Title: Ultimate Spider-Man, vol. 4: Legacy
Script: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Mark Bagley
Inks: Art Thiebert
Publication Information: New York: Marvel, 2004
ISBN: 0-7851-0968-4
Genre: Graphic Novels
Subgenre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
For those who keep track, this is a compilation that collects Ultimate Spider-Man #22-26. In this volume, Peter Parker, a teen is still struggling with the fact he has the powers that make him Spider-Man. He has just defeated Dr. Octopus, and he thinks maybe things will settle down. However, when the Green Goblin reappears and threatens not only his family, but to expose his secret identity, he knows that he needs to act. The art is colorful; I would say the quality is excellent. The story is good and entertaining as well. Since it is part of a series, it makes you want to read more. I will probably seek the rest in the series. For a casual reader like me, I remember some of the older comics where Spider-Man seems more adult, and his body build reflects that. In this series, he is a teenager, so the hero seems a bit smaller, to me at least. Having said that, the story is so good that a reader like me forgets that. I think this hero and series will have a high appeal to young adults. Peter Parker is a teen struggling with many of the issues any other teen trying to figure out his place in the world faces. Even with his great powers, he gets picked on in school and strives to keep up with school work and a social life like any other teen. He has the appeal of an everyman, or should I say "everyteen." My only bias comes from the fact I am not as a big a fan of Spider-Man as I am of X-Men and other heroes. I did enjoy this series very much. It is appealing; it is well drawn, and it has a story that readers can relate to, especially young adults. For readers who like some intrigue as well, a certain secret agent makes an appearance. Overall, I recommend this compilation.
By the way, in writing these notes for graphic novels, and in reading about RA in this area, I have noticed that knowing names of artists does make a difference. So I am trying to include as much as I can, even if some volumes do not always make this information as handy. We'll see how it works.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
Booknote: Star Wars: Dark Lord
Title: Star Wars: Dark Lord--The Rise of Darth Vader
Author: James Luceno
Publication Information: New York: Ballantine Books, 2005
322 pages.
ISBN: 0-345-47732-4
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
I will start by saying that I don't read too many Star Wars novels. When the trend started with Timothy Zahn's novels, the trilogy set right after the original movies, a few years back I read those with pleasure. They were very well written. However, like many novels based on an established franchise (Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.), the quality afterwards seemed erratic. You can find some very good novels and some very bad ones (or at least poorly written). I tend to get selective if I pick up one of these. I will add that I am a Star Wars fan (casual, I don't dress up, nor can I recite technical specs from vehicles or such). At any rate, I was curious about this new novel on Darth Vader. At the time I checked my public library's catalog, it was checked out. I placed a hold on it, and at the time, I was told that I was fourth in the cue. I figured it would take about a month for me to get the book. I was pleasantly surprised when I got the e-mail notice to go pick it up a couple of days later.
Overall, the book is a very light read, which is one of the strengths of novels in this genre. You can get some good entertaining escapism when you get a good one, and this one was good. I read this in two days, and I have to note that I am not a fast reader. I read it at a good clip. This is the story of how Darth Vader rose to power, and it is set shortly after the events of the Episode 3 film. I won't give away the ending, but it does lead nicely into the next three films (or is it previous films?). The novel has a good pace, and for fans looking for insight into Vader's character, this is highly recommended. It is a good entertaining reading. If you like Star Wars, this is a novel for you. If you are at least mildly curious about Vader's character, this is a novel for you as well.
On an aside note, I discovered from the list in the inside cover that James Luceno was one of the authors who wrote the Robotech series under the pen name of Jack McKinney. For me, this was icing on the cake as I was reading the Robotech series as I graduated from high school and was starting college. I may see if I find other novels by Luceno since I enjoyed that series very much. To me at least, a nice moment of serendipity.
Author: James Luceno
Publication Information: New York: Ballantine Books, 2005
322 pages.
ISBN: 0-345-47732-4
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
I will start by saying that I don't read too many Star Wars novels. When the trend started with Timothy Zahn's novels, the trilogy set right after the original movies, a few years back I read those with pleasure. They were very well written. However, like many novels based on an established franchise (Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.), the quality afterwards seemed erratic. You can find some very good novels and some very bad ones (or at least poorly written). I tend to get selective if I pick up one of these. I will add that I am a Star Wars fan (casual, I don't dress up, nor can I recite technical specs from vehicles or such). At any rate, I was curious about this new novel on Darth Vader. At the time I checked my public library's catalog, it was checked out. I placed a hold on it, and at the time, I was told that I was fourth in the cue. I figured it would take about a month for me to get the book. I was pleasantly surprised when I got the e-mail notice to go pick it up a couple of days later.
Overall, the book is a very light read, which is one of the strengths of novels in this genre. You can get some good entertaining escapism when you get a good one, and this one was good. I read this in two days, and I have to note that I am not a fast reader. I read it at a good clip. This is the story of how Darth Vader rose to power, and it is set shortly after the events of the Episode 3 film. I won't give away the ending, but it does lead nicely into the next three films (or is it previous films?). The novel has a good pace, and for fans looking for insight into Vader's character, this is highly recommended. It is a good entertaining reading. If you like Star Wars, this is a novel for you. If you are at least mildly curious about Vader's character, this is a novel for you as well.
On an aside note, I discovered from the list in the inside cover that James Luceno was one of the authors who wrote the Robotech series under the pen name of Jack McKinney. For me, this was icing on the cake as I was reading the Robotech series as I graduated from high school and was starting college. I may see if I find other novels by Luceno since I enjoyed that series very much. To me at least, a nice moment of serendipity.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Booknote: JLA: Riddle of the Beast
Title: JLA: Riddle of the Beast
Writer: Alan Grant. Various artists.
Publication Information: New York: DC Comics, 2001.
ISBN: 1-56389-873-X
104 pages
Genre: Graphic novel
Subgenre: Fantasy
I think that readers of Marvel 1602 might like this work, even if involves DC heroes rather than Marvel heroes. See my note on Gaiman's graphic novel here. Both works share in common the concept of taking popular superheroes and placing them in alternate places or times. Gaiman uses a historical setting (Elizabethan times) whereas Grant uses a fantasy setting. JLA: Riddle of the Beast is closer to stories by writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Brooks, and Robert Jordan.
The plot is a basic quest story of a young boy facing his heroic destiny. I don't say that in a negative way; I say it to help readers get a quick sense of what the tale is about. It is a good story, and it is one familiar to readers in the fantasy genre. The art is very good. The strength of the work in terms of art is that each chapter of the graphic novel is done by a different artist. It's like getting a series of works in one volume. The result of this technique is that readers get to see different styles; these styles integrate very well to the story. In addition, the lands in the story are different, so the different styles help to enhance this as the characters travel. I think this is a very neat technique. I am not aware others novels do this, but I will be on the lookout. Overall, this is a work I recommend. I think fantasy readers as well as comics fans will enjoy it.
Writer: Alan Grant. Various artists.
Publication Information: New York: DC Comics, 2001.
ISBN: 1-56389-873-X
104 pages
Genre: Graphic novel
Subgenre: Fantasy
I think that readers of Marvel 1602 might like this work, even if involves DC heroes rather than Marvel heroes. See my note on Gaiman's graphic novel here. Both works share in common the concept of taking popular superheroes and placing them in alternate places or times. Gaiman uses a historical setting (Elizabethan times) whereas Grant uses a fantasy setting. JLA: Riddle of the Beast is closer to stories by writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Brooks, and Robert Jordan.
The plot is a basic quest story of a young boy facing his heroic destiny. I don't say that in a negative way; I say it to help readers get a quick sense of what the tale is about. It is a good story, and it is one familiar to readers in the fantasy genre. The art is very good. The strength of the work in terms of art is that each chapter of the graphic novel is done by a different artist. It's like getting a series of works in one volume. The result of this technique is that readers get to see different styles; these styles integrate very well to the story. In addition, the lands in the story are different, so the different styles help to enhance this as the characters travel. I think this is a very neat technique. I am not aware others novels do this, but I will be on the lookout. Overall, this is a work I recommend. I think fantasy readers as well as comics fans will enjoy it.
Monday, January 23, 2006
A little more on book lists and reading
Mark Lindner recently posted "The books I read last year post." He also wrote a reply to my post "The 50 Book Challenge? A little on book lists." As it often happens with a good and interesting idea, what started out as a comment to another post kept getting a bit longer. So I am replying to Mark's post here. When I posted my list post, I had no idea there was a "thing" that went around every year. Then again, I have not been blogging for a year yet, so maybe that was part of my lack of awareness in that regard. Can such ventures be narcissistic? Probably, especially if it becomes a spectator sport, but then again who is anyone who does this to call anyone else narcissistic?
So why did I do it? Make my reading list public that is. For a long time, I've kept some track in my journals of the books I read, but it was nothing shared. In the end, I think I did it for whimsy. I'd liked to think that maybe the FBI or the Department of Homeland Security will see it and get pissed, but I don't think I read anything terribly dangerous last year. Hmm, I may need to work on that this year.
Glad to hear you tagged some books Mark. That's the beauty and the rub of lists. You can always (strive to) get to them later. If you do get to some of them, I would love to read your impressions. And then there are the thousands of books unread. As the saying goes, "so many books, so little time." This means we make choices when it comes to our reading, well, in regards to our pleasure reading at least. Maybe we can look at these reading lists as paths, as the trail that a reader follows in their reading and literacy life. I hinted at this in my previous post but allow me to expand the idea a bit more. Around the time I was headed to do the National Writing Project, I had to write a literacy narrative, which in very simple terms, is an autobiographical story of your literacy. I may some day dig it up, see how I have changed and post a form of it here. Anyhow, I wonder now as I write this if for some people such lists could be a form of literacy narrative: this is where I have been; these are the thoughts and ideas that engaged, interested, challenged me; these are hints of who I am and where I would like to go. Some might say I may be reading a bit much into lists, but what if. . .? What if we asked some of those readers about their lists, about their choices, about what they remember? What if, for instance, we looked at the reading choices of librarians, or other people? Just a thought, but maybe one worth exploring. Another way to look at it can be the rise of social booklists sites. Maybe some of those could be a primary source to begin asking and answering such questions.
Is about the inner readers' advisor? I don't know. While I can certainly see myself doing RA in a public library, I would need to read more in the genres of fiction. Reading The Very Virile Viking is not necessarily my idea of fun. Although this particular title seems like fun. One of my classmates read it for our Adult RA class during our discussion of romance novels. We all giggled about it, but she gave it a good booktalk. Overall, what I find neat about RA is bringing readers together, like helping someone on their journey. If I did not do what I do now, RA and reference work in a public library might have been my next choice for a vocation. At any rate Mark, you might have a little RA in you, if the way you write about books and some articles is any indication. In the end though, as Joseph Campbell would say, you have to follow your own bliss. Or, if you prefer pop culture, as Mr. Spock told Captain Kirk, "Commanding a starship is your first, best destiny. Anything else is a waste of material" (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, see this and other Star Trek quotes here). When that librarian told me, "you know, I think you'd make a good librarian," I knew I was on my way to my best destiny, but that is another story.
So why did I do it? Make my reading list public that is. For a long time, I've kept some track in my journals of the books I read, but it was nothing shared. In the end, I think I did it for whimsy. I'd liked to think that maybe the FBI or the Department of Homeland Security will see it and get pissed, but I don't think I read anything terribly dangerous last year. Hmm, I may need to work on that this year.
Glad to hear you tagged some books Mark. That's the beauty and the rub of lists. You can always (strive to) get to them later. If you do get to some of them, I would love to read your impressions. And then there are the thousands of books unread. As the saying goes, "so many books, so little time." This means we make choices when it comes to our reading, well, in regards to our pleasure reading at least. Maybe we can look at these reading lists as paths, as the trail that a reader follows in their reading and literacy life. I hinted at this in my previous post but allow me to expand the idea a bit more. Around the time I was headed to do the National Writing Project, I had to write a literacy narrative, which in very simple terms, is an autobiographical story of your literacy. I may some day dig it up, see how I have changed and post a form of it here. Anyhow, I wonder now as I write this if for some people such lists could be a form of literacy narrative: this is where I have been; these are the thoughts and ideas that engaged, interested, challenged me; these are hints of who I am and where I would like to go. Some might say I may be reading a bit much into lists, but what if. . .? What if we asked some of those readers about their lists, about their choices, about what they remember? What if, for instance, we looked at the reading choices of librarians, or other people? Just a thought, but maybe one worth exploring. Another way to look at it can be the rise of social booklists sites. Maybe some of those could be a primary source to begin asking and answering such questions.
Is about the inner readers' advisor? I don't know. While I can certainly see myself doing RA in a public library, I would need to read more in the genres of fiction. Reading The Very Virile Viking is not necessarily my idea of fun. Although this particular title seems like fun. One of my classmates read it for our Adult RA class during our discussion of romance novels. We all giggled about it, but she gave it a good booktalk. Overall, what I find neat about RA is bringing readers together, like helping someone on their journey. If I did not do what I do now, RA and reference work in a public library might have been my next choice for a vocation. At any rate Mark, you might have a little RA in you, if the way you write about books and some articles is any indication. In the end though, as Joseph Campbell would say, you have to follow your own bliss. Or, if you prefer pop culture, as Mr. Spock told Captain Kirk, "Commanding a starship is your first, best destiny. Anything else is a waste of material" (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, see this and other Star Trek quotes here). When that librarian told me, "you know, I think you'd make a good librarian," I knew I was on my way to my best destiny, but that is another story.
Booknote: Superman: True Brit
Title: Superman: True Brit
Writers: Kim "Howard" Johnson and John Cleese
Artists: John Byrne, Mark Farmer, and Alex Bleyaert
Publication Information: New York: DC Comics, 2004
ISBN: 1-4012-0022-2
Genre: Graphic novels
Subgenres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Humor
What would happen if Superman had landed in England and was raised by very proper English parents who emphasized that it was not proper to stand out in a crowd? One answer is this very funny graphic novel. Colin Clark grows up to become a tabloid reporter while doing his best to keep his powers a secret. After all, his parents are worried about what will the neighbors think. However, you can't keep a good hero down even if his heroics don't always work out perfectly. The tale features great humor. The art is colorful and bright, reinforcing the humor in the story. For readers who want an entertaining work, this is recommended. I think Superman fans may appreciate the humorous take on the well-known tale of Krypton's son. Definitely not something to take seriously. I highly recommend it as I really enjoyed it both for the story as well as its small pokes at British society. I also think readers will enjoy the ending, a nice little twist I won't give away.
Writers: Kim "Howard" Johnson and John Cleese
Artists: John Byrne, Mark Farmer, and Alex Bleyaert
Publication Information: New York: DC Comics, 2004
ISBN: 1-4012-0022-2
Genre: Graphic novels
Subgenres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Humor
What would happen if Superman had landed in England and was raised by very proper English parents who emphasized that it was not proper to stand out in a crowd? One answer is this very funny graphic novel. Colin Clark grows up to become a tabloid reporter while doing his best to keep his powers a secret. After all, his parents are worried about what will the neighbors think. However, you can't keep a good hero down even if his heroics don't always work out perfectly. The tale features great humor. The art is colorful and bright, reinforcing the humor in the story. For readers who want an entertaining work, this is recommended. I think Superman fans may appreciate the humorous take on the well-known tale of Krypton's son. Definitely not something to take seriously. I highly recommend it as I really enjoyed it both for the story as well as its small pokes at British society. I also think readers will enjoy the ending, a nice little twist I won't give away.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)