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# | cover | title | author | isbn | isbn13 | asin | num pages | avg rating | num ratings | date pub | date pub (ed.) | rating | my rating | review | notes | recommender | comments | votes | read count | date started | date read |
date purchased | owned | purchase location | condition | format | ||
| 9781582406725
| 4.31
| 112,556
| May 24, 2004
| Sep 26, 2006
As usual, my laziness puts me far behind the curve. I watched these graphic novels go on and off the shelves at my library, and put off reading them u
As usual, my laziness puts me far behind the curve. I watched these graphic novels go on and off the shelves at my library, and put off reading them until AMC made a TV series out of it. Really, there's no earthly reason I shouldn't have read a comic about zombies by now, so I'm a little ashamed it took watching and loving the pilot of the filmed version to make me pick it up. And since I don't have the patience to follow a monthly comic anymore, I'm glad there are a pile of collected issue graphic novels for me to catch up on. I tore through the first trade paper volume (issues #1-6) in record time. Police officer Rick Grimes is injured during a violent traffic stop, and wakes from a coma weeks later to a ravaged, deserted hospital. The zombie apocalypse has come while he slept, and through a combination of canniness and sheer luck, he crosses paths with a small group of other survivors on the outskirts of Atlanta, dodging the ravenous undead and trying to figure out what to do next. This volume is generally focused on introducing the reader to the cast, the setting, and the interpersonal dramas to come. I happily lapped it all up, because come on, guys, it's fucking zombies. That being said, this isn't quite the tour de force I've been led to believe. Well, not yet, anyway. The characters are a bit stereotypical, in the way that the characters at the beginning of most zombie stories are. And the dialogue veers hard into melodramatic territory, as most comic book dialogue does. I think the only reason this bugs me is because I was hoping for an esoteric, literate type of graphic novel narrative, which isn't really in place yet. However, Kirkman's somewhat pompous introduction indicates that he wants the series to go past the typical zombie movie time frame, and really get into how the characters cope after getting through the initial crisis. That gives me hope, and puts the rather mediocre beginning in perspective. Plus, I don't know if I mentioned this, but it's fucking zombies. The Walking Dead certainly doesn't lack for action, so even if the story doesn't immediately improve, I'll be hooked for at least a few more volumes. There is lot of homage to the zombie genre throughout the volume. The stark, black-and-white art is well done, and effectively puts the characters front and center instead of distracting with bright gore and detailed shock and awe... the horror here is more Romero then Roth. And yes, some of the homage tends toward the derivative, including a few scenes taken right out of other zombie tales. To read some other reviews, you'd think that was a SHOCKING AND APPALLING development. Hey, spoiler alert: this book has dead people that chase and eat the living! You can stop them by destroying the brain! Also, the survivors are so stressed and scared that their inability to work together is as big a threat as the zombies! I don't know, it seems to me that if you pick up a book called "The Walking Dead" and are surprised when you discover that it has familiar zombie tropes in it, the problem might be with you, not the book. So, I'm intrigued. I haven't seriously read graphic novels for a bit, now, but The Walking Dead is good enough to drag me back in for a while. My only regret is that it's spoiling the equally awesome AMC series (so far, anyway) for me. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Nov 2010
| Nov 02, 2010
Nov 01, 2010
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781582404134
| 4.26
| 20,884
| Apr 01, 2004
| Nov 24, 2004
Yeah, this one is a little bit more like it. With the drama at the Atlanta campsite having reached its head, Grimes assumes leadership of the refugees Yeah, this one is a little bit more like it. With the drama at the Atlanta campsite having reached its head, Grimes assumes leadership of the refugees and they hit the road. They meet a few new people along the way, and land upon an abandoned suburb and a pastoral farmstead in their search for a home safe from the restless dead. With the introductory issues out of the way, it feels like the second volume gets a little deeper into Kirkman's "all about the characters" mission. The characters are a little less stereotypical in this one, and though we're still basically in a zombie soap opera, the interactions are considerably more believable (and, in a few instances, genuinely scary and affecting). The pace is a little better, too, with the traveling lending a bit more urgency to the proceedings. The places they land along the way have a bit more going on than the campsite in the first volume, as well. The only tradeoff was the predictability, though that shouldn't be too surprising from a zombie story. There is never really any doubt about how each mini-story in the volume will turn out, especially considering that any suspense that does exist is neutralized with some pretty ham-handed foreshadowing. That leaves the surprises for the characters that end up leaving or getting killed, some of which I found surprising to the point of jarring (again, that's a little bit more like it). The direction of this series looks good. Whatever flaws it has, it's so damned readable that I had to force myself not to breeze through it in twenty minutes. I'm in for the next few volumes, for sure. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Nov 2010
| Nov 16, 2010
Nov 01, 2010
| Paperback
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| 9781593077846
| 3.87
| 3,099
| Jul 18, 2007
| Jul 03, 2007
So, it appears my sudden, random fascination with graphic novels and my rediscovery of Buffy have collided. I originally meant to buy and read the Sea
So, it appears my sudden, random fascination with graphic novels and my rediscovery of Buffy have collided. I originally meant to buy and read the Season 8 books that Joss Whedon actually worked on, but since I'm in the middle of rewatching the entire series, I decided to wait until I was done with that and go through this hefty volume of early Dark Horse comics instead. I liked it, but I didn't love it. This volume covers two seminal moments in the Buffy canon: her showdown with Lothos in Los Angeles, and her subsequent stay in a mental asylum (which, by the way, is referenced in possibly my favorite episode of the television series, and made that story a particularly satisfying read). It also contains a Las Vegas adventure that explains what happened to Pike, a vignette of Spike and Drusilla, and a lighthearted story featuring a young Dawn. A canonical, non-Hollywood version of Whedon's original script was enough to hook me, but the whole package actually looked good. And it was good. Different, but good. There are a few confusing moments: some of the vampires in The Origin inexplicably look like Man-Bat, and it took me a few pages to figure out what the deal was with the conjoined twins in the Vegas story, due to the artwork being somewhat questionable. Overall, though, the stories were great reads. Something was just a little off the mark, though, and I can't put my finger on what it is. It seems a little fanboyish to declaim that this suffers from a pronounced lack of Whedon, but maybe that really is the issue. My favorite part of the Buffy television series is the character arcs and dialogue, and neither feels quite true in these comics. It's as if everyone is doing an impression of the Buffy characters, instead of being an extension of them. The inclusion of Dawn is interesting, too; the explanation for it makes sense academically (everyone has memories of her being there, including Dawn herself), and the resulting story really is cute and fun to read. However, it still feels a little like a convenient excuse to make filler stories. Honestly, though, I really did like reading this. The sheer amount of material justifies the price, and even the worst of it is still great for Buffy fans. I don't think I'm quite enamored enough to buy another Buffy Omnibus, as I understand there's quite a few. But I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a better version of the movie, and has an interest in pre-Sunnydale Buffy. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Nov 2010
| Nov 29, 2010
Nov 01, 2010
| Paperback
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| 9781582404875
| 4.33
| 19,143
| May 18, 2005
| Jun 18, 2005
I'm not sure how I feel about this one. As a whole, I liked it more than the previous Walking Dead volumes; the story is tighter, and it does the "we'
I'm not sure how I feel about this one. As a whole, I liked it more than the previous Walking Dead volumes; the story is tighter, and it does the "we're our own worst enemy" motif a lot better. But the formula repetition and the ridiculous characterizations and dialogue make it hard for me to acknowledge its strengths. Safety Behind Bars picks up right where the last volume leaves off: the survivors cautiously begin exploring the prison to see if it might serve as the sanctuary they have desperately been looking for. As they begin clearing the place of its undead residents, they discover to their surprise a few living residents, as well. Despite being relatively safe from the dead for the first time, it quickly becomes clear that the wolves are still within the walls; it's just a question of whether they were let in or were already there. This volume is, in some respects, exactly what I was waiting for. Kirkman professes that he is writing the long-game zombie story, so it eventually must move to the place where the immediate zombie threat fades into the background and the vileness of plain old human beings becomes the problem. This is a great start, with questionable motives and actions on all sides, and a balance of power that is shaky from the start and degenerates fast. The main arc revolves around a serial killer that begins preying on the newly secure survivors, and the culprit is so eye-rollingly obvious through the art choices in some panels that the eventual reveal doesn't offer much in the way of surprise. Afterward, however, the story is deliciously tense as the reader waits to find out what the death toll will be. There is also some nice development of the larger story, including a fairly surprising resolution to the heavily foreshadowed subplot with Tyrese's daughter and her boyfriend (which has profound implications for all of them). There are also some scenes with Allen, Dale, and Andrea that promise some interesting developments in the future. But Rick and Lori. Jesus, those two. They've been the king and queen of cliched, awkward dialogue up to this point, which is remarkable given the fact that most of the dialogue in the book is fairly awkward. But man, these two are fucking irritating in this volume. I ultimately enjoyed reading this volume, but these two deserve being called out for their shenanigans. Rick's character has gone completely off the map, and I honestly can't tell whether this is supposed to show the character's fraying mental state or the writer's indecision as to what to do with him. He swings from moralistic white-hat to authoritarian cyborg to remorseless thug and back to Howdy Doody again, all in the space of a couple pages. The most egregious side-effect of this is shows up near the end of the volume, where he delivers a ridiculous monologue on how he's a cop, and therefore has authority, and that's why everyone looks up to him, damn it, so can't you just do this for Jack Bauer... I mean, can't you just do this for Rick Grimes? It's literally cringe-worthy, and the reactions from the other characters are convenient to the point of phony. Meanwhile, Lori suffers from a bad case of Written By a Man Syndrome. "WHY ARE YOU SO MEEEEAN, RICK? WHAT ARE YOU, MY DAD? I HATE YOU! I HATE ALL MEN! Oh, sorry, I'm pregnant, you know, and I have all these crazy girly hormones. Silly me. Do what you think is best! You're always right!" Feh. We get it, Kirkman. Men are in charge, here. This is already apparent by how the other female characters act (including the strong ones), so you really don't have to turn your female lead into a crazy shrew to reinforce the point. If you can get past the horrible things that come out of the noiseholes of these two, however, this is a solid volume. It goes a long way in carrying forward Kirkman's promise of a deeper, character-focused zombie story. Especially poignant is the survivors' reactions to the inmates, and the possible consequences thereafter. The volume ends on a cliffhanger that made me hungry for the next volume. I'm finding as these go on, though, that I'm being less charitable with them, and I think it's because I watched the first season of the AMC show at the same time. The show has excised the sloppy characterizations and weak dialogue of the books. The characters are truly sympathetic and believable in the series. Heaven help me: it's better than the book. But from a general perspective, I like the direction that the first three volumes have set up, and I have high hopes for the story as it continues. My only hesitation is that the same formula has been more or less repeated through each of these three story arcs, and I don't know if my excitement about the series will last if it isn't switched up soon. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Dec 2010
| Dec 13, 2010
Dec 01, 2010
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 4,233
| Sep 10, 2010
| Nov 14, 2010
This is a slim volume of super-short vignettes that offer some origin and foundation stories for the characters from Dr's Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.
This is a slim volume of super-short vignettes that offer some origin and foundation stories for the characters from Dr's Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. The graphic novel is lean and mean, but it's a highly amusing read. I'm an unabashed fan of the the original web video, so I loved every bit of it. The stories here are very short, with five separate stories fit into 78 pages. Even so, everybody gets a turn. Captain Hammer and Dr. Horrible get introductions that dovetail nicely into the canon. Penny gets a questionably relevant but undeniably sweet examination, as well. Best of all, there are closer looks at bit players like the Evil League of Evil, Moist, and even Johnny Snow. The beauty here is in the small touches. The vignettes are not entirely standalone; they connect in subtle ways that bring the whole volume together and make it feel like a coherent "origin story," or at least a genuine prequel to the official story. New bit players like James Flames and the hilariously crass newscasters fit perfectly. Even the introduction is deliciously funny. My main complaints with this are a few wonky panels in the art, and the bite-sized portion. But this was exactly what I was hoping it would be: a pitch-perfect extension of the original's tone and lore, and hopefully an appetizer for future installments. Even if you aren't a fan of Dr. Horrible, this is a good pick for those who like their superheroes and supervillains a little quirky. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Dec 2010
| Dec 06, 2010
Dec 01, 2010
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||||
| 9781932664089
| 4.17
| 87,490
| Aug 18, 2004
| Aug 24, 2004
I am one of the people who came to this series through the movie. Despite coming away from the first volume with the same sense of feeling too old tha
I am one of the people who came to this series through the movie. Despite coming away from the first volume with the same sense of feeling too old that the movie gave me, I loved this one in spite of myself. Scott Pilgrim is a twenty-something in Toronto that walks a fine line between being charmingly indolent and a being a complete waste of space. He spends his time either playing bass with his band, Sex Bob-omb, or going on somewhat uncomfortable outings with his teenage girlfriend, Knives Chau, and listening to her play-by-plays of Yearbook Club drama. (This is not as creepy as it sounds, due to Scott's crippling emotional immaturity, and the decidedly non-physical nature of their relationship.) His lazy, self-absorbed routine is interrupted by the appearance of a rollerblading American girl named Ramona Flowers, who begins appearing in his dreams and then suddenly shows up at the library. As Scott tries to find out more about this quirky temptress, he finds himself in the crosshairs of Ramona's Evil Ex-Boyfriends, who apparently have promised violence (of the video game variety) against anyone who dares to try and get close to her. This graphic novel is full of references to things from my own teen years, which is awesome. Unfortunately, these references are put into a context where they are celebrated as retro-chic by people a lot younger than me. I simultaneously feel like I get it and that I am so not cool enough to be reading this, which is weird. But I've learned to deal with it, I think. The book is a fantastic example of magical realism for people that need shiny things and can't handle staid books by Marquez or Allende. It begins as a relatively mundane portrait of hipsters doing whatever it is that hipsters do, with a few touches of video-game aesthetic and breaking of the fourth wall. By the time the first Evil Ex shows up, though, the book suddenly explodes in a mad fit of musical fight scenes, mystical summoning powers, subspace highways, and bad guys dissolving into coins. It can occasionally be hard on those of us without short attention spans, but the blending of the disaffected young people story with the kung-fu fight quest story is actually pretty awesome. I definitely like the art here, too. Most people seem to classify it as a manga homage, which is accurate, but my mind tends to associate it more with the kind of casual/messy webcomic art that is popular online right now. There are no elaborate panels that can be thrown off track by an odd perspective or wonkily-drawn arm, and the big-eyed exaggeration of the facial expressions is often hilarious, in my opinion. Again, there is a lot of huge bold type that slaps the reader across the face here and there, but once you get used to the feel of the book, it works just fine. Most of the bad things I've read about this book have boiled down either to backlash from its new popularity or to simple personal opinion. Which is all fine. Personally, I ate this one up. It's trendy without being pretentious, sarcastic without being insulting, and cute without being saccharine. It's also consistently funny, especially if you grew up in the 90s. And yes, I was actually a teen in the 90s, just like the author. So get off my lawn, you damned kids. Anyway, definitely worth checking out. I'll be picking up the next volumes at the next opportunity. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Dec 14, 2010
| Jan 03, 2011
Dec 14, 2010
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9780785141341
| 3.91
| 34,370
| 2003
| Feb 24, 2010
So, now that my newfound love of graphic novels has really taken hold, I figure it's about time to take a few cautious steps back into the Marvel Univ
So, now that my newfound love of graphic novels has really taken hold, I figure it's about time to take a few cautious steps back into the Marvel Universe, in which I more or less lived from the ages of 9 to 13. What better place to start than an alternate history tale by Neil Gaiman? This collected volume of eight comics posits the existence of Marvel superheroes in Elizabethan England. The world appears to be coming apart at the seams; strange storms and unexplained phenomena rip across the countryside. The queen is old and ailing, and insidious plots surround her. Her spymaster, Sir Nicholas Fury, works with his agents to shield (ha ha!) her life, and to bring a mysterious treasure from the Holy Land that the court magician, Doctor Stephen Strange, promises will aid England. However, her successor plots with mysterious Latverian counts and Spanish Inquisitors, working to bring about a new, more merciless rule. Meanwhile, Doctor Strange discovers that the strange storms are connected to the legends of the age- the lost crew of the Fantastick, the powerful Witchbreed of Carlos Javier's school and sanctuary, and even the agents of the crown. Moreover, if the storms are not stopped, the overthrow of the English monarchy will be the least of their worries. Honestly, at first I was convinced that I wouldn't like this one. I think I was the victim of my own expectations. The engraving-style illustrations and Gaiman's name in giant letters led me to believe that I'd be reading a subtle, dense tale of intrigue. What I got was... not that, exactly. The dialogue was straightforward (and riddled with punny Marvel references), and the story was slick and moved quickly. This is, all told, a solid historical comic book, and meets (but not necessarily exceeds) the general expectations a reader would have of something like that. My problem was that I approached 1602 in the same way I do most graphic novels: I started reading it in bite-sized chunks, in order to savor it. The first third of this story does not lend itself to this kind of reading, and I think it would take a while to get going even if I read it all in one sitting. There are just so many characters to introduce, so much Marvel fan service, that it approaches the level of gimmick. The constant scene-shifting makes things hard to follow, and seems to happen solely to allow Elizabethan Daredevil or Elizabethan Scarlet Witch to elicit a squee or two from the true believers. I initially thought I was being a little unkind, but I was vindicated by Gaiman's own admission in the afterword that he was plagued by second thoughts about writing a story with so many main characters. Once I got through the first three or so issues, though, the story finally started to get going. I started reading it issue by issue (as it was meant to be read) at that point, and the pace obviously felt much better. There were still some story oddities that bothered me; there were so many subplots that some of them meandered into conclusions without any real relevance to the main story arc. Also, I liked the ending twist that connected things to the Marvel Universe we know and love, but I honestly would have been just as happy without it. But once I got on board with what this volume is— a homage-laden look into how the Marvel Golden Age characters might have got their start four centuries ago— I ended up enjoying it a great deal. The artwork was fantastic, too. The scratchboard covers and the mix of enhanced pencil work and digital color (with very minimal inking) offered just the right balance of old-timey flair and streamlined, consumable comic art. Not a confusing or wonky panel in sight, either. I didn't know this graphic novel had any extras with it, and they proved to be a pleasant surprise that knocked this one up a notch for me. I recently woke up one morning with a fledgling idea for comic characters, and I've been wondering what I could do with those character notes, seeing as how I can barely draw a stick-figure. And then I turn a page in 1602 and see a reproduction of the script Gaiman gave to artist Andy Kubert for the first issue. Sweet. Thanks, Neil. I wonder how this one might play out for readers who aren't intimately familiar with Marvel heroes; the fan service might not get in the way as much as it did with me in the beginning. Eventually, though, I was won over. The intriguing historical setting is a great fit for the classic heroics of the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil, etc. Taken as a whole, this is a fun superhero yarn by a great author and talented artists. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| not set
| Jan 30, 2011
Jan 30, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781582405308
| 4.26
| 16,014
| Jan 01, 2005
| Apr 28, 2009
**spoiler alert** So, I took a short break from this series, after finishing the third volume. I was finding that I was unconsciously comparing the gr
**spoiler alert** So, I took a short break from this series, after finishing the third volume. I was finding that I was unconsciously comparing the graphic novels to the AMC series, and whether that's a fair comparison or not, I was a little surprised to find out that the graphic novels were suffering a little by comparison. Coming back to it fresh helped me to get away from that and focus on the characters and story more. That being said, I'm not really sure how I feel about this one. The survivors are facing an ultimatum to leave the prison, but the showdown is cut short by a sudden emergence of the prison's earlier (and considerably more flesh-hungry) denizens. In the melee that ensues, Rick decides to take some executive action, and our heroes scrounge up some more borrowed time in their new, locked-down safe haven. The seams are going ragged, though; the constant pressure of leadership is starting to wear Rick down, especially when yet another character we know and love has an unexpected run-in with zombie teeth. A mysterious new arrival pushes some tensions past their breaking point, and the survivors are forced to reassess the society they are trying to build in the wake of the zombie apocalypse. In other words, lots of human-on-human action. This one is all about the characters, and their attempt to formulate their next steps, now that they have had a little time to hunker down in one place. In theory, this volume should have been great. In practice, it was... shall we say, uneven. Rick is getting a lot more realistic and interesting, so that's a plus. All of his bluster and bravado led him down the route I was hoping Kirkman would go: he's starting to lose it, and maybe had lost it from the beginning, which is why he needed to play cowboy in the first place. Since Rick is the closest we have to a main character, this is doubly interesting, and seems to be on its way to fulfilling the promise of creating a strong dramatic epic that happens to have zombies in it. As for the rest, though, I'm starting to get a little bothered by the thematic misogyny. Yeah, I know, that seems rather ridiculous coming from a young man who is actively reading horror comic books, but I'm serious. Lori's "I'M A HORMONAL SHREW BECAUSE I'M ON THE NEST!!11!" routine is thankfully dialed back this time around, but consider the following: Andrea, a certified badass with proven shooting skills and now a wicked scar from her brush with a serial killer, is undeniably the strongest female character in the series up to this point. So, naturally, she has decided to become the group seamstress. Okay, there's nothing wrong with that, I guess. Maybe she likes to sew. Another, even stronger female character shows up. She's omninously quiet, skilled in combat, enough of a hardcase to be dragging the zombified forms of the people she loved in chains, and obviously more than a little crazy. And the first things she does when she is integrated into the group? Make some catty comments about a few of the other women, and give a surprise blowjob to one the men that seems like a group leader. Uh... hmm. This development throws Carol into a tailspin. This woman, who has survived more than most and has been a calm and steady guardian of her only daughter, promptly turns into a teenager. After a mostly fake suicide attempt, she suddenly and inexplicably begins throwing herself at Rick, for no reason other than that he "stood up for her." Okay. This all culminates in a decision by the group to create a leadership committee, and Rick immediately comments on how it's made up of solely men. Apparently, the women wanted it that way, because even Lori and Andrea specifically told everyone that they just want to be "protected." You see where I am going with this. Granted, I'm mostly convinced that Kirkman is purposefully making patriarchy a theme in this story, considering the earlier references to it, and the continuing character arc of Rick (specifically, him trying to decide whether "justice for all" or "might makes right" is the right course of action for keeping them all alive). Also, it's not like any of these developments are unrealistic or hard to believe; in fact, they are very believable. Likely, even. These ideas are actually given more examination than they usually get in similar works. Still, it's all just bad enough for me to feel uncomfortable being an apologist for it. The misogyny is definitely, unmistakably there. I guess it's up to the reader to decide whether Kirkman is making it a deliberate part of the story or not, and whether that is palatable or not. Other than that continuing issue, this series is still a good read, as far as I'm concerned. The narrative twist at the end of this volume was handled rather nicely, too. I'm still not blown away yet, though... I like the story and characters enough to keep reading, but I'm not an unabashed convert yet, I don't think. I like it, but I still have my reservations. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Feb 11, 2011
| Feb 20, 2011
Feb 11, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781595825612
| 4.12
| 7,589
| Nov 03, 2010
| Nov 24, 2010
I've been jonesing to rewatch my Firefly box set, and I decided to whet my appetite by buying and reading this graphic novel, a long-awaited backstory
I've been jonesing to rewatch my Firefly box set, and I decided to whet my appetite by buying and reading this graphic novel, a long-awaited backstory for the mysterious Shepherd Book. I was so excited that I even let it mellow on my shelf for a while, building a nice head of anticipation. I think that might have been a mistake, because I finished this ultra-short story with a distinct sense of feeling underwhelmed. The approach is actually quite interesting. The story begins with Book's final moments as we remember them: going down fighting on the planet Haven. After an introductory internal monologue, the tale uses key phrases to jump back in time, visiting crucial moments in Book's life that explain who he is, where he came from, and how he came to be the man he is. And there's the rub; we learn just about everything there is to know about him. Alliance connection? Check. Decidedly un-Christian fighting skill? Check. We even get a few tantalizing glimpses at deeper mysteries we didn't know about, only to have them summarily explained, as well. This seems to be an odd thing to complain about, but at under 60 pages, Shepherd's Tale is a lightning quick read. To have that much about Firefly's most enigmatic character explained so rapidly... well, the whole thing feels a bit hurried and impersonal. Like, hey, remember all those questions we had about Book? Here are the answers. The end! There's still a lot to like about it, especially for Firefly fans. I get the feeling that this graphic novel is much too perfunctory for the non-Browncoat crowd, though. There's a lot of meat, but it's definitely information overload if you aren't already familiar with the Firefly setting, and the gist of the story is fairly standard: redemption of a man circling the drain. I liked this book, but I think it's more of a supplementary volume than an actual standalone story. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Feb 23, 2011
| Mar 11, 2011
Feb 23, 2011
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781560976882
| 2.89
| 9
| Dec 15, 2005
| Mar 01, 2006
I found this sneakily hidden out of place on a back shelf in my library, and read it in a few minutes. Yeah, uh... not sure of the point, here. The sex I found this sneakily hidden out of place on a back shelf in my library, and read it in a few minutes. Yeah, uh... not sure of the point, here. The sexy illustrations are well done, but have absolutely no connection to the sparse narrative, which is a fairly straightforward Dear John letter. This doesn't fit the bill of a graphic novel. I'd say it's more of a picture book for horny people. I gave it two stars because, hey, naked ladies (and the illustrations really are evocative and well done). But there isn't really much more going for this. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| not set
| Mar 05, 2011
Mar 05, 2011
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9780785115311
| 4.17
| 17,510
| Dec 15, 2004
| May 10, 2006
Oh, yes. Yes, this is definitely what I've been looking for. This is… yeah. This is X-Men like I remember from back in the days when I was running aro
Oh, yes. Yes, this is definitely what I've been looking for. This is… yeah. This is X-Men like I remember from back in the days when I was running around my backyard pretending to be Iceman. The X-books were my comic of choice for many years, so I've been itching to get back to them ever since I rediscovered the joy of graphic novels. Trouble is, the mutant books are particularly intimidating for newcomers, or for anyone who hasn't been paying attention for the past decade or two. Soap operas have nothing on X-Men. Huge crossovers. Complicated backstories, rife with retconning. Hordes of new characters, and plenty of old characters that died somewhere along the way. Tangled plots that involve asteroids, giant robots, genocide, aliens, love triangles, mutant viruses… it's all quite a lot. Not to mention the mangled version from the movies that has also taken its place in pop culture. I was afraid that I would be hopelessly lost when I stepped back in. I should have put my trust in Whedon. This first story arc, Gifted, is a slick and straightforward story that does away with all the franchise weirdness, and gives just enough backstory to make sure that we are up to speed. Professor Xavier is away from his school; the X-Men are led by an uncharacteristically hesitant Scott Summers, who is leaning heavily on his new paramour, Emma Frost. The ever-lovable Beast continues to teach at the school despite his seemingly worsening mutation, and two familiar faces are called back to the grounds: Wolverine and Shadowcat (with, of course, the dragon Lockheed in tow). Amidst an ever-worsening climate of anti-mutant fear and loathing, Cyclops plans to bring the X-Men back into the public consciousness as the heroes and protectors they have always been. Their mission to astonish the world comes at an unfortunate time, however, as a company named Benetech announces the development of a mutant "cure," sparking tension between those who see the mutant gene as something that should be cured and those that don't. Meanwhile, a hulking figure calling himself Ord of the Breakworld suddenly appears, and his connection to both the X-Men and Benetech leads to surprising consequences and a warning of imminent danger. I jumped back into X-Men with this volume because I saw Whedon's name on it. I was hoping he would bring his talent for dialogue to bear, and I wasn't disappointed. These versions of the X-Men are simply fantastic. The banter is hilarious (so much that I kept reading snatches of it aloud to my patient and somewhat annoyed wife), with Whedon's trademark wit firmly in place. Even so, no character felt untrue. I've been familiar with the exploits of Wolverine, Cyclops, Shadowcat, Beast, and the White Queen for some time now, and even with a new sense of sarcasm and irony infused into the proceedings, these are all very much the characters they have always been. Whedon's style does not detract from the history of these characters. Rather, it makes them much more sympathetic, and a joy to read. The story itself is fantastic, too. My only quibble with it comes from the fact that this is a collection of individual comics, rather than a graphic novel in its own right, meaning that the action moves so fast that there are missed opportunities for deeper story development. However, considering the medium, the story is actually very well done, and tense enough to keep readers turning pages. The various twists are also nice in this arc, as well; the sudden return of a character that I loved when I was still reading X-Men and died some time ago made me, a 30-year-old man, bounce with glee. And Cassaday's art is lovely. I left comic books around the time that Rob Liefeld's bullshit heyday was peaking in titles like X-Force, so Cassaday's intense, realistic artwork was a fantastic complement to the story. Every panel was flawless, and every character as nuanced and individual as if I were looking at photographs. I really can't say enough good things about this book. I hear the second story arc isn't quite as polished, but I'm in, at least for the Whedon/Cassaday volumes. This graphic novel has me excited about X-Men again, and that's saying a lot. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Mar 12, 2011
| Mar 26, 2011
Mar 12, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781932664126
| 4.23
| 31,745
| Jan 01, 2004
| Jun 15, 2005
The Scott Pilgrim series continues in this volume, which I think can be confusing to those new to the series; while the movie takes its name from this
The Scott Pilgrim series continues in this volume, which I think can be confusing to those new to the series; while the movie takes its name from this book, we're still barely getting into the overall story by this point. This book has all the humor and charm of the first volume, but contains a shift in narrative style that makes it unique. If the reader can come to terms with the languid slacker motif and gimmicky video game shoutouts, they will find a fun and readable story underneath. This book picks up with Scott forced to decide between his comfortable, platonic relationship with Knives Chau, and his growing infatuation with American hipster ninja delivery girl Ramona Flowers. Meanwhile, the League of Evil Ex-Boyfriends continues their vendetta; Scott seeks out the second ex, movie star Lucas Lee, who imparts some disturbing information about Ramona. And Knives finally puts the pieces together concerning her precious Scott and his connection to Ramona, and is dedicated to protect what's hers. Finally, a destructive force from Scott's past makes an abrupt reappearance... This one has a little less of the poor man's magical realism from the first one, though the video game boss battle is still in full effect. There's a lot more interpersonal stuff here, as the somewhat aimless relationship stuff gets more page time. There's a surprising bit of introspection, too, as the book starts with a flashback that gives a little history for Scott and Kim Pine. In fact, I was afraid this volume was going to end up somewhat boring and anticlimactic, until the first meeting of Ramona and Knives redeemed things. Meanwhile, the injokes and Gen-X retro-hipster crap is front and center, but for me, it transcends the level of gimmick and is almost a thematic or stylistic element. Weird asides like the recipe for vegan shepherd's pie or the shameless Secret of Monkey Island reference that are seamlessly entwined with the story made me genuinely laugh, rather than annoy me. The artwork follows the same formula as the first volume: somewhat sloppy manga homage that brings to mind something like an ironic webcomic. There's still plenty of bold text and two-page panels with exaggerated dramatic poses, but both are used more judiciously this time, making the effect much less jarring. Make no mistake, though, Scott Pilgrim is an acquired taste. If I were to be caught in the wrong mood, the disjointed story, mile-a-minute sarcasm, and somewhat nihilistic characters would probably give me a headache. But sometimes I think that people expect more out of this series than what it is: a love letter to 90s video game culture, and an oddball mix of Singles-esque grunge romantic comedy and Kill Bill-ish martial arts/vendetta fable. Does that sound confusing and kind of ridiculous? It is. But if you can roll with it, this series is hilarious and rewarding. This is one of the best graphic novel series I've read in a while, and it's even better if you try to enjoy it on its own and not compare it to the movie. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Mar 31, 2011
| Apr 10, 2011
Mar 31, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781595825490
| 4.27
| 3,638
| Apr 23, 2010
| Nov 24, 2010
After a protracted spell of buying any and all graphic novels I could get my hands on for the past seven months, I've finally come to my senses a litt
After a protracted spell of buying any and all graphic novels I could get my hands on for the past seven months, I've finally come to my senses a little bit. I now try to stick to large collections and long one-off stories, and refrain from investing in graphic novels that are under 150 pages or so unless I know I want to own it. This one falls into that latter category. I'm enough of a fan of the web series that I ordered this graphic novel simply out of loyalty. I figured it would be an extra goodie for existing fans of the Guild (and it definitely is), but this svelte three-chapter story has a fair amount of mainstream appeal, as well. This is essentially a prequel to the first season of The Guild. It's Cyd Sherman's backstory; the few throwaway lines that hint at her pre-Codex days in the show are explored in full detail, here. The first chapter covers her somewhat labored relationship with her then-boyfriend and her job as a professional symphonic musician. When she discovers "The Game," the story veers towards a surprisingly deep exploration of the balance between confronting your problems and using escapism to hide from them. Finally, the third chapter sets the stage for the characters we know and love from the web series. Felicia Day, the creator and star of the series, also wrote this book, and it definitely shows. The graphic novel has all of the humor and charm of the series, and I could practically hear the familiar voices of the characters. In fact, I'd argue that the graphic novel is the perfect introduction to the series, and not just because it is a chronological prequel. There is plenty of video game stuff in the story, but it's all rudimentary; the reader is learning about The Game at the same time Cyd is. Thus, the story offers a gentle learning curve into the lingo-heavy world of playing MMORPGs, and since the jokes are more centered on the real world than the game world, the less-nerdy readers have a chance to develop an appreciation for Codex and The Guild without getting buried by inside jokes. The only problem I have with the book is with the art. The art isn't bad, but it isn't particularly consistent. This is especially apparent due to the different art styles for in-game and real life. When Syd takes on her Codex persona, the story switches to a slick, soft-lit fantasy look, and then returns to hand-drawn normalcy when the computer is off. The game art is actually fantastic, which calls attention to the occasional weird panel in the real-life scenes, usually due to oddly-proportioned bodies or faces. To be fair to Jim Rugg, I'd imagine that doing comic versions of real-life actors contributes to the problem. I'm normally somewhat forgiving of characters looking a little different from panel to panel, but I have a certain expectation of what Felicia Day looks like, so I can't help but have a split-second "WHAT HAPPENED TO HER FACE?!" reaction if something is a little off on any given page. Like I said, though, inconsistent doesn't necessarily mean bad, especially considering that most of the art is great. In any event, the excellent writing makes it easy to forgive and forget. Overall, this is a great graphic novel, and not just for people who are already fans of the show. Comic readers who like video games and/or quirky, realistic characters should give this one a try. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Apr 10, 2011
| May 15, 2011
Apr 10, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781845767723
| 4.36
| 80,613
| 1988
| Apr 25, 2008
Despite the long years of my misspent youth lined with comic books, I've never been a Batman reader. I was an avowed Marvel kid, so the Tim Burton mov
Despite the long years of my misspent youth lined with comic books, I've never been a Batman reader. I was an avowed Marvel kid, so the Tim Burton movie was, sadly, my first introduction to the Dark Knight. I wish I had discovered The Killing Joke back then, because after reading the recently released hardcover edition of this graphic novel, I kind of want to get into the series. This is the quintessential Joker tale; in fact, I had read that Heath Ledger was given a copy of this story to prepare for his brilliant turn as the Joker in "The Dark Knight," and that movie has this story's "One Bad Day" theme written all over it as a result. The story opens with Batman paying the Joker a call at Arkham, intent on talking things through with him and ending their rivalry once and for all, before one of them is forced to kill the other. Too late, he realizes that Joker has already escaped. Meanwhile, Joker unexpectedly shows up at the home of Commissioner Gordon, abducting him and critically wounding his daughter in the process. Joker then sets his plan into motion: he attempts to drive Gordon insane, for no discernible reason other than that he can. He's also sent Batman an invitation to his impromptu carnival, intent on having a talk of his own. In the deluxe version, the story has been recolored with artist Brian Bolland's original intended colors, and the effect is striking. The muted colors are perfect for the tone of the story. The black-and-white flashbacks are particularly good, especially considering the deepening notes of crimson that thread through them and lead towards the Joker's destiny (or one version of it, anyway). Colors aside, the artwork is spectacular. The two panels of the Joker with a gun (particularly the second) will stay with me for a while. The story is as dark and brilliant as you would expect something of Alan Moore's to be. This is a fantastically creepy Joker: sadistic, dangerously insane, and weirdly tragic. The ending is deliciously ambiguous, and haunting on a number of levels, including the various interpretations of the actual joke itself. The only weakness I can see springs from Moore's strength as a storyteller. The Killing Joke could easily be twice as long. We could get so much deeper into this story, and still not lose any of its power. It felt too short. Thankfully, the deluxe edition includes an interesting but somewhat disturbing original story by Bolland that doesn't really stand on its own, but does offer a nice coda to Moore's story. This is comic book canon. Anybody interested in comics or graphic novels should read this, and it's a shame I waited so long to do it. Also, anybody who likes the new Batman movies, particularly Ledger's Joker, should read this and see where that character came from. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| not set
| May 2011
May 04, 2011
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781600107818
| 3.30
| 1,015
| Nov 09, 2010
| Nov 09, 2010
I heard about this graphic novel on NPR, which made my responsible adult side feel better about reading graphic novels, and my inner child feel better
I heard about this graphic novel on NPR, which made my responsible adult side feel better about reading graphic novels, and my inner child feel better about listening to NPR. Being what I'd call a casual fan of Shakespeare, it sounded like something that would be right up my alley. After reading through the first volume, I can say that I like it, but it's not as good as I was hoping it would be. The story picks up somewhere around the third act of Hamlet, with the Danish prince sailing off into exile rather than being sung to his rest by flights of angels. After being haunted by some familiar witches, he is cast overboard and finds himself on a strange, faraway shore, where he is greeted by everyone's favorite gruff king with a withered hand. Richard III proclaims Hamlet to be the "Shadow King," a figure spoken of in legend that is destined to kill a mysterious demigod known as "Shakespeare" and claim the power of his magical quill. Richard promises to bring Hamlet's father back to him if he fulfills his destiny, but Hamlet eventually finds himself lost and alone in the countryside. A loose band of commoners opposed to Richard's tyranny (including Falstaff, Othello, and Juliet) try to persuade Hamlet to join them, as Richard conspires with the seductive Lady Macbeth to bring the Shadow King back into his grasp. So, the riot of Shakespeare characters assuming new personas and taking sides is enough by itself to make this volume worth checking out. I suppose that you could find yourself annoyed by the liberties taken with the Bard's stories if you were a diehard Shakespeare nut, but I thought the reimagined relationships and alliances were deliciously fun to read. Furthermore, the proper Shakespearean tone has been set; gratuitous violence, sexual innuendo, and bad puns are all firmly in evidence. Once the initial awesome factor wore off, though, a few things began to bother me. The story moves so quickly that there isn't a whole lot of time to take anything in. There is a lot of reliance on the numerous cameos to move the story along (I'm not even sure why the scene with Puck was even remotely necessary), and so the plot feels a little clunky and contrived. Not to the point of being bad, but there's definitely a "serial" feel to the volume. The biggest problem I had, though, is with the artwork. I don't usually get hung up on art, being the forgiving guy that I am. But honestly, I had trouble trying to puzzle out exactly what was going on at some points. The flow of the panels will often change unexpectedly, without any particular narrative reason or clearly defined map of the proceedings, forcing me to occasionally reread a few panels after getting lost. Also, abrupt shifts in setting are frequent in each chapter (especially after Hamlet takes up with the Prodigals and the narrative splits off into two branches), making it occasionally hard to figure out what's happening even when the panel flow stays consistent. Finally, and maybe this is just me: there's something off about the faces. The expressions are not quite real. The characters are gorgeous, and standard dialogue looks just fine, but every single reaction shot looks waaaaay overdone. As in, giant eyes, gaping mouth, parody-of-an-actual-facial-expression overdone. I feel like I'm being a touch unfair, here, because the art is very good from a technical standpoint; Belanger is no slouch. But something about the expressions just didn't resonate for me. The characters came off as a little cartoonish, somehow. That normally wouldn't bother me, but in this instance it just contrasted too much with the Shakespearean motif. So, chalk this one up as a solid "acceptable," for me. Maybe not fantastic, but still pretty good. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| May 25, 2011
| Jun 13, 2011
May 25, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9780345512277
| 4.25
| 296
| Jan 01, 2010
| Jul 20, 2010
I've been a dedicated Penny Arcade reader since before they were Internet rock stars with their own convention, children's charity, webseries, and vid
I've been a dedicated Penny Arcade reader since before they were Internet rock stars with their own convention, children's charity, webseries, and video games. As such, it's not so odd that I've only picked up a print version of the comic at the publication of book six, seeing as how I've already read every single strip. Should I feel the urge to go back and reread, these strips are still all available for free online. The value of this book is in the added features, just as it would be for a DVD: new commentaries on each comic, slick packaging (though not as slick as previous editions, I am told), and extra content at the end. I'm an enthusiastic fan, so I'm pretty easy to please, but these added features should be enough to sway any fan of the series. This is not a graphic novel, but a more traditional collection of comic strips with occasional spurts of continuity. For the uninitiated, Penny Arcade is a hilariously crass webcomic that revolves around two gamer protagonists, Gabe and Tycho, along with a revolving misfit cast of recurring characters. Gabe and Tycho are rough analogs of the two personalities behind the comic: artist Mike Krahulik and writer Jerry Holkins, respectively. The humor is a little inside; working knowledge of gaming culture and at least a passing familiarity with current gaming news is usually necessary to get the jokes, though there are occasional exceptions. However, the often obscene strips have a lot to offer for anybody who has an appreciation for the absurd, especially if you enjoy dark sarcasm, snappy dialogue (Holkins/Tycho is an unabashed logophile that uses a symphonic vocabulary both in the strip and in the accompanying commentary), or, well, poop jokes. This volume collects all the strips published in 2005, and although I think 2004's bouquet might be a little more piquant, this was a pretty good year for Penny Arcade and its readers. I'm especially fond of Krahulik's art in this period, although I think that might just be nostalgia talking. Penny Arcade has existed for over a decade now, and the artwork has evolved along with Krahulik over that period. The latest change has occurred in the past year or so, with the characters beginning to look increasingly like they were drawn by John Kricfalusi. Now, I will concede that it is a fascinating exercise to watch an artist try new things and incorporate their various influences into their work as they mature. But I've never liked John Kricfalusi's artwork, and so I'm feeling a little sullen about the new look. This book covers the heyday of the clean, angular art that drew so many people to Penny Arcade in the first place, and I really enjoy the novelty of having prints from that time period, if not for entirely objective reasons. The actual content from this year included more hits than misses, and introduced more than one long-standing character or meme. The Merch is a notable exception, but I'm heartened by Holkins' commentaries on these strips, which seem to indicate that he was as skeptical of that particular angle as I was. Balancing that out in this volume are two classic, fantastic subplots: Annarchy, and the Elemenstor Saga. The first involves a rare bit of story continuity revolving around Tycho's eleven-year-old niece Ann, providing a surprisingly funny and poignant take on both Tycho and on Penny Arcade's general content. Annarchy is living proof that a warm, fuzzy teddy bear lives deep inside a lot of cynical, foul-mouthed gamers like me. The second started as an obscure one-off comic and sparse wiki, and through the machinations of the Penny Arcade fanbase became a sprawling faux-franchise, allegedly covering over a dozen novels, two animated series, and a collectible card game. This meta-narrative is admittedly a little hard to appreciate, being that it lives mostly outside of the actual comic and is purposefully obtuse and ridiculous. However, anybody that has ever read a licensed fantasy novel or attempted to immerse themselves in the lore of an RPG or CCG will find this absolutely hilarious. The premium content at the back of the book is devoted to the Elemenstor Saga, consisting of an introduction to the joke's concept and some excerpts of the vast fan-authored wiki page. My only disappointment is that The Halls Below doesn't really cover the second half of this enormous in-joke: the rival "franchise" Song of the Sorcelator, and its flamboyant mastermind, L. H. Franzibald. Yes, it's as funny as it sounds. It's kind of hard to recommend this to curious readers who aren't already familiar with Penny Arcade, since the actual website is the best place for that. But speaking as a longtime fan of the strip, this is a nice little curio, and worth buying just for the additional commentary on each strip. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Jun 17, 2011
| Jul 04, 2011
Jun 17, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9780785116776
| 4.19
| 7,853
| Mar 08, 2005
| Jun 27, 2007
More hilarious snark! More fantastic artwork! The second volume of Whedon and Cassaday's run on Astonishing X-Men is as good as the first in terms of
More hilarious snark! More fantastic artwork! The second volume of Whedon and Cassaday's run on Astonishing X-Men is as good as the first in terms of story, characterization, and artwork, though it is perhaps not quite as accessible to new X-Men readers as the first volume. Thankfully, I've got enough background knowledge on the X-universe that it didn't slow me down at all. This volume breaks away from the story arc established in the first. Ord, the Breakworld, S.W.O.R.D., and the ominous prophecy of interdimensional warfare are all present, but referenced only briefly. Instead, this volume heads back to the mansion. With Colossus back from the dead and back on the team, the X-Men continue to try and find their place as protectors and heroes. However, an unexpected death caused by the events in the first volume force the team to circle the wagons, as an unknown force attacks their weakest point: the students at Xavier's school. It is no coincidence that the assault takes place in the Danger Room, a holographic combat simulator in the heart of the mansion; as the X-Men learn more about the Danger Room's true programming, the real target of the attack slowly becomes clear. Meanwhile, an old enemy bides their time in the background, and the motives of Emma Frost become murkier. All of the best bits of the first volume are still in evidence here, but the new direction that this story arc takes can be a little jarring. Since I am reading this as a graphic novel, I am trying to approach reviewing it from a standalone perspective, and weigh its merits based on how it reads without an encyclopedic knowledge of X-Men lore (because, let's face it, if you are already a fan of the title like I am, it's all gravy). From that perspective, there are few oddities in this second arc. Much was made about Professor Xavier's absence, and Scott Summers' struggle under the burden of leadership without him. Okay, well, turns out he's in Genosha (and let's take a moment to say WOOOO BACK TO GENOSHA), and once everyone finds him, there doesn't seem to be much of a revelatory moment. "Oh, hey professor. Good to see you. We're not really curious at all about why you're here, so allow us to pour some of our angst on you." So, it wasn't a big deal he was gone, after all? Nobody wonders what he was doing in Genosha, or why was he gone at all, exactly? What huh? There are a few other things here that might confound newbie readers. I was excited to see some obvious references to the Shi'ar, but that's some pretty inside stuff. Same with the big cliffhanger reveal at the end of the volume, though that will definitely become clearer in due time. And as cool as this story arc is, I'm not entirely sure how it connects to the first volume, other than the oblique references I mentioned before. Thankfully, there's enough surplus awesome in these pages to encourage forgiveness. An early cameo from another superhero team was a pleasant surprise. Beast and Shadowcat are more hardcore here than I've seen in a long while. The twist and cliffhanger at the end raises the bar for the larger story considerably, even if you don't know who or what it refers to. And I once again have to hand it to Whedon's writing: Logan's three-word internal monologue in the introspective first chapter of the volume was hilariously perfect. This is still a solid comic run, even if I didn't quite geek out as much for this volume as I did for the first one. It's a perfect introduction to the X-Men comics, and a smart and satisfying read for established fans. I almost feel ready to immerse myself in the more esoteric X-stuff again. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Jul 15, 2011
| Jul 25, 2011
Jul 15, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781596432598
| 3.87
| 2,350
| 2011
| Aug 30, 2011
I found the idea of a graphic novel biography of physicist Richard Feynman to be so quirky and interesting that I was fairly excited to get my hands o
I found the idea of a graphic novel biography of physicist Richard Feynman to be so quirky and interesting that I was fairly excited to get my hands on a copy. Feynman is a bit of a book searching for an audience, but it ultimately encompasses a fascinating man's interesting life and complicated ideas in a fairly accessible way. Ottaviani presents this biography as a memoir told by Feynman himself, drawn from various primary sources. The book begins with Feynman's early life and first marriage, along with his early studies in physics that culminated in some important contributions to the Manhattan Project. The narrative follows his groundbreaking work in quantum electrodynamics, including the invention of the famous notations that bear his name. Along the way, the reader is treated to various anecdotes and hilarious asides on everything from cargo cult science and the perils of accepting a Nobel Prize to Feynman's tendencies toward safecracking and ogling pretty girls. The meaty graphic novel takes a hard left in the second half, where the largest section of the book is dedicated to Feynman's famous lectures attempting to explain quantum electrodynamics to the layperson. However, by the time the reader gets to the end, where Feynman approaches his own illness and death with characteristic smarm and wit, they are left with a vivid impression of both who Richard Feynman was and the important contributions he made to modern science. Myrick's artwork is interesting. It has a comic-strip feel that sets a scene without being too slick or fancy for its own good. I don't know if I'd call it attractive, especially considering that it can occasionally be hard to tell characters apart. The faces are beautifully expressive in clean, simple ways, though. Also, Myrick occasionally shakes things up with the injection of random magical realism and, naturally, plenty of scientific diagrams. I admit that while I've always been fascinated by physics, I've never had a head for mathematical rigor. Thus, even though I found "the lectures" engaging, I had a hard time following some parts of them even though they are made for people like me. Even so, that made the occasional moments of understanding that much more illuminating. Honestly, I think being exposed to something as complicated as quantum field theory through the medium of a graphic novel helped a great deal, regardless of what that says about my intellect. Especially considering that the actual hard science is incidental, in this case, to the story of the man himself. The biography is told in a disjointed fashion, comprised of a series of vignettes that are only loosely connected in any chronological order. This takes some getting used to, but ultimately transcribes a life in the way it should be experienced: messy and unexpected. The book covers all of the major facets of Feynman's life- the atomic bomb, the Nobel Prize, the Challenger Disaster commission, the lectures– but it also chronicles the shenanigans of a hilarious eccentric, and presents the various tragedies in his life with a poignancy born of no-frills simplicity and honesty. Though there are already a couple of books on Feynman's life and work that would be good introductions to the general reader, I'd place this one at the head of the pack. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that I spent a decade being too intimidated to pick up one of those books, and after reading this I'm eager to jump in. Most importantly for me, the book has enough heft to it to be a satisfying read for a graphic novel. While hard-nosed scientists and comic enthusiasts with mainstream tastes may not find what they are looking for here, I'd recommend this to general readers as a fantastic story about an insanely interesting person, and to those already familiar with Richard Feynman as a fun, graphical take on the man. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Sep 06, 2011
| Sep 19, 2011
Sep 06, 2011
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781932664225
| 4.28
| 20,918
| May 01, 2006
| May 01, 2006
The halfway point of the Scott Pilgrim series is where things start to get a little more complex. We're still firmly on the "beat the evil exes to dat
The halfway point of the Scott Pilgrim series is where things start to get a little more complex. We're still firmly on the "beat the evil exes to date Ramona" boss-battle rails, but in Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness, an evil ex of Scott's shows up, as well. Despite the story getting a little deeper, I had a little more trouble getting into this one than I did the previous books. At the end of the last volume, Ramona reveals that her next evil ex is Todd Ingram, who just happens to be the bass player for the art-rock band The Clash at Demonhead. Incidentally, that band's frontwoman is Envy Adams, the femme fatale who broke Scott's heart by cheating on him with Todd, sending him into the pathetic spiral of insecurity and self-pity that he's currently trying to fight his way out of. Got all that? As it turns out, Envy's callous toying with Scott in the previous book has a purpose. She knows all about Scott's quest, including some mysterious information about who Ramona really is. Further, she's determined to see that Scott fail once and for all, at the hands of her current true love. Getting into Scott's backstory a little more is nice. The one consistent problem I've had with the books so far is Scott being somewhat of an unsympathetic jackass, and so a little exploration of the relationship with Envy and what went wrong alleviated that a little. In fact, it was done in a fairly brilliant way, paralleling the "main quest." The cool art, hilarious sarcasm, and trademark video-game chic are all still in effect, as well, making for a read that's at least as fun as the first two. I kind of felt that O'Malley wanted to balance the more complicated plotline with an extra helping of jaded cleverness, though, and it got on my nerves a little. The story of Scott and Envy is told in choppy flashbacks that are interspersed with the main story, and the vignettes occur literally without warning upon the turn of a page. In fact, other than some slightly different hairstyles on the characters, a page turn is the only clue that the story has shifted to a flashback, every single time. It's disorienting the first few times it happens, and annoying every time after. I could have lived with the haughtiness of it all, but it happens just a few times too often. Too many flashbacks, too little attention to the main narrative. I also thought that the forays outside the fourth wall were a little ham-handed this time around, compared to the previous books. Tablature play-alongs and impromptu cooking shows were quirky and clever; references to "the book" and character acknowledgments of a deus ex machina are trite by comparison. All of which is not to say I didn't like this one. I just liked it a little less than the first two. One positive note is the strong feeling that the story is going to shift a bit, now that we're past the midpoint. The hints about Ramona's past are much more pointed in this volume; the next three will hopefully change things up from the current formula. Even with the little problems I had, I got the definite feeling that the overarching story is really crystallizing by this point. Best of all, it does so without losing any of the charm, humor, or ridiculous over-the-top theatrics that I liked in the first two so much. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Sep 24, 2011
| Oct 02, 2011
Sep 24, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781582406121
| 4.32
| 14,939
| Jan 01, 2006
| Apr 15, 2009
Be warned: minor spoilers ahead. All right. Before reading this volume, I went back and reread all of the trades up to this point, in order to recaptur Be warned: minor spoilers ahead. All right. Before reading this volume, I went back and reread all of the trades up to this point, in order to recapture the narrative and get back into the spirit of the story for Halloween. A few things I noticed during the read-through: 1. I appreciate the switch to Adlard's art after the first story arc. While Moore made the characters much more distinguishable from one another, he also lent an exaggerated aspect to their features and expressions that was almost cartoonish. The more realistic drawing from Adlard gives the artwork a gritty feel that's more in line with the story. 2. Kirkman actually does a very good job in setting things up for future revelations. Much of what goes on in plot and character development is subtly constructed and foreshadowed in previous story arcs. And on that note: 3. I've said it before, but it's definitely not my imagination. The world of the Walking Dead is profoundly misogynistic, populated with complicated male characters that are propped up by submissive, shallow female supporters. However, the jury is still out on whether this is a product of the story Kirkman is telling, or the heteronormative assumptions he makes while telling it. In this volume, the story moves from a simmering internecine struggle to a more dangerous external conflict, as the sudden appearance of a helicopter leads Rick, Glenn, and Michonne to the doorstep of another survivor camp. This group is led by a man named Philip, who has styled himself The Governor. This new player in the story is quickly established as certifiably insane, as well as the extreme example of securing authority through the "might makes right," do-anything approach to keeping people safe that Rick has been struggling with up until now. As the three protagonists begin their ordeal in the Governor's hands, the rest of the group back at the prison wait anxiously for their return, with no idea that a new, non-zombie threat is now bearing down on them. As usual, I'm conflicted. The introduction of an honest-to-goodness, crazy-ass human villain that doesn't immediately flame out and get shot in the next issue is exactly what the story needed. I appreciated the claustrophobic tension that suffused the last volume, especially considering that finding and keeping a sanctuary broke the formula that had previously been established. That sort of conflict can only keep up for so long before getting tiresome, though, and a clash with another survivor ideologue is the next logical step. As over-the-top as the Governor is, I needed a shock to the system. We've spent a lot of time in the past few arcs on what the end of the world has done to our heroes, so I appreciate the reminder that yes, by the way, it really is the end of the world. Dead people are trying to eat everyone that's left, and that can make people justify doing some really screwed up things in the name of survival. I consequently ate this volume up. The story is exciting, the pace is perfect, and I'm primed for the fallout that's sure to come in the following volumes. Here's the thing, though: did we really need another refresher course on how women are not welcome in this version of the zombie apocalypse? Maybe it's because I reread everything, but the no-girls-allowed mood was already firmly entrenched. At this point it's really starting to grate, and I wish Kirkman would stop harping on it and just fucking move on, already. I like that the theme of deconstructing nuclear families and monogamous relationships has appeared, but as foreshadowed, it comes from the female character that apparently can't function without a man. More problematic, though, is that the reasoning for this development actually makes sense and is dramatically interesting, but is immediately met with "we don't do that in Kentucky," etc. I'm not sure if that was a reference to polyamory or homosexuality, but considering how Andrew and Dexter turned out and what happened to them, I wouldn't be surprised if homosexuality is unwelcome in this zombie apocalypse, too. We can forget about Andrea being a solid female protagonist, too, now that she's voiced her committment to doing whatever Dale tells her to do. And, of course, Michonne. Oh, Michonne. To be fair, our sole remaining strong female character was effectively subjugated right as she was introduced in the last volume, when she immediately glommed onto a male protagonist for no other apparent reason than that they are both black. But yes, the brutal, prolonged rape and torture of Michonne for daring to physically attack the man that had, without provocation, maimed one of her companions was particularly hard to read. Not just because it's hard to stomach on its own, but because Kirkman has decided to frame it in the perspective of what it does to the men around her. The Governor's so crazy, he rapes people for fun! What a scary and interesting character! And oh, poor Glenn! Look how traumatized he is by having to hear Michonne being raped! Meanwhile, we get one line of dialogue from the victim herself concerning what she plans to do to her tormentor (which I'm convinced will happen, and will be as bad as she implies), but otherwise, no actual focus on what such horrific treatment is actually doing to her or what she is thinking. Other than some artistically drawn panels of her tied spread-eagle, of course, and renderings of her beaten face and cries of pain for dramatic effect. That says all we need to know, right? Sigh. I usually don't have patience for people that go searching for reasons to get offended, but Jesus, WE GET IT, ROBERT KIRKMAN. MEN ARE IN CHARGE. I think my problem with all of this is that Kirkman is taking pains to write what he feels might actually happen in a zombie apocalypse, which implies that somewhere deep down, he imagines violent patriarchy to be the natural order of things that would immediately be reestablished without social norms to hold it back. Admittedly, that's an argument that can't be dismissed offhand, considering that institutionalized rape and the relegation of women to submissive wards meant to be owned, guarded, shepherded, and/or used can be found this very moment in various parts of the real world (and even in our own "civilized" country). It's still unpleasant, though, and I have yet to see the purpose for constantly reasserting it in every single story arc, especially since it's largely done through and abetted by the female characters that I'm supposed to like and sympathize with. But I'm still giving this one a four. Yeah, I know. Insensitive, privileged white male. The story is still fantastic, though, and I liked this volume much better than the previous few. It's a really good zombie melodrama, and at this point in the series it's still a great read for fans of the genre. Just, you know... trigger warning. Don't read this series with any illusions about it being more socially enlightened than any other comic book aimed at young men. Also, I'm realizing that most of the protagonists are pretty hard to like at this point, and I'm torn between finding that odd and recognizing it as interesting, as the reality of the world they are in continues to take its emotional toll on them. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Oct 20, 2011
| Oct 24, 2011
Oct 20, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9780765331113
| 3.73
| 216
| Oct 11, 2011
| Oct 11, 2011
Dear Creature was placed enthusiastically in my hands by a librarian colleague, who knew about my rekindled relationship with graphic novels and insis
Dear Creature was placed enthusiastically in my hands by a librarian colleague, who knew about my rekindled relationship with graphic novels and insisted that I would love it. I was already intrigued by the pulp cover, but the description of an atomic sea creature that speaks in iambic pentameter and is looking for salvation through love was more than enough to sell me. Let this be a lesson to trust your local librarian when s/he suggests a book to you: other than a few minor quibbles, I did indeed love this little gem. Written, illustrated, and designed all by triple-threat Case, the setup for this standalone graphic novel seems complicated at first glance. Grue is your typical sea monster, lurking in the depths of the ocean and emerging only to devour horny teenagers. Beneath his scaly exterior, however, beats the heart of a poet; he has learned to speak English through the castoff pages of Shakespearean classics, found in a series of mysterious notes-in-bottles. Inspired by the works of the Bard and moved by whoever left them for him to find, Grue seeks to transcend his predatory existence by discovering true love. He begins exploring dry land, egged on and occasionally mocked by a crass Greek chorus of amoral crabs that would much rather go back to snacking on cheerleaders. Meanwhile, however, a sheriff in a nearby seaside town has taken notice of all the missing kids, and his suspicions are leading him directly to Grue. The artwork in this graphic novel is understatedly fantastic, using stark black-and-white illustrations that lend an appropriately retro feel to the book. The story itself lives up to all of the delightful quirks that are apparent on the surface. The creature himself is a lovable fiend, and his Shakespearean dialogue is charming. The secondary characters have surprising depth for so short a graphic novel, and defy every stereotype that one might expect for the roles that they play. And honestly, the book is worth reading just for Grue's wisecracking crab companions. The book hiccups a bit near the end, with a bizarre encounter with a giant squid that didn't really add much, other than to reinforce the story's undercurrent of silliness. It's enough of a detour to make the end feel somewhat rushed. But other than that, this book was really an unexpected treasure. It blends themes and genres so effectively, and with such a sense of fun, that it is a solid read for anybody who is in the mood for a quirky love story. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| not set
| Nov 08, 2011
Nov 09, 2011
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781401219215
| 4.39
| 7,449
| 2008
| Oct 28, 2008
I've had this collection for a while, now, having bought it on a random whim right after my son was born. I have a bit of a soft spot for post-apocaly
I've had this collection for a while, now, having bought it on a random whim right after my son was born. I have a bit of a soft spot for post-apocalyptic settings, especially disease outbreak scenarios. Maybe it's my latent hypochondriac tendencies. Further, there seemed to be a lot of places to go with the idea of "the last man on Earth." Having finished the first ten installments via this deluxe volume, I think I'm still unsure of what I think about it. I definitely enjoyed reading it, but I can't decide whether it's clever or smug. The titular last man, a twenty-something named Yorick Brown, is about as a normal as you'd expect a young person named Yorick to be. He is an accomplished escape artist that has trouble finding and keeping a real job. He has accepted responsibility for training a helper monkey named Ampersand, for some reason, and is preparing to propose to his girlfriend Beth (who is currently on walkabout in Australia). One day, every mammal with a Y chromosome suddenly drops dead of a violent and bloody plague… except, apparently, Yorick and Ampersand. Suddenly thrust into a world where he is a curiosity, commodity, and marked man all at once, Yorick crosses a dramatically altered landscape in search of his family, and hopefully, a way to get to Australia and find Beth. After the virulent misogyny that seems to keep ramping up in the Walking Dead books, I actually found the freely-displayed and open-for-dissection sexism in Y: The Last Man to be somewhat refreshing. Vaughan knows exactly what kind of powder keg he is playing with, so he doesn't attempt to be subtle. The post-plague world is unfettered by the biological and sociological strictures of gender identity, and so every character archetype is loaded with contextually interesting baggage. Nurturing mother-types, strong female leaders, hysterical housewives, femme fatales, lipstick lesbians, butch lesbians, women who really want a man, badass woman soldiers, calm and rational mentors, and violent, avenging man-haters... they are all here, and they are all concerned with or have a stake in Yorick's existence. It takes the unfortunately common trope of female characters in a story always being secondary to male characters, and makes it quite literal, which makes for an interesting exercise. It also provides a tense and suspenseful backdrop to the story, as Yorick must dodge the various attentions of those around him as best he can in order to simply get from one place to another. There are a couple of problems with this book, though. First and foremost, Yorick happens to be an irritating douche. Now, I realize that this injects a bit of irony into the "last man" scenario, and removing that element would make this either a harem manga or a letter to Penthouse. Still, it was consistently hard for me to get behind Yorick, and every stupid thing he said or stupid decision he made pulled me out of the story just a bit. Moreover, I understand the purpose for playing with sexist stereotypes, but, uh, they're still sexist stereotypes. The Daughters of the Amazon wanting to kill Yorick because DOWN WITH MEN seems like kind of a waste of thematic possibility (and I can't decide if there's any meaning to the fact that they've all burned the wrong breast off, or if it's just a pointless inaccuracy meant to drive people like me crazy). And being vastly outnumbered by women doesn't really make Yorick throwing around feminine-specific slurs all that much more palatable, even if it's setting-appropriate. I don't know, maybe I'm white-knighting too much. I just think that there is the potential for some exciting, intelligent stories, here, and it is being ignored in favor doing something easier. Oh well. The story is still quite readable, regardless, and is packed with exciting moments. Guerra's art is vibrant and effective, if sometimes a little loose. The panel layout is conventional, and aids the story just fine. All told, this is a solid comic with an intriguing mystery at its heart: what exactly happened, and how did Yorick and Ampersand survive it? It's definitely worth reading for comic and graphic novel fans, as long as you can take the gender politics Vaughan plays around with in stride. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Nov 19, 2011
| Dec 15, 2011
Nov 19, 2011
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781596432352
| 3.72
| 3,393
| 2011
| Jun 07, 2011
This trim little graphic novel has been picking up some buzz, much like everything else that Gene Luen Yang does. Plus, the cover looks like a classic
This trim little graphic novel has been picking up some buzz, much like everything else that Gene Luen Yang does. Plus, the cover looks like a classic Game Boy. Win. Seriously, though, I was pleasantly surprised by this graphic novel. What looked like and began as a familiar story about a disillusioned young person finding solace in video games turned into a quirky, profound morality play about coming to terms with your family and creating your own destiny. Dennis Ouyang is on the verge of being kicked out of college. Pushed to succeed since he was a small child, Dennis has instead devoted himself to the video games he was entranced by as a child, and found solace in after the early death of his father. However, his lack of motivation and direction attract the attention of four cute, domineering cherubs, who insist they have arrived to help Dennis achieve his destiny. Dennis goes from slacker and college dropout to medical school student, back on the path to achieving the goals his father had set for him. But is that path really the right one for Dennis? Whose well-being are the angels really looking after? I don't want to give too much of the story away, but Yang works with a very familiar theme and still manages to produce an original, heartwarming tale. Despite the cover design, video games are only an ingredient, adding spice to a savory mix of dry humor, magical realism, and introspection. Video games are a consistent theme, though, and effectively shape both the format of the book and the plot itself. Most impressively, though, Yang writes deftly about growing up as an Asian-American teen, something he has done quite well before, and yet does so with a universal approach that makes the issue understandable and sympathetic to just about anyone, regardless of ethnicity. Pham's art is rough and cutesy, but honestly, it's perfect. The panels are always drawn and laid out in exactly the right way to convey the humor or sadness in that particular part of story. The caricatures are simple enough to forgive any inconsistency, but vibrant enough to carry a genuine emotional impact. It took me a few pages to get on board with the art style, but I loved it once I did. I can't really think of anything bad to say about this book, other than that it's short and the story resolves itself fairly quickly. It's a good read for graphic novel enthusiasts and reluctant readers who are inclined towards video games, but honestly, it's a good read for just about anyone. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| not set
| Dec 23, 2011
Jan 06, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9780785117599
| 4.24
| 5,903
| Jan 01, 2007
| Feb 14, 2007
I feel like I might be overzealous in my praise of this series, but I'm really, really loving it. None of the small annoyances from the second volume
I feel like I might be overzealous in my praise of this series, but I'm really, really loving it. None of the small annoyances from the second volume are here; this one is back to high bar established by the introductory volume. Whedon's run on X-Men makes me feel like the reckless fanboy I used to be when I first discovered the X-books during the Claremont years. This story arc begins with the faculty and students of Xavier's school recovering from the hard-fought battles and somewhat pyrrhic victories over Ord and Danger, respectively. Cyclops continues with his seemingly endless inner struggle over whether he has what it takes to lead. Shadowcat tries to get used to the fact that Colossus is alive, and what that might mean for the two of them. Emma Frost, on the other hand, sets a long-dormant plan into motion, after the mysterious meeting with a new incarnation of the Hellfire Club at the end of the last volume. As each X-Man succumbs to their respective version of telepathic hell, the architect of and motive for the attack becomes horrifyingly clear. Meanwhile, in planetary orbit, Ord and Danger discover that they share a singular purpose, if for different reasons, and S.W.O.R.D. tries to locate and stop them before they make it to mansion to carry it out. I devoured this volume. Admittedly, there isn't a whole lot of deep character work going on until the very end, but there's a pitch-perfect balance of action and melodrama that makes the collected issues eminently readable. Things are ridiculously convoluted in the way they should be in any good X-book, but the story arc comes together in a cool and elegant way at the end of the volume. And this bears repeating: Whedon's take on Wolverine is hilariously dead-on. The panels that detail his thought processes are light on dialogue, but the art design and panel progression are marvelous, and had me chuckling every time. The only complaint I can think of is a tiny one, and has to do with the art. Specifically, a few close-ups of Kitty's face seem oddly proportioned in a way I can't quite put my finger on, and I only noticed it because she looked like an entirely different person in those panels than she did throughout the rest of the book. Considering that the art up to this point has been expressive, attractive, and consistent, though, I'm willing to let that go. Yup. More please. Maybe this isn't the most objective review, but I went into this volume ready and willing to harp on something, and couldn't really find anything worth complaining about. I'm a longtime X-Men fan, though, so keep that in mind. Even so, I can guarantee that anybody who likes the snappy repartee and black humor of Joss Whedon's various other projects would do well to read these graphic novels, even if they don't know a thing about the X-Men. This story arc does ramp up the inside baseball; I actually had to look up a villain that was a big deal in the series during the intervening years in which I didn't read it. I still maintain, though, that these graphic novels are accessible enough to be a great starting point for getting into the X-books. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| not set
| Jan 24, 2012
Jan 26, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781582406947
| 3.63
| 1,178
| Jul 04, 2007
| Jul 03, 2007
I was ready to hate this book. I was intrigued by the first issue of the comic, but by the time I had finished the second, the Pitchfork-esque celebra
I was ready to hate this book. I was intrigued by the first issue of the comic, but by the time I had finished the second, the Pitchfork-esque celebrations of musical superiority had reached critical mass. Something happened, though, as I got near the end of this six-issue collection. I found myself looking up the mentioned bands. I found myself actually understanding the various metaphors, even though I stand firmly on the outside of the story's cultural inner circle. By the time I finished the book, I realized to my surprise that I enjoyed it despite trying really hard not to. The story arc begins with an avatar of a musical goddess sending a phonomancer (someone who can use music as a medium for arcane practice) on a quest to find out what has happened to one of her aspects, Britannia. Feel free to ignore this setup, though, because it has precisely nothing to do with the proceedings, other than to introduce protagonist David Kohl and give an overview of the setting. The book, for all of its fantasy trappings, is actually a fierce paean to Britpop music and an introspective exploration on what it meant and still means to its fans. David's race to stop the dead goddess from being resurrected as a monster is a thinly veiled history of Britpop's rise from the foundation of 1960s British guitar rock as a response to American grunge, its relatively quick decline and fall, and the state of the genre after it started feeding on itself instead of on a cultural identity. The most interesting part of the story is the consequences David faces if he cannot find Britannia in time: the destruction of his own essence, as his memories are altered and blurred until he is lost and transformed into someone completely different. Someone, for example, who hums along with Ocean Colour Scene and doesn't mind listening to Kula Shaker. The fight to hold on to himself leads him to questions that every scene kid, no matter what the scene in question is, must eventually face. What happens when you get old, and the music you've loved so deeply and understood so intimately becomes a relic of the past? What's the next step, when you can no longer define yourself by the trappings of pop culture once it inevitably leaves you behind, or vice versa? These parables are so thinly veiled that it's easy to get lost in the dreamlike twists and turns of the narrative, if you're not keeping an eye on the big picture. Furthermore, even though there is a handy glossary at the back for readers that aren't familiar with Britpop, there is still an excessive amount of musical preening. Obscure Britpop references are tossed recklessly around, with an indifference bordering on disdain for the comfort of anyone who may not be familiar with them. Or maybe I just felt that way, since I grew up on the other side of the pond, listening to reviled Seattle grunge instead of Pulp, Blur, Elastica, or Kenickie. I eventually realized that the story isn't about excluding anyone, though. It's simply a love letter to a musical era that passed by largely unremarked on, except for by those in the thick of it, and those who wandered in too late on the heels of "woo-hoo" and "Wonderwall." Taken solely on those merits, this is a subtle and powerful work of storytelling. The black-and-white art is fantastic. The pulp feel is wholly appropriate, somehow, and the realistic style conveys some remarkable articulation and emotion. The reader immediately learns almost everything about David Kohl by the expression on his face in the first page of the first volume. There are a few jarring shifts between pages and a handful of awkward action panels, but they're balanced by some very expressive character art. Honestly, the covers alone almost make up for any other artistic problems. Taken all together, this is a remarkable graphic novel. It's bound to alienate some readers who either aren't familiar with or don't have any interest in the British guitar pop of the early 1990s, since the actual story doesn't really hold up without at least a passing appreciation for it. But reading this with an open mind (and a tolerance for having your own musical tastes sneered at, just a little bit) opens up a surprising deep and heartfelt piece of music journalism in comic form. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Feb 11, 2012
| Feb 20, 2012
Feb 11, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781582406848
| 4.34
| 14,049
| Apr 11, 2007
| May 02, 2007
I'm starting to realize that Walking Dead is one of those series that boasts a large number of fans that are oblivious to or are willing to look past
I'm starting to realize that Walking Dead is one of those series that boasts a large number of fans that are oblivious to or are willing to look past its flaws. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it is what it is. The universal acclaim that these books get seems to be at odds with some of the problems it has, especially by this point in the series. This volume, simply put, isn't put together very well, and isn't much fun to read. Spoilers ahead. The issues in this collection continue to chronicle the ordeals of Rick, Michonne, and Glenn at Woodbury, including their harrowing escape and return to the prison. The centerpiece of the volume is a long, graphic section of torture porn, as Michonne enacts her foreshadowed revenge on the Governor for raping and brutalizing her in the preceding days. They make it out of the city with the help of a few defectors, but find the prison overrun by zombies when they return. Fortunately, most of the people at the prison are safely holed up (waiting for Rick to get back before doing anything about it, I guess?), and they get their sanctuary secured and cleaned up again in short order. However, an incident with one of the Woodbury defectors stands as a stark reminder that they now have living, breathing potential enemies right on their doorstep. I read this volume faster than I usually do, but not because I was glued to the action. I was waiting for something profound or even interesting to happen, and it never really did. The extended torture vignette couldn't end fast enough; it added exactly nothing to the story, since it didn't seem to affect Michonne's character in any way other than Rick noticing the crazy mannerisms she's had since she was introduced. Also, I guess it's perfectly fine to illustrate rape and torture in graphic detail, rather than simply implying it like before, if the victim is a man who deserves it. It's a little weird to complain about violence in a zombie comic, I admit, but the whole thing seemed gratuitous. Anyway, we're introduced to a few new characters, and in the space of a few pages, one dies, one is immediately slotted into an archetypical role (the person with vague medical knowledge that must find the courage to become The Group's Doctor), and one is inexplicably revealed as a traitor and even more inexplicably murdered by Rick. Hmm. What story there was made very little sense, and really only served as connecting the plot point from the last volume (the existence of another, grittier group of survivors) with whatever the heroes are going to do next. It's not a bad collection, really, but I wouldn't really classify it as good, either. It doesn't really add anything, and could have done without a lot of the supporting details (like, for instance, the ridiculous gladiator fight scenario). The AMC series seems to be getting a lot of flack lately for aimless writing and confusing character decisions, but that's seems to be the hallmark of this volume. Honestly, I think I would have liked it better if I had read it as individual issues, with a cooldown period between each. There are a lot of powerful, visceral moments in the volume that leave a lasting impression if taken on their own, but they come off as weak and even silly when lumped together as a story arc. Now that we're past the long introduction of the Woodbury group, though, I'm interested to see what happens next. In short, this isn't a terrible book, but it's easily the weakest of the series thus far. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| not set
| Mar 04, 2012
Mar 09, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781595824813
| 3.64
| 1,402
| Jan 01, 2010
| Jun 08, 2010
First and foremost, for those who feel like making a glib remark about Mass Effect 3: I haven't reached the end yet, and have no intention of joining
First and foremost, for those who feel like making a glib remark about Mass Effect 3: I haven't reached the end yet, and have no intention of joining your gibbering horde of self-involved diaper babies should I end up being disappointed with it. So, shut up. Okay. Now, I'm a big fan of Bioware's games, but after being thoroughly underwhelmed by David Gaider's debut novelization of the Dragon Age universe, I've largely gone back to my tried and true philosophy of avoiding game tie-ins. I've heard good things about the Mass Effect novels, though. Though skittish about trying this stuff again, I figured that this graphic novel would be a safe bet. I liked it for what it was (a brief aside for existing fans of the games), but I'm hard pressed to find anything else about it to compliment. The story follows Dr. Liara T'Soni in the aftermath of the Normandy SR2's destruction at the hands of the Collectors. Desperate to find what has become of Commander Shepard, she journeys to the outpost of Omega and falls in with a shady Drell named Feron, whose allegiance seem to shift on the hour. Caught in the middle of a standoff between the elusive Shadow Broker, the human-supremacist organization Cerberus, and the sinister Collectors, Liara struggles to save Shepard's body from the murky schemes that have risen up around it. This series of comics promises to tell the story hinted at by Liara in Mass Effect 2, and, well, it does that. That, and not much else. Liara meets Feron, throws around a lot of biotic bodyslams, and plucks Shepard from the clutches of the Collectors. To wit, she did everything she said she did in the few lines of dialogue on the subject from the game. I mean, that's not really a bad thing; I wanted that story, and I got it. I was just hoping there was a little bit more to it than that. There is definitely some extra material in the suddenly sexed-up rendition of Liara, however. I feel like I shouldn't complain, since Liara has been my Shepard's nerdy blue girlfriend since the first game. However, Francia's art contorts Liara into a centerfold pose at every... literally, every... opportunity. Apparently, arching your back, thrusting your chest out, tilting your hips backward, spreading your legs, and looking over one shoulder is the natural and comfortable position one would take when recovering from a fall. Or being held by the arm. Or sitting in a chair. Or watching your ship being blown up. Or, you know, whenever. I understand that female characters being drawn for the male gaze is a pervasive issue in comics, and I realize that these panels aren't any more gratuitous than, say, the cornucopia of Miranda ass close-ups in the games. But Liara isn't really supposed to be a sexpot, at least in my interpretation of her character. Combined with the erratic behavior that I guess is meant to indicate her transition to the more streetwise Liara of the second game, this version of the character just didn't feel true. If you take this one at face value, though, you'll enjoy it. It's not a shining example of the artform, and it's not going to have much appeal for those who aren't already fans. But it's a quick and diverting read, and a nice collectible for those who love the series. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Mar 27, 2012
| Apr 02, 2012
Mar 27, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9780763642662
| 3.88
| 5,811
| Jan 01, 2010
| Oct 12, 2010
I was sent a free copy of this to review, and I'm not one to turn down free comic books. This one is hefty, and I have to admit that I didn't finish i
I was sent a free copy of this to review, and I'm not one to turn down free comic books. This one is hefty, and I have to admit that I didn't finish it. However, that didn't have anything to do with the quality of the work. It's just that I've read the Odyssey before, and I wasn't really in the mood to read it again. In short, I was expecting this to be an abridged, flashy take on Homer's material, like many "graphic novel classics" tend to be. However, this is a remarkably faithful adaptation of the original. In many places, the panels are overwhelmed by huge blocks of text, as Odysseus or Telemachus embarks upon one of their long soliloquies. The artwork is stripped down, but it does the job nicely; there is a rough-hewn feeling of antiquity about the illustrations, and subtle perspective and color differences are used to great effect to vivdly highlight key points of the story. Hinds arranges the story in the most optimal way for the format, but he was quite literal in his process of adaptation, as this reads more like a Greek epic than a comic book. That being said, it is a fantastic choice for a reader who wants or needs to read The Odyssey, but has trouble getting through his dense prose, since Hinds does a fantastic job in bringing the epic to life. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Apr 06, 2012
| May 12, 2012
Apr 06, 2012
| Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9781593078225
| 3.95
| 21,129
| Oct 31, 2007
| Oct 31, 2007
Now that I've spent a few years rewatching the entire Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, I can finally check out the Whedon-penned Season 8 comics. Bein
Now that I've spent a few years rewatching the entire Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, I can finally check out the Whedon-penned Season 8 comics. Being an enthusiastic fan of the series, I've kind of built them up a little in my mind. Consequently, the first volume didn't quite bowl me over as much as I was hoping, but it is a worthy successor to the show (so far), and that's all that really matters. This first volume largely picks up where the seventh season of the slow left off, albeit with some pretty major new developments. For example, Dawn is apparently a giantess, now, a side effect of an ill-advised and vaguely explained affair with a magical being called a Thricewise. Buffy is gathering all of the newly called slayers and training them, with Giles advising and Xander coordinating their squad attacks on various demon hotspots. Evil begins to stir again in the crater that was once Sunnydale, however, as familiar faces begin to rise from the dead and focus on Buffy. A mysterious reference to something called "Twilight" indicates that the new rise in demonic unrest may be more than a fluke. These five issues seem to be an introduction to the Buffyverse for newcomers, and a transitional piece for those who are continuing on from the show. They feel very episodic, and while the larger plot arc gets established immediately, the story in each issue is very much self-contained. There are plenty of cool moments for established fans, and most importantly, Whedon's trademark witty dialogue is in full effect throughout the volume. The interaction between the characters and the overall tone of the story feels exactly like it is advertised: another season of the show. This dedication to the format does come with a drawback, though. Whedon was fond of circuitous storytelling when writing for the show, using clever bookends and waiting until the last minute to tie plot strands together. He carries this tendency over into this first volume of Season 8, and it doesn't work quite as well in comic form, at least here in the beginning. The abrupt transitions between scenes are a lot more jarring in print, though the payoff when the story comes together at the end is still satisfying. The artwork is great; I usually have trouble with comics based on real-life actors, but Jeanty does a wonderful job straddling the line between preserving the characters as portrayed by the actors and developing his own consistent visual interpretation of them. Also, it appears that both Whedon and Jeanty enthusiastically embraced the freedom from a special effects budget, as there is a definite trend towards more epic fantasy and sci-fi elements in this book. Between the rampant experimentation with comic story structure and slight lack of cohesiveness in the separate issues, I left this volume feeling just the tiniest bit let down. However, the individual issues are strong (especially the last one), and the volume does a fine job of catering to both new readers and Whedonites looking for more Scooby action. I may have waited too long to start this series, and thus built it up a little too much in my own mind. I enjoyed finally diving in, though, and am excited to see what the next volume has in store. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| Apr 25, 2012
| May 06, 2012
Apr 25, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| 9780345512284
| 4.22
| 284
| Jun 28, 2011
| Jun 28, 2011
It's hard to give a cohesive review to the Penny Arcade collections, since you're really just looking at a snapshot of a year in the life of the webco
It's hard to give a cohesive review to the Penny Arcade collections, since you're really just looking at a snapshot of a year in the life of the webcomic. This volume, like the last, falls within my favorite years of Penny Arcade's run, and includes the launch of the Nintendo Wii (before anybody knew about the coming impact of casual gaming on the industry) and the hilarious layered meta-satire, Song of the Sorcelator. For some reason, it felt like the included bonus material wasn't quite as substantial as it was in the previous volume. Holkins' commentary on each strip is still present and still funny, but the text both throughout the strips and in the Sorcelator stuff in the back is scaled back in favor of unreleased comic strips. Which is arguably better, but also reads a lot quicker. Not much else to say; this was a great, lazy read, and as much of a technophile as I am, it's nice to be able to flip through some solid pages at random for a bit, instead of clicking through PA's comic archive through their site. ...more | Notes are private!
| none
| not set
| May 12, 2012
May 19, 2012
| Paperback
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