Books of 2023: Quarter 4

The last of the books from last year

Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

 

 Losing his job as COVID-19 sweeps through the country, Jamie Gray finds himself stuck in a dead-end job driving for a food delivery app and barely able to make rent. Just when everything seems hopeless, he's offered a much-needed (and better paying) job by an old acquaintance with an animal-rights organization. Jamie soon learns, however, the animals they're working with aren't the sort one might find at the zoo, nor are they even located on THIS Earth. Transported to an alternate Earth, he finds a planet populated not by humans but towering behemoths called Kaiju by the researchers and scientists studying them. The Kaiju Preservation Society doesn't exist simply to study however, but to keep the creatures safe as they aren't the only ones who know of the Kaiju's existence.

I'd never heard of this book until I found it wandering the shelves of Skull-Face bookstore and needed another book to use up the rest of the store credit I'd earned selling off a bunch of old books and comics. A light-hearted, easy, and fun read is the best way I can think of to describe this book. The story itself is a straight-forward, stranger in a strange land scenario, and doesn't bog the reader down in a lot of hard science (and the science it does mention can either be quickly referenced or simply skipped over), and even skips past any interpersonal drama which could have arose between the team members. There's a short Author's Note at the back of the book where Scalzi describes writing this story as he was coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and simply needed to pen something light and fun compared to the story he had been previously writing - putting the story into a much better perspective. The book itself could be twice as long if an additional subplot or two were added easily enough but keeps instead to a single, linear plot which makes the story easy to follow and flow smoothly.

The story resembles more of a Sci-Fi/ Fantasy nerd's dream rather than a rude awakening (which it easily could have been) as Gray transitions without much difficulty to life on another Earth. As I mentioned earlier, the story moves quite linearly from one thing to the next: Jamie Gray loses his job > Jamie Gray is offered a new job > Jamie Gray finds out the multiverse and Kaiju are real > First Kaiju scare > Intruder and foreshadowing of threat > Things are going good > Things are not good as threat makes itself known > Jamie Gray and friends save the day > Jamie Gray returns home. Besides a couple of training moments and, of course, the climax of the story, there isn't much of a learning curve for Jamie as he lives out a sci-fi nerd's dream. I would like to mention that, despite the giant creatures being the stars of the show, I was really interested in the Kaiju parasites - the smaller creatures which live on the Kaijus and form a symbiotic bond allowing both to survive. It's a pretty cool concept and one that I don't think has been explored in other giant monster media.

The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French

Jackal is a Grey Bastard, a member of a small horde of half-orcs committed to patrolling their lands and driving back any orc invaders - as well as fighting, fucking, and general rowdiness. After more than a few questionable decisions made by the horde's leader, Jackal sees that it may be time for a change in leadership. When a mysterious figure disrupts his plans and forces Jackal from his home, he'll discover secrets from the past about their lands he never knew, and learn the true mature of his horde and others like it across the lands.

What an adventure this was! A different type of High Fantasy story featuring your favorite fantasy races (elves, orcs, halflings, centaurs) each with a twist that makes them feel new and different. It's a fun ride for those who want to see more takes from a "barbarian's perspective" versus the Princely Noble standard - filthy language, whore-mongering, and plenty of violence. This one I definitely know I found through those "What book you should read based on your D&D character" lists. The story definitely satisfies the Barbarian playstyle feel as Jackal slaughters his way through enemies with crossbow and sword and javelin until he gets the answers he wants. For anyone who thinks Jackal might seem more intelligent than the way they play a barbarian, well no one said you had to play stupid. 

Making half-orcs the main characters of the story gives a better insight into the half-orc community and provides an interesting background to their kind. A race I've really only seen in Dungeons and Dragons (and even then not explored for more than a page in the "Player's Handbook") the story explores more of their history and unique features. At the same time, I also enjoyed the alternate histories and descriptions given to the other fantasy races presented in the untamed Lot Lands - the wild, savage elves; the fanatically ruthless centaurs; and the religious zealots found amongst the halflings (you know, hobbits). It's a new way to lock at these established fantasy creatures and how they'd adapt to living in such a wild place away from the cities created by the "civilized" man.

Jackal and his cohorts are put on an adventure discovering the true nature of the Lot Lands, a swath of land once populated by humans who were driven back by an orc invasion force. Though the lands were to other hordes and species to settle on the condition they act as a buffer between the humans and a future orc invasion, the true reason is different from the ones Jackal had been told all his life. A secondary plot line puts Jackal at the beck and call of a group of halflings to defend their city - one that happens to help move Jackal out of the spotlight in the next book (one I've yet to pick-up).

The Chosen One (The American Jesus Trilogy) by Mark Millar

 

One day, Jodie Christianson is an ordinary 12-year-old boy growing up in a small-town in Illinois. When he not only survives being crushed by a semi-truck but also walks away unscathed, he's looked upon as a walking miracle. Thus begins Christianson's journey, as well as that of his counterpart, to determine humanity's future.

Collecting all three volumes of Mark Millar's "American Jesus" trilogy, "The Chosen One" is a story about the final battle of good vs evil. Yes, part of the reason I picked it up was because it's Mark Millar (and I think it is supposed to connect to Millar's Big Game crossover event), but also because it was recently adapted for the small screen through Netflix's "The Chosen One" show. This graphic novel I picked up from OtherRealms once it was announced it would be released (of course, along with the rest of the new comics released that day).

Collecting all three volumes of Millar's "American Jesus" trilogy, the first volume focuses on Jodie Christianson as he tells the story of how he first came into his powers, learned to use them, and the reaction of his entire small-town as he works miracles. Eventually, it is revealed Jodie is now the President of the United States, as well as The Antichrist, not the second-coming of Jesus Christ as he first believed. In the second volume, through immaculate conception, Luciana finds herself pregnant and must go into hiding before Satanists find and kill her and her unborn child. The story jumps forward 18 years after Luciana's arrival at a compound in Waco, TX where she hides with her daughter, Catalina, who is prophesied to be the new messiah. Catalina eventually comes into her own, realizing her true powers when the forces of Satan threaten her family. In the third and final volume, the view point switches back and forth between Christianson's plans for taking control of the world, and Catalina's travels across the globe to make her final judgement upon humanity in her Father's name. The two eventually meet face-to-face as described in the "Book of Revelations" with an unexpected result.

One of things I found surprising about the series were its references to modern day events. The first volume doesn't contain anything too shocking as the reveal Christianson the Antichrist has become President of the United States has been written before. Seeing that the second-coming of Jesus Christ, however, was seemingly being hidden by the Branch Davidians in Waco, TX and that the raid was actually orchestrated by Satanists after discovering her whereabouts was a shock. More shocks follow when the Satanist's plans are revealed: microchipping, 9/11, global war. The build-up and shock-value, I feel, all added to the surprising ending which (just for a little spoiler) isn't about Diving Beings at all, but rather focuses on all of humanity instead.

Y: The Last Man (Volumes 1 & 2) by Brian K. Vaughn

 A mysterious virus sweeps across the globe, killing everything with an Y-chromosome. Everyone, except for Yorrick and his pet monkey. With the world in chaos, Yorrick will attempt to do whatever he has to do to make it to Australia and find his girlfriend. The world though, has other plans. Along the way, he'll find some still mourning their losses while others rejoice for the start of a new world order. In order to discover what may have happened, and how they may bring humanity back from the brink, Yorrick is tasked by his mother, along with a secret government agent, to find a particular scientist and discover what makes Yorrick so unique. Along the way, they'll meet with those who have found a second chance amidst the chaos, those looking to burn down the old society for good, and even a mysterious stranger claiming to know where other surviving men might be.

Finally got around to the two volumes of "Y: The Last Man" I've actually had sitting under my bed for a while. I think I've had volume one since the early part of 2023 (or perhaps the end of the previous year ... whenever it was that I finally finished the first and only season on FX/Hulu), and volume 2 for a couple months since I found a discounted copy at a used bookstore. The thing about graphic novels, however, is the price and (as I'm recently learning how to stick to a budget) sometimes I can't justify spending $15-20 per book. Also, I'm cheap so I keep looking for it at a used/ discounted price at used bookstores. And, thanks to my efforts in trying to stop spending so much on books, I finally got around to these two.

The first volume sets up the premise of the story - Yorrick and his pet monkey are the only creatures with a Y-chromosome to survive a deadly plague on Earth. Trekking along the East Coast, Yorrick makes his way to Washington, DC to check-in on his mother, a senator who has become acting president. After a brief reunion, Yorrick's mother sends him off with Agent 355 (a special agent from a secret organization loyal to the President of the United States) to locate Dr. Mann and hopefully, together, they can discover more about the virus and even develop an antidote. Along the way, Yorrick will constantly expose himself to strangers and put himself in danger in desperate attempts to protect his comrades.

In the second volume, still on the road to Dr. Mann's lab, the group discover a Russian spy who knows where to find other men who have survived the plague - in space. A shuttle carrying three astronauts from the space station is about to land, and she asks for help to keep them safe. The group secure a secret government safe house designed to keep government officials safe during a potential bioagent attack, then set out to secure the landing site. Unfortunately, a team of Israeli soldiers operating on American soil on behalf of a mysterious US government official attempt to intercept the shuttle, compromising the landing and sending it crashing to Earth. Will any of the astronauts survive, and, if they do, could they make Yorrick no longer the world's last man?

So, two volumes in of five (I got the deluxe versions) and so far I'm a little on the fence. I mean, I'm definitely going to finish the series eventually, but whether or not I rush out to make it a priority remains to be seen (writing this in 2024, I have not). Because of the TV show, I found the first volume kind of "meh," it just felt rushed through (which is good for a comic attempting to tell a story in a limited number of pages) but because of the TV show, I got used to those scenes being filled with more tension and suspense. I found myself missing the secondary storylines and characters the TV show added which helped to explore this new world through the eyes of other survivors. Being unfamiliar with the storyline found in the second volume, I felt a little more excited reading through the pages to see whether or not the protagonists could secure other men which might help not only with restarting the population but also discover a possible vaccine to keep new males alive in this world.

As much as it was simply a detour from the main plot, I really did enjoy the little bit of volume 2 dedicated to a group of traveling performers who, upon discovering Yorrick's escaped monkey, write a play about the world's last man. The show ending with the man killing himself to allow women to create a new society rather than cling to the past makes me wonder if that's some foreshadowing about the end of the story.

Big Game (issues 1 - 5) completed by Mark Millar

Escaping Wesley Gibson and The Fraternity's assassination plot, Hit-Girl finds herself in Earth's prehistoric past. Unfortunately, being eaten alive by dinosaurs is not her biggest concern as she's captured by King Morax, a tyrant ruling over a civilization thousands of years more advanced than the one she left behind, and he is ... perturbed his rule does not still govern the present day. Back in the present, Wesley has managed to lure the remaining superheroes into a trap, setting the stage for a slaughter and once again return society to the status quo The Fraternity created. The villains, however, find themselves in a stand-off when King Morax's enforcer, Diabolos the Sorcerer arrives with an armada to once again put the world under his master's thumb. Hit-Girl, at the same time, makes her big escape, stealing the time machine and and going back to warn the heroes of The Fraternity's plans. With the two sides now on even ground in a fatal confrontation, which one will emerge the victor? And will Dave "Kick-Ass" Lizewski and Cordelia Moonstone (along with the rest of the Magic Order) ever get off the sidelines and into the fight?

The epic conclusion to Mark Millar's Millerverse crossover event, Big Game! Bringing together many, if not all (I'm not sure, as there's no way I could read them all), of Millar's properties into one story line, Big Game functions as a sequel to Wanted as Wesley Gibson, having risen through the ranks of The Fraternity to become its leader, sets out to once again kill off the superheroes that are again beginning to rise up. Through three issues we witnessed The Fraternity wipe out heroes such as Superior, The Night Club, and even The Ambassadors with relative ease. All hope seems lost for the heroes. It isn't until the last two issues that they begin to turn it around and mount their comeback. The final issue is packed with the comic book Hero vs Villains combat you love to see from Millar. It's an exciting conclusion and sets up the new storylines for Millar's most recent entries into his universe: "The Ambassadors," The Magic Order," "Night Club," and (perhaps) even "Nemesis: Reloaded." I'm curious to see where these stories go now that The Fraternity is destroyed and the world is no longer under its control.

One of my favorite moments through this entire ride is seeing Dave Lizewski finally getting superpowers and taking his rightful place amongst the heroes. I never did read the "Kick-Ass" comic but I liked watching both movies as he battled badguys with his two batons and lack of pain receptors. According to the Millarverse, after Gibson's father and allies wiped out the superheroes and made the rest of the world forget they were ever real, Dave was the first one to take up the mantle of "Super-Hero," paving the way for the rest and eventually leading to this showdown to change the world. The moment is made even better when The Ambassadors, after months of searching, finally choose Dave to be the American Ambassador, granting him the superhero status he deserves.

Another shocking outcome of Big Game's conclusion is the death of Wesley Gibson. The protagonist of Millar's "Wanted," Gibson started off as an office drone who hated his life. Gibson is eventually taken in and trained by The Fraternity to inherit his father's place amongst them - a plan set in motion by Wesley's father to teach his son to take control of his life rather than taking shit from everyone in his life. Life had already done its damage, however, and the Gibson we see in Big Game is a monster. I know I'm already parroting what some other articles and write-ups have said, but I think it's still important to say - Wesley Gibson was not the hero to be admired in "Wanted" and met a satisfying demise in Big Game. And yes, I have to say it because I was one of those people who read "Wanted" and held it in my head for years that Wesley was the hero set on taking control of his life through supervillainy. No, you can take control of your life, be happy, and not turn into a total asshole. It's sad to think that the only outcome for Wesley was to become "a butcher" as he's called, but seeing the kind of damage done to him in the past and then seeing him get the kind of power he deep-down always craved, yeah, I understand how it happened.

Godfell (issues 1 - 5) completed by Chis Sebela

 After a brief explanation on the two most sacred areas of the fallen god's body (the brain and the heart), Zanzi and Neth are both captured and separated by competing factions. The two friends, though apart, devise a plan to not only reunite and defeat their captors, but also to awaken the dormant body they currently occupy. Once resurrected, the two will seek to defeat the greatest enemy of all, those who have played mankind against itself for mere amusement without consequence - the gods themselves.

Wow, did I have to wait awhile for this one. Issues one through four, I felt, were released pretty consistently, but the last issue (possibly due to its length) just kept getting delayed. Anyways, after a journey through the body of a fallen god, witnessing the savagery of mankind on behalf of their beliefs, the two protagonists conclude their journey in a fight amongst the gods. Honestly, a very good and interesting ending especially after what we witnessed in the previous 4 issues, and not an ending I was expecting. Though the series ends at the start of their battle against the gods, it is sort of alluded to that Zansi and Neth will emerge victorious. I think, because of the its delay, the ending might've lost some of its impact for me, but other than that, the story was really good, a little quick on the world-building for a high fantasy story but to be expected from a short series, the art (and violence) was great, and (as previously stated) the ending was well deserved for both characters.

The Sacrificers (issues 1 - 6) completed by Rick Remender

 To maintain the paradise the world finds itself living, the gods have one simple demand: the sacrifice of one child per household. Representing personifications of nature, such as The Sun and The Moon, or concepts like Labor or Climate, the current generation of rulers has carried on unnaturally long thanks to a mysterious elixir. As the newest batch of sacrifices are gathered, a son who has never know love will make a terrifying discovery while a disregarded daughter will seek to bring down the current status quo.

Following on the heels of the completion of the great "Deadly Class" series, Rick Remender completes the first arc of his new series, "The Sacrificers." When I heard of the premise, I wanted to check it out, but seeing that it was written by Remender, I knew I needed to pick this one up. I'd gotten the first issue at Free Comic Book Day 2023, and followed the series during its regularly scheduled release since.

In the same way I enjoyed Deadly Class's "Wow!" moments, this series has done the same thing as the story progressed through the current six-issue arc. Of course, there's the first images of the way the unnamed son is treated as a sacrifice, followed by the majesty and power depicted of the throne of the living embodiment of the sun. Even the scenes without dialogue convey a lot as when the sacrifices are gathered to, as some hope, live a life of luxury thanks to the generosity of the gods, or in the scenes of horror which follow. Also, like Deadly Class, the story itself features themes of Challenging the Establishment as those on the bottom seek to take on those who currently hold all of the power. How it could be accomplished though, remains to be seen in the next arc, especially since those at the top are Concepts, Ideas, and Beings of a magnitude larger than mere mortals.

The Plot Holes (issues 1 - 6) completed by Sean Gordon Murphy

Cliff Inkslayer is just your average struggling comic creator, except he isn't "real." Instead, as his world is devoured and destroyed by a monster not from his world, he discovers he is actually just a character in a story. Thanks to his imagination, Cliff is recruited into "The Plot Holes," a group of fictional characters who travel into Unfinished and Unpublished manuscripts, editing them from within in an effort to save each world by making their stories publishable. When a monstrous Bookworm threatens to devour countless, unfinished works, they'll need to gather together and put together everything they have to stop it before it consumes everything..

Such a weird plot, and I'm so happy I picked this one up. It's such a weird concept to write out, but, as a sort-of writer, it's so, so interesting. The idea of a bunch of fictional characters from other failed stories working to edit other, usually bad, stories to save their worlds - that's so good. Of course, the cast includes not only your typical fantasy hero and even a few villains, but also some characters you wouldn't expect, like Cliff and even a racist Calvin lookalike. When writing, you like to believe the characters have a mind of their own, that they're separate from yourself and will guide you through the story - all very romanticized. So, it's romantic to believe that your failures can actually be real, out there in their worlds, trying to save other worlds from your poor writing mistakes. Through the five issues, we see Inkslayer as a fish-out-of-water as he learns his role as a fictional, yet real, person on a team made up of some stereotypical fantasy characters. Once the story shifts to the main plot of stopping the Bookworm from devouring world after world, Cliff puts his ingenuity to use devising a plan to defeat their enemy.

City Boy (issues 1 - 6) completed by Greg Pak

 

Cameron Kim has finally found his mother who abandoned him as a boy - lying in her final resting place under a patch of earth. The cities he finds himself connected to allow him to see its past, to find the hidden things. Believing that The Green is seeking to bury his mother and her past from him, Cameron's powers go haywire, awakening ALL of the avatars of the cities he has encountered prior. At the same time, Darkseid's forces see their opportunity to either capture Cameron, or at least bring him on to their side. With all the other heroes battling Darkseid's parademons or the cities' avatars, it is up to Cameron to get his powers under control and find closure.

Ending the "City Boy" six-issue run, Cameron Kim learns to embrace the power he has after seeing the type of weapon others want him to become. An interesting superpower paired with a new, inexperienced, possibly upcoming hero, I'm interested to see what else could develop from this character, assuming DC continues Kim's story. Personally I can seen a couple ways for Cameron's powers to develop and grow: a detective story using the "history of the city" power to track down missing people or objects as he's already encountered both Batman and Nightwing, settling conflicts between cities and industrialization vs nature and wilderness based on his encounter with Swamp Thing, or his power to manifest the Avatar's of the City to battle bigger villains. I am curious on who or what type of villain Cameron could be pitted against next as he's already been shown to confront Darkseid's underlings in his very first outing, one of the biggest bad guys in the DC universe.

The Unbelievable, Unfortunately Mostly Unreadable and Nearly Unpublishable Untold Tales of I Hate Fairyland (issues 1 - 5) completed

The final issue of the five-part series comes to a close with more hijinks set in the world of I Hate Fairyland. It was a fun ride and I'm really hoping it continues as I liked buying the individual issues while waiting for the I Hate Fairyland trade paperback to be released (sorry, comics are expensive and collections tend to come out cheaper than individual issues).

Kill Your Darlings (issues 1 - 4) by Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan

 As a little girl, Rose loved nothing more than to fantasize living in a fairy-tale land as a princess of elepigs and other talking animals. One fateful night, as a terrible evil rips across her imaginary world, she awakens to find herself standing outside her burning home holding a gas can - her mother's screams coming from inside. Years later, now living in an institute, one of her imaginary friends arrives to bring Princess Rose back to face down the evil still gripping their world. But is Rose strong enough to face it this time? And is any of it even real?

This one is so, so fucking good! Definitely one of favorites from last year. Besides the fact that I got lazy in my writing, another reason it took so long to write this post is because of how good this series has been and trying to do it justice in my poor write-up. I have no idea what's going on, it's just been a really fun ride. The story itself opens with a witch trial. We jump to the colorful imagination of a little girl in her room. We see her single mother working to make ends meet. Then, her imagination grows dark and her house is on fire. And that's just the first issue. There's more glimpses of past witch hunts which I'm not sure yet how they connect to the main story. We also find that perhaps her imagination wasn't quite so imaginary when one of them comes back to take her to a world which lost to the darkness. The first four issues have been really fun and I can't wait to see where this story goes next.

Batman and Robin (issues 1 - 4) by Joshua Williamson

Batman and Robin set out to foil the kidnapping of a scientist, discovering the kidnappers are no ordinary criminals but rather human/animal hybrids. With Batman poisoned and his symbol of fear turned against him, the duo will need to work along with a known criminal to foil the plot of a villain emerging from the shadows.

I know, I've said I don't buy the established hero comics because of all the lore one typically needs to understand the plot. This one though, got me interested thanks to a preview teasing more Bruce and Damien Wayne and their relationship as father and son rather than as just a crime-fighting duo. Also, I feel as if I know enough about Bruce Wayne/Batman and Damien Wayne/Robin, and I've been hearing a lot about what is currently happening in the larger continuity of Gotham to get by. Through four issues though, we've mostly just seen the two as Batman and Robin, setting out to rescue a kidnapped scientist and stop bad guys, and only a brief glimpse into their daily lives. As the series progresses, I'd really like to see more of the father/son relationship, and even more of Damien navigating life as a high-schooler - I mean, he has a notebook with a story calling himself the "Prince of Krowes," that's some definite high-school fantasy shit right there.

Marvel G.O.D.S (issues 1 - 3) by 

 A powerful entity threatens all of creation and it is up to the magic-users of the Marvel universe to stop it. Two opposing sides must put their differences aside and work together - even as one of them can no longer distinguish the good from evil.

Honestly, I'm still not sure exactly what is going on in this series. I know it has something to do with writing, or rewriting, Marvel's "Higher Powers" - forces that govern the universe - which, in a universe populated by superhumans and monsters and even gods, it's impressive to imagine there being forces which stand above even those. And ... well, I just really, really love the names of things: The Powers That Be, and The Natural Order of Things, and Avatars, and Numbers, etc. Plus, you know, it features a lot of magic, which I like seeing. 

Nights (issues 1 - 3) by 

 In an alternate universe, supernatural creatures exist amongst the human population and no one bats an eye. Vince, having just lost both of his parents, moves to Florida to live with his cousin, a professional hitman; his undead roommate; and a vampire who can't seem to hold down a job. While Vince completes his highschool education and tries to figures out his future, his new roommates are all seeking to handle demons from their past (literally and figuratively) in their own ways.

I think the best way to describe this series is as an odd, slice-of-life story featuring supernatural elements. Magical Realism, perhaps? The main focus of the story itself is on Vince, his life, and his growing crush on his vampire roommate, Gray. Despite the recent loss of his parents, the support given to Vince by his roommates and friends appears to keep him happy and any sort of trauma at bay (perhaps a future plot-line?). At the same time, his roommates are battling their own hidden demons - Ivory is being stalked by a mysterious presence; Matt is a living skeleton on a search for what killed him before he ceases to exist; and Gray's mysterious past has finally come back, killing people and haunting her dreams.

The first three issues have been a great set-up to introduce those characters and what we can perhaps expect from them in the future. One thing I'd like to see in future chapters is how the setting affects the story. The first issue makes a big deal about how this world is different from our own - set in a Florida still owned by Spain where supernatural creatures exist side-by-side with humans - but so far nothing about this besides the supernatural elements stands out.

The Hunger and the Dusk (issues 1 - 3) by G. Willow Wilson

 

When an ancient enemy returns to their lands, humans and orcs must form an unlikely alliance to save both their peoples. Callum Battlechild and his company, The Last Men Standing, along with an orc healer, Gruakhtar "Tara" Icemane, joined together as a symbol of the truce, will journey together to stop the invasion and push their mutual enemy from their lands.

A very good, high-fantasy story so far, about a group of old enemies banding together to fight off a greater threat. The story has been very good thus far, introducing the standard unique cast of characters of a high-fantasy story and a terrifying enemy seeking to destroy everyone and everything in its path. Of course, the story is setting up for a romance between the two lead characters which is typically expected in these kinds of stories. Romance aside, the story is filled with camaraderie and action as the group sets out to do their part in stopping an invasion which has mysteriously pushed in-land quicker than expected and without notice from anyone. Unfortunately, at least I assume, I'll either have to give up on this series, wait for the trade paperback, or find another way to read it as I'm assuming I missed issue 4 when it was released (at least I assume though I never saw it on the shelves at either of the two shops I frequent).

Books of 2023: Quarter 3

 

 

 Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Waking to find her friend dead from a drug overdose while everyone else in the apartment was brutally murdered, the future does not look bright for Galaxy "Alex" Stern. To the surprise of the high school dropout and small-time drug dealer, rather than being released back onto the street with no where to go, she's instead offered admission into Yale University - for a price. On campus, Stern will find not only a grueling class schedule and new classmates to attempt to fit in with, but also a world of real magic and ritual performed by the school's eight secret societies - The Houses of the Veil. And the price of Stern's admission - to use her gift (or curse) to see and interact with ghosts as well as the training and tools provided by Lethe House to monitor the activities of these societies and ensure the safety of not only the school and its student body but also the town around campus as well. Though when her mentor mysteriously vanishes and a seemingly unrelated and mundane murder occurs off-campus, it'll be up to Stern to decide just how far she wants to pursue her hunch and keep those at the top in line.

Finally getting into some new urban fantasy (looking through some of my past reading, it has definitely been a while). And, I guess since the story takes place in our world (mostly Yale Campus and the surrounding area) it also qualifies as Wainscotting fantasy, aka fantasy hidden just below the surface of our world. Like a lot of books I've read recently or will be reading in the future, I probably found this one on some "Top __ list of __ books" and placed it onto my own "To Read" book list. Then, with a slightly-shortened version of said list, I walked around a new bookstore (getting my bearings) and picked out several on my list. Besides being an urban fantasy book, what also interested me about this book is that though it isn't about a school that teaches magic, it is a real school which happens to have a secret, underground magical society which our main character is thrust into, and not for the sake of learning magic but monitoring those societies so their practices don't harm the outside (normal) world.

If your fantasy reading was shaped heavily during the hey-day of "Harry Potter" as mine was, then you're also a sucker for Magic School Fantasy. Probably at the time, it was all about the magic, where I fantasized about being enrolled at a school of magic compared to sitting in my regular classes. As I'm older ... it's still about the magic but also about living life as these younger characters (ugh, I'm getting old). In Ninth House, the school Alex Stern attends is a real world school, Yale University, which, no, is not a school which teaches magic (though, really how would I know for sure). Setting itself on a university campus already sets the story about from a lot of other Magic School Fantasy as it ages the characters up from the typical teenagers you'd see in this kind of story - providing a different type of character and different kinds of problems. The magic, in this case, isn't in full view of the regular public or even the rest of the students on campus but instead is only practiced by a select group of students in a more "underground" scene. Obviously, this changes some of the traditional elements of a typical Magic School Fantasy but it does add some other features. With magic being hidden comes the need for secrecy from everyone involved, making the magic (and everything associated) obviously more subtle - no outlandish displays and revealing magic to anyone not associated is strictly forbidden. It also provides a limit to not only what Alex is able to do, but also the antagonists as well, which helps to increase the mystery as neither side can simply reveal themselves and draw the other into combat. Unlike traditional Magic School Fantasy, Alex isn't there to learn magic but to help keep it contained and prevent the Ivy League elites from using their abilities and knowledge for nefarious purposes. So, if you enjoy Magic School Fantasy but are looking for something a little older, a little different, this might just be what you're looking for.

One aspect of the story where I think Bardugo truly shines compared to other writers is in the framing of the story as well as the overall structure (I'm sure there's a better way to describe it, but I can't quite find the words). The story itself follows three timelines: The Present Day set in Early Spring, the previous Fall during which Stern was learning the trade, and the previous Winter. The main chunk of the story sets itself in the six months before the present day, Fall and Winter, with the initial mystery being the disappearance of Daniel "Darlington" Arlington, Stern's guide and mentor, the Virgil to her Dante as Lethe House describes it. Though the reader is jumping between these two periods, Bardugo makes the story easy to follow, indicating the season at the start of each chapter. What I really liked about this style (and where I think Bardugo's writing shines) is the way each chapter (though they may be set in different time periods) flow from one onto the next. A chapter set in Winter ends with a question or a new insight into a previous event, then the next chapter will go back to the event in the Fall, and then the next chapter after that will pick-up with some new answer - all of it flowing from one onto the next. Yes, the story could have simply followed a more linear path but that simply ruins the suspense and isn't as fun. I've also read through stories that would instead provided needed/vital information via info-dumps, so I'm happy that the backstory is included as part of the story itself.

You keep saying, "magic" so tell me about the magic system, you say (or at least I assume you are, you fucking nerd - another assumption but why else would you be reading this?). Alex's unique ability to see ghosts, or "Grays,'" and of course her later interactions with them, seems to be an anomaly as only a few others have reported the same powers. Of course, this is what makes her stand out, getting the attention of Lethe House. The Societies typically use forms of ritual magic, their power drawn from their own individual Tombs where their magic is most concentrated. Each House practices a different and specific form of magic, though they all tend to share similar requirements to enact: A number of members at the ritual location, chanting, notable objects, and time. Lethe House, on the other hand, having no Tomb or center of power of their own, as well as being required to tend to events at a variety of locations, utilize magical items and potions for easier transportation and mobility. Most items and potions used are pretty standard stuff if you've read a lot of fantasy, leaving it up to Alex to utilize them to the fullest potential - showing off her ingenuity and quick-wit.

Strange Academy: Finals Vol. 4 by Skottie Young

 

The prophecy set forth at the beginning of the school year will finally be resolved as we find which student is destined to bring doom to the school and which will stand to defend it. While Emily Bright leads her rebellion against the teachers of Strange Academy, the remaining students work hard to keep the school functioning and clean. Between classes though, they'll set out to rescue one of their own, put on a carnival to raise money for the city, and even help to defend New Orleans from a terrifying storm. In the end, the prophecy will be fulfilled as the students battle each other to determine the school's ultimate fate.

The last of the "Strange Academy" stories collected into a single volume. Seeing these individual issues of "Strange Academy: Finals" on the shelves of the comic book store was what got me into the series to start, and that it was written by Skottie Young of I Hate Fairyland is simply a bonus. As I've said many, many times before, I'm a sucker for Magic School Fantasy, so this comic series fits perfectly for me. I've probably talked about comic and magic schools a lot, but, well, you're here reading this, so you're going to hear about it some more. What really makes this particular Magic School story stand out to me (besides obviously the students and magic) is, since this is set in the Marvel Universe, superheroes also exist. The children aren't simply learning to control and harness their abilities, but as their teachers are also famous superheroes idolized by not only the kids but people across the globe, they're also striving to be better people.

Unfortunately, it was stated (at least for now, fingers-crossed) that this would be the last "Strange Academy" story written by Skottie Young. I'm hoping he'll be back later to continue the stories of these characters but who knows. As for this resolution - sure, it had the big battle the MCU movies are know for, but I'm happier it wasn't the climax/ finale of the story. After all, I know it's a story involving magic and superheroes and good vs evil, but ultimately it's a story about kids [SPOILER, obviously]. Seeing it all come down to Doyle vs Emily and that their fight wasn't simply the two flinging magical energy at each other but actually trying to convince the other to change their mind and join their side was much more heartfelt and in-line with their youthful, teenage characters. After the battle, the kids pick up the pieces and complete the end of their first year, leaving so much room for growth, but that will be all up to Marvel if they're willing to bring Young back to work on future issues (I really hope so).

DIE vol 1: Fantasy Heartbreak by 

 

For their 16th birthday, Ash and Solomon's friends get together to play a brand new Role-Playing Game designed by Solomon himself. It is on that night the six of them vanish without a trace, only for five of them to mysteriously reappear two years later, unable to speak about what happened to them. Twenty-five years later, the group is brought back together thanks to a simple yet cryptic message received from their missing friend - Solomon's 20-sided die covered in blood. The five will travel back to the world of DIE, again taking on the role of their characters, only to find they've become trapped in DIE by Solomon himself, who has now assumed control over the world.

 Again, thanks to both my new Dungeons and Dragons obsession and my rekindled comic book love, I picked this up from OtherRealms after seeing it on the shelf and thinking, "Hmm, that cover looks interesting." I mean, you've probably already read or seen something like this plot before - a group of kids playing a game get sucked into the game and now must struggle to survive until they find their way out (Jumangi, Sword Art Online, just to name a few). What I think sets it apart from those is first (obviously) the different Player Characters the characters can embody in the world (I'll definitely get to one in particular), but also how the characters' motivations help to shape the world as well as drive the story. In other stories of this type, the world is usually a set, solid thing and it is up to the characters to adapt as well as move themselves forward in the story. In DIE, though, escaping the world truly does hinge on the characters and how they fare in not only the world of DIE but in their real lives as well.

Obviously each of the characters portray a different character class (wouldn't be very interesting if they were all the same). For just a bit though, I just want to talk about one in particular, The Neo. A cyberpunk-inspired rogue, Angela's character uses technology as her weapon in this fantasy world. What I love about the class the most is the condition that she restock on gold every day to fuel her abilities. Every day. So Ash, quite accurately, compares her class to the typically untrustworthy Rogue D&D class seeing as Angela also can't be trusted as she is an addict always in search of gold. It's such an interesting take on the class, and the requirement for the party to constantly look for a particular component everyday is interesting though I'd probably use it as more of a niche for a warlock class. That said, each class is it's own interesting take on the classic D&D and I'm interested to see how they'll all play out.

I also enjoyed the essays set at the end of the volume, each describing what went into creating the world of DIE, the characters and their classes, and even how the chapters are split and contained. Yes, probably because it is simply writer shop talk, but I really liked seeing the little breakdowns that went into creating the story and the information that went into it. I mean, I also do it all the time in my own short stories.

One other thing to check out, as if my bank account could afford to take the extra hit, is if you're into this story and world as well as Tabletop games, is trying your hand at the TTRPG version. Yeah, they made their own TTRPG version of DIE so you and your friends (or enemies, whatever) can play in the world too! That's so cool but so far from where I am in my Tabletop life (and, like I mentioned) bank account.

Monster Hunter Legion by Larry Correia

 

 Owen Pitt and the rest of the Monster Hunter International are invited to attend the first ever Monster Hunter Convention in Las Vegas, and it's everything he imagined it would be: hunters from across the globe swapping stories, panels hosted by industry experts and insiders, and even hands-on testing of the newest prototypes. It's supposed to be a vacation, but someone else has other plans. When an experiment from World War II gets loose, the rival hunter companies set their sights on being the first to bag the elusive creature. When the monster turns out to be more than they thought it was, it'll be up to Owen Pitt and the rest of the hunters to save Sin City.

Damn, I really didn't realize just how long it's been since I've read these novels. So, this makes the fourth of I think eight Monster Hunter novels (at least in the main story). Being so far behind in the series, they're really hard to find at Barnes and Nobles so I have to remember to save room in my box of "Books to be Read" and order it off of Amazon whenever I've put together a big enough list. Surprisingly, even at 500 pages and (from what I remember) it usually taking me longer to read these books (no idea why, though it's the same for a lot of High Fantasy), I ripped through this one in just over two weeks, which feels like a record for me. The only issue is that, because of the time spent between books, I've forgotten some of the events (not the major ones at least) but luckily, the story provides a quick reference at times so there's really no need to stop and look up what previously happened.

I'm sure I mentioned this before, but (just as with the previous three novels) these books would make excellent action movies. Monster Hunter International is a private firm dedicated to hunting down monsters which prey on humanity, collecting on bounties set by various world governments who simply want to keep the existence of monsters from the general public. Previous novels saw the company defeating a variety of monsters with an assortment of guns, knives, explosives, tactics, and even magical weaponry, and this book is no different. Owen Pitt is your typical action hero - he's strong, brave, wise enough to know when to ask for help, and gets the beautiful woman at the end of the story - he's the male fantasy in-line with all these other action star leading men. His wife, Julie Shackleford, is just as tough, brave, smart, and the best marksmen on their team. The rest of the team is made of Hunters who were once regular people ignorant of the existence of monsters, and who now see monster hunting as a calling. It's an action-filled ride as Monster Hunter International hunt down the creature keeping them trapped in their Las Vegas hotel, while connecting the incident to a longer growing conspiracy I'm assuming will pay off big in later books - if I can ever get around to them.

Personal by Lee Child

 

 A mysterious message from the past past brings Jack Reacher back to the US Army in the hopes of finding who just took a shot at the French President and bringing them to justice. From a range of almost a mile, there's few snipers throughout the globe who would possibly make that shot - and Reacher happened to send one of them to prison. Now that John Kott, a former US military sniper is out and on the loose, it's up to Jack Reacher to discover if he was the one who took the shot, and, if so, put him back behind bars before the upcoming G8 summit.

Another Jack Reacher novel! I know, right, it's been a while since I've read one of these. Luckily (maybe thanks to how popular the show is now on Amazon Prime), Barnes and Nobles always seems to have a copy of each book in stock so they're always available when I need one. Another action-filled thriller as Jack Reacher hunts down a man bent on revenge and able to kill from nearly a mile away. A solid story, not the best and not the worst in the series - a great middle-level, cozy (there's probably a better word but I can't think of it, or maybe it is the right word for the type of books I like) novel. I feel like I'm usually pretty good at figuring out the twist in these stories, at least before the main character finds out, but for this one I really only got part of it and the rest surprised me at the end.

United States of Japan by Peter Tieryas

Decades ago, the Axis Powers won the Second World War. Japan now rules over a vast majority of what was once the United States of America. Those living under The Emperor's rule are taught a skewed version of history while anything less than obedience is punishable by death. Captain Beniko Ishimura monitors videogames for any signs of treason or treachery. When a new game emerges depicting a world in which the Allies won World War Two, the government tasks Ishimura with finding who is distributing it and shut it down. As he delves deeper into the investigation, however, Ishimura finds the case more complicated than he originally believed, its content more accurate than his superiors would like, and its creator someone no one expected.

So, obviously I picked this up because of the giant mech shown on the cover. I heard about this book awhile back, and found a used (i.e. discounted) copy at Skull-Face Books after selling off some old ones. One warning: if you're like me and you wanted to see a bunch of mech battles, this is not the book for you - though mechs are present throughout the story, there were only three battles. If you're a fan of alternate history fantasy, then this book is definitely something to check out. I feel like there's already a bunch of stories, videogames, TV shows depicting life under Nazi rule if the Axis won, but no one really talks about what Japan and Italy would've gained. The story doesn't delve too deep into what alternate actions the Axis could've taken to win the war, but instead gives a brief glimpse at at, and then jumps into life under Japanese occupation/ rule in California. I feel like a deep dive would've taken away from the story, and besides, there's also a lot of info out there about how the Axis could've won that you can go out and read it on your own. Set forty years after World War Two, the story definitely gives off "1984" Orwellian - vibes as the Japanese government monitors all of its citizens' communications, utilizing government censor programs and secret police officers.

So, um, I don't know, I didn't really care for this story. I saw a lot of good reviews for it praising the writing, the imagination of Japan taking over the US, the giant mech fights, etc. I already addressed how I didn't think there were enough mech battles to label this as a mecha novel, but I also thought it unbelievable that the Japanese military could create a giant robot with the technology of the 1940s. The writing itself felt ... I don't know, boring, cliche, just something about it (especially the dialogue) that I didn't care for. The main character, despite my love of the slacker/ unmotivated character that's secretly capable, I really couldn't get behind him. Instead, I found the secondary character, Agent Akiko Tsukino of the secret police, much more interesting with a better story and character arc. I think this is the first of a trilogy but as much as I'd like to complete what I start, I'm not sure if I'm going to get to the rest of the story. I don't know, maybe if I find the next books on sale too.

Neil Gaiman's Midnight Days by Neil Gaiman

A collection of six stories written by Neil Gaiman back when he worked at DC comics. No, I'm not sure who chose them or the criteria used, just that they are "classic" stories, which, from what I gathered, Gaiman didn't have a lot of time to work on as he was busy with "The Sandman" at the time. Featuring classic DC comics characters such as Swamp Thing, John Constantine, and Sandman (both of them), Gaiman presents a different take on the classic comic book superhero-punches-bad guy plot, instead delivering stories more in line with his "Sandman" comic, stories about identity and heartbreak and understanding and truth. In one of his Swamp Thing stories, Jack on the Green tries to understand his place among mortal humans, while in another, he barely shows-up at all, the story instead focusing on a thing from the past trying to make sense of its place in the modern day. John Constantine is once again down on his luck when he encounters something supernatural just looking for warmth. In a crossover event (the longest story in the collection), DC comics Sandman (a detective specializing in a type of knock-out gas) meets with Gaiman's Sandman Morpheus in a mystery to uncover a killer.

I bought this a long, long time ago ... and then I guess simply lost it in a pile of books and papers and notebooks. Recently, obviously, I found it again, and went "where did this come from?" I can't even remember where I got it from. I do think though, that where I originally bought it, I probably didn't read the back but bought it because it had Neil Gaiman's name on the cover as I don't typically buy short story collections.

The Boogeyman by 

Elliott knows there are monsters, unseen in the darkness. When his parents are brutally murdered, he will find out just how real Boogeymen are. After he is saved from the same fate by Father Death, one of the oldest of Boogeymen, he'll find himself caught in the middle of a war amongst monsters as they seek to redefine the laws that govern their world. Spending the night hunted by monsters, Elliott ultimately learns what it means to truly face one's fears.

I first heard of this comic through an ad/preview in the back of an issue of another comic. The first couple of pages looked interesting enough, and upon looking into it further, I'm a fan of lore and rules amongst monsters in the darkness. Since the comic itself was already a couple issues in by the time I found out about it, so I figured I'd just wait until the collection got released to pick it up. As a short story confined to a short six issues, I thought it was really well done (I'd read other short stories that were disappointing). The story pacing, suspense, and action throughout was really well done as I read through it in just one sitting, interested to see how this whole, one-night adventure ended. The best part, I think, is that I couldn't even tell where the individual issues ended and the next one began, each part flowing so seamlessly into the next that I'm baffled how anyone read this one issue at a time. My only gripe, and it's a small one as this is a self-contained short story, is the ending wrapping up with Elliott already on his deathbed, giving a short speech about all he'd learned from his Boogeyman, as I really would've liked to see his life growing up with what he knows and what he has seen. But, as I said, it's a self-contained story with no plans for a sequel, so I understand the choice to end it that way.

The Magic Order #4 by Mark Millar

Cordelia Moonstone's exile of her own brother fro abusing his magical powers and using them for personal gain has led to a rift within The Magic Order, a rift ready to be exploited by Madam Albany revealed to be returned from the dead. Seeking a change to the rules that govern their lives, Albany and her followers stage a coup, systematically eliminating everyone in the Inner Circle who either refuses to join or could be seen as a threat. Meanwhile, Cordelia is exiled to the land of Kolthur where, to secure peace between the realms, their king was exchanged for Cordelia's brother. Cut off from her power and staring down the wand of Kolthur's current Magic King, will Cordelia be able to win her freedom in time to stop Albany's plot and save the Magic Order?

"The Magic Order" continues to be one of the best urban fantasy series delivering imaginative magical duels (and not simply wizards shooting colored lights at each other), a great story to keep the pages turning, and a couple of plot twists such that I couldn't even begin to guess what might happen next. Everything about the series has been magnificent, exactly what I want from an urban fantasy series. After Cordelia exile's her own brother, the rest of the Magic Order begin to question why they shouldn't use their abilities for personal gain, especially when they are obligated to put their lives on the line for humanity, even sacrificing themselves if needed. Cordelia though, having turned a corner in her life after rejoining The Magic Order, sees the importance of the society's rules and seeks to keep the Order bound by to its rules.

Earthdivers: Kill Columbus by Stephen Graham Jones

It's 2112 and the apocalypse is upon us. The soil is barren, the rivers have dried up, the oceans rise, and civilization has crumbled. Those who can flee, flee. Discovering a cave which can transport anyone across time and space, a group of Indigenous people decide to rewrite history by changing its course at the moment when everything went wrong: America. To save the world, the group sends one of their own to assassinate Christopher Columbus before he sets foot in the New World. History, however, does not like to change and will do whatever it can to stop their mission, no matter the future outcome. Will they manage to stop Columbus, and could the death of a single man really change the course of history?

Collecting the first six issues of "Earthdivers," a series set to explore stories of alternative history, the first arc focuses on a plot to kill Christopher Columbus and prevent the creation of America. I found out about this series later, picking up the first issue but unable to find subsequent issues. Luckily, the arc got a collected edition (not all comics get that) so I just had to wait until the collection was published. The series is currently ongoing, the new story arc being "Ice Age" which I haven't checked out yet. It's gonna sound weird, but what I really appreciated about the collected edition is the introduction by Jones describing being a "Native kid" sitting in a classroom, learning about Columbus, and just thinking, "what if?"

The main story follows Tad as he attempts to change history and save the future by killing Christopher Columbus before he can arrive to the New World and setting off the genocide of Tad's ancestors. Of course, simply slitting the man's throat isn't as simple as it sounds, and Tad's quest mission gets harder once he realizes history itself is trying to stop him. Back in the present day, the three who couldn't accompany Tad set out to find if Tad completed his mission only to make their own startling discoveries.

Overall, it is really good - the bloody, conflicted sacrifices taken by the characters are very in-line with these types of world-changing stories. I'm a little conflicted about the ending, but it does set up the next story arc, assuming "Ice Age" does pick up where "Kill Columbus" leaves off.

Night Club (#1 - 6) Completed by Mark Millar

Danny and his friends' masked vigilante antics finally catch-up with them after one of their heroic efforts blows-up in their faces, literally. With Danny severely injured, the newbie vampires are easily caught and reprimanded by Danny's maker. Unfortunately, their abilities have also caught the attention of another sinister group of vampires. Finding Danny's group weakened and out-numbered, the vampires give the teenagers one chance to save their own lives - by killing their own families.

The first six-issues of Night Club ends with a vampire brawl as Danny and friends take on a group of evil vampires. Mark Millar's modern take on vampires sees the teenagers using their new vampire powers to become masked vigilantes and, more importantly, become famous through viral internet videos. When a group of evil vampires makes themselves known, though outmatched in raw power, Night Club will use whatever they can get their hands on to survive. I really liked seeing the teenage recklessness given to Danny, a trait only amplified when he receives his powers - and then shattered when he finally discovers what lurks in this new world he finds himself in. I tend to like a lot of these modern takes on old horror stories and monsters, and though vampires in the modern age has been done many times before, I liked Millar's take on giving the powers not only to teenagers but teenagers who've been influenced by the internet and modern day superhero stories.

The end of the first arc sets up the next arc to focus on the relationships between the three friends as well as the growing strife between them. Can you really remain friends for an eternity?

Ultimate Invasion (Issue# 1-4) Completed by 

 The Maker, an evil version of the genius Reed Richards, from the Ultimates Universe, has managed to not only escape his hidden prison but also escape to a new reality entirely - a new universe which he's able to bend and shape as he pleases. Stop Peter Parker being bitten by a radioactive spider? Check. Install Loki as the ruler of Asgard? Check. Stop the creation of the Fantastic Four, and thus this universe's version of himself? Check. Upon eliminating or incapacitating potential threats to his plans, The Maker sets his sights upon the world, creating a secret cabal of global leaders to assist in keeping the population calm and under control. Upon discovering The Maker's machinations, however, Howard Stark (along with a masked and docile Reed Richards) devise a plan to take back their world from the interloper. Disrupting a system which controls the entire world however leads to the creation of very powerful enemies, and so, upon Howard's Death, Anthony Stark throws his lot in with Richards to create a team to reshape the world for the better.

They're bringing back The Ultimate Universe! Surprisingly, as a kid, I didn't read a lot of Western comic books. In college and after though, I started to get back into American comics thanks to Fables (side note: DC, what the fuck are you guys doing over there?) and the Marvel movies. "The Ultimates" were one of those graphic novels I picked up and while I never followed the original run, I was still interested in this sort-of Avengers team put together to face a world more like our own than the ones which you typically find in the pages of comic books. When I heard Marvel was bringing it back with the start of "Ultimate Invasion #1", I knew I had to pick it up. Of course (luckily for me) the story is filled with enough major characters that I either recognize from other comics or the MCU that I didn't need to go out of my way to do research on who these people were.

It's also a superhero comic so of course you're getting the standard folks-in-spandex-outfits-punching-and-kicking-and-using-superpowers action. What I think makes "The Ultimates" stand out from the rest is how closely it can parallel the real world. While the original "The Ultimates" focused on the threat of emerging superpowers and the United States of America as a global power threatening the sovereignty of other nations, the reboot creates a secret cabal of world leaders led by The Maker who manipulate the public perspective through fear to keep them under control (sounds kinds conspiratorially familiar, huh). Anyways, it sets up an exciting series once Marvel begins it's Ultimate-line again with a new set of Avengers going up against global superpowers and nations as well as (more than likely) the public consciousness whose been conditioned to believe has always been this way - and show it instead that there is a better way forward.

Knight Terrors (DC Comics) Completed

A mysterious villain forces all the superheroes, along with the rest of the world, into a deep sleep - forcing them to confront their darkest fears and nightmares - while he scours the Earth for the hidden Nightmare Stone. Deadman, a spirit trapped in the mortal plane, seeks out the stone, hoping to use its powers to reawaken the heroes and defeat the villain.

I first saw this crossover special as a preview during Free Comic Book Day, and a horror-style comic book seemed new for the DC world so I decided to stay with it when the crossover happened. The main story arc was ... meh, it was okay. Insomniac (the new big bad guy) was kind of lackluster as he mostly sent "scary" monsters at the hero and attempted to scare him out of discovering more about his past through nightmares. I think it was the motivation that really put me off as it's A) nothing that I hadn't seen before (heroes are bad because they didn't save my family while fighting villains) and B) kinda stupid (sorry, even if they are superheroes, no they can't save everyone). Maybe I might've enjoyed it more if I invested in the two-part character issues which went into the nightmares of individual characters such as Superman, Batman, The Joker, and others, but I simply didn't want to spend the $5 per issue (sorry, comic books are expensive). Though I'm curious to find out if the repercussions of Knight Terrors will actually carry over into the rest of the DC comics universe as that might actually prove interesting (are people now too scared of heroes to trust them?), I really don't want to spend the money to find out.

City Boy (Issues# 1 - 4) by Greg Pak

 Cameron Kim's unique ability to speak to cities - to see their hidden histories and secrets - allows him to find and pawn lost goods and treasures, helping himself make his way in the world. Along with finding missing objects however, also comes the power to awaken the avatars of each city - the bigger the city, the more powerful its avatar - and there are those who would exploit his power to bring about a global catastrophe.

Introduced during DC's "Lazarus Planet" crossover event, Cameron Kim is an entirely new character to the DC universe which is one of the reasons I picked it up. Originally, I picked this up thinking Kim's power might be something similar to Jack Hawksmoor, the god of cities, from "The Authority" comic, but instead it is something much more interesting. At least to me, it is always more interesting to see a superpower that doesn't simply enable the hero to punch, run, or shoot some sort of beam at the enemy. As a new hero, Kim also receives some mentoring from a couple of established heroes who help him to gain some control of his new abilities.

Spirit World (Issues# 1 - 6) Completed by Alyssa Wong

Xanthe Zhou is a spirit envoy, one who travels between the land of the living and the spirit world transporting goods between the two. When Batgirl is accidentally sent to the spirit world while helping to defend the city from jiangshi, they'll team up with John Constantine to find a way back to rescue their friend. In the spirit world though, spirits are going missing as a mysterious evil entity sweeps through, all while the Jade Court that presides over it turns a blind eye.

Introduced during DC's "Lazarus Planet" crossover event, Xanthe Zhou is an entirely new character to the DC universe. Of course, one of the other reasons I got interested in this comic was the John Constantine connection as well as the Bat Family connection, which also helps. And of course, I'm going to jump into this one because it's about magic. Zhou utilizes magical objects created from folded paper to battle against spirits and other monsters. The story incorporates traditional Chinese myths such as fox spirits and the Jade Court to create a new world of spirits. The six-issue story technically ended in October but because I'm so late typing this out, I figured I'd just write this out now instead of putting it with the next list too. The reveal at the end of the story showing Zhou's origins and her decision affecting her future in the spirit world makes me interested to see what might happen next, assuming DC allows more issues to be written.

The Unbelievably, Unfortunately, Mostly Unreadable, and Nearly Unpublishable, Untold Tales of I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young (issues# 1 - 3)

A collection of short stories based in the I Hate Fairyland universe, Skottie Young brings together a batch of talented writers and artists to create their own stories within this fantastical world he's created. Opening with the previously (sadly) skipped over battle between Gert and Bruud the Brutal from Gert's first trek through Fairyland, we get the same wit and gory cartoonish violence the series is known for. Besides the expected tales of Gert's original brutal escapades through Fairyland, we also see some other familiar faces such as Cloudia and her return to Fairyland, and even how Duncan the Dragon spends his days. It's a great way to tell a few more stories that would not/ may not fit with the original I Hate Fairyland run, especially the tale of how Fairyland restructured their rules in regards to the visitors they bring over (it involves a caveman-like Gert and Duncan the Dinosaur - so cool!) It's also a fun way to bring others into the project to see what they can create. Mostly though, it's just a way for me to get my I Hate Fairyland junkie-fix while I wait for the next collection to be released.

Big Game (Issues# 1-3) by Mark Millar

Following the conclusion of Mark Millar's Nemesis: Reloaded, The Fraternity has once again stepped out of the shadows to cull the emerging, upstart superhero community to continue the status quo as the world's secret masters. The Fraternity's supervillains work their way through the Millar-verse, eliminating heroes with ease. Will the heroes be able to mount a comeback, or will The Fraternity succeed in their plan?

A Miller-verse crossover event! I was so excited seeing Wesley Gibson at the end of the Nemesis: Reloaded and then for Mark Millar to announce a huge crossover event involving many of his properties such as Wanted, Kingsman: The Secret Service, and Kick-Ass, and even newer titles like The Ambassadors, Night Club, and The Magic Order. If you've never read any of the other titles, there's a list provided to show not only which comics to read but also the order in which to read them. To be honest, I definitely have not read all of the titles, but I've read some of the more recent titles and have heard of a lot of the others. The first three issues so far focuses simply on The Fraternity wiping out all of the new, up-and-coming heroes as Wesley Gibson's father and his colleagues did decades ago with all of the brutal violence you'd expect from a Mark Millar work. It's been a lot of fun so far seeing old characters and new interacting with each other in this crossover event I never imagined would happen.

In Hell, We Fight (Issues# 1 -5) Completed by John Layman

A simple ice-cream truck robbery goes perfectly but instead of the sweet dessert, a set of Hell-bound souls discover a kidnapped angel. Looking to take advantage of their new hostage, the group instead find themselves on the run from the demon looking to reclaim their lost property.

A new, weird, fun story involving a group of souls trapped in Hell looking to make the most of their situation. It's a road trip story as the group dodge bounty hunters, monsters, and demons in an attempt to use their new-found situation to possibly escape Hell to Heaven. The group consists of Midori, a former Yakuza assassin; Ernie, a boy killed by a cursed axe; Xander, a young man who enjoyed killing frogs only to be killed by a frog demon; and Balphie, a young demon enamored with Midori. Together, along with the captured Angel, the group traverses Hell's weird landscape. Though issue five was released in October, I figured since I'm typing this out so late I'd just add it to the Quarter 3 books instead of writing about it once more in Quarter 4. Issues one through five concludes the first arc of the series, and the story is interesting and funny enough that I'd like to see what the rest of the story holds.