Saga continues to impress and shock. This series is definitely not for everyone and I feel like this issue went farther when it comes to controversialSaga continues to impress and shock. This series is definitely not for everyone and I feel like this issue went farther when it comes to controversial issues and content than any previous issue. It makes it one heck of a ride, but proceed with caution if you offend easily!
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For me, the controversial content (which I cannot specify without spoilers) is presented in a fascinating and moving way. It is not always easy to weave sensitive content into a story, but this volume handles two or three hot button topics pretty perfectly.
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The art continues to be fantastic: detailed, beautiful, at times grotesque, always wonderful to look at. I am so glad that this series has kept up a high standard of illustration through eight volumes.
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Graphic novel fans, sci-fi fans, fans of stories that do not hesitate to shock in order to make a statement - you must all read this series!
Merged review:
Saga continues to impress and shock. This series is definitely not for everyone and I feel like this issue went farther when it comes to controversial issues and content than any previous issue. It makes it one heck of a ride, but proceed with caution if you offend easily!
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For me, the controversial content (which I cannot specify without spoilers) is presented in a fascinating and moving way. It is not always easy to weave sensitive content into a story, but this volume handles two or three hot button topics pretty perfectly.
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The art continues to be fantastic: detailed, beautiful, at times grotesque, always wonderful to look at. I am so glad that this series has kept up a high standard of illustration through eight volumes.
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Graphic novel fans, sci-fi fans, fans of stories that do not hesitate to shock in order to make a statement - you must all read this series!...more
I was kinda getting bored of this series with the last volume, but this one really ramped things up with some serious drama, clever dialogue, and someI was kinda getting bored of this series with the last volume, but this one really ramped things up with some serious drama, clever dialogue, and some very decent action sequences. Sure you still get some irreverent, adult based content (this previous comment was your warning – you want clean, family fun, do not try this at home). But, luckily, this volume didn’t just try to rely solely on adult humor. As with some of the earlier volumes, there was a lot of creativity and some important commentary interspersed with the gags and humor.
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The art continues in the same vein and will definitely appeal to Manga fans. There are also many references to Japanese pop culture in this volume. No doubt that is what is fueling Adam Warren on this series.
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So, you want some superhero action with a bit of adult humor and some Japanese flair, this is the series for you. (Okay, so maybe it is A LOT of adult humor!) ...more
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this graphic novel series continues to be excellent! The story follows right along with the novel (unabrAt the risk of sounding like a broken record, this graphic novel series continues to be excellent! The story follows right along with the novel (unabridged version) and the artwork is excellent. King fans who are also graphic novel fans should really check this one out.
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This volume deals mainly with the bad guys – the Hardcases. This means both in the belly of the beast (view spoiler)[ Vegas (hide spoiler)] and where there is supposed to be sanctuary (view spoiler)[Boulder (hide spoiler)], but evil lurks. This is a great contrast to the last volume which dealt mainly with the good guys.
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Also, this volume takes place during the parts of the novel that were my least favorite. That is all of the scenes with the Boulder Free Zone trying to get a committee together and reestablish a government. That part always dragged on for me. Luckily it goes fast in this format!
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Fans of The Stand cannot go wrong here. And, if you don’t want to take on the huge book, this continues to be a pretty good summary version with decent art to accompany it.
Sometimes when reading non-fiction it feels like it is just an extended research paper. But, when the author was actually involved in the events, it gSometimes when reading non-fiction it feels like it is just an extended research paper. But, when the author was actually involved in the events, it gains a bit more of a personal investment. My Friend Dahmer is definitely the most intense first-hand non-fiction I have ever read. It's not just another exposé on a horrifying story, it is well fleshed out, truthful retelling of previously little known events from before the nightmare began.
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I can tell that Backderf went out of his way to as truthfully as possible share this story that was close to him using the medium he was most comfortable with. It may seem to some that graphic novel is an odd format for this story, but it translates surprisingly well and I think even benefits in that the author could recreate scenes for us (as cartoony as they might be).
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Some critics might slam an author for profiting from a tragic story like this. But, as we all know, every scandalous and horrific story gets told and retold hundreds of times through books, movies, television interviews, etc. We all crave information about people who have lost their minds and/or cross over twisted criminal behavior. Sometime these retellings are obviously sloppy, done just to shock, full of untruths, and riddled with unfounded opinions (in which the author is trying to advance their agenda more that actually share information). In this case, Backderf followed the graphic novel with several pages of notes to show how close to the real thing it was and how he attempted to keep any speculation out of the story. And, in the prologue he talks about how this story was the result of many years of reflection on his years with Dahmer, not something he rushed to get on the shelves ASAP once the story broke. For me, this was truly powerful and heartfelt.
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I think the art is very interesting. Backderf has a style that stands out. For some reason it kept reminding me of cartoons I used to read in Mad Magazine. At first I was not sure if I was going to care for it, but it grew on me as the story progressed. I look forward to check out some of his other graphic novels.
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This is a facinating telling of Dahmer's high school years. There is a little bit of gruesomeness, but most of that came later. So, if you have been turned away from the Dahmer story because of the details of his mad scientist-esque crimes and cannibal behavior, that is barely a part of this story. This is the origin story. This is a telling of the early signs of madness. These are the stories where there may have been a chance to stop the horrors of the future if things were slightly different or if someone had stepped in - but no one ever did . . ....more
When I read the last volume of this series I was about to give up. The story was all over the place and the art had become blah. I was willing to giveWhen I read the last volume of this series I was about to give up. The story was all over the place and the art had become blah. I was willing to give it one more chance. I am so glad I did - this volume brought things back to where they used to be.
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While there was still some confusion in the story, I think that is most likely a side effect of the last volume going off the rails. After about 1/3, I was back into it. Glad to say that the uniqueness, action, magic, and mayhem are all here -’ hopefully to stay!
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One of the biggest things that drew me to this series was the art. I loved the way the faces looked and the vibrant use of color. That was completely gone with the last volume - which, if I recall correctly, they let a bunch of different guest artists do. Here's a tip - don't ever do that again! This art is great the way it started and, like the story, is back to where it belongs.
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If you stopped after the last volume because you felt the way I did, it is worth another try.
5 stars all the way - this graphic novel is excellent! Do you like westerns? Do you like vampires? Do you like vampire-westerns? If you answered yes t5 stars all the way - this graphic novel is excellent! Do you like westerns? Do you like vampires? Do you like vampire-westerns? If you answered yes to one or more of the above, then step right up!
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I figured it sounded interesting, but I did not think I would end up reading one of the best approaches to the vampire genre I have seen. It is creepy, gory, sexy, etc. - all the things you expect in a good vampire tale. Also, it has the element of wondering exactly who you should be cheering for - at some points I found myself very intrigued by the charisma of the main protagonist/antagonist. Will I be for him or against him in the future? I am hooked and I look forward to more.
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As a graphic novel, the art is great. I would say it has a slightly less cartoonish feel than Chew, but there is a similar look. The monsters and the gore are well done. And, as I started my Red Dead Redemption II journey last night, I am loving the western art.
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I think this is a worthwhile selection for vampire fans to try even if they are not into the graphic novel format....more
So, I want to read all the Star Wars books. I have also tried some of the graphic novels. Legends, Canon, YA, movie tie-in, etc. - I want to read themSo, I want to read all the Star Wars books. I have also tried some of the graphic novels. Legends, Canon, YA, movie tie-in, etc. - I want to read them all! If you have ever looked up a list of all the books released so far for Star Wars you realize this is easier said than done for a few reasons:
• There are a lot – and, they span from tens of thousands of years before the movies to about 40 years after the first Star Wars movie. Getting a chronological breakdown is a good place to start. • They overlap each other – When you look at a chronological list you see that sometimes a stand-alone book will take place in the middle of a series. Some of the series overlap, too. • Referencing – This has proven to be one of the biggest issues for me. Several times I think I am all caught up and then the book I am in starts referencing events I am unfamiliar with. This issue will be discussed more below. • Graphic Novels vs Novels – This adds a whole other level or overlapping and referencing. I have read a few of the graphic novels and they were okay. I reached a point where it became difficult to track the next ones down – and I was not super inspired to do so, so I am not sure if I will continue with them or not. • Canon vs Non-Canon – I am overcoming this by reading them all in chronological order whether they are Canon or not. Any discrepancies be damned!
I have been waiting to read Revan for a while because I wanted to make sure I had tied in all the stories from the graphic novels, but went ahead with it (for the reasons mentioned above). When I did, I discovered a different level of referencing that I don’t think I will be able to overcome – this part of the Star Wars series is based a lot on a video game. I suppose I could go back and get a copy of the game, but I just want to read! Then, the referencing got even more difficult because it appears that in between Part 1 and Part 2 of this book another whole story took place and I only got a couple page description of that story plus a several year time jump! To me, this was the part of this book I liked least, but if I was a super hard core Star Wars fan and had been keeping up with the releases as the games came out, graphic novels were released, etc., it would not have been as much of an issue.
Despite the complaints above, I really did enjoy this story and I am a fan of the Star Wars universe, legends, battle sequences, force theory, etc. I think that despite the stumbling blocks of the tie-in to the video game and graphic novels, this book was well done and I was engaged with the story throughout. I do feel like maybe the casual sci-fi fan will not enjoy this because it is trying so hard to be part of a massive Star Wars universe outside of the book. But, anyone with a more than by passing interest in Star Wars, who may not have knowledge of every little aspect, but doesn’t mind the gaps being filled in with quick summaries, will enjoy this one.
I plan to continue with this series and my hope is that the disconnects from the graphic novels and video games will prove to be not that much of an issue in the future. ...more
My awareness of this book came from my wife and some of her friends from college. It was legendary as the single most awful experience during their fiMy awareness of this book came from my wife and some of her friends from college. It was legendary as the single most awful experience during their first four years of higher education. You would think that would keep me away . . . But, after several years of putting it off I finally said, "CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!"
It was not the worst book I have ever read. It was not the greatest book I have ever read. I have seen some people sing it's praises as vehemently as the loathing my wife and her friends felt for it. I can easily see both sides of this response.
I would say 3 to 3.5 stars
It was definitely one of the most melodramatic stories I have ever read. Every scene and every discussion was amped up to the next level. Part of that led to super descriptive prose. The best way I can describe it is that it is the literary equivalent of a hyper-realistic painting (Click here for a hyper-realistic painting of Homer Simpson to see what I mean)
I did find the book interesting overall. It is basically the story of a seemingly perfect life going out of control in mid-1900s America because of social expectations, religion, war, politics, and family. At times it was a bit repetitive and drug on a bit. For me, I think it would have had the same impact if it was trimmed and toned down.
I can recommend this to you if you want to cover the classics. For example, I belong to a reading list completist book club and this book appears on several lists. If you like historical fiction, then I think there is a chance you will like it. But, if you are not in the mood for something lengthy, wordy, and intense, this really isn't the book for you....more
This was a fun trilogy. Not super deep or anything, but the perfect bit of escape reading. I might also say that it is a bit of guilty pleasure in thaThis was a fun trilogy. Not super deep or anything, but the perfect bit of escape reading. I might also say that it is a bit of guilty pleasure in that it is obviously not written with my demographic in mind, but I still enjoyed it immensely. I recommended this series to my wife after the first book, and she ended up finishing it before I did. Every time I started “squealing” with each gossipy reveal or cheesy hookup, I am pretty sure she was amused.
I will say one thing, and I have said it before (and maybe it was about the books earlier in this series), it really isn’t a guilty pleasure because I AM NOT ASHAMED! Bring on the syrupy teen drama, backstabbing, and romance!
I am giving this one 5 stars because I loved the series as a whole. This one by itself felt more like a 4 to 4.5 – mainly because it felt a little bit like things were being drug out to make the book a little bit bigger. Perhaps this is a side effect of the seeming need for every series to be a trilogy whether or not there is actually three full books of content? Not sure, but it is only a minor criticism – not enough to warn people away.
One thing I can say that should prove how readable this book is is how quickly I got through the last couple hundred pages. I am trying to finish up all the books I am in the middle of before the end of the year and that will sometimes lead to some extra reading time. If I am not really into a book that I am trying to rush to finish I will end up falling asleep or at least lose interest quickly and need to switch to a different book (something to cleanse the palate, if you will). This was not the case with this one! The pages just flew by – I read about 90 in an hour!
READ this series if you like cheesy teen romance/thriller stories laden with gossip, misunderstandings, and young adults thinking they know what’s best right before they do something really stupid.
DON’T READ this series if you don’t like that stuff – simple math! ...more
How many times have I seen a version of A Christmas Carol? Probably too many times to count, but I can try:
- A stage version at least half a dozen timHow many times have I seen a version of A Christmas Carol? Probably too many times to count, but I can try:
- A stage version at least half a dozen times - The Disney version with Scrooge McDuck - The Disney version with Jim Carrey - A Muppet Christmas Carol - Scrooged with Bill Murray - Probably more that I am forgetting
Finally, I have taken it upon myself to read the source material! Did I like it? Two words: BAH, HUMBUG!
In Dickens-ese that means I did. I have enjoyed pretty much every adaptation I have seen and, in general, they seem very close to the original story. So, I have no complaints!
One thing you will find with the book is that each ghost has one or two more scenes that they show Scrooge. It seems like adapters of the book have generally agreed on which stories to leave out as I don't think I was familiar with any of the "new" tales.
Do you love Christmas stories? Classics? Adaptations of this story? I am not saying you should read this, I am saying you pretty much have to!...more
If you follow my reviews, you know that many of my nostalgic reflections involve my time working at Waldenbooks in the 1990s. That is no different witIf you follow my reviews, you know that many of my nostalgic reflections involve my time working at Waldenbooks in the 1990s. That is no different with The Christmas Box. For those of you who might be familiar with the history of this book, that should come as no surprise. Released in 1995, this short hardcover was a staple stocking stuffer for many years (and may still be). We had stacks of copies a couple hundred high and kept a display at the registers to encourage add-ons. During the month of December almost every other sale included a copy. Sometimes people would by multiple copies of it at a time to make sure everyone in the family had one.
So, since it was a short book and very popular you would think I read it back then to see what all the hype was about. Alas, I did not - I was much more specific with my reading at the time (mainly Stephen King and required high school reading), so a flowery covered book about Christmas wasn't worth my time. This holiday season I decided to remedy that.
I am very glad I took the time! This book has so much heart! It is an engaging, one sitting read. You could probably even easily read it out loud to your family in a couple of installments. The prose was very nice and tears were jerked many times - I was sure someone was cutting onions! I think this book will really resonate with people who try to juggle family time with the rigors of day-to-day life.
Side note: The following bears no impact on my judgment of the book, I just want to make sure everyone is in the know. This is a very faith-based book. I am aware that not all of my Goodreads friends are religious. If you think you may not enjoy a story with a Christ-based focus, then it is likely you will not enjoy this. But if you do like faith-based stories or don't mind them, I can easily recommend this story to you....more
I don’t know how else to explain it and the volume as a whole kinda felt weird. You spend the volumeThis is the mid-life crisis of Katina Choovanski!
I don’t know how else to explain it and the volume as a whole kinda felt weird. You spend the volume in the mind of Katchoo as she battles to re-find her identity after years of shady business deals, trust issues, and friends becoming lovers (and vice versa). The overall tone just felt so much different than previous volumes – makes me wonder if Terry Moore was having a bit of a mid-life crisis himself!
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Over the course of the series it has been obvious that Moore’s artistic style has been changing. To me, this is the issue where it became the most dramatically obvious. I can say that I like both the old and the new style. I feel like the newer style is a bit more comic book-y (if that makes sense). As Moore was finishing the Strangers in Paradise series, he started work on Echo – which is a more action/super hero/sci fi comic book so perhaps that had an influence. See below, the first picture is the cover of issue 1 (Katchoo on the left) and the one below is of her circa this volume.
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At the time of the release of the original issues in this volume, Moore was saying he didn’t have a plan yet for the end of the series. But, now I know there are only 14 issues/2 volumes left! At times I think I know where the story is going, but then I get thrown for a loop. The Katchoo in this volume is not what I expected and it seems a lot is still possible. I do feel like some of the long standing questions have been answered (maybe!?) I look forward to seeing where it goes, but I will be sad when it ends . . .
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Note: This volume collects issues 70-72 and 74-76 ...more
This book is extremely powerful. I saw another review saying that they could not believe this was written and released in 1940. I agree - as I can onlThis book is extremely powerful. I saw another review saying that they could not believe this was written and released in 1940. I agree - as I can only imagine how controversial the content would have been at that time. And, even today it touches so closely on some of the topics you see in the news everyday, it's like Wright could see into the future.
The main themes in the story involve perceptions and misconceptions of black people as well as how Communism was viewed in the decade leading up to McCarthyism and the Red Scare. In this story there are many points of view and lots of evidence given dealing with tense situations that have no really great answers. I thought Wright did a good job giving a thought provoking narrative without obviously saying "here is the answer!" The story acknowledges that the whole situation is difficult and will not be easily remedied after years of habitual behavior on all sides of the issue. I will be amazed if you can read this and not be left with your mind churning.
Also, I have to say that this was one of the most intense, nail-biting, breath holding books I have ever read. Every page I was gripped waiting for the next development, a resolution, anything. Amazing, gripping writing - such an engaging book! The subject matter may be difficult at times but it deals with topics that are, by there very nature, intense and cannot (and should not) be sugar coated
Finally, I could not help but make comparisons between this book and To Kill A Mockingbird. My reasons might be a bit spoilerish, but if you have read it I hope you know what I am getting at and I will be interested to see if you feel the same.
In summary, Native Son is a powerful and difficult book dealing directly and bravely with social issues from the 1940s that are still relevant today. Considering the nature of the book, it may not be for everyone, but I think that everyone can benefit from the message....more
I have always loved the board game Clue. My wife and I play what we call “Cuthroat Clue” which involves taking pages of notes and trying to make senseI have always loved the board game Clue. My wife and I play what we call “Cuthroat Clue” which involves taking pages of notes and trying to make sense out of every eye twitch, throat clearing, etc. Because of this, many people won’t play Clue with us! But, even when no one would play, there is always the classic 80s comedy movie version of the game to fall back on. When I saw that there is a graphic novel, I had to check it out.
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The graphic novel is just plain fun goofiness. The three main elements influencing it are (not subtly) modern pop culture, current political/financial scandal, and the 80s movie. The 4th wall is not safe in this as it is frequently broken to address the reader. So many tongue-in-cheek jokes, famous movie quotes, and characters that are obviously caricatures of real people that it is almost as fun to try and figure out the references as it is determining whodunit!
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The art is pretty good. It’s somewhat impressionistic, but crisp when close up. I thought one of the coolest aspects is all the alternative covers done by a variety of artists. With all the different characters and colors to play with, the results are fun to look at.
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I cannot say that your experience will be the same as mine if you go into this with certain expectations. I have been looking at some other reviews and it appears that some who had fond memories of the 80s movie were not impressed with this story. I think if you go in expecting silly goofiness, and don’t need it to meet any specific expectation, you will have a good time!
I am very impressed with McAndrew’s debut! SometimIt may be short, but this book is mighty!
Mighty action packed!
Mighty tear jerking!
Mighty intriguing!
I am very impressed with McAndrew’s debut! Sometimes when I go into debut novels I expect them to be unpolished and full of issues. I picture myself as a high school teacher with my red pen ready to mark all the places that need work. In this case, I needn’t have worried – the story and the writing are very tight. The pacing is great. The characters are interesting. I was into it from start to finish.
Sure there were a couple of action sequences and places in the dialogue that were a little cheesy or unbelievable, but that is kind of what I am looking for in a good action/escape book. I want a little crush-based romance. I want my hero to “drop the mic” after applying the finishing blow to his adversaries. I want the good guys to get back up even after they are given a beat down that should decommission them for weeks. Nate, the John McClane/Die Hard-esque protagonist, gives the reader all of these things.
I could say more, but I have stopped writing another paragraph about three times and am having trouble avoiding spoilers. This says a lot in itself!
If you would like a fast paced, action filled read with twists and turns, it wouldn’t hurt to give this a try. I look forward to seeing what else McAndrew has in him for the future!
Note on content: I thought this might interest some to know. This is definitely a Young Adult novel. While there are some violent action sequences, the language stays PG the whole time. I am not sharing this as a good or bad thing, but I think it might interest some people to know this when choosing YA novels for their teenagers.
Many thanks to author Matthew McAndrew for a paperback copy of this book in exchange for an honest review (just sorry it took me a while to get to it!) ...more
If you really like historical events and you really like getting into the nitty-gritty details, this is the book for you. If you are a casual historiaIf you really like historical events and you really like getting into the nitty-gritty details, this is the book for you. If you are a casual historian and prefer just to get an overview of the facts in a Wikipedia article or one hour show on the history channel, this is not the book for you!
I am usually kind of in the middle, and the subject matter definitely comes into play, when I try to figure out how much I want to get into a historical topic. Helter Skelter (about the Manson murders) was twice as long but kept me engaged the whole way. This in-depth investigation into the Chappaquiddick scandal, for me, was quite a bit of overkill. I am pretty sure that most of the details had been revealed one-third of the way into the book. After that point it was just a lot of rehashing. And, the rehashing was not for the layman – this book got into all the legal and political issues very intensely.
With all that said, I did not find the book to be boring. For me, political scandal and its far reaching effects can be very interesting. I will say that the fact that this happened almost 50 years ago was a plus for me (I think some of the more recent political scandal books are still a bit too real and raw– I am just not ready for the emotions that go with them). But, anything prior to 2000 is fair game! However, despite being not boring, because there was a lot of repetition, I did find myself zoning out each time the rehashing began.
This book will likely speak more to people who lived through this scandal. I was born 8 years after it happened, so I did not get to live through the media frenzy surrounding another Kennedy-related tragedy after the two Kennedy assassinations. Also, if I had been living then and seeing how a car accident could have such a huge impact from local politics all the way up until the presidency, I would likely have wanted to know more about it.
In summary, I do recommend for history and political scandal buffs. If you don’t like the thought of investing a lot of time on a topic like this, I recommend finding a documentary or reading the Wikipedia article instead – there just isn’t enough here for me to try and convince you that you should try it. ...more
The mostly land-based adventures of the last man on earth takes to the high seas. Deception, corruptiPirates! Submarines! Australian Aboriginal magic!
The mostly land-based adventures of the last man on earth takes to the high seas. Deception, corruption, and sea-sickness all highlight this next volume of Yorick’s story.
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In general I have enjoyed this series and this time was no exception. The story continues to be unique and interesting. This volume was action packed and had a lot of information to advance the story. Also, some of the theories about what would happen in a post-apocalyptic world like this are touched on throughout. Perhaps it is not super-deep (I have seen some reviews complain about that), but it is entertaining none-the-less!
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The art continues as it has with the early volumes. I am very okay with this. The more traditional comic book look of the art compliments the story well so there has been no need to change what works. I often find graphic novel series changing artists several issues in, I am glad that was not the case here.
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If you are a Brian K. Vaughn, Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian fan, and/or action/adventure graphic novel fan, I think you will find a lot in this series to interest you....more
A couple of years ago they started releasing a new James Bond graphic novel series. I have read the first couple of them and I was not all that impresA couple of years ago they started releasing a new James Bond graphic novel series. I have read the first couple of them and I was not all that impressed. Because of this, I did not have high hopes for Hammerhead.
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I was pleasantly surprised! This has been the best of the series so far by far! I enjoyed both the story and the art quite a lot. The action really had the essence of both the book and the movie series. It felt like coming home.
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One big thing with James Bond is that it has to be the right combination of intriguing storyline, action, and cheesiness. For the previous two volumes at least one of these three things was way out of balance and messed up the whole experience. With Hammerhead, I found the perfect triangle.
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So, if you are a Band fan, I do recommend this volume. But, I would only read the first two volumes if you are a hardcore Bond completist.
I continue to be impressed with The Stand graphic novel series. It really does justice to the source material. Having recently reread the book (withinI continue to be impressed with The Stand graphic novel series. It really does justice to the source material. Having recently reread the book (within the past couple of years), it has been easy to make a comparison. I am so glad that it has stayed true to the book – this didn’t need to stray! Also, I am sure it was difficult to take a very verbose novel and figure out how to tell it with just a few words and pictures.
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Speaking of pictures, as much as I like the story, I am not super gung-ho about the artwork. It is okay, and some of the images are very powerful. But, just as often as it is powerful, some of the images are awkward. Maybe it is a facial expression that is off, a slightly unusual use of depth, or the orientation of the depicted scene is just a bit off. Certainly not terrible (I couldn’t do better), but distracting none the less.
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Even with my issues with the artwork, the volume is very powerful. It focuses on the people who are generally considered the “good” survivors of the plague; lots of good drama, new characters, tense moments, dreams accomplished, and nightmares threatening. It appears the next volume will focus primarily on the “bad” survivors.
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While I don’t recommend reading this unless you have read the book, if the book is just too much for you, this would definitely not be a bad way to get the story. ...more
Well, this brings a great series to a screeching halt. 2.5 stars – I am rounding up to 3 because of track record with this series, but this volume reaWell, this brings a great series to a screeching halt. 2.5 stars – I am rounding up to 3 because of track record with this series, but this volume really fell flat. Looking at some other reviews, it seems I am not alone.
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Maybe if it was not part of such a great series it would not stand out so much to me as a dud. Sure it has a few twists and a couple of interesting points, but it just isn’t fleshed out like the previous titles. It felt like I was going from Shakespeare to a Kindergarten reading primer. From The Godfather to Howard the Duck (now, I loved Howard the Duck, but I figure people would recognize it as a movie generally panned by movie goers and critics alike!) I wanted to love it as much of the previous ones, but I just couldn’t.
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The story is very straight-forward and linear. Maybe this was on purpose as the others ones are not – they have complex relationships, layered characters, twists and turns, etc. – and Miller wanted to be different this time. Instead, it just felt blah. The first time you meet and learn about each character, that is who they are till the very end. Maybe okay in some cases, but it just was not what I have come to expect with Sin City.
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Filler – so much filler! This story probably could have been told and had the same impact in 10 pages. Lots of repetitive action frames and plot points revisited (which isn’t super-necessary in a plot as linear as this one). And, there was so much potential background on the story that feels like it could have been fleshed out and just wasn’t. Instead, we just get more fight scenes and good guys trying to sound all tough to the bad guys.
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The artwork felt like it got lazy. Miller established a pretty awesome black/white contrast comic book art form with the Sin City series - and here it got sloppy. There were a few frames that hit the old glory, but most of it ran together so much it was hard to tell what was going on. This was the first Sin City where I had to stare at some of the panels for a long time to figure out what I was looking at. Also, and maybe this was done just to contrast with everything else in the volume, but Miho was so bland and one dimensional that it was distracting. I was not impressed with any of the Miho artwork (not that I could do any better, but as a consumer I have come to expect more from this product!)
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So, I am just a guy who has been enjoying this series and, maybe for you, my opinions on it will be totally off base. When I have become used to a stellar product, it is more likely that my opinion is going to be stronger. If this was the first Sin City volume, I probably would not have had quite so many issues. I am hoping the next one returns to form!...more
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