Mini Reviews: Trade Paperback Edition #2!

Title: In Pursuit of Flight
Author/Artists: Kelly Sue DeConnick/Dexter Soy, Emma Rios
Series: Captain Marvel Vol. 1

Summary: Ace pilot. Legendary Avenger. One hundred percent pure bad-@$$. Carol Danvers has a new name, a new mission--and all the power she needs to make her own life a living hell. As the new Captain Marvel, Carol is forging from a challenge from her past!

It's a firefight in the sky as the Banshee Squadron debut--but who are the prowlers, and where has Carol seen them before? And how does secret NASA training program Mercury 13 fit in? Witness Captain Marvel in blazing battlefield action that may just change the course of history! Avengers Time Travel Protocols: engage! 

Why I read it: I've been dying to get into some more Marvel comics, and especially ones with badass female protagonists, so I snatched this up at my local comic book store!

Thoughts: Oh, how I love thee, Carol Danvers.

Since this is a Marvel Now! title, it is a perfect introduction to Carol Danvers, who was previously known as Ms. Marvel. We first see Carol doing her thing, working with Captain America to bring down a villain, so we are thrust into the action. But this is just a day's work for Carol. Then the real adventure begins. The story arc fits perfectly in this first volume, and it is SO much fun. Carol is such a badass woman and superhero, but she's also a fully developed character. She has her weak moments, but she learns to overcome them. The time-travel story is completely engrossing, and I had very few problems following along. The best part about this volume is that since it is a relaunch, we are treated to some backstory and origins of Carol's powers alongside the main story. So it's a perfect time to jump on the Carol Danvers wagon if you haven't already!

The one thing I will mention is that the artist changes in the middle of the volume, and it was a little jarring. I had expected to love Emma Rios's art style, so I was put off by Dexter Soy's style at first. But I admit that once Soy's issues gave way to Rios's, I discovered that I much preferred Soy, so I'm glad to see that Soy is back in Volume 2.

Rating: 5/5 stars


Title: Fandemonium
Author/Artist/Colorist: Kieron Gillen/Jamie McKelvie/Matt Wilson
Series: The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 2

Why I read it: DUH. The Wicked + The Divine was my favorite graphic novel I read in the the first half of the year, so I had been waiting for the second volume for what felt like FOREVER.

Thoughts: AHH. That was insane and wonderful and made me love this series even more.

I really can't even say much about it because I have few words. The characters are still fabulous, and I loved getting even more in-depth with them. Baphomet quickly turned into one of my new favorite characters, and can you blame me? The underworld god is pretty sexy! The ending, much like the first volume, left me on such a cliffhanger that I can't wait for more! And I can't even get into what this series does to me emotionally. (Just to give you a clue, I clutched this to my chest and just sat there for a good five minutes after I finished this volume.)

The art style of Jamie McKelvie remains one of my favorite aspects of this series, so I'm a little apprehensive about the upcoming issues and Volume 3. Each of the new issues will focus on a certain god, and each one will have a different guest artist. So I'm hoping that I enjoy the art styles of these new illustrators, because I certainly love where the story is going!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Title: International Flavor
Author/Artist: John Layman/Rob Guillory
Series: Chew Vol. 2

Why I read it: There are a ton of volumes of Chew out already, so I've decided to just pick it up a volume at a time every time I go to the comic book store. So before I pick up next volume, I thought I should read this one!

Thoughts: Just as much fun as the first volume, and the plot is thickening!

Much like the first volume, the story is still being set up and all the players are still being introduced, but the main story arc is getting juicier! I really enjoyed the return of Tony's former partner, John Colby. I have a feeling I'm really going to love his character as the series progresses. And it's nice to see Chow and Amelie again with increasingly larger roles to play.

This is still super gross, but the story and especially the humor completely makes up for it. The art is always fun and engaging, and I always make sure I've checked the backgrounds of the panels for fun extras like signs on the wall. They're easy to miss, but they might give you another chuckle. I can't wait to read more!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read these graphic novels/comics yet? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below! 

Mini Reviews: Trade Paperback Edition #1!

Title: Taster's Choice
Author/Artist: John Layman, Rob Guillory
Series: Chew Vol. 1

Summary: Tony Chu is a detective with a secret. A weird secret. Tony Chu is Cibopathic, which means he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. It also means he's a hell of a detective, as long as he doesn't mind nibbling on the corpse of a murder victim to figure out whodunit, and why. He's been brought on by the Special Crimes Division of the FDA, the most powerful law enforcement agency on the planet, to investigate their strangest, sickest, and most bizarre cases. 

Why I read it: Needed another graphic novel for the Bout of Books 13 read-a-thon, and I've heard so many great things about this series!

Thoughts: This was SO GROSS and SO GREAT.

I mean, seriously. So disgusting. The things that Tony has to eat for his job? Oh, man. Blech. But the story is fascinating. A lot of this volume is set up for the rest of the series, so sometimes it was a little all over the place. One issue introduced a food journalist whose descriptions of food can make you taste it just by reading it, while another had Tony and his new colleague traveling to a remote observatory. But I never felt bored, and the underlying storyline was always there, simmering under the surface even when not the sole focus. And the art! I love the art style, and the character design especially.

And that ending? I DEFINITELY did not see that coming. I was totally taken by surprise, so I'm full of curiosity as to what happens next! There are several volumes of this out already, so I'm definitely going to start collecting them. I feel like the series can just get better and better from here, so I can't wait.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Title: Kids of the Black Hole
Author/Artist/Colorist: Rick Remender/Wesley Craig/Lee Loughridge
Series: Deadly Class Vol. 2

Why I read it: I loved the first volume, and I needed some graphic novels for the Bout of Books 13 read-a-thon!

Thoughts: Just like the first volume, this one was so great. The story picks up pretty much directly from the end of the first volume, and the action really never lets up. We also finally got more of Marcus's backstory at the orphanage, and it informs the present action so much. I still love all the characters, especially Saya. She's fantastic, and I enjoyed getting a bit of her POV in this volume. Not much more to say other than, I loved it. I can't wait for the next volume, because I constantly want to know what's going to happen next.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Title: Dark Days
Author/Artist: Steve Niles/Ben Templesmith
Series: 30 Days of Night Vol. 2

Why I read it: It was May 31st, so I decided to pick up another graphic novel to round out my reading total for May to 10 books!

Thoughts: Much like the first volume of 30 Days of Night, I enjoyed this, but it is far from perfect.

The story here is much more complete than the first volume, with Stella trying to bring awareness to the world of the existence of vampires. There is more plot, and I enjoyed this story. The characters are more developed, as well. The most surprising of which is a new character, Dane. I really liked him, so I'm disappointed that it looks like he doesn't return to the series. Such a shame. My real problem with this series is that each volume tells a complete story, but it never feels like enough time to really flesh it out, so I end up feeling apathetic towards the fate of certain characters. Simply because we don't know them well enough. And the art is not my favorite; it's very messy, and sometimes it's hard to figure out what's going on in a panel. But even so, I do really enjoy this series, and I'll be picking up the next volume at some point!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read these graphic novels yet? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: DEADLY CLASS VOL. 1 -- REAGAN YOUTH

Title: Reagan Youth
Author/Artist/Colorist: Rick Remender/Wesley Craig/Lee Loughridge
Series: Deadly Class Vol. 1

Summary: It's 1987. Marcus Lopez hates school. His grades suck. The jocks are hassling his friends. He can't focus in class. But the jocks are the children of Joseph Stalin's top assassin, the teachers are members of an ancient league of assassins, the class he's failing is "Dismemberment 101," and his crush has a double-digit body count. Welcome to the most brutal high school on earth, where the world's top crime families send the next generation of assassins to be trained. Murder is an art. Killing is a craft. At Kings Dominion School for the Deadly Arts, the dagger in your back isn't always metaphorical. 

Why I read it: I was in the mood for a graphic novel. It was calling to me.

Thoughts: This was great, and so much fun.

What I loved about this comic is that even though it takes place at a school for assassins, most of the main characters--especially Marcus and his newfound group of friends--are INSTANTLY likable. Even though they are deeply flawed, imperfect characters, I felt myself cheering all of them on.

The format is great. The story is told almost non-linearly; halfway through the book, we flash forward to a scene, then flash back to discover all of the events leading to that moment. It really makes you think, and keeps you on your toes.

Part of the reason this book works so well is that Rick Remender is a great storyteller. Obviously, there were dark and violent moments, and plenty of despicable people. But there were also moments of levity, and a few moments where I laughed out loud.

The art is fantastic. The color schemes for each panel are perfect, and each character is very distinct from one another, all the time. There was never a moment I was confused about who was who.

I loved the story, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. Volume 2 recently came out, and I picked it up already, so I plan to read it soon!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read this comic/graphic novel yet? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 1 -- COSMIC AVENGERS

Title: Cosmic Avengers
Author/Artist/Artist: Brian Micheal Bendis/Steve McNiven/Sara Pichelli
Series: Guardians of the Galaxy

Summary: There's a new rule in the galaxy: No one touches Earth!

But why has Earth suddenly become the most important planet in the galaxy? That's what the Guardians of the Galaxy are going to find out! 

Join Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot and--wait for it--the Invincible Iron Man as they embark upon one of the most explosive and eye-opening chapters of Marvel NOW! The secrets these galactic Avengers discover will rattle Marvel readers for years to come! But while London deals with a brutal invasion by the Badoon, the fate of the Guardians may have already been decided millions of miles away!

Why I read it: As I've said, I'm trying to get more into graphic novels. I absolutely LOVED the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, so I thought this would be a good jumping-on point for Marvel comics!

Thoughts: This was a great introduction into Marvel comics and the Guardians.

The art style is something that jumped out at me from the beginning, and it's one of the reasons I decided to go for this over Ms. Marvel or Captain Marvel for my first Marvel comic book. It's so colorful and fun, and so perfect for the fun story. The art style changes at the end because this trade includes an issue from another storyline, so the artist is different. That threw me a bit, because the story in that issue has deviated from the main story, so at first I wasn't sure what was going on. But that's probably just because I was a newbie, and was unfamiliar with that kind of thing. It's easier to spot and realize for me now, so it won't be an issue in the future.

The story is great. I especially loved the prelude at the beginning, depicting how Peter Quill's parents met and fell in love. There's a montage page that has no words, but is so adorable because it illustrates their growing relationship so perfectly. And this prelude perfectly sets the stage for the rest of the story.

My one and only complaint is that there are only three issues of the main story collected here, the plot is slightly lacking. If the series was a movie, this volume would be the inciting incident only. But that's a minor complaint. It definitely intrigued me enough to want to continue the series!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read this volume of Guardians of the Galaxy? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

Review: 30 DAYS OF NIGHT by Niles and Templesmith

Title: 30 Days of Night
Author: Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith
Series: 30 Days of Night #1

Summary: In a sleepy, secluded Alaska town called Barrow, the sun sets and doesn't rise for over thirty consecutive days and nights. From the darkness, across the frozen wasteland, an evil will come that will bring the residents of Barrow to their knees. The only hope for the town is the Sheriff and Deputy, husband and wife who are torn between their own survival and saving the town they love. 


Why I read it: The film adaptation of 30 Days of Night is one of my all-time favorite horror movies. And I really want to start getting into graphic novels/comics, so I thought this might be a good place to start. When I found it at my local Half Price Books for seven bucks, I picked it up and started it immediately!

Thoughts: I really enjoyed it. A lot of that enjoyment stems from my enjoyment of the movie. I already knew the plot and the characters, so it was a nice way to revisit all that I love.

The real problem with this comic book bind-up (3 issues in one) is that it's too short. The plot happens very quickly and the characters are hardly developed at all. Rather than being fully fleshed-out characters that we really connect with and care about, Eben and Stella are simply the window through which we view the events. Only in the end of the story does Eben really come into play, and then in the sequels, they're even more central to the plot.

Reading this really made me appreciate the movie even more. The movie was able to expand on the events and the characters so much. In the film, Eben and Stella start the story estranged, on the brink of divorce, and the events of the movie affect their relationship so much and bring them together again. They're more interesting as characters, and they have a bigger hand in driving the plot, rather than the plot simply happening to them. There are more side characters in the movie to care about as well. And as scary as the vampires are in the comics, they're even more terrifying in the film.

I also really enjoyed the art style. I've heard complaints about it being too messy, so you can't tell what's going on. But I found that the messiness enhanced the experience for me. I spent a lot of time really looking at the art, rather than skimming through it and taking it at face value. I love the color schemes, with the grays and blacks and dashes of red for blood and fire. I personally think it's visually stunning and just so much fun to look at.

All that said, I loved it, and I can't wait to pick up more of the series!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars