David McK (3663 KP) rated Batman: Arkham Origins in Books
Jan 30, 2019
I picked this up on a whim when I spotted it on sale in a local 'Works' (basically, bargain books) shop, with fond memories of playing the game on which it is based.
I thought it would be, basically, a comic/graphic novel retelling the plot of that game.
I was wrong.
A few pages into this, I realised it's actually a 'Choose-your-own-adventure' style of story, set (as the name suggest) back at the very start of Batman's career as a vigilante crime-fighter, with little-to-no links to that console game.
It was interesting for a diversion, however it did only take a couple of attempts to reach the 'good' ending (and even that was not that great), after a few dead-ends.
An interesting experiment, maybe, but nothing to set the world alight.
David McK (3663 KP) rated Superman: Birthright in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Thinking about it, I think that knowledge comes from the Christopher Reeve Superman films, and the more recent TV series Smallville.
That TV series was still running when this graphic novel series was released.
This goes back to Superman's earliest days in Metropolis, with a brief flash-back to his high school Smallville days, to present a new take on the origin of the character - Jimmy Olsen? Check. Ma and Pa Kent? Check. Perry White? Check. Lois Lane? Check. Lex Luthor? Also check!
As such, I found this an interesting take on the character, with some dynamic action sequences and some stand-out visuals (Clark Kent soaring over a herd of stampeding Zebra's, for instance).
Chartist Fiction: Volume 2: Ernest Jones, Woman's Wrongs
Book
This title was first published in 2001. When the Chartist leader Ernest Jones emerged from prison in...
Democracy
Alecos Papadatos, Abraham Kawa and Annie Di Donna
Book
It is 490BC and Athens is at war. Leander, trying to rouse his comrades for the morrow's battle...
Black'mor Chronicles: The Demons
Elian Black'Mor and M. Carine-
Book
When world traveler and paranormal journalist Elian Black'Mor arrives in London, he discovers a...
David McK (3663 KP) rated Captain America: Civil War (2016) in Movies
Aug 26, 2019 (Updated Sep 2, 2020)
Taking its cue from the graphic novel arc of the same name (although there may be some truth to the charge that this is more a Civil Facas than a Civil War as there's not so many super heroes running about here), this sees the Avengers splitting into two camps over an ideological difference in whether they should be regulated or not: in one cam, we have Iron Man leading those all in favour, while on the other we have Captain America leading those opposed to it.
Also introducing Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther and the nation of Wakanda, this film ends with a final bruising fight between Cap and Iron Man, with neither of the characters reuniting until 2019s Avengers: Endgame at least 3(?) movies later.
New Kid
Book
Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Gene Luen Yang, New Kid is a timely, honest graphic novel...
The Living Dead (The Living Dead, #1)
Book
Ideal for fans of iZombie, Colin Morgan, The Walking Dead, iZombie comics, Resident Evil anthology,...
Captain Marvel: The Death of Captain Marvel
Book
Collects Captain Marvel (1968) #34, Marvel Spotlight (1979) #1-2 And Marvel Graphic Novel #1: The...
David McK (3663 KP) rated Batman: Hush in Books
Jan 28, 2019
Of them all, I knew that at least 3 were (supposedly) very good: The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke and Year One. What I ddid nt know, however, was just how good Hush was.
Set during a period when Batman is at the top of his game (unlike the older Batman of The Dark Knight Returns, or the younger of Year One), this graphic novel includes just about any and all of Batmans friends and foes - top of my head, I can think of only one major villain who doesn't play a role (but is mentioned in passing).
Like The Dark Knight Returns, it also includes The Man of Steel in the story, with Batman and Superman again facing off against one another in a portion of it (but for very different reasons than in The Dark Knight Returns).
OK, it may be pretty obvious - I felt - fairly early on just who is pulling the strings,but this still makes for a very enjoyable and dynamic read, with some of the best artwork I have yet seen in any of the graphic novels I have read.

