I tried going back to doing quarterly reading reviews at the end of last year, but I really do like doing this once a month reading reviews. I know one of the issues was it cutting into my fiction writing, but I promise I'm actually doing story-writing again. Plus, it's a lot easier to do the pictures.
Nemesis Forever #1 - 5 by Mark Millar
The world's greatest supervillain is back! After healing his broken body and re-establishing his wealth and resources, Nemesis continues his campaign of murder and mayhem. Meanwhile, the villain's billionaire alter-ego buys-out company after company, acquiring seemingly unconnected properties to fulfill his elaborate master plan. Assigned to stop the villain is CIA Agent Kitty Tepper who infiltrates one of the criminal's global terror cells. Will she be able to keep her identity secret long enough to foil Nemesis' true goal? And just what is the villain's grand scheme?
The third Nemesis series returns bigger than ever! After the events of Rogue's Gallery (featuring Epstein's second island!), I knew this series needed to go even bigger with plot, the carnage - and Forever truly delivers. Mark Millar sets his evil Batman on his most ambitious plan yet, one with global implications. Pitted against him is a lone undercover agent willing to make the necessary sacrifices for the chance to save millions, if not billions, of people from the supervillain's evil machinations. Following two characters with opposing goals, I found myself cheering for both, curious to see who would emerge the victor. Five issues full of twists and rising stakes kept me at the edge of my seat until the final page. Very briefly, that ending - perfect! It makes sense for the story, it sidelines the character for future use, and gives a comic-accurate explanation for how supervillains keep coming back. As much as I've loved these three story arcs, I am curious to see what other stories Millar has to tell in a universe without the world's greatest supervillain running amok.
Last Words by George Carlin and Tony Hendra
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"People always ask questions like: 'How can you go on? Aren't you anxious to retire? Aren't you tired of the road?' But I realized something very simple a long time ago. I can't do what I love to do without these people. I have to go where they live. They're not going to come to my house. Even if I pay them."
An autobiography of George Carlin, told in Carlin's classic stand-up style, from birth up until his death in 2008. Put together from scores of conversations, Last Words chronicles Carlin's life from his conception until his last days. Carlin recounts his boyhood, his stint in the Air Force, his transition from radio shows to his eventual comedic rise as one of the greatest performers in history. The comedian doesn't hold back either as he delves into his drug abuse and financial crisis. Last Words presents a very in-depth look at the comedian's life, the highs and lows, and his opinions and views of the times he lived.
Bought at last year's Library Book Sale (hooray, $2 books!), like most of my books, it sat for a while until I eventually pulled it from my To Read pile. I'd been a fan of George Carlin's comedy since my dad introduced me to him through Brain Droppings (which I think I might still have) when I was in Intermediate School. At the time, I was going through a phase of watching ALL of the stand-up comedy shows Comedy Central offered (anyone else remember Comedy Central Presents?). While at the sale, a quick search confirmed the book was written from conversations and recordings from Carlin himself, so, you know, this is likely as close to the source as you can get for an autobiography.
The book itself presents the life of George Carlin from Carlin himself. Honestly, I don't read a lot of autobiographies - or any, in general. Last Words offered way more insight into Carlin's life than I thought I was going to get - and not all of it pretty or polished for consumption. Even writing this review two weeks after turning the last page, I'm still processing the stories from his life. Carlin has joked on-stage about aspects of his life, so certain stories didn't come as a surprise to me. Of course, I know about Carlin's drug use, but I didn't know the full extent and how much it affected his career and relationships. I was really not prepared for that section of his life and it took me a bit to process. Having seen Carlin in a couple moves (thanks Kevin Smith), I wasn't surprised to read his dreams of being on TV and in movies. When these dreams didn't pan out as planned and he chose to instead pivot and focus on his stand-up career instead, I actually felt a sense of relief about my own life. I was also saddened by the last chapter as Carlin spoke on what he believed his next project to be, and the plans he set into motion to accomplish his goal knowing that he would soon pass away. All in all, it was a very intense and in-depth look at the comedian's life.
We're Taking Everyone Done With Us by Matthew Rosenberg
"'That island, Willy, and my dad were all I had in this world. And they took it all from me! And it's not fair!'"
While her father devotes his time to his world-changing research and experiments, Annalise is neglected and left to entertain herself amongst her father's robotic servants. After one of her father's many enemies kills him and leaves Annalise's home in ruin, she sets out for revenge. Alone with nothing but one of her father's Robo-Men, Annalise will carve a bloody trail through her father's former allies and enemies alike as she hunts the man who killed her father. but what secrets does her malfunctioning companion hide? What will Annalise learn of her own history along the way? Will she be able to end the life of the man who stole away her life?
On the title alone, I bought the first issue of the series and knew immediately I needed to read the rest of the series. It was tempting to buy all six issues individually, but I'm encountering a space issue, so collected trade paperback was the way to go. It's a tale of revenge and the lengths a person will go to for family. Despite being a six-issues series, the story reads a little longer thanks to all the history and information presented, and the lack of a regular splash page featured in my superhero comic books. Overall, it was a fun read and one I even plan to hold onto for a bit.
As mentioned, We're Taking Everyone Down With Us was a fun tale of revenge and I loved it all the way through. Despite not getting along with her "evil scientist" father, Annalise rejects the option to live an ordinary life and instead sets out on a bloody path of revenge. There are so, so many stories that portray "revenge" as the worst option and instead show "letting go" as the best revenge. Attempting to protect the child and give her a better life, the Robo-Man tries to persuade Annalise to go into hiding and live safely. Instead, Annalise rejects this option immediately. The story does have an open-ending where the story could come to a satisfying conclusion, or continue Annalise's path of vengeance, so I guess I'll just wait and see if the story picks-up again.
Egghead or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone by Bo Burnham
Picked up at last year's Library Book Sale, Egghead presents Bo Burnham's absurd wit in a book of poetry, so must one or two lines while others can run for a page or two. One thing that I did want to mention was the second-half of the title, "You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone." Of course, there's the obvious meaning that the human body requires sustenance, not just ideas, to survive. What I like to think it refers to are the silly cartoons which fill the empty space, that Burnham's ideas can be made better with help from someone else.
Napalm Lullaby by Rick Remender
"So many long years suffering with no relief in sight. You lost faith that it could be different. Shit, we all did. The weak and selfish people are the only ones rewarded. The sellouts thrive. The zealots eat. The liars prosper. The pigs sleep in silk sheets. Unquestioning conformists are beloved. Anyone who tells the truth is cast out. The heartless sycophants are invited to the crystal temple. And anyone who shows a backbone...? Hast it broken. But, baby, I'm here to tell you -- Hold on a bit longer ... Help is on the way."
In this dystopian world, a mysterious child with supernatural abilities is raised to believe he is the son of a god. In adulthood, the Magnificent Leader has imposed his will on the world, forcing the population to follow or perish. In order to free the people, his two gifted children will need to sneak into the holy city and execute him. But, in a war for the soul of humanity, how far will they decide to go to realize their goal? And, in overthrowing a global theocracy, who should choose the new system to replace it?
Another "rebel against the system" story from Rick Remender (after "Deadly Class" and "The Sacrificers", I'm starting to see a pattern). The trade paperback of Napalm Lullaby (such a cool title) collects the entire 10 issue series which is why it looks thicker than other books collecting the standard four to six issues. This one, it turns out, I made a good choice on waiting for the release of the trade paperback due to the delays in release of the individual issues. Set in a global theocracy worshipping a lone superhuman, two siblings set out to overthrow his rule and free their people. Of course, things get twisted when one of them decides to not simply overthrow the Magnificent Leader's rule, but to impose her "better world" onto the population. What follows is a back and forth between the two siblings as they fight over how much one person's will should override another's independence as the slip between dream and reality. This is actually the part of the book I really liked - the two siblings fighting desperately against the other as they try to pull the other to their side. It wasn't even the action scenes that hooked me but their arguments justifying their position. Seeing both points of view, I as a reader, had a hard time choosing to root for one or the other, especially when the world starts to look very familiar to the current world which we live. I really felt like Remender's story was trying to tell the reader something. Then, came the ending twist revealing the whole story to be the delusions of a little girl on some sort of anti-psychotic medicine, and now I have no idea how to feel about this whole ordeal. I'm annoyed by the twist as it lacks a real payoff to the journey that I spent ten issues following. It reframes the entire argument the reader spent ten issues following as a child and someone with clear mental health issues cannot be as independent as a full-grown adult without the same issues. All in all, it's a fun ride until Remender fumbles the ending.
Absolute Superman #1 - 6 by Jason Aaron
[see previous entry from April 2025]
I know, aren't I on issue 15 or something based on the last time I reviewed this series? Yep, and I eventually will get to them, but, right now, there is a good reason for re-reading these issues (and, no, it isn't because I've already forgotten the plot). Actually the Graphic Novel Book Club I've been trying to attend chose the first volume of the Absolute Superman series (which collects issues one through six) for their February meeting. And, since I've already bought the individual issues, I figured I'd just re-read them a few days before the meeting. Since it's been less than a year since my original review, I don't want to do a full write-up, but I do want to mention what was discussed at the club meeting:
Two of the bigger topics of the Book Club's discussion revolved around the change in Superman's origin and "The Superman's Rage." Originally, Kal-El is launched from a dying Krypton as a baby, thus having no connection with his home planet. Raised by The Kents, he is seen as the best of humanity despite not being human. In the Absolute Universe, he witnesses the fall of Krypton as a boy and spends very little time with The Kents. Without The Kents, he is still taught many blue-collar values by his own parents, but there is an uncertainty still within him, that he knew what the "right" thing to do is, but he isn't always certain he can/will do it. This could also be due to his inexperience compared to The Man of Steel we're familiar with. Alongside this is Kal-El's struggle to do enough to save people, but not harm those he fights against. From his experience on Krypton, he knows just how cruel those on the top can be to the working class, and, on Earth, it would be so easy for him to break them. Not only is he afraid of what he could do, but the people are praying, begging him to let loose and do it. It's a different Superman, with the possibility of killing which his traditional version would never do. At the same time, I'm one of the few in the group reading the new Absolute titles, so I'm excited to see if anyone else continues the story or even picks up the other stories.
