Hello All,
The sun is shining and life is busy. Oh my god the weather is a beauty here in the city of salt. I think some reading in the park, under a tree is definitely a possibility. Started a new mentorship this week and I'm pretty psyched. When I'm not reading voraciously, serving the public, or just living life, I like to help writers. I like to edit-it's a sickness really. I'm excited about this workshop. But really let's talk about books eh? I've been reading, so onward!
Reviews
Bleach Vol. 1
In an attempt to diversify I've been reading the manga. After looking at a few different books I think that I'm finally getting it. Bleach has a lot of action, some fun romantic comedy banter, and a good anti-hero at the center. I liked the reluctance of the hero. He's a punk teenager who is very self involved. His solipsistic attitude was nicely realistic. Obviously his character arc will be the embracing of his hero role. I love the fact that his mentor is a female warrior who is integrating herself undercover at his school. I've been dissapointed in the depiction of female characters in manga. In all the series I have read the females are ditsy cheesecake. Good to see a change. This is the first manga I've read that showed some great panel design. Sequential art when done right can convey visual information quickly. The pages are usually 2 panels, meaning that the focus is on action rather than dialogue. I was able to read this book, which was around 200 pages, in an hour or so. And I wasn't even reading all that quickly. I think this is the appeal of manga. Unfortunately I still found some of the storytelling to be clumsy. It seems as if the author was not sure where the story was going. New powers develop more through convenience rather than organically. Overall though I enjoyed it. Strongest manga I've read yet.
Other Reviews
Manga Punk | manga life | Read About Comics
Starman Omnibus Vol. 2
James Robinson's Starman has become one of my favorite series. In fact the Vol. 1 Omnibus was the best graphic novel I read last year, so reading vol. 2 was a no-brainer. In this volume of issues Robinson settles into the series. He's already set up our characters so Robinson delves into their past. Several issues focus on flashbacks about The Shade, Solomon Grundy, and Ted Knight. I really enjoyed the story arc featuring the "Nick & Nora"-esque team of old detectives exploring the excitement of being a superhero. Robinson fleshes out side characters like the O'Dares. This family of cops deserves a series all their own. They are so great, especially in the Christmas special and the "trip to hell" arc. Don't get me wrong I miss Jack Knight. He doesn't feature as much in these issues, but then again this is an 80-issue long story. Robinson does plant some seeds for Jack Knight stories to come. I can't wait.
Past Volume Reviews: Starman Omnibus Vol. 1
Dark Tower: Treachery
This series continues to get better and better. This is my favorite volume yet. Peter David continues to knock this book out of the park. The smartest thing that David does in this volume is to shift the focus to the female characters. This has been a "boy" book following Roland and his friends. However, here we have the introduction of a female gunslinger who is really cool. Also I enjoyed the exploration of Roland's mother, who in the first volume was woefully underdeveloped. David adds more depth to her guilt and shame. It's very apt considering the focus of this volume is betrayal. Roland is sidelined with his own obsession that has lead to betray his father. It is up to his friends to pull this hero back from the brink. Jae Lee's art continues to amaze. The grim darkness of this world is directly reflected in the art. I was particularly impressed by the last two chapters. The juxtaposition of formal dress and western motif was beautiful. Can't wait for the next one.
Past Volume Reviews: Dark Tower: Gunslinger Born, Dark Tower: Long Road Home
The Reading List
Books
Goodbye to All That
Black Mass
Magazine
Wizard
Comic
Trinity #52
Comic Pull List: Secret Six #10, Superman World Of New Krypton #4
Check Out Count: Way too High.
Have a great week! Book Slave
Showing posts with label manga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manga. Show all posts
2009-02-17
How I develop a ghostly pale look.
Hello,
I hope you are all having a great week. I have had a lot of great time off. And being the kind of person that I am I've spent it inside curled up. That has to be why I am so ghostly pale and have never won awards for being athletic. Well Onward!
Reviews
Sweethearts
Jenna Vaughn has spent the last 5 years reinventing herself after the loss of her only friend Cameron Quick. She is shaken to discover that Cameron Quick is back in town. This is the second book from Sara Zarr who wrote acclaimed book The Story of a Girl. (Just to disclose: I've met her a few times and she's very nice.) Her specialty, thus far, is portraying the inner trauma of being the outsider. The first half of the book details in painful detail how terrible it is to be the least popular girl. Having been one myself I could easily identify with Jenna's psychological state and feel that Zarr captured it very well. She also did a lot to make Cameron Quick a mysterious, enigmatic figure. I wish that she had paid a little time to develop his character so we can better understand his motivations. At first I thought he was meant to be more adjusted than Jenna, however he seems just as troubled. I would have liked more of a view into his head since he's the catalyst of the story. The character of Jenna is so well drawn, it is unfortunate that the other teens in the story are not more realistic. I didn't buy the character of Katy, no realism there. And Ethan, Jenna's boyfriend, is so unlikable that I don't understand why she stays with him for so long. Ultimately I was drawn into the relationship between the two main characters which made the book an enjoyable, fast read.
Other Reviews
WMPL Rocks! | Teen Book Review
| slayground
Monster Vol. 1
Yes I decided to try another manga. Monster was very different from Whistle which I read last year. I was very surprised to discover that about 90% of the story is a medical drama. It was like E.R. where the main character Dr. Tenma is morally conflicted when he has to choose between patients. He's literally told to let a little boy die to operate on the mayor. Manga is never subtle but I did find the writing here to be a massive improvement. Sure the one major female character is a one-note horrible woman. The villianous medical administrators have no shades of grey, they would rather get ahead above all. They sort out who is worth saving and who isn't like gods. Dr. Tenma resists this mentality. Urasawa does a great job of layering in the thriller elements with a clear discussion of medical ethics.
Other Reviews
Comics Worth Reading | IGN | Comic Book Bin
Scott Pilgrim Vol. 5
I was heavily anticipating this next volume because I have become a huge fan of this series. As much as I am annoyed by Scott's immaturity, I understand what it's like to be 24 years old. O'Malley has done a great job of showing Scott pull himself together in order to deserve the love of Ramona Flowers. It's chivalrous how Scott has to continuously fight evil ex-boyfriends. Unfortunately for him it seems that Ramona Flowers is no longer impressed. In Vol. 5 their romance has soured. O'Malley does a great job of dropping hints throughout that makes the conclusion inevitable. Again he does a great job showing action visually and in original ways. He also does a great job portraying the mundane as well as the emotional. In the end I think that the conclusion is a set up for the final volume. I cannot wait.
Past Reviews
Scott Pilgrim Vol. 2 | Scott Pilgrim Vol. 3 | Scott Pilgrim Vol. 4
The Reading List
Books
Girl on the Fridge
Deathnote vol. 1
Comics
Captain Britain and the MI-13
Magazine
Newsweek
Check Out Count: Working on it.
Comic Pull List: Dynamo 5 #0, Outsiders #15, Trinity #38
Have a great week folks! Book Slave.
I hope you are all having a great week. I have had a lot of great time off. And being the kind of person that I am I've spent it inside curled up. That has to be why I am so ghostly pale and have never won awards for being athletic. Well Onward!
Reviews
Sweethearts
Jenna Vaughn has spent the last 5 years reinventing herself after the loss of her only friend Cameron Quick. She is shaken to discover that Cameron Quick is back in town. This is the second book from Sara Zarr who wrote acclaimed book The Story of a Girl. (Just to disclose: I've met her a few times and she's very nice.) Her specialty, thus far, is portraying the inner trauma of being the outsider. The first half of the book details in painful detail how terrible it is to be the least popular girl. Having been one myself I could easily identify with Jenna's psychological state and feel that Zarr captured it very well. She also did a lot to make Cameron Quick a mysterious, enigmatic figure. I wish that she had paid a little time to develop his character so we can better understand his motivations. At first I thought he was meant to be more adjusted than Jenna, however he seems just as troubled. I would have liked more of a view into his head since he's the catalyst of the story. The character of Jenna is so well drawn, it is unfortunate that the other teens in the story are not more realistic. I didn't buy the character of Katy, no realism there. And Ethan, Jenna's boyfriend, is so unlikable that I don't understand why she stays with him for so long. Ultimately I was drawn into the relationship between the two main characters which made the book an enjoyable, fast read.
Other Reviews
WMPL Rocks! | Teen Book Review
| slayground
Monster Vol. 1
Yes I decided to try another manga. Monster was very different from Whistle which I read last year. I was very surprised to discover that about 90% of the story is a medical drama. It was like E.R. where the main character Dr. Tenma is morally conflicted when he has to choose between patients. He's literally told to let a little boy die to operate on the mayor. Manga is never subtle but I did find the writing here to be a massive improvement. Sure the one major female character is a one-note horrible woman. The villianous medical administrators have no shades of grey, they would rather get ahead above all. They sort out who is worth saving and who isn't like gods. Dr. Tenma resists this mentality. Urasawa does a great job of layering in the thriller elements with a clear discussion of medical ethics.
Other Reviews
Comics Worth Reading | IGN | Comic Book Bin
Scott Pilgrim Vol. 5
I was heavily anticipating this next volume because I have become a huge fan of this series. As much as I am annoyed by Scott's immaturity, I understand what it's like to be 24 years old. O'Malley has done a great job of showing Scott pull himself together in order to deserve the love of Ramona Flowers. It's chivalrous how Scott has to continuously fight evil ex-boyfriends. Unfortunately for him it seems that Ramona Flowers is no longer impressed. In Vol. 5 their romance has soured. O'Malley does a great job of dropping hints throughout that makes the conclusion inevitable. Again he does a great job showing action visually and in original ways. He also does a great job portraying the mundane as well as the emotional. In the end I think that the conclusion is a set up for the final volume. I cannot wait.
Past Reviews
Scott Pilgrim Vol. 2 | Scott Pilgrim Vol. 3 | Scott Pilgrim Vol. 4
The Reading List
Books
Girl on the Fridge
Deathnote vol. 1
Comics
Captain Britain and the MI-13
Magazine
Newsweek
Check Out Count: Working on it.
Comic Pull List: Dynamo 5 #0, Outsiders #15, Trinity #38
Have a great week folks! Book Slave.
2009-01-07
I want to be a Plain Jane.
Hey folks,
Howse it hanging? Apparently the weather gods have decided it's winter because the snow is not stopping here in the Rocky Mountains. While I'm not necessarily a snow hater, a bit moderation would be nice. I hope you'll accept my humblest apologies but a post last night was just not possible. So here we are a day later, but not a dollar short. So onward with the first reviews post of the new year!
Reviews
Janes in Love
In Janes in Love writer Cecil Castelluci and artist Jim Rugg continue with their magical series about teenage friendship, art, and not-fitting-in. Castelluci brings back The Plain Janes, a misfit group of girls all named Jane, who commit what they call "art attacks" in the small town of Kent Waters. Main Jane and her friends go through the same trials and tribulations of teenage life with the focus here being romance. I was struck by how Castelluci and Rugg manage to capture teenage angst in original ways. Main Jane, while struggling with her own love/friendship with Damon, also wants to express love for her community. I love the idea of using art, which includes painting/decorating parks, streets, and buildings in their community to overcome the fear inherent in our post 9/11 world. The PLAIN Janes naively believe that art can save the world. I also need to shout out the art of Jim Rugg. It is great how he can draw each character with a unique look. It's great to see all different body types portrayed as beautiful in a book aimed at teen girls. The focus remains on accentuating the beauty of difference and originality. Pick up this book, it will show you that art can save.
Other Reviews
Comic Mix| Comic Book Bin| The F-Word
Whistle Vol. 1
I finally read a manga book. Can you believe it? Manga has been a mystery to me. It's very popular among the teen patrons I help so I figured I ought to check it out. Whistle is a part of the shonen genre which focuses on Sho, a young soccer player and his rise to success. I am also a fool for the sports-team-overcoming-adversity genre so the themes here were familiar catnip for me. Sho made for a fun, if single-minded, main character and I did find myself routing for him. Once I got used to the format I did get involved in the story. I can see how this series would be popular for young boys, especially those sports minded. It deftly balanced education with themes of teamwork and friendship. I also enjoyed the relationship between Sho and his brother, a roguish charmer. Overall though I found the female characters all very odd and stereotypical. All the females were kinda flighty and dressed pretty scantily especially for a teacher. Also would like to see less clunky narration from the main character. Less tell, more show. So I'd recommend it to boys who like sports, but I think I'm gonna need to read some more manga to become comfortable with the genre and it's conventions.
Other Reviews
Read About Comics| Comics Village
The Reading List
Magazine
Vanity Fair
Books
The Irregulars
Generation X
Comics
Astro City #1
Comic Pull List:Buffy The Vampire Slayer #21, Detective Comics #852, Secret Six #5, Trinity #32
Check Out Count: Steadily Improving.
Have a great week! Book Slave.
Howse it hanging? Apparently the weather gods have decided it's winter because the snow is not stopping here in the Rocky Mountains. While I'm not necessarily a snow hater, a bit moderation would be nice. I hope you'll accept my humblest apologies but a post last night was just not possible. So here we are a day later, but not a dollar short. So onward with the first reviews post of the new year!
Reviews
Janes in Love
In Janes in Love writer Cecil Castelluci and artist Jim Rugg continue with their magical series about teenage friendship, art, and not-fitting-in. Castelluci brings back The Plain Janes, a misfit group of girls all named Jane, who commit what they call "art attacks" in the small town of Kent Waters. Main Jane and her friends go through the same trials and tribulations of teenage life with the focus here being romance. I was struck by how Castelluci and Rugg manage to capture teenage angst in original ways. Main Jane, while struggling with her own love/friendship with Damon, also wants to express love for her community. I love the idea of using art, which includes painting/decorating parks, streets, and buildings in their community to overcome the fear inherent in our post 9/11 world. The PLAIN Janes naively believe that art can save the world. I also need to shout out the art of Jim Rugg. It is great how he can draw each character with a unique look. It's great to see all different body types portrayed as beautiful in a book aimed at teen girls. The focus remains on accentuating the beauty of difference and originality. Pick up this book, it will show you that art can save.
Other Reviews
Comic Mix| Comic Book Bin| The F-Word
Whistle Vol. 1
I finally read a manga book. Can you believe it? Manga has been a mystery to me. It's very popular among the teen patrons I help so I figured I ought to check it out. Whistle is a part of the shonen genre which focuses on Sho, a young soccer player and his rise to success. I am also a fool for the sports-team-overcoming-adversity genre so the themes here were familiar catnip for me. Sho made for a fun, if single-minded, main character and I did find myself routing for him. Once I got used to the format I did get involved in the story. I can see how this series would be popular for young boys, especially those sports minded. It deftly balanced education with themes of teamwork and friendship. I also enjoyed the relationship between Sho and his brother, a roguish charmer. Overall though I found the female characters all very odd and stereotypical. All the females were kinda flighty and dressed pretty scantily especially for a teacher. Also would like to see less clunky narration from the main character. Less tell, more show. So I'd recommend it to boys who like sports, but I think I'm gonna need to read some more manga to become comfortable with the genre and it's conventions.
Other Reviews
Read About Comics| Comics Village
The Reading List
Magazine
Vanity Fair
Books
The Irregulars
Generation X
Comics
Astro City #1
Comic Pull List:Buffy The Vampire Slayer #21, Detective Comics #852, Secret Six #5, Trinity #32
Check Out Count: Steadily Improving.
Have a great week! Book Slave.
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