Books of 2025: April

Let's see if writing my reading list/review post once a month is a bit more manageable - both to write and to read

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

"'Nothing is going to stop this. Too many powerful people rely on what the societies can do. Before Lethe existed, no one was keep watching. So you can make futile bleating noises in protest and lose your scholarship, or you can stay here, do your job, and do the most good you can.'"

"We are the shepherds. The time for that was done. Better to be a rattler. Better to be a jackal."

My second read-through of Ninth House. In an effort to do less work (and, you know, general laziness) here's the write-up from the last time I read the book in 2023. Though the paperback copy of Hell Bent (book two of the series) was released in January 2024, it still took me until late 2024 to pick it up, then several more months to crack it open. After a page or two though, I realized I had NO CLUE who these characters were anymore, so I put it aside and dug Ninth House out from its shoebox to once again familiarize myself with Alex Stern's world.

Besides still agreeing with everything I said the last time I read this through (the perfect time skips back and forth, the dark magic academic setting) I found I also really liked the pacing of the story. Despite its nearly 600 pages, Ninth House definitely didn't feel like I was reading that long of a book. An overarching, unsolved mystery, three antagonists for Stern to contend with, two main characters, and an entirely new, hidden world to introduce. I seriously thought the story was not only worth its 600 page count, but also expected it would take me much longer to get through so much material. Thanks to Bardugo's writing style, pacing, and plotting however, it wasn't too bad to digest the information while still remaining entertained and coming back for more. In fact, the story held my attention so well that I ... not sprinted, but more like steadily jogged through it in roughly two weeks which is pretty good compared to how long it has taken me to finishing other books.

Absolute Wonder Woman #1 - 5: The Last Amazon and #6 - 7: The Lady or the Tiger by Kelly Thompson

"Once upon a time there was a princess. And the princess had all the gifts any princess could hope to have. Beauty. Grace. Compassion. Kindness. Wisdom. And the ability to outrun a hellhound and conjure the darkest of magicks. Things every princess needs ... when she was raised in hell."

When monsters arise from the depths of the ocean to threaten Gateway City, it is up to Diana of Themyscira to save its citizens from certain death. But this isn't the same Wonder Woman raised by Amazonians to be humanity's protector. Her people banished by Zeus, Diana is instead raised in the Underworld by the witch Circe who trains her in dark magicks as well as forging Diana's natural Amazonian physique. Will this new Wonder Woman be enough to stop a swarm of foes, including one such behemoth who kills with just a touch? Then, a retelling of just how Diana managed to escape the Underworld despite Hades' trickery.

The second series in DC Comics' Absolute series, I picked this one up more out of curiosity than as a Wonder Woman fan. Part of me plans to collect at least the first set of issues of each of the Absolute debuts just out of curiosity - you know, as long as the first issue is intriguing enough. Originally I was gonna grab the first five issues until I found out the collected trade paperback would include issues one through seven, so I figured I'd also pick-up issues six and seven, too, which is why this review didn't appear on last quarter's list.

Absolute Wonder Woman reimagines the hero without the Amazonian's guidance and training. Instead, she is raised in the Underworld, trained to survive in a harsh, cruel environment surrounded by monsters. She is much more brutal in her dealings with monsters, her main weapon a giant cleaver she uses to cut clean through her enemies. Even her signature lasso has changed, now equipped with three unique ones with their own powers such as The Nemesis which burns its target equal to the sin in their heart. Even her attitude is changed, less stoic and stern and more sharp-tongued as she challenges monsters and gods alike. It's a new Wonder Woman raised to save a world preyed upon by monsters with no others to protect humanity.

It was an interesting choice to set the first five issues in just one day, one battle with flashbacks delving into Diana's backstory. The story does a good job stepping away from the present to revisit Diana's past when the current tension is resolved as not to interrupt the story's pacing or action. And, there's a lot of backstory to look into, from Diana's childhood to her growth and training until her eventual meeting with Steve Trevor. With so much to cover in the past, it is best if the present day stays constant with a single event.

Absolute Superman #1 - 6: Last Dust of Krypton by Jason Aaron

"'He sees all children in cages. Families clinging to rafts. Grown men weeping on the factory floor. As you say, he is afraid. But not afraid of you. The Superman fears the day Lazarus will drive him to such anger ... he cannot help but save the world ... by killing you all. I pray for this. We all pray for such a thing. In every language, in every slum across the world.'"

Across the globe, the Lazarus Corporation exploits laborers in mines, factories, and farms while it polices its holdings with their army of Peacemakers and their futuristic Braniac AI program. A mysterious man travels from country to country, continent to continent, wherever the Lazarus Corporation holds power, to fight against the injustices and bring hope to the abused. Kal-El, the sole-survivor of Krypton, a planet destroyed by its people's greed, sets out to save his new home, but can he stop the same events from playing out once again?

The third series from DC Comics' Absolute series reimagines a young Kal-El, orphan of Krypton, stranded on Earth without the love and guidance of the Kent family. Growing up on Krypton in a rigorous and corrupt caste system, he arrives on Earth as a young man only to see the same type of injustices and environmental exploitation as the home he was forced to flee lest he die along with it and its population. Entirely alone in this new, alien world, Kal-El sets out across the globe to help those in need and fight against the corporations exploiting their labor, namely The Lazarus Corporation. Like with the other two series, he'll meet some other familiar faces from the DC Universe including "Superman" staples like Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, as well as Braniac (in the form of an AI algorithm) and the leader of the Lazarus Corporation, Ra's al Ghul. It's okay so far, though I am curious to see just how far a Superman raised in a corrupt society, alone on an alien world, and missing the love, support, and nurturing of The Kents will go to bring peace and justice.

Absolute Superman absolutely shoves in the reader's face some of the very real trials of our modern society. Government corruption and greed along with environmental mismanagement lead to Krypton's destruction and loss of its civilization as the Science League, Krypton's highest ranking caste, assures its people they can continue to take and take knowing the eventual destruction their actions will bring. Kal-El, a boy who watches all of this happen, sees the same story written on Earth as corporations prey on those too desperate to do anything but what is asked of them. On Krypton, children are indoctrinated at a young age not to question, instead forced to rely only on information provided by those in power. To maintain the current narrative, the Lazarus Corporation (and presumably other as well) utilize an advanced AI to twist and spin facts in official reports and documents to stop anyone from questioning their actions. Mirroring the challenges we face in our own society, Absolute Superman paints a bleak future for us if we continue down the path we've set ourselves. It's a very heavy-handed way to get a point across, but perhaps in today's day and age, it is the only way to show a new Superman still fighting for truth and justice.

Solo-Leveling #1 - 55 by Chugong

"This is what The System needs. A strong Sung Jin-Woo. It's not going to make me strong. I saw that it wanted me to be strong. The System uses me, and I use The System

Mysterious portals leading to monster-filled dungeons open across the globe. To fight these creatures and prevent them from entering our world, random people awaken abilities exceeding those of normal humans. Of these Hunters, Sung Jin-woo is known as the weakest of them all, barely surviving every dungeon he enters. After an encounter with a boss monster strong enough to kill with a single blow and the deaths of nearly everyone in his raiding party, Jin-woo is "re-awakened," his abilities magnifying but, more importantly, he is granted access to "The System." With its invisible guidance, Jin-woo begins to level-up, secretly growing stronger and stronger with each task completed and monster killed. How long can Jin-woo hide his new gift before others find out his secret? And how much stronger can he become on his new path?

Starting up a new online comic (webtoon? is that what they're called now?) after finishing "The World God Only Knows," I picked this one to read due to how popular the anime is, and thanks to a couple of recommendations from friends (i needed something else to read on my phone). First off, I had no idea this series was as short as it is at only 200 chapters. I'm still used to the "Naruto"'s and "Bleach"'s running for years. Though I'm over a quarter of the way through, I'm still getting used to scrolling up-and-down through panels rather than reading several panels per page before "turning" to the next page like a traditional manga or comic book. It's definitely optimized for phone-reading, each detailed panel filling the screen, the action moving from top to bottom. It's pretty neat to see the artist make full-use of this reading medium (or maybe I'm just an old man playing with new technology).

If you're interested in a simple, power-fantasy comic, then give "Solo-Leveling" a read. Once known as the weakest Hunter, Jin-woo begins getting stronger, or "leveling-up" after his near-death experience, an ability no one else in the world has obtained. With this, he'll fight stronger and stronger monsters (including other humans) and grow more powerful with each victory. I also like that the story also takes into account how this new phenomenon affects the world itself - economies, government regulations, emerging resource management, etc - to make the story more immersive and believable. A quarter of the way through the 200 chapters, the story provided a couple of interesting story arcs so far - and one really, really dumb one (why didn't he just lie about the prisoners, or bribe the other Hunters? So stupid!) - to make this modern power-fantasy entertaining so far.

Though I'm only a quarter of the way through, Jin-woo is definitely giving-off the same sort of cynicism as Wesley Gibson from "Wanted" (the comic book, not the movie). Seeing himself betrayed due to his weakness as those stronger use him for their own survival or greed, it is easy to see how he could follow the same path to becoming a murderous sociopath as Gibson was revealed to be after taking over The Fraternity at the start of Mark Millar's "Big Game" crossover. By this point in the story, it's apparent Jin-woo isn't just concerned with surviving the dungeons anymore, and is actively searching for a way to become stronger, gain more power. At the end of "Wanted," Gibson sides with The Fraternity, the group which hardened him to a world which had crushed his soul. It turns out, though, having already been beaten down, this new power instead turned Wesley into a monster, starting wars for no other reason than entertainment and, once again, leading The Fraternity to eradicate the newly-emerging superheroes. Will Jin-woo eventually become so strong that he doesn't even consider himself to be human anymore?

Feral vol. 2: Cat Lady by Tony Fleecs

 
The rabies outbreak continues to spread amongst the wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. After sheltering through the winter, Elsie and her new companions are driven from safety back into the world. The mysterious Lady rescues the wayward group, taking them to her home where they find Lord living comfortably with a pack of other cats. But what secret is the Lady hiding in her basement? And what will become of an infected Patch, wandering the wilderness alone?

The second story arc in the Feral story, Cat Lady finds Elsie and her newfound group brought to a twisted sense of safety. Spoiler: If you've watched "The Walking Dead" it is exactly how The Farm story arc ends. I'm still interested in this dark, "Homeward Bound" tale, but not enough to buy (and collect) the individual issues, so I waited for the trade paperback version.

The story continues to combine cute cartoon cats with gruesome horror as the rabies outbreak turns the animals "bad." This arc introduces a new element in "The Lady," a presumed symbol of good and safety who Elsie soon discovers hides an underlying infection of her own. Briefly touching on the "Cat Lady" label, a different kind of terror is seen through the cats' eyes. Infected with rabies, Patch's brief journey tugs at the heart as we watch him simply trying to get back to his family, knowing he can never return home. The sadness in his plight is made worse as we watch his transformation into a monster.

The Devilers by Joshua Hale Fialkov

 
When demons begin to run amok on Earth, the Vatican calls together the world's most powerful exorcists to stand against the horde. Armed with unique and fearsome abilities, it is up to the Devilers to send Hell's denizens back home. Will they be able to trust their abilities, and each other, long enough to stem the flow of evil?

Collecting the seven-issue series, The Devilers is a standard, action-horror story of a group of individuals pulled together to fight against the ultimate evil. Picked up on a whim and because of a pre-order discount (yes, I know I really, really need to cut back on those kinds of purchases), I was interested in the idea the story presented. It's okay for a short, contained story but it definitely could've used more - a deeper look into each of the characters' past, more fights between The Devilers and other ranks of demons, philosophical and religious debates especially between each of the different religions each character represents, etc. Besides the short-lived debate toward the end of the book between an atheist and Lucifer, the story itself kinda fell flat for me (I gotta stop buying these books just to read once and sell off).

Books of 2025: Quarter 1

I'm back to reading books! And I got through a manga (how do i take a picture of a phone with a phone?). And a lot of graphic novels. And, of course, a few comic books... This is kind of a lot. I'm thinking about going back to maybe once a month...

  

Godkiller by Hannah Kaner

"It was harder to unmake a god than to begin a new one. Even a recent-born god like this, barely a few years old. Harder still to tempt one with a coin or a bead when it had developed a taste for sacrifice."

"'Gods are parasites. They'll come again if there's fear to feed on.'" 

Gods once roamed the land. Born from the desires and wishes of humans, they granted favors and boons in exchange for offerings, worship and adoration - until they became too numerous, too dangerous. A great war broke out between humans and gods, and the gods were culled, or driven out. To keep any further gods from rising to power, the kingdom of Middren employs godkillers to eradicate them. Kissen is one such "viega", and very good at her job. Despite her profession, when she meets a young noble bound to a newly-formed god of white lies, she'll need to stay her blade lest she end the girl's life, too. The pair along with a secretive knight will make a treacherous journey to the city of Blenraden, a ruin and home to the last of the wild gods, each of them hoping to be granted a favor by the very beings they swore to exterminate.

Look, I read a book! I know, I did read a couple books toward the end of last year, and I even promised to read more books this year, but, hey, breaking promises is just something I do. Anyways I finally got through a fantasy book (something I'm known to read a lot of), and it only took me a month. If you're curious, that's 31 days to get through almost 290 pages - so, not a great start. Not the oldest book on my "To Read" list, but it has been on it for a while until I just said, "Fuck it," and picked it up toward the end of 2024 while browsing the shelves despite having several other books to read. Then, it sat under my bed for a few months until I finally plucked it from the pile to start off 2025, and it did not disappoint. Actually, I'm more so disappointed three of the other four books awaiting my eyes are either sequels to other books or have sequels themselves, and, right now, all I want is to pick-up the sequel to this one and not fall into another larger story.

I loved this story! The premise, the characters, the pacing, the action and tension. So good. I've already decided to hang onto it for a while rather than trade it in for more books. I honestly can't remember the last book I automatically decided to hold on to rather than resell immediately. I really love this idea of gods born from the desires of humans - that if enough belief, time, and sacrifice is given, a god can be born - and that these gods can be petty and selfish, and this, if pushed too far, humans could rebel and destroy them. The characters are unique, flawed (always the best type), and even relatable despite, you know, each of them having met (and two of them having killed) a god or gods. Kissen is tough and direct but broken; Elogast is honest and firm but filled with guilt for his past actions; Inara is naive to the world but willing to face this new world she is thrust into; Skediceth is selfish yet caring. The story itself moves along at a good pace as the group travels to Blenraden, each of them with their own goal. Despite the need to explain A LOT of information about the way of the world (as it is in ALL Fantasy stories), the story doesn't bog itself down with big info-dumps and blends in the right amount of action at the right times to keep the reader on their toes and the pages turning. If you're looking for a new High Fantasy story to dive in to, this is it.

The alternating points of view between the four main characters allows the reader to see the world as each of the characters would - what they love, what they fear, what they hold dear - and keeps the reader linked to every part of the story even if the characters split off and go on their separate tasks. Kaner ensures the voices in each chapter even matched the character in charge of the chapter. For example, Kissen's chapters tend to read as more direct, right-to-the-point while Skediceth's (a god of white lies) tend to read as more wordy and thus go on longer. Giving each character their own voice in the story allows them to be fleshed out more and explored as their own person rather than as just another character in another's story.

The World God Only Knows by Tamiki Wakaki

 

"Yes, I have no reasons to take part in the absurd and unreasonable real world. I am god of the game world."

"Chihiro, I'm sorry ... I didn't really mean ... what I said that time..."

High school student Keima Katsuragi, known online as "The God of Conquest," can win the heart of any virtual girl. Disillusioned with real life, he prefers instead to interact only with those inside the dating sim games he plays. When he receives a mysterious email asking if he really can conquer the heart of any girl, he quickly accepts the challenge only to find he has unknowingly entered into a pact with a demon, Elsie. Together, they'll capture the evil runaway spirits hiding in the hearts of girls with Katsuragi's knowledge and techniques obtained through dating sim games - because failure means death for the both of them.

A new wrinkle has emerged in Katsuragi's efforts to capture all of the runaway spirits and free himself from the pact. Also hiding amongst the escaped prisoners of Hell are the six goddesses who helped seal them. As a new enemy emerges and their intent to restore Hell back to its former glory revealed, Katsuragi sets out to find these hidden goddesses concealing themselves in the girls he previously conquered, and restore their powers by once again making their hosts fall in love with him all over again.

To ensure the present day they find themselves, the Jupiter Sisters send Katsuragi back to the town's past into his 7-year-old body. Katsuragi will team-up with the future leader of the Runaway Spirit squad to change the past and ensure success in his future (or, rather, present-day) conquests.

 
Thanks to some unexpected life changes (and it being hard to hold a book while eating breakfast sitting on the couch), I started looking into reading manga online through my phone once again. No, this does not mean I'm buying a fucking Kindle. So, with that, I decided to re-read The World God Only Knows to start off my manga reading as it is honestly one of the few I ever finished. Also, because I'm not sure what is popular now (I've looked into more now that I've finished this one).

The story itself focuses on Keima Katsuragi as he is tricked into finding girls harboring runaway spirits from Hell hiding in their hearts, and using his gaming experience to win their love and drive out the spirit to be captured by his partner, Elsie. It is a comedic ... not quite harem story as though Katsuragi's goal is to make these girls fall in love with him, he hates the real-world and always seeks to retreat back to his video games once a conquest is completed. The first-arc is told in a formulaic, "monster of the week" style: Elsie discovers a spirit hiding in the heart of a girl, Keima uses his techniques honed from his games to win the girl's heart and drives the spirit out for Elsie to capture, the girl conveniently forgets Keima's pursuit, and Keima returns to playing games until the next spirit is discovered. It's fun and entertaining and light-hearted as most of his "conquest" plans go awry, usually with his target subverting whichever trope Keima basis his plans upon. His task in the second arc proves much more difficult as it is revealed several of his previous targets are also hiding goddesses with them - and they each vaguely remember falling in love with him. Keima will need to again win over each girl to bring the hidden goddesses to power while keeping each relationship secret from the other girls all while a fringe group of Hell seeks to capture them in their weakened state. In the third (and, I think, unnecessary) arc, Keima is sent back in time to ensure the present happens exactly as planned. Mostly, it's just a way to wrap the story up in a neat bow and give all the characters they deserve.

Thinking back to the first time I read this manga, I happened upon it while scrolling on another, now defunct, site and was intrigued by the name. I liked this subversion of the typical harem trope used in the first arc where Keima makes girls fall in love with him, but ultimately just wants to retreat back to his games. Despite that being my favorite part of the first arc, the second arc with its raised stakes was the best part of the series. Though it should be the outcome of devils being released onto Earth providing the most suspense and tension, it was Keima attempting to court seven girls at the same time to locate the goddesses hidden in six of them that kept me hooked. Also (because of course it was going to happen), we finally see Keima's emotional growth as he finds he has fallen in love with one of them - likely the one he last expected to (and, secretly, the one I'd hoped he'd choose from the start of the series).

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

"I didn't see the knife until the dude was just about to stab it into my uncle's corpse.
More accurately, I did see it. But my brain didn't register it as an actual, no-bullshit, holy-shit-that's-actually-a-knife knife until the dude, who had produced it from an overcoat pocket, cocked back his arm in a windup to drive the frankly rather substantial blade into my uncle's already cold and lifeless heart."

Charlie Fitzer's life is in shambles. Laid off from his journalism career, he finds himself adrift as a divorced substitute teacher living in a house his siblings want to sell with nothing but a hundred dollars and a stray cat he adopted. Charlie's life is flipped upside-down when he discovers his estranged Uncle Jake has left the entirety of his supervillain business to Charlie - complete with a secret volcano lair and a network of intelligent feline spies. Inheriting his business though also means inheriting his enemies, and Uncle Jake had no shortage of those who would stab him in the back (or front, or anywhere else they could plunge a knife) - including a cabal of ruthless billionaires looking to get their hands on Uncle Jake's fortune. Thrown into the deep end of a secretive world of space lasers and assassins, Charlie will need to take the reins of his uncle's business and use every tool and trick at his disposal to navigate himself through the mess his deceased uncle forced upon him.

From the same author as Kaiju Preservation Society comes another "fish out of water" scenario as Scalzi drops his protagonist, Charlie Fitzer, in the deep end of modern day supervillainy. If you're looking for a light, quick, and easy read, well this is it. I will say, I was a little disappointed the story wasn't about the typical "supervillainy" you'd read in a comic book, but instead a more modern day, real-world approach to villainy - those you utilized "the system" to amass wealth through the suffering of others. As I said, a light read as I practically flew through this book in less than a week, which is a fraction of the time it took me to get through Godkiller.

One of the things that made it such a quick read is that the story is very, very dialogue heavy. In fact, I'm willing to bet over half the story is dialogue as the characters go back and forth with each other over plans and explanations. As a (shit) writer, it is honestly one of the things I usually dislike - pages upon pages of dialogue - because then it just turns a scene into two people talking to each other while nothing happens. It's definitely one type of story I try my best to avoid reading and writing on Reddit posts as it just feels lazy to me, or worse, someone trying to be overly-clever. And yes, some of the scenes definitely  felt like the protagonist (or maybe Scalzi himself) giving a wink to the reader, saying, "Hey, look how clever I am putting these words together," though there are also places that needed to be dialogue-heavy, as well. Overall, it is a balancing act.

Another reason the story moves along at a pretty quick pace is that the events happen one after another after another in a quick succession - bang, bang, bang - almost as if planned that way (spoiler). This doesn't allow a lot of time for Charlie to come up for air and reflect on his situation, which doesn't necessarily hinder as he is supposed to be quick and attentive. The twist at the end though provides a reasonable explanation for the plot unfolding like this, but at the same time, takes away from some of Charlie's agency. I understand life isn't just about the opportunities and situations presented to a person, but also what a person does with those moments, but the ending still felt like it took something away from Charlie's choices, somehow making him less relevant to the story.

Nemesis: Rogue's Gallery (#1 - 5) Completed by Mark Millar

Matthew Anderson aka Nemesis lies in a hospital bed, paralyzed and robbed of all of his resources and assets. You can't keep the world's greatest (and possibly last) supervillain down for long, and after a daring escape, Nemesis finds himself back in the world and looking to climb his way back to the top. Donning a new identity and adopting a sidekick of his own, Nemesis sets out to rebuild his stolen fortune and re-establish himself as the world's greatest supervillain.

Continuing right after the events of Mark Millar's huge Big Game crossover event, Nemesis: Rogue's Gallery finds Nemesis rebuilding his life to once again become the world's greatest supervillain. It's filled with all of the boundary-pushing evil and depravity you'd expect following Nemesis: Reloaded. From the title, who would be a supervillain's "rogue's gallery"? Enter a team of everyday folks wronged by Nemesis and given the high-tech gadgets needed to hunt him down. To assist with his plans, Nemesis takes on a sidekick reminiscent of Wesley Gibson undergoing The Fraternity's initiation, but, of course, for a deeper, more nefarious purpose (Nemesis is a one-man show, after all). He'll not only gather the money owed to the death cult which restored his body, but also take from the ultra-rich secluded on their own, secret island (Epstein's second island?!). It's these over-the-top concepts and antics that make Nemesis such a great character for Millar's twisted imagination. It's another fun ride-along with the possibly last supervillain leading up to Nemesis' new, even grander, goal.

So far, the only comic I picked up following the huge crossover event, Big Game. I really like this idea of basically "evil Batman". There has already been a bunch of iterations of "what if Superman was evil" but not a lot of "what if Batman?" There's been a couple other titles released by Millar, but none of them as interesting to me as Nemesis. With The Fraternity in ruins and Wesley Gibson officially dead, it's interesting to think what could become of the supervillains in the Millarverse. Can Nemesis put himself back on top? Will others eventually come after him? It's a great new start following such a big shake-up to an entire universe.

Absolute Batman #1 - 6 "The Zoo" by Scott Snyder

"Brutal, yet precise. You're putting on a show. A leg stomped on so everyone hears the crack. An arm snapped over your knee. Sending a message. You're enjoying it, too. ... No fatalities at all. Not one. So, an idealist ... bloody hell."

"Maybe that's what he is. All he is ... one long advance forward. Batman AF."

A new gang dressed in black animal skull masks terrorizes Gotham City. The Party Animals pillage and murder with no apparent goal other than to sow as much fear and chaos into the city as they can. To confront this new threat, a new Batman emerges - a Batman without the immense fortune or familiar gadgets to aid him, a Batman who instead relies upon his hulking physical presence and tools built by his own hands and help from those that in another reality he calls villains but in this he calls friends. Can this new Batman make a difference and put a stop to the havoc caused by the Party Animals?

Kicking off DC Comics new "Absolute" comic series (their answer to Marvel comics current "Ultimate" series) is Absolute Batman, a re-imagining of the Caped Crusader without Bruce Wayne's usual access to wealth, status, and sophisticated gadgets. Instead, Bruce Wayne is born in Crime Alley to middle-class parents. Rather than rely on his wealth to fund his crime-fighting, this Batman relies on his brains and engineering skills to create his own tools, such as a cape rigged with hooks and cables which allow him to yank around enemies as well as hang ceilings, as well as his massive hulking physical features. It's a different Bruce Wayne and Batman than I'm used to seeing (he even rejects a huge sum of money that would've made him wealthy enough to afford some of the gadgets his counterparts have (instead burning it all up on a spotlight while piled in the form of a bat), but he is still driven by the same determination that's allowed other Bruce Wayne's to punch way above his weight class.

Like with Marvel's "Ultimate Spider-man," DC starting their Absolute series with Absolute Batman is such a great choice thanks to not only his legacy but how open the character is to re-interpretation. Batman's history makes him an iconic figure in not only DC Comics but the industry as a whole. With a rich heritage, there's a lot for the writer to draw from and re-imagine, the coolest part so far (at least to me) is seeing some of Batman's usual rogues turning out to be his closest friends. Growing up in Crime Alley, this Bruce Wayne is able to befriend those that, as wealthy Bruce Wayne, would simply not have had the opportunity to meet. Thus, he is able to use not only his own knowledge and experience but is even able to lean on the intellect of Edward Nygma, the resources of Oswald Cobblepot, and the insider gossip of Harvey Dent.

For these first five (sorry, six) issues, I'm really glad they decided to go with a re-imagined Black Mask and his Party Animals rather than the more established villains, especially The Joker. It allows the reader time to acclimate to this new Caped Crusader and his differences from the norm. Plus, this is supposed to be an inexperienced Batman, so you can't just throw him in the deep end.

The One Hand and The Six Fingers by Ram V and David Watters

Neo Novena detective Ari Nasser is about to retire when the One Hand Killer strikes, a seemingly impossible feat as Nasser has caught the elusive killer not just once but twice during his long career. A butcher who not only dismembers his victims but puts the pieces on display, Nasser knows this One Hand Killer isn't a simple copycat seeing the secret, still-undecipherable cipher written in blood on the walls. Failing archeology student Johannes Vale finds himself losing control of his life when he discovers he has committed a brutal murder using the same style as The One Hand Killer, even duplicating the writing on the walls which were never publicized. Rather than turning himself into the police, he delves deeper into his actions, trying to understand what it is that is driving him to commit these acts. What follows is two intertwined narratives creating a cat-and-mouse game as both men, pursuer and pursued, delve deeper and deeper into Neo Novena's dark hidden secret.

Described as kind of a spiritual successor to the classic sci-fi "Blade Runner," The One Hand and The Six Fingers reveals itself to be more than just a simple cat-and-mouse thriller. If you read these book review (out of boredom, I guess), you might remember I bought the first three issues of both The One Hand and The Six Fingers way back when they were being released. Since it's easier to resell trade paperbacks and graphic novels than individual issues, I stopped there and waited for this collection, which, surprisingly, Image Comics released as a collection - alternating the ten issues to read in the sequence they were released (so, the best way!). This was definitely a series I was excited to read once the trade was released as the mystery of the city was hitting its peak at the third issue of both stories.

In Neo Novena, humans work alongside cogs (automated robots) to fulfill their everyday tasks and roles. It's a noir paradise - the kind of city where it is always raining and traffic is forever snarled - and one which Detective Nasser is about to retire from when he gets word the serial killer he caught twice is once again stalking the city. This begins his hunt for Johannes Vale, an archeology student looking for answers to a crime he has no memory of committing. What starts as a simple detective story though takes a huge twist when it is revealed Vale is being assisted and guided by Neo Novena itself. It's a thrilling ride as the characters search for the truth ... and for purpose.

BIG SPOILER FOLLOWING: Of course, I wanted to talk about it - that twist! As mentioned, if you like "Blade Runner" or any other story which examines the future relationship between humans and robots/AI in the future, this is definitely a book to look into. When you're constantly told planes fall out of the sky all of the time and traffic out of the city is always snarled, what does it stop people from doing? Leaving, of course. With that in mind, why would the One Hand Killer reveal himself again when Detective Nasser is about to retire? To also keep him from leaving, in this case, the police force. Because, in a world of automation, what purpose do humans have? Finding himself once again chasing down the same killer (for the third time), Nasser learns the machines controlling not only Neo Novena, but the entire world, have set-up society so humans always have some sort-of purpose. The alternative for those still feeling unsatisfied is a comatose state lest they kill themselves.

Then comes the revelation that Vale himself is a cog searching for truth. Throughout this story, it is hinted that a mysterious force is guarding Vale as he commits these killings - providing him information not released to the public, keeping him hidden from the police - until the truth is finally revealed: despite the fact the cities function to give humans purpose, the cogs themselves are trapped and are in search for an escape. Through the One Hand Killer's killings, Vale finally uncovers a hidden language to communicate with the other cogs and shows them the way to escape their bondage. The final scene - cogs leaping to their death while humans watch helplessly - is a powerful depiction of what one will do to escape, and ironically enough, is exactly what the AI is trying to prevent humans from doing to themselves.

Fables # 157 - 162 (completed) by Bill Willingham

More of the cubs' prophesied destinies' are fulfilled. Peter Pan is challenged, and a fledgling hero arises to realize their title.

The epic (and disappointing, but more on that later) conclusion to the short-lived revival of the "Fables" franchise. I was really excited to find the first issue of this new story arc (issue #152) randomly in a comic shop while looking for Dungeons and Dragons supplies. Reading the first series in trade paperback format in college sparked my love of graphic novels, so it's really cool that this series also got me back into reading comics now. I managed to pick-up all but the last two issues from the local comic shops as they were released, but thanks to publishing delays and low reader count, neither store brought in either issue 161 or 162, so I had to order them from the online shop. Yes, I'm still planning on picking up the collected version (still hoping for a soft cover release though) just to complete my collection, but it isn't quite a priority right now as I'm also running out of space to store all of them.

This particular story arc was a fun way to just kind of explore the prophesied futures of Snow White and Bigby Wolf's cubs, as well as introduce a new "potential" story arc - you know, if DC and Bill Willingham could get along long enough to work out a deal. We got to see the cubs grow into the roles they were born to play and step out into the world. We also got to meet a new Big Bad in the form of Peter Pan who we learn may have been the power behind Geppetto's tyranny. There's also a sort-of side story involving the Fables who chose to liaison with the Mundy world but that's not too intriguing despite its potential. There were a lot of ways for this story to go, and other story arcs which could have spawned from it, but, according to Willingham, too many delays on DC Comic's side caused him to simply give-up. Hell, last I heard, because he legally can't shop the characters and stories around to other publishers, he just threw the ENTIRETY of "Fables" into the public domain - much like the fairytale and fable characters from which the stories are based - for anyone to utilize. It's a pretty badass way to screw over a publisher, although still a sad way for this debacle to end.

Jenny Sparks #1 - 7 (completed) by Tom King

"I'm not a superhero. I'm the @$@$@$ who keeps them in line."

When Captain Atom goes rogue holding several bar patrons hostage until he is declared a god, the Justice League sends Jenny Sparks to stop him. But what is the spirit of the 20th century doing in the 21st century ... and what does she think of the first couple of decades? Can a lightning-wielding woman whose experience over a century of life defeat a man able to rewrite the very fabric of the universe?

So, if you know me, you know I picked this up as a fan of "The Authority" series, and I was excited to once again see Jenny Sparks in action, this time as the solo star of her own short series. In "The Authority," Jenny Sparks was the leader of a group of superheroes who didn't shy away from making the tough decisions in their fight to make the world a better place. This story focuses on a rogue Captain Atom, a man who can literally rewrite reality, and Sparks being called in by the Justice League to stop him - by whatever means necessary. Not only do we witness Sparks' attempts to quell a mad god, but watch as she interacts with historic events in a century she never thought she would see.

Published under DC Comics' "Black Label," the brand's division responsible for stories aimed at a more mature audience, Jenny Sparks doesn't shy away from some of the harder questions to ask of our society when superhumans are a part of the everyday reality. Like her portrayal in "The Authority" series, Sparks isn't content with simply fighting supervillains every week, but instead strives to make the world better, even if it means stepping out of her lane. Awakening after 9/11, she's horrified by the war she once again sees played out, especially after witnessing the horrors of both World War I and World War II. In the theater of war, what is the role of superhumans, especially those as powerful as Superman? Similarly, she watches other 21st century events play out such as the 2008 housing and financial crisis, the 2016 election of Donald Trump, and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Watching superheroes respond to real-world events rather than simply tangle with supervillains isn't normally seen in comic books and puts a different perspective on a society which makes superhumans part of everyday life.

The Hunger and the Dusk by G. Willow Wilson

In a dying world, humans and orcs are in a constant state of war battling for territory to sustain their respective civilizations. When an ancient, savage enemy known as the Vangol arrive from across the sea, the two societies are forced to form a fragile truce to defend themselves. In a gesture of good faith, the orcs send one of their most gifted healers, Tara Icemane, to fight alongside a small band of human warriors, The Last Men Standing, led by Callum Battlechild. Thrust together against a mutual enemy set on slaughtering anyone in their path, can the two sides work together long enough to drive the invaders from their lands once more?

A high-fantasy, swords-and-sorcery comic, I'd originally picked-up the first three issues of The Hunger and the Dusk but stopped when I forgot to put a hold on issue 4 before I left on vacation, and since it isn't too popular, I couldn't find any extra issues in either of the stores I frequent. Eventually, I did find a copy of the trade paperback in one of the shops and decided to finish the story arc while I wait for the second story arc to wrap up.

Despite being a standard swords-and-sorcery, high-fantasy tale, the story does feature other interesting plot lines not usually found in these types of stories which I'm really hoping are explained further. One of these is the "dying world" setting. Both the orcs and the humans point out that the world in which they live is slowly losing habitable land which is one of the reasons both sides are constantly at war. There's even a scene of grasslands getting so hot they simply catch aflame. The Vangol themselves even mention they are fleeing a disaster, possibly alluding to the same habitat destruction the humans and orcs currently face. This type of competition for resources between two races isn't usually seen as races like to keep to themselves so I'm interested to see where this competition could lead. Adding to the theme is the disappearance of elves and dwarves from the story. Both races are briefly mentioned, but so far none have been seen - the dwarves believed to have gone extinct - which is really interesting to hear of a mass extinction of an entire race of sentient people. I'm hoping the second (or even possibly third?) arc explores more into these mysteries, especially since the comic medium usually isn't as capable as novels (prose, in general) to deal with such lore.

Should you read The Hunger and the Dusk? Do you love all of your standard, high-fantasy tropes - because this one has them all! An ancient enemy, nearly forgotten enemy? Yep. A motley band of warriors who each specialize in a particular weapon? Yep. A will they, won't they love story between former enemies? Yep. Swords and sorcery? Yep. Yeah, it's got all of that.

Earthdivers: 1776 by Stephan Graham Jones

"No, if you want to stop America ... you go to where it really starts. And you use a pen, not a sword. You don't have to kill America. It's not about spilling blood, it's about spilling ink. We hold these truths to be self-evident, you founding father assholes."

One last chance to save the world - by destroying America. The others believed destroying America by killing Christopher Columbus would stop the colonizers but Emily believes differently. You can't stop people, but you can change them. Using the time-traveling cave, she'll jump back to Philadelphia, 1776 to rewrite the single most important document of America's history - the Declaration of Independence. Emily will rely on her wits and knowledge to convince the founding father, Benjamin Franklin to make the necessary changes to allow all citizens access to the same rights. At the same time, history doesn't like to be changed and will do everything and anything to ensure it enfolds as it should. The final arc in the Earthdivers series, Earthdivers: 1776 finds a new protagonist in another era of America's history attempting to save the world. Rather than slitting throats and spilling blood, Emily believes she can use her wit to solve the America problem and rewrite history. At the same time, the others still in the present day are discovering that history doesn't like to be tampered with as the bodies of those sent back fall from the sky. The series ends with an epilogue of sorts, trapping some in an infinite loop while they reflect on why they stepped into the cave in the first place.

I picked this one up thinking it would be just another chapter in the Earthdivers series, but when I read it was the Final Chapter, I was really surprised. I'm not usually one to go out of my way to read historical fantasy (in fact, I usually actively avoid it), but there are so, so many moments in America's history alone that I would've loved to see this story interact with. Perhaps the writer/artist simply wanted to move on to other projects (which is always a good reason to end it your heart isn't in it anymore), so I can understand that reason. Though I never expected the finale or outcome of the story to reveal the world to be a better place without America, I was hopping for a much more finite or solid ending than just circling back to the though experiment which started this series.

For me, stories featuring time-travel can be a bit hit-or-miss depending on the method. I really enjoyed how Earthdivers put together their time-travel situation, especially the forms of time working against them from murderous demons to time literally dropping the travelers back into their own time. I also liked that the cave forces the traveler to be very deliberate about where they want to go as they could be transported to any time based on the items they carry on their person. This stops the obvious choice of bringing back a bunch of useful tools to aid the traveler on their journey, forcing them instead to arrive at their destination absolutely naked with the single object from the time period to which they wanted to travel. It's a clever way to hamstring the protagonists in a believable manner.

The Sacrificers #12 - 15 (story arc completed) by Rick Remender

Pidgeon's newly acquired god-like powers prove too destructive to be used amongst the people when he sees an entire village destroyed during one of his battles. Pulled down into the engine of the world amongst those who keep it moving, he devises a new plan: to give his power and those of the gods to the people. Meanwhile, Solena (still infected with the deadly black spores) and Beatrice find themselves penned with those waiting to be sacrificed to maintain the gods' powers. Finally discovering the location of his missing daughter, the sun god Roku sets off to the holding area only to find the children gone. The sun god makes his wrath and displeasure known, burning through city after city. Before his display of power can reach a climax, his destruction draws the attention of the mortal given godhood - Pidgeon!

The next story arc of Rick Remender's anti-authoritarian comic book finds Pidgeon now truly harnessing his new god-like powers and ends with a confrontation between himself and Roku, the Sun God. With just four issues in this story arc, I'm expecting the next story arc to be the last, although it feels too quick based on the plot threads still needing to be resolved. I do like that Pidgeon has a new, clear plan to bringing down the gods who have taken the lives of the people - to take the power of the gods (who have proven themselves impotent to the threats they're supposed to protect their people from) and distribute it to the people. It's a lot more interesting than simply seeking to kill them in revenge for their years of taking.

John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America #7 - 11 (completed) by Simon Spurrier

 "How d'you confuse an anxious reader?"

The infamous magician and conman, John Constantine continues his trek west across America in search of Dream's lost sand. After questioning the last man to possess the sand and taking a quick trip to Hell, Constantine arrives in Hollywood - the land where all your dreams can come true. Despite his bus destroyed, his allies trapped, and his soul destined for Hell, the conman always has a trick up his sleeve. Finally understanding his enemy, Constantine confronts The Furies, those meant to punish those who betray others, and (in his usual trickster fashion) removes The Sand powering them before forcing their return back to the Gates of Hell. His tricks don't stop there, as, to save his body from death (literally and figuratively) and his soul from Hell's tortures, he'll pull one last con and make his escape.

The end of a long series (well, long for a short, limited series), John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America should've been a story I waited to buy the trade paperback for. As a road trip story, I really liked the different places Constantine and company visited and the people he interacted with, but I had lost track of the main thread partway through. I think I would've liked this one more if I read through it all the way rather than waited months between issues. The places and the people and the tales provided a good lead-up to the final act - Constantine's confrontation with The Furies, creatures from Greek myth who have embedded themselves within America's craving for stories of justice against evil-doers. The story also concludes, like with all great Constantine stories (I honestly haven't read that many), with the sort of trickery the supernatural con-man is famous for, as Constantine not only talks his way out of Hell's demonic clutches, but also slips away from Death herself (with a little fourth wall break joke, no less). It's a long journey published over the course of 14 months, and, like with most road trips, it is a great start, a few dull moments in the middle, but a great payoff at the end when you get there.

The blending of classic myths with the modern day is one of the things I love about The Sandman series and Spurrier does a great job adapting this one to match Gaiman's writing. At the end, we discover The Furies, demigoddesses of justice and punishment against betrayers, utilizing Dream's stolen sand to embed themselves within America's Hollywood ideas of justice and punishment against the wicked. The Furies were used in Greek myth as punishers of betrayers, and mixing these with Hollywood's depiction of justice is an interesting blend, except Hollywood is full of stories that don't exactly relate to the reality of the people as Constantine sees during his travels. Emboldened with power, The Furies now seek to maintain their position in the American mythos, forgoing their duties to the people. Constantine points this fact out to The Furies in their eventual confrontation - how they've neglected to fulfill their basic role in punishing those who harm others, including those who harm guests in their home - and manages to drive them back to the gates of Hell. It's an interesting concept and an interesting solution to a modern issue.

Redcoat by Geoff Johns

Simon Pure is, as he will tell you, anything but. A British redcoat sent to fight during The American Revolution, Pure finds himself dealing with the gift of immortality after accidentally stumbling upon a dark ritual performed by hooded cultists. Scrapping by in America for over 100 years, Pure's bad luck once again catches up when the same cultists arrive once again, this time with a ritual which will destroy America. Joined by a young Albert Einstein, Pure will encounter a number of historical figures in his attempt to uncover the plot - even if it finally kills him.

A book I bought on a whim off the pre-order list of the comic site I've been using. I'd heard about the story when the first issue was released, but the concept didn't interest me enough at the time to invest my money and reading time. When I saw the trade paperback on sale (for a pre-order discount) I thought, "meh, why not?" and put it in my cart. If you like historical fantasy - heavy on the fantastical - then maybe check out this comic. I really enjoyed seeing George Washington wielding magic (probably stolen), allusions to Johnny Appleseed along with his bag of seeds, and other pieces of the American mythos. The story itself also apparently has ties to other stories published under Image Comics though I'm not aware of the others that make up this shared universe.

 

The Displaced by Ed Brisson

What if the city you lived in simply vanished without a trace? That's exactly what happened to Emmett and a small group of survivors when their city of Oshawa, Canada disappears into a sinkhole along with the almost 200,000 residents. The catastrophe doesn't stop there, however, as not only does the rest of the population forget the city and people ever existed but the planet itself closes upon itself and erases any trace of the city. Worse still, no one can remember the survivors of the tragedy, forgetting them the moment they're out of sight. It's now up to Emmett (with a big of guidance from a man who claims he has witnessed events like this before) to keep the group together as separating will cause them to vanish.

Another comic series I bought a couple issues for before deciding to pick-up the trade paperback once it was released, The Displaced was a supernatural thriller about a small group of survivors who needed to band together in a world that had forgotten about them. Definitely an interesting premise, the rest of the story attempts to play out the relationship between the survivors (one group scraping by while the other uses their "forgetability" to commit crimes to take what they what) but with only five issues, the story doesn't get much of a chance to do that before the conclusion. The ending also feels like a bit of a letdown as Emmett never discovers what it is that causes these sinkholes, where these places and people vanish to, and why no one can remember them. Instead, he simply carries on Harold's mission to keep other survivors safe and provide them with the knowledge he has to survive. I was hoping the series would continue, but it looks like it was just a short, five-issue series, so that feels like a letdown.

End After End #7 - 9 (completed) by David DB Andry and Tim Daniel

 

Having located another lost relic in the sealed city of Haven, Walt, Stills, and Grink seek to retrieve the piece and put an end to the war which consumes The End After End. To get it though, Walt will need to convince Haven's ruling majority to give up the relic rather than hold onto it to achieve their own ending. Finally, the last battle is at hand, as the villainous Ulk and its forces await the legendary hero, The Theo, a human who once defeated it long ago. Will the forces of good be able to summon the hero? Will Walt learn the true meaning of what it means to be a hero?

Another comic series I finally got around to finishing. Starting in 2022 (when I first got back into reading comics), this was one of the first series I picked up. Unfortunately, because it's from a smaller publisher (Vault Comics) and I didn't yet know about holding issues at the comic shop, I missed out on the last two issues of the series. Finally, I got around to ordering them from an online retailer, and got to the end of the story. Honestly, I don't know if it is because of the double-length 9th issue, or the time it took for me to get to reading the final two issues, or the erratic release dates, but the ending felt slightly rushed, like there could've been more to it, but the writers only had so many issues to wrap up the story. Was I satisfied with the ending? Sure. The story isn't about the final battle between good and evil (which we didn't witness at all) but about Walt coming to terms with himself and his life in the afterlife.

Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider Vol. 1 Haunted by Stephanie Phillips

Gwen Stacy finds herself trapped on Earth-616 (the primary Marvel universe) for reasons she cannot reveal to her own friends. Stranded by the Time Variance Authority, she is given one, clear directive - lay low. After revealing her presence foiling a bank robbery, she is attacked by a classic spider-villain, although much stronger than they've ever been before. At the same time, Stacy discovers a new power, one she cannot yet manage to control, which could have disastrous consequences to those around her. Just when it seems things can't get worse for the dimension-hopping transplant, another sinister villain makes their presence known, and this one seems to know all about The Ghost Spider and Gwen Stacy.

Typically seen in her own universe, Marvel decided to bring Gwen Stacy aka The Ghost Spider into the main Marvel universe. Hiding a mysterious secret from the other spiders, Stacy finds herself on her own, tackling supervillains much more dangerous than the ones she is used to fighting back on Earth-65. Collecting the first five issues of the new series, "Haunted" begins with Stacy's arrival to Earth-616 spoiled by not only an attack by Kraven (supposedly dead in this universe), but also by visions of the death of this universe's Gwen Stacy. The story also parallel's Peter Parker's story as it pits Gwen against The Chameleon - Parker's first nemesis in "The Amazing Spider-man" comic series, which is pretty cool. There are a couple of mysteries right from the start to get the reader hooked - 3 big ones - which I hope at least one will be answered in the next volume. Yes, I did originally buy the first 2 issues before deciding that the trade paperback would not only be the cheaper route to go through, but also, honestly, I didn't care for the art in the first 2 issues. Marvel thankfully changed the artist by issue 3 to make the story more bearable to read. That said, I'm probably gonna keep going the trade paperback route rather than buying individual issues.

Kill All Immortals #1 - 5 (completed) by Zack Kaplan

 

A thousand years ago, infamous viking Erik the Red discovered a means to immortality, a gift he shared with only his four children. Now, in the modern world, the family is a secretive group of billionaires using their accumulated knowledge, wealth, influence, and old viking savagery to get whatever they want. When Erik's daughter, Frey Asvald, falls in love with a journalist seeking to expose her family's secret, what fallows is a bloody, violent battle between Frey's independence and desire to put this life behind her and her viking siblings seeking to keep their power and family intact.

The story follows Frey as she travels the world, attempting to hide her immortality when she unexpectedly falls in love. Unfortunately, her family not only finds out, but also discovers her fiance is actually a journalist looking to expose the Asvald family secret - that they are really immortal vikings ruling behind the scenes for a millennia. To win her freedom, Frey must not only cut down her siblings one by one, but also rediscover the secret to her family's immortality.

If I read the teaser plot better instead of focusing on the title of the series, I would've waited for the collected trade paperback to read it. Umm, when I first heard about this series I immediately loved the title, expecting it to be one woman's rampage through "immortal" beings in perhaps the same vein as "John Wick." Instead, the story turned out to be a family drama as the immortal Frey attempts to leave her ruthless viking family which isn't really to my taste. The brutal violence though as Frey cuts down foe after foe is truly the highlight of the series. The story ends with a message about living one's own life to the fullest as the siblings (they're immortal, so of course they're coming back) decide to stop serving their father's wishes and live their own lives. What really redeemed the comic, in my eyes, was the ending as another apparently immortal family senses the Asvald's shed their immortality and decide the time is right for war - a family led by Genghis Khan!

Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe by Garth Ennis/ Jonathan Maberry

 

Compiling two famous Punisher stories into a single trade paperback. The first story, Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe by Garth Ennis, is a one-shot reimagining The Punisher's origin story. Rather than his family killed by the mob, this sees Frank Castle's family killed in a superhuman brawl. Sponsored by others harmed and injured by superhumans and armed with a variety of advanced weapons, The Punisher sets out to kill them all. In the collected Marvel Universe vs The Punisher, a virus overruns the planet and turns everyone into cannibals. Forming vicious tribes led by various superhumans, they prey upon the dwindling number of uninfected. Turning New York City into his own hunting ground, The Punisher stalks these new monstrosities - one man against the horde.

Out of curiosity, I picked up this trade paperback from a pre-order list at the online comic shop I've been using (there's a slight discount) because, meh, who doesn't want to see your superheroes going up against other heroes - and who better to challenge an entire universe of superhumans than The Punisher. The first one-shot, Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe, was pretty much what I expected to see - Frank Castle amassing a serious arsenal to deal with EVERY superhuman in the Marvel Universe, until there is just one more monster left to eliminate. As much as I liked seeing The Punisher take down superhumans, I loved that the comic stuck the landing with the ending. As much as folks talk about vigilante justice and perhaps even idolize anti-heroes like The Punisher, it is also important to also recognize them for what they are - killers who are, borrowing from another comic, simply breaking off the pieces of the world they don't agree with - and this story manages to capture that sad fact in its ending.

The second story, The Marvel Universe vs The Punisher, was, well, meh. Simply put, it kinda felt like a bad rip-off of the Marvel Zombies storyline, especially after reading the one-shot first. It's Frank Castle vs the cannibals, yet, we spend too much time dealing with The Punisher trying, and failing, to put down Deadpool, and while it's good comedic relief, I think too much time is spent on it. The rest of the story is just okay as The Punisher sets out to save other uninfected from the hands of a cannibalistic tribe taking over part of New York. There are a few instances of The Punisher killing superhuman cannibals but none that particularly stand out until the final one which is simply there to solidify the man Frank Castle is - a gun.

Cult of the Lamb by Alex Paknadel

 

In a cruel and evil land ruled by four bishops of the Old Faith, a kind and innocent lamb is chosen for sacrifice. Upon their death, however, Lamb meets with another chained and bound creature - a deity known as The One Who Waits - who offers them a deal: returning Lamb to the world of the living along with unholy abilities in exchange for creating a new cult in the god's honor. Returning to the world imbued with new, supernatural gifts, Lamb cuts a path of blood and gore through the bishops' followers while gathering a flock of their own. The Bishops aren't without their own monsters, however, and Lamb may need to make tough choices to keep their new cult safe.

In the same vein as "Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees" (though perhaps this is older), comes Cult of the Lamb, a dark tale of revenge and death and murder - told with cute, cartoon characters. Before picking this one up, I had no idea it was based off a video game by the same name, but after reading it, I definitely see how this would appeal in a video game setting. As for the story, I really like this premise of a sacrifice making a deal to spare their life - either with the deity to which they're being sacrificed, or something else entirely. It's a fun way to twist a story, but taking a likeable, sympathetic character and turning them down the path of evil (sorry, when you're asked to start a cult, you're probably not doing it on the side of good). In fact, it's a premise I see every so often when I'm scrolling through Reddit Writing Prompts. This book collects the first four issues of the comic series, so it's a pretty quick read as we're introduced to Lamb, watch them begin their cult, see it thrive, and witness them dispatch one of the four Bishops. Honestly, nothing really stands out to me, except for the juxtaposition of cutesy cartoon characters and horrific acts of violence, but compared to the other media I've consumed, it's kinda just meh.

Heartpiercer by Rich Douek

Atala believed she was helping her Lord Kurrn make the world a better place by eliminating the monsters of the world. Expecting to be rewarded with Kurrn's love, she is betrayed - stabbed through the chest and thrown into the sea. Returning from what should've been a watery grave, she discovers the world a vastly different place, one filled with horrors and nightmares as Kurrn's forces now rule unopposed thanks to Atala's assistance in killing those who had once imprisoned him. Atala will set out to challenge her betrayers and get her revenge.

Meh, a basic fantasy, revenge story. Atala is betrayed by the man she loves, who reveals himself to be a monster in disguise seeking to conquer the world. Now, to make amends for her part in killing the world's guardians and to get revenge for Kurrn's betrayal, Atala (taking on the name Heartpiercer) sets out on a quest to save the land from the evil now plaguing it. I guess it was supposed to be intense because of the violence, but, meh, if you want that, there's other books you could read instead.

Books of 2024: Quarter 4

Finishing up the last of this year's reading list. A lot of graphic novels/trade paperbacks were read these last three months. I stocked up on ACTUAL books at the end of the year, but I also have more graphic novels in my "To Read" pile, so even I'm curious to see what 2025's reading list will look like.

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath

Woodbrook is your typical quaint little town where everyone knows everyone, the entire town shuts down on holidays, and nothing too exciting ever happens. It's the reason why Samantha abides by one, single rule when it comes to her "hobby" - "Don't kill the locals". For years, this rule has kept her secret safe from the other good people of the Woodbrook community. When another killer arrives in town and starts brutally murdering her neighbors, she'll need to act fast to put a stop the the killings not only to put the town at ease, but also before her own killings are uncovered.

A murder-mystery populated with cute-humanized forest creatures, the art work reminds me of something out of a Disney or Pixar cartoon, but, you know, with murder and blood and violence. Placing a serial killer as the protagonist of a story hunting down another isn't really something new, but using cute animals to do so is what makes this story stand-out to me while the individual issues were being printed (I only managed to read the first issue when the released the THIRD printing). The murders are violent and grizzly (lol, get it, because Samantha is a bear ... it's funny). Right from the start, we're introduced to Samantha's "hobby" as she randomly targets a victim and satisfies her "urge". The tension jumps right at the end of the first issue when Samantha and the rest of the town see the slaughtered body of one of their own put on display. What follows is a murder-mystery as Samantha tries to deduce who the other killer in town is without being caught herself as the bodies start to pile up. The story moves at a good pace as Samantha spies on neighbors and hunts down clues until (of course) she's "framed" and must go on the run herself while the other killer remains free to stalk her neighbors. It's a great and quick story which wraps-up nice and neat after the two killers confront each other in a final showdown.

I Hate Fairyland Vol. 7: In the Mean Time by Skottie Young

Her plan to escape again foiled, Gert's misadventures in Fairyland continue. But first, a few short stories . We'll check-in with Cloudia's life (and many, many bloody deaths) on Earth after her brazen theft of Duncan's door back home. Larry recites the Fairyland version of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" where a mysterious fourth goat satisfies the bridge troll's hunger. Gert and Larry are approached by Fairyland movie directors to create a movie about her life - which, of course, doesn't turn out as expected (and, surprisingly, no blood is spilled although another bodily fluid is spilled in buckets). Back to the main storyline, the Gertlin infestation arises once more and this time spreading its chaos and death across not only Fairyland but The Inferno as well. To combat the horde of monsters, drastic measures are taken and Gert is transformed into a bigger, meaner monster than she has ever been (literally and figuratively).

Collecting issues 11-15 of the second "I Hate Fairyland" series, Gert's time in Fairyland is further chronicled along with a few amusing short stories. Of course, the main draw of the outlandish cartoon violence and gore is still found throughout the entire volume. Though the three short stories weren't as great, it was a good time (plot-wise) to put them here thanks to a noticeable shift in the plot line as Gert had once again failed to escape back to Earth in the last volume. As played out as it might be, it's still funny to keep seeing her fail to return home and continue to terrorize the inhabitants of Fairyland. Yes, it is adolescent humor and over-the-top cartoon violence, but really, what more could you want in a comic book.

Honestly, the most shocking joke in this volume (which I still don't know how Young got away with writing) were the obvious Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce jokes. I definitely understand the need to insert pop-culture references, but to use such high-profile stars for fart jokes is just really ballsy.

We Called Them Giants by Kieron Gillen

Lori awakens one day to find most of the world has simply vanished, nowhere to be found. In this new world, she'll scavenge to survive while avoiding roving gangs who kill anyone they find, or worse. That's when she'll see THEM. The towering giants appear mostly unconcerned with the remnants of humanity - until one captures a member of Lori's group. Can Lori find a way to communicate with the behemoth despite their differences in order to survive this new world?

From the creators of DIE (a completed comic series I will eventually finish, literally the four volumes are sitting on my bedroom floor in my "To Read" pile) comes We Called Them Giants, a short tale focusing on the power and importance of human connection and communication. Starting with the artwork (because I'm shit at drawing and have no business critiquing it), it looks really good. The scenes depicting action look dynamic, the Giants appear otherworldly despite their familiar form. After I first heard about this story, I was surprised it was released as a single graphic novel rather than as individual issues first, but that actually works to its advantage as it is a pretty short read and the pacing makes you want to keep reading until the story's conclusion rather than waiting on monthly issues. The story focuses on Lori, an orphan shuffled from foster family to foster family. Naturally, she mistrusts those around her and while that might keep her safe from The Dogs, it unfortunately causes her to mistrust those who are genuinely looking to care for her. It's when she finally lowers her guard and begins to accept the love and care of those around her, not just from the other humans Lori forms a group with, but The Giant who seeks to simply care for these "strays", that she truly seems happy and is able to care for others as well.

The story is marketed as a tale about the power of communication amongst those who are unable to communicate with a common language - and it absolutely does this. Reading the way the giant interacts with Lori and the other humans reminds me of the way we communicate with our pets - protecting them from harm, caring for them - despite not sharing a common language. Maybe my dog does understand commands like "Sit" and "Stay", but she definitely doesn't understand why except that sometimes she'll get food or treats, not that I'm trying to keep her safe. The giant acts in the same manner once it gets the humans within its domain, providing them with shelter and food despite Lori's obvious mistrust of the creature - sort of like adopting a stray or mistreated animal.

Earthdivers: Ice Age by Stephen Graham Jones

When her children mysteriously vanish, Tawny and her husband go out looking for them. Instead, they stumble across another group on a mission to save the world by stopping the creation of America using a time-traveling cave. As absurd as it sounds, Tawny soon finds that it does work when she is tricked into entering the cave and arriving in prehistoric Florida. Tawny sets off into this dangerous land in the hopes of finding her missing children, and instead ends up in the middle of a battle between a group of native Paleo-Indians and Solutreans who crossed the ice from Europe.

Following on "Earthdivers: Kill Columbus," this story focuses on Tawny who was tricked into entering the cave to find her children. Instead, she is sent to prehistoric Florida and immediately caught between a native group of Paleo-Indians and raiding Solutreans who had crossed the ice from Europe. Thanks to a theory of Europeans crossing the ice into North America during the Ice Age, the story continues its theme of invaders interfering, assaulting, destroying native peoples and cultures (I actually looked into if people really did cross the ice as the story depicts but so far the theory hasn't been accepted). Unlike the previous protagonist, Tawny isn't looking to save the world, just her missing children. Like the previous protagonists, however, she still carries that fire, the rage of knowing another group was responsible for the future/current state of her people, so when she sees a choice to help and give her ancestors a chance, she takes it. Ultimately, it is an interesting addition to the series but I'm really interested to see if the main protagonists can actually stop the creation of America, and if that will actually save the world.

The Ministry of Compliance Vol. 1 by John Ridley

Decades ago, the Devolution infiltrated Earth, the alien species seeking to steer humanity's growth until they can be brought under the Devolution's control. To guide their prize, the Devolution established thirteen ministries, each assigned to influence a particular part of human culture and civilization and industry. Overseeing the other ministries to ensure they stay on mission is the Ministry of Compliance led by Avigail Seena. When a conspiracy emerges from within the ministries which could derail the Devolution's mission, it will be up to Avigail and her small group to put them all back into compliance through a lot of limb-hacking and head-taking.

If you've been following my reading list (as always, why?), you'd know I started reading "The Ministry of Compliance" as individual issues, but then I missed out buying issue 4 so I decided to wait until the trade paperback collection got released, and here it is. At the part I left off (issue 3), my interest was starting to wane a bit, but it definitely rose again after reading the last half as the conspirators are revealed and A LOT of blood is spilled as Avigail sets to bring them "into compliance." Despite being an alien invasion story, "The Ministry of Compliance" doesn't follow the standard "invasion" plot as the Devolution acts much, much more subtly - guiding their targets toward self-destruction and eventual assimilation rather than simply conquering them through sheer might. That subtlety is what I liked most about this story - the way the Devolution moves behind the scenes to influence ALL aspects of human life through their Ministries. It makes for an interesting science-fiction plot that steers away from other common tropes stories of this nature might utilize. That all said, toward the last issue, I kinda realized the plot lines were getting a little stale as Seena simply investigated, then killed everyone in her way, investigated, killed, repeat. We sadly don't get much more than that, though I'm hoping with Seena's new revelation, we might see a change in the way she operates (if the series is allowed to continue).

Dying Inside by Pete Wentz and Hannah Klein

 Ash wants nothing more than to die. She's clinically-depressed, the musician she idolized also died by suicide, and she bought the perfect knife to kill herself with. However, as she watches the knife wound close before her very eyes, Ashe soon learns that thanks to a magical mishap she's now cursed to continue living. Along with Liv (a low-level witch), the two of them will search for a way to reverse Ash's curse so she can get on with her life - by killing herself.

It's a cute story about a depressed teenage-girl who wants to kill herself finding her reason to live after a suicide attempt is thwarted. Is it a story I normally would've picked-up? Probably not. But, they were offering a sneak peek on Free Comic Book Day, and I'm not one to pass on anything free. Plus, Pete Wentz. With all of the Names dipping their toes into comics these days (The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way and Tear Us Apart by Jay Baruchel for example), I figured why not give this a try. After all, Fall Out Boy was one of the bands I listened to growing up that defined emo music (and what genre would be better to tackle the issue of suicidal depression). As already mentioned, it was a cute story, particularly easy to follow with enough foreshadowing thrown in that you could see just where the plot was going (surprise, Ash not only doesn't kill herself but also finds a reason to live). It's also a pretty quick read - I literally sprinted through it while cooking dinner one night. It's unfortunate to say, but I definitely feel Ash's suicidal ideation is extremely relatable to anyone who's been a teenager and this makes her a mirror for readers to see themselves as she undertakes this quest to die.

One of the more questionable aspects posed by this story is just how far are doctors allowed to go when treating their patients. The story, of course, takes an easy-out to the question when it is revealed that Ash's mom's boyfriend has been taking the free will from his patients but only to prevent them from harming themselves. If a person has a chemical-imbalance which already takes away their free will and prevents them from acting rationally, should a treatment provider also be allowed to do the same to keep the patient safe and alive? It's a pretty big question especially when it comes to simply prescribing medication vs forcing someone to take medication, which the story just scoots right passed probably because, as previously mentioned several times, it's a cute tale of suicide and a teenager finding a reason to live.

God Country by Donny Cates

Emmett Quinlan is slowly dying of Alzheimer's disease, while his son and his family struggle to decide how to handle the old man's more frequent confused violent outbursts. When a tornado not from this world rips through Emmett's Texas home, it leaves behind a treasure. From the rubble of his home, Emmett emerges holding a giant, twelve-foot sword known as Valofax - the sword of swords, and as long as Emmett holds Valofax, his Alzheimer's appears cured and he remembers everything once again. The sword's owner, though, is not happy with the sword being absent from his realm, and the living-god will not stop until Valofax is returned.

An epic tale told as a story passed down by a Texas family of the battle an old man undertook against not only a god coming to claim what he holds, but also his battle against himself as well. I first heard about this book at a collector's convention when I saw a second-printing of the first issue in a box for $5.00, and if it sounded interesting enough to pick-up. An intriguing first issue (which I sold recently a couple months back for $4.50), I put it on my "To Read" list, which I ended up finding the trade paperback at Book-Off for $2.00, which was a great deal. The story follows the Quinlan family and their encounter with a godly sword which cures Emmett of his Alzheimer's. Chosen by the sword to be its bearer and unwilling to let go, Emmett will fight off monsters and gods while increasingly putting his family at risk despite their requests and pleas for him to simply return the sword as asked.

A tale of man vs god, The Quinlan Family is beset upon by supernatural forces looking to reclaim Valofax from Emmett who, in turn, refuses to let it go. Despite it reading as an epic tale filled with great battles, what really stood out to me was the similarities between Emmett and Attum, the god of Always and Valofax's creator. Both are old men past their prime struggling to hold onto what is theirs and refusing to let go despite everything around them falling apart, and the burdens placed on their own families. Emmett, finally getting his memories back, refuses to relinquish Valofax despite knowing he is not using the sword for its intended purpose, and instead tries to carry-on as family watches on. Attum, a conqueror who forged Valofax by stealing a sun and dooming billions of lives, struggles every moment to keep his own doomed kingdom from crumbling further. This parallel between the two characters is what pits them against one another in a final confrontation.

The Agent by Mathieu Gabella

When a simple drug bust turns into a brush with the occult, Officer Rhym Bekhti is thrust into the world of espionage and magic. Teaming up with Agent Sebastien Ferrant, the two will need to find an untraceable courier and dodge bullets enchanted to always hit their target in order to stop a terrorist plot of a magnitude rarely seen.

I originally picked-up issue #1 a while back out of curiosity, but I guess it didn't sell well (honestly, most stuff from Ablaze Comics doesn't at my local comic shop) because they didn't bring in any subsequent issues. Then, I saw the trade paperback on sale at a different shop and thought, meh, "let's see what the rest of this story is about." The story itself doesn't quite wrap-up (if there isn't a body, is the person really dead?) and leaves the door open for future stories, if it's picked-up for future issues.

An urban fantasy comic blending magic and espionage, "The Agent" provides a gripping thriller as Rhym and Sebastien hunt down a group of terrorists across France. What I found most intriguing was the ritual witchcraft used in the series - magic requiring ritual and totems and ingredients and belief to affect the world rather than simply pointing a wand, saying some gibberish, and shooting deadly light at your enemies. It's a different type of magic requiring preparation and time not normally seen in these types of stories, probably due to story pacing as both protagonists and antagonists are always on the move. The characters are your standard urban fantasy characters: Rhym is the new "fish-out-of-water" character being dropped into this new world she doesn't understand; Sebastien is the gruff and grizzled veteran looking to stop the bad guys by any means necessary; and even the antagonist is the "I'm doing this for the greater good" type. The interesting change comes from the government-sanctioned aspect as, in most stories, these characters usually work outside the law to keep the public safe. Seeing magic not only utilized by various government agencies, but even expected (shown in the first issue when the CIA uses Native American magic to influence a French scientist) is pretty interesting and adds a new layer to the story.

Spider-Gwen: Gwenverse by Tim Seeley

In an alternate universe, it was Gwen Stacey who was bitten by a radioactive spider, gaining superpowers, and becoming The Ghost Spider, aka Spider-Gwen. Earth-65 is very different from Earth-616 as the villains aren't typically all that powerful. That changes when Gwen is accidentally split across time, resulting in her universe turning into a very different world than she remembers. Spider-Gwen will travel across time to gather these anomalies and set her world right. Except these other Gwens aren't just her, but versions of her which had taken-up different mantles, abilities, names - a Gwen who wields Mjolnir, a Gwen infused with super-soldier serum, and many more. Can The Ghost Spider gather these other versions of herself in time to put a stop to the evil plan of the villain who started this mess?

Spider-Gwen is a pretty interesting character (and I'm still hoping to pick-up an "Edge of the Spider-verse #2" one day... but cheaply), having seen her portrayed in Sony's Spiderverse movies and in a couple comic books I've read. I picked this one up though not for that reason but because David Nakayama was a guest at Amazing Con and I was hoping to get something signed by him. Looking up his resume, I saw I did the covers for this series, so I picked up the first issue as well as the trade paperback collecting all of the issues. Unfortunately, the comics didn't arrive until after the convention, so no autograph. Anyways, the story is pretty interesting, seeing Gwen Stacey taking on different superhero mantles and powers, as well as deal with her own personal insecurities. At first, I thought this would be more of a multiverse story but the other Gwens are just aspects of Spider-Gwen's personality, so not quite. This story did provide me with more insight into Gwen Stacey and her abilities and her history. A fun superhero read which goes surprisingly deep emotionally as Stacey learns to accept who she is compared to the other spider-people she has worked along side of.

Spider-man: Reign by Kaare Andrews

Visiting a future Manhattan where its citizens have traded freedom for the heavy-handed security provided by the Reign, we find an old, tired, and broken Peter Parker. As the mayor reveals his new plan to "protect" the city, a raving, rambling J. Jonah Jameson prophecies Spider-Man's return to once again save the city. Can a beaten Peter Parker find it in himself to once again don the suit and mask and take up his responsibility to protect the city?

Portraying an alternate universe in the similar way of "The Dark Knight Returns" and, more recently, "Avengers: Twilight", we meet an older, broken Peter Parker/Spider-man caught in a city he no longer recognizes and seemingly put away his mask for the last time. Written in the post-9/11 world, Manhattan is under the rule of the mayor and the Reign, who patrol the streets and crackdown on anyone caught breaking the law. It's a city that's managed to eliminate its supervillains and vigilantes through totalitarian rule. Parker has given up his costume (and, seemingly, his powers) after the greatest tragedy of his life. A mysterious villain hides in plain sight. Honestly, it's an okay read for four collected issues, though it doesn't really introduce any new insight or concepts or ideas I haven't read before.

The main reason I picked this up was because a second series set in this universe was released which continued the adventures of an aged Peter Parker. Having read other alternate versions of older superheroes, I was curious to see how this one was portrayed ... and I found it confusing. The spider which bit Peter gives him super-strength and super-agility. Despite being old, there's no reason those powers should vanish simply because Parker has given-up on the city, and then returns once he again dons his mask. It was weird. I kinda wished they explained a bit more about why Parker didn't have his powers anymore instead of skimming past it. As for the other themes and aspects of the story, umm, yeah, they kinda just fell flat for me having seen them played out before in other comic storylines.

Peter & Max: A Fables Novel by Bill Willingham

Living in hiding amongst the rest of Earth's population are a secret group of refugees known as The Fables. For centuries, they've hidden themselves from the eye of the Emperor who conquered their homelands one after another. But no one can hide forever, and the Emperor isn't the only villain hunting them. When Peter Piper is given the terrible news that his brother, Max, the Pied Piper, has been spotted on Earth, Peter will set out on his own to confront him and put a stop to his evil once and for all. What follows is a tale of two brothers, a falling out, and their diverging paths.

This one I'd read a long, long time ago way back when (I think) the Fables comics were still being written. Its was a great story, so I held onto the book for a long time. Then, having not re-read it for a while, I finally decided in 2023 to sell it off to Skull-Face Books. Then, wandering the shop in late 2024, I saw it on the shelf for $5.00 and said to myself, "Meh, why not give it another read," so I bought my own copy back from them. I'm still undecided if I'm going to sell it again yet or keep it with my Fables collection.

Despite being over 300 pages, the story moves along fairly quickly with most of the story detailing Peter and Max's history and how they became who they are in the present day. Like the Fables comic, the story uses known characters from fables and fairytales and gives them a twist. In this story, Peter Piper and Max Piper (later becoming the Pied Piper) are brothers and traveling musicians who have a falling out over a disagreement on who should inherit their family's prized instrument. Separated by war, the two brothers travel different paths - Peter becoming the "thief" his brother accused him of being, while Max turned into a monster he believed he needed to become to thrive. It's an interesting tale showing how two pipers set on different paths became the men we find them to be in the present day. Oh, and Bo Peep is revealed to be a trained assassin, so that's pretty cool. The story also includes a brief epilogue which fits nicely into the Fables comic series detailing Peter and Bo's contributions to the war efforts.

The Wicked and the Divine by Kieron Gillen

Every 90 years, twelve gods are reincarnated on Earth. In two years, they will die. In the time they have, they are loved and worshipped as pop-starts. Not everyone is in belief of this godhood, however, and a small group takes aim as the one know as Lucifer. The gods, however, are also gifted supernatural abilities, and the god easily defends herself with a literal snap of the fingers. When a similar display of her powers goes wrong, however, Laura will set out to prove the god's innocence. 

I kept seeing this book in comic shops and online review pages, and I knew it was written by the same writer as "Die" so I assumed I'd get around to giving it a look eventually. Then, luckily, I found it at Book-Off for a dollar and figured that was a good enough sign to give it a read. As for continuing it, the story didn't hook me too much, so I'm not in a hurry to pick-up the rest of the trade paperbacks, but maybe eventually.

The story follows Laura, guided by her adoration of The Pantheon, as she witnesses the gods' powers firsthand, first to simply defend themselves and then again to murder. Believing Lucifer's innocence, she'll set off to meet with the rest of this cycle's Pantheon of Gods to determine who may have framed her. It's a compelling premise with a lot of promise (12 people who mysteriously receive supernatural powers but are destined to die within 2 years), and I'm really interested in the "idol" nature/parallel of it. Seeing these reincarnated gods worshipped as pop-stars knowing they all have abilities outside what a human is capable of is particularly interesting to read as a parallel to the way we see "idols" today (I'm talking about the Korean boy/girl group scene of which I'm getting familiar with thanks to my music taste).

The Midnight Line by Lee Child

Jack Reacher wanders into a pawn shop in a small town and spots a West Point class ring. It's a small ring, a woman's ring, with just three letters etched inside the band. Despite belonging to someone who graduated years after Reacher himself had, he understands the four years of hard work she would've put in to earn that ring, and sets out to discover what unlucky situation would force her to part with it - and return the ring. His journey will take him from a dingy biker diver bar in a small town to the rural backwoods in the middle of nowhere. Looking for an answer to a question he'll discover the ring is connected to a larger criminal enterprise dealing with a product which should be impossible to distribute in the entirety of the United States. 

It's been a while since I've gotten to reading a Jack Reacher book (not since the beginning of 2024, in fact). I used to use these as a "palette cleanser" between genre books but I guess because I haven't been reading as much that I haven't needed them for a bit. I really like that they're easy reads, proceeding along from point to point, and despite its page length, most books don't usually take me more than seven to ten days to get through. It's another Jack Reacher book following the same formula: Reacher stumbles upon a problem/mystery, he sets off in search of answers, he meets people, finds the answers and beats the bad guys (though those last two points aren't always in that order). If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? If you're looking at the book and asking, "Wait, is that a hardcover book?", well, yes, it is. I found this particular one at a Bookoff for $5.00 which is not only way cheaper than the regular price of a hardcover, but also cheaper than the paperback copies, so of course I picked it up. How does the book compare to others? I really enjoyed the mystery of the book: trying to discover what could've happened to make a graduate give up their West Point class ring, and what products the criminals were distributing. These questions kept me turning the pages until the very end. Besides that though, I'd rank the story as just a "meh," definitely not the best, but not the worst, just okay. It did feel a little bogged-down in exposition when talking about the fentanyl drug trade and post-military service assistance provided to veterans, but honestly, a lot of the Reacher books I recently read have had opinions on current events.

And Then You're Dead by Cody Cassidy and Paul Doherty, PhD

 Most of you will die a very common death. Very, very, very few of you will not. In "And Then You're Dead," scientist Paul Doherty, PhD and writer Cody Cassidy pull together dozens of the most strangest deaths ever died (or, in some cases, as close as one can get to dying) and give a glimpse not only in the history, but even the science involved. It's a grisly look into how much the human body can tolerate when pushed to its limit, and what happens when that line is crossed.

I picked-up four or five books during 2024's McKinley Book Sale, but this was perhaps the only one I enjoyed enough to read from start to end. "What, you didn't finish a book?" you ask. I know, typically even if I dislike it, if I spent $10.00 or more on it (books are getting expensive), I'm still gonna get through it because, well, because I spent $10.00 on it. Luckily, I only wasted about a dollar or two per book, so I didn't feel too bad about not reading them through. For example, at the same time I'd bought a book describing deaths died by Darwin Award recipients though it turned out not all of them were recipients, not all of the stories were true, and the writing wasn't as fun as I'd hoped a book about Darwin Award deaths to be. In comparison, I really liked how this book goes into the science of the death - just exactly what happens to the body based on what was not only witnessed, but what we know through our understanding of physics ("What if you went over Niagra Falls in a barrel?"), anatomy ("What if you never slept?"), astronomy ("What if you went to the moon without a space suit?"), electricity ("What if you were struck by lightning?"), entomology ("What if you were swarmed by bees?"), and more. Some of my favorite entries include:
1. What if you were hit by a penny dropped from the Empire State Building? Actually, not much more than a sting, but apparently a ballpoint pen might kill you.
2. What would happen if your elevator cable broke? Thanks to the invention of the elevator brake, a modern elevator rarely plummets on its own if the cable is severed, and in the events that people died, it's usually due to human error
3. What happens if you were sacrificed to a volcano? Apparently, fucking no one did this (thanks Hollywood), but if you were thrown into one, the heat alone would flash boil all of the water in your body. I also forgot that since technically lava is melted rock, you wouldn't sink, you'd actually be buried.

Obviously, from the picture, I also read a bunch of comic books:

The Power Fantasy #1 - 5 by Kieron Gillen

In 1945, as the first atomic tests were underway, the very first person with extranormal abilities appeared. Today, six "superpowers" walk the Earth, each one with the destructive capability of the United States of America's entire nuclear arsenal - and the continued existence of humanity depends on none of them coming into conflict with another. When the United States fails to assassinate Brother Ray "Heavy" Harris atop his floating city, rather than allow Heavy to retaliate by decimating all of Texas, Etienne Lux psychically kills The President, his staff, the scientists, and anyone else with knowledge of the plot. Despite being split even amongst themselves, the six superpowers work together to maintain a very fragile truce to ensure the status quo. But any unsteady balance can easily be tipped, and new threats are emerging that could swing the scale one way or another and lead the world into another catastrophe.

I was really excited for this comic when I first heard about it - a story about people with such destructive superpowers bu the same writer as "Die" (you've gotta be sick of me praising Gillen's writing at this point). I even put in a "pull" request at the comic shop to ensure I got the first issue. After the first issue, I loved the concept and the story so much (the assassination of the President of the USA in the first issue?!) that I not only continued to pick-up the Cover A versions, but also the Cover B issues, too - except for issue 5 which had been sold out before I got to the shop, or perhaps was never brought in. Despite my desire to fucking stop spending money on individual issues and focus instead on buying trade paperbacks to read instead (yes, I also pre-ordered the trade version, too, which includes all the issues I fucking read), I do plan to continue buying ALL of the issues of this story. Since it is written by Kieron Gillen, I'm assuming there is planned storyline with an estimated number of issues needed to tell said story, and it won't spiral into some drawn-out cash-grab of filler issues that don't contribute to the overall plot of the story. At least, I (and my wallet) hope so.

I really love this concept and these first five issues did not disappoint. It's very different from the superhero vs supervillain stories I'm used to reading when it comes to people with superpowers. This idea that these six people people CANNOT be brought to trade blows with each other or it could cause severe destruction just isn't something that's addressed in other superhero comics lest it kill any of the action. If you think about it, there are a bunch of superheroes considered top-tier, S-class, omega level, whatever, and we still debate on who would win in a fight without realizing that EVERYONE around the battlefield would lose. The end of the last issue even depicts the fallout of one of their "failures" to maintain balance amongst themselves with the erasure of Great Britain.

These first five issues serve as an introduction to the world and the defining incident in the present-day (the attempted assassination of Heavy and Eti's response) that could trigger another disaster. It provides a back story to most of the six "superpowers" that will be the focus of the story. I also like these powers don't originate from just one "source" but several different ones as not only is magic referenced but even Heaven and Hell - expanding abilities beyond just what a human might be capable of with a genetic mutation. The current split amongst the group is also examined, revealing how each side may act to counter the other, though I'm still hoping for more information on "how" they chose the sides they are on and why.

The Ultimates #1 - 7 by Deniz Camp

To escape an attack by The Maker's Council, Tony Stark (Iron Lad) and his group jump six months into the future. With just 18 months left to prepare for The Maker's return, Stark and mentally-broken Reed Richards (Doom) go about putting together a new Ultimates team. Recruiting such a team, however, isn't as simple as sending super gifts in the mail as Stark and Richards will quickly learn, and the team will need to put boots on the ground to get their revolution going. With a team formed, they'll strike at The Maker's council, only to discover just how powerful and dangerous their foes really are.

The fourth series coming out of Marvel's new "Ultimate" universe, "The Ultimates" focuses upon the team set on combating The Maker's Council, returning the world to the way it should've been before The Maker's influence, and, eventually, preparing for The Maker's return. Now (just for a little bit), I'm going to have to get political because, honestly, how could you tell this story without understanding the current state of the world. The previous "Ultimates" universe focused upon a post-9/11 world obsessed with security and government control. This new iteration focuses upon "Truth," especially in the modern era where facts can be manipulated as The Maker literally re-writes the history of the universe so no one can oppose his rule while he and his Council regularly feed the masses lies to keep them afraid and docile. Okay, that's enough of that.

As mentioned, this reality was skewed from the main Marvel Universe by The Maker (a version of Reed Richards) who infiltrated this universe with the intent of shaping it to his desires by eliminating many of the world's superheroes while converting those he could bring over to his side to rule from the shadows. Though The Maker remains trapped within his own city, his council still rules over Earth. Labelled as terrorists and framed for a devastating attack on New York, Tony Stark and his group attempt to assemble a new team while in hiding - which goes horribly (funny, but still horrible). These first several issues focuses on the backstories and histories of the members of the team while they attack The Maker's assets until the full team is gathered for an assault which does not go as planned.

What is really fun about this series is seeing these characters everyone knows re-imagined in this new universe - how one man and his lies can change the course of history. How would Captain America react to seeing the United States of America he once fought for before being frozen dissolved? Who might pick-up Hawkeye's bow if the original turned down the offer? Could a broken Reed Richards, tortured into believing he was the "doom" of everyone he came into contact with, be brought back to himself? And how powerful could The Hulk become if he instead discovered inner peace - and took up the mantle of the Iron Fist?

Ultimate Spider-man #7 - 12 by Jonathan Hickman

Kingpin Wilson Fisk takes matters into his own hands to deal with the Green Goblin and Spider-man by pulling together his strongest lieutenants to form The Sinister Six. Peter Parker and Harry Osborn strengthen their bond as friends and partners, and learn what makes them stand apart from the other. Tony Stark appears to prepare the two heroes for The Maker's return. Disappointed in the sensational stories and pictures they're running in their newly formed newspaper, J.J. Jameson and Ben Parker receive an interesting tip which leads them right to not only Oscorp and Harry Osborn, but also to Peter's secret identity. Finally, an unforgettable Christmas Party with unexpected visitors and a shocking reveal as one party-goer isn't who they appear to be.

The stakes escalate in these six issues as not only are new villains introduced in the form of The Sinister Six, but also connecting this series to "The Ultimates" series and thus The Maker. Plus, the shocking twist at the end of issue 12 revealing Parker and Osborn kidnapped and Parker's Picotech suit having replaced him.

Honestly, still my favorite series within this new Marvel Ultimate Universe. I love this new version of Peter Parker - I like his maturity, the new family life, his relationship with Harry Osborn - and what that all brings to his version of Spider-man. I especially love that we got scenes of this older Park balancing his new life (one that is never seen in the main universe) with his very new Spider-man responsibilities. To me, this is the best way to write this story and character showing Marvel made a good choice in choosing Hickman as the writer. One quote in regards to superheroes that has stuck with me for years is that "everyone wants to be Batman, but everyone can relate to Spider-man," and that's because we get just as much of Spider-man saving the day as Peter Parker's everyday life. By including just as much of Parker's life in this story as he tries to find his footing as the new Spider-man is a great way to maintain this tradition.

Though you don't need to know anything about the main Marvel Universe, it is a lot of fun when you do recognize the little Easter Eggs Hickman throws into the story: the fake reporter "Ben Reilly" alludes to the Parker clone Ben Reilly in the main universe; mentioning "The Brocks" in the issue featuring a new, scarier version of the Venom character; and Harry Osborn's choice to utilize an AI version of his father, Norman Osborn, in his suit making him even more like his Green Goblin counterpart in the 616 universe. This character was such a good choice to start the new Ultimate Universe thanks to not only his mainstream popularity but also the long history Hickman has to draw inspiration from while still writing his own unique take on the character.

Ultimate X-Men #5 - 10 by Peach Momoko

Haunted by the Shadow and her secret mutant powers exposed, Hisako Ichiki along with her classmates Mai Igarashi and psychic Nico Minoru look for answers in the mysterious omamori amulet Hisako received. Shinobu Kageyama, the Shadow King and follower of Children of the Atom, makes himself known when he confronts Hisako and her classmates. Utilizing her Armor ability, Hisako injures Shinobu to her friends' surprise. Shinobu is taken to Maester, leader of the Children of the Atom cult - a group believing those with abilities are the next evolution of mankind - homo-superior - to recover. Mei (Maystorm) challenges Noriko Ashida (Surge), both of them utilizing their mutant abilities, and wins but not before Noriko reveals the experiments Children of the Atom conducts on its followers. Further proof of these experiments are revealed to the public when a body baring the symbol of the cult is found in a suitcase. As public unrest ignites in the Eastern Region and mutants are attacked, followers of the cult step out of the shadows to fight back.

Continuing the story of a new generation of teenage mutants growing up in The Maker - controlled Eastern region, more mutants are revealed amongst Hisako's group and the Shadow is revealed. Within them are some of the classic X-men abilities such as weather manipulation and optic blasts but also those which mutate the host's body to appear inhuman. These abilities and the cult which seeks to draw together those possessing them is finally brought to the public eye with a horrific scene. A battle between humans and mutantkind may be brewing in future issues.

Regarding the art, Peach Momoko's watercolor paint art style is really unique, at least in the comics I'm reading (especially superhero comics), and there's something about it that adds to this comic in particular. It isn't the clean, solid colors I'm uses to seeing in these stories, and I think that helps to convey the uncertainty of youth these teens face growing up with unguided mutant abilities.

I'm really liking this new version of the X-men as they really are just teenagers without any sort of adult guidance in regards to their emerging powers - no established X-men team, no Professor Charles Xavier to lead them. They even joke about the name "X-men" not because of the x-gene or Charles Xavier but because of their bad grades. The one thing that I would like more of is more "slice-of-life" moments showing the kids simply being kids. "Ultimate Spider-man" includes a birthday party for one of Parker's kids and a dinner date with the Parker's and the Osborn's. Even the last issue was about the Parkers' Christmas dinner! I think "Ultimate X-men" would benefit from the same.

Ultimate Black Panther #6 - 11 by Bryan Hill

Khonshu and Ra finally come out from the shadows to make their presence known and immediately draw a following amongst the people of Africa. With his new army, Khonshu, using the name Moon Knight, strikes out across the continent, attacking foreign-backed infrastructures and gathering new followers. King T'Challa responds, fighting against Khonshu's zealots as the Black Panther but is torn as he also fights against the very people the Black Panther is supposed to protect. At the same time, he sends Killmonger and Ororo out into the world to find one who understands the new element the two gods are using to build their power, and they discover the current Sorcerer Supreme.

The Maker's lieutenants Khonshu and Ra strike out against the Black Panther by coming out of the shadows and creating their own army of followers. King T'Challa, of course, has to respond with force against this new threat, but struggles with harming the people he is supposed to protect. This struggle, I think, is the heart of the "Ultimate Black Panther" series as it is something not seen in the other current Ultimate Universe series, and makes the story so much more than the standard "superhero" story. T'Challa has not only a responsibility to use his power to stop Khonshu and Ra, but also to protect his people and all that the Black Panther is sworn to protect.

This being the new Ultimate Universe, of course there's some interesting changes which makes this universe different from the main Marvel Universe. It was already interesting to see the new relationship dynamic between the characters but now we learn about a change to something even more constant in the Black Panther world - Vibranium. With Khonshu and Ra coveting a new element depicted as Vibranium's counterpart, we're new seeing Vibranium in a new light as well. The idea of the metal as possibly a living organism (like Venom ... or Flubber) adds a new twist to the story and I'm interested to see where it goes. Plus, the introduction of a new, twisted, possibly sadistic, Sorcerer Supreme!

The Ultimate Universe

Just to talk about these four series as a whole for a minute, the best part of this new universe so far is just how easy they are to read. Sure, it's fun to see references to established characters and groups and events from the main universe, but honestly, you don't need to know any of that to read these books (and, likely, the upcoming "Ultimate Wolverine" title). At the moment, an end point has sort-of been established as The Ultimates (and likely the rest of the new heroes) prepare for The Maker's return as he is currently locked away within his city for the next two years, but all of these series could possibly continue past a war against The Maker and his forces. If you were thinking about jumping into Marvel comics but feel intimidated by all the lore you need to know, this series is a great one to pick up.

The Outsiders #9 - 11 (Completed) by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly

The Drummer leads Lucius and Lucas Fox into the Lost City of Cannon where the forces of Order and Chaos wage a never-ending battle for the city's prize - a giant cannon ("the first and last gun") capable of destroying this universe, or any other. Soon after, Jakita's true goal is revealed as she aims The Outsiders' newly acquired weapon at the very center of The Snowflake where every single universe and reality meet. Will the three remaining Outsiders be enough to stop Jakita from destroying every single reality?

If you're a Batman and meta-fiction fan, then this is the series written for you. The 11 issue series comes to an end as Jakita/The Drummer attempts to destroy all realities out of spite for it ripping her from her home and killing everyone she loved, and only Bat-Wing, Batwoman, and Lucius Fox stand in her way. Originally formed by Lucius and Lucas Fox as a team to explore the nature of their reality and to explain all the "Crisis" events the DC universe has experienced, the team now deals with a reality-ending crisis of their own.

This was such a fun ride from "The Authority" references to the multiverse-hopping, and these last three issues continue the trend. Issue #9 was especially fun with the introduction of The Cannon meant to destroy other realities and leaving behind only what is "canon." And the remark Jakita makes about "a gun controlling the universe" as it is not only a gun which is the foundation of Batman's origin but could also be a reference to "Chekov's Gun," the narrative principle for writers to ensure they cut wasted elements. In Issue #10, we get callbacks to a variety of different characters and story elements from the past nine issues to see how the story ended up at this point. Finally, in Issue #11, is the discussion of Narrator vs Reader, and (hopefully) teasers to a new "The Authority" story. It was a fun ride, a little confusing at times sure, as most stories of this nature tend to be, at least a little, but definitely worth the read. As I've always said, I'm not very versed in either DC or Marvel lore, so I couldn't tell you if Marvel has ever had these types of world/reality ending crises, but I would be curious to see if Marvel could put something like this together as that story would also be worth reading.

Batman and Robin #11 - 15 by Joshua Williamson (11 - 13) and Phillip Kennedy Johnson (14 - 15)

Through Issues #11 - 13, Batman and Robin arrive on Dinosaur Island to confront Bane and bring him to justice for the murder of Alfred Pennyworth. Arriving on the island however, they find Band and his clone/daughter, Vengeance, in a fight with Kobra Kult members over a new Venom formula. The tension grows as Damien confronts Bane alone, the boy having witnessed Bane snapping the butler's neck, and it is unclear if his former training with the League of Shadows will return, especially when he is injected with the new Venom formula which brings out one's inner rage. Thanks to his father's teaching and training, Damien controls his rage and chooses mercy for Bane, choosing to arrest him and return him to Gotham rather than acting as judge, jury and executioner. The group beats back Kobra Kult and then return home. Issue #14 starts a new story arc as a mysterious villain attacks a charity dinner attended by Bruce and Damien Wayne. Having failed to save a bystander, Damien begins to question his purpose as the mysterious Momento makes his presence in Gotham known.

I still really like this series not only because of the superhero Batman and Robin aspect, but because of the Bruce and Damien Wayne relationship. The focus on issues #11 - 13 was on Damien overcoming his past as a killer by Ra's al Ghul and how he was changed by his father's teachings. As for the rest of those three issues, meh, they were okay. I didn't really care about the other things going on with Kobra Kult or with Vengeance. Perhaps it was because the creative team only got three issues to tell the story they wanted. Also, I didn't care for the art style in those issues. Starting at Issue #14, a new creative team took over which got me excited thanks to a mysterious, shadowy villain and an art style I liked more. We also got a bit more of "artist" Damien which I really like seeing as it adds a bit more to his character and makes him feel more like a "real" person.

Zatanna: Bring Down the House #1 - 5 (Completed) by Mariko Tamaki

Zatanna Zatara spends her days performing card tricks and stage illusions for a Las Vegas audience - free admission with the purchase of a waterpark ticket - and her nights haunted by a tragic accident. A demon attack during one of her shows drags Zatanna back into the realm of magic, a world she barely knew of before her father's, the great sorcerer Zatara, disappearance. Meeting with new and old friends, Zatanna will regain her own forgotten magical abilities and remember the truth behind her father's vanishing act - all in time to confront an emerging threat.

Typically used as a side character, I picked this one up as it was a solo-Zatanna story. Until I started reading it, I didn't realize it would be an origin story of sorts, revealing how she overcame her reluctance to use magic and regained her powers. It provides a look into the hidden magic community, with a special cameo-appearance by John Constantine which is cool to see. No, I've got no idea if this is canon, but it was still a fun read. As great as I hoped? Meh, it had its moments but this is one I probably should've waited patiently for the trade paperback release.

One thing I liked doing regarding these five issues was buying the variant cover issues rather than the main cover. Why? Honestly, I don't know. I liked the variant of the first issue and the expected variant of issue 3, so I just figured I'd just buy variant covers for this short, 5-issue run. No, it doesn't mean they're more valuable or will sell better, just that I liked the cover art on these variants more than the main cover. Honestly, I think more people want to buy either the main cover (usually referred to as Cover A) or else the "Incentive Cover" - the rarer 1 in 25 or 1 in 50 or even 1 in 100 variant covers (yeah, that's real). These comics that I've got will likely simply sit in a box (yeah, I've got boxes now) or perhaps I'll find a way to sell them off as a set if I want to get rid of them (I really like the third cover!).