Summary from the Goodreads website . . . . .
Eisner Award-nominated writer Kelly Sue DeConnick (Pretty Deadly, Captain Marvel) and Valentine De Landro (X-Factor) team up to bring you the premiere volume of Bitch Planet, a deliciously vicious riff on women-in-prison sci-fi exploitation.
In a future just a few years down the road in the wrong direction, a woman's failure to comply with her patriarchal overlords will result in exile to the meanest penal planet in the galaxy. When the newest crop of fresh femmes arrive, can they work together to stay alive or will hidden agendas, crooked guards, and the deadliest sport on (or off!) Earth take them to their maker?
My review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
There are plenty of reviews about this series on Goodreads, so I don't feel it necessary to write another long critique. Suffice to say this is a biting satire on modern feminism that packs a long-lasting sting. It's blunt, violent, and abrasive and intended for mature readers only.
Think of it as a homage to the numerous women-in-prison exploitation grind house movies of the 50's, 60's and 70's that features combative sports (with much at stake) a la Rollerball and Death Race 2000.
Writer DeConnick makes numerous barbed points about the second-tier status of women and the relegation of less-worthy tags to any who don't meet the standards of beauty, fitness, modesty, submission, etc. You could also substitute almost any minority or anyone who feels isolated because of their differences as a stand-in for the women in this story. Naturally, the male prison guards are sexist and abusive, and several receive their comeuppance. The other males portrayed here are the ruling body back on Earth. It might have been nice to see some males that weren't such stereotypes, but that's not what the story is going for.
All "NC" (non-compliant) women are assigned a cell on the outer space Auxiliary Compliance Outpost a/k/a Bitch Planet while men in business suits in patriarchal roles back on Earth discuss and decide their fates. The story suffers a bit from a lack of specific detail on essential items and characters that aren't developed enough for readers to make a connection with. Although, it's easy to become empathetic towards three of the main characters: the rebellious and crafty Kamau Kogo, abandoned spouse Marian Collins, and big and beefy Penelope Rolle (who gets an entire issue devoted to her backstory).
I liked this enough to want to read more, especially since the first volume ends on a cliffhanger of sorts. There were only two other editions published to date, and I've already reserved them through my local county library.
Summary from the Goodreads website . . . . .
Think you know the story of Cap and Bucky's origins? Well, think again. The secret story of the early days of Captain America is revealed here, told from Bucky Barnes point of view.
What was Cap and Bucky's first mission together? What was the tragedy that happened on it that changed everything about who Bucky was? And what is the secret that connects the Cap and Bucky series to Cap's modern day stories? From co-writers Ed Brubaker and Marc Andreyko with artist Chris Samnee.
My review from the Goodreads website . . . . .
Nice change of pace from the bothersome evil Captain America/Hydra stooge/doppleganger farce that ran for almost a year (seemed like eternity) through the Marvel comic books. I stayed away from that.
This is the Captain America that I know and prefer to read about. A real patriot, from the heart and free of partisan politics, noble and true.
I read this several months ago but forgot to add it to my completed reads here on Goodreads.
Summary from the Goodreads website . . . . .
“Everyone in Shaker Heights was talking about it that summer: how Isabelle, the last of the Richardson children, had finally gone around the bend and burned the house down.”
In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is meticulously planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.
Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than just tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the alluring mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past, and a disregard for the rules that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.
When the Richardsons' friends attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town and puts Mia and Mrs. Richardson on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Mrs. Richardson becomes determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs to her own family – and Mia’s.
Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of long-held secrets and the ferocious pull of motherhood-and the danger of believing that planning and following the rules can avert disaster, or heartbreak.
My review from the Goodreads website . . . . .
No need for me to add to the numerous reviews praising this very worthy novel. It won the Goodreads best novel for 2017 among other awards and deserves them all.
Celeste Ng really gets to the heart and soul of all her characters and lets you into their world and their mindsets. Masterfully done. This one will stay with you for a long time. Worthy of re-reading, which I plan to do.
I actually listened to the entire novel on a trip back and forth from Pennsylvania to Indiana back in August but forgot that I had it saved on Goodreads. Correctly that error of omission now.
Next to-do will be to pick up a print copy of this.
Summary from the Goodreads website . . . . .
A stranded alien seeks refuge in the small town of Patience, USA, where he hides undercover as a retired doctor. All the alien wants is to be left alone until he's rescued.
However, when the town's real doctor dies, "Dr. Harry" is pulled into medical service; and finds himself smack dab in the middle of a murder mystery! Collects issues #0-#3 of the miniseries.
From the writer of Tom Strong and the artist for Alan Moore's The Bojeffries Saga!
My review from the Goodreads website . . . . .
Resident Alien takes place in the past, although the story never alludes to or indicates when these events occurred. Based on the vehicles in the story, the building designs, the clothing styles -- I'd guess this takes place in the early 1970's.
It's a simpler time, in a small American town where every inhabitant knows something about the others, and people are still congenial and polite to one another, for the most part. However, there's some disturbing murders that remain unsolved and the local police force seems baffled to solve them.
Into this setting, three years prior, stepped an alien from another planet, whose ship crashed to Earth. Where he was going and why is never explained, perhaps a matter for the later volumes in this series to explore. He has the ability to disguise his true form from 99% of the population, and appears to them as just another townie. He has no ill feelings towards humans, no plan of action. He just wants to blend in and study humans until he can be rescued from confinement to Earth.
He poses as a retired doctor, but is called back into service when the local doctor becomes one of the murder victims. He's got a penchant for detective work and helps the local police force solve the mystery and identify the murderer. There's a building subplot where government agents learn of the crashed ship and are trying to track him down.
It's the simplicity of Resident Alien that makes it so appealing. Story and art work together perfectly to paint a portrait of an engaging small town that would appeal to many of us, with interesting characters and a little trouble under the surface. For me, it was a very refreshing change of pace from the usual darker nature of current comic-book storytelling.
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