Comic Book Tuesday #16: Monstress #5 by Marjorie M. Liu

Author: Marjorie M. Liu
Series: Monstress (Single Issues) #5
Genre: Comic Book, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: April 13th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Maika struggles with the monster inside.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

I really, really loved this installment of the story. When the previous issue ended, we got to meet a new character, and the present timeline picks up right after that moment. The reader also gets to learn more about Maika's past and about her growing up. We also learn how she and Tuya, the other girl on the cover, became friends.

This issue also helped me understand more about Maika herself. She has an interesting way of seeing things, and her inner monologue felt a bit different than how she talks to other people. It's almost like she's a different girl, like she's trying to protect herself from the bad guys, but also the people she cares for from herself, that she becomes someone else when she has to interact with other characters.

Kippa and Ren still make an appearance and they're still cute and funny. The stranger from the last issue is also in this one, and, like Ren, I don't really trust him. I'm still not sure who he is, and if he is who he says he is. Ren certainly thinks he's a liar.

The art is, as usual, beautiful. I love the colors used in the panels that tell Maika's past. Really dark, mostly grey-ish.

The pacing really picks up, and the ending was surprising. We also get to learn more about the Arcanics, from the lectures at the end. Really interesting storyline there, and I hope it gets explored in later installments of this comic book.

Comic Book Tuesday #15: Monstress #4 by Marjorie M. Liu

Author: Marjorie M. Liu
Series: Monstress (Single Issues) #4
Genre: Comic Book, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: March 16th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Maika's world becomes even more dangerous.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

The fourth installment of the story is a bit different than the previous ones. We get to spend a little bit of time on the other side of the wall and of the war itself, and we get to see a glimpse into the life of the Arcanics. For some feared creatures, they seemed quite human, and in the case of this story, I'm not sure that's such a compliment. I'm not really sure how their society works, though, so I'm really intrigued to find that out, especially what the positions of power are, who is the real ruler of the Arcanics, stuff like that.

Again, Kippa is amazing, and Ren, the very cunning cat, is super funny. Speaking of cats, I'm not really sure what their angle is in this story.

Maika gave me the impression of instability in this issue. I'm not sure how much time she can fight off the monster inside her, but she's certainly putting up a good fight.

A new character appears in this issue, and I'm not really sure if he can be trusted. But he has cool powers, so I'm curious what his role in the story is, as well as his goal.

As usual, the art is pretty amazing and it completes the story. The pacing of the story picks up a little bit compared to the previous issue. The little lectures at the end continue, and I'm very happy for that. I'm very curious about this new character and what will happen next.

Comic Book Tuesday #14: Monstress #3 by Marjorie M. Liu

Author: Marjorie M. Liu
Series: Monstress (Single Issues) #3
Genre: Comic Book, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: January 27th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Maika must confront the deadly secrets that live inside her.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

The third issue of the Monstress comic sheds a little light into the thing that "lives inside her", as the blurb says. We get to learn about this monster that she's fearing so much. The artwork for this part of the story is stunning, and it made me think of some really ancient evil. There's also a lot of really bright colors in these panels, which I like.

I know I'm repeating myself, but I really enjoy the way Sana Takeda, the illustrator, mixes up the colors in this kind of ironic way, with the scenes with the witch nuns and the soldiers in really bright colors, and Maika in really dark ones. I really love that aspect of the story and the art.

Kippa, the fox girl featured on the cover of the third issue, is absolutely amazing. I love her innocence, as well as her courage. She's a fierce little girl, and I hope she gets a happy ending.

The end of the story is, like in the previous issue, one of my favorite parts. Again, we get to explore the history of the Arcanics and of the war that happened between them and the humans. I'm actually looking forward to getting to these "lectures", as they're called, each time I start reading a new issue.

I did think the pacing of the story was a little slower than the previous two issues, but I didn't have that big of a problem with that.

All in all, a nice continuation of the story, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Comic Book Tuesday #13: Monstress #2 by Marjorie M. Liu

Author: Marjorie M. Liu
Series: Monstress #2
Genre: Comic Book, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: December 9th 2015
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgaley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Maika fights to cross the wall. Elsewhere, the Warlord makes her move.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

This second issue of the Monstress comic book picks up right after the first one ends. We get to see the struggles of Maika to get away from the people hunting her, as well as from herself.

We also get to see a little bit more from the villain's POV, and so far I'm wondering who the biggest threat is. I haven't yet decided if Maika's more in danger because of other people or because of herself.

The art is, as in the first issue, beautiful, with dark colors, although some rich colors do appear because of some new characters.

My favorite thing about this issue was the ending, which presents a different view of the history of the world in this comic book. It's difficult to talk about it without giving too much away, but I like how it gives a sort of unbiased view of what happened before this particular story. I adore it, anyways.

I did however felt the need for the issue to be bigger, maybe not as big as the last one, but I felt like the story is so rich and complex, that I wished it lasted longer. All of that aside, a good installment and I am curious to see what happens next.

Comic Book Tuesday #12: Monstress #1 by Marjorie M. Liu

Author: Marjorie M. Liu
Series: Monstress
Genre: Comic Books, Graphic Novels
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: November 4th 2015
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Steampunk meets Kaiju in this original fantasy epic for mature readers, as young Maika risks everything to control her psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, placing her in the center of a devastating war between human and otherworldly forces.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

My latest foray into the world of comic books takes me into somewhat familiar waters. I was a bit familiar with Marjorie M. Liu's work as a graphic novelist, and I've liked what I've read so far, enough that I didn't hesitate to request the Monstress books when I saw them on Netgalley.

The story is really intriguing. The focus moves from past to present, as we get to see Maika before and after being captured and sold into slavery. We get to see a little bit of her past, enough to know her mindset in the present time, but not enough to understand why she did what she did or how she got captured. I think that's pretty interesting, from a storytelling perspective, to have the story developing on two separate timelines, yet ultimately not answering any questions, at least in this first issue.

Maika seems like a very angry young woman. She's desperate enough to do some extreme things in order to reach her goals, which at the time the first issue ends, the reader knows nothing about. Or at least I couldn't figure out much. What she's looking for is just as much a mystery as the girl herself. I think it's related to her past before the war, or maybe to when she was a little girl, but I'm not sure at this point. The mystery though didn't bother me, as it kept me on my toes and it made me want to read the first issue pretty fast, to find as many things about Maika's backstory as I could.

The graphic part of this book is also pretty awesome. The art is beautiful, with mostly dark colors and harsh lines at times, but that made it even more beautiful. I found it intriguing how the illustrator put some vivid, rich colors into some of the more darker scenes. In a way, it makes sense when you read the book, because it seemed to me that those colors underlined the differences between those who won the war and those who lost it, or at least that's how I interpreted it.

I did have a bit of an issue with how this first book ended, in the sense that it felt a bit too easy, in a way. But based on how the book ended, I'm not sure Maika will have an easy future, at least for now. I'm curious to see how the story moves on from that point. I'm also interested to see if the story will reveal how she got captured. I can't wait to pick up the rest of the issues and see how the story ends.

Comic Book Tuesday #11: Star Trek Manifest Destiny #1

Author: Mike Johnson, Ryan Parrott
Series: Star Trek: Manifest Destiny #1
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: 28 Jun 2016
My Rating:4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

This all-new adventure is set at the edge of explored space, as Captain Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise come face to face with a new Klingon threat... with the fate of the galaxy at stake.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and IDW Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or opinion of the book in any way.

It's always an interesting experience for me to read a Star Trek comic book. I was browsing the newest books available for reviewing on Netgalley, when Manifest Destiny caught my eye.

I'm actually happy I requested this book. The art is pretty much similar to the one used in the Star Trek/Green Lantern comic, only a tad bit darker. The panels were, as with the previously mentioned comic, not crowded with characters of dialogue, and it wasn't hard to follow the story. One thing that I'd like, though, and it will sound strange as hell, is to not have the drawings try to look too much like the actors playing the characters in the movies. I know, it sounds strange, and it may be a me-thing, but I would like to see how the artist sees these characters outside of the influence of the movies.

The story is pretty fast paced and the strangest thing happened while I was reading it, in the sense that I wanted to read more from the villain's POV than from the good guys'. Does that sound strange? I felt like the villain was very well portrayed and he was pretty interesting, and I wanted to find out why he was so bad, bordering on psychotic sometimes.

The weirdest thing happened though. I was so caught in the story, that when I finished reading that last page, I actually thought maybe the file downloaded wrong. There's a cliffhanger at the end, and it took me a while to realize that I read just the first issue of the story, which made me want to cry, because I wanted to know what happens with the heroes and with the villain, who dies and who lives.

All in all, a good story, and I can't wait to get my hands on the entire volume and find out how the story ends.

Comic Book Tuesday #10: Heroes Haven by Mario Simone

Author: Mario Simone
Series: Heroes Haven
Publisher: Gotham City Films, LLC
Release Date: May 10th 2016
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Heroes Haven is set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, where scientists are developing a drug — called V-1 — designed to awaken 'Superhero DNA Code' in the human body. As V-1 testing commences to enlighten and heal the dregs of LA, the drug begins to ‘synergize,’ awakening gifts like healing, super strength, visions and telekinesis in its subjects.

These gifts, however, come with a price: side effects include madness, acute psychotic episodes, body altering paralysis, degeneration, suicide and insane fits of rage that lead to murders.

In the dark shadows, a secret society is stealing the drug to test on death row inmates and create immortal super soldiers. As the power of this secret society grows, the imminent dangers of tyranny and oppression now face all of mankind. The battle begins to control the drug that will create a new world order.

The only hope to save humanity? The societal outcast test subjects from Heroes Haven who managed to escape the facility and survive the psychotic, emotional and physical altercations, becoming 'The Awakened Ones.' It’s up to them to decide if they will 'Awaken Their Inner Hero' and fight for the freedom of mankind.

*Disclaimer: I received an ecopy from Netgalley and Gotham City Films, LLC in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of this book.

I really enjoy reading about the cruelty of some people. It might sound weird, I know, but there's something really interesting in seeing just how far an author will go to show how cruel and purely evil some people are. Themes like super-soldiers and human experiments are themes that will always be explored, in many, many different ways, but it's always interesting to see how different people approach them.

I liked the idea of trying to create superheroes. I also liked that a comic book explored that theme, the creation and testing of a virus that would ultimately create superheroes. The thing I liked most is that the story explores the negative side effects of this virus. I liked the symbolism, that as much as people try to create perfect, more powerful version of themselves, they lose something in the process.

At times it seemed like the story is told from one of the test subjects' POV, because the story seemed messy and not easy to follow. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but at times I did have a hard time keeping up with the story. That said, I liked that the tone of the book is as dark as I expected.

The art was actually beautiful. I liked the darker tones, the fact that some panels were crowded when the story became darker. At times the crowded panels fit the description of the poor people who were part of the experiments, conveying the same feeling of being on the verge of insanity.

I did however find that the different chapters, at times, showed only a small part of the story. It was difficult to follow the storyline, mainly because a lot of characters were introduced and not a lot of backstory was offered. I feel like the story would have felt "cleaner" with more backstory or with fewer characters. I'm hoping that if there's a second volume, it will explain better the history of the characters and that not a lot of new characters will be introduced before the storyline for the current ones is finished. All in all I did enjoy the story, and I'm hoping there are more installments in the future.

Comic Book Tuesday #9: White Sand by Brandon Sanderson

Author: Brandon Sanderson
Series: White Sand
Publisher: Dynamic Forces
Release Date: June 21st 2016
My Rating: 3.5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A brand new saga of magic and adventure by #1 New York Times best-selling author Brandon Sanderson. On the planet of Taldain, the legendary Sand Masters harness arcane powers to manipulate sand in spectacular ways. But when they are slaughtered in a sinister conspiracy, the weakest of their number, Kenton, believes himself to be the only survivor. With enemies closing in on all sides, Kenton forges an unlikely partnership with Khriss -- a mysterious Darksider who hides secrets of her own. White Sand brings to life a crucial, unpublished part of Brandon Sanderson's sprawling Cosmere universe. The story has been adapted by Rik Hoskin (Mercy Thompson), with art by Julius Gopez and colors by Ross Campbell. Employing powerful imagery and Sanderson's celebrated approach to magical systems, White Sand is a spectacular new saga for lovers of fantasy and adventure.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Dynamite Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or rating of the book

As a lover of all things fantasy, I've heard a lot of great things about Brandon Sanderson. I have been interested in trying out his work, so when I saw this comic book on Netgalley, I was ecstatic.

The story itself is pretty good. The book starts with Kenton having pretty much a fight with his dad, the ruler of a group called Sand Masters. At first, Kenton came off as a spoiled boy who just wanted attention, but as the story progressed, it turned out he was way smarter than it seemed at first, much more loyal and not as spoiled. I also loved that at a certain point of the story, more characters, from different countries and societies, are introduced. I really enjoyed learning more about them, their backstories.

I do hope that the second volume, if there is going to be one, will explore how the Sand Masters were formed, why they were so hated by other people, as well as the other societies that have a connection with the Sand Masters.

Since this is a comic book, I have to talk about the art. I don't know if this was an issue with the file uploaded on the website, or just something with the copy I received, but the pictures looked very, very pixelated. Not in an intentional way, but in a distorted, grainy, blurry way. A lot of times that managed to pull me out of the story a little bit, because it was quite distracting. If you manage to ignore the imperfections, the art is quite beautiful. I also had some issues with how the panels themselves were distributed on page. It felt a bit confusing, having to figure out for some pages which panel comes next and where I should read. A few times the artist indicated the order of the panels, other times the reader is left to figure it out for himself/herself.

I would love to read the next volume, because I did enjoy the story, overall. And, like I said, I'd like to see a finished physical copy of this book, to enjoy the art a little bit more, as well as the story itself.

Comic Book Tuesday #8: Blood Stain Volume 1 by Linda Sejic

Author: Linda Sejic
Series: Blood Stain
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: 19 Apr 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Mad science at its finest. Chemistry major, Elliot Torres has been unable to keep a steady job and eventually accepts a job by a rumored mad scientist Dr. Vlad Stein. Humorous hijinks ensue as their collaboration becomes epic.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of the book.


This book had me at "mad science" and "chemistry major". I am always interested in seeing what people deem "mad science", so I was very curious about this comic book. That and I was sure I've seen the author's name before, but more on that at the end of the review.

I adored the art in this comic book. I spent a huge amount of time just staring at each panel, they were so gorgeous. The lines were well defined, the colors used were rich and vibrant. I also liked how the colors used seemed to emphasize the mood of the scene. We see most of the panels involving Elliot, the heroine, in light, bright colors, while the panels for the doctor are dark and cold.

Elliot was such a relatable character. I felt her despair at not finding a job that fulfills you, I understood her feelings toward herself when a job offer fell through or when she just couldn't hold a job that had nothing to do with her intelligence or her studies. I feel like most people are Elliot at one point or another. So it was easy for me to like her. Not just that, but I completely understand her tendency to overreact and to interpret stuff in the creepiest way possible. Another character that I liked was Serge, which you meet later in the story.

One thing Linda Sejic did that I completely enjoyed was to include some extra material at the end of the book regarding her creative process. I knew even before reading those pages that creating comic books can be difficult, but I never imagined just how much. Between the pencil sketches and the drawing and the creation of the story itself, it takes an incredible amount of time and effort to put together a good comic book, so I'm really grateful the readers get to have a little sneak peek into that process. As to why I knew the author's name, it's because her husband is the author of the Death Vigil comic, among other comic books as well. In case you're wondering, my opinion of Blood Stain has nothing to do with my feelings for Death Vigil, it was just a detail that got my attention towards this book.

All in all, I'm really happy I got to read this book and I cannot wait to see how the story continues. I hope we get to know more about the doctor, so I'll definitely be waiting impatiently for volume 2.

Comic Book Tuesday #7: The Wish List Edition

Hey guys! Since I haven't read any comic books recently, I decided to do something different for today. I thought I'd share with you some of the books I want to read in the future. So without further ado, here are some of the comic books I hope to get to read this year.

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home - One of my favorite TV shows of all time is Buffy and I was super sad when the show ended. And since I started reading comic books I've decided that I will be reading the spin-off comics, because, among other things, I miss Spike and Xander.
2. Supernatural: Origins - Supernatural is another of my favorite TV shows. Although I've been a fan for years, I've only recently found out about the comic books (and the tie-in novels). I'm very curious about the years between Mary Winchester's death and where the show starts in the Pilot. I know the show explores a little bit of what happened, but I'm really interested in seeing John's struggle with hunting and raising two kids on his own. 
3. Vampire Academy - I've heard really mixed things about the comic book version of the series, so I'm really curious to see for myself how it looks like. I'm also a sucker for all things having to do with Dimitri
4. The Wicked + The Divine - A lot of people are loving this book and I've seen some sneak peeks online, in reviews, and it looks amazing. Also, anything relating to ancient gods and mythology is going to be of interest to me, so I can't wait to check this one out. 

Comic Book Tuesday #6: Sensation Comics #1

When I was about 5 years old there were two TV shows I was crazy about: Star Trek and Wonder Woman. Like I said when I first started this feature, I wasn't a comic book reader as a kid. But I loved Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman. Why? Well, because it was a woman. I remember being fascinated with the idea that she was her own hero and that she could take care of herself, that she could save the day. I don't have many memories about the show itself, except for being absolutely in love with the way she'd change from her regular, civilian clothes, into her superhero outfit. I also remember her cuffs, which I've had an appreciation for even then. So I was very excited to read the origin story of Wonder Woman because of those reasons.

Before starting the book, I was kind of scared, in a way, that the story wouldn't live up to my expectations. I'm happy to say that the book was a very good read. I loved the vintage feel of it too. Since this issue was from what it's known as the Golden Age of comics, it doesn't have the flashy, every-panel-is-a-mini-painting look to it, but that's actually what made the read more enjoyable. Obviously, with the books I've reviewed before, I was impressed by the art, but this comic was exactly like I imagined old comics should look like.

Diana's storyline isn't as rich as I wanted it to be, in a way. I would love to read about her childhood and about life on Paradise Island. I don't know if this is addressed in later versions of the character or in later issues from this story line, I hope it is. The thing I liked most was that she was just as badass as I remember her to be. I am curious about the later issues and how her story is continued. I also am very intrigued about the other versions of the character, so I might dive into those as well, once I finish this original story line.

I'm glad I read this book and that my expectations were met, even though they were pretty high. I cannot wait to read more. Also, this made me curious about the origin stories of other superheroes, so I might try to get my hands on those as well.

Comic Book Tuesday #5: Star Trek/Green Lantern: The Spectrum War

Author: Mike Johnson, Angel Hernandez
Series: Star Trek/Green Lantern: The Spectrum War #1-6
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: March 29th 2016
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Two iconic franchises collide for this blockbuster crossover event! The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise meets the Green Lantern Corps for the first time in an all-new adventure that spans the cosmos! Kirk and Spock make a most unusual discovery on a lost world... igniting events that will change the fate of empires!

*Disclaimer: I received an e-galley of this book from Netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors in exchange for an honest review.

When I was growing up I was a huge Star Trek fan. So it's no wonder that when I saw this book on Netgalley I just HAD to read it. Also, I like when two apparently different fictional worlds have a crossover, because it's a great opportunity to introduce people to new characters and get them interested enough to find out more about them.

The first thing I noticed was that, unlike most comic books that I've read so far, this one seemed easier to read and the story was a bit easier to follow. This might be due to how the panels were created. Not too many characters were present in the panels and I really enjoyed that fact. Although that doesn't mean there was a lack of details. On the contrary, the drawings were fabulous, the colors were extremely rich and vivid and they helped add a little extra layers to the story.

Because I've only seen the Green Lantern movie (and that was a while ago), I was surprised to hear that there were more Lanterns out there. Of course, it makes sense now, but at the time I was reading it, I was surprised. I enjoyed seeing new Lanterns being chosen. As a newbie to the Green Lantern world, I feel like my confusion was pretty much reflected by the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise ship and their reaction to the flying green man they meet in space during a fight. I did love the fact that most of my questions were answered, although it also made me curious about the Green Lantern comics and the entire history of this world.

I have to say that the ending felt a bit rushed, but the story did have only 6 issues, so I probably shouldn't have been that surprised by that fact. I greatly enjoyed reading about these two world together and I am actually hoping there's going to be more crossovers between the two franchises. I am curious if this will have any impact on future movies or if there's a plan for a Star Trek/Green Lantern movie crossover? That would be interesting to see. All in all, I greatly enjoyed this book and I will add the Green Lantern comic books to my TBR.

Comic Book Tuesday #4: Secret Wars #1 by Jonathan Hickman

Author: Jonathan Hickman
Series: Secret Wars
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: January 1st 2015
My Rating: 3 cups
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The final incursion is happening! The Marvel Universe is colliding with the Ultimate Universe, and neither will survive!

I think I may have chosen the wrong order in which to read comic books. The (short) blurb should have clued me in on the fact that this issue is probably one in a long story line within the Marvel Universe, but for some reason I decided to ignore my instincts and go ahead and read it. I have to mention that this issue was part of the 12 Days of Comics on ComiXology this year, so that's how I found out about the book.

The art is fantastic. The colors are rich and beautiful, the drawings themselves are gorgeous. There are certain panels in which I felt like I wanted the characters to have a little bit more variation to their various facial expressions. but all in all the art is beautiful and I could watch it all day.

The plot is interesting. Two Earths, with their respective heroes, fighting each other. The problem was that it was too full of characters. Too crowded. Maybe it's because I'm still new to comic books, but I felt a bit overwhelmed by the number of characters in this issue. Also, it was kind of difficult keeping track on which character is on which side of the battle.

I did enjoy the idea of the two Earths fighting each other, which makes me wonder if there's a possibility to have two versions of each superhero in the final battle. I am curious to see who wins in the end, so I plan on reading the entire series.

Comic Book Tuesday#3: Death Vigil: Volume 1 by Stjepan Šejić

Author: Stjepan Šejić
Series: Death Vigil
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: October 14th 2015
My Rating: 4.5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Gifted? Join the Death Vigil in their ongoing war against the ever-growing power of the Primordial Enemy! Only catch is you have to die first. Become a corporeal immortal Death Knight and obtain reality-altering weaponry in the never-ending battle between good and evil.

Collects DEATH VIGIL #1-8.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review.

I've always been intrigued with how different authors and writers interpret death and the possibility of afterlife. Šejić's take on afterlife is quite unique. The idea that for some people death is not the final ending, but really the start of an epic journey is quite intriguing. Each person receives a set of weapons that will help them fight demons and necromancers, weapons inspired by their most cherished memory. I liked that aspect of the story a lot, especially seeing how some of the characters manage to discover the full extent of their powers and those of their weapons.

As with most of the books that I read, what I liked the most was the fact that not everything is just white or just black. Not every good guy is 100% good and not every bad guy is a maniac that just wants to destroy the world. There are other reasons that make some of these characters be on the wrong side of things and, with two of the baddies I do understand what they really wanted and why they did the things they did.

The dialogue was funny at times, emotional at other times. I liked Sam the most, he was a real hero and I really enjoyed his brand of humor. Bernadette is the leader of this group and I really want to know her backstory, how she became the Grim Reaper. I did like that she didn't feel like a boss, but more like a team mate, fighting side by side with the others. Clara is the newbie and I liked that, in a way, the reader gets to experience that confusing journey into the world of the Death Vigil with her.

The artwork is simply gorgeous. The colors used are so rich and the drawings help create a wonderful story. There's an attention to detail in each panel and I enjoyed that a lot. At times the drawings felt a little bit too crowded, which is the only reason for my rating, but other than that I loved this story a lot and I really hope there's going to be more issues for this story, because I need more.

Comic Book Tuesday #2: True Blood

You might remember this story, but the Southern Vampires Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris was my first trip in the land of current urban fantasy. Up until that point I only had the 70s image of a "modern" vampire, as portrayed by Anne Rice. About 2 years after I discovered Sookie Stackhouse, the TV show True Blood came out. I was in nerd heaven, not only because I was excited to see some of my favorite characters on TV, but also because it was a good story, that deserved some screen time. While I did give up on the show and I haven't yet finish reading the series, I still get a bit excited when I remember about Bon Temps and the characters that live there and around the town. So when I saw that there were some comic books with the TV show characters, I decided to try them out.

First, let me start by saying that the one thing I did not miss was the ever-present "Sooookeeeh" that Bill said about...oh, roughly 5 million times an episode. As far as story goes, both of them used the TV show depictions of the characters. Not that I mind, since we got to see the hunk that is Eric Northman in the first one *drool*. I did quite enjoy the Tainted Love story a bit more, as it was more centered on Jessica, at least the first issue. I really liked Jessica, even though she was a new character, that wasn't in the books, and while I was watching the show I wanted more scenes with her, as she was a really interesting addition to the story. And I am curious to see how the story in the comic book ends, so I plan on buying the rest of the issues.

Both books have really beautiful art and with both of them you can kind of see that the artists tried to make the characters resemble the actors. I was a bit disappointed by that aspect, but then again it is understandable that the characters would be drawn to resemble the actors playing them.

If I were to rate these first issues, I'd give them three cups each. I do however have to say that reading them made me want to go back and read the series from book one. And I do plan to re-read them soon.

Comic Book Tuesday #1: Aladdin: Legacy of the Lost #1

Last week I talked about how I discovered comic books and how I'm slowly (but surely) becoming an avid fan of this form of literature. This is going to be a weekly feature in which I'll share the stories I discover in my new bookish adventure and I'll hope it will help you discover new books. Keep in mind that some of these books are freebies. However this does not in any way influence my review or my enjoyment of the books.

Blurb:

From the mystical city of Shambhalla to the ends of the Earth comes a tale of magic, mystery and the motivations of power. It is the world of Ala ad-Din, better known as Aladdin. A thief, gambler, liar and cheat, Aladdin’s reckless soul falls under the eye of the sorcerer Qassim. Qassim has spent his life scouring the sands for the Dreaming Jewel. This powerful lost relic could enable Qassim to steal the magic of the Djinn of the Lamp and reshape the world in his own malicious design. But to do so, he requires a mystical ability carried within Aladdin's blood... Power that not even Aladdin himself knows of.

The story of Aladdin has been told and re-told so many times and in so many mediums that for me it is always a challenge to try to read a new version of it. I am curious about how artists will interpret his story, but I'm always trying to keep my expectations a bit low.

Obviously, some of the themes in this version of the myth are familiar: the villain wants to find the magic lamp and control the Djinn imprisoned inside it, and the thief, a young man named Aladdin is the only one able to get the lamp. What was new was the darker, slightly dangerous side of Aladdin. This wasn't the charming young man Jasmine fell in love with in the animated version. He was angrier in a way, more troubled and less charming. I have a feeling the Djinn himself is not similar to the beloved Genie.

The art is beautiful, with gorgeous colors and very interesting details. I really want to see a paperback version, just to see if the colors are as beautiful in real life as they are on screen. I'm also really interested in the rest of the story, so I will definitely check out the next issues.