Review: THE WICKED AND THE DIVINE VOL. 1 - THE FAUST ACT

Title: The Faust Act
Author/Illustrator/Colorist: Kieron Gillen/Jamie McKelvie/Matt Wilson
Series: The Wicked and the Divine Vol. 1

Summary: Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead. The team behind critical tongue-attractors like Young Avengers and PHONOGRAM reunite to create a world where gods are the ultimate pop stars and pop stars are the ultimate gods. But remember: just because you're immortal, doesn't mean you're going to live forever. 


Why I read it: I've seen it around a bunch on booktube in hauls and such, but I hadn't heard a ton of reviews yet. Then I visited my local comic book store and decided to find a graphic novel to buy, and since this was one of the few series I want to read that only had one volume out so far, I went for it! Then I came home and read it immediately.

Thoughts: HOLY COW.

Part of what drew me to this series is the art style. It's super colorful and clean, and very 80's inspired. And I LOVE IT. Here are just a few examples I rounded up on the internet because BEAUTY.

  

The art perfectly complements the story, as well. The gods are colorful and flashy, so the art is, too. 

I have now read four graphic novels, three of which were first volumes in the series. But this is the first one that really made me feel something intense. The first volume of Guardians of the Galaxy very effectively sets up the upcoming story, but there's not much plot happening yet. The first volume of 30 Days of Night is simply just too short to really explore characters and make me attached to them. (Review here.) But The Faust Act sets up the story quickly, then continues with tons of plot. 

Our main character, Laura, is a major fangirl of the gods, providing the reader with a perfect stand-in within the story. We can all imagine ourselves as Laura, wishing to meet the gods until the day she does, and she's thrust into their world with all of its mystery and intrigue. And as Laura is whisked away into this crazy situation, so is the reader along with her. 

Laura gets to interact with a number of the gods, though we still haven't met all twelve. However, those we have met are all interesting and unique. Laura's specific connection to the gods is a newfound friendship with Lucifer, aka Luci, who I absolutely love to pieces. She's irreverent and sarcastic and fantastically androgynous. Through Luci, Laura meets several other gods, including Amaterasu, the Morrigan and Sakhmet, among others. And every single one is fun to read about. 

As I said before, this volume is packed full of plot, which moves quickly. The way Laura is introduced to each god provides an opportunity for a show, which is perfect for a story about god-pop-stars. 

And that cliffhanger? WOW. I was literally breathless by the end of this volume, desperate for the next one. Which doesn't come out until July. Of course. 

If you like graphic novels with a fun, fascinating plot, bright colors, and interesting characters, I highly recommend this series! 

Rating: 5/5 stars

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

Review: SERENITY - LEAVES ON THE WIND

Title: Serenity: Leaves on the Wind
Author: Zack Whedon
Series: Serenity #4

Why I read it: I watched Firefly and the follow-up movie, Serenity, a couple of years ago on my quest to watch ALL the Joss Whedon shows. (All I have left is Angel!) I absolutely loved it. Laughed a lot, cried some, just absolutely loved it. So I bought this recently at my local bookstore. Like I said in other reviews, I picked up some short books at the end of February to finish out the month.

Thoughts: ALL THE FEELS.

Damn. I told myself I wasn't going to flail. But I knew it was going to be so hard to contain myself writing this review. Because this isn't just a book. This isn't just a graphic novel. This is Firefly. This is fandom. This is life.

Let me try to start over.

This is the fourth volume of the Serenity graphic novel series. However, I have not read the first three volumes. Those books take place during the timeline of the show, while this book takes place after the movie. So I was more interested in the continuing adventures of the gang than heretofore unseen adventures. But now that I've read and LOVED this volume, I'm definitely more interested in going back and reading the rest.

Also, THAT TITLE. Just reading the title gives so many feels I can't contain them. And every time I read it, I practically shout the line that it comes from. And then I cry. (Almost.)

The art in this book is beautiful. It's colorful and eye-catching. It's easy to tell the characters apart, and they look fairly close to their actor counterparts. It was so great seeing the gang again, and seeing how they're doing now, eight months after the events of Serenity.

It had it all, everything I'd come to love and expect from a Firefly property. The fun slang, the sarcasm, the wit, the plot, and most importantly, the characters we've come to know and love. There was a couple of great surprise appearances, too, from characters I wasn't expecting to see.

The plot genuinely had me on the edge of my seat, just like the show and movie originally did. The overall plot from this volume was wrapped up by the end, but Whedon provided us with a couple of other teasers, plot threads than can be continued in further volumes. And that ending? WOW. I can't wait to read more of these graphic novels!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Tell me: have YOU read this graphic novel? What were your thoughts? And were you a fan of the original TV show? 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