tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24839597100183149562024-03-16T09:12:35.388+08:00Comic A DayReviewing comic books of all descriptions!RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.comBlogger1129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-60934410925958597122024-02-08T11:57:00.003+08:002024-02-08T11:57:52.525+08:00Death Note Volume 3<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEG8zPNySjb0bt84BPgUKdlIIk6HMNYcA7kRdxZzyURQJjZcwh0WtXby6p74N-vZpXoqSPJLA75NMAXBRlzOnaw91NkiFr-0qmdlzBBOTmWL5A744_3JV6t4yQfOcgd-oR2NGKkE_nuOiuQZY_DSCeLP4DGR1061sGDNE8xErapPZK-AHOogPUh6BE72c/s2951/Death%20Note%20Vol%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2951" data-original-width="1988" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEG8zPNySjb0bt84BPgUKdlIIk6HMNYcA7kRdxZzyURQJjZcwh0WtXby6p74N-vZpXoqSPJLA75NMAXBRlzOnaw91NkiFr-0qmdlzBBOTmWL5A744_3JV6t4yQfOcgd-oR2NGKkE_nuOiuQZY_DSCeLP4DGR1061sGDNE8xErapPZK-AHOogPUh6BE72c/s320/Death%20Note%20Vol%203.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>From the shelf of unread books unpacked from storage.<br /><br />Title: Death Note<br />
Issue: Volume 3<br />
Publisher: <a href="https://www.viz.com/" target="_blank">Viz Media</a><br />Date: November, 2006<br />Writer: Tsugumi Ohba<br />Artist: <span class="Formatted">Takeshi Obata<br /><br />I read the first two volumes of this series quite a while ago, and I remember enjoying them, but not quite seeing what the hype was about. The premise is intentionally ridiculous: A death god lets a human (teenager Light Yagami) take possession of a notebook with the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. There is a whole series of complex and arbitrary rules that go along with the notebook, and Light's plan to rid the world of criminals puts him up against the mysterious L, a young genius detective.<br /><br />This volume is where the two main characters meet, and it's also where I began to buy into the hype. The intricate game of second-guessing, third-guessing, and beyond plays out like an elaborate version of Who's the Werewolf/Mafia, with increasing levels of duplicity.<br /><br />Then a series of events at the end of this volume introduce a massive additional plot twist, further complicating an already-tangled story. This was loaded with tension. It does require a bit of suspension of disbelief to accept the premise of the story, but the author then takes that premise to all sorts of logical extremes, adding layer upon layer of intrigue. I wasn't sure I'd be interested in reading more Death Note after the first two, but this one hooked my right back in.<br /><br />Rating: 8.5/10<br /></span><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-13945333936339681802024-02-07T10:49:00.000+08:002024-02-07T10:49:22.134+08:00Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #3<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwNnUqPNxEjBVZcgtm4jM_vHgNVs3Yac79q5s961cem5WKY476g6tVw1RejS09XGO7NFWoxKeRuGNaFpLakXtcRpZyPhmf8whUKfqNXzuUBkg1CFLY1swMTgvEL7Un2GkgHqGXxcbAC6MGk0sdq53kCVzkh3LnXcOpLpX1L0StjsYN8OkqPj9wKDa1BU/s2934/Justice%20League%20vs%20Godzilla%20vs%20Kong%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2934" data-original-width="2113" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwNnUqPNxEjBVZcgtm4jM_vHgNVs3Yac79q5s961cem5WKY476g6tVw1RejS09XGO7NFWoxKeRuGNaFpLakXtcRpZyPhmf8whUKfqNXzuUBkg1CFLY1swMTgvEL7Un2GkgHqGXxcbAC6MGk0sdq53kCVzkh3LnXcOpLpX1L0StjsYN8OkqPj9wKDa1BU/s320/Justice%20League%20vs%20Godzilla%20vs%20Kong%203.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>Bought at Bob's Hobbies & Collectibles, Springfield MA USA.<b><br /></b><br />Title: Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong<br />Issue: 3<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;">Date: 2024</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"><br />Publisher: </span><a href="http://www.dccomics.com/dccomics/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 18.47px; text-decoration: none;">DC Comics</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"> / <a href="https://www.legendary.com/comics/">Legendary Comics</a><br />Writer: Brian Buccellato<br />Artist: Christian Duce</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"><br />Colorist: Luis Guerrero<br />Letterer: Richard Starkings, Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;">Editor: Ben Abernathy, Robert Napton</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"><br /><br />This was back to being a bit of a setup issue, with quick and relatively indecisive conclusions to the giant monster attacks on Central City and </span></span>Themyscira. In fact, the destruction of Iron Heights Prison and the escape of most of the Flash's Rogues Gallery causes more problems than the titan Scylla does (Hey, look! It's Captain Cold!).<br /><br />Meanwhile Superman appears to be dead as a result of taking a direct hit from Godzilla's atomic breath. Well, dead in the DC Universe, anyway... I mean actually, this isn't in regular continuity, so I suppose it could go either way. But it still lacks impact much in the same way most deaths or apparent-deaths in alternative continuities lack impact.<br /><br />Supergirl's scene with Kong doesn't end up amounting to much either, and by the end of this, we're left with an ominous Lex Luthor bit and something of a pause in the action.<br /><br />Going into this, it felt like it shouldn't be a transitional issue, but that's what we ended up with.<br /><br />Rating: 5.5/10<br /><br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-2943402060147311912024-02-06T11:02:00.003+08:002024-02-06T11:02:40.311+08:00The Deep<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorGRjtMejjP2YSjntQkP3bxUh1Kherl3OxjFA-HNmjlm7l-hiPeQuV1haca6ynq7X89f95Uyk5S6xH3SENeO7FmHv_z-mI_Uunp0sNRJsBABoajB-QlWz0wwrcxkW9qsLLEhyZOBZAiw27cRLsDVZYtMKMmujSiFUq2d9Lo-7zwM7TZiYNpdEtvInDzw/s2790/The%20Deep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2790" data-original-width="2332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorGRjtMejjP2YSjntQkP3bxUh1Kherl3OxjFA-HNmjlm7l-hiPeQuV1haca6ynq7X89f95Uyk5S6xH3SENeO7FmHv_z-mI_Uunp0sNRJsBABoajB-QlWz0wwrcxkW9qsLLEhyZOBZAiw27cRLsDVZYtMKMmujSiFUq2d9Lo-7zwM7TZiYNpdEtvInDzw/s320/The%20Deep.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>This was a gift from a friend when we moved back to the US.<br /><br />Title: The Deep<br />Date: 2023<br />Publisher: Penguin Workshop (an imprint of <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a>)<br />Writer: Lindsey Leigh<br />Artist: Lindsey Leigh<br /><br />This is an illustrated survey of the creatures of the deep ocean, full of some amazing biology mixed with a lot of goofy humor. The author does a great job of highlighting some of the most interesting adaptations to life in the ocean depths, organizing most of the book by the different zone of the deep sea. There are also some special topics such as chemosynthesis and whalefalls that get a bit of extra coverage.<br /><br />Some really alien-looking creatures come off as quite charming, and the range of deep sea life that is included is impressive, given the size of the book.<br /><br />Rating: 7.5/10<br /><br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-60496465420654634502024-02-04T12:52:00.005+08:002024-02-04T12:52:57.918+08:00Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVshbXx2V5SaokWE2_FG2IL1sHGtxTIyArbjUva7mjM34yfhsb4ZycLp4-Lb6SXGIbXpJajpsO-aW8hwEhfxyRD0QurvkMrxSu4F_zJew9tStLcvi3EVeAKkJIH7ftIsJp5iUb22dW8xSyryu9mWtr8flgJlLgrbygSiMVp8cHt5Q_6xkfuY-k5O62AMM/s2403/Fullmetal%20Alchemist%20Vol%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2403" data-original-width="1679" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVshbXx2V5SaokWE2_FG2IL1sHGtxTIyArbjUva7mjM34yfhsb4ZycLp4-Lb6SXGIbXpJajpsO-aW8hwEhfxyRD0QurvkMrxSu4F_zJew9tStLcvi3EVeAKkJIH7ftIsJp5iUb22dW8xSyryu9mWtr8flgJlLgrbygSiMVp8cHt5Q_6xkfuY-k5O62AMM/s320/Fullmetal%20Alchemist%20Vol%201.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>Bought at Goodwill in Davis Square, Somerville MA USA.<br /><br />Title: Fullmetal Alchemist<br />
Issue: Volume 1<br />
Publisher: <a href="https://www.viz.com/" target="_blank">Viz Media</a><br />Date: January, 2005<br />Writer: <span class="Formatted">Hiromu Arakawa</span><br />Artist: <span class="Formatted">Hiromu Arakawa<br />Editor: Jason Thompson<br /><br />This story introduces Edward and Alphonse Elric, two brothers who suffered a terribly fate when they tried to use their alchemical powers to resurrect their mother. Edward lost an arm and a leg, replacing them with robotic prosthetics, while his brother's mind was entirely trapped in a living suit of armor.<br /><br />They seek the legendary Philosopher's Stone in the hope of restoring their bodies, while having a series of adventures across a vaguel-steampunk nation. <br /><br />The first volume is told in three distinct vignettes. In the first, the brothers deal with a religious demogogue who has used alchemy to convince the people of his town that he has miraculous powers. The second story concerns a remote mining outpost run by a thoroughly corrupt military official. And the third is a more action-oriented story about the brothers intervening in a hostage situation aboard a train.<br /><br />This is a solid introduction to the main characters, with a few small hints as to where the long-term plot is heading, and plenty of worldbuilding. The alchemical magic is cleverly done, with a concept of "equal exchange" as its central premise. I enjoyed the interactions between Edward and Alphonse, and the fight scenes were well-constructed with some good surprises.<br /><br />Rating: 7.5/10<br /></span><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-28550992742392914452024-01-25T10:21:00.002+08:002024-01-25T10:21:40.041+08:00Tears of a Lamb Volume 1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTygUyk-76y7PsYCVo5Pdy8cvJIB9vVAZF56xN71UP0YiySJUsIBc1tzq_63lvFaSn4WdY3og_etd-JiQtPYSv1bd7DnKXKqMTJ00tB_zlxOE-vA31PRx5TR-W_5I4-bDXt3wEkWh9PZ9Anf_GQAGufjcPB5d9COgn13X5awJ9pW4sDeMVJvfPTOkMnw/s2236/Tears%20of%20a%20Lamb%20Vol%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2236" data-original-width="1632" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTygUyk-76y7PsYCVo5Pdy8cvJIB9vVAZF56xN71UP0YiySJUsIBc1tzq_63lvFaSn4WdY3og_etd-JiQtPYSv1bd7DnKXKqMTJ00tB_zlxOE-vA31PRx5TR-W_5I4-bDXt3wEkWh9PZ9Anf_GQAGufjcPB5d9COgn13X5awJ9pW4sDeMVJvfPTOkMnw/s320/Tears%20of%20a%20Lamb%20Vol%201.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>From the books I had in storage.<br /><br />Title: Tears of a Lamb<br />Issue: Volume 1<br />Date: 2008<br />Publisher: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMX_%28comics%29">CMX</a><br />Writer: Banri Hidaka<br />Artist: Banri Hidaka<br />Editorial Director: Jim Lee<br /><br />High school romantic drama that starts light and builds into more serious issues as it goes. Kei Hasumi only wants one thing from her classmate, Kyosuke Kanzaki. She wants to get into his apartment. She's lost something, and she believes the apartment, when it was rented to a previous tenant, is where she misplaced her treasure.<br /><br />It begins as something of a silly argument, with Kanzaki reluctant to show Hasumi his place because it was previously rented to his sister and still has all of her feminine decor. But as the story continues, additional layers of drama and misfortune are revealed about the two lead characters and their families.<br /><br />The romantic direction is clear, but it's on slow-build, and the lead characters don't start off with much chemistry between them. The relationship between Hasumi and her older twin brothers does more for character development than here interactions with Kanzaki do.<br /><br />This had a slow start, but it does do a good job of building some tension and complexity. Possible trigger warning: An eating disorder is a major plot point, and it's not always handled as sensitively as it could be.<br /><br />Rating: 5.5/10<br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-41328188512444944132024-01-22T10:37:00.000+08:002024-01-22T10:37:09.670+08:00Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXbptimeg3mg3EUbzG8TcjPDhqc9PD0Cgv71zYauY4eZ1qIcyqVsY-YJxhO6Cht94fHNv14_MqrhV4Tbw6vNv_g07Dv01Zj0EMdyGrbjsb82wZq1blftrrLx4QBYOzwiVHJivvJ_r4OhiMSr0sTy3JLVAqNjEPPVfxBEEK25WsB_zThUtLWtdOqOQ0nA/s3183/Justice%20League%20vs%20Godzilla%20vs%20Kong%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3183" data-original-width="2153" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXbptimeg3mg3EUbzG8TcjPDhqc9PD0Cgv71zYauY4eZ1qIcyqVsY-YJxhO6Cht94fHNv14_MqrhV4Tbw6vNv_g07Dv01Zj0EMdyGrbjsb82wZq1blftrrLx4QBYOzwiVHJivvJ_r4OhiMSr0sTy3JLVAqNjEPPVfxBEEK25WsB_zThUtLWtdOqOQ0nA/s320/Justice%20League%20vs%20Godzilla%20vs%20Kong%202.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>First review of 2024! Bought at Bob's Hobbies & Collectibles, Springfield MA USA.<b><br /></b><br />Title: Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong<br />Issue: 2<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;">Date: 2024</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"><br />Publisher: </span><a href="http://www.dccomics.com/dccomics/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 18.47px; text-decoration: none;">DC Comics</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"> / <a href="https://www.legendary.com/comics/">Legendary Comics</a><br />Writer: Brian Buccellato<br />Artist: Christian Duce</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"><br />Colorist: Luis Guerrero<br />Letterer: Richard Starkings, Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;">Editor: Ben Abernathy, Robert Napton</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"><br /><br />With all of the preliminaries out of the way, we get right to the mayhem in this issue. Godzilla takes on Superman, Hawkgirl, and Captain Marvel (you know, the Shazam one), while the Batman and a bunch of Bat-family members go after um... okay, I need to look up a list of members of the Monsterverse B-team... </span></span>Camazotz, who is attacking Gotham City. Two other Titans, Scylla and Behemoth, are attacking Central City and Themyscira respectively, but those battles will wait until next issue. No problem with that; this issue packs plenty of action.<br /><br />The Justice League characters all get some good moments, and writer <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;">Brian Buccellato does a nice job of keeping them true to their characters while delivering fun interactions, including a feel-good moment of Batgirl knocking out Jason Todd.<br /><br />Godzilla no-sells pretty much everything thrown at him. looking like a Doomsday-level threat to the Man of Steel by the end of this.<br /><br />This was a fun issue that delivered on what it promised.<br /><br />Rating: 7.5/10<br /></span></span><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-45680337263699534602024-01-17T05:48:00.001+08:002024-01-17T05:48:19.364+08:00Updated All-Time Top Rated Comics<p>Here is my updated list of all of the comics I've rated a 9 or above. Only one book (White Bird, with a 9), was added in 2022/2023.<br /><br /><br /><b>9/10</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2018/01/all-in-family-part-two-angel.html" target="_blank">All In The Family Part Two: Angel</a> <br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2018/09/amulet-book-two-stonekeepers-curse.html" target="_blank">Amulet Book Two: The Stonekeeper's Curse</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2018/12/amulet-book-seven-firelight.html" target="_blank">Amulet Book Seven: Firelight<br /></a><a href="http://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2021/06/arthur-spiderwicks-field-guide-to.html" target="_blank">Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You</a><a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2018/12/amulet-book-seven-firelight.html" target="_blank"><br /></a><a href="http://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2020/10/boxers.html" target="_blank">Boxers</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2018/04/dog-man-and-cat-kid.html" target="_blank">Dog Man And Cat Kid<br /></a> <a href="http://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2020/10/dog-man-grime-and-punishment.html" target="_blank">Dog Man: Grime and Punishment</a><br /><a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-flutter-collection.html" target="_blank">The Flutter Collection</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2019/08/ghosts.html" target="_blank">Ghosts<br /></a><a href="http://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2020/08/guts.html" target="_blank">Guts</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2012/01/life-with-archie-16.html" target="_blank">Life With Archie #16</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2018/05/lumberjanes-volume-3-terrible-plan.html" target="_blank">Lumberjanes Volume 3: A Terrible Plan</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2019/03/lumberjanes-volume-4-out-of-time.html" target="_blank">Lumberjanes Volume 4: Out of Time</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2019/10/lumberjanes-volume-5-band-together.html" target="_blank">Lumberjanes Volume 5: Band Together</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2015/09/i-was-crowdfunding-backer-on-this.html" target="_blank">Machiavelli<br /></a><a href="http://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2020/12/rival-angels-season-3-volume-2.html" target="_blank">Rival Angels Season 3 Volume 2<br /></a><a href="http://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2021/12/saga-compendium-1.html" target="_blank">Saga Compendium 1</a> <br /><a href="http://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2021/03/small-town-type-1.html" target="_blank">Small Town Type #1</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2017/05/understanding-comics.html" target="_blank">Understanding Comics</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2018/08/warriors-graystripes-adventure.html" target="_blank">Warriors: Graystripe's Adventure</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2019/02/we-wont-be-erased.html" target="_blank">We Won't Be Erased</a> <br /><a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2022/08/white-bird.html">White Bird</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2011/05/with-light-volume-2.html" target="_blank">With the Light Volume 2</a><br />
<br />
<b>9.5/10</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2011/01/amelia-rules-when-past-is-present.html" target="_blank">Amelia Rules: When the Past is a Present</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-arrival.html" target="_blank">The Arrival</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2017/05/castle-waiting-volume-1.html" target="_blank">Castle Waiting Volume 1</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2018/07/i-kill-giants.html" target="_blank">I Kill Giants<br /></a><a href="http://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2021/03/a-monster-calls.html" target="_blank">A Monster Calls</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-prince-and-dressmaker.html" target="_blank">The Prince and the Dressmaker</a><br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2015/01/vietnamerica-familys-journey.html" target="_blank">Vietnamerica: A Family's Journey</a><br />
<br />
<b>10/10</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2013/06/bone-complete-cartoon-epic-in-one-volume.html" target="_blank">Bone: The Complete Cartoon Epic In One Volume</a><br />
<br />
Looking forward to reading more great books in 2024!</p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-25356462666982668252024-01-17T05:42:00.002+08:002024-01-17T05:42:17.127+08:002022/2023 Comic Review Recap<p>As mentioned in the previous post, 2022 (especially) and 2023 were pretty unproductive for this blog. I'm back settled in the US and have just reorganized the Random Stack of Unread Comics, and I've also got lots of graphic novels and manga on the to-read shelf, so expect more in 2024. My most recent review was actually for a comic I read in 2023, so 2024 reviews will start soon.<br /><br />My total number of comics read in 2022 was a miserable 3. I did a bit better in 2023, but only a bit, with a total of 18. <br /><br />Highest-rated comics in 2022/2023:<br /><br /><a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2023/06/hellboy-wild-hunt.html">Hellboy: The Wild Hunt</a> (8.5)<br /><a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2023/08/keep-home-fries-burning-for-better-or.html">Keep the Home Fries Burning: A For Better or For Worse Collection</a> (8.5)<br /><a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-sands-of-time-accidental-time.html">The Sands of Time: Accidental Time Machine</a> (8.5)<br /><a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2022/08/white-bird.html">White Bird</a> (9)<br /><br />Lowest-rated comics in 2022/2023:<br /><br /><a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2023/12/dork-diaries-tales-from-not-so-happily.html">Dork Diaries: Tales From A Not-So-Happily Ever After</a> (5)<br /><a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2023/12/snow-drop-volume-2.html">Snow Drop Volume 2</a> (5)<br /><a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2023/06/star-wars-allegiance.html">Star Wars: Allegiance</a> (4)<br /></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-34498666882215280872024-01-17T05:19:00.002+08:002024-01-17T05:19:17.937+08:002022/2023 Recap: My Top 5 Books (Prose or Comics) Read<p>Due to internet connectivity issues in China, lockdowns, and being generally busy with plans to move home, I only added a couple of entries to this blog in 2022. There were a few more in 2023, but I never did recaps for 2022, so I am combining them here, starting with my overall top books from each year. No comics or graphic novels made the list in 2022 or 2023, mostly because I was concentrating on reading prose.<br /><br /></p><div><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1swvt13 xjkvuk6" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id=":r68r:"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">My top 5 books read in 2022:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">5. The Chicken Sisters by K.J. Dell'Antonia</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">4. The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">3. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">2. <span><a tabindex="-1"></a></span>Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">1. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir<br /><br /><div><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1swvt13 xjkvuk6" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id=":r6q0:"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">My Top 5 Books Read In 2023:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">5. The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">4. A Game of Fox and Squirrels by Jenn Reese</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">3. Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">2. <span><a tabindex="-1"></a></span>Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">1. Beloved by Toni Morrison</div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-6510326724006496092024-01-17T04:55:00.001+08:002024-01-17T05:03:56.403+08:00Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUM6kAUIQe7-j8Bj_UkxvrX4H_0jaER9rRRcaRFIIV2yAj1jTKzUaG1GjFy5GUAcPvKNBQZ90Rb2D0ZUUkH87w5V12NRibkwUczYDNsQuuF9A_WU2vPQwVZVEgz_1pqOurVg_CmNFralrYaFPr1C0oiXOfZ7-nA8pFGTh-y-PoOQMoILW8R7KXzzUVP3Q/s3073/Justice%20League%20vs%20Godzilla%20vs%20Kong%201.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3073" data-original-width="2049" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUM6kAUIQe7-j8Bj_UkxvrX4H_0jaER9rRRcaRFIIV2yAj1jTKzUaG1GjFy5GUAcPvKNBQZ90Rb2D0ZUUkH87w5V12NRibkwUczYDNsQuuF9A_WU2vPQwVZVEgz_1pqOurVg_CmNFralrYaFPr1C0oiXOfZ7-nA8pFGTh-y-PoOQMoILW8R7KXzzUVP3Q/s320/Justice%20League%20vs%20Godzilla%20vs%20Kong%201.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Look! A (relatively) new comic! Bought at Bob's Hobbies & Collectibles, Springfield MA USA.<br /><br />Title: Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong<br />Issue: 1<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;">Date: 2023</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"><br />Publisher: </span><a href="http://www.dccomics.com/dccomics/" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; line-height: 18.47px; text-decoration: none;">DC Comics</a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"> / <a href="https://www.legendary.com/comics/">Legendary Comics</a><br />Writer: Brian Buccellato<br />Artist: Christian Duce</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"><br />Colorist: Luis Guerrero<br />Letterer: Richard Starkings, Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;">Editor: Ben Abernathy, Robert Napton</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.47px;"><br /><br />There is a lot more focus on the DC characters than the Monsterverse in this mostly-setup introduction to this epic crossover. That being said, the setup for the crossover, featuring a series of mishaps in a plot by the Legion of Doom (remember Challenge of the Superfriends?), and the Toyman in particular, as they attempt a raid on Superman's Fortress of Solitude.<br /><br />Clark, meanwhile, is in the midst of getting his act together to propose to Lois (she knows he's Superman, but they aren't yet married in this version of whatever continuity we're in here), only to have the moment (of course) interrupted by the arrival of Godzilla in Metropolis. Pretty much all of the expected mayhem is saved for next issue, but the interactions between Clark and the rest of the Justice League are really good, and the interplay between the Legion of Doom is at least entertaining.<br /><br />Good setup. The action was a bit on the generic side, but business should pick up (as Jim Ross would say) once the Monsterverse Titans get fully involved.<br /><br />Rating: 6/10<br /></span></span><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-23599632793424767432024-01-01T08:18:00.004+08:002024-01-01T08:18:23.997+08:00Owly: The Way Home<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip69y9PVZL87BWJf8DgwXhByqTP8ltKpRaPC2sNoVt5e25drRPX6V6sQooPohMxTtmjq-z4CW7fwy27clHxFdwJojk8h22NLX7k9Pm5ZJuWgrFE8AlRb58iVLvWyWwkBvQnyUkNDcMfU0nA2j6iEPRxyumsDYYSp0p_DDmIdR7FQuIvPUSv0vUwTOwnFE/s2206/Owly%20The%20Way%20Home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2206" data-original-width="1509" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip69y9PVZL87BWJf8DgwXhByqTP8ltKpRaPC2sNoVt5e25drRPX6V6sQooPohMxTtmjq-z4CW7fwy27clHxFdwJojk8h22NLX7k9Pm5ZJuWgrFE8AlRb58iVLvWyWwkBvQnyUkNDcMfU0nA2j6iEPRxyumsDYYSp0p_DDmIdR7FQuIvPUSv0vUwTOwnFE/s320/Owly%20The%20Way%20Home.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>Bought at a book fair at my school in Shanghai, China, in March of 2022.<br /><br />Title: Owly: The Way Home<br />Publisher: <a href="http://www2.scholastic.com/home/" target="_blank">Scholastic</a> / Graphix<br />
Date: September, 2020<br />
Writer: Andy Runton<br />
Artist: Andy Runton<br /><br />Two stories about Owly, a lonely owl who wants to make some friends. The first story describes how Owly meets Wormy and how they travel together to try to find Wormy's home and family, having some adventures along the way.<br /><br />The second story details Owly and Wormy's friendship with Tiny and Angel, a pair of hummingbirds. Once again, there are a few adventures, but this time it's the hummingbirds who must embark on a journey as winter approaches.<br /><br />This has more words than previous Owly stories I've read (I review one here), but keeps most of Owly's dialogue to symbols and pictures like in previous books.<br /><br />This was a cute exploration of friendship and loyalty framed around a fun series of adventures.<br /><br />Rating: 7/10<br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-27308158527262260052024-01-01T02:52:00.004+08:002024-01-01T02:52:34.625+08:00Detective Comics: The Complete Covers Volume 2<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRvMIbH6vQRNTY0Xi4Z2yIHfOQgRebbtAtqB3qRtlRonZkQpcmbzy9wuV4R9FBkxX21KCkWQNdh-q38ubmewWrfvN3Acbe0lkUeisxF7m4YjFNBXQymrPZVMtVXgc5Y7AS1QL4qQBOKdGa2qynaXt-2dVzJctflRgbvBDvgf4HW-_xCYGazmsH6G1oBw/s2327/Detective%20Comics%20The%20Complete%20Covers%20Volume%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2327" data-original-width="1758" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRvMIbH6vQRNTY0Xi4Z2yIHfOQgRebbtAtqB3qRtlRonZkQpcmbzy9wuV4R9FBkxX21KCkWQNdh-q38ubmewWrfvN3Acbe0lkUeisxF7m4YjFNBXQymrPZVMtVXgc5Y7AS1QL4qQBOKdGa2qynaXt-2dVzJctflRgbvBDvgf4HW-_xCYGazmsH6G1oBw/s320/Detective%20Comics%20The%20Complete%20Covers%20Volume%202.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>Bought at Foreign Languages Bookstore, Shanghai, China, in December of 2021.<br /><br />Title: Detective Comics: The Complete Covers<br />Issue: Volume 2<br />Publisher: <a href="https://insighteditions.com/" target="_blank">Insight Editions</a><br />Date: 2019<br /><br />Pocket-sized artbook, featuring a selection of Detective Comics covers from issues 301 to 600. This starts things off firmly in the Silver Age and it's over-the-top brightly colored goofiness, and brings up up to the Batman of the modern era. Along the way, we see the introduction of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, some redesigns of the Batman's costumes and milestone events like Batman: Year Two, and Blind Justice.<br /><br />Unlike volume 3 (reviewed <a href="https://dailycomicreview.blogspot.com/2020/05/detective-comics-complete-covers-vol-3.html">here</a>), a lot of this material was unfamiliar to me. There were some really fun covers here, a few surprises in terms of crossovers (the Batman crosses paths with several of the Flash's adversaries). There is also a fair amount of silly Silver Age absurdities (Batman and Robin held captive in an alien zoo!) including a "Holy tombstone!" from Robin (who previous to the Batman TV show was more likely to go with "Great Scott!" as his exclamation of choice.<br /><br />Like the rest of this series, the quality of the illustrations suffer a bit from the limitations of the book's size, but this is still a fun collection that delivers a lot of nostalgia in a small package.<br /><br />Rating: 7/10<br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-50145806295818645372023-12-27T02:13:00.000+08:002023-12-27T02:13:31.956+08:00Soul To Seoul Volume 1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUphKLhsmuNb8QqP24NVU04YMAg5vTy9ECg8QLrlU_xiVRYaNPVSET-Wf6l5Cc36dAUcmwJ-mfebOTWQxV4o2b-ncOK4oUj-AhHbDkv5dickg8-mJln2sNOwpPya51SWHC63v6Lyh_SLRGONmZE8jXyN_f-J72VVoYdAVrAbNTpWd3Kihz63EtfPgcS_c/s3084/Soul%20To%20Seoul%20Volume%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3084" data-original-width="2056" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUphKLhsmuNb8QqP24NVU04YMAg5vTy9ECg8QLrlU_xiVRYaNPVSET-Wf6l5Cc36dAUcmwJ-mfebOTWQxV4o2b-ncOK4oUj-AhHbDkv5dickg8-mJln2sNOwpPya51SWHC63v6Lyh_SLRGONmZE8jXyN_f-J72VVoYdAVrAbNTpWd3Kihz63EtfPgcS_c/s320/Soul%20To%20Seoul%20Volume%201.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>From the boxes of books I had in storage.<br /><br />Title: Soul To Seoul<br />Issue: Volume 1<br />Date: 2005<br />Publisher: Tokyopop<br />Writer: Kim Jea Eun (English adaptation by Ellen Choi)<br />Artist: Kim Jea Eun<br />Letterer: Eva Han<br />Editor: Julie Taylor<br /><br />This was a mix of romance, family drama, and crime drama about Korean teens living in New York City. There was a lot going on here in terms of character interactions, and the first volume just scratches the surface of all of the potential drama.<br /><p></p><p>At the center of it all are rapper Spike and wannabe-gangster Kai. Kai meets Sunil, a young woman recently arrived from Korea, and Kai is willing to give up his playboy ways to date her. Meanwhile Kai's cousin arrives to disrupt the dynamics of his already complex and tension-filled family life.<br /><br />When Spike gets arrested, Kai takes his first step down a dark path for the sake of bailing his friend out of jail.<br /><br />This felt a bit choppy as it jumped between different plot threads and conflicts. The writer clearly had a lot to introduce in the first volume and was determined to get everything in. Some of it, possibly the character JJ's backstory, might have better been saved for a future volume. Still, the story set up a lot of intriguing elements, and ended on a strong note.<br /><br />Rating: 6/10<br /></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-89998125210224838892023-12-21T05:59:00.002+08:002023-12-21T05:59:10.860+08:00Dork Diaries: Tales From A Not-So-Happily Ever After<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKlUrJVDi0NUs1xIaYevtfOJrubjyMYQAXTidssIgr-_PIXc7k7Q7mXzYkcvPZmCg49yJUhTyJAuoQw_T5LajHVwRS0cFI1LoBo6vSE6dpwFyQkPv9EsIWKTlcWiEhX2s5VSZd9DV6VrtimP_gwVo7MsPUytBNS0s0Bcfz0qJ-b8Mrwy4OI-ullFI2wc/s1829/Dork%20Diaries%20Tales%20From%20A%20Not%20So%20Happily%20Ever%20After.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1829" data-original-width="1348" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKlUrJVDi0NUs1xIaYevtfOJrubjyMYQAXTidssIgr-_PIXc7k7Q7mXzYkcvPZmCg49yJUhTyJAuoQw_T5LajHVwRS0cFI1LoBo6vSE6dpwFyQkPv9EsIWKTlcWiEhX2s5VSZd9DV6VrtimP_gwVo7MsPUytBNS0s0Bcfz0qJ-b8Mrwy4OI-ullFI2wc/s320/Dork%20Diaries%20Tales%20From%20A%20Not%20So%20Happily%20Ever%20After.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>I got this at a Little Free Library in Ludlow MA USA, and will be "releasing" it at another Little Free Library somewhere in New England.<br /><br />Title: Dork Diaries: Tales From A Not-So-Happily Ever After<br />Date: 2014<br />Publisher: <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/" target="_blank">Simon & Schuster</a><br />Writer: Rachel Renee Russell<br />Artist: Rachel Renee Russell<br /><br />This is (clearly intentionally) similar in format to Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, which I've read quite a few of because my son enjoyed them. The narration is prose with frequent illustrations.<br /><br />The main character, Nikki, is considerably more likeable than the Wimpy Kid protagonist, but is also a bit on the bland side. It feels like the author is trying so hard to make Nikki relatable that she's afraid to give Nikki much in the way of distinctive traits, quirks, and flaws.<br /><br />This story was an homage/parody of The Wizard of Oz, with elements of other fairy tales sprinkled in, as Nikki gets knocked out playing dodgeball in the midst of a bad day at school, and dreams up (is transported to) a fairytale adventure.<br /><br />She meets fairytale versions of people she knows in her own world, has some adventures (the supporting cast could use a bit more diversity), makes some friends and some enemies, gets in trouble, and gets rescued by her friends.<br /><br />She also resolves a bit of conflict with her younger sister, in a scene that is genuinely tender.<br /><br />There's nothing awful here, but nothing all that distinctive either.<br /><br />Rating: 5/10<br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-12681548722153957972023-12-07T09:53:00.003+08:002023-12-07T09:53:30.329+08:00Snow Drop Volume 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKEIcHsRNujZ7mIRTVvCCM4lRDjQIEv_g8Uv0xt0Rk8cHpBvsDScxXvhcIUpnrI-7EUDyAiHFn4htqnHGyzth6REDSVHDhmE-YhGuxVu4ZgofXnEJmTddoHweef8pQNRk4amayQAF_ldNdu2GYmVfO0HkkdXzlDfohypo3GIpvo0m7f9bCCq_XRpl1hw/s3529/Snow%20Drop%20Volume%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3529" data-original-width="2413" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKEIcHsRNujZ7mIRTVvCCM4lRDjQIEv_g8Uv0xt0Rk8cHpBvsDScxXvhcIUpnrI-7EUDyAiHFn4htqnHGyzth6REDSVHDhmE-YhGuxVu4ZgofXnEJmTddoHweef8pQNRk4amayQAF_ldNdu2GYmVfO0HkkdXzlDfohypo3GIpvo0m7f9bCCq_XRpl1hw/s320/Snow%20Drop%20Volume%202.jpg" width="219" /></a></div>From the unread manga shelf.<br /><br />Title: Snow Drop<br />Issue: Volume 2<br />Date: 2004<br />Publisher: Tokyopop<br />Writer: Choi Kyung-ah (English adaptation by Sarah Dyer)<br />Artist: Choi Kyung-ah<br />Letterer: Christina R. Siri<br />Editor: Bryce P. Coleman<br /><br />Romance begins to grow between high school student So-Na, and young model Hae-Gi. But just as things are beginning to get interesting at a party, So-Na's old rival Sun-Mi arrives on the scene.<br /><br />Aside from the introduction of Sun-Mi, the plot in this volume was in something of a holding pattern. The Hae-Gi/So-Na relationship is making tiny bits of progress, but mostly these involve Hae-Gi ignoring basic consent, and So-Na continuing to try to manipulate things.<br /><br />I did like the way that hints are slowly being given about some sort of connection in the past with So-Na's mother, the author of the book that gave Hae-Gi his name. There are definitely some layers of backstory that will be interesting to uncover, but this volume felt a bit transitional.<br /><br />Rating: 5/10<br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-7187339548999850722023-11-22T06:38:00.004+08:002023-11-22T06:38:47.409+08:00Snow Drop Volume 1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9xypyxD3AMgIT321U29vt_bF1MPWV1u17nwdctpBvNIjXQ4KsGqk11mIMYhByT1tf1pxr1W6sV0pRLWg_RvAV2JIblv-wnzOKWMbTDgwuTv0gi5leCXHmX1Zj7fiio3G5doZ3nkec-q5E3zQyNTk8152qArOU5DZYO0cUSYKz6xuFVvCcd1Harkh290/s1674/Snow%20Drop%20Volume%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1674" data-original-width="1122" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9xypyxD3AMgIT321U29vt_bF1MPWV1u17nwdctpBvNIjXQ4KsGqk11mIMYhByT1tf1pxr1W6sV0pRLWg_RvAV2JIblv-wnzOKWMbTDgwuTv0gi5leCXHmX1Zj7fiio3G5doZ3nkec-q5E3zQyNTk8152qArOU5DZYO0cUSYKz6xuFVvCcd1Harkh290/s320/Snow%20Drop%20Volume%201.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>One of many, many, unread books that I unpacked from my storage unit.<br /><br />Title: Snow Drop<br />Issue: Volume 1<br />Date: 2004<br />Publisher: Tokyopop<br />Writer: Choi Kyung-ah (English adaptation by Sarah Dyer)<br />Artist: Choi Kyung-ah<br />Letterer: James Dashiell<br />Editor: Julie Taylor, Bryce P. Coleman<br /><br />Rich-kid high school drama with a lot of tragic backstory and a fair number of plot twists. So-Na dropped out of junior high school to run the Snow Drop plant nursery. The nursery is her safe space, where she can mourn the loss of her mother. But when her father pressures her to return to school and finish her diploma, she is stuck in the same classroom with her rich and obnoxious childhood friend, Ha-Da.<br /><br />Enter pretty boy (and actual professional model) Hae-Gi, who was named after a character in a novel written by So-Na's mother. He and So-Na immediately hit it off in all of the completely wrong ways, and we're off and running. The introduction of Hae-Gi's crossdressing younger brother provides a nice injection of chaos toward the end of this volume.<br /><br />This was a fast-paced romance fueled by a lot of teenage angst. It suffered from some of the usual issues of "these problems would not be problems of people would just talk to each other", but that is to be expected in this type of plot. So-Na seemed particularly inconsistent, and hopefully this will be smoothed out as the series moves on. Right now, she's likeable only in certain moments.<br /><br />Rating: 5.5/10<br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-22254551320440013322023-08-24T12:37:00.002+08:002023-08-24T12:37:40.352+08:00Attack on Titan Volume 4<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdROrc_5V1Bc8JdjEIvPDkKUsFkafg_vKMrW72D15PMLJrUoRvMEUDjo_qmEWbHduTcPlAgQ3GB0W79QWWbtUGK-gfcMG9avxFCXYAI0BOcEhf2aByLb_LiqB_tnwg91EY7y9x545CwC_z3hTVwQdJ-qmqCceD1Ej_0BtmRXOA9Hit6FAAhn0vStFoWXg/s2851/Attack%20on%20Titan%20Volume%204.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2851" data-original-width="1880" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdROrc_5V1Bc8JdjEIvPDkKUsFkafg_vKMrW72D15PMLJrUoRvMEUDjo_qmEWbHduTcPlAgQ3GB0W79QWWbtUGK-gfcMG9avxFCXYAI0BOcEhf2aByLb_LiqB_tnwg91EY7y9x545CwC_z3hTVwQdJ-qmqCceD1Ej_0BtmRXOA9Hit6FAAhn0vStFoWXg/s320/Attack%20on%20Titan%20Volume%204.jpeg" width="211" /></a></div>Bought at Double Midnight Comics in Manchester NH USA.<br /><br />Title: Attack on Titan<br />Issue: Volume 4<br />Date: 2013<br />Publisher: <a href="http://kodanshacomics.com/">Kodansha</a><br />Creator: Hajime Isayama<br />Letterer: Steve Wands<br /><br />Volume 4 of this series resolves the cliffhanger from the third volume as humanity gains its first, very costly, victory over the Titans. From there, the story flashes back to Eren in training.<br /><br />A lot of new characters are introduced here, and there is the potential for lots of really fun interactions as the story moves forward. There were also some good insights into the training process and the dynamic between the recruits. Most of the best recruits want military police duty, which means the fighters most capable of bringing down titans are the least likely to face them.<br /><br />Armin is a major part of the opening scene, but he and Mikasa fade into the background a bit as the new characters get the spotlight. There were places where it was a little bit hard to keep straight who everyone was, but the new characters had enough interesting details and quirks that this should become easier as the story progresses.<br /><br />Rating: 6.5/10<br /><br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-72896362854225920162023-08-16T09:32:00.000+08:002023-08-16T09:32:00.818+08:00Spy Family Volume 3<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinf-GcsCqNOkOzog8rKppC2F9P0QHUw1aBMuVnWpPH9xUH1E2Q-1Itt94UV-letPKmGs4h-umozXiQEBF5Pyhj9tqIJ_zRDNlZE-4PFoebPdIoZnJ5KUUnuvy8ElgiXxJtu7l-QatY7RZGBYQL89va3DUo5freeJmHmpjC5D_30WheJ8OIxDCh_uf6KS8/s3153/Spy%20Family%20Volume%203.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3153" data-original-width="2131" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinf-GcsCqNOkOzog8rKppC2F9P0QHUw1aBMuVnWpPH9xUH1E2Q-1Itt94UV-letPKmGs4h-umozXiQEBF5Pyhj9tqIJ_zRDNlZE-4PFoebPdIoZnJ5KUUnuvy8ElgiXxJtu7l-QatY7RZGBYQL89va3DUo5freeJmHmpjC5D_30WheJ8OIxDCh_uf6KS8/s320/Spy%20Family%20Volume%203.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div>Read at the Merrimack NH Public Library.<br /><br />Title: Spy Family<br />
Issue: Volume 3<br />
Publisher: <a href="https://www.viz.com/" target="_blank">Viz Media</a><br />Date: January, 2020<br />Writer: <span class="Formatted">Tatsuya Endo</span><br />Artist: <span class="Formatted">Tatsuya Endo<br /><br />This starts with the surprise visit from Yor's brother Yuri, who is, well, something of a mess, especially considering he is a highly competent member of the Secret Police. Yuri's plan to expose Loid by getting him drunk goes south quickly, and the scene just gets increasingly awkward when Yuri insists that Loid and Yor kiss.<br /><br />In school, Anya plays dodgeball with the rumor that a coveted honors star is on the line. She later tries her hand at some community service.<br /><br />Bonus story has Yor and Loid on a date night while Yor is trying to conceal a somewhat embarrassing injury.<br /><br />The pacing in a few places in this volume felt weird, with scenes being dragged out, possibly in the case of the opening scene just to intentionally prolong the awkwardness. The result was that it didn't feel like all that much happened, although there was some good setup for future plot developments.<br /><br />Rating: 6/10<br /></span><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-62127748892783617712023-08-10T11:25:00.000+08:002023-08-10T11:25:07.166+08:00Spy Family Volume 2<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_8aJ1KIZCXNafwirmyGnrgfG7Xj8JNfg6TdtLYcUwoaErLz2PklMIRsOOaj-pL0S17ymI_ZNCL9PmEEauBOpHaFgiNKvMWmimG8j9EAexpPu9l7DPbBfIw4qCBlOb6MqWgf8j-bLhYT-6P4GcfOWffA0icmnShRY_NeyVcyuIYVQJeiIwAW1FQgiOGU/s2357/Spy%20Family%20Volume%202.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2357" data-original-width="1543" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_8aJ1KIZCXNafwirmyGnrgfG7Xj8JNfg6TdtLYcUwoaErLz2PklMIRsOOaj-pL0S17ymI_ZNCL9PmEEauBOpHaFgiNKvMWmimG8j9EAexpPu9l7DPbBfIw4qCBlOb6MqWgf8j-bLhYT-6P4GcfOWffA0icmnShRY_NeyVcyuIYVQJeiIwAW1FQgiOGU/s320/Spy%20Family%20Volume%202.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div>Read at the Merrimack NH Public Library.<br /><br />Title: Spy Family<br />
Issue: Volume 2<br />
Publisher: <a href="https://www.viz.com/" target="_blank">Viz Media</a><br />Date: October, 2019<br />Writer: <span class="Formatted">Tatsuya Endo</span><br />Artist: <span class="Formatted">Tatsuya Endo<br /><br />After some initial hurdles, Anya has secured a place at the high-prestige Eden Academy, but now there is additional pressure. In order to make a connection with Twilight's target, Anya needs to either befriend the target's son, or earn a place in the school's honors program. When she punches the bratty son in the face on orientation day, it begins to look like neither of those prospects are very likely.<br /><br />A further complication is introduced when Yor's brother enters the story. And just like Twilight, Anya, and Yor, the brother has his own secret that further jeopardizes Twilight's mission.<br /><br />The second volume did a nice job of expanding the story, adding new characters and new complications, and giving some additional character development, especially for Anya and Yor.<br /><br />This continues to be goofy absurd fun.<br /><br />Rating: 7/10<br /></span><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-9091482665977301422023-08-09T11:32:00.004+08:002023-08-09T11:34:15.595+08:00Spy Family Volume 1<p>I Read this at the Merrimack NH public library.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxiJdtuBRtBrc_25CjzuX5HKZ80VrGITZWZcQ4VvalK7tLcI4OPiwdaH2afZi30ZyuOZS3SSagmu6FEvEB38FBLVBI96rtJSZbpUKhJVlqgBsIyYC8lLFuXp2chRl273At4uQxgkmrmXCi5bLzyRZvuKyQHPm_1ZebCzCJBZJ_0OkpbbdIzc8xIHbPs0/s2261/Spy%20Family%20Volume%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2261" data-original-width="1473" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxiJdtuBRtBrc_25CjzuX5HKZ80VrGITZWZcQ4VvalK7tLcI4OPiwdaH2afZi30ZyuOZS3SSagmu6FEvEB38FBLVBI96rtJSZbpUKhJVlqgBsIyYC8lLFuXp2chRl273At4uQxgkmrmXCi5bLzyRZvuKyQHPm_1ZebCzCJBZJ_0OkpbbdIzc8xIHbPs0/s320/Spy%20Family%20Volume%201.JPG" width="208" /></a></div>Title: Spy Family<br />
Issue: Volume 1<br />
Publisher: <a href="https://www.viz.com/" target="_blank">Viz Media</a><br />Date: July, 2019<br />Writer: <span class="Formatted">Tatsuya Endo</span><br />Artist: <span class="Formatted">Tatsuya Endo</span><br /><br />In a fictional-Eastern-European setting, two rival nations are locked in a cold war. Master spy Twilight has a new mission, and in order to get close to his target he needs to have a wife and a child. And he's given a week to come up with those on his own.<br /><br />The woman he marries turns out to be an assassin. The child he adopts is a telepath.<br /><br />The whole premise is utterly absurd, but in the most delightful of ways. The story builds a subtle emotional connection between the three main characters, keeps its internal logic reasonably well, and does a nice job of making fun of the espionage genre and high society in general.<br /><br />The plot develops a bit slowly once the three main characters are together, and their primary objective is not quite fully resolved by the end of this volume, but it's a very enjoyable ride getting there. The artwork is equally effective in action scenes and in the more tender moments.<br /><br />Rating: 7.5/10<br /><br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-31893235803230291102023-08-01T10:23:00.003+08:002023-08-01T10:23:45.487+08:00Keep the Home Fries Burning: A For Better or For Worse Collection<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_BZtYBtqIywti2YV2zVWYSQLXOUcwrE7OxdDSVs8uznUbwPt21VWFsBmjB_kAdr2iwnuYa9xgV06eI2o2-eAa3mWB2cFb1LT1X44bCg6LsdDv4ekrT9-qO3AD3cY4hPjViHDTQLP540LB-AGfHjjlkh727z6T5tvg_Ls5QtFimJRdWAHiy9UYreVU88/s1880/For%20Better%20Or%20For%20Worse%20Keep%20The%20Home%20Fries%20Burning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1880" data-original-width="1755" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_BZtYBtqIywti2YV2zVWYSQLXOUcwrE7OxdDSVs8uznUbwPt21VWFsBmjB_kAdr2iwnuYa9xgV06eI2o2-eAa3mWB2cFb1LT1X44bCg6LsdDv4ekrT9-qO3AD3cY4hPjViHDTQLP540LB-AGfHjjlkh727z6T5tvg_Ls5QtFimJRdWAHiy9UYreVU88/s320/For%20Better%20Or%20For%20Worse%20Keep%20The%20Home%20Fries%20Burning.jpg" width="299" /></a></div>From the bookshelf at my mother-in-law's house.<br /><br />Title: Keep the Home Fries Burning: A For Better or For Worse Collection<br />Date: June, 1989<br />Publisher: <a href="https://publishing.andrewsmcmeel.com/" target="_blank">Andrews McMeel</a><br />Writer: Lynn Johnston<br />Artist: Lynn Johnston<br /><br />This collection covers about a year in the lives of the Patterson family, as Elly's best friend Connie moves to another city while in the midst of relationship drama. The move also results in Michael getting separated from his best friend. Over the course of the year, there are new friends and neighbors, a Halloween dance, a new baby among the Pattersons' friends circle, and the possible beginning of a writing career for Elly.<br /><br />I love the pacing of For Better or For Worse. The stories always feel very real and very grounded, and the author does a great job with putting low-key but effective punchlines in to end each newspaper strip installment while still building multiple long-term storylines.<br /><br />There were some really genuinely funny gags sprinkled among a lot of excellent storytelling and good character work. The art style is delightful, with enough realism to make the character come to life while still keeping things simple.<br /><br />Rating: 8.5/10<br /><br /><br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-38455663330080637802023-07-25T07:43:00.002+08:002023-07-25T07:43:31.614+08:00Attack on Titan Volume 3<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOQVG4P5r52XfOcmIdEujipWZzHCgsOWDVZHC4eWt3XkNHMNLohQl3zHcq9fRa2MaxjNXQdZUo0Dqtoln4jtyH3fDPybYAQ856Z9Yl-wBgidxwkanhLIEqFFhZEXsc1pU3WxmHothf_abSsm5aU62b1ftVBVa45J_1tyfv6nj2iTnXUbGlk_Ka1BOigk/s2628/Attack%20on%20Titan%20Volume%203.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2628" data-original-width="1737" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOQVG4P5r52XfOcmIdEujipWZzHCgsOWDVZHC4eWt3XkNHMNLohQl3zHcq9fRa2MaxjNXQdZUo0Dqtoln4jtyH3fDPybYAQ856Z9Yl-wBgidxwkanhLIEqFFhZEXsc1pU3WxmHothf_abSsm5aU62b1ftVBVa45J_1tyfv6nj2iTnXUbGlk_Ka1BOigk/s320/Attack%20on%20Titan%20Volume%203.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div>Bought from the used book shelf at the Merrimack Public Library in Merrimack NH.<br /><br />Title: Attack on Titan<br />Issue: Volume 3<br />Date: 2012<br />Publisher: <a href="http://kodanshacomics.com/">Kodansha</a><br />Creator: Hajime Isayama<br />Letterer: Steve Wands<br />Editor: Ben Applegate<br /><br />Through some unknown mechanism, Eren has somehow become a titan, or, at least, has the ability to change into one. Now he has a new problem: His fellow soldiers want to kill him. It's up to Armin to convince them that Eren is still loyal to humanity and that his new abilities can help in the war against the titans.<br /><br />But a hastily-thrown-together plan to seal a breach in the wall and take back one of the attached walled "towns" runs into immediate problems when Eren's untested powers prove uncontrollable.<br /><br />This third chapter raises a lot more questions than it answers, and plunges the story into a new cliffhanger. Armin gets the best moments here, and this was a nice spotlight for him. It also introduces a couple of intriguing new characters from the military hierarchy, including the unorthodox Commander Pixis.<br /><br />The pacing continues to be great, and the complexity of the worldbuilding continues to be built up steadily.<br /><br />Rating 7/10<br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-70961736413282619232023-07-19T09:35:00.003+08:002023-07-19T09:35:39.970+08:00Attack on Titan Volume 2<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSWjOHAoyjIuHJNvC0n-Tl_GeVhU9jzfOhUbYb6q0CsdcrKg8dKs_Gq-ynviIttyBJ5eCSLj3WAykEG9ekejhKwr3O__L_4ZgXkf4t4m1Clre2v0rA4AidGunfVPi_cxJ7zb5qKLUdpveowydcBCuP-aPsAZ9utZAaPQG-lYq5JY9mmgsUZfwv1X_UFk/s2479/Attack%20on%20Titan%20Volume%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2479" data-original-width="1652" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSWjOHAoyjIuHJNvC0n-Tl_GeVhU9jzfOhUbYb6q0CsdcrKg8dKs_Gq-ynviIttyBJ5eCSLj3WAykEG9ekejhKwr3O__L_4ZgXkf4t4m1Clre2v0rA4AidGunfVPi_cxJ7zb5qKLUdpveowydcBCuP-aPsAZ9utZAaPQG-lYq5JY9mmgsUZfwv1X_UFk/s320/Attack%20on%20Titan%20Volume%202.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Bought from the used book shelf at the Merrimack Public Library in Merrimack NH.<br /><br />Title: Attack on Titan<br />Issue: Volume 2<br />Date: 2012<br />Publisher: <a href="http://kodanshacomics.com/">Kodansha</a><br />Creator: Hajime Isayama<br />Letterer: Steve Wands<br /><br />The story really picks up in the second volume, with a major backstory reveal showing the tragic circumstances of how Mikasa and Eren first met as children and how Mikasa became part of Eren's family.<br /><br />From there's it's back to the action as a large group of titans swarm a military supply depot, trapping some soldiers inside, and leaving those outside without the ability to replenish the gas they need for their vertical movement gear.<br /><br />Mikasa, unaware that Eren may already have been killed in action, leads a desperate attack, but help suddenly appears in a most unexpected form.<br /><br />This was nonstop action with lots of surprising twists and some good character development, particularly for Mikasa.<br /><br />Rating: 7.5/10<br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-54649300795885628542023-07-15T04:52:00.003+08:002023-07-15T04:52:44.336+08:00Attack on Titan Volume 1<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUBalNevCCQg8dr1lhrkWIwU5dXkZfMepVHbI9w5a7CJCiR_J4gbm0aBXItFcm1m-xLxWL5ScjypACDBTXueikhZYPwXVdgyttnZ9q4FdqxfGqzWlzdTMd7AQqmWfmcFXy5r6JV5DwxQnyX9vVHU_twLWheFt9F6MROXkodw4sV2QsrQcpyyrzjp4QuQ/s3707/Attack%20on%20Titan%20Volume%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3707" data-original-width="2350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUBalNevCCQg8dr1lhrkWIwU5dXkZfMepVHbI9w5a7CJCiR_J4gbm0aBXItFcm1m-xLxWL5ScjypACDBTXueikhZYPwXVdgyttnZ9q4FdqxfGqzWlzdTMd7AQqmWfmcFXy5r6JV5DwxQnyX9vVHU_twLWheFt9F6MROXkodw4sV2QsrQcpyyrzjp4QuQ/s320/Attack%20on%20Titan%20Volume%201.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>Bought from the used book shelf at the Merrimack Public Library in Merrimack NH.<br /><br />Title: Attack on Titan<br />Issue: Volume 1<br />Publisher: <a href="http://kodanshacomics.com/">Kodansha</a><br />Creator: Hajime Isayama<br />Letterer: Steve Wands<br /><br />Far in the future, the remnants of humanity live in a single city, behind a series of protective walls designed to keep out the titans, nearly indestructible man-eating giants that have overrun most of the world.<br /><br />When a wall is breached after nearly a century without attacks, a group of young recruits must join the suddenly desperate battle against the titans, which have now produced a colossus capable of breaking through the city's walls.<br /><br />This was a good introduction to the scenario and I enjoyed the developing relationships between the characters, especially the dynamic between the fiercely protective Mikasa, and the ambitious Eren.<br /><br />The action sequences are great, the titans more horrifying than you might anticipate, and there is a reasonable attempt to make sense of a scenario of people fighting against human-eating giants.<br /><br />Rating: 6.5/10<br /><br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2483959710018314956.post-15609678094385569412023-06-24T10:51:00.001+08:002023-06-24T10:51:14.954+08:00Hellboy: The Wild Hunt<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSu4BJW5k6NZFk5ksFaXfteaACNMfQjZ_XlDmZ3-GzxExpo8_3Mj-cb_aW0yYIWkVrhm9RqjcBFcrFKPjxTO6OnMbYh_AuIhgZX9N8ls3485AWxM7YEW8uyYVDsPTv1lXqvNMtQk2ZLiWeV6mD9yizBu1OhCy-eOX44bBl7aiaVb6DNGhYDAiEalrTaZo/s2476/Hellboy%20Wild%20Hunt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2476" data-original-width="1587" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSu4BJW5k6NZFk5ksFaXfteaACNMfQjZ_XlDmZ3-GzxExpo8_3Mj-cb_aW0yYIWkVrhm9RqjcBFcrFKPjxTO6OnMbYh_AuIhgZX9N8ls3485AWxM7YEW8uyYVDsPTv1lXqvNMtQk2ZLiWeV6mD9yizBu1OhCy-eOX44bBl7aiaVb6DNGhYDAiEalrTaZo/s320/Hellboy%20Wild%20Hunt.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>Bought at Boocup, Kerry Parkside, Pudong, Shanghai, China.<br /><br />Title: Hellboy: The Wild Hunt<br />
Publisher: <a href="http://www.darkhorse.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Dark Horse Comics</span></a><a href="http://abdopublishing.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2288bb;"></span></a><br />
Date: October, 2018<br />Writer: Mike Mignola<br />
Artist: Duncan Fegredo<br />
Colorist: Dave Stewart<br />
Letterer: Clem Robins<br />Editor: Scott Allie<br /><br />Hellboy is recruited to join the Wild Hunt to defeat a gang of six giants who have awakened from their tombs. But the battle with the giants leads to betrayal and plunges Hellboy into a rapidly-brewing war between the forces of mythical Britain.<br /><br />This was a beautifully atmospheric deep dive into Arthurian mythology with Hellboy's own distinctively snarky viewpoint laid over the ancient forces a play.<br /><br />There is a lot going on in terms of plot and characters, and much of this volume is simply putting pieces onto the board for the game to come, but the setup is lovely to watch unfold.<br /><br />Duncan Fegredo does a great job with the art, incorporating the mythical elements while keeping the distinctive look of Hellboy.<br /><br />Rating: 8.5/10<br /><p></p>RickSilvaWritinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18094016040868075383noreply@blogger.com0