Archive for the 'Comics & Graphic Novels' Category

05
Jul
08

WHAT IT IS

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WHAT IT IS

 

[Lynda Barry]

Product Description

“Deliciously drawn (with fragments of collage worked into each page), insightful and bubbling with delight in the process of artistic creation. A+” —Salon

How do objects summon memories? What do real images feel like? For decades, these types of questions have permeated the pages of Lynda Barry’s compositions, with words attracting pictures and conjuring places through a pen that first and foremost keeps on moving. What It Is demonstrates a tried-and-true creative method that is playful, powerful, and accessible to anyone with an inquisitive wish to write or to remember. Composed of completely new material, each page of Barry’s first Drawn & Quarterly book is a full-color collage that is not only a gentle guide to this process but an invigorating example of exactly what it is: “The ordinary is extraordinary.”

 

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #1191 in Books
  • Published on: 2008-05-13
  • Released on: 2008-05-13
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 209 pages

Editorial Reviews

Review
Praise for Lynda Barry:
“Barry is, underneath the wonky handwriting and the quirky, naïve drawings, a great memoirist . . . Like [Tobias] Wolff and [Dave] Eggers, she finds a tone that accommodates self-criticism and self-irony without tipping over into self-loathing . . . but what she is particularly good at is resonance.” —The New York Times
“Barry is not just a storyteller, she’s an evangelist who urges people to pick up a pen—or a brush . . . and look at their own lives with fresh, forgiving eyes.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“America’s leading cartoon artist of childhood angst . . . The precise rightness of Barry’s smallest observation puts TV’s The Wonder Years to shame.” —Entertainment Weekly

About the Author
Cartoonist, novelist, and playwright Lynda Barry is the creator behind the
syndicated strip Ernie Pook’s Comeek, featuring the incomparable Marlys and Freddy. Her books include One Hundred Demons and The Good Times Are Killing Me.

Customer Reviews

what it is
I recommend this to anyone who loves Linda Barry. This book is supposedto be a condensed version of her wrtining workshop. Mostly, it is L. B. collages and drawings. It explores many of the issues that arise during the creative process.

A guide on remembering
One of the most important aspects of writing anything– memoir, fiction, poetry–is the ability to remember. Sounds simple, but we forget so much naturally and are actively encouraged to forget what doesn’t suit the needs of any particular group, usually family. Lynda Barry’s wonderful primer on how to being to probe the images of your life is just grand
and will doubtless serve many artists and writers as they explore their lives and the lives of others. An exercise as simple as try to recall the earliest phone number you had and try to picture that phone seem so simple, but take you to places that you’d long forgotten.

Like everything by Barry, it’s humane and masterful and compassionate and smart. A wonderful addition to any artist’s desk.

what is it
Lynda Barry is idiosyncratic, funny, dreamy, hardcore etc. etc. She’s also a practicing pragmatist. Anyone needing a refresher course on disassembling the obstacles to creativity could probably benefit from this book. The collages are elaborate, beautiful and tender but I think I actually like the hand drawn asides that bring the reader into the world of the artist’s upbringing and self-talk, the area at which she’s always excelled. It’s by being herself that Barry becomes Everyman for every man and woman.
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05
Jul
08

The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 3

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The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 3

[Neil Gaiman]

Product Description

The third volume collecting Neil Gaiman’s seminal, award-winning series starring the Dream King in deluxe format.

ABSOLUTE SANDMAN VOL. 3 presents several key SANDMAN tales in a slipcased hardcover edition, including “Brief Lives,” in which the Sandman’s sister Delirium prevails upon her older brother to help her find their missing sibling, Destruction. But their journey through the Waking World has dramatic repercussions for their family and also for the relationship between the Sandman and his wayward son, Orpheus.

Also included is the spectacular short story “Ramadan,” a tale of a young king of ancient Baghdad and the deal he strikes with The Sandman to grant his city immortality, with spectacular illustrations by P. Craig Russell (Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde, The Jungle Book).

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #1218 in Books
  • Published on: 2008-06-17
  • Released on: 2008-06-17
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 616 pages

Customer Reviews

Stories aren’t as good as Vol 1 and 2…
I’ve never been that into comic books, but the first two volumes of the Absolute Sandman blew my mind. The storytelling is simply incredible. So, I was excited for Volume 3 to release. Now having read about 3/4’s of the new volume, I find that the stories are not as entertaining as those in Vol 1 and 2. It still hits some high points and is certainly worth reading, but those high points come more infrequently than in the previous volumes. If you’re a newcomer like me to the series, I’d still recommend buying it, but if your expectations were as high as mine, you may come away disappointed.

If you enjoyed the first two then you will love this edition
If for whatever reason you get bored with the brief lives story arc, which would make no sense then there are some really good single tale stories in the Inn at the end of the World stories which is tied to the Zero Hour event which killed off some alternate realities in the DC universe.

The only negative is I have to wait 5 months to figure out how Sandman dies since i am only reading the Absolute Editions. I did buy the Wake book and the Fables and Reflections book which started me off in this addiction almost wish I haven’t read these books because these editions are not cheap and it did spoil it for me since I will know what will happen next. If you have not read the Ramadhan story then you should buy it alone for that story.

Fish in a Barrel
So here’s the thing – Sandman is hands-down the greatest comic book series of all time. Combine that with an oversize, remastered version of the stories and you have a sure thing. Buy this now. If you don’t already own volume 1 & 2, buy them as well.

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05
Jul
08

WANTED

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WANTED

[Mark Millar, J.G. Jones]

Product Description

What if everything in your life was out of your hands and those around you propelled your fate? Your girlfriend left you for your best friend; your boss gave your job to someone better. What if then, after all this, someone gave you back total control? What if he revealed you were the next in line to join a secret society of super-villians that controlled the entire planet? Mark Millar and J.G. Jones provide a look at one man who goes from being the world’s biggest loser to the deadliest assassin alive.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #571 in Books
  • Published on: 2007-11-28
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 192 pages

Customer Reviews

Let Me Explain…
After watching the film, which was senseless, I decided to read the comic out of curiosity to check the source material. I was also intrigued by the many negative reviews I read here.

How bad could this thing be, was my question.

The vast majority of the surface story was about Super Villains, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about. I’m here to make it clear what the story is really about which is summed up in the last few pages of the book.

The theme of the story is Wage Slavery and the use of Escapist Media to avoid thinking about your boring terminal slave status.

Read more about Wage Slavery here:

[…] (This was edited so just type “wage slave” into Wiki, they have a great page on it.)

Explanation:
The idea is that in a Capitalist system (money, for profit, etc.) you have no power if you don’t have large amounts of money. This is by design because the rich then get to own slaves. However, the slaves aren’t in the same boat as the old African variety, rather they’re tricked into thinking they aren’t slaves, thus ensuring they don’t rebel.

The trick works like this: you’re paid a salary, but you have a bunch of expenses such as rent, credit, school loans, mortgage, health expenses, food, and etc. All of this is subtracted from your salary each month. So, a person making say 50K a year may only end up with a couple of hundred in profit each month, if they do nothing but spend on necessities and have no debts. That means that people making much less will be making no profit and may indeed may make a negative income if they have debt (say student loans) or need to use credit cards to cover unexpected situations.

All of that means that on your job, you MAKE no money or maybe just a little. Certainly, almost no one makes enough money to become a Capitalist who can buy a business, own it all, and employ wages slaves to run it while vacationing. Making no money will working hard and for a long time equals slavery.

It is likely that you, who is reading this, either is a wage slave or will become one. The only “out” I can see is to go on welfare and drop out of society or win the lottery. Another option is to be a Paris Hilton who has accidentally been born into de facto royalty. Being born a certain way and the lottery aren’t a choice though.

Book:
The purpose is to show you that you’re a wage slave and that the world is in fact run by murderers and rapists. Voltaire said that History is the story of mass murderers and the piles of bodies they leave behind. In Iraq the government had a program of raping women to punish families. In the recent Serbian wars rape and sniper squads were sent out to create terror, and this was in a nice part of Europe. So, guys who have the spirit of the main character actually live.

I would assume that they enjoy what they do and enjoying planning how to rape and murder in a better way so that they can get away with it longer. Thus, the main character is the embodiment of a real type of person. On the flip side, I know people just like Superman, so he’s real too, but that’s another story.

Escapism:
The last few pages blast the reader for turning their head away from the reality that vicious people run the world. While you’re a wage slave you pretend you’re not because mentally you’re a high level wizard on WoW or you spend a lot of time wishing superheroes were real.

He’s saying that you’re a coward who will deny his message, say he sucks, and go into denial about the message, etc. His message hurts because it’s true.

Meanwhile, those who enjoy the main character are also in denial. They’re doing something Freud called Identifying With The Enemy. An example would be, getting beaten up then going and learning how to beat someone up better, or getting molested and then becoming a sex offender yourself. There’s something about you which denies your victimhood and embraces and wants to be like the enemy. In this case, you can never be like the Capitalist, rather you will be a wage slave who imagines one day they’ll be the master, but you won’t.

If society is ever to change and if we’re ever going beat the idea that money is real and that one person is worth more than another, then a message like this is important. The book is anything but nihilistic or juvenile fantasy, it is in fact very high level thinking.

unoriginal and uninteresting
This is yet another tale of the painfully average guy who is suddenly given the chance to realize his true destiny through super powers. The difference here is that the main character is to become a ‘bad guy’, with the potential to be the baddest of the bad guys. It sounds like a good set up for an interesting story, but it disappoints because the only thing the book has to offer is shock value. The main character goes from dead end loser to mass murderer & rapist. There was definite potential for black humor here, but the story never got that clever. The story has lots of brutal killing, the occasional reference to rape for fun, lots of swearing, etc – but if those things aren’t original or shocking to you then I think you’ll be as bored and as disappointed as I was.

A fun story of anti-heroics
At times the creators of Wanted get a little caught up in what might be their own pretensions. However the story moves along pretty well with enough unadulterated violence to keep it colorful. Obviously this book is meant for a mature crowd but older audiences might not appreciate the cynicism.

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05
Jul
08

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

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Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

[Frank Miller]

Product Description

If any comic has a claim to have truly reinvigorated the genre, then The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller–known also for his excellent Sin City series and his superb rendering of the blind superhero Daredevil–is probably the top contender. Batman represented all that was wrong in comics and Miller set himself a tough task taking on the camp crusader and turning this laughable, innocuous children’s cartoon character into a hero for our times. The great Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing, the arguably peerless Watchmen) argued that only someone of Miller’s stature could have done this. Batman is a character known well beyond the confines of the comic world (as are his retinue) and so reinventing him, while keeping his limiting core essentials intact, was a huge task.Miller went far beyond the call of duty. The Dark Knight is a success on every level. Firstly it does keep the core elements of the Batman myth intact, with Robin, Alfred the butler, Commissioner Gordon, and the old roster of villains, present yet brilliantly subverted. Secondly the artwork is fantastic–detailed, sometimes claustrophobic, psychotic. Lastly it’s a great story: Gotham City is a hell on earth, street gangs roam but there are no heroes. Decay is ubiquitous. Where is a hero to save Gotham? It is 10 years since the last recorded sighting of the Batman. And things have got worse than ever. Bruce Wayne is close to being a broken man but something is keeping him sane: the need to see change and the belief that he can orchestrate some of that change. Batman is back. The Dark Knight has returned. Awesome. –Mark Thwaite

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #364 in Books
  • Published on: 1997-05-01
  • Released on: 1997-05-01
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 224 pages

 

 

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
If any comic has a claim to have truly reinvigorated the genre, then The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller–known also for his excellent Sin City series and his superb rendering of the blind superhero Daredevil–is probably the top contender. Batman represented all that was wrong in comics and Miller set himself a tough task taking on the camp crusader and turning this laughable, innocuous children’s cartoon character into a hero for our times. The great Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing, the arguably peerless Watchmen) argued that only someone of Miller’s stature could have done this. Batman is a character known well beyond the confines of the comic world (as are his retinue) and so reinventing him, while keeping his limiting core essentials intact, was a huge task.

Miller went far beyond the call of duty. The Dark Knight is a success on every level. Firstly it does keep the core elements of the Batman myth intact, with Robin, Alfred the butler, Commissioner Gordon, and the old roster of villains, present yet brilliantly subverted. Secondly the artwork is fantastic–detailed, sometimes claustrophobic, psychotic. Lastly it’s a great story: Gotham City is a hell on earth, street gangs roam but there are no heroes. Decay is ubiquitous. Where is a hero to save Gotham? It is 10 years since the last recorded sighting of the Batman. And things have got worse than ever. Bruce Wayne is close to being a broken man but something is keeping him sane: the need to see change and the belief that he can orchestrate some of that change. Batman is back. The Dark Knight has returned. Awesome. –Mark Thwaite

Customer Reviews

Brilliant.
I picked this book up in an earlier edition when I was in high school. I was a semi-fledgling to the world of the Bat, but I found myself easily drawn into the story. It’s easy to read even if you aren’t as knowing of everything as others are.

The idea of a semi-apocalyptic future with no real superheroes is a grim one. The only superheroes that exist are there merely to look good and even Superman is strangely muted in this world. Nearly everything is corrupt, whether people realize it or not. It’s into this that Wayne decides to take up the mantle of Batman once more & free Gotham from the crime sprees. However he’s not the only one who has once again taken up his old job…

I REALLY enjoyed this book. It’s one of my favorites & always will be. I loved the female Robin, the neat artwork, and the story… the story was just about perfect!

A True Epic
You hear so much hype from so many people about Frank Miller’s ‘The Dark Knight Returns’, it makes you apprehensive. But you have no idea as to how right they are until you find yourself catapulted into the heart of Gotham City; a decade after the Dark Knight has hung up his cape & cowl for the last time. In my opinion, all the praise it has recieved over the ages cannot do this book justice.
In this groundbreaking epic, Frank Miller brings together an astounding story line & admirable comic-style artwork; in which he portrays an aging Bruce Wayne forced to, once again, don the familiar uniform of the Batman, to cleanse the decaying city of Gotham.
Miller deals with the rebirth of some of the Dark Knight’s arch enemies, while at the same time, introducing the new menace of the Mutants; a vicious gang of criminals which had thrived & flourished in the absence of justice.
Also dealt with within its pages are essential, critical & controversial issues to the Batman universe, such as the enlisting of Carrie Kelly, the new Robin of that age, the retirement of police commissioner Gordon & the death of the Joker.
You need not be a fan of the Batman to truly admire the work of Frank Miller & this book is recommended & suitable for anyone with a craving for a good story. For Dark Knight devotees, however; Look no further, this is the undisputed holy grail of graphic novels…

Batman’s Back
Even though this was written a long time ago, it is a great read for any Batman fan. It has an amazing story and the artwork is very detailed. You can see some of the ideas from the movie Batman Begins in this novel even though it’s a different story. It is something I’d also recommend to a non-Batman fan as well.

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05
Jul
08

Batman: The Killing Joke

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Batman: The Killing Joke

[Alan Moore, Brian Bolland]

Product Description

The Killing Joke, one of my favorite Batman stories ever, stirred a bit of controversy because the story involves the Joker brutally, pointlessly shooting Commissioner Gordon’s daughter in the spine. This is a no-holds-barred take on a truly insane criminal mind, masterfully written by British comics writer Alan Moore. The art by Brian Bolland is so appealing that his depiction of the Joker became a standard and was imitated by many artists to follow.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #293 in Books
  • Published on: 2008-03-19
  • Released on: 2008-03-19
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 64 pages

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The Killing Joke, one of my favorite Batman stories ever, stirred a bit of controversy because the story involves the Joker brutally, pointlessly shooting Commissioner Gordon’s daughter in the spine. This is a no-holds-barred take on a truly insane criminal mind, masterfully written by British comics writer Alan Moore. The art by Brian Bolland is so appealing that his depiction of the Joker became a standard and was imitated by many artists to follow.

Customer Reviews

Joker at his Best!
First off I had this book when I was young…the original print and then one day while shopping here on Amazon I find it in a hardcover edition and free shipping with my Prime membership….whoooooosssssshhhhhh in my cart faster then a speeding bullet!….Wait that’s Supes not Bats….well you get the idea.

I must honestly say…the Killing Joke is without a doubt one of my all time favorite comic book self contained stories! How good is it, you ask? If I was stranded on a desert island and I could only take 5 of my all time favorite reads with me….Killing Joke would be one of them. Let me try to review without spoiling anything for those of you that may have never read this gem…and believe me it’s been around for years!

First off the scribe of Alan Moore is nothing short of incredible to intense to at times insane. Mr. Moore can bring up feelings in his readers that make you want to turn you head to advert your eyes….but alas you can’t and you won’t….like a rubber necker driving past a car wreck you are doomed to stare all slacked jawed as you slowly roll by. That is the Killing Joke….Alan Moore at his best….teamed up with Brian Bolland (best known for his Judge Dredd vs. Judge Death in 2000AD comics) at his best. Brian has the spectacular talent to feed your eyes these unbelievable images and leave you wanting more. Even when they are ugly…haunting images….you still can see the beauty of his work.
So one of the best Batman Stories?? Without a doubt. Should you own it??? God yes! 5 out of 5 Stars….I would have given it 10!

Thanks for reading!

The Killing Joke
My second favorite comic ever to of course The Dark Knight Returns. The hard copy is definitely the recommended version. The coloring is phenomenal to go along with a quick moving plot line and some fantastic action sequences.

The way the Joker was meant to be!!!!!!!
A must read for batman and comic book fans alike. Just another masterpiece by Alan Moore.
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05
Jul
08

Fables Vol. 10: The Good Prince

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Fables Vol. 10: The Good Prince

[Bill Willingham]

Product Description

This 10th volume in the best-selling, award-winning series collects the epochal “Good Prince” storyline.

Flycatcher, a background player in the FABLES series, is drawn into the spotlight as he discovers the startling truth about his own past as the Frog Prince. At the same time, he learns that the Adversary — Gepetto, the manipulative Fable who forced the Fables community into exile — plans to destoy his foes once and for all. Only Flycatcher and his army of ghosts has a chance of stopping the Adversary from wiping out his home. But how can the meek Flycatcher undertake this deadly task?

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #391 in Books
  • Published on: 2008-06-17
  • Released on: 2008-06-17
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 240 pages

Customer Reviews

Moving and “Good”
After 40 years of reading comics this was only the second time I was emotionally moved by a story in the graphic format. Bill Willingham deserves great praise for creating a true “Fable”. One that can hold its own with any fable ever told. In these days of real fear mongering, violence and war, the story of “The Good Prince” brings with it a comforting feeling that a good man, one who cares for people, can stand up to the evils everyone else just accepts and succeed without sacrificing his own moral values. I feel lighter and happier for having read the book.

Another Winner in a winner series!
Fables continues to be an outstanding comic book series. Of course its not just a great comic series, its a great story period! This latest volume takes one of the minor characters (who has been there from the first few issues) and brings him on a true hero journey. Pick up this volume and enjoy a wonderful tale.

As good as it gets…
Like another reviewer said, if you aren’t familiar with the series then you shouldn’t be looking at this book. Start at the beginning, as there’s a LOT of story to catch up on.

This volume gives us the chance to catch up with Ambrose AKA Flycatcher after he has regained the memory of what really happened to his family. After a semi-false start, he finally realizes what he has to do and gains the help of the last fable that anyone would ever has expected… the Forsworn Knight. Flycatcher then descends into the witching well in hopes of saving not only a kingdom, but himself as well. Many loose threads are answered, such as exactly who was tossed down into the well when people thought it was Baba Yaga’s body thrown into the well (hint- it’s *very* subtly answered). We also get to once again see everyone who was thrown into the well, both good and bad.

While I do admit being impatient at some parts, the story really was well done. It was also fun seeing the one shot of training at the Farm where the artwork took a distinctively playful turn and we get to see Snow White & Bigby’s cubs (ALL of them) get together for a happy birthday. The artwork as always, is beautiful for the volume. The storyline may not answer everything, and it may not be the end of the series, but it gives us a good look into the future of the series.
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05
Jul
08

No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)

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No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)

[Brian K. Vaughan, Joss Whedon]

Product Description

Eisner award-winning writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina) tackles Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight with “No Future for You.” When a rogue debutant Slayer begins to use her power for evil, Giles is forced to recruit the rebellious Faith, who isn’t exactly known for her good deeds. Giles offers Faith a clean slate if she can stop this snooty Slayer from wreaking total havoc – that is, if Buffy doesn’t beat her to it. Georges Jeanty (The American Way) remains at the top of his game as series artist, and Whedon stays on as “Executive Producer” in this direct follow-up to Season Seven of the smash-hit TV series.

 Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #275 in Books
  • Published on: 2008-06-11
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Comic
  • 120 pages

 

Customer Reviews

Wonderful!
Whedom continues to impress me with beautiful writing that tugs at my heartstrings and at the same time has me on the edge of my seat. The artwork is beautiful for a comic and captures moments in time that I thought could only be done on film. Both collections are well worth it to any fan of the series.

good continue of the saga
This is the second part of the Buffy’s eighth season, only released on comicbooks, and I think that eventhough it’s on TV, it’s still amazing! I want more… highly recommended!

Almost as good as if it were on DVD…
Joss Whedon is the man. He’s the best script-writer television has ever had, and in his own rights I feel he’s the Shakespeare of our time (what with re-inventing the English language ad hoc).

If you loved Buffy, this is worth reading to continue where Season 7 left off. The characters stay in character, and talk the talk. My only complaint is that their images are not always exactly like the actors – but given my own artistic drawing talents, I’m not one to criticize.

Buy this, read it, love it.
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05
Jul
08

Y: The Last Man, Volume 10: Whys and Wherefores

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Y: The Last Man, Volume 10: Whys and Wherefores

[Brian Vaughan]

Product Details

 

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #68 in Books
  • Published on: 2008-06-18
  • Released on: 2008-07-01
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 168 pages

Customer Reviews

The end is here
Undoubtedly the best original ongoing series to come out of Vertigo since Garth Ennis’ Preacher, Brian K. Vaughan’s Y: The Last Man comes to a spectacular and bittersweet conclusion in Whys and Wherefores. As Yorick Brown, the last adult human male on the planet, finds his journey to be re-united with his lost love Beth comes to a close, everything begins to come together. Alter makes her move, we learn what Yorick saw during his suicide intervention in Safeword, and everything gets wrapped up in one of the most emotional and heartfelt conclusions that a mainstream comic book series has ever received. Vaughan’s script work reaches new heights in this final volime, and Pia Guerra’s artwork, while seemingly had always been lacking in overall detail, perfectly captures each emotional moment from cover to cover. All in all, if you’ve missed out on Y: The Last Man during it’s initial run, now is the time to check the series out volume by volume. And if you’ve been a loyal follower of the series since the beginning, read it again and again and again.

Fizzles out in the end
Unfortunately, the conclusion to Y the Last Man is a big letdown in more ways than one. In the need to ‘wrap up’ the story, the author took shortcuts in characterization that are glaring when you compare the last story arc to earlier ones. The author left gaping plot holes, and even introduced a possible ‘whole new explanation’ for the worldwide plague just as the storyline is wrapping up. This whole book follows two main threads- the quest to figure out and end the plague and the quest to find Yorick’s love, Beth. Well, both the explanation of the plague and the ‘cure’ of the plague are left in confusion, so there’s no satisfaction in seeing that story reach completion. Then, the conclusion to the ‘Beth quest’ spins off in an unhappily unsatisfying conclusion, with a final scene in the last issue that is laughable in its improbability. Yorick, who spends the whole series trying to face up to things, won’t face up to the person he spent five years trying to find. Thus, neither the plague quest or the Beth quest come to any kind of real or believable conclusion. The end must be worth the journey, and this one was not.

There are some breakdowns in art consistency as well in the last story arc as various characters begin to look so much like one another it is difficult to tell them apart. The blondes all look alike (save for a scar on one) and Yorick’s sister and other brown haired types look the same. You must look for clues in the dialog to tell who is speaking and they are not easy to come by. This was not true in the earlier books in the series. Again, it seems the final storyline was put together in a rush to have ‘an ending’ to things, and sadly the result is a bit of letdown.

If you have journeyed with Yorick through the whole of his adventure, you will no doubt want to read the ‘finale.’ Just be aware that things break down somewhat at the end, and the ‘finale’ will leave you hoping it was all a bad dream and a real conclusion to Yorick’s adventures will be published.

A compelling if bittersweet ending to a great saga
There have been some great long series in comics, but Y: THE LAST MAN is unique in that all ten volumes making up the entire run tells a single story. The various books truly have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Other series may have a background arc that extends throughout the various books comprising their run, but Vaughan’s masterpiece introduces a number of questions in the first volume that are developed in the ensuing nine volumes and answered only in the last. Will the human race survive the loss of all the males? Will Yorick be reunited with his finance? What do the Israelis tracking him have in mind? These and other stories are developed gradually over the course of the entire run.

The tone of the series as a whole tends to action drama laced with pop cultural references and humor. You laugh on one page, only to have something really horrid take place on the next. But none of the shocks of the first nine volumes comes anywhere near the shocks found in the final issues comprising Volume Ten. I won’t go into details, but while all the main stories are completely wrapped up, they won’t please every fan. While most of the news for the human race was positive, things did not turn out all that well for most of our heroes. Indeed, some of the arcs ended in utter tragedy. Though the story as a whole focuses on Yorick’s constant joking about everything, the book’s final events bring even his jokes to a halt. Some things are beyond wit. One event in particular is so shocking (you’ll know it when you see it) and so unforeseen that it completely changes the nature of the entire series.

In a story like Y: THE LAST MAN it is absolutely essential that you end the whole thing well. This volume does precisely that. It cannot, of course, be read on its own. Anyone wanting to read the entire series needs to start with the first volume and move forward. FABLES 10 came out earlier this month. You might, with some difficulty, be able to start reading in that (wonderful) series with that volume, but Y: THE LAST MAN has to be read from beginning to end. Starting with this volume would be like beginning GREAT EXPECTATIONS with Chapter 25.

I want to single one character out for praise. I’ve been engaged in a project lately that involves looking at the major female heroes in various popular media, from TV to graphic novels to movies. The past ten to fifteen years (Buffy seems to be the tipping point) has seen an explosion of great female heroes. But incredibly very, very few of these have been women of color. Max in DARK ANGEL is racially indistinct but seems exotic, but she is close to the exception. Agent 355 in this series is easily one of the most compelling and truly heroic black characters around. The genre — indeed, all genres — need more characters like her. It isn’t just young black females who need to see empowered characters like 355. Just as, I believe, that both men and women have their views of women subtly altered by popular female heroes like Buffy and Xena, so I think all of us have our views of race and gender affected by a character like 355. Sadly there are very few black female characters her equal. Storm in the X-Men is an exception as well as several characters in Octavia Butler’s novels (especially the protagonist in the Earthseed novels). But there shouldn’t be so few examples.

In a way, I’m truly saddened that this series has come to an end. For years we’ve been looking forward to the next issue and looking ahead to the distant future (which is now past) to find out how everything ends. I confess it didn’t end like I had expected or even how I had hoped. But sometimes as readers we get the story we needed instead of wanted. In the end, it was a great read.
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05
Jul
08

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

By arpijikii Leave a Comment
Categories: Comics & Graphic Novels
Tags: , ,

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

[Jeff Kinney]

Product Description

Boys don’t keep diaries—or do they?

The launch of an exciting and innovatively illustrated new series narrated by an unforgettable kid every family can relate to

It’s a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you’re ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.

In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley’s star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend’s newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.

Author/illustrator Jeff Kinney recalls the growing pains of school life and introduces a new kind of hero who epitomizes the challenges of being a kid. As Greg says in his diary, “Just don’t expect me to be all ‘Dear Diary’ this and ‘Dear Diary’ that.” Luckily for us, what Greg Heffley says he won’t do and what he actually does are two very different things.

Since its launch in May 2004 on Funbrain.com, the Web version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been viewed by 20 million unique online readers. This year, it is averaging 70,000 readers a day.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #249 in Books
  • Published on: 2007-04-01
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 224 pages

Customer Reviews

Diary of A Wimpy Kid
This is an excellent story and easy read for preteens and adults alike. The lead character’s misadventures are hilarously funny gems with little morals tucked inside. I would recommend this to anyone who has a middle schooler at home. Also, Amazon delivered this item as promised, at a fair price, securely packed and in excellent condition. I will order future books through Amazon due to their superior service.
Hilarious!5
First book in the Wimpy Kid series.

Greg keeps a journal to record the events of his first year in middle school. He writes about getting put into teh gifted reading group, ” I was pretty disappointed to find out I got put in the Gifted group, because that just means a lot of extra work.”

Greg wonders about popularity and grades as he tries to figure out who he wants to be. His family doesn’t help–his older brother is a creep and his younger brother tattles constantly. His parents, well, they are simply clueless. his best friend, Rowley, is not the sharpest crayon in the box and Greg is always trying, and failing, to explain the complicated rituals of adolescence. For instance, “I have told Rowley at least a billion times that now that we’re in middle school, you’re supposed to say ‘hang out,’ not ‘play.’ But no matter how many noogies I give him, he always forgets the next time.

The book is written on lined paper, with lots of funny little drawings, so it really feels like reading someone’s journal. Greg’s voice is fresh and funny.

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid
My 10-year old daughter says ” I loved this book because it was funny. I could not put it down. I can’t wait to read the next one!”
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05
Jul
08

Watchmen

By arpijikii Leave a Comment
Categories: Comics & Graphic Novels
Tags: , , ,

WATCHMEN

[Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons]

 

Product Description

Has any comic been as acclaimed as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen? Possibly only Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, but Watchmen remains the critics’ favorite. Why? Because Moore is a better writer, and Watchmen a more complex and dark and literate creation than Miller’s fantastic, subversive take on the Batman myth. Moore, renowned for many other of the genre’s finest creations (Saga of the Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, and From Hell, with Eddie Campbell) first put out Watchmen in 12 issues for DC in 1986-87. It won a comic award at the time (the 1987 Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards for Best Writer/Artist combination) and has continued to gather praise since.The story concerns a group called the Crimebusters and a plot to kill and discredit them. Moore’s characterization is as sophisticated as any novel’s. Importantly the costumes do not get in the way of the storytelling; rather they allow Moore to investigate issues of power and control–indeed it was Watchmen, and to a lesser extent Dark Knight, that propelled the comic genre forward, making “adult” comics a reality. The artwork of Gibbons (best known for 2000AD’s Rogue Trooper and DC’s Green Lantern) is very fine too, echoing Moore’s paranoid mood perfectly throughout. Packed with symbolism, some of the overlying themes (arms control, nuclear threat, vigilantes) have dated but the intelligent social and political commentary, the structure of the story itself, its intertextuality (chapters appended with excerpts from other “works” and “studies” on Moore’s characters, or with excerpts from another comic book being read by a child within the story), the finepace of the writing and its humanity mean that Watchmen more than stands up–it keeps its crown as the best the genre has yet produced. –MarkThwaite

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #177 in Books
  • Published on: 1995-04-01
  • Released on: 1995-04-01
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 416 pages

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Has any comic been as acclaimed as Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen? Possibly only Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, but Watchmen remains the critics’ favorite. Why? Because Moore is a better writer, and Watchmen a more complex and dark and literate creation than Miller’s fantastic, subversive take on the Batman myth. Moore, renowned for many other of the genre’s finest creations (Saga of the Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, and From Hell, with Eddie Campbell) first put out Watchmen in 12 issues for DC in 1986-87. It won a comic award at the time (the 1987 Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards for Best Writer/Artist combination) and has continued to gather praise since.

The story concerns a group called the Crimebusters and a plot to kill and discredit them. Moore’s characterization is as sophisticated as any novel’s. Importantly the costumes do not get in the way of the storytelling; rather they allow Moore to investigate issues of power and control–indeed it was Watchmen, and to a lesser extent Dark Knight, that propelled the comic genre forward, making “adult” comics a reality. The artwork of Gibbons (best known for 2000AD’s Rogue Trooper and DC’s Green Lantern) is very fine too, echoing Moore’s paranoid mood perfectly throughout. Packed with symbolism, some of the overlying themes (arms control, nuclear threat, vigilantes) have dated but the intelligent social and political commentary, the structure of the story itself, its intertextuality (chapters appended with excerpts from other “works” and “studies” on Moore’s characters, or with excerpts from another comic book being read by a child within the story), the finepace of the writing and its humanity mean that Watchmen more than stands up–it keeps its crown as the best the genre has yet produced. –Mark Thwaite

Customer Reviews

superstars revisited
This comic was recommended to me, but I would never have picked it up myself – it looks like and has the feel of the old superhero comics which I do not like at all (except for The Spirit). But this one is deeper than you might think – it’s a serious looking parody on these very supermancomics, which makes it nice. I still don’t really go for the looks of this comic, but the story is really good.

What Can Be Said?
What can I say that hasn’t already been said about “Watchmen”? I first read this graphic novel when it first was published. I was newbie at collecting comic books and a good friend said “Hey man, you’ve got to check this out.” And I did and was floored, never had we (comic book readers) seen anything of this depth and caliber. I mean, “The Dark Knight Returns” was ground breaking, but “Watchmen” was something totally different. It was a novel, a incredibly detailed journey to an alternate superhero reality and it worked. I absolutely love this book and I am looking forward to Zack Snyder’s interpretation. If you haven’t read this book and you love comic books, then what are you waiting for?
A classic5
This makes about the 10th time I’ve been through this series. It really was an amazing turning point for comics. I caught it a few years late, but the impact was no less effective. The shifts between current and flashback, the relationship of the side stories to events in the characters lives – and particularly the dark, adult subject matter explaining the motivations of the various flawed characters made it so real – a little too real at my first exposure.

Although it’s not the most clever story in the whole, my favorite character to analyze has always been Dr. Manhattan. As kids we played superheroes and the inevitable escalation of powers always led to the taunt “well, Superguy (or whatever) can do anything”. As an adult, Watchmen explored the idea of exactly what could happen to a person that can basically do anything – how it affects his mental shift, values and relationships. It remains the most intriguing mindplay from the series, at least for me.

I don’t have to extol the values of the series; they’re well documented. This series and the Dark Knight Returns series was what brought my attention back to comic books from my grade school days with Jack Kirby and Stan Lee.

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