I could be wrong, but I have the feeling this is a very predictable story in a unique setting. Unfortunately, I am not in the mood for "a reluctant heroine has to find these items before time runs out." I also couldn't take another of Zelie's screams of "Inan" (sorry Bahni!). I'll likely go back at some point, since there are unique and appealing aspects, but not right now.

Very cool! I'm not particularly fond of Superman, but I was in the mood, and I picked a couple of winners! Also very happy to see Paste Magazine quoted on the cover

A pretty cool "What If" looking at Superman's worst day (up to that point. I think it was before Doomsday). I really liked the new twist on a classic, probably underestimated villain.
Bonus content includes a solid Superman/ Swamp Thing tale (which has Superman shaving at the end), and "For the Man Who Has Everything," which I remembered from the Justice League cartoon.
Definitely worth a read.

An interesting read. I didn't like the style much, kinda reminds me of McKean's Arkham Asylum, but, like, an amateur version. Did not anticipate the ending. A decent story that deserved better art.

Oh, come on! I know Batman doesn't have any superpowers, but a stick?!?

Excellent story, excellent art, very well done.

Well, that was... unmemorable. Apologies to Dave Taylor, but I hated the art.

I'm sad to have completed the Blacksad series, because they are such engaging, beautiful books. A Silent Hell was a little lackluster in its story, but still a fun ride and includes a great section where artist Juanjo Guarnido breaks down his process. Amarillo was a different kind of story for the series and quite good. I'll definitely be checking out the PlayStation game in September!

This was really interesting, though not very good. Obviously meant for kids & teens. I know we owned a copy growing up, but I don't remember any of the stories. There are certain parts, especially the first chapter, that act like instructions for story telling, which is needed these days, but overall I didn't much care about the book. It will be interesting to see what del Toro does for the movie.

I warned my girlfriend that I would be falling into a Star Wars pit as Episode IX approaches, and it has begun. This was an excellent examination of the tumultuous early days in Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's relationship. A relatively small story, which allows for more focus on the characters. I didn't connect much with the new characters, though.

I won't go into how asinine the abortion debate is, but if you want to hear a good discussion about the value of women's anger, give this podcast a listen. I'll definitely be checking out her book!

Black Jack is sucking up all the snuggles while I rewatch a childhood film, Little Nemo. A very strange film based on some very strange comics. There was also a video game for NES.

A very good prequel Star Wars Rebels, and an excellent introduction to Thrawn. Despite every intention, I never read Zahn's original Thrawn trilogy, but I enjoyed this very much. Book two is on its way!

I believe this is the first time an author has liked my post about their work. Very cool! 😍

An excellent account of a road trip through the deep South to explore the LGBTQ culture in areas most Americans assume it can't survive. But people are standing strong against prejudice and choosing to stay where they call home instead of taking the perceived easy road and heading north. It also serves as a story of the author's life as she returns to places that shaped her. Excellent writing! Highly recommended

https://www.tor.com/2018/09/05/triquetra-kirstyn-mcdermott/

A crazy, twisted short story sequel to the Snow White tale.

A little late, but I won a Facebook contest with my local comic shop, Wade's Comic Madness. My prize was every release for this year's Free Comic Book Day, plus a few graphic novels. Good stuff 😁

I am fascinated by the Cold War era, and this book provides an exhaustive look at the Cuban Missile Crisis. Avoiding the pitfalls of overdramatization, Dobbs highlights, almost casually, how easily we could have slipped into nuclear war. Great book.
Sometimes to its detriment, the narration lacked emphasis, and there was also so much detailed information, it was very easy to miss key moments. I think it would have been better to read the print.

All the stars! Part mystery, part behind-the-scenes Hollywood expose, part feminist manifesto, part biography, part memoir; The Lady From the Black Lagoon has everything! I loved it all. I especially enjoyed the narration from the author. This is an extremely personal project, and her voice wonderfully conveys all the emotions. I can't recommend this enough.
Pictured are some things I own that are mentioned in the book.

I'm only an hour into the audio, and I'm LOVING IT!

The high points balanced out the low points, but there were still a good number of low points. I've appreciated the deep dive into the psychies of characters we have seen before, but these are characters we've seen before in a not terribly original story. I also wasn't impressed with the audio performances.

Happy #recordstoreday
Pretty good haul from Creep Records in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Unfortunately, they did not have the Billy Joel release. It was either sold out or hasn't arrived. I couldn't get a clear answer ☹️

https://www.tor.com/2019/01/16/beyond-the-el-john-chu

I dunno, food-centric stories just don't do anything for me...

https://www.tor.com/2011/11/02/hello-moto/

So many questions, but none of them really matter in this very short afrofuturistic story about wigs integrated with technology and bad juju.

A dense, powerful graphic novel. Tells a complete story with a cool concept, satisfying character arc, strong ending, and great art.

An amazing collection of stories celebrating 80 years of Batman. I especially loved the story of the gun and Knute Brody!

A look at Japanese culture through the lens of a single father coming to terms with his brother's homosexuality when his husband comes to visit.

There was a lot to like here, but also some very out-dated, cringe-worthy jokes. The one that sticks in my head is a very funny Moulin Rouge spoof, immediately followed by people explain to a Baz Luhrmann type why he's gay. There is also a political spoof chillingly similar to Trump's campaign, complete with "Make America Great Again"...
It's been a while since I've watched Mr. Show, but the humor overall is very much in line.

Some of the "myths" were pretty obnoxious, and I was worried that the book would pander too much to the ignorant, but the author's do a very good job of not just providing evidence to the contrary, but also examining the source of the myth and the historical reasons it has persisted.
Could also be titled: Damn, white people REALLY suck...

A coconut milk latte with avocado toast and Jonathan Ames at Juniper Tree Juice Bar in Chester Springs, PA.

I've finished this very uneven series, all in audio. I thoroughly enjoyed Catwoman, maybe because her origins haven't been told 100 times. Wonder Woman was okay, but a little too reliant on YA tropes. Superman was entirely forgettable. Batman was very disappointing.

Decent, but ultimately forgettable. Young Clark Kent tries to get his powers under control while learning about his past and trying to fight a conspiracy. A pretty basic Superman story. Lacking Batman's detective skills, he punches and fumbles his way to the conclusion.

#phillylittens The Philadelphia meeting of Book Riot Read Harder Bookclub is being held Sunday, March 24 1p at Frankford Hall
No required reading, just book lovers taking about books they love!
https://www.facebook.com/events/371842253546324/?ti=cl

I feel a little better finishing this book knowing Wells is working on a full novel. Murderbot is such a great character. This final novella brings his story full circle. Even as he is becoming somewhat comfortable existing along humans, he never loses that special, antisocial anxious something that makes him unique.

A very good feminist comic examining some of the worst aspects of our society's dismissiveness towards and lack of equality for women. Things are still far from fair. The inequality runs deep, but the only path to correction is being cognizant of the problem.

Diana travels with an awkward teen, her dashing overly masculine brother, a quirky best friend, and a quirky other friend. A bit overcrowded and definitely to many cute, quirky moments.
Also, weird choices for the timeline: set in current time, but time moves faster on Themyscira, and Diana is still young, so by the epilogue, it's 20 years in the future and she's still nowhere near being Wonder Woman. I hope they aren't planning a sequel...

https://www.tor.com/2019/03/11/announcing-the-title-of-martha-wells-murderbot-di...

More Murderbot!!!

Exploring the Orchid Extravaganza at Longwood Gardens

While I enjoyed the read, it came up ever so slightly short. A tad repetitive. Lacking the insight of her previous collection, Quiet Girl in a Noisy Works. Still pretty cute, though 😊

A solid short story examining a young man's desire to leave his small town and explore. Listed to a narration on the podcast Escape Pod.

An excellent first-hand account of poverty and the extreme level of strength, resilience, and happenstance necessary to break out of the cycle. An important read as the American middle class continues to fade.

Maid from Stephanie Land is full of first-hand accounts of living on food stamps and fighting to provide a decent life for her daughter and herself. It is also full of confrontations with people who assume the worst and believe the lie that government assistance recipients are lazy and taking advantage. The aggressiveness of people's ignorance and anger is staggering...

https://www.playboy.com/read/playboy-fiction-repercussions

New short story from Chuck Palahniuk available for free online or in the latest edition of Playboy.

What a delightful movie! A bit anticlimactic at the end. I'm actually interested in reading the book to see if it provides any further insight.

https://www.tor.com/2017/07/05/when-the-devil-drives/

A short story from the Wild Cards universe. I got a good sense of the universe from this take, and it's pretty cool! Gritty crime drama with a superheroic twist.

I'm not sure what I just read... :D

I'm still conflicted about these alternate Archie worlds. I have such fond memories of reading the classic, wholesome digests growing up. I gave it a shot, though, and while there was certainly entertaining aspects, I just did not enjoy seeing the gang murdered and maimed.

A beautifully faithful adaptation of one of my all-time favorite novels. P. Craig Russell does an excellent job of presenting a world of Sameness while still providing engaging art. It is certainly a different (somewhat lesser) experience from reading the novel, but I think it can successfully exist along side the book.

I adore the character designs in this fun collection of all-ages Batman comics. Most stories are set on a particular holiday. Damien Wayne is often the main character, which is appropriate for a kids comic.

This may be my favorite so far in the Wayward Children series!