Comic Review Bites

Willow: Wonderland 

In season 6 of Buffy, Willow delved deep into her magical abilities, becoming addicted to the power and eventually becoming “Dark Willow,” the big bad of the season. Since then, she’s been struggling with the balance of her power -- suppressing her desire, while still aiding Buffy and the Scoobies in the saving of the world business. At least until season 8, when Buffy banished magic from earth. In Wonderland, Willow goes on a solo journey into dangerous, mystical dimensions in an attempt to restore it.

I haven’t been reading the Buffy comics since the beginning of season 9 and am surprised to see that Willow’s issues with magic still exist, however, it is something that needed to be addressed and I think this book did a reasonably good job of it, though some of it was a bit cliché and predictable. Willow’s self-deprecating wit occasionally popped up, but not enough for my liking.

The art was cute and did it’s job, but I would have loved it if David Mack had done more than just the gorgeous covers. His scattered imagery and painted style would have taken this story to an entirely new level, perfectly capturing the ethereal feel and the sense of loss that Willow suffers with.

Powerpuff Girls Volume 1

IDW Publishing does such a fantastic job of bringing our favourite cartoons to print, without ever losing any of the fun and amusing elements that made us love them in the cartoons in the first place. 

I read Powerpuff Girls with my daughters, aged eight and five. We're all fans of the show and had a blast reading the comic, just as we have with other IDW comics, like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I love the opportunity to share this medium with my kids with stories that they can easily understand, bright images that they enjoy, and lots of witty writing to keep my happy too.

With thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

Noah

 

This is a graphic novel adaptation of the recent film, which stars Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson. (Side note: the book has a distinctly indigenous peoples look and feel to it, which is not the vibe I got in watching the previews and considering the cast. But I digress….)

 

Based on the biblical tale of Noah and his vision from the Creator of the world’s destruction by water, Noah, after some struggles with the depraved locals, builds an ark to survive the pending storm, with the help of the Watchers, fallen angels who are seeking redemption.

As the movie trailer suggests, there is a lot of action in this reworked tale, but Darren Aronofsky gives us the added bonus of an internally conflicted Noah who wants to annihilate the human race completely. Or something like that. His digression into a raving lunatic comes across as forced and, well, not particularly of the sense making. Hopefully this is portrayed better in the film. 

I did like the artwork and the minimal dialogue used to tell the story. However, when the dialogue does pop up, along with some sparse narrative boxes and the occasional bible quote to point out the obvious of what Noah is doing right now, it almost made me wish there was no text at all. 

With thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

Graphic Novel Review: Locke & Key vol.6: Alpha & Omega by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Locke and Key, Vol. 6: Alpha & Omega by Joe Hill  and Gabriel Rodriguez

Genre: Horror

Series: Collects Locke and Key Omega #1-5 and Alpha #1-2

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Publication Date: February 2014

Wendy's Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Dodge has all the keys, as well as little Bode's body and, with all the prom kids in the horrible cave, he's all set to unleash hell on earth and build himself a nice demon family. Kinsey, Ty and all those that aren't dead or under Dodge's control must fight desperately to stop Dodge from making his violent dream come true.

As far as epic battles go, this one is brutal. With all the keys at his disposal, Dodge unleashes all manner of chaos and debauchery, turning their friends and loved ones against Kinsey and Ty, while savagely murdering others. Once again, the seemingly cute and wide-eyed innocence of Rodriguez art powers through all of this, and then settles back into the quiet comfort and pain of a family dealing with all of their losses, hoping they can somehow heal.

But the end disappointed me. It felt too abrupt and too ... perfect. It was a Pyrrhic Victory, and I expected it to be so and shed the appropriate tears, but I was disappointed in one particular aspect of the ending that wrapped things up too nicely. I'm not a fan of forced happy endings, but otherwise, I appreciate the steps the story went through in the end, especially with Ty.

With thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

Graphic Novel Review: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic vol.2 by Heather Nuhfer

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Volume 2 by Heather Nuhfer

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Publication Date: September 24, 2013

With thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

If you're new to the new My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, or are disturbed by all that talk of bronies, check out my review of volume one for an explanation of why you should be watching and/or reading this.

Volume two of the comic book series does not pick up where the last volume left off. Much like the show, the volumes contain completely separate story arcs, however, like the show, they do build on the overall lore being formed within the series.

In this case, the powers of Nightmare we met in season one are back, attacking Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy in their dreams by presenting them with their greatest fears. Rarity succumbs to her fear and is kidnapped to the moon.

Princess Celestia and her sister Luna, come to Ponyville to help stop the bad guys, but Luna, formerly known as Nightmare Moon who destroyed Ponyville under the influence of Nightmare, is very uncertain about her contribution to the efforts. But true to form, the ponies put their faith in her and show her that friendship truly is magic as they set out to save Rarity.

Pinkie Pie by OcarniaofTimeLord

I really enjoy reading MLP to my daughters (7 and 5) because I love doing the voices and they love hearing it. They both gave this volume two thumbs and two big toes up, however, I didn't find this one quite as memorable as the previous volume, which the girls still quote regularly. There wasn't quite enough of the ponies doing their thing, or maybe there just wasn't enough Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie is like cowbell. You can never have enough.

Spike did get more airtime, though, since it is his beloved Rarity that's been kidnapped and he must use his wits to rescue her and the other ponies. Meanwhile, Luna has to learn to forgive herself and accept the friendship of the others, rather than let Nightmare intimidate and guilt trip her.

My five year old has had trouble with nightmares, lately, so this was a perfectly timed encouragement for the "nightmares aren't real," mantra we've been working on.

4 of 5 stars

Comic Review: Locke & Key vol.1: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Locke and Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill

I grabbed the hardcover copies of these books the moment I saw them and warned the librarian that they would look lovely on my bookshelf. She politely reminded me that she has my address on file. I’ve heard good things about this series from friends, but I had no idea how good. In fact, I intended to wait until I’d finished all five volumes before completing a proper review, but after finishing volume one last night, all I could think was “ffffuuuuuuuuuuhhh...”

Fortunately, I’m of sounder mind today and can explain why I’m giving this entire series five stars before I am even finished with it.

Volume one introduces the Locke family, with particular focus on the kids, Ty, Kinsey and little Bode. Their lives are destroyed by the brutal murder of their father and rape of their mother by two extremely troubled youths. In the aftermath, they move to the old Locke homestead, Keyhouse, in hopes of recovering some vague semblance of normality.

First of all, I have to speak about the art. This is a violent, brutal, frightening story that could easily have been depicted with much darker imagery typically attributed to the genre. However, Rodriguez’s more cartoony characters and bright colours make everything all the creepier once things really get going. Similar to Japanese manga, the large eyes of the characters can express a lot of emotion within a still image and intense emotional facial expressions and body language (or lack there of) are very important to all of the scenes.

There is also a great sense of stillness. Some of the panels repeat themselves, sometimes with minute changes, but always with a sense of time passing by slowly while the character contemplates the situation. I love that more than two entire pages were spent with Ty at the funeral home following his father’s death. A complaint I have with a lot of comics I’ve read lately is that they jump through the story. There seems to be so much more story they should be telling between each panel, but because of page constraints, they have to skip panels to get to the point. Locke & Key gets to the point without ever losing a panel along the way. I give credit to both artist and writer for this, as presumably Rodriguez is working under Hill’s instructions and clearly, Hill understands the show-don’t-just-tell power of the medium.

So the story goes, Keyhouse is an unusual place. Early in 6yo Bode’s exploration, he discovers a strange key and, when inserted into the back door, it causes him to die when he steps outside, becoming a ghost that’s able to move around the house at will, then return to his body with no harm done. As the story progresses, we learn that there are several other keys (beautifully front and centre on the covers of each volume) and that their father knew about the house’s secrets, but hid the keys for a reason. It is also implied that grown ups tend to forget the importance of such things, so its up to Bode to discover the secrets – especially if he wants to help the mysterious echo at the bottom of the well…

The story focuses mainly on the children, often times with their individual point of views encompassing an entire issue. Each copes differently with the loss of their father and their actions during the assault. Hill and Rodriguez delve deep into the exploration of their emotions, demanding that you feel for them and worry about their well being. The weight of Ty’s guilt is almost palpable and Kinsey’s angst is far more than just whiny, selfish teen mourning. And Bode’s innocent exploration leads to some of the creepiest and intense moments of all.

By the end of volume one, with the mystery box wide open and my compassion for the Locke children firmly established, it was only my responsible adultness that prevented me from staying up all night to read the other volumes in a single, spine-tingling go.

5 of 5 stars

Comic Review Bites

Mystery Society by Steve Niles and Fiona Staples

A sexy couple with the means and the motivation to solve some of the more unusual crimes are recruiting members for their new Mystery Society. Conveniently, a ghoul named Secret Skull and Jules Verne's brain encased in a quirky robot body apply for the job. Add the atomic twins that Nick Mystery rescues from Area 51 and we have the makings of a really fun team.

Unfortunately, in spite of Fiona Staples' fantastic artwork, this great concept falls flat with sub-par plotting, sub-par subplotting, a lack of mystery, an annoying antagonist and rather lame attempts at wit and humour. This comment is very negative, but I'd like to think that it's a negative with a lean to the positive. As in, I can see a lot of potential for good old fashioned tongue-in cheek mystery wagon fun with this book, if it can stop trying so hard and just relax and enjoy itself.

2.5 of 5 stars

We3 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely

Three lost pets are turned into war machines but as prototypes, their phase of the test program is complete and WE3 are set for termination. Their chief handler disapproves of this and gives them the means to escape their fate. Out in the world, they deal with their hunters with brutal precision that reflects their individual natures but in their hearts and minds is a single word: "home."

I think a true animal lover will find this book even more gut-wrenching than I did, but I can definitely appreciate the emotions attached to it, especially with the lost pet posters that begin each chapter.

This was recommended to me when I asked for a good Grant Morrison story. The story idea was really good and I liked that there was not a lot of dialogue and exposition. Morrison truly allowed the art to speak and Quitely delivered admirably. I loved the way the visuals begin from a pet's eye view and I loved the unique splash pages, particularly the one that separated the page into a mosaic of frightening violence.

3.5 of 5 stars

X-Men: Magneto Testament by Greg Pak and Carmine Di Giandomenico

The best thing about this series is that it is not about a superhero/villain or mutant, but about a very human boy forced to become a man during the Holocaust. We've always known about Magneto's past, but we've never seen it. Not like this. I kept wondering if and when his powers would manifest, as we've seen in various other incarnations of his story, but the harsh reality is ... painful.. and educational.

4 of 5 stars

Review Bites

A Wolf at the Door: And Other Retold Fairy Tales Edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

Reimagined fairytales from Cinderella to Arabian Nights by authors such as Ellen Datlow, Neil Gaiman, and Jane Yolen just to name a very few.

There was nothing magical here for me, and I am so glad that I was able to borrow this book rather than buy it. It's a quick read, but it's not something I consider spectacular or would dare tell anyone to spend money on (or at least not full price on). At times, it really felt like something that was slapped together when I know many of these authors are capable of so much better. I didn't expect any real twists given the age group this is for, but some of the stories made me ask: "Did you even try?" And of the stories I liked the moral of better than the actual story such as Yolen's Cinder Elephant which ended with: "If you love a waist, you waste a love." This is one of those young adult/kids' books that's fluff and cheeky humor more than anything else. I can see this being a great read for kids.

Final Verdict:

2 of 5 stars

X-Men Noir by Fred Van Lente

I like noir, even campy, pulpy noir. I like the X-Men. I like stories where they are living in a powerless world. I'm not even particular (most of the time) about what they do with these characters in AUs as long as they present a compelling story. So, how in the world did this story turn out so bad? "Who killed Jean Grey?" is the question that everyone is asking or at least they want you to think that everyone is asking that. I really don't know to be honest. Xavier's institute has been imagined as a former home for wayward kids branded with X tattoos where heroes like Cyclops are on the wrong end of the law and Xavier is serving time in prison for something I can only vaguely recall. Magneto is head of the police department and has corrupted it to his purpose with his "Brotherhood." Sounds like it should've been okay. Sounds like, she said...

It breaks my heart that this wasn't better than it was. Why? Because this legitimately had so many ideas that I loved like Magneto trying to fit into what America thinks he should be. He tries to erase anything that identifies him as a "dirty immigrant," even going as far to turn on other immigrants to achieve this goal, blaming Xavier for not turning his "wayward" children over to him to become part of his vision. I liked the idea of Xavier's home for wayward kids and what he was trying to accomplish in his own misguided way. I like how the artist managed to give characters trademarks we associate with them. One of my favorites was seeing why Cyclops was still called Cyclops. I even liked the twist(s) at the end, even if they were a little obvious. But the story was just so scattered, rushed, and aimless. I couldn't enjoy it even for all the things I liked. This probably would've worked better as a longer series.

Final Verdict: 

1.5 of 5 stars

Morning Glories, Vol. 1: For a Better Future by Nick Spencer

I'd like to write something really compelling here, but I'm not sure what I could possibly say about this. This is billed as LOST with teenagers, and that's about right. However, that doesn't necessarily mean a thing to me since LOST much of the time was so... ridiculous, for lack of better word. Oh, they knew how to build things up and get the viewers tense, but then, they lacked in bringing it all back together. This is just the first volume of this book, so I can't be that harsh on it as that. All I know is some gifted teenagers are taken to Morning Glory, which is a school of some sort. Why? Don't know. Who are the people who took them? Don't know that either. What does this have to do with Spain in the 1400s? I don't know, dude. What do I know? They all have the same birthdays and seem to be scientifically/technologically gifted? Okay, I don't know.

I thought this was well-written and it's easy to get sucked into the story, but just like my torrid affair with LOST, once I was done and all the excitement faded, I was left in a fog of nothingness. I really don't have time for that. I don't want to follow an incomplete series that has too many questions and too little answers. Mystery and all that is nice, but there comes a point when it just starts to get a little ridiculous and you wonder if the writers are still living on the same planet as the rest of us. And I was already starting to get those vibes with this one which in turn made me fidgety. I'll give this one another go when it's closer to being completed or whatever because right now I'm not here for this drama. I have too many other things to read for this.

Final Verdict:

3 of 5 stars

Locke and Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill

This was my surprise in the bunch. I expected to like it. I didn't expect to love it as much as I did, though. This follows the Locke kids (Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode) after surviving a brutal attack on their family which leaves their father dead. The children and their mother move to Lovecraft, MA from the west coast where their father's brother still resides in a large family house with many doors, a house their father sometimes spoke of as if it were a living person. Bode is the first Locke child to discover some of the house's many secrets. And while the story doesn't go into too much detail in the first volume as far as the house's secrets, you can tell from the context that these kids are on a path, that they're starting a journey toward some unknown fate, a journey their father and their uncle made before them.

This is definitely a Lovecraftian horror story, make no mistake. It doesn't rely on gore more than the fact that reality is fragile. What hides behind reality? Is reality actually reality or a just a gilded illusion? It's a story of "what lies beneath" to put it simply. The fact that so few are in touch with this world beneath, how so many people walk around thinking the world is nothing more than what they can see while unknown forces plot, is what really gives stories like this power. The writing and the art come together to make a visually and narratively compelling story. There is something so sublimely perfect when a writer and an artist make a story that is so skillful that it feels like there's no way you could separate the two and still get the same result with this book. It feels like I can't have the words without the art, and I can't have the art without the words. Everything as a whole came together to make this story what it is.

Final Verdict:

4.5 of 5 stars

Gotham Central, Vol. 1: In the Line of Duty by Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka

This is sort of a slice of life police procedural. I've always wondered how the Gotham City P.D. feel about Batman. I mean, I know there's tension there, and it's been shown in the comics. But sometimes I wonder how a typical day, a typical case, is like for them. I wasn't disappointed by what I read. Gotham's finest are presented here as dedicated (or the ones that have appeared so far).

They try to deal with a city where they're ill-prepared to deal with someone like Mister Freeze, where they feel they want to take care of things, to be the one who brings these lunatics in, but in reality, they know that, sometimes, they're resigned to Batman's help. They want to serve and protect. They do serve and protect. They're not bumbling. They may not be on Batman's level, but they're not incapable. Despite Batman making many high profile busts, they still have small victories with "lesser" criminals and crimes, but feel eclipsed by Batman's deeds. And in their own way, they want to impress Batman just like Batman's little family does. They want to show him they're competent, and they want him to acknowledge the work they do. Batman can't be everywhere after all. They have such a thankless job.

Final Verdict:

4 of 5 Stars

Graphic Novel Review: My Little Pony vol. 1 by Katie Cook and Andy Price

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Volume 1 by Katie Cook and Andy Price

If you have not yet come to understand the hype behind the current incarnation of My Little Pony, then I will explain it briefly: MLP has changed significantly from its days of rainbows and unicorns. It now has plot and character development driving episodes that deal with all sorts of relevant topics, including prejudice, compromise, overcoming fears, self confidence, perseverance and more in a manner that treats kids like they have actual brains in their little heads.

The six main characters are all females, as is the MLP standard, however, they aren't nearly as "girly" as they used to be and the ones that are more "girly" are respectfully so. They each have defining traits and they also have defining flaws. Unlike previous incarnations, there are also clearly male ponies in the herd and, while they don't feature prominently, they do serve purpose. The show goes a long way to breaking gender stereotypes, and I love the fact that grown men have come to like the show. However, since gender stereotyping and prejudice still exists so heavily in our society, these "Bronies" feel compelled to justify their appreciation of a show that really is simply great for everypony. Er. Everyone.

The overall theme in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is - wait for it - the magic of friendship! This theme continues in volume one of the comic where Queen Chrysalis, who first appeared in the season two finale, has attacked Ponyville. Her changeling minions have taken over and kidnapped the young Cutie Mark Crusaders (CMC). Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy head off on a quest to get the three young ponies back. Queen Chrysalis has given them three days to make the journey, but Twilight Sparkle realizes that, in three days, the Secretariat Comet will be passing through the Horsehead Nebula and will greatly amplify magic in all of Equestria.

The quest becomes a typical test of wits against the dangers of the land, but the friends also have to deal with problems with their friendship when the conniving changelings trick them into breaking up the fillyship.

There are a lot of running gags, such as the CMC's obsession with obtaining their cutie marks and, well, anything that crazy Pinkie Pie does. The many internet-based memes have also made their way into the show and comic, adding to the laughs. There were also a few tidbits of interesting facts and information.

I enjoy when children's entertainment includes appropriate levels of humour to make it enjoyable for adults as well. It encourages the adults to participate more with their children - something that is becoming less and less of a priority for many for various reasons. This is something that the current My Little Pony does so well - more so because they still include the kids on the grown-up jokes by making a lot of them visual. Kids might not understand the context, but they can appreciate the imagery at their level. For my girls, it was an added bonus because we've made a point of introducing them to a lot of the things we loved when we were growing up. We shared a mighty laugh over the giant marshmallow attacking Manehattan!

I had a great time reading this comic to my daughters, age seven and five, and they enjoyed listening. We will definitely be adding this series to our collection.

5 of 5 stars