Rasputin -- Issue #01

THIS COMIC IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
CAN'T SAY MUCH BECAUSE NOTHINGS REALLY HAPPENED IN THE FIRST TWO ISSUES THAT I'VE READ SO FAR, BUT THE ARTWORK AND COLORING IS ONE OF THE BEST I'VE SEEN THUS FAR.

The Shadow Hero - Graphic Novel

"The Shadow Hero", written by Gene Luen Yang ("American Born Chinese") is a story about living in Chinatown in the 1930s, and with the persistence and insistence of one mother wanting more for her son, a young boy becomes the first Asian American superhero. Calling himself, the Green Turtle, Hank tells the story of how his life as a superhero first began.

The story is exciting, the artwork is beautiful and Gene Luen Yang's humor charm shows each character, especially Hank's strict but loving mother. The mystery and folklore weaved throughout the origin story of  The Shadow Hero was captivating and the account of Chu Hing's Green Turtle in the back of the volume was really appreciated. I love learning more about the history of comics, especially when it, although rarely, involves a character, writer or artist that is not a straight-white-male.

Really great story that speaks larger than just what or who a super hero can be.

Hark! A Vagrant

Really brief and quick panels done by Kate Beaton. Hark! A Vagrant is a really nice union of humor and history. Been avoiding this book for some time for no real reason, but read it and thought it was pretty funny yeah. I didn't get most of the jokes, because they are historical jokes, and I never paid attention in school but even still, they were funny. I laughed, aloud, at work. The kind where you through your head back and just laugh like two quick bursts. I did this a number of times. It really was funny. My favorites were either the ones about the mystery solving teens or the ones about biblical figures, like Moses getting too chill by wearing socks and sandals.

Henshin - Graphic Novel

Ken Niimura !!!!!!!!!!! Oh boy. I was first introduced to Ken Niimura when I saw the variant cover for Feathers #1 recently and then realized that he also does I Kill Giants which I put away new inventory of every week but still haven't read. I absolutely LOVE his illustrations, the use of line is so awesome. Loose sketches that have a lot of energy and emotion behind them.

On the back of the book it reads " 'Henshin' means transformation in Japanese, and in all 13 stories, choices and events-whether momentous or seemingly small-change the lives of people finding their way in Japan". I like the concept of this book as well, 13 short stories all revolving around the same theme of change. Some are super short and brief, others are a little longer that weave throughout the book, continuing every few stories where they left off.

There are moments when you turn the page and the next panel takes up an entire page, super dramatic and gives you a moment to really be there with the character in whatever is going on. It's beautiful and I loved reading it. I can't wait to read this again, and again.

Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen -- Graphic Novel

Sam Zabel is a cartoonist that hasn't written anything in years and suffering from a serious writers block. Sam accidentally finds this magic comic book that takes him into the fantasy world living in the pages of his comic. He reflects on his imagination, his creativity and learns about letting go and creating than holding onto the past and getting stuck worrying if his new work will be good enough.

I think there is an underlying message here that is creative and honest, but for me the story kind of flopped. Instead of finding this work inspiring and motivating, as I would assume is its intention, I kind of had second hand embarrassment as far as the writing went.

The illustrations were good, it reminded me of an adult version of Herge's work (illustrator for Tin-Tin), but the plot and settings that this character was in and a stereotypical nerd feminist telling Sam about 'how women think' was really kitchy and stupid. The story just felt like a pervy Harold and the Purple Crayon to me.

I then read that Dylan Horrocks hadn't put out a book since 1994, and felt like this story was more of a fantasy memoir for Horrocks, which made it seem even less fun for me as a reader. Not very down.

Black Hole -- Graphic Novel

Such an awesome story. The story is set in 1970s Seattle where high schoolers are getting what they call, "the bug", which are genetic mutations caused by a sexually transmitted disease.

The story follows a few specific characters and how it changes their lives. Lots of suspense, reads kind of like a thriller, because there is an underlying mystery throughout the story that doesn't get solved until the very end.

The illustration is very rad, just black and white with lots of high contrast. The illustration and the story seem familiar but looking at Charles Burns' other works, I haven't ready anything else of it.

Grotesque drawings of the mutations, but really sick illustrations and imaginative and pretty crazy idea of what would happen if STDs got out of hand and turned into mutations. There are a few dream scenes that are really well done that I appreciated.

Manhattan Projects -- Volume 1

 Eh, wasn't down.

Amulet Book 1 -- Graphic Novel

After the tragic death of their father in the beginning of the story, brother and sister Navin and Emily move to the country with their mom. The house they now live in has been abandoned for years, along with the mystery of the sudden disappearance of its previous owner, Emily's great-grandfather.

Through a series of magical events, Emily, Navin and their mother find themselves in a fantasy world with adventure, mystery and danger. A necklace that Emily found in her great-grandfathers house gives her special powers and she must use these new powers to save her family from danger AND MORE.

This book is super crazy popular and I can definitely see why. I think there are 6 total books right now - gotta read em all. ALL AGES! Very cool!

Sorry

Attention no one that reads this blog.

Been working 50 hours a week and reading like a crazy person and just CANT BE BOTHERED to write reviews for everything I've read, except that today I caught up. Reviews of everything I could remember that I've read since the last post and holy s I feel like I'm in school again.

Asterios Polyp -- Graphic Novel

This is not a light read. Just putting that out there.
 
This is such a great story and the artwork is so linear and descriptive and wonderful, but the themes are very dense and this graphic novel reads more like a thick work of fiction. I like graphic novels like this, and Fun Home because show that graphic novels don't have to be light and fun and reading for pleasure. They can be very powerful, very full of information and story and thick narratives with really intense characters.

Sometimes people say they don't read graphic novels or comics because there isn't any meat to them, its just light reading with no imagination. For those types of people that are more into literary works I would say something like this is what they should be reading.

It follows a professor named Asterios Polyp, through a non-linear narrative about his life. Scenes from his youth, his early teaching years, his first marriage, mid-life crisis. Sometimes narrated by Asterios himself, but sometimes by his unborn twin. This book has many themes of duality, which I see most reflected in his marriage. There are times when he and his partner are talking and when they get in an argument, Mazzucchelli draws them as their alter egos, as if they become someone else when they are upset, and the use of line for each character shows that they are not on the same page while currently communicating. I think it is really beautiful and interesting way of showing miscommunication through illustration.

Amazing Spiderman -- Volume 1

Spiderman is BAAAACK. Didn't know he left, but apparently (says my coworker prior to me reading this), Doctor Octopus switched his brain with Peter Parker's brain because he believed he could be a better Spiderman than Peter.

This volume starts off with the switch back, so Peter is back in his own head and realizes everything the Doc has done as Peter, which is actually a lot. He got a ton of degrees and started his own factory making science experiments with a ton of people and they are working closely with Spiderman, making uniforms and equipment for him. Peter also has a girlfriend now that he has to break up with because it is his coworker and he realizes that Maria really was interested in Doctor Octopus.

The city didn't like the Doctor's take on Spiderman's 'friendly neighborhood attitude', so Peter must now win back the approval of the city and repatch his friendship with Black Cat.

We are also introduced to Silk, a girl who got bit by the same spider as PETER DID 10 YEARS AGO, EXCEPT SHE WAS KEPT IN A ROOM THIS WHOLE TIME AND NOW THANKS TO PETER SHE IS FREEEEEEE.

Alex + Ada - Volume 1

I have fully learned my lesson on judging a book by its cover this time. I have thought FOR SURE that I was never going to read this book and it would suck and I would hate it, and I regret to inform my past self that I was completely wrong and that I am so down with this story.

I recently watched Black Mirror in its entirety, in one afternoon when I had the flu a few weeks ago and was then recommended to read this book by a coworker on my first day back to work. To me, Black Mirror watches like Twilight Zone, where each episode follows a completely different story, but overall there are general themes that are cohesive throughout.

Alex + Ada seems like it could be a spin-off comic version of an episode of Black Mirror, much more thorough and descriptive, which I really like. What I didn't like about episodes of Black Mirror, the length of detail and abrupt endings,  Alex + Ada fill that void for me, because while the story is similar to the theme of Black Mirror, it also is much more filling and grows more organically for the reader. I just heard though that it is getting cut after 12 issues, which SUCKS because after the first 6, I am really into it. I can't wait to get caught up on this.

She-Hulk - Volume 1

This volume of She-Hulk assumes that you know the back story of Jennifer Walters, so I talked with my coworker prior to reading this and found out that she is the cousin of Bruce Banner, who gave her a blood transfusion when she was injured really bad and that caused her to have a milder version of what Bruce has, causing her to be SHE HULK. It seems based on the art in this story, that she is green 100% of the time and can use her strength and healing powers whenever she wants, so its pretty much like she is a bad ass woman who if she wants to show her strength, like for example, splitting a table in half with just one finger, she can. But she can control her powers, so she is able to be a lawyer to regular joes and also superheros as well!

The storyline for this volume is cool - She finds an old case file hidden in the back of her folders, realizes that she and a bunch of other superheros and villians are all being sued for something, and doesn't remember what the case is about. When she goes to talk to these people about the case, finds that there has been some sort of sorcery attached to it. The case is a trigger word and causes anyone that talks about the case that is involved to lose their minds and try and kill whoever is talking to them about it!! Crazy. And cool. She-Hulk is really awesome, independent, strong and speaks up for herself and those that need her (intelligence OR powers!)

Hawkeye - Volume 1

 

'My Life as a Weapon' intruduces us to, Clint Barton aka Hawkeye, a self made Avenger, doesn't really have 'superpowers' per-say but is incredible at using the bow and arrow, (kind of like Oliver Queen in Arrow, but Clint Barton is cooler in my opinion). The young Kate Bishop is his partner in crime. Even though she is a lot younger than him, she isn't really his sidekick or his protege, because she is already crazy good at bow and arrow and fighting and defending herself, but she also is usually the one helping Clint get out of any trouble that he has shimmied his way into. The two work together to steal from the rich and help those in need. A modern day Robin Hood and Little John duo. They are really cool together, and Matt Fractions writing makes this story really humorous and fun to read. Not as serious or dark as you would expect, but still really gripping and intense.

Prophet - Volume 1

I did it. I read it. I didn't not like it, but I also just didn't get the story enough to care, truthfully. I can now say that I have read it, and for those that like Farel Dalrymple's art, I can understand why you would want to read this because it is visually beautiful. The writing is just too fucking cryptic for me to get into.

Not much to say about this because I didn't retain a lot of information from this story.

In Real Life -- Graphic Novel

At the beginning of In Real Life, we are first introduced to a character named Anda, a charming young middle school girl who starts playing a massive multiplayer video game called Coarsegold Online. Anda quickly learns a lot more about real life through the game than she expected.

Written by activist Cory Doctorow, there are not-so underlying themes of economics and poverty in the book, which is really awesome, but unfortunately the story wraps up so quickly in the last quarter of the book that it seemed really rushed! I found myself wishing for an extension so that the story would have progressed more organically.

That being said, I did really enjoy this. The coloring is absolutely beautiful and I found the characters to be extremely endearing. Plus, what could be more sweet than rosy knees! Super glad I read this book. Great for all ages!

Further Readings

Instead of doing individual things for each storyline again because I already have previously, just a note that I have read further in the following stories....

Saga - ALL CAUGHT UP AND IT SUCKS SO MUCH TO NOT BE ABLE TO BINGE READ SAGA ANY MORE. Seriously. It sucks. This story is so awesome and I am now pissed that I have to wait like 2 months for each issue to come out just like every other joe on the planet.

The Life After - Read the second issue of this story and still pretty down with it, I wish that I had more time to read everything that has been put out as of right now, it is a really interesting story. Kind of has a twisted Truman Show vibe to it, because it seems like there are big guys controlling everything from behind the scenes. Could get pretty good I think, would like to continue reading it.

Letter 44 - Damn. I wish I had more time to read this story, I am so down with it. I am now up to issue #7. Have debated waiting until the trade of volume 2 comes out but I don't think that is until June so actually I will have a really hard time doing that. The seventh issue seems like its going to start breaking down the characters more so we can really get a sense of who is on the mission and where they come from/background stories of all the main people.

Gotham by Midnight - Have now read up to the second issue which is good, I will say its good, but I don't necessarily think that I will keep reading it because there are too many other story lines that I am interested to keep reading this one. I understand the eerie vibe it is going for and can recommend the story to someone who is interested in that kind of scene but I don't really feel personally that I need to keep reading it for myself.

The Woods - Had only read the first issue of this, but have no read the first volume, so I'm not completely caught up but have read enough to know that I am into this story. The writing is catchy, the characters are likeable, the environment they are caught in right now is mysterious, and I am still wondering what the heck is going on enough to be interested in the story. Bit of a Lord of the Flies vibe meets Jumanji?

Batman Eternal - I HAVE TO GET CAUGHT UP WITH THIS STORY IT IS HURTING ME. I am now 10 issues behind the current one that was just put out, and desperately trying to catch up with this story while not completely disregarding every other comic/graphic novel/thing in my life. Its crazy good, and I am really needing to know every answer immediately.

Little Nemo Return to Slumberland - Issue #01

Directly inspired by Winsor McCay's original comic strip from 1905 (seen in the first picture, full list of original comic strips here ), Little Nemo is a story of a boy who is chosen by the princess of Slumberland to be her playmate, but each night when an attempt is made to bring Nemo to the fantasy world, he is woken abruptly and unable to make it to the dreamland!

This story is so beautiful and Gabriel Rodriguez does a really spectacular job at re imagining the original artwork of McCay, while still being true to the original line quality and detail that make these illustrations so remarkable.

This is my favorite story line that I have read thus far. And while I do appreciate the new writing and art, I think the original is more fitting for the storyline. I'm glad I read the first issue though, and thankful that it lead me to Winsor McCay!

Feathers - Issue #01

Had to make this huge because !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It follows a boy named Poe, covered in feathers, fathered by a man named Gabriel who found Poe in the streets abandoned as a baby. Poe lives in the slums of the city, known as the Maze. Poe meets a new friend named Bianca, an upper class, very privileged but adventurous young girl who has run away from her father while visiting the Maze for their first time. 

Together the two are now on a journey of a lifetime, running from danger and experiencing a world that is brand new to both of them.

It is super SUPER SUPER SUPER, and the artwork is absolutely beautiful. Awesome article with writer, Jorge Corona and a sneak peak of the first issue!

(This is the variant cover by Ken Niimura, which I think I have to buy because !!!)

Lady Killer - Issue #01

This story is so awesome. A twisted Leave it to Beaver/Mad Men era comic about a killer-for-hire housewife. The lead character, Josie is an immediately likeable antihero who I can't WAIT to read more about.

The first issue has two main scenes - one where she brutally murders this old lady in her home after convincing this woman she is selling Avon products, and then immediately after that Josie is cooking dinner for her Ken doll husband and two blond hair blue eyed twin daughters in her kitchen.

Her family seems to have zero clue that she is a deadly assassin, but her German mother in law is suspicious of Josie. She might just not like her because she is married to her son, but I feel like she doesn't trust Josie which could get them into some trouble.

This story is righteous. Unfortunately right now its set as a 5 run mini-series.

Ant Man - Issue #01

I read this because I had to, but I was pleasantly surprised at this story line. I didn't know anything about Ant-Man before I read this, so it was a good starting off point for me, considering some first issues assume that you'll know some background for characters.

The writing is clever, making Scott Lang a realistic dude who knows his superpower is crazy stupid but is still a likeable guy who really just mainly loves his daughter and does things so that he can provide a good life for her.

The story is so cliche and cheesy that pretty much made a full 360 for me and I actually found Scott Lang's character very endearing at the end of the issue. He really does just want to give his daughter a good life, and will do a lot for her. Like come on, who doesn't want to read a story about a good father.

They're making Ant-Man into a movie which looks ????? If I had been drinking and someone said I needed to create a cast for this movie, I would say Paul Rudd would make a good Scott Lang and also lets put Evangeline Lilly in because why not. But then those are the ACTUAL people in the movie, so I can only assume the person that wrote this script was drunk, and then their wish came true. Which is pretty awesome.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl - Issue #01

I love squirrel girl.

This character is so incredibly awesome and the writing of this series is 100% very cool. The original writer of the Adventure Time comic book left that comic to start writing for Squirrel Girl, so if you like Adventure Time, then chance are very high that you'll dig this series too. If you don't like Adventure Time then I don't really know whats up but maybe you'll like this anyway.

The first issue follows Squirrel Girl who is going undercover as herself to start her first week of college at Empire State University. She gets in a battle with Kraven the Hunter and outsmarts him, thus still remaining 'unbeatable'.

I knew it was going to be worth it, but man I REALLY ENJOYED THIS SO MUCH. Its light and fun and witty and really charming.

Additionally I should mention that there is one page in the issue where Squirrel Girl goes into a dream scene and the drawings look JUST LIKE the intro to the original Yours Mine and Ours, which happens to be my favorite movie. Super 60s, its really beautiful!