Tears of an Afghan warlord

author: Pascale Bourgaux
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.40
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/29
date added: 2018/04/29
shelves: graphic-novels, non-fiction
review:
'Tears of An Afghan Warlord' is a true story by Pascale Bourgaux and co-written by Vincent Zabus with art by Thomas Campi. It details a trip to Afghanistan in the early 2010s.

Pascale Borgaux is a Belgian journalist who has been travelling to Afghanistan for years. She has been there when things are more prosperous, but this time, there is some poverty and belt tightening. Her host is a resistance fighter named Mamour Hasan who is feeling the pressure from those around him to let the Taliban regain control. It seems that much of the aid money hasn't made it to his province. Pascale and those helping her document their trip find themselves in a bit of danger and have to leave the country.

The art is quite good and fairly colorful. The story is compelling and shows what can happen after your country has a war and some of the combatants leave. It's an ongoing story, so there is no resolution here, but I found it very interesting.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Superman Vol. 5: Hopes and Fears

author: Peter J. Tomasi
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.18
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2018/04/29
date added: 2018/04/29
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Superman Vol. 5: Hopes and Fears'by Peter J. Tomasi and many others consists of three shorter stories. They all feel a bit disconnected from each other.

In the first story, the Kents rent an RV and take a long overdue vacation, which turns into a civics lesson for Jon. The story has moments, but overall has the feel of an educational comic and is just a bit too wordy. The bits with the family work fine, but the exposition just comes across as preachy.

The second story deals with Parallax and Sinestro and the yellow lantern power of fear as Superman tries to rescue some children as is forced to face his own fears.

The final story has Lois Lane interviewing Deathstroke. Deathstroke then gets a contract to kill Lois, but who is behind this contract?

There are different creators and artists, so the art and stories vary in consistency. I liked the latter two stories, but the first one just kind of left me wishing they'd taken a different approach to telling it.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Tosca (Tosca, #1)

author: Teresa Radice
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.67
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/28
date added: 2018/04/28
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Tosca #1' by Teresa Radice with illustrations by Stefano Turconi is a story where the title character is a supporting character, but it's still a good one.

Lucilla is a princess with a destiny. Her destiny would seem to be to get pushed around by servants and to marry someone she doesn't care for. When a young thief runs away from a royal banquet, Lucilla chases her and finds herself outside the castle for the first time. She meets orphans Tosca and Rinaldo. Rinaldo wants to be a poet and Tosca is an adventuring Robin Hood. Back in the castle, Lucilla overhears plans to overthrow her father's kingdom. Can her new friends help her?

I really liked this story, and the art was full of color and was really very nice. I found out afterwards that Tosca is the star of this series, and I liked her character a lot, so I'd love to read more of this series.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Infernal Parade

author: Clive Barker
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.36
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2018/04/28
date added: 2018/04/28
shelves:
review:
'Infernal Parade' by Clive Barker is a title I was initially excited to read, as I've been an occasional fan of his work. What we get here is a series of short stories that were originally written for a line of Todd McFarlane action figures.

The book is a collection of 6 linked stories about the formation of a gruesome parade of strange people with weirdly obvious names. Tom Requiem is a murderer who has been hanged and buried, and he is rescued from his coffin. Mary Slaughter kills babies and has a collection of dangerous swords. There is the unfortunate golem who finds himself without a master and Bethany Bled who is made to be tortured for the amusement of the crowd.

These are all stories of terrible people or victims of terrible people who find themselves grotesquely transformed, but we never learn the overarching reason for this. These are not very nice people and when they get their comeuppance, I just found myself not caring at all. If you are looking for the Barker of 'Books of Blood' or 'Hellraiser' fame, I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Subterranean Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Captain Canuck, Vol 02: The Gauntlet

author: Kalman Andrasofszky
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.40
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/04/28
date added: 2018/04/28
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Captain Canuck, Vol 02: The Gauntlet' by Kalman Andrasofszky is a much better volume than the first one I read. I like seeing this title trend toward better.

Mr. Gold is still at large, and Captain Canuck and his team are going a bit rogue searching for him and missing Marla Ritchie. Meanwhile, a new member joins the team, but he may not be hiding something. Add to that a team up between Captain Canuck and Blue Fox and it all seems to be a story that seems like it's moving towards chaos.

I felt like this volume's story was much more cohesive and didn't suffer from the confusing flashbacks of the first issues. The art is still just ok. Nothing spectacular and it isn't really something I like, but the storytelling is quite a bit better.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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The White Sultana

author: Pierre Christin
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.33
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/04/22
date added: 2018/04/22
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The White Sultana' by Pierre Christin with art by Annie Goetzinger is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel about how one decision can change our lives.

The book goes back and forth between two women. One is Emma Piggott a woman who has just died in London after a life of being a schoolteacher at St. John's. Her story is told in black and white. The other is the story of Lady Sheringham, who answers and advertisement to be a governess and finds her life changed forever with wealth and adventure. She sometimes dreams of Emma, and she finds it troubling.

The art is some of the best I've seen lately in a graphic novel. There is depth and detail that show that great care was taken in the art of this book. On the art alone, I would give it 5 stars.

But the story feels like a forced morality tale where it seems obvious which choice we should take. Lady Sherinham's life is full of color and wealth and privilege. We don't get much detail in Emma's life, but she must have made a difference in the life of a student or had very loving reasons for living her life. Those are never shown. Instead, we see the medical "professionals" who pick over her belongings, leading us to believe it's better to be rich than dead. I'd prefer to make my own choices and not have them made for me.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Starry Skies: Learn about the constellations above us

author: Samantha Chagollan
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.91
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/04/21
date added: 2018/04/21
shelves: childrens
review:
I love the night sky and constellations, so when I saw 'Starry Skies: Learn about constellations above us' by Samantha Chagollan with illustrations by Nila Aye, I grabbed a review copy to check out. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with the end result.

It's a picture book for young kids, which is fine. And it does give some pictures and names of constellations. It fails to give any sort of location for children or their parents to look for these in the sky. Some are easier to find for the unfamiliar, but there isn't a lot of information given here on where to look.

That might have been nice in an informative afterword for adults or older children. Even a sky chart might have been useful. I did really like the illustrations with their white on black lines.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Quarto Publishing Group-Walter Foster Jr., and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Rusty The Squeaky Robot

author: Neil Clark
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.53
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/21
date added: 2018/04/21
shelves: childrens
review:
'Rusty The Squeaky Robot' by Neil Clark is about a little robot trying to live with the horrible noise he makes. Along the way he learns that it's ok to be a bit different.

Rusty is unhappy because of the squeak he makes, but he finds some new friends that make some odd noises of their own too. There are Belle and Twango and Boom-Bot and others who show Rusty that he can make noise along with them.

It's a cute story with really cute geometric illustrations. I love some of the lettering and how all of the robots look. I think it's a good choice for a read aloud book for young kids. The lesson is pretty good too.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Quarto Publishing Group-words and pictures, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku Vol. 1

author: Fujita
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.29
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/21
date added: 2018/04/21
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku Vol. 1' by Fujita was a really fun manga to read, and I learned a bit about Japanese geek culture along the way.

Narumi Momose is a secret gamer, or otaku. She reconnects with a childhood friend named Hirotaka Nifuji at work, and finds out he is also into gaming. They awkwardly have a fun relationship where she thinks it's a date, but to him, it's just hanging out at his house playing Mario Kart.

It's more like a comedy of manners than a story with a definite plot. There are other characters in the mix that add to the humor. I was looking terms up, then found out that the two volumes included here include a nice glossary of terms for some of the odd bits of nerddom I was unfamiliar with. At first, I felt like the jokes were kind of inside, but this glossary made it feel inclusive, and I really appreciate that the author included them.

I really liked the art and the story. There are bonus comics that are more like short gags. I didn't like them as much, but they do round out the characters.

I received a review copy of this manga from Kodansha Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.


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The Flash Vol. 5: Negative

author: Joshua Williamson
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.25
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/21
date added: 2018/04/21
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The Flash Vol. 5: Negative' by Joshua Williamson finds The Flash in some pretty tenuous territory after his encounter with Eobard Thawne both physically and emotionally.

The Flash has been affected by the negative speed force, and it causes destruction and harm whenever he uses his powers, so he has decided to stop being The Flash until he can figure things out. Things at work aren't any better for Barry Allen. Someone is stealing evidence from past cases. This along with Barry's perpetual tardiness is going to have consequences beyond this volume. Along with all the darkness, we get a light Christmas fill-in that feels kind of out of place here.

I like the writing and surprises along the way. I loved the subplot with Wally, and really like what is done with his character. The art isn't my favorite, but it's an interesting choice.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Noble Vol. 2: Never Events

author: Brandon Thomas
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.88
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/04/21
date added: 2018/04/21
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Noble Vol. 2: Never Events' by Brandon Thomas with art by Roger Robinson and Jamal Igle is a title I really want to like, but it's just not quite there yet for me.

David Powell is back from hiding in South America with a new suit. He still doesn't know who he is, but his wife Astrid wants to find him and help him remember. With the unlikely help of Lorena Payne, she looks for him. Meanwhile Dr. Mayes has his own group of enhanced humans that is trying to recruit David.

We get some more backstory on Astrid and her weird powers. We see some more of David in his life before. The whole thing jumps around so much that it often leaves me confused about what is happening and what has already happened.

I really want to like this title more. I love the idea of this book, and the art is great. The characters are all pretty good. I'm just so confused by the storytelling. Still I keep trying, and I keep hoping for this title.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Lion Forge and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Junior Braves of the Apocalypse #1

author: Greg Smith
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.50
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/04/21
date added: 2018/04/21
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Junior Braves of the Apocalypse Vol. 1' by Greg Smith with illustrations by Zach Lehner is a book I've seen at comic conventions, and looked through, but never read.

A troop of Junior Braves from Tribe 65 go on a campout in the mountains. When they return home, their town has been destroyed and is overrun by mutants. They do their best to get away, and with the help of some grownups are safe for a while, but even these adults seem to have something wrong with them. Can the boys find safety?

My first problem was the art. It's a bit vague in places and I was mixing some of the characters up. They just weren't distinct enough. My other problem was that even though most of the town has turned to mutants, there are only crazy adults left. There are no other kids or adults that can be trusted. Maybe this will change in future volumes.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Big Trouble in Little China the Illustrated Novel: Big Trouble in Mother Russia

author: Matthew J. Elliott
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.90
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2018/04/21
date added: 2018/04/21
shelves:
review:
'Big Trouble in Little China the Illustrated Novel: Big Trouble in Mother Russia' by Matthew J. Elliott with illustrations by Elena Casagrande is a sequel decades after the film was released. It's written by a member of the RiffTrax staff.

Self-proclaimed red-blooded American hero and ladies man Jack Burton has recently gotten back from his adventures in Little China. He's riding around in the Porkchop Express with a new strange friend, and staying in touch with old friends. He gets a delivery job and winds up in the heart of Russia along with his best friend Wang.

I remember liking the original film, but I don't think I've seen it since the time I saw it in the theater. It feels like they got the characters right, but a little of Jack Burton's swagger goes a long way, especially in light of 2018. He's actually kind of a jerk, so this was a tough read.

There are a handful of illustrations, and they aren't bad. I'm just not sure we needed this sequel at this time.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Boom! Studios and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Gumby Graphic Novel Vol. 1

author: Jeff Whitman
name: Wayne
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/15
date added: 2018/04/15
shelves: graphic-novels, children-s
review:
'Gumby Graphic Novel Vol. 1' by Jeff Whitman, Eric Esquivel and a whole pile of other people is a collection of 9 short stories featuring Gumby, Pokey and all their pals.

The first story in the book 'An Alien Abundance' pays homage to Gumby's first tv episode. There is also a fun episode where the Blockheads are conning Gumby's Grandmother into paying for what she thinks is an elaborate vacation. When Goo goes missing, Gumby ends up going to Frace to look for her.

I grew up on Gumby and I'm a big fan. Most of the stories work pretty well and feel like Gumby adventures. I liked the inside nods to certain characters or episodes. Some of the humor aims at the adults, but they keep it clean, so it's fun for kids.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Papercutz and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Rice Boy

author: Evan Dahm
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2018/04/15
date added: 2018/04/15
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Rice Boy' by Evan Dahm is a 548 epic journey through a strange world. The art and worldbuilding are bizarre and wonderful.

A small unassuming creature with no arms or mouth is minding his own business when he is approached and told that he is the chose one. The creatures that approach him are a mechanical man named T.O.E. (The One Electronic), and his partner Calabash. They find him after the previous chosen one has died. Rice Boy sets out on his journey and meets friends and enemies along the way. There is also court intrigue, strange cities and any number of odd beings.

I really liked this bizarre world. I love the small unassuming main character who seems to look for kindness instead of violence. T.O.E. with his constantly changing face made out of black and wh‪ite media stills was an interesting character. I felt constantly surprised by this story.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Iron Circus Comics in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Cloudia and Rex

author: Ulises Farinas
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.16
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2018/04/14
date added: 2018/04/14
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Cloudia and Rex' by Ulises Farinas with art by Erick Freitas is a weird story with weird art, but I kind of liked it.

Cloudia and Rex are sisters and they are moving to Seattle with their mother. For no given reason, a group of gods trying to stop the end of the world get involved in their lives. Cloudia finds she has super strength, and Rex can turn into any animal she likes (for Rex, this is mostly extinct animals). The opposing gods seem to be easily foiled by technology like Cloudia's smart phone.

The art is strange and strangely colored, but I like the choices that Freitas has made here. The story has some abrupt transitions that felt a little confusing. It's a short story at only 3 included issues, but I liked the story it told.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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The Forbidden Harbour V1

author: Teresa Radic
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.00
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/04/14
date added: 2018/04/14
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'The Forbidden Harbour V1' by Teresa Radice with illustrations by Stefano Turconi is a really intriguing story, but I felt really let down by the art style.

A young castaway with amnesia named Abel is found and rescued by a Royal Navy ship. He is given jobs on board the ship and seems to have unusual knowledge of ships and sailing, even though his hands are soft. His appearance coincided with the disappearance and treachery of the ship's former captain. When the ship returns home, he finds himself living in the inn owned by the former captain and his three daughters. Because he can read, he makes friends with the owner of the local brothel, and he spends days reading to her. Eventually, she tells him that they share a secret which may help him unlock his past.

The story is very good. It's literate and interesting. It spins off into an interesting direction at one point.

But, the art style has an unfinished quality to it. The style is roughed in storyboards. It looks like it's the pencilled illustrations before ink and color are applied, and this book deserves so much more than that. Black and white inks would have been preferable to what is presented. I'm giving this a 5 for story, but a one for art, so an overall 3.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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A Son of the Sun

author: Fabien Nury
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/14
date added: 2018/04/14
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'A Son of the Sun' by Fabien Nury with illustrations by Eric Henninot is an adaptation of stories from Jack London. I was unfamiliar with these stories, but this one was a good one.

A man named Parlay is dying, and he is putting the word out that his vast collection of pearls is going up for auction. A man named David Grief hears of it, but is told that he is not invited. The reasons for that become clear as we learn of Parlay's past and his daughter Armande. Grief has his own reasons for being there, but what is Parlay's true intention for having this auction?

It's definitely a tale of its time, with not much in the way of political correctness. There is cruelty and darkness. There are some interesting tricks along the way.

The art is quite good. It fits the story and feels like a Classics Illustrated story. I really liked the style.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Europe Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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The Adventures of Kung Fu Robot: How to Make a Peanut Butter, Jelly, and Kung Fu Sandwich

author: Jason Bays
name: Wayne
average rating: 2.77
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2018/04/14
date added: 2018/04/14
shelves: graphic-novels, children-s
review:
'The Adventures of Kung Fu Robot: How to Make a Peanut Butter, Jelly, and Kung Fu Sandwich' by Jason Bays makes me want to write my review with lots of exclamation points. That's how tiring the act of reading it was.

Kung Fu Robot is kind of a big dumb hero with a young boy named Marvin as his sidekick. Marvin tries to be the voice of reason, but Kung Fu Robot just blazes on ahead, leaving a wake of mayhem and destruction in his wake. When he decides to make the sandwich in the title, it goes missing. Ninjas have taken it and they work for Kung Pow Chicken. Kung Fu Robot goes after his sandwich with Marvin in tow. All the while, I kept wanting to yell, "just make another sandwich!"

It's loud and bombastic and has a few recurring jokes that it just pounds relentlessly. It's bright and colorful, but there are so many better kids books out there. Still, this may appeal to a certain rambunctious type of kid reader, so who am I to fault it?

I received a review copy of this ebook from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Big Nate: What's a Little Noogie Between Friends?

author: Lincoln Peirce
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.59
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/13
date added: 2018/04/13
shelves: graphic-novels, children-s
review:
'Big Nate: What's a Little Noogie Between Friends?' by Lincoln Peirce is another consistently great entry in this series.

From school picture day to losing to the worst team around, Nate's life isn't easy. There is tabletop football and teaching nerdy little bookworm Peter how to play hockey. This time around, he also has to say goodbye to Jenny as well. Will she finally actually like Nate?

I've enjoyed every one of these collections. The humor is consistent throughout the series. It's a good one for younger readers (and apparently some older ones as well).

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Batman: Detective Comics, Vol. 5: A Lonely Place of Living

author: James Tynion IV
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.02
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/13
date added: 2018/04/13
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Batman: Detective Comics, Vol. 5: A Lonely Place of Living' by James Tynion IV is a series of three stories with some interconnection. The theme seems to be how alone you can be, even on a team as amazing as this one.

Tim Drake has been missing and presumed dead. In this volume's main story, we find out what happened in a storyline that spans back and forth through time. Spoiler finds herself intrigued by an idea from Anarky that would build a new type of city underground. Meanwhile, Clayface deals with the monster that he is while trying to find a cure that would return him to being Basil Carlo all the time.

I really enjoyed all three of these stories. This Batman series has a bunch of diverse characters and they are all treated really well. I like the writing that James Tynion IV has done on this series, and I'll be sad to see him go. The art was consistently pretty good too.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Disney Pixar Manga: Wall-E

author: Shiro Shirai
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.50
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/12
date added: 2018/04/12
shelves: children-s, graphic-novels
review:
'Disney Pixar Manga: Wall-E' by Shiro Shirai is an adaptation of the Pixar movie that is pretty faithful to the original.

The story starts with an introduction to the different characters the reader will encounter. Then we meet Wall-E, the lone robot left of his type, whose job is the clean up the Earth after humans trashed it. His lone companion is a cockroach, until he meets EVE and he is instantly attracted. EVE has her own plans and they don't include Wall-E. Their adventures lead them into space where the reader finds out what happened to the humans.

After the story, there is some fun Wall-E trivia. There are also character designs and a short comic. My copy included a bonus story from the Manga: Lilo and Stitch as a back up story. I liked this presentation. The story adaptation and the art were good. The bonuses were a fun addition.

I received a review copy of this manga from Tokyopop, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.


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Casa Nostra

author: Chris Sarracini
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2018/04/07
date added: 2018/04/07
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Casa Nostra' by Chris Sarracini with art by Nick Kilislian had an interesting premise, but has a weird art style to go with such a dark story.

The story starts with way too much exposition to lead us to our main character. Abandoned by her father when she was a child, she now runs a safe house for criminals in the gangster era. When the inevitable violence happens, they have a friendly "cleaner" who can help them dispose of the bodies.

They take in a violent member of Al Capone's mob and offer to give him a new face, but his uncontrolable anger can't be contained. Now the ladies are out for revenge.

The story skips around a bit and it's confusing. The pretty dolly art doesn't fit the grittiness of the story. These are supposedly tough women, but they have to rely on men way too much. I found that disappointing. At the beginning of the story, we learn that the main character is Asian, but we never learn why that matters. It's a fact that is useless to this story. The story and art are both muddied and not friendly to the reader.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Udon Entertainment, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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CITY, 1

author: Keiichi Arawi
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.55
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2018/04/07
date added: 2018/04/07
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'City, 1' by Keiichi Arawi is the first manga I've read that had me laughing out loud at the strange characters and situations.

It all takes place in a small section of a city. Midori Nagumo owes money for her rent and her elderly landlady is after her. This sets in motion a chain of events including a restaurant punch card, a friendly policeman, a boy wearing a lucky miniskirt, and a surprising martial arts master. When it's all done, I met quite a few characters and lives in this little section of the city.

I loved the humor and the art style of this manga. A lot of times, the humor can kind of go over my head, but the ludicrous situations and the weight put on normal things made for some great comic setups.

I received a review copy of this manga from Vertical Comics, Kodansha Comics, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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War Mother

author: Fred Van Lente
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.62
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/07
date added: 2018/04/07
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'War Mother' by Fred Van Lente with art by Stephen Segovia and Tomas Giorello is the return of a character from Valiant Entertainment's 4001 A.D.

It is the distant future, and Earth is pretty uninhabitable. Humans still live on the planet alongside the other mutations that prey on them. War Mother is genetically engineered to protect her group of humans. She and her intelligent gun, nicknamed Flaco, forage for useful items. When a call from a safe haven called Montana comes in, War Mother goes to investigate.

I really liked this story and art combination. War Mother is a really interesting character and it reminded me of other futuristic titles I've liked over the years like Tank Girl and Judge Dredd.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


via Wayne's bookshelf: read https://ift.tt/2H0bQYF