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The Crow
The Crow
James O'Barr | 1998 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Emotionally written (2 more)
Poetic
Brilliantly drawn
My All Time Favourite
This graphic novel is my all time favourite. I have read it countless times, sometimes in a row. This is where it all began, and the author's tragic backstory, really helps bring forth the emotion from the pages.

This is a story of love and loss, but mostly of vengeance and a sense of mental torment that no one, dead or alive, should suffer.

There's a belief that when someone dies, their soul is carried to heaven, hell or some form of afterlife, and then there's this graphic novel that suggests that if the soul was wronged in their life, they may return as an avenging angel, to seek vengeance on those who wronged them.

Eric and his Fiancé where murdered for no good reason, and so his soul is brought back from the dead, with some additional abilities, such as a healing factor, meaning that he cannot be killed (again) by mortals.

This book also contains poetry among its pages. Beautiful poems that really add to the emotion of the book and the story. I love comics, graphic novels etc. Anything Marvel or DC, and of course indie comics, but The Crow will forever remain my favourite one among them all, because it is poetic justice written beautifully and emotionally, unlike anything I have ever read before or after it.
  
Justice League (2017)
Justice League (2017)
2017 | Action, Adventure
Character interaction and development. (4 more)
Pacing.
Story / Action is even.
Exciting and fun.
Comic book fan appreciation.
Weak villain (1 more)
The plot is a little basic.
Justice Prevails!
Far and away the most rewarding comic book film that has ever been made, Justice League prevails in almost every imaginable category.
These heroes are portrayed mostly spot-on and in the cases of Cyborg and Aquaman are miles more interesting on screen than they ever were in the comics.
Justice League has a very basic plot, but this allows us to really get to know the characters through interaction rather than backstory.
The villain is weak but we feel his threat more through the way the heroes respond because of it.
It's an origin tale that doesn't pander to the audience, rather it tells us all we need to know through amazing visuals, entertaining dialogue, and solid characters.
Justice League is also one of the first "team up" comic book films that flows through a well "beaten" three-act structure. The pacing is a thing of mastery.

Highly recommended.
  
Star Wars Omnibus: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Vol. 1
Star Wars Omnibus: X-Wing Rogue Squadron, Vol. 1
Michael A. Stackpole | 2006 | Comics & Graphic Novels
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Generally speaking, I'm not really a comic-book guy kinda person.

However, I have read (and actually quite enjoyed) the Star Wars: X-Wing series of books, and was aware that these were also (pre Prequel trilogy) comics. However, I was unaware (until relatively recently) that the comics were not just visualizations of the novels, but were rather stories in their own right.

When I found this out, and when I came across the digital version of this Omnibus - which collects the first 3 stories in the X-Wing series [so Goodreads, should count as 3 towards my yearly challenge!] , I thought I would give it a try.

Of the 3 stories contained - Rogue Leader, the Rebel Opposition and The Phantom Affair - the second and third of these were co-written by Michael Stackpole, who also wrote the first X-Wing novels. Personally, while the story may be better in those two than in the first, I preferred the art of the first story, finding the panes easier to follow.

I haven't yet decided, but I may also pick up the next volume(s) in the series.
  
The Ultimate Droodles Compendium
The Ultimate Droodles Compendium
Roger Price | 2019 | Art, Photography & Fashion, Humor & Comedy
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
You can also find this review on my blog: bookingwayreads.wordpress.com

Thank you to Smith Publicity for sending me a final copy of The Ultimate Droodles Compendium: The Absurdly Complete Collection of Roger Price’s Classic Zany Creations by Roger Price to read and review for my honest opinion.

I’ve never heard of Droodles until the moment I got this in my hands and I will say this was a humorous read! I enjoyed every moment of it and laughed hysterically. This compendium was a wonderful collection of these witty and clever doodles that allows the reader to leaf through, picking and choosing which Droodles to look at.

If you have ever wondered what was funny in the 50’s and 60’s, then this compendium is a perfect representation! Some of the explanations after certain comics explained a social and/or political situation that was going on back in that era but with a bit of flair. The comedy within the pages of this book are not only mild and amusing, but some also lacked in my opinion. All in all, the comics were entertaining and many contained multiple of different ways to interpret them.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Power Profiles: A Mutants & Masterminds Sourcebook in Books

Mar 25, 2019 (Updated Mar 25, 2019)  
Power Profiles: A Mutants & Masterminds Sourcebook
Power Profiles: A Mutants & Masterminds Sourcebook
Steve Kenson | 2017 | Sport & Leisure
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Pretty much an essential supplement for anyone wanting to run M&M for more than a handful of sessions. Sooner or later you're going to want to go beyond the pregenerated characters and powers from the core book, and it's true that while the superpower rules in the book are comprehensive, they're potentially intimidating, too. There are a lot of power effects, and a lot of ways to modify them - the best way to duplicate a specific power from the comics isn't always clear.

That's where this book comes into its own: everything from Air Powers to Time Powers (and beyond) get their own chapter, each one containing a large selection of pre-worked out powers. For instance, how do you differentiate between throwing a fireball and a lightning bolt? Well, the fireball has an area effect, meaning it costs 50% more. Fun obscure powers include Internal Flora (incapacitate your enemies by disrupting the plant bacteria in their gut!) and Anatomical Split (fight crime by literally going to pieces!).

Some of the powers are a bit odd and a close eye from the GM is required, but this is always the case with M&M. Mostly this is very solid, fun stuff; just flipping through the book always generates new ideas for different characters.
  
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol 1: The Crucible
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Vol 1: The Crucible
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Robert Hack | 2016 | Comics & Graphic Novels
8
8.4 (11 Ratings)
Book Rating
First, I need to say, I have a serious problem with how long it took for all of the issues contained in this book to come out. The first issues did so well, then there was a long hiatus. I love Archie Comics, but it was a serious misstep by them.
Anyway, Chilling Adventure of Sabrina is a horror comic, and nothing like the more recent Sabrina stories. It's more like the first years of Sabrina, where she would torture mortals and all of that. It's a darker comic, and yeah, some of it is disturbing, but it's worth a read. I love how Betty and Veronica make a cameo as witches.
  
A Fire Story
A Fire Story
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is similar to The Best We Could Do in that it is both a series of comics and a memoir. It's the story of the Californian fire, and how it affected Brian Fies and his wife's lives.

Fies begins by illustrating how the couple awoke on the night of the fire, and how they began to frantically yet methodically pack up their belongings. He details the escape, the bewilderment they felt and the huge sense of loss. Later, he really emphasises how much a person grieves for the loss of their home and belongings. It's not the value that's important, it's the memories.

Throughout the book there are also several other people's experiences. Some were also in their home at the time of the fire, while others were on holiday abroad, watching the events unfold through social media. All of these accounts had one particular thing in common: they all mention how they did not expect to be gone from their homes forever. They thought they would be able to return soon, and did not plan on leaving everything behind for the final time.

This was a fantastic book. Fies included little comics illustrating "a day in the life" after the fire, where the little, seemingly insignificant things reminded them of their loss. He also follows up with the process of reconstructing their house - and outlines some of the difficulties they never expected to face.

The art was lovely, with enough detail to clearly illustrate the events. The dialogue was perfect and sounded completely authentic, and expressed the emotions well. 5 stars.
  
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)
Felicia Day | 2016 | Biography
10
9.0 (12 Ratings)
Book Rating
Maybe you picked this up because you watched Buffy that one time and wanted to know what that red-headed chick who wasn't Willow was all about… or more likely, you are a fan of one of her many endeavors (and why shouldn’t you be?). She is a super-hardworking person who seems to be doing what she loves, and in my humble opinion, completely killing it. She shares her awkwardness and how even she fangirls when meeting famous people she loves.

How can I describe this book? Imagine talking to your best friend about everything in your life: your childhood, your hopes and fears, and most importantly all things geeky (comics, video games, and the internet). That is how I felt when I was reading this book. Yes, I was a fan of Felicia’s already but reading this book felt more like talking to your best friend than some impersonal narrative that you just picked up off the shelf at random. Felicia is witty, funny, and down to earth. (A bit neurotic, her words, but we still love her for it.) Her candor is endearing and makes the book incredibly relatable. Her love of video games, comics, crafting and just the simple art of creating definitely speaks to her readers (I know I definitely relate). Plus, the pictures peppered throughout are just adorable.

She took her life into her own hands and with an incredible amount of hard work, created Geek & Sundry. She filled the book with her life and quite a few really good pieces of advice (as well as motivational phrases). As I sit here in my exploding TARDIS skirt (thank you mom for helping me make it), embracing my quirkiness and inner geek, I hope Felicia would be proud. I hope that people are inspired by her book, like I am inspired and take a chance. Do what they love.

Check out all of her projects with Geek & Sundry, as well as past projects like my love Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, the show that started it all the Guild and her appearances on Supernatural! And if anyone could get me a signed copy of her book, I would love you forever. I take my book collection very seriously and would love to have this sitting on my shelf (rather than residing digitally in the nethersphere of my kindle.) Random fun fact, one of my exes and I used to sing My Eyes. I, of course, sang Penny’s part (and when I was alone I would also be Dr. Horrible, duh). It was my favourite song from the show and I’m still obsessed with it. I also found it on Sing (karaoke app, I spend too much time on there) just so that I could record it as a duet (and then sing both parts because why not?). Enough about me, go buy her wonderful book immediately and read it.
  
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
2014 | Action, Sci-Fi
Captain America: world police
Hold on to your shields, cos cap is back and he didn't skip leg day!
Wth a new less campy outfit and an ever growing addiction to kick someone's ass,
Captain America returns to take on the also returning Hydra, he must form a team to take on the oncoming threat which has a secret weapon....the winter soldier!
With awesome cameos, plenty of action and a twist you didn't see coming (unless you read the comics) Captain America: the winter soldier is a must see for all comic book nerds and geeks alike and to anyone in seek of a great action movie
Starring chris evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L Jackson, Sebastian stan, Bath Mackie, Cobie Smulders.
  
The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl
The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl
Melissa Keil | 2014 | Young Adult (YA)
8
6.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
**I received a copy of this book from the publishers and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

The Incredible adventures of Cinnamon girl takes place in a small town in Australia, nothing ever happens in Eden Valley until one day a YouTube video goes viral. Ned Zebidiah has predicted an apocalypse and the only safe haven is the one and only Eden Valley.

17-year-old Alba loves her little town in Australia where nothing much happens, however she is at a stage in her life when she needs to make decisions, life changing ones. Alba wishes everything could remain the way it is, her friends and family all in one place as she likes it. Her friends on the other hand have different ideas, the majority of them cannot wait to say goodbye to Eden Valley and see more of the world. With an impending apocalypse, the return of an old friend and decisions to be made, can Alba keep it together?

I really like Alba's character, she is artistic, witty and loveable. She is at the stage of her life when she has just finished school and she has to make decisions about what to do with her life, should she go to college? work? travel? Alba also has curves and a healthy figure which is portrayed in this story really well, there is no self-consciousness with the way she looks, she is confident and it's so refreshing to see this in a YA book especially as the younger audience are so impressionable. Alba also loves to draw and Cinnamon girl is her creation, drawing frame after frame trying to get her image right or the background just so. I have recently started being interested in comics and I loved the idea of someone creating them and the illustrators thought processes. Alba was a great strong protagonist and very relatable.

Grady is Alba's best friend in the whole wide world they have grown up and done everything together. Grady has his flaws like most of the characters in this book but he is such a nice boy, knowing what he wants to do with his life and being there for Alba giving her encouragement with her drawings of Cinnamon girl.

One character I didn't like was Daniel, he just appeared to be egotistical, very self-conscious and a bit of a sleaze. With masses of people flocking to the safe have of Eden Valley, Daniel returns years after moving away and has become a bit of star in TV and is stirring a lot of emotions within Alba and Grady.

This book is so cute, it has a slow burn romance with no love triangle, the writing style is amazing and loved that it was set in Australia. I really like that the book incorporated comics and a few famous comics/names were mentioned such as Fiona Staples and Persepolis. This was my first Melissa Keil novel and have been recommended life in outer space

I recommend this book to anyone who reads YA with a slow burn romance, art/comic content.

Overall I rated this 4 out f 5 stars.