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Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Z2 COMICS Announces Schedule For NEW YORK COMIC CON
IDW To Publish STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS mini-series
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Monday, September 26, 2022
Graphic Novel Review - - FANTASTIC FOUR: FULL CIRCLE by Alex Ross
FANTASTIC FOUR: FULL CIRCLE by Alex Ross (Abrams ComicArts, September 06, 2022) Hardcover, 64 pages. ISBN # 1419761676 / 9781419761676
Synposis on the Goodreads website . . . . .
An all-new Marvel Comics graphic novel starring the Fantastic Four, written and illustrated by renowned artist Alex Ross
It’s a rainy night in Manhattan and not a creature is stirring except for . . . Ben Grimm. When an intruder suddenly appears inside the Baxter Building, the Fantastic Four—Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), the Invisible Woman (Susan Storm Richards), the Human Torch (Johnny Storm), and the Thing (Ben Grimm)—find themselves surrounded by a swarm of invading parasites. These carrion creatures composed of Negative Energy come to Earth using a human host as a delivery system. But for what purpose? And who is behind this untimely invasion?
The Fantastic Four have no choice but to journey into the Negative Zone, an alien universe composed entirely of anti-matter, risking not just their own lives but the fate of the cosmos!
Fantastic Four: Full Circleis the first longform work written and illustrated by acclaimed artist Alex Ross, who revisits a classic Stan Lee–Jack Kirby story from the 1960s and introduces the storyline for a new generation of readers. With bold, vivid colors and his trademark visual storytelling, Ross takes Marvel’s first team of super heroes to places only he can illustrate. The book also features a special poster jacket, with the front flap unfolding to reveal an all-new fully painted origin story of the Fantastic Four.
Welcome to the Negative Zone and MarvelArts—a new collaborative line of books between Marvel Comics and Abrams ComicArts—where nothing is impossible and anything can happen!
My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
Many fans of Alex Ross (myself included) were wondering if he would ever return to draw a full issue or more of comics instead or just cover illustrations (in spite of their gorgeousness). So, the pre-release announcement of FANTASTIC FOUR: FULL CIRCLE, this bigger page presentation is a sturdy hardcover, was like a Christmas present come early. The memories returned of his incredible painted panels done in his photo-realistic style that graced the pages of MARVELS and KINGDOM COME so many years ago.
I was a bit disappointed to pick this up and learn that the interior pages were penciled and inked rather than painted. Ross also colored his work with an assist from Josh Johnson. If that wasn't enough, he also wrote the story which is a neat homage to the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby days of the Fantastic Four and even references a past storyline and returns to it with a modern update.
I found the story very interesting but it's nothing earth-shattering and may actually disappoint FF fans. While the storyline does include a visit to the Negative Zone and a inconsequential appearance by big baddie Annihilus it lacks the big bombastic action sequence that Lee/Kirby would have inserted. Naturally, there are battles throughout the story but those aren't the main feature. Still, the characters act and interact as those familiar with Lee/Kirby are accustomed to.
Rather, this is more about the art of Ross, and he delivers well beyond the price of admission. In altering his usual painted style for pencil/ink/colors here Ross shows another side of his talents. Perhaps as part of the homage, there are slight traces of Kirby stylings within the art as well as possibly a subtle nod to Jim Steranko's work. Had I not known who the artist was, I'm not sure I would identify this as the work of Alex Ross. No matter. It's still incredible and awesome to view.
The color work is dynamic and fully enhances the story. Many of the panels within the Negative Zone burst with color in psychedelic images. If you purchase these upscale collections because you're a fan of Ross or a lover of lush comic art, then you'll want this book. FF fans should adore it.
Book Review: HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE by Riley Sager
HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE by Riley Sager (Duton, June 21, 2022) Hardcover, 349 pages. ISBN #0593183193 / 9780593183199
Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .
Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to her family's lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple living in the house across the lake.
Everything about the Royces seems perfect. Their marriage. Their house. The bucolic lake it sits beside. But when Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her. In the process, she discovers the darker truths lurking just beneath the surface of the Royces' picture-perfect marriage. Truths no suspicious voyeur could begin to imagine--even with a few drinks under her belt.
Like Casey, you'll think you know where this story is headed.
Think again.
Because once you open the door to obsession, you never know what you might find on the other side.
My Four-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
Despite the fact that Riley Sager has many detractors, I'm always engrossed in his novels. I've read four others and I thoroughly enjoyed each of them. I found it hard to put THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE down, and finished reading within two days. I agree that he's not perfect but he sure knows how to get my attention and hold it.
This begins as an undisguised homage to Alfred Hitchcock, and the Rear Window film specifically, although regular readers of Sager know that he will put his unique twist on the story more than once. The opening chapters seem to mirror that novel with a female protagonist crippled by alcoholic tendencies spying on the neighbors with high-powered binoculars instead of a bored wheelchair-confined man also spying on the neighbors and suspecting foul play and/or murder.
The opening chapter sets the scenery and atmosphere of the Vermont lake similar to the way that Hitchcock frames his opening scenes. The descriptions of the darkness of the lake and the reflective surface read like script notes for the film's photographer. There's also another Hitchcock film name-dropped several chapters in, and one of the supporting characters is named Marnie.
I began to have my suspicions beyond the usual suspects somewhere around page 180 and found evidence to confirm my conjecture within the next twenty pages. My feelings of contentment were crushed soon after as the story took a decidedly unexpected turn.
I believe it's this point in the story that has disappointed many reviewers, who may feel that Sager pulled a fast one or cheated. I looked back over the opening chapters, and found evidence that Sager planted a few clues and even foreshadowed these events, although so much was going on that readers could easily miss it. Nevertheless, I accepted this new twist and kept going. It did not disturb my enjoyment of the novel.
For those unfamiliar with Riley Sager but curious enough to want to explore, I would recommend Lock Every Door as a starting point before picking up this one.
Book Review: ZELESNKY by Andrew L. Urban, Chris McLeod
ZELENSKY: THE UNLIKELY UKRAINIAN HERO WHO DEFIED PUTIN AND UNITED THE WORLD by Andrew L. Urban and Chris McLeod (Regnery Publishing, April 19, 2022) Paperback, 192 pages. ISBN # 1684513782 / 9781684513789
The first major profile of Ukraine's courageous President Volodymyr Zelensky!
Ukraine's most popular comedic actor was an unlikely president of his country. And now, even more improbably, Volodymyr Zelensky has become the world's most celebrated statesman. Who is he? How did he become the international hero of our time?
Zelensky: The Unlikely Ukrainian Hero Who Defied Putin and United the World is a compelling account of this fascinating, enigmatic leader. Covering Zelensky's childhood, family history, and astonishing transformation from TV celebrity to first Jewish president of Ukraine, this book tells you what you need to know about the newest star of the world stage.
No one has been more surprised by Zelensky's power to inspire and mobilize his countrymen and the world than Vladimir Putin, who expected Russia's conquest of its beleaguered neighbor to be the work of an afternoon. Outfoxed and isolated, Putin is not the first person to have underestimated the former comedian with a spine of steel.
My Three-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .
The first book to profile courageous Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (publishers' stated claim) does not go much beyond what is already known. There is scant information providing insights into the life and history of Zelensky. Rather, this serves as a compact chronicle of the early days of the Russian invasion into Ukraine. For anyone who has been following the news and already knows this information, the book can serve as a valuable reference or review.
I do not regret reading this, and it did reinforce my admiration of Zelensky. But I was expecting more, and this just did not deliver. On the upside, the book does provide an capsule summary of Russian and Ukrainian history that was informative. There is also text of an interview done with Zelensky regarding the Servant Of The People television series that gives a little insight into the political views/philosophy of Zelensky.
Thursday, September 22, 2022
BALTIMORE COMIC CON Welcomes JOHN LEGUIZAMO
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Magazine Review: FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION May/June 2022
THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION May/June 2022 (Volume 142, #5 & #6) edited by Sheree Renee Thomas (Spilogale, Inc, April 2022) Paperback, 260 pages.
It took me a month plus of reading these stories in-between other literature, and helped me appreciate the quantity of quality stories here. I just pick up science fiction magazines only a couple times a year, and this was rewarding enough to encourage me to try another much sooner. Overall, I'd rate this issue 3.5 STARS.
The opening story, "The Voice Of A Thousand Years" by Fawaz al-Matrouk is especially good, and reminded me of the best of 10001 Arabian Nights and other moralistic fables. FOUR STARS.
"Cold Trade" by Aliya Whiteley is a bit disturbing, dealing with a future where trade between planets and cultures is of utmost importance, maybe too much when values and morals conflict with missions and objectives. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
The fascinating cover image by Alan Clark and the name of Norman Spinrad on the cover are what prompted me to pick up this issue. "The Canopy" novelette does not disappoint. What happens to those displaced individuals when they can no longer live on the streets of a near-future New York City? They migrate to rooftops, where an entire subculture exists with buildings connected by single-file walkways suspended between buildings. It's not just the homeless and drug-addicted who live atop skyscrapers. It's also working people who, despite pulling down a wage, can no longer afford the rising rents in the city - - including a policeman who makes some spare money by escorting some high-rise residents across the rooftops when the elevator in their building breaks down. A wry commentary on gentrification, the homeless, and other aspects of modern city life with a rational solution proposed. I was pulled into this story. Spinrad still has the gift. FIVE STARS.
"Give Me English" by Ai Jiang posits a world in which language becomes a currency and when you run out of money you lose the ability to use words and read them in your communication. A very interesting premise that I didn't feel the author explored adequately. TWO AND ONE-HALF STARS.
"Green Street" by S.R. Mandel seems to be more absorbed in it's different way of telling a story than it is in making a clear point. I became bored about half-way through. TWO STARS.
"Breathless In The Green" by Octavia Cade reads like a modern Aesop's fable, with a grim twist. This reminded me to always respect younger children and don't give them a reason to dislike you. THREE STARS.
"Ninety-Five Percent of the Ocean" by Jennifer Hudak. When the story is only three pages long, it's natural for me to expect either a punchline ending or a Twilight Zone-like twist. This did not disappoint in that respect, but I just couldn't engage with this story. Granted, it's difficult for many writers to craft compelling flash fiction. Thankfully it's very short. TWO STARS.
"The Hunger" by James Enge reminds me of good sword-and-sorcery short stories. I'm especially interested in the Morlock character, and hope Enge writes more of him. Every life needs a little music. Great opening line: "There comes a time when you have to change your life or die." FOUR STARS.
"The Mechanic" by Julie Le Blanc has some interesting world-building but it felt like an excerpt from a longer work. I would have liked a little more explanation of the circumstances, but there's enough here to create an image of a desolate, lonely world where the only currency seems to be mechanical parts to rebuild things. THREE STARS.
It's all over within two pages of "Modern Cassandra" by Julia August. I kept wondering as I read if this was intended to be based on the Cassandra of myth. That punchline is just plain mean, but actually elevated my appreciation for the story. THREE STARS.
"An Ill-Fated Girl Happens To Meet An Ill-Fated Man" by P.H. Lee is a homage to the romances of The Qing Dynasty and serves as an interesting morality play. THREE STARS.
A science-fiction/fantasy blend involving a gifted snake charmer and the incredible beast that serves as both her livelihood and companionship is the theme of "Nightmares Come From Stolen Dreams", a creative story by Taemumi Richardson that I enjoyed. FOUR STARS.
"The Angel's Call" by Jae Steinbacher occurs post-apocalypse after an event that transformed some survivors into winged beings with unspecified motives that make others afraid to make contact. The story themes are about relationships and transformations, prejudices and suspicions. It could have benefited from a bit more explanation of the circumstances and background to engage me further. This felt like I walked into a film after missing the first twenty minutes. THREE STARS.
“Mother, Mother” by Shreya Ila Anasuya is a fantasy employing the mythology of India. A daughter mourns the loss of her mother and beseeches a god of the forests to reunite them. I struggled to become engaged with this story and really didn't enjoy it. TWO STARS.
Whimsical and engaging, "L'Enfant Terrible" by Mark H. Huston deals with a creature from an alternate world trapped in the land of wizards and trying to mesmerize a wizard's intern to send her home through a portal. I was reminded of Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice. FOUR STARS.
The other novella this issue is "The Big Many" by Albert E. Cowdrey, a survival tale with some interesting characters and twists surrounding many devastating natural disasters that plunge the world into an every-person-for-themselves scenario with a few exceptions, one being the interesting family trying to stay together just as asteroids from space threaten to turn Earth into a dust bowl. This was somewhat episodic and felt like a big slice out of a longer novel. THREE STARS.
The issue ends with a humorous piece of flash fiction, "The True Meaning of Father's Day" by John Wiswell that plays around with an annual reunion of friends and time travel, resulting in multiple reunions and multiple characters. Funny, and thankfully gets to the punchline without delay. THREE STARS.