Although one might get the impression that the six-issue miniseries was a gimmicky cash grab, I liked the weird combination of painted pages with the Although one might get the impression that the six-issue miniseries was a gimmicky cash grab, I liked the weird combination of painted pages with the stream-of-conscience writing by an actor playing the part of the enigmatic Riddler in The Batman film. I'm not saying that it wasn't a cash grab. It might very well have been intended to be. It probably was. I'm just saying that I liked it a great deal, and it fits well with other graphic novels (like Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum).
This is Stevan Subic's artistic debut for DC or even American comics, so one has to question the pairing of two inexperienced creatives brought together expecting alchemical gold. Clearly, I liked it although there are some misses, especially in that fifth issue. That issue is clearly a misstep in what could have been perfection in smaller doses or even spread out over the course of the entire series. A more hands-on editor would have made the entire series (especially that issue way, way, way better.
Considering that Dano played Riddler in the movie, having him write the piece felt a bit like an acting technique placed on display for the Batman fan to ooh and aah over. Here, Edward Nashton is a brilliant forensic accountant that detects discrepancies in the distribution of funds, but because he keeps his head down and tries to blend in with the regular people gets largely overlooked, except for the sharks who can always spot talent that can be exploited.
Of course, sometimes the sharks underestimate the fish they see as prey.
As many of these graphic novels generally turnout to be, this was a mixed bag, for me. I expect that somewhere in the Pattinson Batman movies, the Riddler will reclaim the Edward Nigma name or maybe not. The movies have their own continuity. However, I kind of like the idea of a universe where Riddler is a headliner over the Joker....more
I really love these graphic novels that most comic book companies have adopted as standard practice for complete stories, but they've become so populaI really love these graphic novels that most comic book companies have adopted as standard practice for complete stories, but they've become so popular that the cannon for a specific character is either retconned or ignored for the sake of a one-shot. In fact, DC Comics has an entire line of books called Elseworlds as a catchall for "we don't give a $#!+ about the cannon."
I, of course, mean that with all due respect. The art, for the format, is minimalist, very little color, in fact for a four-color medium. Why waste the high-gloss format on a book with very little color, and a predictable story, whimsical though it might be?
Clearly, I was unimpressed. This was a different Dick Grayson than the one most DC fans know. The story may be special, but completely unworthy of the format. As I read it, I thought how disappointed I was. Not that the story was weak, but that it was unworthy of the format, a much more expensive format. It felt like a money-grab, and I personally feel it was beneath DC to behave in such an uncouth and disrespectful way. Ugh!...more
Tigra: The Complete Collection TPB (trade paperback) #1 is an anthology of Marvel comic book stories about the superhero Tigra. The TPB format is a hiTigra: The Complete Collection TPB (trade paperback) #1 is an anthology of Marvel comic book stories about the superhero Tigra. The TPB format is a high gloss, upgrade, reprint of Marvel comic books meant to collect similar themed stories in a convenient book form. One of my consistent complaints is that the term "Complete" is misleading. Tigra has appeared on a few superhero teams and those issues have not been included here.
I do love the format, and have felt enlightened by the stories included, but would always prefer more. I know that Tigra has enjoyed relationships with some of her Avengers teammates: Henry Pym, Wonder Man, and Star fox. She actually currently has a son with Henry Pym, but none of that drama is included in these stories.
The collection includes: The Claws of the Cat (1972) miniseries #1-4; Marvel Team-up (1972) #8, 67, and 125; Giant-Size Creatures (1974) #1; Marvel Chillers (1976) #3-7; Marvel Two-in-One (1974) #19; Marvel Premiere (1978) #42; Tigra miniseries #1-4; and material from Monsters Unleashed (1973) #10.
Tigra was originally designed to be a feminist icon by Linda Fite and Marie Severin in the 1970s, but as her story became more convoluted and complicated some of those story elements were lost. She was the passive spouse of a police officer killed in the line of duty, who had attended college, but married the cop before graduating. When she tried to find work after her husband's death, she found that most of the jobs for women were actually secretarial in nature and she wanted to continue as a lab assistant.
She managed to become the lab assistant of her former professor who was developing a formula that enhanced feline abilities. You can guess what happens next. Along with those abilities, she then begins to investigate the death of her husband. Thus begins the adventurous life of Greer Grant Nelson aka Tigra. Fun graphic novel, with beautiful artwork, lush color and just a high-class work....more
I usually begin my reviews with caveats as to why I'm rating and reviewing something a certain way. I think it is especially important when rating somI usually begin my reviews with caveats as to why I'm rating and reviewing something a certain way. I think it is especially important when rating something that might include some people's sacred cows such as the JSA (Justice Society of America) seems to be for some fans, that I write this with transparency and sensitivity.
I have never been a fan of the JSA, although I have read occasional JSA and All Stars comic books in the past. I only decided to read the TPB because I have enjoyed the Stargirl TV show and wanted some background on the characters: Starman / Stargirl, Hour-Man, Wildcat, Atom, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Spectre, and Sandman. This was very different from the TV show.
The trade paperback before me is a compilation of snippets from the 75-year history of the Justice Society of America. Small problem, the history being shared is that of an alternate world, Earth-2, with more alternate Earths included along the way. Then the Justice League crosses over a great deal, almost completely dominating the first half of the TPB, which seems to predicate its entire existence on the Justice League? It's not clear. The JSA are supposed to be Golden Age and the JLA are Silver Age.
The snippets being offered do not give complete stories so what you're getting is really just a hodge podge of incomplete story arcs. Since I never followed the comics, I was mostly lost. Lastly, when I read the title, my thought was that this was supposed to be a "Celebration," usually a joyous event where the best of the magazine's run is underscored. That did not happen.
I think a better way to have given readers a taste, would have been to reprint a complete story arc complete with an introduction to the villains and a wrap-up. What the reader received is some fascinating tidbits, but almost joyless, perfunctory noise. My two cents. Sorry....more
Civil War was a Marvel event series of comics that occurred in 2006 - 2007. The event was supposed to try to convey a storyline that would flow througCivil War was a Marvel event series of comics that occurred in 2006 - 2007. The event was supposed to try to convey a storyline that would flow through all of the Marvel Comic books line in the hopes of increasing the readership of lesser read titles. To that end, some of those lesser-known superheroes contributed significantly to the story.
After successfully accomplishing some of Marvel's goals, the Civil War series was packaged into some really gorgeous trade paperbacks, hardcovers, and graphic novels. This prose novel is based on that event and touches upon some of the themes made prevalent by Mike Millar and other writers and artists which helped to provide a high-quality product to actualize that content.
After a significant occurrence that results in the deaths of a group of young superheroes and children, Tony Stark suggests that superhero registration might be a resolution to the current problem. The superhero community divides with some finding registration an acceptable compromise and others considering it an unbearable breach of privacy to be made to forego the protection of a secret identity.
Worst, Captain America and Ironman, two of the longest standing Avengers become the opposing faces of the disparate factions that will sow the seeds of division throughout the entire Marvel Universe. Even the Fantastic Four, the first family of comics, will be affected.
I liked the story. I found the disparate arguments compelling. I'm not sure I agree with the resolution, and I found myself pausing to research some of the characters of which I was unfamiliar. The rating is a solid 4 stars....more
Rom was the first comic book I collected from the first to the end, issue #1 to issue #75, along with 4 double sized Annuals. The writing was surprisiRom was the first comic book I collected from the first to the end, issue #1 to issue #75, along with 4 double sized Annuals. The writing was surprisingly good that I just kept picking up each issue. On those rare occasions I missed an issue for lack of funds, I would ride around searching distinct comic shops to find back issues and put them on hold.
Bill Mantlo never received a lot of credit for his work. Clearly, he had a talent for writing action, adventure, melodrama, and Rom was the perfect way to highlight that skill. He wrote every issue and was deemed worthy of other assignments that he completed with aplomb. His career was cut short by a hit and run driver that left him mentally impaired.
As for Rom, he became greatest of the Space Knights when his planet Galador was attacked by the Dire Wraiths, a race of shapeshifters that intended to conquer Galador. Rom was the first of a thousand to volunteer to don the armor of a Space Knight. When they turned away the Wraiths, the Space Knights decided to continue to seek out the Dire Wraiths until making the race extinct.
The comic books included in this collection run from Rom issue #1 to #29 along with Powerman and Iron Fist #73. Sal Buscema did a fantastic job with the art and Greg LaRocque with others filled in when necessary. These stories all revolve around the Wraiths attacking Earth. The X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, Jack of Hearts, and Nova all guest star. Even Galactus and Terrax have a visit.
Clearly, I was a fan. Re-reading these stories fulfilled a certain sense of nostalgia. You forget how much these comics mean to you. There are memories tied to our collective libraries, and this one was especially important to me....more
Since the 70s up to and including as recently as the early 2000s, Aquaman has had the unfortunate reputation to be relegated to a second-tier level stSince the 70s up to and including as recently as the early 2000s, Aquaman has had the unfortunate reputation to be relegated to a second-tier level status despite being an original founding member of the Justice League. Some might even say relegating him to a second tier is overly generous. I like Aquaman, so D-list might be as low as I would go. The costume change was a mistake, except when he lost his hand and looked very much like an oceanic Norse god. Much of the attempts to restore him have failed.
The Aquaman: 80 Years of the King of the Seven Seas Vol. 1: The Deluxe Edition trade paperback endeavors to not only serve as a reminder of Aquaman as a legitimate metahuman superhero, but also highlight some of the ridiculous deviations that have hindered the characters success. Included in this anthology are cherry-picked transformational event stories that have resulted in a maturing vision of Aquaman.
There are way too many artists and writers to mention, that have contributed to the mythos: some not even included in this compilation (like John Byrne), but there are others that I will take note of such as: Mort Weisinger, Otto Binder, Neal Pozner, Peter David, Paul Levitz, Keith Giffen, G. Willow Wilson, Geoff Johns, and Dan Abnett. As for artists, I make special mention of: Paul Norris, Ramona Fradon, Jim Aparo, Mike Grell, Curt Swan, and Stjepan Sejic.
The TPB (trade paperback) itself is a gorgeous, high-gloss paper, work that was designed to capitalize on the movie release, but honestly as a fan, I was surprised that the stories were really designed to be more finger food than a massive meal-sized story. My preference would have been more one epic involving several of Aquaman's rogue's gallery, and an attack on Atlantis. Still, I clearly enjoyed it....more
As of 2024, the last volume of Wolverine Omnibus is Volume 4 with Larry Hama given cover credit as the main writer of the Wolverine monthly Marvel ComAs of 2024, the last volume of Wolverine Omnibus is Volume 4 with Larry Hama given cover credit as the main writer of the Wolverine monthly Marvel Comics title. In all fairness, Wolverine would from time to time be published along with Marvel Comics Presents as a bi-weekly title.
The anthology includes: the Wolverine (1988) #60 - 75, Wolverine: Inner Fury (Graphic Novel or GN), Wolverine: Killing (GN), Wolverine: Global Jeopardy (GN), Wolverine and the Punisher: Damaging Evidence #1 - 3, Sabretooth (1993) #1 - 4, Spider-man / Punisher / Sabretooth: Designer Genes, X-Men (1991) #25, Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #109 - 142, and Marvel Holiday Special (1991) #2.
The book begins with a haunted Wolverine who due to the loss of another of his loves has begun to spiral down a maelstrom of depression where he self-indulgently begins to perseverate on other women who have lost their lives as a consequence of loving the adamantium wielding mutant with the healing factor. What follows is a 1000-page slugfest that knits a very bleak tale laced with some of Marvel's most popular heroes and villains.
The anthology is as great as the previous volumes, but there is an alteration of tone that is dark, shadowed, and heavy. Whereas earlier volumes emphasized Wolverine's joie de vivre (smoking, drinking, partying with women), Wolverine says he has to stop smoking and speaks about feeling his age. Wolverine has turned fuddy duddy. He sounds like me in my curmudgeon moments and that makes me sad.
Still, the writing remains strong; some of the artwork is fantastic (although emphasis is placed on the word "some"). The characters generally behave the way they're supposed to although as the collection draws to a close, a pall of tragic epiphany overshadows the climax to such an extent that the dénouement required tears as payment for resolution. Clearly, I loved it....more
The Wolverine Omnibus collections are an attempt by the Marvel Comics editors to compile all of the stories that included Wolverine / Logan throughoutThe Wolverine Omnibus collections are an attempt by the Marvel Comics editors to compile all of the stories that included Wolverine / Logan throughout the vast Marvel universe in a trade paperback format and re-market essentially reprinted material with glossy paper, and higher production. Although one might call it a cash-grab capitalizing on the mainstream popularity of the character, Marvel does it for a lot of characters. Transparent as it may be the marketing works.
I love these collections, and the format. As a reader of comic books, you follow certain characters throughout their titles. Wolverine has one monthly title, but his popularity requires that he guest star in at least one monthly title, while having a monthly feature in Marvel Comics Presents. Sometimes, the titles change their distribution seemingly at random. Marvel Comics Presents goes bi-weekly at certain times of the year. It can be quite costly to follow a character.
The Omnibus collections make the curating process easier for people that just want to read specific stories about specific characters. Here, the editorial team collects the Wolverine (1988) title #31-59, Wolverine: Bloody Choices (1991) graphic novel, Wolverine: Rahne of Terra (1991) TPB (trade paperback), Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness (1991) TPB, X-Men (1991) #4-7; and material from Marvel Fanfare (1982) #54-55, and Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #85-108.
Larry Hama and Marc Silvestri receive the credit on the cover as the creative team of Wolverine at the time, but needless to say numerous artists and writers contributed to the comics included in this anthology. Also, as the third volume in the Omnibus series, the earlier history of the character is covered in earlier volumes.
As usual, although Logan may be the major protagonist, the X-Men, Nick Fury, Ghost Rider, the New Mutants, X-Force, and the Punisher all get to adventure with our MC. He faces numerous villains: Nightmare, Sabretooth, Cylla, Fenris, Mojo, Omega Red, the Hand, and a host of others.
Wolverine is not my favorite Marvel superhero, but clearly many fans love the anti-hero demeanor that Logan wears as a facade. There is way more "heart" in these stories than one would expect. Consequently, as I've read these stories, I understand his appeal. The character has a code, but there are times he lets his hair down so to speak and goes on adventures that are a little less earth shattering, world threatening important.
He can kick back with a beer and get stupid like the rest of us, and he's not afraid of anything, because his bones are laced with adamantium (a well-nigh unbreakable metal) and he has a healing factor that keeps him young and healthy. Damn, you have to envy a guy like that....more
The Wolverine Omnibus, Vol. 2, Hardcover edition is an absolutely gorgeous collection of Marvel Comics' Wolverine stories. Beginning with the cover, dThe Wolverine Omnibus, Vol. 2, Hardcover edition is an absolutely gorgeous collection of Marvel Comics' Wolverine stories. Beginning with the cover, drawn by Jim Lee, thick, glossy stock pages, variant covers by John Byrne, and Barry Windsor Smith, the interior art has a number of Marvel all-star artists including John J. Muth, Howard Chaykin, John Buscema, Mike Mignola, Gene Colan and frankly way too many to mention.
I'm not saying that every artist is an all-star: God forgive me, but Rob Liefeld has zero understanding of anatomy and perspective. The writers are pretty darn good too: Walt and Louise Simonson, Archie Goodwin, Marv Wolfman, and Peter David. You get the picture.
The stories range from one-shot graphic novel stories like from Wolverine / Nick Fury: The Scorpio Connection (1989), Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure (1990), and Wolverine: Bloodlust (1990). There is also the Havok and Wolverine: Meltdown (1988) complete miniseries included in all its painted goodness.
Other stories are curated from the Wolverine (1988) comic book, issues #11 - 30, and the feature stories from Marvel Comics Presents (1988) issues #38 - 71. You get incredible espionage stories, as well as Wolverine's time in Madripoor as the enigmatic Patch.
If you love the character, this is the perfect collection for you. I'm not a Wolverine fanboy, and even I loved this collection. I think the character is intriguing. The stories are not all perfect, but there are actual attempts at cohesion. There are hiccups in the stories and art: Rob Liefeld, ugh! Yet, this is the second Wolverine Omnibus, and I fully intend to read the third. Again, I prefer Batman, Spider-man, and a host of others before this guy, but Wolverine is friggin fascinating....more
In 1974, little did they know that they were creating a character that would become so popular that he would necessarily traipse through all of the MaIn 1974, little did they know that they were creating a character that would become so popular that he would necessarily traipse through all of the Marvel Comics line of books just to boost sales because whenever he would guest star, more comics would be sold. Created by the team of Roy Thomas, Len Wein, and John Romita Sr. for the Uncanny X-Men, it was Herb Trimpe that first drew Wolverine for two Incredible Hulk issues. Those two issues put Wolverine on the map.
This gorgeous Omnibus hardcover anthology is not just a compilation of the earliest issues containing our short berserker friend. It also traces the complex, and nuanced character he became. Most of the writing for those issues originated in the creative mind of Christopher Claremont, but there were other writers allowed their hand at using the dwarven mutant with the incredible healing factor, and the adamantium skeleton. And let's not forget those claws.
Included inside: Marvel Comics Presents #1 - 10, 72 - 84; Incredible Hulk #180 - 182, 340; Marvel Treasury Edition #26; Best of Marvel Comics HC; Wolverine (1982) #1-4, (1988) #1-10; Kitty Pryde and Wolverine #1-6; Spider-Man vs. Wolverine #1; Marvel Age Annual #4; and Punisher War Journal #6-7. Some of the artists: Barry Windsor Smith, Frank Miller, Paul Smith, Al Milgrom, John Buscema Sr., Mike Zeck, Al Williamson, and Todd McFarlane.
Some of the villains: Wendigo, Silver Samurai, Viper, the Hand, Roughhouse, and Bloodsport. The action sequences throughout are entertaining. The exposition is one of Claremont's strengths, with a concentration in pathos and agony. Wonderful, and beguiling; perfectly escapist....more
The Superman created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joel Schuster bears very little resemblance to the modern version of the Man of Steel. The costume waThe Superman created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joel Schuster bears very little resemblance to the modern version of the Man of Steel. The costume was different and even though he was always an alien come to earth, he was steadfastly an American hero sharing American values. He had yet to encounter any supervillain remotely capable of taking him on physically or even mentally, for that matter.
Superman: The Golden Age, Vol. 2 anthologizes Action Comics #20 - 31; Superman #4 - 7, and New York World's Fair Comic #2. The issues introduce: The Daily Planet (up until now Lois and Clark have been working at the Daily Star), Perry White is their boss (as if he has always been their boss), and red-haired Lex Luthor, who behaves like a silly mad scientist.
The stories are generally considered redundant, because they follow specific tropes that hamper the creative process that otherwise might flow from having such freedom. For instance, Lois Lane is used as a pest who is constantly in danger due to her curiosity. She gets captured and Superman must rescue her in almost every issue. In fact, there is one issue in this series, where Lois gets captured, is freed by Superman, only to return to the situation, get captured a second time, and have to get rescued again by Superman.
The villains are generally gangsters, although occasionally there's a mad scientist thrown in for minimal variety, but even when a mad scientist is the leader, his henchmen are generally. . . you guessed it - - gangsters. The stories are mostly trite, although there's an aspect of social consciousness involved.
Overall, I consider reading the trade paperback a net positive although there are a number of complaints. The reading of Superman stories is a slice of classic Americana almost 100 years in the making, and I feel fortunate enough to be able to read them. Four stars for The Golden Age Superman....more
I hate to admit it but, I have owned this classic novel for quite some time without reading it because I was worried that it might be bad. I mean, letI hate to admit it but, I have owned this classic novel for quite some time without reading it because I was worried that it might be bad. I mean, let's be honest, Baroness Emmuska Orczy doesn't have the name recognition of Alexandre Dumas or Gaston Leroux. When my best friend had it on his list of Top Fifty Classic works, I thought I might laugh. I didn't want to burst his bubble, but I finally took a gander, and OMG! Is this the first superhero? He is certainly one of the first with a secret identity and everything. The writing is interesting, action-oriented, and actually quite mesmerizing.
The novel is a period-drama, reflecting the Reign of Terror that occurred after the French Revolution, when the populace attempted to revenge themselves with the deaths of all nobles, young and old, male and female. The Scarlet Pimpernel and his secret league were smuggling aristocrats out of France and into England, saving lives. Needless to say, the French government was incensed by the actions of this hero, attempted to cease the action by naming Chauvelin and several lieutenants to arrest the Scarlet Pimpernel, and disrupt his confederates.
Along the way, there is a decent amount of swashbuckling, some definite romance (maybe a tad overboard for a dude) (I mean to actually kiss the ground. . . no guy with any self-respect. . .), strong suspense, a chase scene that was very climactic, but also an anti-climactic ending. It's satisfying, but it lacked that final fight scene. The writing is surprisingly readable for a classic, and the storytelling is indeed riveting.
I'm not sure if the masked hero trope begins here, but if it does: it's a damn fine starting point. This is more of a 4 and a half stars read, but I'm OK rounding up despite the anti-climactic ending. Orczy was establishing a series, and so I'm accepting of the fact that some things need to stay open-ended when creating a continuing hero with a continuing villain. (The Joker is rarely captured after every issue of the Batman comic book.)...more
If you were to read this gorgeous trade paperback collection of early Superman stories (the earliest of Superman stories from 1938) you would struggleIf you were to read this gorgeous trade paperback collection of early Superman stories (the earliest of Superman stories from 1938) you would struggle to relate to this hero. He only looks like our modern superhero in the most superficial way. The artwork is archaically cartoonish. The writing is somewhat dated with minimal characterization, but to my mind, understandable due to page restrictions.
I loved it despite the drastic differences between the storytelling style of then to now. Also, in this anthology, one might be shocked at the fact that Superman is so passionate about the things that he does that he sometimes has little regard for the villain's health or even life. This Superman gets so angry that he throws an abusive husband off of a building.
There are no supervillains throughout the first 12 issues. In fact, if one were to examine those first issues of Action Comics, one would note that Superman is focused on the societal woes of the time period: spousal abuse due to poverty, munitions manufacturing, poor working conditions, gambling, juvenile delinquency due to neighborhood impoverishment, prisoner abuse in a jail, attempted suicide, and even child welfare and homelessness.
Lois Lane is not the wonderfully capable reporter she becomes. In fact, she can't stand Clark Kent, who works at the Daily Star with Lois. Perry White is nowhere to be found. He might be at the Daily Planet. No Jimmy Olson, but despite everything I'm saying, I loved this historical slice of Americana.
The collection includes all of the Superman stories of Action Comics #1-19, Superman #1-3, and the New York World's Fair Comic #1. Noteworthy should be that during the late thirties all the way up to the seventies in fact, most comic books included more than one story, with disparate heroes occupying the back pages. A final word should include the writer and the artist, Siegel and Schuster. The stories were intriguing, and the art was revolutionary for its day, and even for this day and age, the stories were still relevant, aspirational, and fun. The art kept me riveted and entertained. I might want to read more of these....more
I recently found some of these DC Special Digests warehoused in my Dad's garage, where we stored stuff from a failed comic shop 30 years ago. I remembI recently found some of these DC Special Digests warehoused in my Dad's garage, where we stored stuff from a failed comic shop 30 years ago. I remember actually buying these when I was 15 years old. They were affordable (95 cents) and they fit in your back pocket: 100 pages of reprinted classic fun. Later, when I could grab these for the store, well, I bought way more than I should have.
Here, the reader gets the opportunity to experience a collection of some of the iconic Legion of Super-Heroes stories written and illustrated by some comic book legends like Otto Binder, Jim Shooter, Edmond Hamilton, Al Plastino, John Forte, Curt Swan, George Klein, Dick Giordano and others. Of particular interest is the first ever Legion story which highlighted Superboy's loneliness as a superhero. He had no contemporary in the early years (1938).
The best story of the bunch is a story written by Jim Shooter and runs half the book (about 50 pages.) It entails a threat to 30th century Earth, and requires the Legion to enlist the assistance of the Fatal Five group of supervillains to help the five remaining heroes on Earth. (All the other Legionnaires are occupied elsewhere in the galaxy.)
The collection is pretty good, despite the fact that it only focuses on a few of the Legion, when there are easily 40 that we could have read about. In any case, I love the Legion, and these bite-sized digests filled me with such nostalgia, I couldn't be objective if my life depended on it. It's too short, but otherwise, a boatload of fun....more
The Angel Experiment is a middle-of-the-road, adventure fiction, that reads like a 1980s Uncanny X-Men comic book. I would add that it probably reads The Angel Experiment is a middle-of-the-road, adventure fiction, that reads like a 1980s Uncanny X-Men comic book. I would add that it probably reads as a less sophisticated Chris Claremont title because those books were the apex of the mythology.
Here, there's a "family" of laboratory-created children that are winged flyers (like Angel, from said X-Men,) who escaped from their "school." Apparently, there are other genetically altered creatures from the lab, pursuing the children called Erasers. These are wolf-like hunters that metamorph into lupine form whenever they wish to ravage their prey. There seems to be an ongoing animosity between the protagonist avian characters and the antagonist lupine ones.
When the avian runaways find their adopted home made uninhabitable, they must alter the strategy of running and hiding into something much more proactive if they are to ever find peace. This is really just the beginning of the story and does more to set up the larger series than it seeks to resolve a first act, hence why I chose to call it down the middle. It's fun, but I feel like I already enjoyed this tale in Marvel's mutant comic books.
This is my first James Patterson, so I find myself unimpressed, but since I also know that he's written things that are more sophisticated, I will not hold this piece against him. Still, you would think that I could detect writing chops in something so clearly Saturday morning cartoon....more
Clearly, when I purchased the book, I understood that I would be reading a satirical, science fiction novel building on the Jane Austen classic. I expClearly, when I purchased the book, I understood that I would be reading a satirical, science fiction novel building on the Jane Austen classic. I expected to laugh, and although there were a few chuckles, there were really not enough to warrant such a slog. (Four hundred pages rarely feel like a slog to me, but here the story dragged.)
I feel the plot was respectful of the source material in the beginning, but somewhere in the telling of a science fiction narrative, the exposition was so rambling that the tale became over-complicated. There are interesting touches by Campbell, (the weaving of superheroes into a British Regency story immediately comes to mind,) but I fail to understand why the characters needed to be superheroes. The novel is essentially a space opera modeled after Star Trek, Space 1999, or Babylon Five.
For lovers of science fiction, space operas are great in and of themselves. We don't need extra stuff, but here, Campbell is trying to write an X-Men in Space novel, and that really wouldn't look like a space opera (even if modeled after a British Regency novel.) I liked the work enough to finish and to acquire the second novel of the trilogy, but honestly I could not see myself giving this more than two stars. After reading book two, I may revisit this rating. I hope this was helpful....more
Last year, I read Kami Garcia's take on Teen Titans: Raven and loved it because it was clear that Garcia loved the character. Gabriel Picolo's beautifLast year, I read Kami Garcia's take on Teen Titans: Raven and loved it because it was clear that Garcia loved the character. Gabriel Picolo's beautiful artwork was perfectly complementary to Garcia's writing. This time, they have taken on Beast Boy (who apparently is Picolo's favorite Titan), and it is evident in the art.
In this graphic novel, there is a deliberate retelling of Beast Boy's origin story with some major deviations. According to García, Marv Wolfman, the former writer of the Teen Titans, told her to make the characters her own, which she has not failed to do. In fact, the partnership between Garcia and Picolo has served to inject a freshness to the book that it hasn't seen since the 1980s.
Although Raven does not appear in the book, it is clear that the follow-up will pair the two heroes in a romance that existed in the previous incarnation. There were color motifs that resonated in the previous graphic novel and in this one. I wonder how they will play in the next one. Even so, for a fresh, new, YA start to the Teen Titans, this is a great gateway to enjoying the Teen Titans all over again....more
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