Adam
Not the best one I've read in this series, but still plenty fun. There's a story about young Goon meeting Franky, which is enlightening, but the rest of this collection is pretty disjointed. There are a couple of stories that feel kind of like throw-away's, but some fantastic art nonetheless.
I'm not sure if this is how this series is going to go, or if there will be more inter-connected stories that tie together, but I'm more than happy to come back to see which it is.
WHY DIDN'T I GET TO THIS SOONER?!?!? IT'S BEEN ON MY “WANT TO READ” LIST FOR SO LONG! HOW DID I NOT KNOW HOW GOOD THE GOON WAS YOU JAGWEEDS!?! Everyone, learn from my mistakes. The Goon is a fantastic character in a hilarious and weird world that's both familiar and highly stylized. [a:Eric Powell 66497 Eric Powell https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1242439534p2/66497.jpg] has created something that feels genuine and unique. It's fantastic. It's violent, but not bloody. It's creepy, but in the best way. It's nostalgic, but not quaint. I wish I could figure out a better way to describe this because I want to entice you all to read it. It's solid. I truly can't wait to devour as much of this title as possible. This was just the beginning and it was already brilliant.
The Goon is a goofy, stylized, a-typical comic.
It feels like a Dark Horse published comic and some of you will understand what that means right away. The art feels different, the tone feels unique, it doesn't hang on the cannon of an old/established character.
It's really enjoyable because it is it's own thing.
...also zombies and gangsters.
This was somehow both the craziest and easiest to follow volume yet. Maybe not outright crazy, but the things happening in the world thanks to the Injection are getting crazier. Brigid is the star of this collection and we learn a lot more about her (to a point.) It also shows us a little of what Robin is up to and it ain't good news. He's still the wild card in all this and I really don't know where he's leading us, but that's probably why I enjoy [a:Warren Ellis 12772 Warren Ellis https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1447009436p2/12772.jpg], I'm not smarter than the author so I get to be surprised.
There are a lot of genuine laughs in this book. I've been a fan of these comics for a while and was more than happy to order this book for our library. It didn't disappoint. [a:Reza Farazmand 13055907 Reza Farazmand https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1428448440p2/13055907.jpg] has a great, dead-pan style of comedy that really works for me. It's also feels contemporary, not because there are pop-culture reference everywhere, but because it's fresh and speaks to problems we're having now. Highly recommended for stress relief.
Injection Vol 2; In which we get better acquainted with the rest of the team. Maria Kilbride was really the focus of Vol 1 and she's hardly in this book. That's great, because Vol 2 really zooms out and gives us a better idea of what's happening in the world and with the rest of the team. Vivek Headland drives most of this narrative and it's pretty great when he does. Brigid Roth and Simeon Winters get together to try and help each other start piecing together some clues as to what the Injection is doing when Viv summons them both to New York for his big reveal. All of this leads to a greater understanding of these characters and what they really bring to the old “Cultural Cross-Contamination Unit.”
Confused? Lost? Great! Robin Morel is called upon to take up his roll as Britain's last Cunning Man and he's incredibly reluctant. Of all the characters we've met, his is the story I'm most excited to see unfold. Which is great, because the cliff-hanger ending of this Vol is him setting us up for the next big reveal in what-in-god's-name is actually happening with the Injection.
Still confused? Great! Read this book and some will be revealed! The rest will be lorded over you as Ellis decrees!
This is a fantastic collection of stories with appearance by Bat Lash, El Diablo and, believe it or not, Thomas Edison. There are several stories that take place in parallel, which is new for this series, and some that overlap each other in terms of character. This is really a 4.5 star book, it does a lot of things perfectly.
I'm a sucker for Jonah Hex stories and All-American Western titles. This book has some of the early issues that the series would outgrow. For me it's really weird to see Jonah drawn exactly as a copy of Clint Eastwood with the Hex scars. It nearly ruins it.
Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray are the heroes though. Hex gets lots of different illustrators over time, but these two as the writers keep the quality up. They just get this title and this character.
Again, I'm partial to this character so I recommend these books to anyone who likes western themes. This isn't the best title in this series, but it's a fantastic introduction.
This is a crazy, fast paced, sci-fi nonsense filled, deeply confusing joy ride. I really enjoyed this book and glad I tackled the 400 page Vol 1 as opposed to several smaller trades. I needed to read a lot of this together to try and keep track of what all was happening. If you like [a:Rick Remender 52980 Rick Remender https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1284601593p2/52980.jpg] (and I really enjoyed his take on X-Force) then this is a perfect example of him at his best. It's a little overly swear-y for me, in that it feels forced at times to really drive home the drama, but that's a minor nit-pick in an otherwise fantastic narrative. I look forward to reading more of this series at this ends on a spectacular cliff hanger.
I've had this on my radar for quite a while, but only just got around to reading it. Honestly, the Miles Morales Spider-Man convinced me to give it a try as those two titles get lumped together quite a bit and I really enjoyed that book.
This one wasn't quite as fun, but it also was by no means a disappointment. I was worried that some of the hype might have seeped into my brain and made it tough to judge this objectively, yet I was pleasantly surprised. I had reservations that it might have been loved by people not because it was a good comic, but because of representation. (I've been that person before and I'm wary of it.)
Enter Kamala Khan; Female, Teen, Pakistani-American, Muslim, not a sexy siren, still a high schooler. She's nerdy, she's clumsy, she's normal without the writers trying too hard to normalize her (comic readers know what I mean, there are times the writing staff just tries too hard to convince us a character is x, y, or z and in the process that's all the story becomes about that and it loses all direction or point.) She's also Inhuman which is where I really jumped on board.
Kamala gets to be complex and harried in the way any teenager does, she just does it from the point of view that doesn't get a lot of main stream attention. That was refreshing. The fact that all of the details that make her an unusual protagonist weren't solely what the book was about was more refreshing. Her unique story is only the backdrop on which we're watching a teen confronting new powers unfold. Her hero's journey is still funny and interesting and all the other things we'd expect, it is just blessedly happening to someone different than Peter Parker, Scott Summers, or any of those other honkeys.
Not all of the “We now own Star Wars and Marvel, let make them do things together. You're welcome, love Disney” books have been home runs. Most that I've read have been entertaining, a few have brought me back for more in the series. This is maybe my favorite yet. Han Solo does Han Solo-y things. He pilots the Millennium Falcon, he argues with Leia, he smuggles, he picks fights, you know, Han Solo-y things. Chewbacca is here and holds his own considering we can't understand him, yadda yadda yadda. Here's the thing, it was still fun and interesting even though it wasn't like new ground. The story that [a:Marjorie M. Liu 35022 Marjorie M. Liu https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1268491375p2/35022.jpg] painted around Han was compelling and detailed. There were characters we may never see again who still made a lasting impression and there were real stakes. It wasn't just the Rebellion and the Empire, there were other races (pun intended) who gave the universe a larger feel. There may not be more to this particular run, but this book is definitely worth checking out.
I wanted to like this more. I forgot how big the Silver Surfer was for me growing up, but I recently read a comic with him and it all came rushing back. I was excited to pick this up because I had seen several decent reviews. Nope. Dan Slott is someone I generally enjoy, but I don't know what this was supposed to be. Lackluster, directionless and rather bland were all things that ran through my head. Also, turns out after having read (and enjoyed!) [b:iZombie, Vol. 1: Dead to the World 8493612 iZombie, Vol. 1 Dead to the World Chris Roberson https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1349051312s/8493612.jpg 13239119], that's all I can see when [a:Mike Allred 57285 Mike Allred https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1340766851p2/57285.jpg] is the illustrator. This to me looked like an issue of iZombie and didn't feel enough like a different book. Sad face.
I think [a:Sarah Andersen 14144506 Sarah Andersen https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1450904865p2/14144506.jpg] is a gem of a human, humorist, artist, creative, and motivator. If I could give her work more stars I would. Give Sarah all the stars. Her work is not only funny and honest, she closes her books out with more honesty and a transparent dialogue with the readers that is incredibly rare. I fall a little farther in love with her and her work every time I read one of her collections. I re-read her stuff for a pick-me-up and I read cover to cover because it's in those closing moments where she opens up with us about her process and how she deals with the world around her that the work itself makes even more sense. It's endearing and uplifting and I believe our world needs more of that. I'm not sorry for gushing. Few things are as easily accessible, while still being genuinely enjoyable.
Read for Library YA Reading Challenge
This one was a real challenge to rate: I'm at the very end of the YA reading challenge at our library so I'm near the end of my rope with certain YA fiction tropes. This also comes pretty close to the type of fantasy novel I enjoy reading for myself, but as it's written for a younger audience you have to put up with some blatant nonsense. Also, I knew this part of a trilogy, so how much “danger” could the protagonist really be in?
There are pretty low stakes here and, I believe, for most adult readers the “big reveals” won't be all that surprising. That being said, this isn't a terrible premise or book and I am clearly not the target demographic. I am intrigued enough that I'd likely read the next book anyway. I also now know enough about this book to recommend it to YA readers that are looking for recommendations, which is the whole point of the reading challenge - so there you go.
I may re-read this down the line to see if this type of review holds up or if I'm just grouchy about this type of book right now.
Read for Library YA Reading Challenge
This was a really nice, quick reading, refreshing book. Like the other “Earth One” DC books I've read there's a slightly different spin on the character and story line, without having to re-create the wheel. The conceit here is that it's starts in space and there isn't a GL Corps to speak of. The “What if...” is Harold Jordan doesn't have a book camp experience on OA, he just has to figure it out. Not without help from Kilowog!. The premise holds up pretty well and leaves the door open for other familiar stories to be tweaked and retold.
I thought the art was great as well. Any GL or affiliated title is really only as good as it's art and alien design and this one did a fantastic job on that front.
I was in kind of a reading rut and I was hoping this title might help pry me out of it. I think younger YA readers who haven't devoured all the Geoff Johns GL books will find this a nice jumping in point too. It won't change lives, but it will certainly entertain!
I now get why this is considered a classic. I don't know how I haven't read this yet, it's really fantastic. The scope is bigger than any other Marvel title I've ever read. The cast of characters is broad and impressive. I somehow forgot what a huge player in the Marvel Universe Silver Surfer was. Which is crazy because he was my favorite character for quite a huge chunk of adolescence.
For me that's probably a huge component of why I liked this so much. There is a very warm nostalgia for both this type of art (which doesn't age well) and the tone Jim Starlin sets. A lot of this was familiar to me in a comforting way. This also has legitimate credentials as a story that changed the MU and the stories it told going forward.
This may not be for everyone, but there is wonderful story telling here, a wide range of some of the best characters Marvel created and actual stakes. With some modern comics there are little to no stakes, in this book you know they are fighting for and up against something substantial. Really glad I finally read this!
Read for Library YA Reading Challenge
This volume was more interesting than Vol 1, but I wanted this to be better. I'm also saying that as someone who now has inflated expectations on a Waid/Samnee book. I really like the idea of a Black Widow book where she's struggling to be “part of the team” and stop all the lone wolf spy stuff, but shouldn't that book exist already? Like, she's an Avenger, a Secret Avenger, probably several other teams... is this premise really new?
This book was good by a lot of standards, but I wanted it to be more than the sum of it's parts. That isn't fair to the book, character, or creative team, but are also the same who gave me these expectations in the first place. No regrets about reading these, but have a hard time not recommending other Waid/Samnee titles first or other Black Widow runs.
Read for Library YA Reading Challenge
This is more like a 3.5 book for me, but I'm erring on the side of generosity for a title that has so much potential. This was, overall, a nice opening volume to the Laura-in-the-Wolverine-mantle universe. There are just enough traditional X-23 story themes to tie it back to the stories we know already, while the central conflict of this volume pushes forward the overarching Wolverine theme of redemption and identity.
Admittedly I'll read even a bad Wolverine book and just wear blinders to some of it's bigger issues. (we all have our faults) This story line didn't redefine the character for me, but I appreciated that Laura has really grown as a person since X-23 first came on to the scene and it's a different experience now. Much like Logan tried to help redeem her and pull Laura from the darkness that was programmed into them both, she now wants to pay that forward. My hope is that as this story line progresses, we get more complex villains for her and a deep story (which she totally deserves).
There was some early intrigue with Angel as her boyfriend, but after the first book he was non-existent. Dr Strange makes an appearance and in my incredibly biased opinion that bumps any book up a whole letter grade. There is a deal of history repeating itself in this volume, but I keep saying “this volume” because I feel like they were mostly laying groundwork here. For Laura's new chapter as Wolverine to really take off we needed some of these obstacles and antagonists. I'm genuinely interest in where this story is going and how Laura is going to continue to mature and grow as a character I already really enjoy.
A lot of comic character story lines can become formulaic. Hulk is no exception, he may be more susceptible as a matter of fact. This doesn't lean too hard into said formula and it is a pretty epic story arc for the Hulk. There is less in conflict with Banner than I would have anticipated going into it. That's not to say the brainy little Jiminy Cricket doesn't show up, but this is a Hulk book and he takes center stage. There are all kinds of synopsis...ies? synopsies...synonyms... story outlines available out there, so I'm not going to outline this whole chaotic story. There are some incredibly interesting characters introduced through this story. There are some interesting obstacles thrown in the Hulks way and he has to become more than just a “world breaker” to over come them. There is a whole, whole, whole lot of smashing. Like, it's-too-easy-most-of-the-time smashing. This book does come with it's share of frustrations. Spoiler ahead, and my biggest pet peeve: they did that bullshit comic move of basically wiping the board clean when the story is over and you're like, wtf. I just started to care about some of these people and now it's like they never needed to exist? screw you guys.I'm glad I read it because up to this point I'd only had a vague idea of what happened to the Hulk during this off-planet adventure. It's not like a game changer for me the same way [b:Indestructible Hulk, Volume 1: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. 17251111 Indestructible Hulk, Volume 1 Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Mark Waid https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1367262670s/17251111.jpg 23840559] was. Waid started asking new questions of Banner/Hulk and who they were. Here it's just a lot of angry Hulk trying to find if redemption/peace is possible. - Again, not life changing, but a very solid read.
Read for Library YA Reading Challenge
I had to read this for myself after seeing how split people's opinions were on this. My conclusions:
1) YA audiences will likely enjoy the Gothic/romantic spirit (pun intended) this has
2) This isn't really Boston Brand “Deadman” comic so much as he's a character in this story
3) The overall story itself isn't new or inventive, but younger (less jaded) readers should still find it interesting and intriguing.
This is neither amazing or terrible. It's pretty middle-of-the-road. The art is fantastic and that helps carry some of the thinner moments of the story. There is certainly an audience for this book, I was just hoping for a little more Boston than this had.