Author Archive
Posted by Debra in Books, Comics, Latest News, Reviews on February 1st, 2010
Robert Kirkman has created another, if somewhat unrecognized, masterpiece. With the popularity of zombies rising (but did it really ever go away?) of course his Walking Dead series has gained much critical acclaim and popularity. There is even a mini series in the works. However, while much deserved, Walking Dead’s success has overshadowed Kirkman’s Invincible, which solidified his prowess with me.
Invincible is set in a world were superheroes are relatively common-place. It follows Mark Grayson, the half-human son of extra-terrestrial Omni-man and Debbie Grayson. He (Mark) lives kind of an average life in the suburbs: His father plays the part of loving attentive father and husband in addition to being the world’s most called upon and powerful superhero, he is just about to graduate high school and go off to college, he’s working at a burger joint—which he hates—and he has a crush on someone who is totally out of his league—which his snarky best friend never fails to point out. He is also, how-shall-we-say, a late bloomer as far as powers go. Of course, he does eventually come into his powers and dons the nom de guerre Invincible and discovers a plot that calls for earth and humanity’s exploitation and enslavement. A plot that may involve his own father. Torn between his ties to earth and his ties to his father, Mark has to make a decision that will change the fate of the earth itself.
A lot of Invincible is told in an almost tongue-in-cheek way. Some of the most amusing parts are when the set up is clearly (but lovingly) ripping on mainstream and generic superhero characters and story structure, especially of the Golden and Silver Ages of comics. This is especially true in the art by Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley. They use bright colors and simple lines which makes it hard to notice, at first, the dark undertones and violence. And, boy, does it get violent. In the words of one fan: “I mean, my God.”
Nevertheless, Invincible is a must read for anyone who considers themselves any sort of a comic nerd and volume 12 is set for release March 1st.
Posted by Debra in Comics, Latest News, Movies, Reviews on February 1st, 2010
Christian Gossett’s Red Star reminds me why I got into graphic novels in the first place: the use of a visual medium to relay a world that is slightly different—but somehow a little more poignantly true—than our own. Like Civil War: Iron Man or Watchmen, Red Star conveys a wistful, almost sorrowful view of what is now with what could have been.
Red Star is set in the fictional land of “the United Republics of the Red Star” about a decade after their war with Al-Istaan. To get some cursory understanding of this set up, the URRS (United Republics of the Red Star) is quite clearly based on the USSR post-Afghan Invasion. In fact, Soviet and Slovak tones and folklore abound throughout the series. Told in flashbacks and in present time, Red Star follows Maya Antares, a military sorceress, who lost her husband, Marcus, in the war with Al-Istaan. Presently, she is involved in another military campaign on her brother-in-law’s, Urik, airship that involves quelling rebellion in the separatist territory of Nagorka. After discovering the true source of the magic that Maya and all of the URRS’s military uses as a weapon, Maya and her comrades—both living and dead—rebel themselves in an effort conquer the injustices the URRS uses to wage war.
One of the most attractive aspects of the Red Star series, or course, is the artwork. Using a seamless blending of computer graphics and hand-drawings, each frame is breathtaking with depth and emotion. The pictorial and verbal aspects of Red Star perfectly compliment one another in a melancholic, almost resigned way.
The fourth volume of Red Star, subtitles Sword of Lies, was recently released in paperback and if you buy directly from the publishers and Gossett at www.theredstar.com the copy you get will be autographed by Christian Gossett himself! In addition, good ol’ Timur Bekmambetov or Nightwatch, Daywatch, and Wanted fame, is currently working creating the much anticipated (by me most of all!) movie adaptation of Red Star, or as he calls it, his “dream project”. It’s set for release in 2012.
Posted by Debra in Books, Latest News, Reviews on November 18th, 2009
There has been a recent resurgence of a lot of common themes in science fiction and horror lately: vampires, zombies, werewolves, and so on. However, the most exciting resurgence, albeit a small one—but here’s hoping, is one of setting. I am, of course, talking about steampunk, because what could possibly be better than dark and gritty Victorian or Edwardian sociopolitical issues combined with crazy steam powered technology? That’s right. Nothing.
Scott Westerfeld, of Pretties and Midnighters fame, switches to the genre with surprising skill and originality. In his October 2009 release of Leviathan, Westerfeld uses the beginning of World War One as a backdrop for the coming-of-age of two seemingly opposing characters. Leviathan pits the Darwinists (Entente Powers) against the Clankers (the Central Powers). The Darwinists are inventors who manipulate living creatures’ DNA to create living weapons (such as airships based off of jellyfish) while the Clankers build theirs out of metal and power them with steam. On the Darwinist side is a teenaged girl pretending to be a teenaged boy in order to be part of the military. On the Clankers’ side, the teenaged son of the recently assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand (the very one!) is on the run and keeping his identity secret, especially from his own people. However, as the seemingly separate storylines meet, it quickly becomes clear that there are more behind-the-scenes secrets surrounding the lives of both of the characters than previously thought.
Scott Westerfeld is known for his overtly didactic works. With Leviathan, on the other hand, he lets go of a lot of the blatant social commentary and has fun—and it shows. While this novel starts slow, it quickly picks up and has definitely left me hankering for the invention of a time machine so I can get the sequel, Behemoth, that come comes out October 2010, a lot sooner.
Posted by Debra in Books, Latest News, Reviews on November 18th, 2009
There is nothing like being treated like crap, unwanted darkly-romantic advances, and creepy mind games to make a scholarly high school girl weak in the knees. Or so it would seem. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick was released last month and is quickly—and to be honest, expectedly—becoming a top seller in YA. In my local bookstore, one bookseller told me “In my opinion, it’s the next Twilight!” and literally put her hand over her heart as she breathily whispered Patch’s name. And I must agree. Fans of Edward’s cold (no pun intended) and callous treatment of Bella will no doubt be swept away in the dark and desperate romance between the two main characters.
Basically, Hush, Hush is the story of Nora Grey, an intelligent girl who was never really interested in the boys in her high school until the inevitable dark and mysterious transfer student shows up to make things more interesting. After a series of threatening and scary events that leaves her questioning reality and herself, Nora discovers that she is part of an ancient struggle between Heaven, and fallen angels, and humanity.
While this may seem a sarcastic and harsh critique, the novel does have some redeeming factors. The dialogue and tone is a believable level of dramatic and the characters—even side ones—are defined, interesting, and make understandable decisions. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that I went to high school with Nora’s best friend and sidekick, Vee… Nevertheless, Hush, Hush is a action- and drama-packed read that will leave even the most ardent fan of Twilight gasping.
Posted by Debra in Books, Reviews on October 18th, 2009
Oh, Twilight, thankfully you cannot last forever. But your eventual decline and inevitable end will leave a deep hole in many a teenaged and menopausal heart. What can it be filled with? It’s obvious that there is no lack of dramatic, romantic, and vampiric YA Lit being puked into the market but it is hard to filter through the formulaic, Madlib-style books and find the precious few that remind us that the fantastic can still be well-written and worthwhile.
In this spirit, I recommend the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Some of you may recognize her name from her hilarious and viral spoof of Lord of the Rings, Very Serious Diaries she wrote under the name of Cassie Clare. In Mortal Instruments, Clare brings the same sense of humor and mocking. With Whedon-esque pop-culture references, quips, and sarcasm, she quite obviously respects the reader’s intelligence and easily reaffirms that fast pacing and drama, and realist relationships and character development are not mutually exclusive.
The story follows Clary and her best-friend Simon after she witnesses a very strange murder at a dance club and then returns home to find her apartment ransacked, her mother missing, and a venomous creature waiting to kill her in the kitchen. After some sleuthing and rescuing, Clary is discovers that there is more to this world than she previously thought, including demons, monsters, and psychotic traitors with delusions of grandeur. Luckily for her, she also discovers a group that is charged with those creepy little nasties in line—the Shadowhunters.
The Mortal Instruments trilogy and Cassandra Clare have been gaining popularity. Her books are easily accessible and are must-reads for anyone who loves Twilight—or hates it. My geeky fangirl-ing has a secret goal of pushing a movie through the works. It is currently optioned by Unique Features, a film company set up by the founders and ex-co-presidents of New Line, which was responsible for the book-to-movie translation of titles such as Lord of the Rings, Iron Giant, and Clockwork Orange.
Granted, this trilogy will not change your life (If it does, that says more about you than the books.) but it is a fun and engrossing read that will make your day avoiding [insert responsibility here] go that much faster.
