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Thursday, March 30, 2023
Finnish Graphic Novel Memoir To Be Released By ONI PRESS
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Book Review of SHE RIDES SHOTGUN by Jordan Harper
SHE RIDES SHOTGUN by Jordan Harper (Simon & Schuster, June 2017) Hardcover, 257 pages. 2018 Barry Award Nominee for Best First Novel. 2018 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. 2018 ALA Alex Award. ISBN # 1471158942
Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .
Eleven-year -old Polly is smart beyond her years. But she's a loner. Her mother tells her she has 'gunfighter eyes', like the father she's never met.
In prison, about to be released, Nate runs afoul of the powerful leader of the Aryan Brotherhood. Marked for death on his release, Nate soon realizes that everyone he has ever loved is a target - including his daughter, Polly.
Now, forced into hiding by the greenlight placed upon them, Nate finds himself having to teach his estranged daughter how to survive in a kill-or-be-killed world, all the while observed by Polly's teddy bear, who is soon the only outlet for the little girl's emotions. Soon the two of them find themselves on a non-stop struggle for survival, and along the way, discover the bonds that eluded them for so many years...
My Five-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
When a debut novel pulls me into the story immediately like this one did, I have to share the reason why - - - the opening sentence and paragraph - - - His skin told his history in tattoos and knife scars. He lived in a room with no night. And he was to his own mind a god.
The two page prologue seals the deal. A death warrant goes out from a maximum security prison on a recently released convict and his family - - as if to clue in readers for what lies ahead. Great foreshadowing. I'm in!
I love the economy with words so far, and I'm less than 50 pages in. For example, like this introduction to Nate's eleven-year-old daughter, Polly: She wore a loser's slumped shoulders and hid her face with her hair, but the girl had gunfighter eyes."
And a dramatic scene on Page 22: NOT TODAY, NOT EVER, he thought, standing over her corpse. His fingers grasped useless air. He wanted to choke the world if he only could find its fucking neck.
I'm not going to spoil the fun for anyone else by revealing too much of the plot. Suffice to say this is a break-neck crime thriller with all the right moves: action, family relationships, second chances, justice, humor, warm touches and a kick-ass supporting character in Nate's daughter Polly.
Monday, March 27, 2023
The Night Agent | Official Trailer | Netflix
The Natural Lines - No More Tragedies (Official Video)
DADDY LONG LEGS 'Nightmare' (Brooklyn, Yep Roc Records) BOPFLIX Landscape
Book Review: THE PASSENGER by Cormac McCarthy
THE PASSENGER by Cormac McCarthy (Knopf Publishing Group, October 2022) Hardcover, 385 pages.
That passage succinctly sums up the core of main character Bobby Western (of this novel, the companion piece coming in November focuses on his sister). His grief and regret drips from every scene in which he is featured in this long meandering novel.
Whenever I dare to dabble and read some "literary fiction" there are few writers that I completely trust. A trope of literary fiction may be a vague plot or a story that seems to go nowhere, an experiment in style over substance. (Please forgive me for that quick assessment). One of the writers I trust is Cormac McCarthy, although THE PASSENGER is not one of his better books. A good writer of literary fiction will keep readers engaged regardless, and McCarthy is a great writer.
The imagery that is created out of short sentences is often amazing. You can expect a tale full of symbolism and heavy philosophy (if you care to contemplate the meaning). You can expect experimentation with story-telling style. For example, McCarthy doesn't like quotation marks or punctuation. In a book jam-packed with dialogue and conversations (often in a restaurant or bar) there are no indications of who is speaking, and no subtle clues like "Western said" at the end of sentences. The absence of punctuation also gives double meaning to some of the sentences, for example wont instead of won't. I confess that I read McCarthy more for those interesting aspects of his writing style more than for the storyline. Also, there is no violence in this novel, an expectation that many of his stories may have created.
The beginnings of this novel seem to indicate a thriller/mystery. Bobby is employed as a salvage diver and the company he works for is asked to do a preliminary exploration of a private aircraft that crashed into deep waters. They discover the remains of the 10-passenger plane but also find that one body is missing, as well as a flight bag and the black box. They are never called back to the site, and the crash never makes the news reports. However, mysterious men in black come calling, wanting to interview Bobby and continue to follow/look for him. This plot thread continues to surface throughout the novel, but is never resolved except for some dramatic decisions that Bobby is forced to make.
The other storyline intertwined within Bobby's story is that of his younger sister. The scenes are shorter than the chapters featuring Bobby, and precede each of them in italicized font. She is schizophrenic, living in a mental institution and having imaginary conversations with weird characters.
However, rather than a novel concerning a deep dive that uncovers information that others prefer to keep concealed this is a deep dive into the character of Bobby. (Sorry, couldn't resist making that connection). We learn more and more about he and his sister (he feels responsible for her suicide) and their high intelligence on the genius scale. Alicia is smarter than Bobby and both are adept at advanced mathematics, possibly through inherited genes of their father, a scientist who helped develop the atomic bomb (also the source of some of Bobby's guilt and his apparent estrangement from his parents).
While it may be essential to understanding the character of Bobby and others (this is a book full of interesting and eccentric characters) I couldn't help feeling that McCarthy was showing off in some chapters and speaking through his own voice/opinion. There's a conversation about physics that is way over my head, and will most likely baffle many readers. Also, McCarthy uses another character to express his thoughts on JFK's assassination. Probably not essential to the story, but interesting nonetheless.
Final thoughts: if you like being challenged by a novel, join the THE PASSENGER for a bumpy ride.
Sunday, March 26, 2023
DAVE WILLIAMS Reviews SUPERMAN: LOST #1
Guest review by Dave Williams . . . . .
PGHHEAD'S 2023 COMICS ODYSSEY, Part Thirteen
PGHHEAD’S 2023 COMICS ODYSSEY, PART 13
This marks the third consecutive year that I will attempt to document my comics reading by writing at least a mini-review. The goal is 1200 books read and reviewed in 2023, although I missed the mark in 2022 by 88 books. Still, I like that number as it’s easy enough to track - - - 100 books per month on average. Wish me luck!
# GOAL FOR March 31, 2023. . . 300 comics documented
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 282 comics documented
#273 - #276 PARASOMNIA #1 - #4 by Cullen Bunn and Andrea Mutti (Dark Horse Comics, 2021) The New Oxford Dictionary defines parasomnia as any of a group of sleep disorders characterized by the regular occurrence of abnormal movements, vocalizations, or experiences, such as sleepwalking, talking in one's sleep, or night terrors. Cullen Bunn's take on that term is creative and appealing. But, he messes things up with haphazard story-telling, ill-defined scenarios, and doesn't get about revealing his hand until it's too late.
Here’s the synopsis from the Goodreads website:
From Cullen Bunn (Harrow County) and Andrea Mutti (Prometheus, Starship Down), comes a new dark fantasy tale of two worlds split between dreams and reality. After his son disappears, a broken-down man braves a nightmarish dreamscape in order to find him--and battle the ruthless cult that seeks to rule the land of dreams as the barrier between realities starts to collapse.
Cullen Bunn comes up with a very interesting premise for what should be a compelling story, but drops the ball in execution. He leaves far too much for readers to discern and the vague, confusing story meanders along before finally revealing enough information to make sense of it in Issue #4, the final issue. Truth be told, it was the art that kept me going. I'm going to check out anything that Andrea Mutti is involved in, regardless of how bad the story might be. I can't get enough of his intriguing illustrations.
I read this in the single monthly issues, and have a feeling many readers bailed out before getting that far. To add insult to injury, the story does not conclude, to be continued in Volume Two. It still ends with many unanswered questions, and is not satisfying. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
From the publisher’s synopsis: Gene manipulation has always been solely for those who can afford the expensive prenatal treatments. Income determines status and, more importantly, survival. If your genes have not been optimized, the Order has no use for you. You are nonessential. Less than. To be eliminated. Everything is geared to keeping the ship of state sailing along smoothly, no matter the cost.?? But in every totalitarian system lies the seeds of rebellion, independence, and OUTRAGE.
While that sounds like a good template for a cosmic space opera detailing a class struggle against oppressive forces, Starlin adds more engaging touches. He’s still a solid storyteller in the classic style. There are enough layers to this story, and much is left to the reader to uncover as it should be in a generation-spanning epic that needs to make all it’s points within four issues.
What interests me the most is the hint of a complex character study of three strong independent women (who may have a connection/link) from three different time periods in this universe. The first of these is nameless so far and may actually be a god/immortal, awakening in an alien setting only to be confronted by forces of the Order. Alexis is a young woman fleeing the persecution of the Order (all non-exceptional genes get eliminated) who perhaps in tragedy finds a new mentor/savior in an alien species. Megan is a security officer within the Order, disappointed by not being promoted to a science team, and expressing her dissatisfaction to her superior officer. Later, she gets a dangerous hint at what dissension may bring. Lots of promise here, and I’ll probably follow this based on the Starlin/Morales connection. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
This is a cool blend of science fiction, fantasy, and crime drama. The art does remind me of the images from SAGA but it’s not exactly the same. Both artists make the most of what I consider a minimalist style. There are some very creative panels as well as different perspectives, even overhead-appearing visuals that a drone camera might have captured. However, some of the panels appear a bit too cartoonish for my tastes. Sometimes the close-ups are so close that it’s hard to tell exactly what is being shown.
Kiros is the last remaining city following a centuries-old battle with the “Great Evil”, and is inhabited by humans, elves, fairies, mermaids, and various fantasy creatures. Main character Paedra Essex is a black cloak detective investigating the murder of a Royal family member (who she has history with). As the story unfolds, we learn that she is an estranged member of royalty and has to communicate with the elite after twenty years of silence. She’s the most interesting character here, and hopefully will return after what happens to her as the first issue ends.
As much as I like what I”ve seen so far, I’m going to hold off on following BLACK CLOAK. There’s already more than enough that I’m picking up every month even if I read nothing but comics. FOUR STARS.
I was engaged in the story, but missed the absence of the original creative team. Anna Everts does a fine job with the script and enhances the character of Blackthorne, the Sheriff of Nottingham. The art by Serra is equally appealing, although not on the level of Volume One and Two (one of the highlights that made those series so delightful for me).
The story details the first encounter of Blackthorne with Monsieur Reynard, a totally despicable character with no morals - - a poacher, a thief, a rapist, a murderer. THREE STARS.
Pop Tate has been serving burgers and shakes to the teens of Riverdale for generations, and his Chock’lit Shoppe is “the beating heart of the city.” In this fun one-shot collection, he becomes a real ghoul as what goes on after dark at the shoppe is terrifying.
Don’t try to leave without paying your dinner bill. Pop stops teenage couple Nick and Sherry from exiting and employs them into gruesome clean-up service in “Die And Dash” by Amy Chase and Federico Sabbatini.
In Ryan Cady and Chris Panda’s “Night Shift” Kevin Keller starts working at the shoppe and learns just how different and difficult the late-night crowd of diners can be.
In my favorite story from Jordan Morris and Liana Kangas, Archie mainstay Bettie Cooper forgets her cell phone at the shoppe and returns after closing via the back door, only to interrupt a private dining event. The title, “Soylent Teen” is a dead giveaway for what’s on the menu. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
Saturday, March 25, 2023
DAVE WRIGHTEOUS reviews NEXUS
MATT LOWDER Reviews BRIAR
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Book Review of RIGHTEOUS PREY by John Sandford
RIGHTEOUS PREY by John Sandford (Random House Large Print Publishing, October 2022 ) Trade paperback, 496 pages. ISBN # 9780593632635
Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . .
"We're going to murder people who need to be murdered." So begins a press release from a mysterious group known only as "The Five," shortly after a vicious predator is murdered in San Francisco. The Five is believed to be made up of vigilante killers who are very bored...and very rich. They target the worst of society--rapists, murderers, and thieves--and then use their unlimited resources to offset the damage done by those who they've killed, donating untraceable bitcoin to charities and victims via the dark net. The Five soon become the most popular figures on social media, a modern-day Batman...though their motives may not be entirely pure.
After a woman is murdered in the Twin Cities, Virgil Flowers and Lucas Davenport are sent in to investigate. And they soon have their hands full--the killings are smart and carefully choreographed, and with no apparent direct connection to the victims, the Five are virtually untraceable. But if anyone can destroy this group, it will be the dynamic team of Davenport and Flowers.
My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
Like most Sandford novels, I read vigorously through this in just a matter of days. I probably could have read this in one day, if I had nothing else on the menu. Despite what should be a tired formula by now, Sandford manages to keep it interesting, keep it topical and timely, keep it suspenseful, action-packed and darkly humorous - - and keeps coming up with creative ways to keep the team of Davenport and Flowers active. Although, after the battle scars from this one, both would be justified in hanging up the star and taking a desk job.
The Five are a despicable but interesting group of vigilante justice-seekers with extreme methods. Extremely wealthy and bored, they band together to eliminate the "assholes" of the world. The irony is that The Five are all assholes as well. I appreciate that Sandford left some of the investigation unsolved, providing space for a sequel/follow-up to the story should he need or want to do so. I would gladly read that, and read this again if there weren't so many other books on the shelf calling for my attention.
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Monday, March 20, 2023
PGHHEAD'S 2023 COMICS ODYSSEY, Part Twelve
PGHHEAD’S 2023 COMICS ODYSSEY, PART 12
This marks the third consecutive year that I will attempt to document my comics reading by writing at least a mini-review. The goal is 1200 books read and reviewed in 2023, although I missed the mark in 2022 by 88 books. Still, I like that number as it’s easy enough to track - - - 100 books per month on average. Wish me luck!
# GOAL FOR March 20, 2023. . . 267 comics documented
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 272 comics documented
Aaron deserves credit for working in as many Avengers characters past and present into this storyline (quite the task) and then topping it off by introducing a huge multiverse with even more variations on familiar characters. Everybody gets some panel time, although some are much shorter than others. This issue is the standard number of pages, but it’s a super-sized issue because of the immense size of many of the players who join the battle.
Beginning with Mephisto of Earth-616 (that’s the Earth we know) who doesn’t regret the defeat of his minions (and fellow Masters of Evil Ghost Goblin, Black Skull, King Killmonger) and escape from the timeline by Dark Phoenix and Doom. Only Young Thanos, who’s just there to gain “knowledge”, remains to taunt him for his failures. He also stands accused before the Council of Red (all the alternate versions of Mephisto) but that’s just part of his plan - - get them all together so he can absorb their energies and become Monstrous Mephisto.
While Avenger Prime (a version of Loki) goes up against Doom, Ka-Zar (wielding a cosmic power) joins up with the main bunch, who also initiate new Avengers member Galactus. Gorilla Man shows up with Ursa Major (Russian super-bear) and brings with them a former dead Celestial now transformed into a giant Deathlok. Colossal, indeed!
The story moves on in AVENGERS FOREVER #15 and then wraps up in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE: OMEGA. Three And One-Half Stars.
Eight strangers from different time periods find themselves on a planet far from Earth, mixed up in a deadly game where they are hunted by Predators. It’s a large cast of characters but don’t worry about trying to remember all their names as many will not return for Issue #2. However, we learn enough about them to care and make us squirm when they bite the dust.
That makes Ed Brisson’s story more impactful, and Netho Diaz’s art is explosive in all the right ways. A familiar character from the first Marvel PREDATOR series turns up at an opportune moment and adds another layer of interest to the storyline. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
a lot of promise. I read a couple of those recent Spider-Man issues and didn’t really find the character of Janine Godbe/Hallow’s Eve particularly interesting, more of a secondary character and love interest for Ben Reilly.
But skilled writer Erica Schultz (Bylines In Blood, Deadliest Bouquet, etc) makes her much more interesting. She’s on the run, isolated, impulsive, and not sure of the power of her newly acquired magic. During the Dark Web event, Janine was given a bag of magic Halloween masks, each with their own special powers. In Issue #1, she uses them to rob a bank and during a narrow escape she may have unwittingly unleashed a bigger problem. Plus, who doesn’t want to see more werewolves in comics?
During that Dark Web event, Maxine Danger of Beyond Corporation (sponsor of Ben Reilly as Spider-Man) erased Ben’s memories to make him easier to control, which transformed him into the dangerous Chasm, leaving Janine isolated and on the run with her bag of masks while she tries to formulate a plan to get Ben out of Limbo.
Hallow’s Eve is a character with a lot of potential, and allows new readers to the Spider-Man family a good jumping-on point. Michael Dowling’s art is also kind of special and suits the mood that Schultz is working to create perfectly. FOUR STARS.
The Multiversal Masters Of Evil have been reduced to just Doom Supreme, Dark Phoenix and Mephisto - - but they have grown more powerful as well as gigantic. In AVENGERS #66 Mephisto “absorbed all of his variants, granting himself immense power and growing to colossal size”.
Kuder’s art has been amazing throughout this series, and he outdoes himself this issue with some great scenes. For openers, that two-page spread of Galactus crushing and devouring Doom, The Living Planet while the Doom variants are driven away is breathtaking. The Thor family rallies. Deathlok the Celestial turns his big gun on Mephisto.
Meanwhile Robbie Reyes, the Ghost All-Rider and Brandy, the Starbrand console each other as they watch the battle, realizing that it can’t be won without their involvement which also means depleting more of their weakening bodies. Also, who’s who among the various Phoenix?
Aaron has one more twist to unravel before the finale in AVENGERS ASSEMBLE: OMEGA. The God Quarry was not just the rally point for Avengers Tower - - it was the proverbial finger in the dam. “Mephisto’s grand plan was never to rewrite existence. It was to end it.” THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.
It’s a bit of a mix of crime and super-hero fare, and contains several layers within the mystery introduced in Issue #1. You have to pay attention because the story does not play out in sequential order. A series of exposes of prominent citizens with criminal intent by a costumed vigilante known as No/One is followed by their murders.
The killer leaves messages under the signature of Richard Roe. After the confession and imprisonment of the alleged killer, the murders continue in copycat fashion.
Things become complicated as the person confessing to being Richard Roe is Aaron Kern - - who is the son of Ben Kern, a high ranking-member of the Pittsburgh Police and running for election. Lots of exposition in this debut issue. However, when the vigilante goes into action, Borge’s art really shines in a fresh and fluid way.
It’s all part of Kyle Higgin’s Massive-verse, and also is complimented by a podcast featuring Rachel Leigh Cook and Patton Oswalt. I’m not completely sold on this book, and the thought of a 10-issue run is a bit daunting. I’m going to sit back and observe for a bit before deciding to move forward. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
A interesting debut that raises many unanswered questions before it wraps up in Issue #1. When does the story take place? The backgrounds are somewhat futuristic and remind me of the first Blade Runner film. Both story (moody, dark) and art (bloody, gritty) remind me of the house style and tone of many Avatar comics. If you’re a fan of some of those you should check this out.
As the story begins the aforementioned and cloaked serial killer plants a bomb in an underground gathering of what appears to be a cult during a ritual sacrifice of a young woman. Detective Washington learns of this but doesn’t arrive on the scene until it’s too late. He’s the only survivor of the explosion. He is then “exiled” by the police department. What does that actually mean? (Unexplained). Did he uncover something he shouldn’t have, either the cult or the serial killer, and who in law enforcement and/or government wants to cover it up?
One year later, Washington is back on the force, and paired up with another detective (who he doesn’t completely trust). When they investigate another break-in and murder and what appears to be evidence of the re-appearance of the serial spine-ripper, he’s cautioned not to pursue his theories. Who can you trust?
Not bad but not great and another book that has me on the fence about continuing. I’m also wondering just how much Wesley Snipes has to do with this beyond coming up with the initial idea, just like I wonder about Keanu Reeve’s comic. THREE STARS.
Trust Jim Starlin not to rest on his laurels and write a simple storyline or downgrade the art chores. There is a lot of depth and characterization here. He also manages to fit his complex story into each issue through the use of smaller vertical or horizontal panels, sometimes panoramic and sometimes a simple character close-up. But no matter the size, the detail is there, even when Starlin employs white or black backgrounds for dramatic effect. There is magic here.
Issue #19: “Trap!”: The team decides to take the fight directly to Monalo’s headquarters on Tempest-7. However, once inside the maze of his fortress Monalo unleashes an unending horde of cyborg warriors that overwhelm Dreadstar’s group.
Issue #20: “The Fallen Hero”: Just when it looks like they can’t win, Oedi the Catman finds his way directly to Monalo in his armored mechanical chair and knocks them both out of an upper tower window and directly into the deep sea below. This
Issue #21: “Blow Out”: While trying to evade the battleships, The Beauty (the Dreadstar space vessel) warps too many times and the teleportation drive overheats and fails. The drive’s space-bending radiations escape their containment and cause a section of space to become a multi-dimensional rift. The crew of The Beauty then exists within hundreds of dimensions simultaneously which distorts both their perceptions and limbers up their bodies (like Mr. Fantastic) - - all imaginatively detailed in Starlin’s art. Doc Delphi manages to fix the drive but absorbs too much radiation as his body disincorporates. Whew! Starlin not only puts his characters through their trials and sorrows (especially Willow) but he doesn’t spare them either. FOUR STARS.
The story is equal in quality, and layered with complexity and emotion. Batman and The Joker venture inside the abandoned subway tunnels and complexes below Gotham to the heart of the nest of zombie-like, super-strong Joker clones. The secret behind who has been unleashing them and killing prominent Gothamites associated with a fatal wedding is revealed in shocking fashion. Everybody’s in for a nasty showdown. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.
The art in this book is exceptional, and it’s hard to tell where Janin ends and Ordway begins unless you are really scrutinizing the panels. So the main villain of the JSA and the stalker throughout time turns out to be classic foe Per Degaton. Johns does a nice job of summarizing his history without bogging down the story in pages of flashbacks. He was stopped by Sgt Rock and Easy Company in his torturous time-travel experiments during WWI for Nazi Germany. However, they assumed he was electrified and disintegrated by the time disc when it actually transported him away from danger and into another time period.
What still bothers me is that “Now” dateline for the Justice Society of America, here fighting a horde of Bizarros and Angle Man. Is this really the 1940’s, especially when the Doctor Fate that jumps into the battle along with Huntress is Khalid and not Kent Nelson. How did that happen? FOUR STARS.
There’s an element of fatalism about the move, as they expect to be captured or killed once the Instrumentality arrives. Much of the issues is a flashback/spotlight on Willow, her tragic upbringing and an early encounter with a younger Doctor Delphi that helped her break her drug habit and abusive relationship. Back in the present, Skeevo expresses what each member is privately thinking: “This is the end, isn’t it? As the issue ends, the enemy continues to close in on the steadily shrinking band. FOUR STARS.
As the issue opens, the Church of the Instrumentality is preparing for the televised execution of Dreadstar and company on the uninhabited planet of Crystalial. They are chained to an immovable object, awaiting delivery of a portable atomic bomb created by Mezlo to be delivered. However, before the planet and Dreadstar’s crew can be obliterated, a rescue occurs, the tables are turned on the Instrumentality and what began as a fatal defeat becomes an ultimate victory.
Starlin planted a few plot clues several issues back, and reveals his hand now. What appears to be another Instrumentality associate with a change of heart (Ultraviolet turned first) is a ruse, revealing the return of a familiar and welcome character. The art is splendid and a joy to view. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.