Non-fiction mini-reviews: Super Freakonomics and Under the Banner of Heaven

Super Freakonomics

Written by: Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

Published: 2009

My thoughts: If you've watched Orange is the New Black you'll remember the scene where Big Boo comforts Pennsatucky about the children she aborted by citing a study which linked the Wade V Roe case on abortion with the drop in crime 20 years later. I first heard about that link when I caught a snippet of the Freakonomics documentary and after rewatching it with Tom last year I decided I should read the actual book. We don't own the first Freakonomics book, but for some reason we do read the second (which was probably for the best since I hadn't heard of any of the studies/stories that were in this one). The book really is fascinating and super-consumable - I finished it in one afternoon only breaking to run over to Tom and tell him about the latest chapter. I found the "why suicide bombers should buy life insurance" pretty problematic because it seemed like it was essentially just racial profiling with the fancy guise of economic patterning thrown over the top, but the other stories - especially the creative approaches to global cooling - were all creative, funny and fascinating.

Under the Banner of Heaven

Written by: Jon Krakauer

Published: 2003

My thoughts: I'm conflicted with how I feel about this book. On the one hand I really love the way Krakauer writes, he has drawn me into so many stories that I don't know I would necessarily find interesting or engaging otherwise. And when he writes about the Lafferty brothers, two brothers who killed their other brother's wife and child because of a 'calling from god', I felt that same sort of pull in his writing. However amidst the story of the Laffertys Krakauer sets out to tell the history of the Mormon church and explain why there are so many fundamentalist splinter groups. This is where I struggled. I am sure there are people who will find this interesting but the history sections, whether it was the content or Krakauer's writing I don't know, just bored me. That said, I am glad I read this book. I have never really known much about the Mormon faith and the short and turbulent history Krakauer paints really lays the ground for the extremist fundamental Mormon groups that spring up every so often. It also gives a side of American history that I don't often hear, and it's amazing to think how lawless* the US was until recently. So read it? I really don't know if it was that Krakauer was tackling too big a project for a book this length and his writing suffered or if the subject just wasn't enough to engage me. If you've read it, I'd love to hear what you thought.



*In the sense that there wasn't a great deal of unification or concrete army/police forces which led to a lot of chaos,

mini-reviews: Redshirts, Storm Front, Carry On and Flowers for Algernon

Redshirts 

Written by: John Scalzi

Published: 2012

My thoughts: This was a book I'd heard a lot about over the years since it was published. Some good, some bad but almost everyone commented on just how nerdy it was. And nerdy it is, it is an incredibly meta joke about Star Trek and the unfortunate role the 'redshirts' play within that series. If you don't have a bit of a history with Star Trek and the preponderance of quick and sudden deaths for newly introduced characters on the show (which series? Take your pick) then I don't think you'll get much joy out of the book. And even being in on the joke as I was, it did feel like the meta jokes took precedence over actual narrative flow and structure at times. Overall I enjoyed the book and had fun reading it, but like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies I did feel a bit like the joke had run its course about 100 pages in.

Storm Front (Dresden Files #1)

Written by: Jim Butcher

Published in: 2000

My thoughts: I actually read this ages ago, but never got around to finishing a review for it. It's a lot of fun, it's about a modern day magician living in Chicago and working as a P.I. Harry Dresden is sarcastic, grumpy and a little bit incompetent, but also clearly was a much better person and magician at an earlier point in his life (we learn a little about this as the book goes on). There's a lot of rules to how magic is used in this particular world and it's governed by a magical community who stamp down pretty heavily on anyone with a history using black magic, as Dresden once did. This makes Dresden's life and career very tricky when a murder is committed and it looks to both the magical and non-magical communities as though Dresden is the prime suspect. I do intend to read some more of these books, apparently they get really good from about book 7. That doesn't exactly sound like a ringing endorsement of the next 6 books I have to get through, but if they're at least at the quality of this first novel I think they'll be interesting enough to take along on holidays or long rides on the train.

Carry On

Written by: Rainbow Rowell

Published: 2015

My Thoughts: I'm a little scared to say (in front of all of you, my fellow RR fans) that I wasn't too excited for Carry On. Fangirl was easily my least favourite of Rainbow's books so I wasn't sure that this book would deliver anything I was after. I was pleasantly surprised. I probably won't head back to reread it like I will Attachments or Eleanor and Park, but I found it funny, heartwarming, compelling and narratively sound (which sounds douche-y, but considering it was essentially Drarry fan-fiction I wasn't sure it would really stand up as a story of its own). I liked this a lot more than the extracts in Fangirl led me to believe I would enjoy it, so my sincerest apologies to Rainbow for daring to doubt her.

Flowers for Algernon

Written by: Daniel Keyes

Published: 1958

My thoughts: Though I hadn't read Flowers for Algernon before last October, I knew the story pretty well and as  there were at least 2 shows  (It's Always Sunny, The League) last year which spoofed the concept, I figured it was time I read the source material. Flowers is fairly short but it hooked me in from the start. Telling the story of a man with below average intelligence the book is written from his perspective literally, taking an epistolary approach to tell Charlie's story as he undergoes surgery and testing to increase his intelligence. You end up incredibly close to Charlie because of the way it is written and it is a real gut punch to interpret things about his life that he's never been able to recognise because of his intelligence and general innocence. It's a very simple story but the takeaway is huge and immensely emotional.

February in Review

BOOKS:

What I Read:

Books:
*The Supergirls; Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy and the History of Comic Book Heroines by Mike Madrid (my review)
*The Returned by Jason Mott

Stats:
100% male / 0% female
100% American / 0% International
50%white/ 50%POC
0% ebook / 50% audiobook / 50% physical
50% fiction / 50% non-fiction


It's very easy to get either amazing or terrible stats when you only read two books! On the one hand this is probably one of my highest months (stats wise) for POC reads, but it's also terrible for female or international respresentation. But what are you going to do? Maybe it was because it was a pretty busy month (made busier by the sudden requirement to move) but I really dragged my feet blog-wise this month. I struggled to get any of my reviews from last month written and I made barely any progress with my reading. Hopefully I manage to bump myself out of this funk in March or I'll have to return a whole bunch of books to the library unread (which is the worst, it feels like book abuse).

FILMS:

What I saw:

*Jupiter Ascending - directed by the Wachowski siblings. Starring Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Eddie Redmayne
*Kingsman - directed by Matthew Vaughn. Starring Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson
*Big Eyes - directed by Tim Burton. Starring Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz

Ugh, not a great month for films. Thank god I watched First Wives Club on DVD.  Jupiter Ascending is, wow, so bad. Like actually offensively dumb. It's such a pity because visually/effects wise it's top notch. If only they put as much attention and care into their titular character as they did the designs of the ships. It crosses into the category of great-bad movie a lot, but the action sequences are so dull and Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis have so little chemistry that I recommend leaving it until it comes out on DVD. Even then you should accompany it with copious amounts of alcohol. Kingsman was mostly fun and Taron Egerton is a delight, but it was a solidly B movie for me. It was fine and I laughed a lot (also swooned at Colin Firth in his amazing suits) but I don't know that it'd hold up to a repeat watch. And Big Eyes ... *sigh* I wanted to like it, I really did, but I just found it incredibly dull. I feel awful because I really love it when Tim Burton branches away from his Johnny Depp aesthetic but I could not get into it.

LIFE:

I had my final seminar on Friday and it went well! That means I'm on the home stretch for finishing my PHD! The finish line is finally in sight. It's been a long 3 years you guys. On another front, I'm moving! Not far, just to a new house but hey, any adventure is good adventure right? Tom and i have been in our little home for 4 years but a couple of things came together and made it pretty clear it was time for us to move on. I am hating packing boxes (uggggh books I love you and i hate you) but I'm excited! And that's really about it (are pressing phd deadlines and moving not enough for you people?!),  oh except that I started an 8 week challenge last week at my gym and i hate my life. Haha. How is everyone else treading so far?

Graphic Novel mini-reviews #30

Saga (volume 2)

Written by: Brian K. Vaughan; illustrated by: Fiona Staples

Published: 2013

My thoughts: I'm finally reading Saga again! After the first volume I decided to quit it for awhile, not because I didn't enjoy it but because sometimes the pain of waiting for the next issue is just TOO MUCH. It took me a few pages to recall what happened in volume 1 (which apparently I never reviewed?) but once I got back into the rhythm of it, I was back in a big way. This series is, sort of, space Romeo and Juliet, at least in the sense that the two main characters (who loooove each other) are from two warring species and their togetherness and the procreation of their teeny tiny adorable baby is causing major problems.  Except in this volume these problems are magnified when Marko's parents and ex arrive on the scene (separately, and with very different intentions). It's hard to know where the series is going to go, other than forward and away from the people who wish this trio harm, but I'm enjoying the great writing and art nonetheless.

Fables: Sons of Empire (9)

Written by: Bill Willingham; illustrated by: Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Andrew Pepoy, Gene Ha, Joshua Middleton, Inaka Miranda, Mike Allred.

Published: 2007

My Thoughts: This volume is a bit of a placeholder. It lays the groundwork for the upcoming Fabletown war and provides a little insight into the Adversary's war council but most of the volume is actually short 1-3 page stories featuring a bunch of the fables characters that has very little, if anything, to do with the war. I could imagine this being annoying to some, especially with the war teasers at the top of the volume, but I really liked the vignette style glimpses into life as a Fable. It's nice to see what life is like for them away from the calamitous fears of war and sadness over their lost homelands.

Princess Ugg (Volume 1)

Written by: Ted Naifeh; Illustrated by: Warren Wucinich

Published: 2014

My Thoughts: Princess Ulga finds herself completely out of her element when she leaves her mountain home to attend a princess finishing school. Gone are the battle axes and war helmets and in their place instead are musical instruments and princess gowns. While she knows she needs to attend the school if her mother's wish for her family to find peace with the frost giants is to be accomplished, she's alone and lonely and ridiculed by her fellow princesses. There is a lot to like about this book, like none of the princesses bar one are you standard blonde, white Sleeping Beauty type. There's the beautiful watercolour art used for flashbacks or dream sequences. And there's Ulga (or Ugg as the other princesses call her) who accepts herself in spite of being completely different, is freakin' ripped and determined to make princess school work. That said, I'm not totally sold on the series. There are some moments where the story lags or the writing is a little awkward, so I think I'll wait to get volume 2 from my library before decided whether I'll proceed or not.

Graphic Novel Mini-Review #29

Fatale: The Devil's Business (2)

Written by: Ed Brubaker; illustrated by: Sean Phillips

Published: 2013

My Thoughts: Ah Brubaker, you've done it again. Volume 2 of Fatale takes place in the late 1970s so it isn't quite as noir-ish as the first volume, nor is it quite as mysterious. This volume gives us a much closer look at Jo, our ageless captivating fatale, although she's still as much of a closed book as she was in volume 1. She finds herself caught in a seedy situation when an actor and his ex (now dealer) sneak into her backyard after running away from a crime scene. It turns out that Jo has a past connection to the Mason-esque cult church that the two are running from and as the volume continues it gets messier and murkier and hints at Jo's mysterious past. I loved having a bit more of her perspective this volume even if there is still so much to learn before the series ends. Just as she entrances every man she comes into contact with, I found myself captivated in the sadness that surrounds her. Where has she been? What has she seen? The art beautifully compliments the mood of the comic, although there are times where secondary characters are hard to distinguish from one another.

My Friend Dahmer

Written and Illustrated by: Derf Backderf

Published: 2012

My Thoughts: I think this might be the first non-comic series comic I've read in awhile. Tom's brother bought it for us for Christmas and I eagerly read through a couple of days later. The subject of the comic is fascinating for a couple of reasons. First and most obviously, it's a look at Jeffrey Dahmer before he was the Jeffrey Dahmer who murdered and raped and ate people. Second, it's fascinating in its complete dullness. Dahmer is a strange guy, for sure, but what high school didn't have the guy who put on weird voices or seemed to be dealing with his own hidden demons? As much as Backderf exclaims over his disbelief that no teachers ever took Dahmer aside or spoke to his parents, I'm not sure there was ever enough, judging off this comic, to really write home about. While Backderf paints a sad tale of a boy who grew up without much love or attention in a tiny town of few distractions and old-fashioned morals which made it difficult to come out as gay, what really hit me was that Dahmer could have been so many people I knew growing up. I knew people who smoked too much pot and drank themselves into comas every weekend. I saw people walk around our high school campus without ever really seeming to fit in or even wanting to. I knew people who struggled with coming out as gay, who battled with their parents or who were hurt by their parents disapproval or oblivion. This comic really hit home that anyone could be a serial killer. Most people won't be, but it's not like they're walking around with a giant sign reading "danger danger, future murderer" while slaughtering kittens in front of you. The book does get a little armchair psychologist-y at times and I think Backderf could have benefited from a little more inward examination but he's done a great deal of work to combine his personal anecdotes from high school with evidence that has since come out about Dahmer's first dalliances with animal mutilation, sexual identity and his first murder. It's sensational without being sensationalist.

Hawkeye: L.A Woman (3)

Written by: Matt Fraction; Illustrated by: Annie Wu, Javier Pulido

Published: 2014

My Thoughts: L.A. Woman is the collection of Hawkeye issues that focus on the lady Hawkeye, Kate Bishop. After being well and truly fed up with Clint/Hawkeye's self-destructive bullshit she decides to make her way to L.A to start fresh and a P.I. Kate felt a little less together in this collection than the previous two and I can't work out if it's just because she doesn't have the human wreck known as Clint Barton to be compared to or if she's actually more of a disaster in these pages. There definitely does seem to be a great deal more of the "she's grown up rich and hasn't ever really had to consider paying for accommodation or food or life" stuff than I think I remember from volumes 1 or 2. These were problems I battled with while reading the volume, but I also fell pretty hard for her almost instantly. Maybe her messy life is a condescending way to make a female superhero appeal more to general readers, but she also felt a bit like a grown up Veronica Mars or Buffy the Vampire Slayer (what with the ass-kicking) which is always okay in my books. David Aja is off art duty this volume, and while I missed his stunning art I quite enjoyed Wu's take on the character. There was a lot more experimentation in terms of the different art styles, and I found the switches into the almost-chibi anime style a nice representation of Kate's arrested development. I am also totally on board for an Elliot Gould look-alike and stories that poke fun at the Hollywood persuit for eternal youth any day of the week.

Graphic Novel mini-reviews #25 - Heroes of the Past, Heroes of the Future

Guardians of the Galaxy: Realm of Kings (Volume 4)

Written by:  Dan Abnett; Illustrated by: Andy Lanning, Brad Walker

Published: 2010

My Thoughts: And so ends the original run of the Guardians of the Galaxy, not with a bang but an even BIGGER bang. Everything that's been building up in the previous volumes, the wars and the tender, fragile universe, the threats coming from every possible antagonist, explodes in a messy pile of bodies and gunk. There is a bit of a flip flop that I wish they hadn't gone with, it leads them down an interesting path but it does feel a bit like hand-wringing and not wanting to make any serious permanent commitments. It's like modern (like the last 2/3 seasons) Doctor Who, they do something devastating and then wave their wibbley wobbley timey wimey magic wand and make everything go back to normal. It's not a huge flaw in the narrative, more a disappointment*. I saw a comic comparing the Guardians with the team of Firefly and that's such a true comparison. They are these brilliant, absurd characters who care about each other and mean well but they are constantly making everything worse. They are ruled by emotion and stubbornness and they want to do the right thing and they usually do, but sometimes an old enemy or a powerful love throws a wrench in the plan. It's a pleasure to finish out the run of comics, now onto The Thanos Imperative, the Annihilation comics and the latest run of GotG!

1602

Written by: Neil Gaiman; Illustrated by: Andy Kubert

Published: 2003

My Thoughts: 1602 re-imagines the Marvel universe as though it existed in 1602. It basically takes the fear and confusion of this particular era and replaces well known events or historical characters with Marvel characters. So we have Doctor Strange as the physician to the ailing Queen Elizabeth while Nicholas (Nick) Fury is the Queen's enforcer/head of intelligence. There's a sub-plot about the troubled Roanoke colony in the 'new world', and the Spanish Inquisition is hunting witchbreeds (X-Men). The facet of the inquisition that we witness is led by a rather well known character who I won't name for fear of spoilers (although I picked it straight away). There's Doom and the Fantastic Four and Captain America and while some are very clearly identifiable (Peter Parquagh for instance), others are much harder to pick and are mostly identifiable through certain skills, clothing choices and the groups they travel with. The actual plot is quite meta, but I'll hold back to leave you something to discover for yourself. Broad picture though, there are a series of storms and weird occurrences which are plaguing London and the rest of Europe and which Strange believes are signs that the world is ending. The key to saving the world apparently lies with a weapon that is being delivered to London by one of the few remaining Knights Templar - but getting it across Europe will require the help of a certain redheaded feller. The story itself is a lot of fun, part action and part mystery, although it does seem to get needlessly complicated from time to time. But truly, the real fun is in working out which characters are which and seeing the inventive careers some of them are given.

Captain America: Winter Soldier (Volume 1)

Written by: Ed Brubaker; Illustrated by: Steve Epting

Published: 2005

My Thoughts: While I quite like the Captain America films I've never really had much desire to delve into the comics. Since Cap is one of the earlier incarnations of superheroes it's a pretty tough choice to work out where to even start. But Winter Soldier came up in a related search and since I have an affinity for Ed Brubaker's darker take on realism I figured I'd give it a shot. This Captain America is far, far darker than the one you see in the Marvel movies. Since waking up after half a century frozen in ice the world the Cap knew has changed into something unrecognisable and he finds himself doing the same. He's disillusioned and unsure and as a result he's getting angrier and tougher and more violent. It's bound to cause irreparable damage somewhere down the line, something Agent 13 (Sharon Carter) is more than a little aware on. Throw in Red Skull, a power cube and the haunting re-emergence of some old memories and you've got a rollicking good comic. On to part 2!


*sorry for the vagueness, I don't want to out and out spoil anything from this or the previous volume.

Graphic Novel mini-reviews #24

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 

Written by: Cullen Bunn; Illustrated by:  Dalibor Talajić

Published: 2011

My Thoughts: If you are after a solid read then Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe probably isn't for you. It's a very silly, very light comic that basically takes the question "what if Deadpool snapped and killed everyone?" and runs with it. There are a few interesting glimpses where Deadpool reasons that his wall-breaking and realisation that he is a fictional hero is why he needs to kill everyone because he's the only one who accepts and understands the hopelessness of their existence, which lead me to think that if they were really keen they could have made a very heady and meta comic. But that wasn't really the aim here. It's violent and bloody and punny and Cullen certainly isn't pretending that it is anything more substantial than that. So if you want to witness Deadpool decimate every popular superhero and villain in the Marvel universe then this will fill an afternoon for you, but if you're after a more compelling look at the Deadpool character and his wall-breaking antics you'd be best to look elsewhere.

Guardians of the Galaxy: War of Kings (Volume 2)

Written by: Dan Abnett; Illustrated by: Paul Pelletier

Published: 2009

My Thoughts: GotG continues to be one of my favourite runs of a team-based comic. This volume carries on from the fallout at the end of volume one, namely that Starlord got everyone to join up by having Mantis use her psychic doodadery to get them to agree. After walking out they informally end up in three groups, each coming up against enemy threats as they work through their anger. We get to see prison 42 in the negative zone, spend time in a limbo-like zone with a dragon (and get some existential discussion on the universe from Drax) and meet a new and invisible enemy (the Badoon) who will apparently be the cause of the end of the universe 1000 years into the future. It's a little disjointed shifting from group to group, but as this is part one of the War of Kings I'm guessing the team will reform in the very near future to meet this threat head on.

Wonder Woman: Iron (Volume 3)

Written by: Brian Azzarello; Illustrated by: Cliff Chiang (Illustrations), Tony Akins, Dan Green, Goran Sudžuka, Amilcar Pinna, Rick Burchett

Published: 2013

My Thoughts: As if her newly discovered family wasn't trouble enough, Wonder Woman now has to deal with an even greater threat, the nameless first son of Zeus and Hera. To combat this epic force, Wonder Woman needs the help of the rest of Zeus's illegitimate children which sends her on a pilgrimage across the world to find them all. We also get a glimpse at a relationship we didn't know existed before, one that throws some new perspectives on WW's current situation and threatens (promises?) to add some complications down the line. I'm almost at the end of Azzarello's arc and while I really enjoy his writing and plotting I'm interested in seeing what direction the books take once he hands the mantel on. But until then, I think I can rest assured that there's going to be a lot of badass butt-kicking in the meantime.

Graphic novel mini-reviews #23: Fight Like A Girl

Black Widow: The Finely Woven Thread (Volume 1)

Written by: Nathan Edmondson; Illustrated by: Phil Noto 

Published: 2014

My Thoughts: Black Widow gets the cold shoulder a bit by people who have watched the Avengers film, mostly because she lacks the magical powers or indestructible suit of the others but also because, let's be honest, she's a lady. This new run of Black Widow is fantastic for a number of reasons. First, it's freaking gorgeous. The art is beautiful, like pin it to your wall and gaze at it all day beautiful. Second, like the Hawkeye comics, it takes place away from the Avengers - removing the possibility for people to judge how useful she'd be to the team. Instead it focuses on her spy work for S.H.I.E.L.D and her freelance work, where she works as a mercenary/spy to raise enough money to pay off the sins of her past. There's a lot of emotional depth in this comic. Natasha/Black Widow has been many things in her life, and she regrets a lot of it. She works hard to try and make up for past mistakes and choices but she's still unsettled, adrift and unable to really find a centre to hold on to. This volume falls into the espionage/action genre and I really love the unfolding mystery that we're treated to. I've just bought the next two issues that have been released, so I'm eagerly waiting to read them and see if I can piece together who is behind the chaos raining down.

Wonder Woman: Guts (Volume 2)

Written by: Brian Azzarello; Illustrated by: Cliff Chiang, Tony Akins, Dan Green

Published: 2013

My Thoughts: I'm a little biased in that I'm basically predisposed to like Wonder Woman and Greek myths and this particular book is chock full of both. I know some reviews have been a little wary of the new origin story for Wonder Woman (which doesn't discount her earlier creation, just reveals it to be a lie her mum told to keep her safe) and the heavy inclusion of the Greek gods but I'm still loving it. It sort of makes Wonder Woman the modern equivalent of Thor, which as far as I'm concerned means they should just make it a film already. This volume introduces us to a little more of Wonder Woman's newly discovered mythic family and a more competitive, conniving family I don't think is possible. They might be related but they're all hungry for the top spot on Olympus and are all more than willing to use and abuse anyone who gets in their way. It's amping up to be a pretty hectic battle pitting family against family, and I'd hate to be on the side opposite WW.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Angela (Volume 2)

Written by: Brian Michael Bendis; Illustrated by:  Sara Pichelli, Francesco Francavilla, Olivier Coipel, Valerio Schiti, Kevin Maguire.

Published: 2014

My thoughts: Is it okay to include GotG into a mini-review series centred around butt-kicking women? Sure half the team is men, but this particular volume centres heavily around two ladies - Gamora and mysterious newcomer, Angela. Angela comes from another dimension/universe/timey-wimey place called Heven, which has these mystical stories about a place called Earth. So does this mean heaven is real? Are our religious stories based around interactions with this Heven? You won't find out any answers just yet, but you will get to watch Gamora and Angela go from kicking each other from here to Tuesday to begrudging team-mates to something a little closer to friends. And the rest of the team is there too, full of wise-cracks and double entendres and I-Am-Groots. This volume intersects with a couple of other comic series which does make for some headscratching moments (a threat in one issue is over and done with in the next) but that's the life of a comic reader right.

Graphic Novel mini-reviews #22 (SUPERHEROES AHOY)

Captain Marvel: Down (Volume 2)

Written by: Kelly Sue DeConnick, Christopher Sebela; Illustrated by: Dexter Soy, Filipe Andrade.

Published: 2013

My Thoughts: I gotta say, I really dig what Kelly Sue DeConnick writes. In this volume Captain Marvel faces her mortality...sort of. It turns out that the highs that come with infusing Kree with human DNA, like flying and self-healing and super-strength, come with some devastating lows. And Cap M is my kinda lady when it comes to dealing with this drama i.e. she doesn't. She's suffering a major case of denial and is stubborn as all hell. Filipe Andrade does most of the art in this volume (all but the first issue I believe) and I love it so much. It's not what you'd expect in a big name superhero comic, the proportions are all out and it's very stylised, the sort of style you'd normally see reserved for covers, but I thought it was amazing. It reminded me a lot of Ben Templesmith, who is hands down my favourite comic artist.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Avengers (Volume 1)

Written by: Brian Michael Bendis; Illustrated by: Steve McNiven, Yves Bigerel, Michael Avon Oeming, Sara Pichelli

Published: 2013

My Thoughts: With the GotG film creeping ever closer, I decided to dip into the comics once again. This one is from the newest run and focuses mostly on Starlord, who he is, where he came from, the gigantic dick of a father he has... I don't know if the story behind Starlord's parents is canon prior to this comic or invented for it, but I thought it added an interesting motivation for his character. The group dynamic is so much fun, they are all so prickly and angry (which is great) yet they all clearly care of each other (awww). It's my favourite mix of sarcasm, bravado and tender moments.

Aquaman: The Trench (Volume 1)

Written by: Geoff Johns; Illustrated by: Joe Prado, Ivan Reis

Published: 2012

My Thoughts: Before the New 52 release, I have to admit that I was one of the people who'd mock Aquaman. He's just a little old fashioned for a 21st century context y'know? This volume basically took that idea and ran with it. We see Arthur/Aquaman dealing not only with his decision to step down as king of Atlantis but come face to face with the humans he's chosen to protect who mock him mercilessly. There's a scene where a blogger accosts him at a restaurant and asks him how it feels to be no-one's favourite super hero. Ouch. So this comic is perhaps more for Aquaman doubters and newbies, introducing you to him and his girlfriend Mera (NOT Aquawoman, thank you very much) as well as covering a lot of Aquaman misinformation (i.e. He doesn't talk to fish, he doesn't need to be in the water to help). I loved it, and will definitely be reading on.

Graphic Novel Mini-Reviews #21

Sex Criminals (volume 1)

Written by: Matt Fraction; Illustrated by: Chip Zdarsky

Published: 2014

My Thoughts: I was on the hunt for some new comics to get into from the ground up and I came across this little number from Matt Fraction, writer of Hawkeye and The Five Fists of Science. It's an interesting little story, absolutely unlike anything else I've read. Suzie and Jon are two very unique people. Unique because each have the power to stop time when they climax, and enter into a space (The Quiet for Suzie and something less PG for Jon) where they are able to escape from the stresses and problems of their daily lives. It's a brilliant story, raunchy, funny, bizarre and also kinda sweet. It's part love story, part journey to self-discovery, part heist story. And it looks like it's only going to get wilder and stranger as it continues.

Pretty Deadly (Volume 1)

Written by: Kelly Sue DeConnick; Illustrated by: Emma Rios, Jordie Bellaire.

Published: 2014

My Thoughts: Is there anything Kelly Sue can't do? (no)
Pretty Deadly is...pretty deadly*. It's a gorgeously written and drawn western with shadess of magic realism and a general dream-like quality that is to die for. It's part Aesop's fable, part Neil Gaimanesque modern fairytale, part brutal reality of life in the frontier. Anyway, it's about a lot of things, but boiled right down it's a story about Death and his daughter Deathface Ginny. It's a tale of retribution and origins and ugh, have I mentioned I loved it? Also, am absolutely going to Halloween dressed as Deathface Ginny this year (and next year, and the year after).

Nowhere Men (Volume 1)

Written by: Eric Stephensen

Published: 2013

My Thoughts: How could I resist a comic book that sets out as and answer the question: What would happen if we treated our scientists like rockstars? This comic seemed like it was tailor-made for me and my tastes but it fell a little flat for me. The basic story (4 'rockstar' scientists form a company together, do mad science, gain a lot of attention, maybe do some shady dealings) is solid as is the questions it raises about ethics and responsibility and scientific credibility but it just didn't grab me like I thought it would. There are a lot of shifts in time and place, as well as switches between different stories that eventually collide and I just couldn't keep on top of it all. I'm willing to give the next volume a shot just in case it was a matter of Stephensen getting into a rhythm but I'm not holding out hope that I'll love it. The volume does get bonus points for all of the Beatles references though.






*as in awesome/fantastic/great/how-the-fuck-is-this-even-real.

Graphic Novel Mini-reviews # (It's all about the lady heroes)

X-Men: Days of Future Past (Uncanny X-Men)

Written and illustrated by: Chris Clairmont and John Byrne

Published in: 1981

My Thoughts: I decided to give the comic a read after seeing the film and seeing how much criticism the film received for taking the Kitty Pryde role and giving it to Wolverine. It was my first (I think?) X-Men comic and eh, it was fine. It's a 5 or 6 issue arc and in all honestly, only an issue and a half actually has anything even tangentially related to the DOFP storyline. Perhaps it's dealt with further down the line, perhaps it isn't. It was a bit clunky in the writing (as all older comics tend to be) and the characters all seem to love their internal monologues, but it was fun seeing the proper line up of X-Men and also note all the ways the films series shot themselves in the foot by starting out how they did. So an interesting experiment, but I'm not sure if I'll be going back.

Wonder Woman: Blood (Volume 1)

Written by: Brian Azzarello; illustrated by: Cliff Chiang, Tony Akins

Published: 2012

My Thoughts: Wonder Woman is without a doubt my favourite superhero and it hurts me, it physically pains me, to think we still don't have a WW film. But for the time being I will make do with Azzarello's recent run of WW comics. And as much as it sucks that we don't have a WW film (cameo/intro in the upcoming Supes V Bats notwithstanding) these comics do help. They're brilliant. While I love superhero comics, I rarely have an emotional connection with the characters or the content. But this volume hit me right in the feels, man. WW is so fragile and troubled but she's also this incredibly strong and independent and fiery woman. And I love her so, so much.

Ms Marvel (issues #1-4)

Written by: G. Willow Wilson; Illustrated by: Adrian Alphona

Published: 2014

My Thoughts: Kamala Khan, what a perfect accompaniment to Wonder Woman you are. Kamala is 16, Pakistani-American, and struggling with the usual teenager problems (boys, misunderstanding parents, concern trolls) while also dealing with apparently being turned into a superhero after sneaking out to a party and getting caught in a mysterious fog. But guys, I'm dead serious, this comic is phenomenal. It deals with so many issues, from the issues of a young Muslim girl trying to fit in to the absurdity of superhero costumes (which totally don't include underwear btw) to taking on someone else's mantel to the true meaning of having superpowers. Kamala (along with her friends Bruno and Nakia) is an incredibly well written, well rounded character. She's an absolute must for superhero fans, but if you're after well written and illustrated comics, specifically ones with realistic portrayals of women - well, this one is a real winner.

Graphic Novel Mini-Review #19

Hawkeye: My Life As a Weapon (Volume 1)

Written by: Matt Fraction; Illustrated by: David Aja, Javier Paludo, Alan Davis

Published: 2013

My Thoughts: Okay, confession time. I'm one of those assholes that scoffs at the Avengers and pokes fun at Hawkeye and Black Wids. But it's mostly a fun ribbing, since it's SO easy to do. Matt Fraction was at Brisbane's Writers Festival last September and he was so interesting that I decided I'd put aside my teasing and get to know Hawkeye a little better. I love this series. Hawkeye, a.k.a Clint, is not really your typical Avenger. He's basically Archer, which is awesome. It's funny and action packed and A LOT silly. I'm less interested in Kate - the Young Avenger incarnation of Hawkeye - but that's mostly because I don't really enjoy the Young Avengers (and the additional crossover issue of Young Avengers/Hawkeye really proved that). If you're looking for a new series to follow and you're a fan of sharp, sarcastic and brilliantly writing and illustrations, then Hawkeye is the one for you.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Legacy (Volume 1)

Written by: Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning; Illustrated by: Paul Pelletier

Published: 2008

My Thoughts: I don't know about everyone else, but my most anticipated blockbuster for 2014 is most definitely Guardians of the Galaxy. James Gunn, Chris Pratt, Blue Swede 'Hooked on a Feeling'? Yes, yes 1000x yes. So before the movie comes out I thought I'd check out some of the comics because even though I know a lot about the misfit gang, I haven't actually read many of their escapades. Legacy is recommended as the modern-era place to start because it introduces you to the characters and their formation into the world-saving-but-still-completely-inept team that you can't help but adore. And while all superhero comics have a level of WTF to them, GotG really ramps that up to 11. Their security chief is a soviet dog that was blasted into space and can communicate telepathically, their base is located in a severed celestial head floating around outside of space and time and for superheroes there are an awful lot of murderers amid their numbers. It's fun and tongue-in-cheek, but the action still packs a wallop and will explode your mind-grapes. Definitely one to check out before going to the cinema.

Fatale: Death Chases me (Volume 1)

Written by: Ed Brubaker; Illustrated by: Sean Phillips

Published: 2012

My Thoughts: And now for something completely different. Brubaker is perhaps best known for his work for Daredevil and Captain America (in the fact the current Cap A film is based on his graphic novel) and while his quality of work has always been high, this is something else all together. Set between the 1930s, 1950s and now Fatale is a modern noir tale, except without technically being a noir story. There is no gruff detective but there is a mystery, and that mystery surrounds the beautiful Jo, Fatale's fatale, capable of ensnaring men and wholly incapable of aging. There's an element of fantasy to the story and a huge heap of horror, but the balance between them has been perfected so carefully that it seems absolutely natural that Lovecraftian horror should co-exist alongside James Cainesque noir and it's almost shocking to think it hasn't been done more often. The way the story progresses makes me think this will eventually tip more towards Lovecraft than Cain in influence, but for now even people wary of horror-lite should find themselves utterly entangled in the gorgeous writing and even gorgeouser* art.

*totally a word, just trust me.

Graphic Novel mini-reviews #18

Fables: Wolves (Volume #8)

Written by: Bill Willingham; Illustrated by: Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Shawn McManus, Andrew Pepoy

Published: 2006

My Thoughts: There was a lot to like about this volume but it also had a few issues I just can't quite get past. After being exiled from Fabletown Bigby went on the run and since then Mowgli has been trying to find him with little luck. Mowgli finally finds Bigby and convinces him to come back to perform a secret agent style mission back in the Homelands in exhange for being able to reunite with Snow and their children. But when Mowgli finds Bigby he's shacked up with another woman. Why? Is this going to play into it somehow, will she be coming back? We know that Snow has been waiting for Bigby's return, so is this just to show us that he's a pretty shitty dude or is it about something else? He's supposedly loved Snow since they first met and he's always been a bit of a loner so why did he need companionship? I just don't understand what this serves and it felt kind of hacky. As for the actual mission he goes on - that I liked. It's pushing the story into an interesting direction and I think there'll be some action-heavy volumes coming up. I also really liked Cinderella's story arc in here, secret agent/assassin  is a much better career than Stepmother's cleaner or Prince Charming's wife. She actually reminds me a bit of Buffy minus the vampires which could never be a bad thing right?

The Strain (Volume 1)

Written by: David Lapham; Illustrated by: Mike Huddleston

Published: 2012

My Thoughts: While I wasn't wowed by the book, there were elements I really loved. The vampires for one. The medical investigation for another. The graphic novel streamlines the book; it cuts out some of the unnecessary waste, reshuffles the plot order, places some reveals earlier (where it holds much more weight) and visually depicts the nightmarish vampires Del Toro created. The art style is dark and frenetic, perfectly representing the chaos and panic of the narrative. The vampires are horrific, gory and terrifying. Eph and Nora are much better with less time spent on unnecessary characterisation, and Setrakians flashbacks work beautifully in this medium. It's a much tighter and successful story, and I think I might stick to the graphic novel from now on.

Batman - Streets of Gotham: The House of Hush (Volume 3)

Written by: Paul Dini; Illustrated by: Dustin Nguyen, Derek Fridolfs

Published: 2011

My Thoughts: I haven't read the previous two volumes but I decided to pick this one up when I was at the library and realised how long it'd been since I'd read some Batman. I don't know how this went in concluding the story set up in the previous two volumes, but I thought it was interesting - and easy to get on top of considering I was coming in for the final act. There's a side-along story about a small time crook named The Carpenter who builds traps and hide-outs for Gotham's villains that was fun but went way too far in the pun department. The main story was typical for a Batman comic, vengeance, mistaken identities, double and triple crossing. I like the illustration style but did find that the tall, handsome, dark haired dudes got pretty hard to tell apart by the end. A problem exacerbated by the fact that there are two Bruce Waynes featured in this story. Not bad though, might go back and read the first two.

Graphic Novel mini-reviews #17

Runaways: Teenage Wasteland (Volume #2)

Written by: Brian K. Vaughan; illustrated by: Adrian Alphona

Published: 2004

My Thoughts: I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about this series. The basic story progression is interesting enough as is the struggle the kids are having coming to terms with their new found powers and their parents real identities but there is still something lacking. I do love that it seems to realistically tap into that conflicting moment when teenagers realise their parents are people with a life outside their role as mother/father and that adults aren't automatically to be trusted or relied upon. These real life struggles woven into a superhero/fantasy setting work really well, the hiccups seem to be the sudden additions to the fantasy world that come without warning. Take for instance the main story thread in this volume. A kid who appears to also have dodgy parents turns out not to be what he seems and while it isn't completely out of left field (there are definitely hints) there also isn't anything to make me believe it wasn't a plot chosen purely for the shock factor rather than adding anything to the world. I'll keep getting them from the library though, especially since the Joss Whedon arc is coming up.

Fables: Arabian Nights (Volume #7)

Written by: Bill Willingham; Illustrated by: Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Jim Fern, Jimmy Palmiotti, Andrew Pepoy

Published: 2006

My Thoughts: I'm well and truly into the Fables series now and really loving it. While the previous volumes have mostly centred around Fabletown with mentions (and brief looks) at the Homelands from here on out we start to learn about how far this world actually spans. In this volume characters from the Arabian Fables (think Sinbad, Aladdin etc) journey to Fabletown to try and forge a relationship that will unite them against the adversary. But there are factors that work against this potential truce, cultural expectations, language barriers and nefarious dealings going on behind the scene. It felt a little too "cultured and wise" white America vs "ignorant and aggressive" Middle Easterners at times (there were some definite cringe moments) but I think they managed to extricate themselves from that awful dichotomy eventually and with an interesting resolution. The extra story "The Ballad of Rodney and June" about the love and sacrifices of two of the Adversary's wooden soldiers though...eh, I'm not so fond.

iZombie (Volume #1)

Written by: Chris Roberson; Illustrated by: Mike Allred

Published: 2011

My Thoughts: I had seen volumes of this series in my library and comic book store but it was the news that it was being made into a TV series by Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars) that finally got me interested. It's an interesting concept, a female zombie eats brains once a month to stop herself from degrading to the Night of the Living Dead level of zombieness while living also trying to live the life of an early-twenty woman. She's joined by her friends, a go-go ghost and were-terrier and there's a mysterious Egyptian mummy man. It's kind of ridiculous but it really commits to how absurd the concept is, so even when things make me want to roll my eyes at time (a were-terrier...really?!) I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It also set a couple of really interesting mystery based story threads up for the next few volumes so I'm excited to see where it heads.

My Holiday Reads: A Bunch of Mini-Reviews (part 2)

Straining my brain to remember enough details for reviews turned out to be harder than I thought. Plus I'm lazy. Okay, maybe it was just the lazy thing that made me decide to split this post up. But I've taken two days and I'm ready to write a few more reviews. Aren't you lucky!

*NOS4R2 by Joe Hill*

(audiobook)

Tom and I listened to the audiobook edition of this book on our way between LA, San Fran and New York. We'd finish up our nights with 30-60 minutes of Kate Mulgrew navigating this story of Christmas, mysterious pathways, broken lives and familial love. I have a physical copy of this book which I'm going to read and review at some point this year, so I'm going to keep this short and mainly focus on the audiobook experience. I really liked Kate Mulgrew as the narrator. I may be a little biased since I know her as Captain Janeway from Star Trek Voyager and Red in OiTNB and love her in those roles but I do think the voices she used for the central cast were excellent. Her Charlie Manx was breathy and sinister, Vic was broken and desperate but strong, Maggie is scared but brave simultaneously, and Bing/The Gasmask Man was thick-headed and aggressive. She absolutely brought the characters to life, which more than made up for the few smaller characters that she butchered the accents of, like poor Dr Patel who must have taken a hit to the head because he swayed between Indian and Irish every other sentence. But seriously, if the size of the book is daunting you maybe give this audiobook a shot.

*The Circle by Dave Eggers* 

Of all of these books I'm reviewing this is probably the one I wish I could review full length, because it was amazing. Unfortunately I took zero notes so it'd probably end up a pretty vague review. I had never read any Dave Eggers before, I think I'd dismissed him as being too art-literature and not something I would enjoy, but I completely misjudged him. This book is terrifying, absolutely captivating but terrifying. It really effectively examines the modern obsession with technology and the influential role some tech brands have on the way we live our lives. There were some bits that were a little sloppy or obvious (such as the identity of the mysterious young man) but the overall affect of the book is so intense and creepy that they were teeny blips on the whole.

For an alternate (and hilarious) review for The Circle click through this link.

*We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson*

I've been meaning to read some of Shirley Jackson's stories since everyone seemed to read The Haunting of Hill House last year, and even though I bought a bunch of digital editions I never got around to reading them. I was flipping through my Kindle one night when I couldn't sleep and something about this title drew me in. I clicked on it and didn't click out until I had finished it. That may sound more impressive than it actually is since this is it's only a novella (160 pages), but I still found it completely un-putdownable. It's a story about two sisters and their uncle who live in a grand house but keep completely to themselves. Why? Because several years earlier most of the family died of arsenic poisoning and even though eldest sister Constance was acquitted of murder the town doesn't trust them one bit. They may keep to themselves but they are completely content with their solitary lives. The younger sister Merricat, who narrates the story, protects the house and the family with talismans and magical charms, Constance has a green thumb that keeps the family fed and happy and uncle Julian, alive but damaged by the arsenic poisoning, relives that day constantly but is beloved by the sisters. The arrival of a cousin, Charles, shifts the family dynamic into chaos and Merricat struggles to right the status quo that they strove so hard to find. This is a gorgeous novella, the writing is beautiful and Merricat is a fascinating, if completely unreliable, narrator. 

*Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman*

(BBC radio-play)

I honestly have no idea if this audio version is even remotely like the actual book (Goodreads suggests...maybe?) but when it advertises a cast of Benedict Cumberbatch, Anthony Head, Natalie Dormer and Christopher Lee what am I supposed to do? Not buy it? Not likely. Regardless of whether the actual story is the same, the setting is the one and the same in both. Underneath London there exists another London, London Below, and this darker London is full of angels and monsters and secret doorways and marketplaces. The radio-play is purely dialogue with absolutely no narration, which does make it difficult to follow the action at times and given it is so short (approximately 3 hours) the pacing does feel off at times. I imagine if it is telling the same story ( in this story normal Londoner Richard Mayhew helps a young lady which leads him to an adventure with her and some others in London Below) there are some details missing that link sections or develop characters and add to that slightly off-kilter feel. But seriously, James McEvoy, Sophie Okonedo, Romola Garai and CHRISTOPHER LEE. Who cares if it's not perfect with a cast that perfect?

My Holiday Reads: A Bunch of Mini-Reviews (part 1)

Bringing my Kindle turned out to be one of the best decisions I made for this holiday. Other than the 16 hour flight over we had several 4+ hour bus or train rides, which were the perfect times to settle down with one of the books I'd downloaded and lose myself in their stories. I managed to finish 8 books and start 2 more, all of which I really enjoyed. I wanted to write proper reviews for them all, but I read them so quickly after each other and made so few notes I don't think I could really pull out a full-length review that'd do the books justice. So instead here are some smaller reviews about each of my holiday reads.

*Bossypants by Tina Fey* 

(audiobook)

I'd been meaning to read this book for ages but never got around to picking it up from the book store or library. I ended up buying an audio copy with some Audible credit and I am so glad I decided to go that route. I'm sure the actual-words-copy is awesome too, but how can you pass up a book being read by Tina Fey? You can't basically. Apart from the greatness of listening to Tina Fey read out her own life experiences and jokes, the audiobook also included a few moments when she broke script and spoke off the cuff as well as some audio-tracks from her time on SNL playing Sarah Palin. There are some bits about her childhood but the book is really about making a career as a female writer/actor in a very male dominated world and raising a child to be level-headed, secure and happy in such a world. It's a wonderfully girl-powery book without actually setting out to be that kind of book. It's really the little things, like remembering the time that Amy Poehler was telling a gross joke and when a male colleague said "ew stop, it's not cute" she told him to fuck right off. Or when she made the decision to use yellow instead of blonde so that her daughter never thinks that one hair colour is more special than another. I don't know if I'd recommend this to someone who isn't aware of or already in love with Tina Fey, but if you're even remotely aware of who she is you'll probably get a kick out of it.

*Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman*

I wasn't if I'd like this book. Don't get me wrong I love the show, but even though the first 50 pages or so are incredibly close to what was included in the first few episodes I wasn't sure if I had much interest in the memoirs of a middle-class white lady going to jail. After finishing I still feel pretty much the same way. It was an interesting book, the details about America's prison system (guuuuys, what the F) that Piper included were illuminating and it was interesting to see how much of the TV show's characters are actually true to life (or true to Piper's memory anyway). But, I don't know, I felt like the real story was sitting just off the page. The beauty of the TV series is that you see so many stories, and how similar the women are even though they've had very different lives up to that point. In this there's a momentary peek at the other women but it's only ever to do with how they relate to Piper or impact on Piper's stay in some way. I knew that the book would not be the TV show, but I think I'd probably have liked the book more if I'd read it first...or at least I wouldn't feel like I was missing out on so much. That said, if you've seen and loved the show you should definitely give it a read. I know I just spent an entire mini-review whinging but I am definitely glad I gave it a read.

Also this. There was a little bit of this.

*The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman*

I know not everyone here is a big fan of Neil Gaiman and although I loved a lot of the books you've all disliked, I think you'll like this one. Like Coraline and The Graveyard Book this one is (maybe not really) for children and has that wonderful modern fairytale feel. Most of the book actually takes place in a flashback as a middle aged man remembers an eventful period in his life at his childhood home. It's an absolutely gorgeous tale. It's such a profoundly moving story of childhood innocence and trust and the fear of monsters unleashed in our lives and the power of words and stories. It's basically right in Gaiman's wheelhouse and it made me feel so many damn feels that even now, nearly two months later, I am caught up in the melancholic feelings that the book evoked. It's probably more YA/Adult than children (there are a few scenes that would be a little graphic or complicated for little minds) but it retains the special magical feel that Gaiman seems to reserve for his younger novels.

*Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell*

Do I need to even bother with a review here? You all know it's going to be a bunch of squees and OMG LEVI's right? Anyway, in case anyone was wondering if Rowell released two smashing books and then fumbled the third - nope. She is on fire, I only hope she can keep writing as many wonderful stories full of the best relationships (platonic and romantic) in contemporary fiction.

 I really loved exploring the two vastly different twins and their experiences in college. While Wren is out conquering the campus one keg stand at a time, Cath is struggling to gather the courage to even step into her mess hall. And neither lifestyle is really demonised or victimised which was really refreshing. They both have their downs (and way way downs) but there are obvious benefits to each of the twins' approaches to life in college and life in general. And, a few small tweaks aside, it works for them. And that's kind of beautiful. Not that it isn't without conflict since that's basically what the book is about, but it was a really honest look at that awkward/terrifying/invigorating transition period between high school and university, childhood and adulthood.

*Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs*

This book was actually a bit of a mixed bag for me. I thought the story was intriguing and imaginative, but it was ( sometimes painfully) clear it was Riggs' first novel. Some of the writing and plot progression was stiff or a little weird, and there were definitely times when it felt like the pictures were guiding the story too much, rather than complimenting it. However, I think I went into this with pretty high expectations and that tainted what should have been a fun and mysterious read. When I put the awkwardness out of mind I really enjoyed the story and I'm interested to see where the next two (I believe it's meant to be a trilogy?) books head and how he develops the adventure for these peculiar children.

Graphic Novel mini-reviews #16

Fables: Homeland (Volume 6)

Written by: Bill Willingham; Illustrated by: Mark Buckingham, David Hahn, Steve Leialoha

Published: 2006

My Thoughts: My library was missing volumes 4 and 5, but I was in a real Fables mood and decided to skip ahead. There was a bit of a transition period, A LOT happened in those two volumes, but there was a handy little catch up section at the start. As it were, this is almost like reading a whole new story, most of the characters from the first three volumes are no longer part of it (but hopefully will be back). The majority of the book focuses on Boy Blue as he makes his way back to the Fables homelands, armed with the witching cloak and vorpal sword. He's such a small character prior to this, and I loved how bad ass he was. I'm excited to see what he does next. And we find out who the Adversary is. Maybe it's because of the two volumes I missed, but it came as a hell of a surprise to me!

Runaways: Pride and Joy (Volume 1)

Written by: Brian K. Vaughan; Illustrated by: Adrian Alphona

Published: 2004

My Thoughts: I heard about this series awhile ago when I went through a it of a Brian K. Vaughan phase and when I found out the concept - kids find out their parents are evil super-villains and they have their own powers - and that it was eventually taken over by Joss Whedon. Welp, I. Was. In. I really enjoyed this volume, the story was exciting (who is the mole?), the characters were unique and fleshed out well, and the writing was tight. I wasn't quite as fond of the illustrations, they were fine but I prefer art that was drawn by someone who cares what the human form actually looks like. It's not bad enough to turn me off the series by a long shot, but it's definitely not my favourite style either.

Fables: The Mean Seasons (Volume 5)

Written by: Bill Willingham; Illustrated by:Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Tony Akins, Jimmy Palmiotti

Published: 2005

My Thoughts: I might have skipped ahead two volumes, but that was only until my library could delivery the missing volumes into my hands. Turns out volume 4 exists in no library in Brisbane, for whatever reason, but I'll skip past it for now I guess. Anyway, volume 5 is a transition volume. There are characters leaving, new characters taking on new roles, the ebb and flow of Fabled life in the Mundy world. Snow gives birth, a murderer is hunting down Fables, we meet a spy of Bigbys, and there is a new mayor in town. There's plenty to fill the pages, and it's all really interesting and fun, but the fact that it's a transitional piece is hard to escape. There's also a brief two-part story about Bigby during WWII which was fine, but nothing to write home about.