Comic Book Reviews III

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why 

Author:  G. Willow Wilson 

Artist:  Adrian Alphona
Rating:  2.5

That's it, I gave this series a shot, but the second volume is just as disappointing as the first.  It seems more like a parody of a comic than the real thing. There's nothing new, nothing that really grabs you. It has a tendency to be rather cliche and generally cringe-worthy.  The art, too, left much to be desired. What threw me off the most with the art style was how disproportional it could be.  I am definitely in the minority with this one, but I just expected more.

The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 2: Dallas 
Author:  Gerard Way 
Artist:  Gabriel Bá
Rating:  4.5

Admittedly, I had the foolish notion that Apocalypse Suite was as good as it could get.  Like I said, it was a foolish notion.  Dallas is a stroke of genius.  It's a ridiculous mess of time travel, assassins, and talking fish.  If I must repeat myself--it's genius.  And that's not even mentioning Gabriel Bá's phenomenal art.

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys No. 1-6 
Authors:  Gerard Way and Shaun Simon
Artist:  Becky Cloonan
Rating:  4

This is one of those projects created to send a message, and while the story can often be sacrificed for that message, this comic mini series struck a nice balance.  The world-building may be a little lacking and the plot a bit predictable, but the cast of characters are nothing but fabulous, and that message I mentioned earlier?  It's also fabulous. The art, too, was clean and colorful.  However, I fully admit that the enjoyment from reading this relies a bit on watching and understanding the music videos that go along with the comics.  

The Amazing Spider-man, No. 1:  Amazing Fantasy #15 
Author:  Stan Lee
Artist:  Steve Ditko
Rating:  3.5

All the way back to the beginning of Spiderman, to his origin story.  Who ever thought that originally Peter Parker planned to cash in and be a media spectacle instead of fighting crime?  It's a solid start, but rushed and simplified.  But where would we be without this first issue?

The Amazing Spider-Man No. 2, The Chameleon Strikes
Author:  Stan Lee
Artist:  Steve Ditko
Rating:  4 

Spiderman gets a reality check in this second issue as he is forced to confront life of being a hero--one that not everyone may trust.  The struggles within his family in the wake of his uncle's death also add some depth to these short comics, making Spiderman into less of a paper character and more of an actual crime-fighting teenager who was bitten by a radioactive spider.

Top Ten Tuesday: Lovely Books I Should Mention More

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.  I hate to say it, but there are some books I hold dear to my heart that I seem to rarely (if ever) mention--which is a disgrace!  All books deserve some love, don't they?

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Publication Date:  January 1, 1934
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Pages:  322
Series:  Hercule Poirot #10
Genre:  Mystery
Synopsis:  Just after midnight, a snowdrift stopped the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train was surprisingly full for the time of the year. But by the morning there was one passenger fewer. A passenger lay dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside.

Top Ten Tuesday: Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish, and today I'm tentatively sharing the books on my Spring TBR!

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Publication Date:  September 1, 2015
Publisher:  Bloomsbury
Pages:  648
Series:  Throne of Glass #4
Genre:  Fantasy
Synopsis:  Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I Dislike

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.  Today I am revealing all the characters everyone else loves but I...didn't.

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Publication Date:  September 7, 2010
Publisher:  Little Brown/Poppy
Pages:  280
Series:  Stand Alone
Genre:  Contemporary
Synopsis:  Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face. 

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Recap: February 2016!

Even with the extra day thrown in there this year, February is gone too soon.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Read for a Good Cry

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week I am here to suggest books that will make you sob ugly tears.