The Secret History of D.B. Cooper

author: Brian Churilla

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.40

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/31

date added: 2013/07/31

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

D. B. Cooper is infamous for jumping out of a plane in 1971 with about $200,000 dollars. At least that is the story we think we know. In this graphic novel, Brian Churilla, we see that perhaps Cooper was actually used by the CIA as an inter-dimensional traveler and assassin.



Cooper has been trained to travel into the Grit, a world filled with strange inter-dimensional monsters, and a red teddy bear named Lee. He is also in this land to try to find his daughter Donna, who was taken from him. The monsters he kills with his katana in this dimension correlate to actual enemy spies in Russia that die in unexpectedly gruesome ways. There is also a counter spy who is hunting him down. This leads to some nice red herrings and paranoia throughout the story.



Story and art by Brian Churilla is quite good. The monsters in the Grit are the stuff of nightmares, and when Cooper kills one, a Soviet spy suddenly dies in a rather gruesome way. It's a strange story, but compared to conspiracy theories I've heard, perhaps not the strangest, and it does explain what happened to D.B. Cooper after all these years.





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The Silver Six

author: A.J. Lieberman

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.00

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/30

date added: 2013/07/30

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

In a future Boston, which now has a bubble over it, a shuttle returning to Earth blows up killing all those on board, including Phoebe's parents. Phoebe has spent the past year living on her own with her quirky robot Max and pretending to adults that her parents are still alive. When she is captured by Child Welfare Services, she is placed in a dreadful home and forced to go to school and work. She makes some new friends and they discover they have something important in common.



It's a science fiction graphic novel for middle grade readers and I loved that all the kids were smart (as well as their parents). They used some scientific principles to solve problems they ran into. Phoebe is independent, but learns she can't live without others. Her robot Max is hilarious, and there is good humor throughout the book as well as a good level of action and mystery.



Written by AJ Lieberman and illustrated by Darren Rawlings, I appreciated that the story never seems to talk down to their audience. The art is engaging and colorful. It was a fun story with true villains and the hintings of an environmental message throughout. The importance of teamwork and friendship are reinforced, as well as dealing with loss. It was a fun story and I look forward to more from this creative team.





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Zero Day: The Threat In Cyberspace

author: Robert O'Harrow Jr.

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.75

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/29

date added: 2013/07/29

shelves: non-fiction-computer

review:

Zero Day is a term that computer security people use to refer to a new vulnerability. Although companies can be alerted to the threats, sometimes it takes some coercion by hackers to get a company to fix a hole.



In this extended piece from Robert O'Harrow Jr. of the Washington Post, he shows the kind of targets that hackers are looking to exploit. Control systems that run municipal water, electrical and sewage system have been networked for years, but are now a vulnerable target. Recently, these were targeted by the Stuxnet virus, which was created by the US and Israel to target Iran's uranium centrifuges (and did so quite effectively). Other systems at risk include healthcare systems.



Tools hackers use include search engines that expose vulnerable systems, hacking kits, and social engineering. Social engineering attacks are quite effective, and they are becoming specifically targeted.



This is a quick read, and well reported. It's quite accessible to non-technical people who may find this true life story as scary as a movie plot. White hat hackers are shown as the true front line heroes in this new war.





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The High Ways

author: John Byrne

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.90

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/28

date added: 2013/07/28

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Eddie Wallace, aka Sprout, has just signed on to the crew of the Carole Ann as their new navigator. He's taken under the wing of crew mate Marilyn Jones and works for feisty captain Cagney. His first trip out is supposed to be a routine trip to Mars, but captain Cagney has other plans and the crew ends up on a long range pick up on Europa. Once they arrive in Europa, they find that there is no cargo to pick up, and things are not as they seem.



John Byrne did the art and it's quite good, but perhaps a bit familiar by now. Captain Cagney reminds me a bit too much of Puck from the Alpha Flight comic, but it's nice to see a range of character types in a story like this. There are strange images and amazing space vistas.



The set up felt a bit like Forbidden Planet, and I felt like the set up worked better than the resolution for me. There are some surprises along the way, and I always like a good SF story, so I found it quite a lot of fun.





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Nothing Lasts Forever (Basis for the Film Die Hard)

author: Roderick Thorp

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.73

book published: 1979

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/27

date added: 2013/07/27

shelves:

review:

'Nothing Lasts Forever' is the novel that is the basis for the movie Die Hard. It's an interesting read because of the earlier time frame it was written in, and also because of the things that remained in the movie and the things that changed.



It's Christmas and Joe Leland is heading from St. Louis to Los Angeles to visit his daughter Stephanie Gennaro. Her firm has just concluded a big deal and the firm is celebrating at the office. Terrorists show up and seize the building and it's up to Joe to stop them.



It's a tight-focused book, and everything that we see happening is what Joe sees. There aren't cutaways to terrorists hiding in stairwells, or the hostages. Also, Leland is not a cop, but works with law enforcement as a security analyst and knows the main terrorist, Hans Gruber, from some profiling that's been done. You also get to peak in Joe's thoughts and see him strategize as he maps the floors of the building he's in and attempt to set traps.



Joe is caught between two worlds. He's a fighter pilot from World War 2 and he finds himself in a new age where the heroes and villains don't seem to be a lot different. It's an interesting social commentary based on the late 1970s. The book has a fairly cynical title and that's for a reason. It's a tightly plotted read, and I enjoyed it.





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Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: The Western Publishing Years Volume 1

author: Paul S Newman

name: Wayne

average rating: 2.50

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/26

date added: 2013/07/26

shelves: graphic-novels

review:







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The Shadow Volume 2: Revolution Tp

author: Victor Gischler

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.12

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/25

date added: 2013/07/25

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

The Shadow has the ability to cloud men's minds and control them, but when he meets a man he can't read, it sends him reeling. He travels back to the masters that taught him to try to solve the mystery. This is the first story in The Shadow Volume 2: Revolution.



The second story is a longer arc, and takes The Shadow into the Spanish Civil War, where he meets someone named the Black Sparrow, who seems to have the same abilities as The Shadow himself. He is led to an encounter with El Rey, a power hungry figure who wants ultimate control.



A final story has The Shadow foiling a group of bank robbers in a gritty and hardboiled fashion.



Stories by Victor Gischler are good, taking our hero all over the globe, and allowing Lamont Cranston to occasionally crack wise. This is an iconic Shadow, with his wide brimmed hat and flowing red scarf, and the artwork is impressive. From the full painted covers by Alex Ross to story art by Jack Herbert, Aaron Campbell and Giovanni Timpano. The book features an alternate cover gallery. For a character that's been around as long as The Shadow, the stories seem fresh and never stale.







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The 7th Woman

author: Frédérique Molay

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.45

book published: 2006

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/24

date added: 2013/07/24

shelves:

review:

A serial killer is intent on killing 7 women in 7 days in Paris, and police chief Nico Sirsky is on the case. Eventually, he becomes the target of the mysterious killer, and those closest to him are in danger.



It's a fairly standard police procedural, from award winning French author, Frederique Molay. The killer leaves no clues, but commits really grisly crimes. There are some decent red herrings scattered about for the reader as well as Nico. I found it hard to really believe a veteran cop could fall so quickly for a new woman like Nico did, and that pulled me out of the story a bit, but perhaps that's a cultural thing.



I was able to figure out who was committing the crimes, but not all the motives, but it's a fast enough read, and enough of a nailbiter to keep thriller fans flipping pages.





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Axe Cop: Volume 4 - President of the world

author: Malachai Nicolle

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.56

book published: 2012

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/23

date added: 2013/07/23

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

What do you get when an 8 year old writes a comic and his much older brother illustrates? You get a wacky comic called Axe Cop, where just about anything goes. Craziness ensues in this issue when Axe Cop becomes President of the world after all the bad guys have been defeated. He builds a copy of the White House, but made out of gold, and places it in Axeville.



He recruits some good guys along the way including Goo Cop, a being made of goo that wants Axe Cop to find his family, and Junior Cobbb, a talking gorilla who can shoot bullets out of his knuckles and anything he wants out of his tail (yes, a gorilla with a tail). Of course, the bad guys have to show up eventually, and there are massive fights, including one with Junior Cobbb on the Space Needle.



If it all sounds over the top, it really is, and I found myself laughing out loud. The art by Ethan Nicolle is just as outlandish as the story. I hope Malachai never grows out of his incredible imagination. The joy he has in storytelling is infectious. Included is a great introduction by Zack Carlson, and all the fully painted covers of the individual issues. My definite favorite cover is Junior Cobbb and a Chee-rex on top of the Space Needle. Put aside your stuffy adulthood for a while and remember what it was like to let your imagination soar.





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Save Your Drama For Your Mama

author: Charlie Sheppard

name: Wayne

average rating: 2.50

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/22

date added: 2013/07/22

shelves: non-fiction-business

review:

This book makes the point that the opposite of leadership is drama. Illustrations given show the triangle of drama and the triangle of leadership and what can be done to get yourself away from the drama, and how each point in the drama triangle is counteracted by one in the leadership triangle.



The book also talks about the power of taking control of your decisions. When we give others the power of our decisions, that's when drama can rear it's ugly head in our lives. We can be helpless when we give away our right to make decisions.



There were examples given, but the examples were used over multiple chapters and felt a bit repetitive. There is an assessment at the end of the book that can be used to determine your level of drama. It's nice to be aware of the drama created by yourself in the workplace, but better would have been more strategies when dealing with drama from others. There are some, but more comprehensive would been nice. Also, while this is a helpful book for people struggling with drama in themselves, I'm not sure they would be inclined to pick up a book like this and read it. The title is great, but perhaps a little off-putting for someone really in need of this kind of help.





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Warlord of Mars Dejah Thoris Volume 4: The Vampire Men of Saturn Tp

author: Robert Place Napton

name: Wayne

average rating: 2.50

book published: 2013

rating: 2

read at: 2013/07/21

date added: 2013/07/21

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Dejah Thoris is the Princess of Mars from the books by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This book collects issues 16-19 of the series, but it's a complete story arc. This book is mature because Dejah wears her traditional costume from the Barsoom novels, which amounts to a cape and not much else. This seems a little silly when she's wandering around in the ice, but maybe Martians are tougher than me.



In the book, Dejah is in a self-imposed exile in the frozen north. She is captured and enslaved by one of the yellow men. She escapes and then is captured and taken to Saturn which is run by a race of alien vampires who have their sites set on taking over Mars and turning the residents into a living blood farm.



It's all over the top. There are huge prehistoric looking alien creatures. There are fights in the skies. There are allies and betrayals. In fact, it seems like everyone Dejah teams up with is out to betray her in some way, and that gets a little tedious by the end of the story arc. The art by Debora Carita is good, and the book includes a cover gallery from each of the covers by Paul Renaud and Fabiano Neves.





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Moriarty

author: Daniel Corey

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.75

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/20

date added: 2013/07/20

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Moriarty Deluxe Edition collects a series of comics about Holmes villain Moriarty and paints him as an interesting anti-hero in a world after Sherlock Holmes is gone. There are any number of projects that pay homage to Moriarty and Holmes, so it's always worth asking if we need another one. In this case, the answer is a definite yes.



20 years after Reichenbach Falls, Moriarty still founders without his greatest rival Holmes. In the first story arc, he gets word that the start of the Great War might have been caused by a group known as the Black Hand, he goes in search of them. Along the way, he looks into the disappearance of Mycroft Holmes and the mysterious and deadly Tartarus. He travels about in a series of costumes and aliases.



The second story continues from the first, but has Moriarty travelling to Burma to look into the disappearance of one of his men. There is also a mysterious tree that keeps showing up in his dreams.



There is plenty of action, and while Moriarty is never a truly good guy, he seems to be a better man than those he is pursuing. It's a huge graphic novel and a pretty engrossing story. The art is roughed out, but feels like pulp illustration, so it serves the story well, with lots of dark shadows in the panels and lines all over Moriarty's face.





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Jim Morgan and the King of Thieves

author: James Matlack Raney

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.57

book published: 2012

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/19

date added: 2013/07/19

shelves:

review:

After a wonderful prologue that shows Jim as a carefree child, playing pirates in the sand dunes, we are introduced to the present day Jim. Jim's father is away at sea, and he is being raised by an aunt that is teaching Jim some horrible habits. Jim has learned to be a spoiled, entitled brat, much to his father's disappointment.



When a turn of fate puts Jim on the run with a mysterious box from his father, he must discover what's really important to himself and return to his true self. Along the way, there is a colorful cast of characters, from the strange gypsy who puts a spell on Jim's box to the King of Thieves who runs a gang of child thieves in the streets of London. There are scary villains, unexpected heroes and great comic relief with a group of thieves known as the Ratt brothers.



There are surprises galore and lessons to be learned. It's a wonderfully told tale, perfect for middle grade readers. It's the kind of book I loved when I was about 9, and I have to confess that I still do.





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The Art of the Last of Us

author: Rachel Edidin

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.45

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/18

date added: 2013/07/18

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

In the plot of the game The Last Of Us, father and daughter, Joel and Ellie, are survivors travelling across a dystopian America. The book The Art Of The Last Of Us shows the incredibly rich detail that went into the atmosphere of the game and the characters encountered along the way. The game took three and a half years to complete and the hard work shows.



The game is set about 20 years after cities have been left to those who have been affected by a plague, and plants are taking over urban areas. There are safe zones that have been protected with traps, and there are environmental issues like snow. The dilapidated environments are detailed and definitely look more realistic than those on the television show The Walking Dead (who mows the lawns on that show? The zombies?!?). Care is given to the types of clothing and gear that survivors would gravitate towards, and the evolution of design for the main characters is shown. The plague victims are shown and they are scary, with fungus growing and bursting out from their once human frames.



The book begins with an introduction by Game Director Bruce Straley and Creative Director Neil Druckmann. Computer games have reached an immersive level of detail and storytelling. Many times more immersive than major motion pictures. Based on the art in this book, this game looks amazing and terrifying.





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Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Smuggler's Code

author: Justin Aclin

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.29

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/17

date added: 2013/07/17

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Taking place sometime during the 4th season of The Clone Wars, this story starts out with Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi Wan taking a breather on a leisure planet. When Obi Wan runs across a fugitive from his past, he pursues him. During his journey, he runs across an unscrupulous Corellian named Rook Pryce that he enlists for aid. The problem is Rook is in the game for the best price offered to him.



It's a fun light story, meant for younger readers, but it's still very enjoyable. There are lots of strange creatures and the beach and jungle setting makes for a nice, brighter color palette. There are good messages about the importance of staying true to your friends.



The artwork by Eduardo Ferrara is very much in the style of The Clone Wars and it's lively and fun. I would definitely recommend it for Star Wars fans who are also fans of The Clone Wars who are ages 7 and up.





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Empty Space

author: M. John Harrison

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.93

book published: 2012

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/16

date added: 2013/07/16

shelves:

review:

When I first picked this book up, I assumed it was a sequel to Light, which came out in 2002. It's actually the third book in a trilogy, with book 2 being Nova Swing. I read Light ages ago, and hadn't read Nova Swing, so I found myself foundering through a good chunk of this book trying to figure out what was going on. Having read other reviews, it appears to be this way even for people who are more familiar with the preceding books.



The story flips between a few storylines. One set in the near present and the others set further in the future when great hulking ships run between planets. This is not an easily accessible book and the reader will find themselves with a bit of a struggle on their hands to grasp what is going on. After finishing, I'm still not entirely sure of all the plot details. There is a mother and daughter who have drifted apart. There is a ship doing recovery work. There are floating ghosts that can't communicate. Much of it is about being adrift and the empty space in our lives.



What I do know is that Mr. Harrison rights lovely prose that is descriptive and feels a little stream of consciousness at times. I kept reading because I found the writing to be outstanding. I let the words take me along and I'm glad I took the journey. Probably not for everyone, but it was a pleasant surprise for me.





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Saga, Volume 2

author: Brian K. Vaughan

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.65

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/15

date added: 2013/07/15

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Saga Volume 2 is a direct sequel and continues with issues #7-12 of the comic. In this book, we have the starcrossed lovers meeting his in-laws. The problem is he, Marko, is Wreath, and she, Alana is Landfall, two races at war with each other. The Landfall look like normal humans, but The Wreath are humans with different animal horns growing out of their heads.



The story has touching moments and crazy, grotesque moments. Some of the dialogue is hilarious, but the language was unexpectedly on the rougher side, which sort of pulled me out of such an alien and futuristic looking book. I hadn't read the first 6 issues, so I didn't know what to expect, but I was able to pick up on the story just fine.



As mentioned, the writing by Brian K. Vaughan is good, and the story has warmth and surprises and humor. The art by Fiona Staples is very nice. The character design is fresh and unusual with humanoid beings sprouting horns and wings, and sentient robots and rodents. My favorite panels were some of the space scenes showing the Wreath ships, looking like flying seed pods.





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Exile: The First Book of the Seven Eyes

author: Betsy Dornbusch

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.54

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/14

date added: 2013/07/14

shelves:

review:

The book starts right in on the action, with the main character, Draken, being tossed off a ship into exile in the land of the country he has been fighting against for years. He anticipates his survival rate to be pretty low. His crime was apparently killing his wife, but he knows the truth.



Of course, he doesn't die, and along the way he makes friends and allies with a variety of interesting characters. There are banes loose, which are powerful supernatural creatures, and they may have been loosed by the person who killed is wife, a powerful wizard, or mance.



It's an interesting read. The world building is fairly solid with some nice twists on things I've read elsewhere. Everything comes a bit too easy for Draken along the way, and he seems to fall into the right situations just when he needs to. This didn't really bother me until the end. The writing is good and it kept me turning pages. I'm interested in seeing where the series goes, especially since so much happened in the first book.





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The Looking Glass Wars (The Looking Glass Wars, #1)

author: Frank Beddor

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.95

book published: 2006

rating: 2

read at: 2013/07/13

date added: 2013/07/13

shelves:

review:

A retelling of Alice In Wonderland that works in some ways, and doesn't work in others. There are some interesting characters, but when it was all said and done, I was underwhelmed. Maybe because this has been done in other places in ways I've enjoyed more.



I liked the Royal bodyguard Hatter Madigan, General Doppelganger and Cat the assassin, but the rest of it just left me flat. Maybe I like my alternate Alice to be a bit edgier than she was here. Perhaps in later books she becomes that, but I'm not sure I'll read more in the series.





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Domovoi

author: Peter Bergting

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.62

book published: 2013

rating: 5

read at: 2013/07/12

date added: 2013/07/12

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

A young woman named Jennie, her crazy Uncle Ivan, her talking cat Bulka, and a couple crazy hitmen are a few of the wonderful characters to be discovered within Domovoi, a brilliant graphic novel by Peter Bergting. Within the first few pages, Jennie is being chased through the streets by a car driven by supernatural hit men, and the journey from there only gets stranger as secrets from the past are threatened to be revealed and must be protected.



Setting the story in the old town of Stockholm gives the story a classic fairytale feel, but touches of the modern world poke out around the edges in unexpected ways. Also, if all cats were like Bulka, the adorable and wise talking cat, I might actually like cats. Jennie is a smart, capable heroine who is in over her head, but willing to do whatever it takes to solve the problem. The hitmen provide some unexpected humor, when they are not trying to kill Jennie, and the story has some good twists and turns before it's all done.



The art is stunning. The panels don't feel crowded, but there is an amazing array of details and textures. This is an artist who knows how to use space. The color palette is subdued and tends to darken subtly as the story moves along. There are a limited number of colors used on each page, but they are used to great effect as colors highlight brighten, but never overwhelm. John Arcudi's introduction to the book is glowing of the talent here and I couldn't agree more. It all feels so well planned and deliberate, and I highly recommend it.





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Usagi Yojimbo Volume 27: A Town Called Hell

author: Stan Sakai

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.29

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/11

date added: 2013/07/11

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai is such a treasure. The most amazing thing is that in Volume 27 of a collection the stories are still fresh and still delight the senses.



The world of Usagi Yojimbo takes place in late 16th Century Japan and all the characters are animals. Usagi is a Ronin rabbit who roams from town to town trying to stay out of trouble. In the main story 'A Town Called Hell,' Usagi enters a town with two warring warlords. He attempts to bring a truce with one of the warlords and a samurai, but is double crossed when the warlord lies. There is also a humorous story of a talkative old woman and a Nukekubi (a spirit that looks like a head), and how Usagi brings them together in a mutual friendship. There are other stories, but they are for you to discover. Just beware of eating too many sweets.



Included is a cover gallery and a brief bio of Stan Sakai.Usagi Yojimbo first showed up in 1984, and Stan Sakai's line drawings are clean and uncluttered, but with tons of line drawing in the details of buildings and forests. His writing and lettering are impeccable. If you've never read Usagi Yojimbo, you could easily start here. Most of the stories are stand alone. The Town Called Hell story continues, but is concluded throughout this volume. One other story hints at a continuation, but is not included here. Highly recommended.





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Crater XV

author: Kevin Cannon

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.75

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/10

date added: 2013/07/10

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

In the sequel to Far Arden, Army Shanks finds himself a hunted, depressed fugitive battling Serbians who may have arrived in Newfoundland to either steal oil or launch a rocket to the moon. There are clueless bureaucrats, deceived astronauts, possibly a long lost love, and a girl named Wendy, who just wants to go to Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter.



If it all sounds madcap and zany, it is. At times it feels like a Marx Brothers comedy with a great deal of swashbuckling and saving the day thrown in for good measure. There's an International summit, and the Canadian Arctic Space Agency, or CASA (a completely made up agency) attempts to launch a rocket to the moon first to beat the Siberians.



The art by Kevin Cannon is fabulous, with lots of great black and white detail and the story is hilarious, and touching and sad. You don't need to read Far Arden first (I didn't), but you will probably want to after meeting the mighty Army Shanks. Highly recommended.





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A Matter of Life

author: Jeffrey Brown

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.72

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/09

date added: 2013/07/09

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Jeffrey Brown's 'A Matter Of Life' is a semi-autobiographical look at three generations of his family, from his minister father to his young son. He attempts to find a unifying meaning to life through his lifelong struggles and eventual rejection of his faith.



He shares about growing up in the midwest where "there's a church on every corner" and of growing up as a minister's son. There are mission trips and days spent at church. He discusses how he felt about the rituals and rigidity of belief. Before he heads off to college, he is already rejecting his background, but eventually makes a sort of reconciliation.



The style is definitely more like a newspaper comic than a graphic novel, but that makes it more personal. I liked the story, although sometimes full pages of panels would appear that didn't seem to flow into the rest of the book. They were more like sidebars, but they weren't uninteresting to the rest of the story. I found the story engaging and enjoyed it.





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The Hollows

author: Sam Kieth

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.38

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/08

date added: 2013/07/08

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

In a dystopian future, an inventor discovers a group of survivors and comes to terms with the horrors he has unleashed on mankind.



In a future version of what seems to be Japan, the ground is ruled by the Hollows, a roving band of monsters that seem to act a lot like zombies. To escape the horrors on the ground, large cities are built in trees. A man looking to care for his family, uses a pair of wings to fly to the ground to look for supplies. He finds a group of survivors living on the ground, and when he gets back home, he can't help thinking of them and how he can help them. He uses his abilities as an inventor to try to make their lives better, with mixed results.



It's an interesting take on the dystopian zombie story with some memorable characters, including a young girl who rivals the main character's knack for inventing things. The story by Chris Ryall includes a redemption and forgiveness theme that play out, and I found it to be a lovely story. The art by Sam Kieth, while not my favorite style, had some high points: A man soaring with wings outstretched, a giant tree holding a city in it's branches, and an adorable survivor with an eyepatch. I found it touchingly included the human element in the main characters foibles and flaws.







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American Elsewhere

author: Robert Jackson Bennett

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.82

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/07

date added: 2013/07/07

shelves:

review:

Wink, New Mexico is a quiet little town that doesn't exist on any maps. It's residents are content to reside there and never leave town. In fact, their whole existence seems to be a throwback to earlier times in America. The suburbs, neighbors having dinner parties, men working on their cars. It all seems so idyllic, but there are rules. One rule is no one goes out after dark.



When Mona Bright inherits her mother's home in Wink, it's a chance to start over from the dismal life she's had. She arrives in Wink on a day when the town is having a funeral, and her arrival causes quite a bit of gossip, but it also triggers events that begin to spiral out of control.



I loved this book. It's quite long, and you won't really begin to understand what's happening for a couple hundred pages in. It's filled with interesting and strange characters, from the town people stuck in strange loops, to the shady men living just outside of town selling drugs and disposing of corpses. And then there is the abandoned laboratory on the hill. It used to be filled with scientists, but it stands there alone and empty. The whole book was very atmospheric, and kept me thoroughly engrossed.



When it was all finished, I'm not sure I completely bought into some of the motives, but the themes of trying to find a home and a fresh start ring true enough. This is the second novel I've read by Robert Jackson Bennett, and I'm fast becoming a fan. In spite of the length, the writing is tight, the world he creates is immersive, and he creates truly spooky situations and memorable characters.





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The Adventures of Augusta Wind

author: J M DeMatteis

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.20

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/06

date added: 2013/07/06

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Augusta Webster has an active imagination and likes to tell stories about a made up land, but it's possible that she's actually Augusta Wind and her life as Augusta Webster is made up. As the book progresses, answers are uncovered.



Augusta Wind's world is fraught with perils. She has a companion that is part rabbit, part snake, called Mr. Snabbit. There are malicious balloons, a terrible monster that sometimes looks like her psychiatrist, and the people around her may be friends and they may be trying to deceive her. It all feels a bit like Alice In Wonderland.



While the created world was interesting and I like the creatures that were created, the art seems to be overly busy. I got a review copy, so I'm hoping that the art wasn't quite finished yet. It's very caricatured and sketched looking, which is not a bad look, but tends to run together with some of the color choices. Also, some of the narrative panels have are pale blue with an opaque look to them. This would not be a problem, but the white lettering made it pretty tough to read some of the panels. This was an Adobe Reader version, so it's possible that this is not an issue in the print version. A fantastical tale with some interesting creatures.





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Edison Rex

author: Chris Roberson

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.67

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/07/05

date added: 2013/07/05

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Edison Rex wants to be a superhero. In fact, he used to be until hero Valiant showed up. But Edison has a plan. Get rid of Valiant and take his place. It would be a good plan, but his sidekick M'Alizz still thinks they should just conquer the planet. Then there's the pesky problem of the news media still seeing Edison as villain, no matter what he does to fight crime.



Edison collects an odd crew around him of misfit villains, and it's great to see the lairs of Valiant and Edison. It's all lots of fun, and enough curve balls are thrown into the mix that it kept me thoroughly entertained and wondering what was coming next. It ends with an awesome final panel.



Included are bio files for the characters and stats on weapons, and a really nice afterword from creator Chris Roberson on the creative process. I absolutely loved a full page panel by Dennis Culver in Valiant's lair which was a cut-away and showed Edison's progress through different floors. The panels are clean and not cluttered. The colors are vibrant and the story by Chris and art by Dennis Culver give the whole book a sort of retro look of the comics I loved as a kid, kind of like Gold Key Comics. If you like Tom Strong by Alan Moore, you will probably enjoy this also.





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True Blood Volume 1: All Together Now

author: Alan Ball

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.25

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/04

date added: 2013/07/04

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

One night down at Merlotte's in Bon Temps, everyone in the restaurant is trapped by a creepy, tentacled imp spirit who feeds on shame. The spirit won't release everyone until they all tell a shameful recollection from their past. Since this is based on True Blood, the stories include those of vampires and shapeshifters.



The comic is based on the television series, which is based on the book series. The art used is a sort of vector stylized photo cartoon style, sort of like you can do to your Facebook profile photo. The result is that the characters look much like the actors they portray on the show. This works, but seems a little distracting to the ongoing story. That's probably just me, though.



The story works well as back story to some of the characters, and it's suggested by an idea from series writer Alan Ball. I don't know if these were separate issues before they became a graphic novel, but the chapters divide up by just ending, not building to a cliffhanger. It makes for a kind of broken reading experience to then flip through a few pages of issue cover art to get back into the story.



Most of the stories were interesting. A couple were less so. The imp shaloop character was well created and drawn, with tentacles shooting out of his coat and capturing people near him. The ending hints at a sequel.





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The Ocean at the End of the Lane

author: Neil Gaiman

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.36

book published: 2013

rating: 5

read at: 2013/07/03

date added: 2013/07/03

shelves:

review:

Neil Gaiman is a masterful and gifted storyteller weaving magical worlds with real ones with deft and artistic brushstrokes, and The Ocean At The End Of The Lane is no exception. In fact, it may be his finest work to date, compressing so much into a longer form novella.



The book is written as a semi-memoir, but most of the story points are woven from the air. The Hempstock family, who have been around the edges of some of his other works feature prominently here with their ancient farm and pond that may be an ocean.



The story is about a 7 year old boy, but this is hardly a child's tale. This is a story written for adults looking back on their childhoods, and about how powerless we actually are as children. So, while there are hints of Coraline and Bod in here, the youngster in the story is quite helpless when things spin beyond his control. It's also about finding adults who understand what you are going through and are willing to reach out to help.



There was much that I could relate to here. I was that child who preferred books and reading in a corner to most other activities, and whose life pursuits and passions were not the ones that his father wished him to have. So, while the book is about feeling isolated and trapped, it made me feel less alone for a while.



The story has the feel of a half-remembered dream, and if we are lucky, that is how we remember the worst days of our lives. Like a lovely summer dream and I loved it.





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In the Land of the Living

author: Austin Ratner

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.73

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/02

date added: 2013/07/02

shelves:

review:

Isidore Auberon had a tough childhood. He lost his mom at a young age. On a good day, his dad was neglectful, but on a bad day, he was abusive. Isidore learned to fend for his younger brothers, and in the end, he turned out okay. He got a good job and a wife and a couple sons of his own.



Leo doesn't get along with his brother Mack. Through family tragedy, his younger brother doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with him. Leo keeps trying, but he screws up most attempts at a truce. Leo tries to be like his dad, but realizes that doesn't seem to make him happy.



In The Land Of The Living is a story about fathers and sons and brothers. It is funny and incredibly tragic and feels like a slice of real life. The solutions aren't perfect and the ending isn't really neatly wrapped up, but isn't that just like life?



I enjoyed this book, and found the inner life of Leo to be uncomfortably familiar at times. The writing is reminiscent of John Irving, but Austin Ratner has his own unique voice with this work.





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The Victories Volume 1: Touched

author: Michael Avon Oeming

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.27

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/07/01

date added: 2013/07/01

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

The Victories is not your average superhero comic, and based on the content, I can only recommend it for mature readers.



The Victories are a team of superheroes, with member Faustus being primarily featured in this volume. Through the course of fighting crime, Faustus is forced to revisit and confront painful memories from his past. The harm that was done to him is threatened to be exposed, and he has to make choices that may alter his life as a hero. The other members of his team are there to provide support, and one member is also tied in closely with this story.



As a superhero team, this felt like a much needed breath of fresh air. I loved the youthfulness of the characters and there established relationships felt like they had weight and history. Michael Avon Oeming's drawing style is a bit like caricature, but the weightlessness of his heroes flying through the sky is breathtaking and exhilarating. I look forward to seeing what else The Victories get up to.





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