore. 2004. Image Comics. 144 pages.

Rating: 4/5

For those that don't know, The Walking Dead is a book about a zombie apocalypse. It follows the story of a small town cop, Rick Grimes, after he wakes up from a coma to find the world changed. In this volume he has to adapt to the world as it is now and seeks to find his wife and son.

The thing that I like about this book (and the TV show) is that it isn't all about the zombies. Sure, they are ever present, but the focus is really on the survivors. This is such a character driven book and is bolstered by focusing on mundane things at times. The characters feel like real people, even if they can be a bit extreme at times, because their reactions seem natural.

I like the art a lot. It's very distinct and can make certain scenes very unsettling. The art certainly helps set the tone of the book between some of the creepier moments and the landscape images. The lack of color is an interesting choice and it doesn't hinder the book in any way. One thing that stands out to me is that all of the characters have a distinct look. This doesn't always happen, especially for minor characters. This isn't just another zombie story.

Legendary Star Lord, Vol. 1 Review

Legendary Star-Lord, Volume One: Face It, I Rule. Sam Humphries, Paco Medina, and Freddie Williams. 2015. Marvel. 112 pages.

Rating: 3/5

I found this book pretty enjoyable. It takes Peter Quill from the Guardians of the Galaxy and sends him out on his own. The Guardians show up in some small ways, and Kitty Pryde from the X-Men has a big role, so he isn't entirely on his own.

Star-Lord is the perfect scoundrel. He spends a lot of his time doing unheroic things, but when it comes down to it he tries to do the right thing. There are two major threads: one involving Thanos and one involving a criminal known as Mr. Knife. The Thanos one is fun, but I feel like I would have gotten more out of it if I knew the relationship between the characters better.

I liked the art, especially in the second half of the book. There were a few pages where there was too much going on, but not many. This book didn't add a whole lot to the character. It does a nice job of showing off what I would expect from him. I just didn't find enough reason to care about what he was doing. Maybe the second volume will improve on that.

Rai, Vol. 4 Review

Rai, Volume Four: 4001 A.D. Matt Kindt and Cafu. 2016. Valiant Entertainment. 128 pages.

Rating: 5/5

The Rai series just keeps getting better for me. Rather than continuing the story from volume three, which is picked up in the separate 4001 A.D. story, this volume goes back to the beginning. It shows the birth of the first Rai, the role Rai has played in New Japan over the centuries, and a couple of other previous incarnations.

It also lays the groundwork for the entire series by showing how certain issues have come up repeatedly related to Father and his control over New Japan, as well as leading directly into the very first issue of the series. That could be confusing for some readers, but it actually does a great job explaining some of what happens early on.

I love the art. Cafu does a wonderful job with the characters and the environment. Clayton Crain's art on the rest of the series is fantastic, but Cafu is more than capable of picking up this part of the story. There are multiple panels that caught my attention because of how great they look, particularly involving Aboto, one of the former Rais.

While this doesn't tie directly to the 4001 A.D. miniseries, it provides a good deal of background for the setting that makes it worth reading. There are a lot of pieces that could be picked up and expanded in other books. A solid addition to the series.

Bloodshot, Vol. 3 Review

Bloodshot, Volume Three: Harbinger Wars. Duane Swierczynski, Barry Kitson, and Stefano Gaudiano. 2013. Valiant Entertainment. 128 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I rather enjoyed this volume. It follows directly on the heels of volume two. Bloodshot, the super soldier with tiny robots called nanites in his blood, and a group of young kids that were being held by his former employer are on the run. They are special because they are psiots, which basically means they have super powers.

This book ties into the Harbinger Wars event (hence the subtitle) and covers the major events featuring Bloodshot. One thing I really liked is that the way the book is written, you don't need to read the other portions to understand this one. There are elements that tie into the rest of the overarching story. They serve to build on the miniseries without detracting from this book.

One thing about Bloodshot is that he has no memory of his past, so the reader gets to learn a lot about who he is as he is discovering it himself. With this volume, the story delves into why he was created and just how strong of a hold Project Rising Spirit (the organization that introduced him to the nanites) has on him. It also shows how strongly he will fight their programming.

There is a lot of action in this book, much like the previous volumes. It can get pretty gruesome at times too. The ick factor and how much damage the nanites are able to repair are two elements I enjoy about this series. They allow him to do things that similar books just wouldn't be able to pull off. The art adds a lot to the story at these points and is pretty great overall. The volume ends abruptly and left me with mixed feelings.

Star Wars: Darth Vader, Vol. 2

Star Wars: Darth Vader, Volume Two: Shadows and Secrets. Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca, and Edgar Delgado. 2016. Marvel. 136 pages.

Rating: 4/5

Now this is a good Star Wars book. Darth Vader continues his search for Luke Skywalker, Dr. Aphra pulls off a heist, and they both must evade an Imperial investigator that is closing in on them. It showcases the calculating side of Darth Vader to great effect. I'd heard a lot of good things about Dr. Aphra, but I wasn't convinced until I read this volume. She is more than capable of matching Darth Vader without feeling contrived.

The supporting characters introduced in volume one that I wasn't fond of, specifically the murder droids and the potential replacements for Vader, are used really well here. The droids are a lot more fun to read and felt less like one note characters. Vader's rivals serve more of a purpose without cluttering up the story. They were more believable because they had something to do aside from vying for the Emperor's attention.

And the art is great. The characters are portrayed well and the different locations look wonderful. This book pulls together a lot of elements to make a great story. I want more.

Space Riders, Vol. 1 Review

Space Riders, Volume One: Vengeful Universe. Fabian Rangel and Alexis Ziritt. 2015. Black Mask Comics. 112 pages.

Rating: 3/5

Wow. This book is beyond ridiculous. The characters fly around in a spaceship shaped like a skull and fight all manner of creatures. There are robots, aliens, and even a giant space whale. And the colors are weird in a really good way. They are super colorful, which doesn't happen much in science fiction books.

The actual story left a little to be desired. It follows the captain of this ship as he seeks redemption for a failed mission. He is joined by a robot shaped like a female human, with nipples that shoot lasers, and a semi-pacifist ape. This is a fun book for all the unusual elements. I just didn't feel like I had a whole lot of reason to care about the characters or what happened with them. Worth checking out none-the-less.

TEOTFW Review

TEOTFW. Charles Forsman. 2013. Fantagraphics. 176 pages.

Rating: 1/5

This is way too dark for my tastes. It follows the story of two young adults, one of whom is a sociopath. The story is super creepy and I think Forsman does a great job capturing that element.

The art didn't appeal to me. It fits the story pretty well by highlighting some of the creepier aspects of the characters and their relationship though.

Gotham Academy, Vol. 1 Review

Gotham Academy, Volume One: Welcome to Gotham Academy. Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher, and Karl Kerschl. 2015. DC Comics. 160 pages.

Rating: 4/5

It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did I enjoyed it a lot. Part of the problem for me is that the main character, Olive Silverlock, is suffering from amnesia. This trope is really overdone and can be hard to pull off well. I think when the book moved away from that part of the story and got into the relationships between the students it got stronger. The whole amnesia thing is sort of resolved by the end of the volume, which is a huge plus.

Being an institution in Gotham City, Gotham Academy is old and believed to be haunted. After the students return from summer break, there are strange things happening around the campus. A group of students including Olive decide that they are going to investigate. Quite a bit happens from there, including the appearance of Bruce Wayne and a couple Batman villains. I really like what they do with Killer Croc and the (possibly unintentional) reference to my favorite line from the Batman animated series from the early 90s.

The art is really good. It took a little getting used to because it is a different style than I usually see. It works perfectly for the book and the colors complement it nicely. This book is a nice change of pace from the other DC books I've read recently. Recommended for those that want something different than the usual superhero fare.

Batman: The Long Halloween Review

Batman: The Long Halloween. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. 1999. DC Comics. 368 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I love a good Batman comic, and this is certainly amongst the best. The story takes place over the course of the year, and Batman has to discover the identity of a killer that only strikes on holidays. The introduction describes this as a follow up to Batman Year One, so we see a younger Bruce Wayne that is still working out his role as Batman. The focus is much more on the killer and Harvey Dent. Having read this after watching The Dark Knight, it's easy to see the influence this book had on the movie.

My favorite part of this book has to be the heavy reliance on the crime families of Gotham, specifically the Falcone. There is always mention of how screwed up Gotham is and why there is a need for Batman and using the mafia as a foundation is perfect. Are they the source of all of Gotham's problems? No, but the sheer level of organized crime speaks to why Batman even exists. It is pervasive and the attacks of Holiday begin to shake things up. The use of these more mundane villains, even with the inclusion of a bunch of Batman's iconic foes, helps to set this book apart.

The mystery behind the killer is played out pretty well too. There are so many people that would have the motive and opportunity to attack the members of the Falcone family that it becomes difficult to pin down who is Holiday. Extra points for the use of Calendar Man because he is a strange villain that fits in so well.

Despite being an older comic, I enjoyed the art. There were some images that are certainly indicative of trends in comic art at the time, but for the most part it stands apart. The coloring and use of shadow are both great. There's a reason this is considered a classic Batman title. Definitely worth a read.

Hellblazer, Vol. 1 Review

John Constantine, Hellblazer, Volume One: Original Sins. Jamie Delano, John Ridgway, Alfredo Alcala, Rick Veitch, and Tom Mandrake. 2013. Vertigo. 304 pages.

Rating: 4/5

I just finished this last night, and I feel like it took me forever to read. Mostly because of general life stuff creeping in, but this is a long book and pretty dense. It stands up there with some of the other Vertigo titles that I've read and enjoyed immensely though.

It has a slow build. Which I think is fantastic. Sometimes that can make books drag on. It's executed very well in this case though. The slow reveals allow time to learn more about Constantine, his place in the world, and the types of situations he has to deal with. It's not as action packed as the movie (at least from what I can remember) and it doesn't need to be. This is a great character driven story that mixes in elements of heaven/hell, religion, and morality. I like that it doesn't shy away from some of the nastier aspects of humanity. And it does so in a way that doesn't feel incredibly bleak.

The couple of Swamp Thing issues thrown in at the end were a surprise. I was aware that Constantine and Swamp Thing had some sort of connection, but those issues go way beyond anything that I knew about. That part isn't really necessary to the book as a whole. I'm glad it is included because it expands on the characters and the setting. Plus, it is rather creepy to have Swamp Thing taking over Constantine's body. The details are a little sketchy though.

I thought the art was great. Sure, it's a bit rougher than we might be used to reading now, but the grittiness of the drawings fit so well with the tone of the book.  Some of the color choices are more jarring than the pencils. I am interested in reading more stories about this character, but I don't think that will happen anytime soon.

Black Canary, Vol. 1 Review

Black Canary, Volume One: Kicking and Screaming. Brenden Fletcher, Annie Wu, Pia Guerra, and Lee Loughridge. 2016. DC Comics. 168 pages.

Rating: 3/5

My first experience with Black Canary came from the Arrow TV series. I feel like some of that characterization is present here, but it takes her in a very different direction. Dinah Lance teams up with a group of teens to form a band that becomes wildly popular overnight. The reasons behind this are touched on in the book. They felt kind of dubious to me though.

I enjoyed the different take on this character, and her band mates actually grew on me as the book went on. Had it been left as a story about a girl and her band I think I would have enjoyed it more. About midway through, other elements from the DC universe are pulled in and that put me off to the book. Partly because I'm not a huge DC reader and partly because some of the characters used seem to pop up in way too many of the books I do pick up.

The art didn't bother me. Not really a resounding endorsement for it. Yet, I think that's a good thing because in a book like this the art can be very hit or miss and ruin the enjoyment. There are some goofy moments with the art, and there are a lot more action sequences than there should have been based on the way it starts out. Despite that, it didn't put me off to reading the story, so there must be something to it that fits the tone. This book, and a couple other more recent DC books that I've read, seem to be trying to be a little trendier or shifting their characters to appeal to a younger crowd. For the most part I think they've done a decent job with it and anyone looking for a change from the regular superhero fare should check this out.