Colder

author: Paul Tobin

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.03

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/12/09

date added: 2013/12/09

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

When the asylum Declan Smith was in burned down in 1941, he managed to survive in a catatonic state where he never ages, but with a very low body temperature. In our time, a nurse named Reese has taken him home to observe him and to keep her company in her lonely life. What she doesn't know is that he is tied in with a supernatural character known as Nimble Jack who feeds of the insanity of people.



When Declan awakens, the battle with Nimble Jack is on. Declan can help cure those with mental issues, but at the cost of his own dwindling body heat. When Nimble Jack threatens Reese, Declan attempts to save her, but it may cost him the rest of his body heat.



Nimble Jack is a great character, kind of similar to the Joker. Art by Juan Ferreyra is truly gruesome. The striking cover should clue you in to how gruesome the book is. Story by Paul Tobin is engaging and interesting. We don't find out why Declan is in a mental hospital in 1941, but perhaps that is for future issues.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distriburs and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/715402371?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

The Black Beetle in No Way Out

author: Francesco Francavilla

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.06

book published: 2013

rating: 5

read at: 2013/12/07

date added: 2013/12/07

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

In a great homage to pulp heroes, Francesco Francavilla's Black Beetle is a cinematic hero in a graphic novel filled with eye popping art. Panels careen around the page. Action swirls amongst sheet music. You can almost envision it as animated.



Sometime in the 1940s in Colt City, a masked hero with bulging red goggles and an array of cool gadgets fights crime. His real identity remains a secret, even from the reader. His true face is never seen.



As I mentioned, the art is the real star here. Colors are minimal, but used to maximum contrasting effect. Panel layouts and full pages are phenomenal. In notes at the end of the book, you find out that one of the key fight scenes was actually choreographed by a Hollywood fight choreographer. The whole book feels like it's in motion and would make an incredible animated feature. Recommended for the art alone.



I was given a copy of this graphic novel by 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 http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/733506007?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Hellboy: The Midnight Circus

author: Mike Mignola

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.12

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/12/05

date added: 2013/12/05

shelves: graphic-novels

review:







via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/778624841?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Judge Dredd: Year One

author: Matt Smith

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.62

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/12/04

date added: 2013/12/04

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

When juveniles start developing strange psychic abilities, it's up to a rookie Judge Dredd to figure out what's going on. The problem is the youth are extraordinarily violent, often without fully understanding what they are doing.



Dredd is teamed up with Riorden from Psi-Division to try to figure out how to stop these strange outbreaks. What they discover along the way is stranger than they could even imagine, including a possible future where these powerful kids overthrow society.



The one quibble I have is that as a newer judge, Dredd is nearly as competent as he is in later stories. There are a few miscues on his part, but not nearly as many as in other stories of this type. But it's a capable story by Matt Smith and the illustration work by Simon Coleby reminded me of all those great 2000AD stories from the 1980s that I devoured.



I was given a copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/779387477?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Red Thread Thinking: Weaving Together Connections for Brilliant Ideas and Profitable Innovations

author: Debra Kaye

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.05

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/12/03

date added: 2013/12/03

shelves: non-fiction-business

review:

Red Thread Thinking by Debra Kaye is one of the better books on innovation that I've read lately. Rather than talk about innovation and creativity as abstract concepts, there are concrete approaches here that seem to be of some benefit for business innovation.



With chapters on how to stimulate and channel creativity for best business uses, to getting out and seeing how customers are really using your products, to packaging and selling your ideas.



The overall book seems to be focused more on marketing and product research, and there is a lengthy appendix the author offers as a sample for research, but there is better quality here than in many recent books I've read and I will be recommending this book to colleagues.



I was given a review copy of this book by McGraw-Hill Professional and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me review this book.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/509352667?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

HeadTrash: Cleaning Out the Junk that Stands Between You and Success

author: Tish Squillaro

name: Wayne

average rating: 2.40

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/12/02

date added: 2013/12/02

shelves: non-fiction-business

review:

Headtrash by Tish Squillaro and Timothy I. Thomas takes a look at the things that hamper leaders from leading well. Each chapter is brief, but includes checklists, examples, and lots of encouragement for change.



Chapters cover topics like control (as in control freak), insecurity, anger, etc. Each chapter is laid out basically the same. The authors tell anecdotes about clients they've worked with that have had the particular issue. There are testimonials from business leaders, and simple guidelines to check if you are experiencing this type of headtrash and ways to dig your way out.



It's a short, somewhat simplistic book, but that doesn't mean it's not of value. If it can help someone to clear out the garbage that keeps someone from success, then it has it's merits.



I was given a review copy of this book by Greenleaf Book Group and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me review this book.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/583795628?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Thumbprint

author: Joe Hill

name: Wayne

average rating: 2.94

book published: 2012

rating: 3

read at: 2013/12/01

date added: 2013/12/01

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Mallory Grennan returns from Iraq and tries to pick up the pieces of her broken life. Someone from her past starts sending her thumbprints and she needs to find out who. The truth she finds is gruesome and revealing of who she really might be.



This is based on a short story by Joe Hill, and, while it's not as horrific as some of his other work, it has an inward darkness to it. From Mallory's confession of her past in Iraq, which she seems to have no qualms about, to the constant pressure from her boss John Petty at the VFW bar she works at, there is not a lot of hope or happiness here. The characters exist in a sort of moral ambiguity that they have justified for themselves, so the progression of the story seems like a natural finale.



Story by Joe Hill and Jason Ciaramella is dark and only gets darker. Art by Vic Malhotra is simple with vague shapes that fit the ambiguous moral nature of the story being told. I enjoyed it.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/733505971?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss