Thursday, October 22, 2009

Oct.22, 2009

Lots of reading the last couple days, so lots of new stuff:
Books:
Ill Met in The Arena, by Dave Duncan, 2008. Fiction; Fantasy. I've been reading Dave Duncan for many years, starting with the weird but good stand-alone West of January. I'll review a lot of his books I've read in the past in the near future, as I plan to add "classic" reviews (translation: shit I read awhile ago) to this already tedious blog...but let me just say that some of his stuff is incredible (His two series about Rap- A Man of His Word and A Handful of Men- are among my all-time favorite books) and some just alright. Graphic Novels:

    This one was a stand-alone book, not part of a series. The book is set in a world where women rule and men are the protectors, and both are bred for increased psychic powers (mind reading and control in women, telekinesis-type stuff in men). This book starts a little slow, but once it gets going it is very good. I'd give it a 4.

Spider-Man: Until the Starts Turn Cold, story by J. Michael Straczynski, art by John Romita, 2002. Every one knows who Spider-man is; I've been reading him off and on since I was a kid. I like Straczynskis' writing- always have since I first read his Rising Stars series. And I like Romita; he always delivers solid art. I've read this before, but I enjoyed re-reading it. Pete tries to get back with his estranged wife (Mary Jane Watson) and deal with his Aunt May knowing he's Spider-Man. Worth reading. Rating = 3.
Marvel Zombies: Dead Days, story by Robert Kirkman, art by Mark Millar, 2008. I believe this is the 4th Marvel Zombies collection. I am a big fan of Kirkman; I've been reading his Walking Dead series and it's great. This series is kind of horrifying for a long-time marvel reader, as all the heroes get turned into zombies and eat a lot of people throughout. But t turned out good; Millars' art is outstanding as well. Rating = 4.
X-Men: Endangered Species, 2008. I've read a big part of the entire enormous X-Men/related titles storyline over the years, and I'm trying to catch up by reading all the ones I haven't read through the library's graphic novels. This one deals with Hank McCoy (Beast) and his quest to try and revive the Mutant genome after the events of the House of M storyline reduce the world mutant population to a few hundred, rather than the millions there were before. He eventually teams up with his evil alter-ego from the Age of Apocalypse reality, Dark beast, who is actually an interesting character unlike so many of the other characters from that reality (Sugarman, anyone....). A good storyline with a balanced view of Hank as he tries to navigate through the shifting moral stances he faces here. Good stuff, I rate it a 4.
X-Men: The End, story by Chris Claremont, 2009. In case you don't know, Chris Claremont was the writer who propelled the Uncanny X-Men title to the top selling comic book during its heyday. He left the X-Men for a long time, and then returned for various projects in the 2000s. He is good, although he tends to re-use the same lines and it can wear you out...if I hear any variation of "From your lips to God's ears" again, I may have to hunt him down and kill him. Try another turn of phrase, Chris! Jesus. Shakespeare didn't REPEAT the line "alas, Poor Yorick" over and over during each play..Anyway, this collection, which is a hypothetical future story about the end of the X-Men, is actually good. I give it a 4.
House Of M , 2006. This series chronicled the alternate reality created when the Scarlet Witch went crazy and used her reality-altering powers to change the world to one where mutants rule it, especially her dad (Magneto, if you don't know). A few heroes remember the "correct" world, and fight to restore it. I've read it before, and I liked it overall. I rate it a 4 also.
And last but not least:
From Hell, by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, 1196(I think ? This volume was a 2006 edition). This is a MASSIVE graphic novel. The total number of pages isn't listed, but I think it is over 600 pages. This is "widely considered the most significant graphic novel ever published". Might be. This is a vast treatise on the Jack the Ripper killings in London in the nineteenth century. Very interesting, although at times tiresome in my opinion. There are 16 chapters, plus a prologue and an epilogue, along with a long appendix citing sources, etc. for each chapter. Definitely a massive work and I'm glad I finally read it. I have no problem with anyone who wants to say Alan Moore is the best comic writer of all time (I'd at least put him in the top ten), but I don't think this is his best work. It's exhaustively researched, and grand, and fascinating. But I rate it a 4, not a 5.

No comments:

Post a Comment