A story about what would happen if all the droids in the galaxy, regardless of affiliation, rose up against any oppressive force to make the galaxy thA story about what would happen if all the droids in the galaxy, regardless of affiliation, rose up against any oppressive force to make the galaxy their own.
It starts with Lady Qi’ra releasing a program that is supposed to help with something but then invades all robotic lifeforms and alters their programming. At this time, the Scourge arrives to take control of these robots and turn them k to a rebellious force primarily against humans. But first, they must find less fallible hosts.
It’s a horror story set against the backdrop of the Star Wars universe and resembles in many ways Kevin J. Anderson’s “Therefore I Am: The Tale of IG-88” from the Legends collection Tales of the Bounty Hunters crossed with Stranger Things 4. It’s good but I got a little lost knowing who was fighting with whom and all that. Maybe a second read sometime down the line?...more
And this we reach the end of the line for the Nailbiter and the Buckaroo Butchers. Was it a good ending? I think it would’ve been better ending at volAnd this we reach the end of the line for the Nailbiter and the Buckaroo Butchers. Was it a good ending? I think it would’ve been better ending at volume 6. Volumes 7&8 had promise but I don’t feel like they were given enough time to flesh themselves out fully. I needed more to be content. ...more
Just when things are starting to take a calm and peaceful turn for the survivors of Buckaroo, OR, it all takes an awful turn. The Buckaroo Butchers arJust when things are starting to take a calm and peaceful turn for the survivors of Buckaroo, OR, it all takes an awful turn. The Buckaroo Butchers are back? But… how? Save for the Nailbiter, who disappeared at the end of volume 6, they’re all dead. But now they’re back and exacting their vengeance on the survivors. And, as you would expect, it’s a twisted game of cat and mouse they’re all playing. But just who is the cat and who is the mouse is the question that needs to be answered here.
This book was a lot of fun and leads nicely into what I expect to be the final volume in 8 that I’m going to start in short order. It’s rare that I stick with a long series for its entire run. This one has kept me going. ...more
Jack Boniface, the “Shadowman,” is a man who straddles the line between the worlds of the living and the dead. His purpose in life is to protect the lJack Boniface, the “Shadowman,” is a man who straddles the line between the worlds of the living and the dead. His purpose in life is to protect the living world from creatures intent on crossing over and wreaking havoc on our world. And he’s good at his job. However, the barrier between these two worlds is thinning, making it easier for these creatures to penetrate and harder for Shadowman to protect.
Cullen Bunn’s writing in this book is so interesting and keeps you engaged. But when paired with Jon Davis-Hunt’s spectacular art, it’s a tour de force. I need to find book two. ...more
Hanna is a single woman in Pittsburgh who, while maybe not the best idea in the world, decides to accept an offer of a date from a man named Jacob froHanna is a single woman in Pittsburgh who, while maybe not the best idea in the world, decides to accept an offer of a date from a man named Jacob from whom she just drew blood. Literally. She’s a phlebotomist. He’s a recent widower, a successful real estate agent, and the father of a 12-year-old daughter named Joelle. Their dating quickly becomes serious, Hanna moves in, becomes a friend and confidant to Joelle, and she and Jacob soon get married. All the while, she hand writes letters to her much younger brother Gus (pronounced “Goose,” short for Gustav) detailing her new life and he writes back just as regularly as she writes him. No email or texts. Paper, pen, envelope, and stamp. Because their relationship is so special, their correspondence deserves to be as well.
Yes, Hanna has a charmed life.
Until it isn’t.
A series of events threatens to tear her idyllic life down to the studs. But Hanna won’t go down without a fight. She has that spirit about her. It’s a spirit that defined her youth. A life about which Jacob knows absolutely nothing.
While this was a very good read and I enjoyed it immensely, I have to admit that I saw the twist coming very early on. Knowing it didn’t ruin the book for me at all. In fact, it allowed me to witness with some perverse pleasure as events barreled through to their inevitable conclusion. Honestly, though, if I saw it coming, I sense many others will as well and perhaps it’s intended to be that way and my “insight” isn’t quite as insightful as I believe it to be. I’d be curious if this is the case with anyone else. Let me know. ...more
A really adorable tween novel about a domestic servant robot that, during delivery via ocean vessel, is struck by a hurricane and the robot winds up oA really adorable tween novel about a domestic servant robot that, during delivery via ocean vessel, is struck by a hurricane and the robot winds up on an uninhabited island. Busy “uninhabited,” I of course mean strictly humans. There are plenty of animals and when the robot realizes its default programming won’t allow it to understand these woodland creatures, it adapts and learns. Eventually it learns enough that it “goes native” and becomes one with nature with both positive and negative consequences.
I had to read this in time for the opening of the animated film version of the book starring the voices of Lupita Nyong’o and Pedro Pascal. While I already was looking forward to the movie, I’m anticipating it even more now. This was a fun read. ...more
Four new stories of terror that have only gotten stranger. Despite the weirdness, I was all in on volume 1. This volume, though, was all kinds of WTF.Four new stories of terror that have only gotten stranger. Despite the weirdness, I was all in on volume 1. This volume, though, was all kinds of WTF. I just didn’t get any of the stories at all and I didn’t enjoy a single one. I’m done. ...more
By this point in the game, most long-run comic series start to suck rocks. But I’m still tearing through this like it’s going out of style. Warren is By this point in the game, most long-run comic series start to suck rocks. But I’m still tearing through this like it’s going out of style. Warren is becoming a much deeper character. I really am starting to like him a lot. ...more
Nate Willner was living the dream working as an associate chef in NYC when tragedy strikes killing his sister Sara and driving him into a yearlong funNate Willner was living the dream working as an associate chef in NYC when tragedy strikes killing his sister Sara and driving him into a yearlong funk during which he moves back to his childhood home of Blackfossil, Utah. Shortly after, an uncle Nate barely knew died and leaves his home and a ton of money solely to him. When Nate goes to check out his reclusive uncle’s home, he discovers the man was a scientist working on a time travel device that transports a person back and forth to the Cretaceous period. When Nate tries it out and sees what it can do, he is suddenly inspired to start a new restaurant that would allow him to bring back meat using the time travel suit and cook it for meat-loving patrons.
The second I read the cover of this book, I knew I had to read it even though I’d never heard of it. Just an accidental happening upon at the racks of my LCS. It was everything I wanted it to be with an interesting twist at the end I never saw coming. I’m going out ASAP to pick up volume 2. ...more
Four short stories of terror in each volume all based on primal human desires. The only thing connecting them is the presence of the Ice Cream Man. AnFour short stories of terror in each volume all based on primal human desires. The only thing connecting them is the presence of the Ice Cream Man. And, yes, he’s as terrible as you’d expect from someone with such a wonderfully favorable name. Kinda looking forward to seeing him interact more with this Caleb dude. Maybe next volume. ...more
Laure Mesny’s only dream in life is to join the Paris Ballet. Dance is all she knows. She has danced her whole life to the detriment of familial relatLaure Mesny’s only dream in life is to join the Paris Ballet. Dance is all she knows. She has danced her whole life to the detriment of familial relationships and friendships outside that which is part of the ballet. But she has to work harder than almost anyone else just to be given even a modicum of consideration. She’s not a pretty little waif of a white girl like most of the girls trying to join the company. She’s black… and that’s not something that flies too readily in the ballet.
But when prima ballerina Josephine Maurier takes a shine to Laure and offers her the opportunity to make all her dreams come true, she jumps at the opportunity knowing it may be her only shot. But she really has no idea what could truly happen to her and what it means to “sell your soul,” per se.
I enjoyed it. I found it to be a thematic mix of Black Swan and The Devil’s Advocate. However, about halfway through, it starts making leaps in time that weren’t always easy to keep up with because of the introduction of new characters and quick dismissal of older ones. ...more
Cameron Murphy is a former Hollywood player who lost his job and finds himself working for The Company, a Seattle tech giant akin to something like a Cameron Murphy is a former Hollywood player who lost his job and finds himself working for The Company, a Seattle tech giant akin to something like a hybrid of Meta, Amazon, and Google. What he finds is that this job is not at all what he expects. It is nebulous, ruthless, unsustainable, and turns you into the worst version of yourself. But he is determined to make it work because his family, whom he moved from LA to Seattle for this job, is relying on him to do just that.
This is kinda like a mix of The Circle and The Social Network and The Devil Wears Prada bringing to the forefront just how awful this industry can be. It is well written, funny, snarky, and a fairly quick read. My only issue is that I felt Cameron went from hero to zero so deeply that not enough time was given to his redemption. I could’ve handled a bit more in that regard. ...more
In 1972, “Muddy Davis” was a private in the U.S. Army in Vietnam on a squad known as the Junkyard Dogs. One day, they get a new guy on their squad namIn 1972, “Muddy Davis” was a private in the U.S. Army in Vietnam on a squad known as the Junkyard Dogs. One day, they get a new guy on their squad named Joe and despite his standoffishness, they accept him. But during a firefight with the VC, Joe is burned to the point where his flesh melts off revealing a robot underneath. As odd as it may seem, they have time remaining on their mission and Joe took out several VC on his own before his incident so they continue to accept him. By the end of it all, though, every member of the squad has been killed save for Muddy who was saved by Joe before the latter disappears. While recovering in a military hospital, Muddy tries to tell people he was saved by a robot but, as would be expected, no one believes him and his doctor tells him to stow the robot talk or he’ll have to send Muddy home as a psychiatric case instead of a far simpler wartime injury victim. So he does.
Fifty years later, Muddy is an award-winning newspaper cartoonist having spent his career writing and inking a Sunday strip called Junkyard Joe about a military squad and their awkward robot squad mate. He has also convinced himself that he was hallucinating Joe in the jungle and he never saw a robot because that would be crazy.
Until one night when Joe comes knocking on his door. That’s when all hell truly breaks loose.
It’s not the most complicated storyline you’ll ever read in a graphic novel but it’s a lot of fun. Gary Frank’s artwork is great and the characters are pretty relatable. Plus there’s the promise of a future story featuring Joe in a forthcoming Mad Ghost arc so it’s worth getting to know the characters now. ...more
When Ser Duncan the hedge knight and his squire Egg enter a jousting tournament in celebration of a wedding, little do they know what misdeeds they arWhen Ser Duncan the hedge knight and his squire Egg enter a jousting tournament in celebration of a wedding, little do they know what misdeeds they are getting involved in.
It’s an okay story based on a single novella in the Dunk and Egg series by A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin. The art, however, is magnificent. But not enough so that I’ll seek out others in the series. ...more
Loading...
