Reservations Recommended: BUNNY MASK by Paul Tobin & Andrea Mutti

BUNNY MASK #1 (AfterShock, release date June 9th - reserve your copy with your comic shop by Monday, May 17) Paul Tobin, writer. Andrea Mutti, art and colors. Taylor Esposito, letters. Main cover by Andrea Mutti. Variant cover by Charlie Adlard (pictured below).

     One of the perks of my part-time job is getting to read digital previews of upcoming comics. This one exceeded my expectations. Writer Paul Tobin is going for something very eerie here, that will sneak up and seep under your skin. And, if you’ve seen the art of Andrea Mutti on MANIAC OF NEW YORK then you know why he’s the perfect choice to illustrate this - very unsettling. 

     The first half of BUNNY MASK is off the wall with fearful and disturbing content. Fourteen years ago, child welfare worker Tyler Severin and his partner were on a call to investigate the alleged abuse of young Bee Foster by her crazed father Leo.That visit set into motion a chain of events that left Tyler the only one rescued by emergency personnel.  

   

     In the present day Tyler has a chance meeting with Bee Foster, presumed dead and missing but alive, healthy, and creating disturbing art. And that’s not the half of it!  

Writer Paul Tobin tells it best in these excerpts from his interview on the AfterShock website . . . . .

PAUL TOBIN ON WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT AND WHY HE’S EXCITED FOR IT TO COME OUT:

“Bunny Mask is the story of Tyler Severin, who—due to traumatic incident—uncovers and releases Bunny Mask herself, an ancient, supernatural creature, incredibly powerful and possibly evil, but the thing is…she likes him. It’s almost as if she’s imprinted on Tyler, since he helped her “hatch.” The series is about the ripple effects, or more honestly the tsunami effects, on Tyler’s life and the world.”

PAUL TOBIN ON (3) REASONS WHY COMIC READERS SHOULD PICK THIS BOOK UP:

“We’re hitting on that mixture of overt and sublime horror that I love and that I played with in my last foray into horror, the Eisner nominated Colder series. And we’re playing with the aspect of how encountering the unknown, dealing with terrible forces beyond understanding, can change someone. And I like to think that in the character of Bunny Mask herself we’ve created a character that, much in the same manner as Tyler Severin, people will be drawn to her. I think those are all elements that should convince readers to come along with us on this ride!”

The Man With The Iron Fists Official Trailer #1 (2012) Russell Crowe, RZ...

Stay-At-Home Theater: THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS on HBO.

Crazy, over-the-tops martial arts escapist film. So much fun. FOUR STARS.

Creepshow (2019) - Official Trailer [HD] | A Shudder Original Series

Stay-At-Home Theater: CREEPSHOW SEASON ONE on AMC Network 

and Shudder streaming online. True to the spirit of the classic Creepshow

movie, this combines scares with dark comedy in the best ways. Stand-out 

episodes are the dollhouse, the man in the suitcase, and the miracle weight

loss method. Took me too long to get through the series. My fault, too

much on the DVR, need to watch. I won't take as long to get through Season

Two. FOUR AND ONE-HALF STARS.

Graphic Novel Review: OWLY, FLYING LESSONS by Andy Runton

OWLY: FLYING LESSONS by Andy Runton (Graphix/Scholastic, April 2021) Paperback, 144 pages. ISBN #1338300695 / 9781338300697 

Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .

Facing fears can be scary...

Owly and Wormy love making new friends, and when they spot an unfamiliar animal flying through the trees, they can't wait to meet her! Unfortunately, Shadow the flying squirrel doesn't want to be friends with Owly because she's afraid of him. Wormy tries to convince Shadow that she can trust Owly, but she's still scared... When Wormy gets stuck high up in a tree, Owly's own fear of flying keeps him grounded. Can Owly overcome his fears? And will Shadow be able to do the same?

Through a unique blend of words and symbols, Owly can be read by the youngest readers, and is a great introduction to graphic novels!   

My Five-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     I gifted my grandson some of the original black & white illustrated, text-free OWLY books from Top Shelf Comix when he was nearly three years old. The warm, whimsical stories were great for helping him develop his processing and imaginative skills. He would look at the images and tell the story to me as he figured out what was happening. They remain among his favorite books in a growing collection (avid reader). 

     He's now approaching six-years old, reading at a third grade level, and these revised editions of Owly by Graphic/Scholastic add color and text to those stories. They are much easier for young readers to grasp, and that's a good thing as the stories always convey important lessons about caring, sharing, and cooperating. An even bigger benefit is that my grandson can now read these stories to his two-year old brother and sister (twins). I'll be gifting him this volume when I visit in May. 

     In Flying Lessons, Owly and Wormy try to make friends with a flying squirrel, who naturally is afraid of owls. As Shadow (the squirrel) eventually warms up to Owly, he returns the favor by helping Owly overcome his fear of flying. Full of simple charm and wisdom, the art is equally sweet and appealing to younger readers.

Graphic Novel Review: PUNK TACO by Adam and Makana Wallenta

PUNK TACO by Adam and Makana Wallenta graphic children’s novel (Adam Wallenta Enterprises, 2018) Hardcover, First Edition. 

Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .

Across the galaxy, an evil, tyrannical king has enslaved citizens from countless planets using them as soldiers in his quest for domination. When one young refugee is displaced from his family, Punk Taco and his band of misfits befriend him and vow to reunite their new friend and his loved ones. 

With a mysterious alien and race, they join forces to battle the mad king and spread peace, love, and unity across the cosmos. Action adventure and humor abound in this tale of kindness and understanding created by Ada Wallenta and his six-year-old son, Makana.  

My Four Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     I don't know if main creator Adam Wallenta pitched this self-published children's book to any publishers. It may be a little too quirky and too advanced for a children's book, and maybe too hard to pigeonhole into a specific category or genre. Hats off to Adam and Makana, his then six-year old son, for making the decision to self-publish and continue pursuing their dream to see this in print. 

     I was impressed enough by this work and the wonderful engaging art to purchase a copy direct from the Wallentas at the 2019 Baltimore Comic Con. After thoroughly reviewing the contents, I judged it to be too advanced to give as a gift to my then four-year old grandson. I'm planning to present it to him (he'll be six in July, but reads at a third-grade level) when we finally get to visit again this month. 

     The format and presentation are excellent. In an over-sized hardcover the comic panels are large enough for young eyes to clearly see all the details. The colors are bright and vivid and very appealing. 

     The story carries several positive messages about friendship, working together, persistence, and especially anti-bullying with some very subtle and slight political references (no names) that should not offend. They may be included more for the benefit of parents or grandparents who will read this aloud to children. Although that, as well as some of the bigger vocabulary words and references, may result in a good conversation with youngsters. 

     The situations are cute, the character comments sure to elicit a chuckle, and the overall message is very up-lifting. I'm hoping to be able to read this with my grandson. However, if he wants to read it for himself (he often does this now), I'll make sure to remind him to ask for my help if he stumbles over any of the words (quarantine, etc) or doesn't quite understand their meaning. 

     Here's hoping this creative team produces another book like this one.

Graphic Novel Review: RECKLESS by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

RECKLESS by Ed Brubaker, writer and Sean Phillips, artist  (Image Comics, December 2020)  Hardcover, 144 pages  ISBN # 1534318518 / 9781534318519  

Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .

Sex, drugs, and murder in 1980s Los Angeles, and the best new twist on paperback pulp heroes since The Punisher or Jack Reacher. ED BRUBAKER and SEAN PHILLIPS, the modern masters of crime noir, bring us the last thing anyone expected from them—a good guy. 

A bold new series of original graphic novels, with three books releasing over the next year, each a full-length story that stands on its own. Meet Ethan Reckless: Your trouble is his business, for the right price. But when a fugitive from his radical student days reaches out for help, Ethan must face the only thing he fears…his own past.

“Oh man this book pushed EVERY crime fiction button for me. Working class setting covering up for a deeper societal rot, a battered, damaged (literally) protagonist against the beast, and all of it squirming and lunging through an over-lit early 80s L.A. Noir bleached to bleakness. Bliss." —Patton Oswalt 

“Imagine Redford at his peak, ambling through sun-drenched, eighties L.A. in a serpentine plot that is equal parts Long Goodbye and Point Break. No one does crime fic like BRUBAKER and PHILLIPS and their collaboration has never felt more new. Explosive. Vital. And yes...reckless. I love this book.” —Damon Lindelof (Lost, HBO’s Watchmen) 

"RECKLESS is an absolute rush: on the same level as golden age Travis McGee novels and the hardest-hitting Richard Stark stories. This one comes at you as fast as Steve McQueen in a souped-up Mustang and as hard as Charles Bronson with a baseball bat. You gotta have it." —Joe Hill (Locke & Key, N0S4A2) 

Look for Book Two in the RECKLESS series in April 2021!  

My Five-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     RECKLESS recalls the former great pulp detective/heroes of the paperback 1960's and 1970's and moves the action a little forward into the 1980's. This would have made a great print novel that could place itself on the same plateau as Parker and Travis McGee, etc. - - but it works so much better as a graphic novel. Brubaker and Phillips are the team supreme when it comes to crime fiction in comics, each enhancing the other's words and images for the greatest impact. 

     Normally releasing their excellent crime comics in monthly issues (Criminal) and then collecting in trade paperback, the pandemic shut-down forced the creative team to come up with a different method for their art - - - hardcover collections.

      Two tales of Ethan Reckless (appropriate name) have been released so far (Installment #3 later this year). The presentation here is far superior, printed on quality paper that makes the color work come alive. I hope they continue with this format in the future.

Book Review: THE LAW OF INNOCENCE by Michael Connelly

THE LAW OF INNOCENCE by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Company, November 2020)  Hardcover, 432 pages. ISBN # 0316485624 / 9780316485623  

Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .

Defense attorney Mickey Haller is pulled over by police, who find the body of a client in the trunk of his Lincoln. Haller is charged with murder and can't make the exorbitant $5 million bail slapped on him by a vindictive judge.

Mickey elects to defend himself and must strategize and build his defense from his jail cell in the Twin Towers Correctional Center in downtown Los Angeles, all the while looking over his shoulder – as an officer of the court he is an instant target.

Mickey knows he's been framed. Now, with the help of his trusted team, he has to figure out who has plotted to destroy his life and why. Then he has to go before a judge and jury and prove his innocence. 

 

My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     You’re always in for a great, engaging read when you pick up a Michael Connelly novel. This one is no exception. 

     I was wondering (and worrying) right up until the final pages how lawyer Mickey Haller was going to make his case for innocence in his concluding remarks. Connelly manages several twists within the story and keeps readers on their toes. 

    I always learn something about law enforcement methods and criminal justice proceedings when reading his books, and this was full of courtroom drama and examples. I also appreciate the first-person perspective which allows readers to understand what kind of character Mickey Haller really is. Otherwise, I might not root for him if all I could judge him on were his courtroom performances. Haller is a mastermind in front of a jury. It almost seemed like he might lose the most important case of his career, obtaining a not guilty verdict when he's been accused of murder.