Tag: Review

Review: Invincible Vol. 4: Head of the Class

Author: Robert Kirkman
Artists: Ryan Ottley
Colorist: Bill Crabtree
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Released: March 31, 2005
Received: Own

Book Summary:

Mark Grayson has always known he had a better-than-average chance of succeeding with superpowers. After all, his father has them and promised that he would inherit them someday. This helped prepare Mark for superhero life long before those powers came to be.

Unfortunately, Mark’s journey to becoming a superhero hasn’t gone quite as planned. His father wasn’t the man he thought he was, his family is falling apart, and his education is falling by the wayside. How will he carry it all?

My Review:

Well, it’s certainly clear that Invincible Vol. 4 isn’t here to pull punches. I think we all knew that the fallout falling that surprise with his father would be bad…but this is a lot. In a way, I love that Kirkman and crew aren’t shying away from the very human reactions that come with this level of trauma. Alternatively, I’m terrified of what else will come, you know?

That isn’t to say that Invincible Vol. 4 is one heavy read. A lot is happening in this volume, including Mark doing his best to step up and help protect the world in his father’s stead. That means we see many different scenarios, battles, and creative solutions. So that made for a lot of entertainment.

A few other plots are ramping up in this volume, and boy, do I have questions about those! I hope some of them come full circle in the next volume because I’m incredibly curious to see how they pan out.

I have a question for everyone else who owns a copy of Invincible Vol. 4 – does your copy have a misspent in it? I had two of the same page back to back and had to hop online to figure out what I was missing. Just curious to know if this is the case for all copies of the volume or if I just got lucky (unlucky).

Highlights:

  • Part of a Series
  • Superhero Teen
  • Coming of Age with a Twist
  • Now an Amazon TV Series

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Review: Astroneer: Countdown Vol. 1

Writer: Dave Dwonch, Jeremy Lawson, David Pepose, Mia Goodwin
Story/Editing: Mia Goodwin
Artist: Xenia Pamfil, Jeremy Lawson, Eryk Donovan, Mia Goodwin
Letterer: Mia Goodwin
Publisher: Titan Comics
Released: March 28, 2023
Received: NetGalley

Book Summary:

Are you a fan of a game called Astroneer? Well, good news! There’s now a graphic novel portraying this exciting and sometimes humorous universe. Astroneer: Countdown Vol. 1 contains four stories in total: Countdown, Out of Bounds, Decaf Noir, and Have We Met?

This is a universe where people can explore different and strange planets. Naturally, this occasionally leads to bizarre antics, to put it mildly. Get ready for a romp through space!

My Review:

It took me less than thirty seconds to decide that I would read Astroneer: Countdown Vol. 1. Seriously, I saw it and knew that I had to read it. While I’ve never actually played Astroneer, I enjoy watching Let’s Plays of the game. It’s so entertaining!

Let me tell you, the graphic novel is not a disappointment. It’s fun and chaotic in equal proportions and full of the bright colors and landscapes fans have come to expect. Overall, I enjoyed the primary story (Countdown) the most. However, I’m mainly saying that because of the characters – they’re a delight (and made me laugh on more than one occasion).

The other stories, Out of Bounds, Decaf Noir, and Have We Met? did do a great job of balancing out the universe. I also really enjoyed how they changed the tone, art styles, and color palettes for each of them. It added to the whole experience.

Highlights:

  • Based on a video game world (Astroneer)
  • Humorous
  • Space Exploration

Thanks to Titan Comics and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: The Little Trashmaid Vol. 1

Writer/Artist: sOs2
Publisher: SillyStudios
Released: January 1, 2023
Received: Own

Book Summary:

The Little Trashmaid is a clever adaptation of the classic tale, the Little Mermaid, incorporating the theme of pollution. The protagonist, Tidy, affectionately referred to as the trashmaid, embarks on a series of enchanting and occasionally poignant escapades alongside her two human companions. With its lively and predominantly nonverbal storytelling, this comic offers an accessible reading experience for everyone.

This captivating series delves into significant issues such as pollution, conservation, and the importance of clean water. If you are interested in these topics, you’ll find the thought-provoking commentary within these comics enjoyable.

My Review:

I don’t think I’ll ever grow tired of The Little Trashmaid. I’ve read the webcomic series a few times now (and am subbed on both Tapas and Patreon for the newest comics), and it never gets old. So when I saw the opportunity to back The Little Trashmaid Vol. 1, I knew I had to do it.

The Little Trashmaid Vol. 1 collects some of the earliest comics from the series, introducing us to Tidy, Ricky, Spencer, and a few other characters. Somehow the series manages to be oddly wholesome, despite the heavier undertones.

That isn’t to say that your heart won’t break while reading. Personally, I was (and always will be) devastated by Neat’s side arc. It’s the epitome of bittersweet and goes a long way in showing how quickly you can become invested in these characters.

The playful art style helps keep the powerful points of the narrative from becoming too jarring. Yes, they’re still present, but they’re also much more approachable. I’m hoping that this series helps to change the minds of every reader it finds.

Highlights:

  • Webcomic turned graphic novel
  • My Little Mermaid meets Environmentalism
  • Largely non-verbal comics
  • Endearing Characters

Trigger Warnings:

  • Pollution
  • Animal/Mermaid Injuries

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WOTN Review: Folklords #3 (Boom! Studios)

A Twisted Tale To Be Discovered in Folklords #3

Folklords has been a fun and twisted version of classic fairy tales. And Folklords #3 pushes that even further, merging classic childhood stories into something much darker and stranger. And to think, it all started with one boy’s quest.

Ansel has always had these visions of another world. The twist is that he is a boy living in what we would consider a fairyland. While seeing into a world full of technology and the mundane. Ansel hopes to prove that this world he sees exists. So this is not your ordinary quest, not by a long shot.

Folklords is the perfect series for those looking for something creative and different. The twists in this series have been carefully thought out. They’re not simply the inverted versions of classic tropes. That makes this a series worth checking out in my book.

Writing

Folklords #3 was full of surprising twists. But given that’s what this whole series is about, perhaps that isn’t all that surprising. It is an entertaining read, with Matt Kindt taking the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel and turning it into something much darker – which is saying something, given the original story.

A lot of this story was told in a visual format. I was tempted to address that in the artwork section (and I probably will a bit there as well), but a lot of credit still has to go to Kindt for that. After all, he likely came up with how the story should be told, even if a lot of it was nonverbal.

The writing for this issue was clever. The twists were surprising…yet they also made sense. There were hints along the way to lead us to this point. It was very well done, especially if we take the nonstandard storytelling style into account as well.

On the whole, I enjoyed this issue. It was delightfully dark while also continuing with Ansel’s quest. I will be curious to see how far he gets. And what the outcome will be regarding the other elements that Kindt has been building up.

Art

The art in Folklords #3 is something to be appreciated. I mentioned above that a lot of the storytelling in this issue was visual, and I meant that. The artists certainly deserve a lot of credit for that, as they did a lot of the heavy lifting here.

There was this fine balance between subtle storytelling and intentionally graphic or disquieting imagery. I feel like the artistic team nailed that balance and ended up taking this plot to a whole new level because of it.

Matt Smith was the lead artist for this issue, with Chris O’Halloran providing the colors. Together they created something noteworthy here. Finally, there’s the letterer, Jim Campbell. While there was less writing than normal in this issue, there’s no doubt that Campbell excelled in what was provided.

Conclusion

Folklords #3 fully invested me back into this dark and twisted series. Where before I had merely been curious, now I sincerely can’t wait to see what happens next. The creative storytelling style and darker elements, has made this a series to follow. And I, for one, am looking forward to seeing where it goes.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.

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Review: Call the Name of the Night, Vol. 1

Author/Aritst: Tama Mitsuboshi
Translator: Amanda Haley
Publisher: Yen Press
Released: March 21, 2023
Received: NetGalley

Summary:

How many stories begin deep in the forest? Yet that is precisely where Mira’s story begins. She’s been living with her physician, Rei, who is desperately searching for a way to calm her…affliction. Said affliction just so happens to be her ability to call forth darkness whenever she’s upset or distressed. As a little girl, you can imagine how often that happens – and how distressing it is.

Unfortunately, Mira has an incident involving darkness when Rei isn’t around. Worse, one of his friends witnesses it and takes a sudden interest in her abilities. All of which will kick off a chain of events.

Review:

Okay, let me address the obvious first: Call the Name of the Night Vol. 1 has fantastic artwork. And I do mean fantastic. It’s worth reading for that alone, and I do mean that. I especially love the color of the cover. Not ashamed to admit that.

It took me a while to feel any connection to Mira’s story. Yet once I became invested, worrying about everything that would happen was easy. Mira’s struggles, which pushed to an unrealistic extent (calling darkness), do feel very human and thus relatable. It was well done.

Overall, I was blown away by how sweet and cozy Call the Name of the Night felt. It may have been a new story to me, yet something about it felt like coming home. That’s how cozy it is.

Highlights:

  • Fantasy
  • Cozy Manga

Thanks to Yen Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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WOTN Review: Folklords #2 (Boom! Studios)

Twisted Fairy Tales To Be Found in Folklords #2

Ansel has always had these strange visions of a world full of technology and other wonders. And in Folklords #2, he’s moving forward in his quest to prove those visions right. But before he can do that, he must survive the trials of his own world.

Folklords is a delightful series that flips all of the tropes and expectations that come with a magical realm upon its head. Here we have a teenager who sees visions of another world. But rather than seeing into a magical world, it’s the other way around. And all of the magical creatures think he’s a bit mad for going off on this quest.

Thankfully, Ansel is not alone. Another villager, Archer, has decided to take up this very same quest. But the jury is still out on whether he will end up being more of a help or a hindrance. But at least Ansel has some company?

Writing

Folklords #2 was a fascinating continuation of this tale. Ansel’s quest is unique in that most of us have surely not seen this flipped perspective. It’s been interesting to see how the details are handled and how far the boundaries on this concept can be pushed.

Matt Kindt has woven a complex tale in this issue. On the one hand, Ansel’s quest is complicated by his companion, Archer. The backstory of this character (revealed in this issue) is alarming and disturbing, yet it also fits the fantasy theme quite beautifully.

Then there are the dangers that our characters come across here. If the series continues to twist all of these tales, it’s safe to say that this issue will stay delightfully intriguing. The twists so far have been clever. Kindt has managed to successfully subvert expectations on more than one occasion. All while setting up for something larger.

Art

Folklords #2 is full of dark and foreboding artwork. The type of scenery you’d expect to find in a dark and magical forest. It was the perfect setting for this issue for more than one reason. And the artistic team nailed the overall tone and feeling of it all.

Matt Smith was the lead artist for this issue; thus, all credit for the characters, their expressions, and much of their surroundings should go to him. Then there are the colors, which was the ideal mixture of dark and murky. Chris O’Halloran provided those colors. Finally, Jim Campbell was the letterer. And his work was pleasing, as always.

Together these three were the ideal support for this winding plot, one that is taking us on the most unexpected of journeys.

Conclusion

Folklords #2 had a lot of disturbing – yet fascinating – undertones. And it’s impossible not to be intrigued by what is unfolding right in front of us. Ansel’s quest was one that sounded interesting right from the start. But it’s the twists and turns that are keeping this tale interesting. And I, for one, am looking forward to seeing how this latest twist concludes.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.

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Review: Thinking of You

Thinking of You (but not like in a weird creepy way): A Comic Collection
Author/Artist: Beth Evans
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Released: May 2, 2023
Received: NetGalley

Book Summary:

Thinking of You is a collection of comics by Beth Evans (@bethdrawsthings). She’s a great artist with a fantastic sense of humor. More importantly, she works hard to help others see the value in themselves. You don’t find that every day.

You’ll likely have seen Beth Evans’ works online, especially the ones about her Blobs. They’re the most popular. This is a collection of many of those moments designed specifically to help others feel seen and valued.

My Review:

Thinking of You is such a sweet and funny comic! Don’t believe me? Read the full title and think again. I love this sense of humor. It feels almost…gentle? Like the author is trying to uplift her readers through humor. Oh, wait, that basically is what she’s doing! Love it.

Many of the moments in this comic will be super relatable, especially to anyone who needs a bit of affirmation or encouragement. Honestly, there’s not a lot to say about Thinking of You – it pretty much speaks for itself! So go read it; you won’t regret it.

Highlights:

  • Humorous
  • Self-Help Comic
  • Blobs!

Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: Invincible Vol. 3: Perfect Strangers

Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Ryan Ottley
Colorist: Bill Crabtree
Letterer: Robert Kirkman
Publisher: Image Comics
Released: October 31, 2004
Received: Own

Book Summary:

Mark Grayson has always known he had a better-than-average chance of succeeding with superpowers. After all, his father has them and kept promising that he, too, would inherit them someday. This helped prepare Mark for superhero life long before those powers came to be.

Now Mark is trying to balance high school, a social life, and being a hero. His father made it look so easy! Unfortunately, that isn’t all that Mark must contend with. The famous superhero group, The Guardians of the Globe, have been murdered. This leaves everyone else picking up the slack – and scrambling to find out what happened to the beloved team.

My Review:

Yikes! This is the volume I’ve been waiting for/dreading because I knew it would hit hard. I know I’m late to the game, reading the series now (after having watched the show’s first season), but I’m so happy to finally be getting around to it.

Actually, that’s an understatement. I’m hooked! I already ordered the subsequent few volumes and HATE waiting for them to arrive. I don’t know how I would have survived if I was reading them as they came out. So I guess that’s the good part about diving into a series after the fact.

Invincible Vol. 3: Perfect Strangers is brilliant. Like the first two volumes, it continues to tease different plot points that I’m certain will be relevant later. I enjoy this more subtle form of storytelling. It makes you question every detail you see, adding depth and interest.

As for those big scenes I was waiting for – I was a bit surprised. They weren’t as graphic as expected, so now I know they were built up for the show (maybe they weren’t allowed to get away with specific details during the original publishing?). Honestly, though – I’m not complaining. It was a lot to watch, and the implications are heavy enough, thank you very much!

But seriously, these moments were so carefully crafted. You can see how long they had been building, even if you didn’t see them coming. I can’t wait to see what other plots will come around and hit us in the feels.

As always, I love the artwork in Invincible Vol. 3. The bold colors are so classically superhero-esque, with a fun twist on them here and there. I loved the tongue-in-cheek humor that popped up at one point. It felt like commentary, but in an all-in-good-fun way, if that makes sense.

Highlights:

  • Part of a Series
  • Superhero Teen
  • Coming of Age with a Twist
  • Now an Amazon TV Series

Trigger Warnings:

  • Can get VERY graphic at times

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WOTN Review: Folklords #1 (Boom! Box)

A Classic Reversal in Folklords #1

Folklords #1 is the start of a new miniseries from Boom! Box. This series is only meant to be five issues long, but in that short period of time, it’s going to subvert all of the classic tropes involving fairy tale quests.

Ansel lives in a magical world. But he has visions of another world – one completely unlike his own. But unlike the classical tales of a boy seeing another world, he dreams of a world full of suits and skyscrapers. This series is set to twist all expectations of fantasy worlds, magic, and the well-worn tale of a young man’s coming-of-age adventure in what will soon become a complete reversal of it all.

Folklords looks like it’ll be a fun and amusing series for anybody looking for something different and somewhat whimsical. The flip is so obvious, and yet not something that has ever been done before.

Writing

The world Matt Kindt has built in Folklords #1 is immediately familiar and yet very different from what we might expect. We can imagine this world as the setting for an epic quest. And yet – it’s the world that Ansel is trying to escape.

There was something oddly charming about the writing in this tale. Perhaps it’s because Ansel is yearning to prove the existence of a world full of technology. Or perhaps it’s because he’s fighting against the elders of his town. No matter the reason, there is something deeply resonating about this series.

For a series designed to be only five issues long, there was a delightful plot and subplot to be found within the first issue. This world has already come alive, and it’s clear that a lot is going on in Ansel’s world.

What was perhaps the most satisfying part of this tale was Ansel’s determination despite it all. And admittedly, the way he describes our world is oddly…charming. It’s a picturesque version, but that makes sense, given that he’s only been able to steal glances here and there.

Art

Folklords #1 is both bright and whimsical. Ansel is an oddly normal character. Well, normal by our standards. Less so by the people in his world. Dressing him up in a suit was a clever touch – an obvious throwback to the idea of a child wearing a cloak or something similar. It made Ansel stick out like a sore thumb – in all the right ways.

The artists behind this issue did an excellent job of showing the magic in Ansel’s world as a background element. After all, none of this is new or different to Ansel and thus doesn’t hold any importance to him. It was a fascinating perspective and one that they portrayed astonishingly well.

Matth Smith was the lead artist for this issue, with Chriss O’Halloran providing the colors and Jim Campbell doing the lettering. Together they brought this unique character and world to life.

Conclusion

Folklords #1 was an interesting start to what is sure to be a fascinating and memorable miniseries. It has proven fast-paced and witty, pushing Ansel’s story to a nearly comical extreme. It will truly be interesting to see where this series goes, given how many issues it has left.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.

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Review: Why Are You Like This?

Why Are You Like This? An ArtbyMoga Comic Collection
Author/Artist: Meg Adams
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Released: March 7, 2023
Received: NetGalley

Book Summary:

Who doesn’t love millennial humor? Why Are You Like This? Is a collection of comics about millennial life, including marriage, adulthood in general, self-love, self-care, pet ownership, etc. It’s perfect if you need help looking at your life and finding something to laugh about!

But seriously, Why Are You Like This? Is a sweet and humorous comic about daily life and perspective.

My Review:

If you need a good laugh, may I recommend reading Why Are You Like This? The title alone does an excellent job of giving you an idea of what sort of humor you’ll find within the pages.

Meg and Carson couldn’t be more different. One is an introvert, the other an extrovert. You’d think that wouldn’t work – but it does! This combination is also fairly common, so I feel like many readers will relate to the humorous situations this couple finds themselves in.

Obviously, my favorite arcs revolved around the pets and other chaotic humor. It’s far too relatable, and I love it! The romantic moments were both sweet and funny, which is always appreciated. Read this if you need a smile.

Highlights:

  • Slice of Life
  • Humorous
  • Opposites Attract Comic/Romance

Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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