Graphic Novel Review - Bowling with Corpses & Other Strange Tales from Lands Unknown

Name: Bowling with Corpses & Other Strange Tales from Lands Unknown

Published by: Dark Horse Book

Writer & Artist: Mike Mignola

Colorist: Dave Stewart 

Letterer: Clem Robins

My experience with Mike Mignola is quite limited, as I have only read the first volume of Hellboy and a few other works from him here and there. So, it was quite a lot of fun to be acquainted with his unique style of storytelling and unorthodox art. And the concept of building a new world also resonated with me, satisfying an older craving.

Bowling with Corpses features the titular story along with a bunch of short stories telling some simplistic yet brilliantly depicted tales while introducing the boundaries of the setting. The storytelling technique is quite engrossing; often using the art and the overall setting reminded me of 'The Gods of Pegana', which is a book I still remember quite fondly.

What more can I say about Mignola's art that hasn't always been said. It creates a vivid sense of otherworldly sensation and dark brooding atmosphere that acts as the main force driving the story. My only gripe is that somehow I feel the art would have worked even better in black and white.

Hoping to see more from this world and quite eager to find out what happens to these characters in the future. I will give this 4 out of 5 stars.

Weekend Shorts - Wire Mother by Isabel J. Kim

Name - Wire Mother 

Written by - Isabel J. Kim 

Published on - Clarkesworld Magazine October 2025 (issue 229)

This one was a blast to read, with a fun concept, engaging prose and interesting characters. When lots of stuff is being written about artificial intelligence and digital people it is really hard to sound original in this regard but Isabel shines through with making her story feel like natural and quite plausible compared to many.

This story is about Cassie, is set in far future and deals with her imaginary neuro divergent disorder making her incapable of accepting digital people as real. The story is told through her point of view and established the world around her slowly through her eyes while progressing to her inevitable rebellion against the norms of her society.

This was my first read from Isabel and this just clicked. The short yet poignant story left a sense of unease and desire to return to the setting. Maybe there are more stories to tell regarding Cassie or her world; only the author knows surely.

I will give this 4 out of 5 stars.

New Book Review - Godzilla Minus One by Takashi Yamazaki

Name - Godzilla Minus One (novelization)

Written by - Takashi Yamazaki

Translated by - Evan Ward

Published by - Seven Seas Entertainment 

Godzilla Minus One is a masterwork of how to tell a simplistic yet impactful story in a profound way. It follows quite a predictable formula but due to the strength of the inherent message and brilliant execution, it turns into something to rejoice for ages to come.

I had an interest in revisiting the experience, so I immediately picked up the novelization of the film as soon as I found out about it. And thankfully the book does deliver with some delightful new scenes and a glimpse into the psyche of some of the characters.

Uniquely, Godzilla Minus One is not just a monster movie, but features the struggles of a post-war country who are on the losing side facing yet another disaster and trying to overcome it this time on their own terms. The characters are quite vividly imagined, making the readers sympathetic to them and feeling anguish or joy alongside them in this all too human tale.

Almost everyone who is a genre fan has surely seen the movie or heard about it. This novelization just gives them another chance to re-enter this world.

4 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - Exiles by Mason Coile

Name - Exiles

Written by - Mason Coile (Andrew Pyper)

Narrated by - Ashley Morton 

Published by - G.P. Putnam's Sons / Baskerville 

Audiobook by - Penguin Audio

'Exiles' is a conglomeration of genres mixing a backdrop of sci-fi with bleak and uncompromising horror with a sense of pervading mystery packed in a tight package of fast moving thriller. While this combination seems like a hard thing to do masterfully the audiobook version with its emotionally packed narration does quite a wonderful job of delivering a memorable performance.

The plot follows three humans (one female and two males) going on a mission to Mars where they would live out the rest of their lives and prepare the way for other explorers following their footsteps. Awaiting them are three robots who built and now maintain their habitat. 

The story from the beginning is quite unpredictable, never really informing the reader much about the direction or about the main characters, creating a sense of mystery. The thrill slowly builds and the focus shifts from an exploration story to turn into horror focusing on alien environment and personal struggles.

The thing I liked about the story is the slow reveal for the reader of the fact that despite otherworldly setting, robots and possible alien menace, the horror actually is much more personal relying on the history of personal trauma and psychological instability. 

None of the characters are lovable, but it is quite understandable why they are motivated in acting in specific ways. The cunning and manipulation by the apparent antagonist while his/her identity is revealed give the emotional impact yet another jolt.

Maybe this story was custom built in such ways but the performance by Ashley Morton was simply outstanding, delivering such emotional narration, especially in the final third of the book, is remarkably memorable. The ending hit like a gut punch, which is both an accomplishment by the author and the narrator.

Sometimes after starting the book I came to know that the author is with us no more, which is such a shame, as it seems he was currently at the pique of his craft. At least, he lives us with a backlog of past works to explore in the future.

This gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.

Retro Comic Review - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1 #26

Name: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1 #26

Published by: Mirage Comics

Writer & Artist: Rick Veitch 

Letterer: Gary Fields

The 'River Saga' ends with style, providing an exciting issue with a satisfying final battle and closure for all the relevant characters. The main villain behind the powerful and brutal Bloodsucker turns out to be a weird one, as per the rule in TMNT, who gets defeated in an epic way, leaving us wondering what fun could have been had if not for the rights issue.

The story progresses smoothly unlike the second issue and Veitch has gotten the hang of characterizing the turtles perfectly this time and conflict is told through his unique and weird style, giving some memorable moments well after you have finished.

The art is as good as ever; there are some brilliant moments like the psychic punch and Raphael's triumphant return that are bound to stay with you if you are a turtles fan. 

All in all, this one closes the story with a massive sense of accomplishment and a lingering desire of seeing Bloodsucker return to wreak havoc once again.

A whooping 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

Weekend Shorts - When there are two of you: A documentary by Zun Yu Tan

Name - When there are two of you: A documentary 

Written by - Zun Yu Tan

Published on - Clarkesworld Magazine January 2025 (issue 220)

This one had an interesting premise of a future where people use their digital clones or sentience to assist them in their daily lives. The story deals with the various scenarios that might occur as a result. 

The story is told as two interviews taken from two individuals who are dealing with this phenomenon quite differently. The story could have been developed a bit more, adding a bit more background or conflict rather than going the psychological way to describe the effect.

The bit with a conversation from an online forum was interesting and could have been used more to add more flavor.

I will give this 3 out of 5 stars.

New Book Review - The Hungry Gods by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Name - The Hungry Gods 

Written by - Adrian Tchaikovsky

Narrated by - Emma Newman

Series - Terrible Worlds: Innovations 

Published by - Rebellion Publishing Ltd. / Solaris Books

Audiobook by - Tantor Media 

Another Adrian Tchaikovsky novella, another innovative and interesting work involving a richly imagined world incorporating relatable and charismatically depicted characters. Nowadays, his work means contender for best of the year list.

This time the setting is a post-apocalyptic resource-depleted world, with animal-inspired factions embroiled in struggle for survival suddenly turned upside down by the arrival of four technologically advanced beings claiming to be gods.

The prose by Tchaikovsky is as enjoyable as ever, seeming to glide through the world building and introducing the main players. The obvious ecological rhetoric is done quite artfully making us ponder if this might occur in our future if we keep on polluting our surroundings. 

The characters are quite skillfully fleshed, having their own purposes and motivations to guide them through to the ending which is quite satisfying as is often the case with the author. I liked Beaker and Iffy the most and would have liked to read more about them.

Hoping to get more releases for this series in future as I will remain trying to finish reading all of available Tchaikovsky stuff (a daunting task indeed). This gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.

Animated Tv Show Review - Devil May Cry (2025)

Animated Show Name - Devil May Cry (2025)

Season - 1

Aired - April 3, 2025

Episodes - 8

Network - Netflix 

Based on - 'Devil May Cry' by Capcom

Developed By - Adi Shankar, Alex Larsen

Animated by - Studio Mir, Adi Shankar Animation 

Although I haven't played much of Devil May Cry, I have a basic understanding regarding the story of DmC. And this somewhat modernization of the adaptation of the popular video game series does hit all the correct spots to score high marks especially regarding the entertainment value, also keeping interest piqued for future seasons.

The story is breakneck fast-paced, filled with witty dialogues and has some interesting twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing. The plot does not adhere to the video game strictly, which seems like an improvement in my book despite many fans feeling otherwise based on the internet. Any adaptation should have some room for creativity and alteration so as to give the developers their own chance to share their vision in my opinion (people can play the games any time if they want the original storyline, so what's the bother?).

Interestingly, the side characters were much more well-fleshed and had developed background compared to Dante, I really loved the White Rabbit. I would give the lesser development and focus upon the main characters benefit of doubt, presuming that the creators kept their cards in hand for future seasons. The creators playing with concepts of real world politics, racism, and religious zealotry added further relevance to some of the story and characters.

The art and animation are a clear strong point with fluid and high-profiled animated action sequences accentuating the overall urgency and breathtaking visuals. The battles are brilliantly choreographed, often making me come back for a second view of the spectacle.

The use of both old school and modern rock pieces enhances the bombastic nature of the actions as well as the emotional episodes like the 6th one. The music is universally loved for this series even by its haters and that is definitely for good reasons.

My score - 9 out of 10.

Weekend Shorts - We Will Teach You How to Read | We Will Teach You How to Read by Caroline M. Yoachim

Name - We Will Teach You How to Read | We Will Teach You How to Read

Written by - Caroline M. Yoachim

Published on - Lightspeed Magazine May 2024 (issue 168)

This was a very experimental short, trying to convey a simple story in a rather unique manner. Although the gesture is definitely recommendable, when you really get down to it there isn't much substance in it; rather, the message it tried to convey.

This is my first experience with this author, and I quite liked her prose and style. She kept me guessing for the first half of the story regarding the direction she was aiming for, which is really a plus point in hindsight.

I would have liked it if there were a bit more stuff revealed regarding the nature of the species/race that was conveying their story, and if the story wasn't such barebones.

Kudos for style though, 3 out of 5 stars from me. 

New Book Review - Horror for Weenies by Emily C. Hughes

Name - Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You're Too Scared to Watch

Writer - Emily C. Hughes

Published By - Quirk Books

Maybe I do like non-fiction books about other fictional works or maybe I do great research and pick up the best in these kinds of books, but anyways 'Horror for Weenies' is yet another solid entry of referencing book on movies, focusing on great horror films from various subgenres.

Firstly, a warning, if you don't want to know the whole plot about the movie on offer don't read that chapter, as it discusses the whole plot with nice little snippets by the author, which is a great addition if you saw the movie or if you decide to watch it before reading the specific chapter.

The author's prose was quite enjoyable, the 'why it matters' section was simply outstanding and the book recommendations she offered at the end were like the icing on the cake. I really enjoyed reading about her viewpoints and her insight into the movie makings and tidbits.

Someone who was very afraid of horror stuff in childhood (the sound of the X-files theme song was enough to send me hurriedly to bed), but started to love horror as a genre as I grew up due to its versatility and awesome catalogue to enjoy, this book was a very enjoyable experience indeed.

I will give this full marks based on the purpose it was trying to accomplish, 5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review - Master and Apprentice by Claudia Gray

Name - Master and Apprentice 

Written by - Claudia Gray 

Narrated by - Jonathan Davis

Published by - Del Rey 

Audiobook by - Random House Audio

The prequel trilogy era is definitely one of the richest periods in Star Wars timeline to explore in written fiction; it has quite a large time period, some very interesting characters, a chance to expand with newer planets or species, and also there is quite a lot of room to add intriguing conflicts and adventures.

Claudia Gray is certainly one of the well received names in canon fiction and when I picked this book I had high expectations. Thankfully she did not disappoint, examining an interesting time in the lives of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, establishing the changing dynamics of their relationship while hinting at the tragic future that awaits them.

The new characters introduced were very thoughtful additions; I especially liked Rael Averross, the unconventional Jedi who was once Dooku's Padawan (maybe we'll have more from him in future). The jewel thief duo was also a nice addition and added a very enjoyable subplot while introducing an interesting corner of the Star Wars galaxy.

The over arching plot elements featuring Qui-Gon Jinn's complicated fixation with prophecies and the multi-faceted aspect of various forms of slavery throughout the galaxy are also depicted quite intelligently. Without complicating things much, the author strengthened the backstory of Episode I with subtlety here.

My only complaint was the underwhelming ending and the overall lack of action sequences, as it seemed like a missed opportunity when we look at the characters on offer.

The narration by Jonathan Davis was simply brilliant; his rendition of Qui-Gon Jinn often gave me a satisfying chill, and all his other voice acting was also spot on.

Nevertheless, this gets a solid 4 out of 5 stars from me.

Video Game Music Review - Bastion Original Soundtrack

Album Name - Bastion Original Soundtrack  

Released On - August 5, 2011 

Composed By - Darren Korb

Vocals Performed By - Logan Cunningham (01, 14, 22), Ashley Barrett (12), Darren Korb (17)

Lyrics By - Greg Kasavin (01), Darren Korb (12, 17, 21, 22)  

Published By - Supergiant Games

My first introduction with the inspired music by Darren Korb and Supergiant Games was not through Bastion, rather through the second entry Transistor, which impressed me with its uniqueness as it behaved much more like a complete artistic experience of an album, instead of being a patched up thing like many soundtracks.

The first entry, that is the soundtrack of Bastion, is even better at times, due to its often moody and engrossing charisma. From the beginning intro by the narrator, the listeners are pulled into the beautiful yet mysterious world of Bastion, and there is a positive sense of wonderful things to come for the adventurer.

The tide of thought-provoking and enticing music never lets off, and there is a skillful mixture of folk, country, electronic and alternative rock among other genres to keep the momentum going. In between this smooth instrumental journey interspersed are beautiful vocal tracks with nuanced lyrics and emotionally charged performances.

Compared to the much more polished nature of the later works by Korb, there is a distinct sense of rawness and desperation, as well as a sense of an emotional journey present here. Every track feels like a labour of love and I as a listener keep coming back to various tracks and even at times to the whole of the album years after my first listening.

Notable tracks - 'Get Used to it', 'Bynn the Breaker', 'Build that Wall', 'Twisted Streets', 'Brusher Patrol', 'Mother, I'm Here', 'Pale Watchers', 'Setting Sail, Coming Home' & 'The Pantheon' among others.

So, Overall Score  - "9.5 out of 10" 

Weekend Shorts - Five Views of the Planet Tartarus by Rachael K. Jones review

Name - Five Views of the Planet Tartarus

Written by - Rachael K. Jones 

Published on - Lightspeed Magazine January 2024 (issue 164)

Flash fiction is a relatively new kind of short stories, where it is often quite hard to express any remarkable message due to the constraints of space. The reader is often left imagining consequences and things are left without any resolution.

But sometimes authors can provide a satisfactory performance even despite such meagre room for maneuver. Rachael K. Jones tells a story without any viewpoint character, using crisp prose and blending science fiction with horror in only 549 words.

Special mention is to be given to the shocking twist at the end, which also kind of comes full circle by ties with the beginning. And like any good short story this one keeps a lingering presence in the mind of the reader for a while.

Despite everything, I would have liked the story to be a bit more divulging, especially about the setting.

This is certainly a worthy Hugo/Nebula nominee and gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.

Retro Comic Review - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1 #25

Name: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1 #25

Published by: Mirage Comics

Writer & Artist: Rick Veitch 

Letterer: Steve Lavigne

The second issue of the 'River Saga' may be the weakest of the trilogy, but it is still way better than most other issues of the guest era. The story takes a new direction with the introduction of new characters and new story elements, keeping the reader guessing as to where the story is heading next.

The turtles get pulled into an environmental subplot, involving a greedy corporation and corrupted authority, and the pursuer for the Bloodsucker takes a back seat. But the ecologically motivated semi-conflict does end in this single issue as the trio restarts their quest with the help of a new ally.

Despite the enjoyable premise and execution, the new characters are quite generic and stereotypical in their depiction, and the dialogue at times contains some uninspired puns. And the story might have been polished a bit to make the issue even more powerful and enigmatic.

As like the previous issue, the art is quite detailed and engrossing. Once again, the villainous design of Bloodsucker was the highlight of the character's work.

This gets 3.5 stars out of 5 stars from me.

 

Weekend Shorts - Model Collapse by Matthew Kressel review

Name - Model Collapse 

Written by - Matthew Kressel 

Ilustrated by - Keith Negley

Edited by - Ellen Datlow

Published by - Tor.com 

My first read from this author was quite an interesting one. In such a small space the author has created a unique story that is part science fiction and part horror, and the story flowed like a breeze keeping focused and ended with a neat twist.

Much cannot be expressed about the story without spoiling it, so I will just say that it keeps mysterious all throughout, keeping the reader guessing what is really happening and where the story is actually going.

I would have liked a bit more explanation regarding the setting as many things are left unclear and the potential for further expansion of the premise is rather minimal due to the ending.

Overall score - 3.5 out of 5 stars.

 

Weekend Shorts - Human Resources by Adrian Tchaikovsky review

Name - Human Resources

Written by - Adrian Tchaikovsky 

Ilustrated by - George Wylesol

Edited by - Lee Harris

Published by - Tor.com 

[ Back with this special feature after quite a long time, as I have quite a lot of free time now, compared to what I used to have the last 3-4 years. Hopefully I can continue for a bit this time around. ]

Anyone who reads Tchaikovsky is bound to get attached to his unique prose style and sense of humor while telling a thoughtful or serious story. It seems he can pull this off quite remarkably in the short form as well.

This short is placed in the world of his full-length novel 'Service Model', although featuring different characters and sometimes before that story as well. This one features a human employee in an office where slowly they are becoming unnecessary due to them being replaced by artificial intelligence.

The prose is as enjoyable and smoothly flowing as always by the author. But the  main problem with the setup is that the ending twist could be guessed even from the beginning. The execution was brilliantly done, but the story does seem to be desiring a bit more meat to make it as memorable as other works by Tchaikovsky.

In the end, I'll give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Retro Comic Review - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1 #24

Name: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1 #24

Published by: Mirage Comics

Writer & Artist: Rick Veitch 

Letterer: Steve Lavigne 

The notorious 'guest era' in Mirage comics' original TMNT is known mostly for its inconsistency. These issues are often filled with pure randomness, awkward humor, and sheer mediocrity. But there are also some issues that are still regarded by some fans very highly even these days.

Issues 24-26 are fondly remembered by most fans as 'The River Saga' and the first issue brilliantly sets up the story. We get introduced to how Veitch characterizes the Turtles and their companions, get acquainted with his unique style of storytelling and also get our first glimpses of the main villain, who might be one of the best antagonists of this guest era if not the best.

The art is also quite beautiful, with detailed character works and poignant facial expressions. The first reveal of the humanoid depiction of the antagonist is master class of horror storytelling that I keep remembering quite often when I think of this arc.

There are a few gripes regarding how the characters speak at times or some unorthodox clothing choices not in touch with the general personalities, but these are things that can be easily overlooked based on the overall merit of the plot.

I'll give this a well-deserved 4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review - Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void by Tim Lebbon

Name - Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void 

Written by - Tim Lebbon

Narrated by - January LaVoy

Series - Dawn of the Jedi 

Published by - Del Rey 

Audiobook by - Random House Audio

There are times when reading a book, you find that the actual setting is just being held back by the plot and characters on offer. 'Into the Void' has quite an interesting setting to work on and the author does quite a formidable job of world building to introduce us to it. But the plotline he uses to portray this setting and the characters he uses never do enough to engage me as a reader.

This story occurs during the time period of 'Dawn of the Jedi', which occurs more than 25,000 years before the movies. It is set on the Tython system and features the forebears of the Jedi order. The worlds described are quite detailed and certainly made me interested in further exploration.

But the story of Lanoree and his brother never really intrigued me much. The timeline kept jumping often without smooth transition, keeping me from being invested in the characters. The action bits were somewhat entertaining, but the protagonist kept getting knocked unconscious too often to seem formidable and unusually kept alive even being so vulnerable. Then when the ending came, it was just too underwhelming to register any meaningful response.

The narration by January LaVoy was quite palatable, and had no particular issues regarding accents or pacing. It is definitely not her fault; rather, the badly handled time-jumps by the author kept me losing attention at times.

This gets 3 out of 5 stars from me, mostly for the interesting setting and skillful world-building.

Graphic Novel Review - Star Wars: Yoda

Name: Star Wars: Yoda 

Published by: Marvel Comics

Writers: Cavan Scott, Jody Houser & Marc Guggenheim 

Artists: Nico Leon, Luke Ross, Alessandro Miracolo & Ibraim Roberson

Colorists: Photobunker's Dono- Sánchez-Almara, Nolan Woodard, Annalisa Leoni & Neeraj Menon

Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna

I was a bit sceptical about picking up this one. Yoda is a huge brand name for the Star Wars franchise, anything with his name usually results in quick and sure sells, so I thought there might not be any worthwhile substance in this. Despite my reservations, I decided to finally check this out based on the reviews on the internet and also as part of timeline wise read-through.

There are a total of three stories here featuring different time periods throughout the long lifespan of Yoda's life, all culminating in a brilliantly executed last issue. The first story occurs on a previously unknown planet inhabited by two new species, who are at odds with each other and the author slowly explores the reality of the situation. 

The second one seemed the weakest to me despite having one of my favorite characters, Dooku. The exploration of the enmity between Trandoshan's and Wookiee's and the unreliability and maddening effect of prophesies was the main focus.

The third story occurs during the time of another of my favorite time periods 'The Clone Wars' and also featured maybe my favorite Star Wars villains General Grievous, so obviously I enjoyed it.

The art was quite gorgeous throughout, with detailed backgrounds and appropriate facial reconstructions and expressions. The action sequences were also done quite competently.

Overall score - 4.5 out of 5 stars. And I do hope other adventures from Yoda's lifespan will be explored in this format, as there is vast scope for experimentation. 

Graphic Novel Review - Hyperspace Stories: Qui-Gon

Name: Star Wars Hyperspace Stories: Qui-Gon 

Published by: Dark Horse Comics

Writer: George Mann

Artists: Andrea Mutti, Gigi Baldassini

Colorist: Vladimir Popov

Letterer: Comicraft's Tyler Smith and Jimmy Betancourt

The new line of character centric 'Hyperspace Stories' initiative truly seems like a promising initiative. It is a great scope to tell fun stories featuring these beloved characters occurring throughout the vast timespan of the franchise. And the first entry is quite enjoyable in a simplistic yet poignant way.

The story is placed sometime before 'The Phantom Menace', while also incorporating a glimpse into Qui-Gon Jinn's time as a Padawan. The characterization was spot on and the cameo by Dooku was a nice delight.

It was nice to have the story focus on the greyer side of the force rather than a straightforward concept of light vs dark. I really liked the interesting yet less known cult that was a part of the story. The interesting story did make up for the relative scarcity of action.

The art was okay, but nothing extraordinary barring a few detailed backgrounds. I would have liked if the art was a bit more eye-catching.

This gets 4 out of 5 stars from me mostly based on the interesting story.

New Book Review - Walking to Aldebaran by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Name - Walking to Aldebaran

Written by - Adrian Tchaikovsky

Narrated by - Adrian Tchaikovsky 

Series - Terrible Worlds: Destinations

Published by - Rebellion Publishing Ltd. / Solaris Books

Audiobook by - Tantor Media

Adrian Tchaikovsky is an author who is a pure workforce with the versatility of a computer. And his unique prose style and ability to convey so much enjoyment in a wide range of lengths and his genre versatility make reading any of his fiction a wholesome and unpredictable experience. 

'Walking to Aldebaran' is a novella-length tale of science fiction told in the first person that can also be perceived as a metaphor for dealing with the trauma of isolation or torturous ordeals. The build up is a bit slow at first, but the slow reveal of the twist was quite intriguing. And the ending was very satisfying to say the least.

The prose uses quite a lot of humor and pop-culture references to make the shock have that much more impact and after the reveals towards the end the readers realize there were various hints dispersed throughout the story all along.

As I listened to this as an audiobook, I would also like to mention the brilliant narration by the author which added quite a lot to the experience (although as English is not my first language I had a few problems with some accents).

This gets a well deserved 4 out of 5 stars from me and I'll surely delve deeper into the works by Adrian Tchaikovsky soon.

Graphic Novel Review - Aquaman: A Celebration of 75 Years

Name: Aquaman: A Celebration of 75 Years

Published by: DC comics

Writters: Various

Artists: Various 

When considered as a sampler or entry point for new readers into the world of Aquaman, this collection does a fine job. But when thinking of this as a collectable item for seasoned reader it does fall a bit short as it misses some of the classic or legendary issues.

Readers will mostly get an introductory idea about the characters and setting of the world of Aquaman and some information regarding some of the noteworthy runs featuring Arthur. Some of the art from the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Age  is quite charming and beautiful. And the primers from the modern comics also pique interest regarding these storylines.

I would have loved to read or experience some of the other specific legendary issues, like silver age introduction of Thanatos or some of the other extravagant Peter David issues beside the mid blowing 'Single Wet Female'.

Overall score - 3.5 stars from me, mostly due to some unfortunate omissions.

Retro Book Review - The Rising Force

Book - The Rising Force

Writer - Dave Wolverton

Series - Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice #1

Published By - Scholastic 

'Star Wars Legends' line of fiction has always interested me a lot, so I finally decided to get into the depth within this world and started reading pre-episode-I stuff to compare it with the current canon. The overall verdict about this series featuring everyone's favorite team of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi on the internet was quite positive and I would in a sense agree with this based on the first book as this one quite enjoyably establishes the setting and opens up interesting momentum for future storytelling.

This one has quite a few interesting tid-bits regarding the life of a youngling in the Jedi temple, the first interactions between the featured duo, introduces us to some interesting aliens and has a rather fast-paced simplistic structure to provide a relaxing experience while reading.

In a negative aspect, the characters do seem to behave a bit unnaturally at times (this is to be expected in a middle-grade book actually), the villains are too one dimensional mostly, and the ending seemed a bit abrupt.

In the end, it creates a nice starting platform for the series and hopefully things will get even better down the line.

3.5 stars from me.

Graphic Novel Review - Star Wars Clone Wars Adventures Vol. 3

Name: Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Vol. 3

Published by: Dark Horse Comics

Writer: Haden Blackman, Ryan Kaufman, The Fillbach Brothers, Tim Mucci

Artists: The Fillbach Brothers

Colorist: Sigmund Torre, Pamela Rambo, Sno Cone Studios

Letterer: Michael David Thomas 

It's been a while since I read the first two volumes of this series, but after starting this third one I was instantly transported into the world this series was inspired by. 

The first story 'Rogue's Gallery' features some of the fan favorite villains of the prequel era fighting between themselves, which was quite fun, but somehow seemed like a missed opportunity.

'The Package' is clearly the best story in this volume (maybe the best is the series so far) and the twist at the ending is such an enjoyable gut punch reminding us of the overall grimness of the situation.

The third story named 'A Stranger in Town' is kind of like a wild west story featuring Yoda and a bit weird with its action scenes.

'One Battle' is a Plo Koon story which is quite mediocre except for the interesting last line.

Overall score - 3.5 out of 4 stars.

Retro Comic Review - Gizmo and the Fugitoid #2

Name: Gizmo and the Fugitoid #2

Published by: Mirage Comics

Writer: Peter Laird and Michael Dooney 

Artist: Michael Dooney 

Letterer: Steve Lavigne 

The second issue picks up just where the first one left off. We find our heroes prisoners of the Triceratons and trying to figure out a way to get out this prickly in one piece.

The story suffers a bit with some unlikely coincidences as the author tries to finish everything in this issue and the Triceratons come out a bit out of character because of this. 

Although the art is as good as ever, even better than the first at times with the detailed spaceships and background work. Throughout the whole two issue series, I kept coming back to back pages just to goggle at the detailed art.

This gets another nostalgic 4 out of 5 stars. 

Retro Comic Review - Gizmo and the Fugitoid #1

Name: Gizmo and the Fugitoid #1

Published by: Mirage Comics

Writer: Peter Laird and Michael Dooney 

Artist: Michael Dooney 

Letterer: Steve Lavigne 

I have been checking out the original Mirage comics and came upon this 2 issue mini-series. Initially I was a bit sceptical about checking this out as these didn't feature the turtles at all and although I knew Fugitoid and I had no idea about who this Gizmo guy was. I am glad I decided to check this out.

The first issue does a fine job of introducing us to the main characters, the humourous dialogues of Gizmo and Fluffy was quite enjoyable and I really did feel for the strange situation Fugitoid was in.

The story was fast paced and enjoyable, but the thing I really liked was the detailed art, once again one of the most attractive things of these old Mirage black and white issues. And it also ended in a cliffhanger throwing one of my favorite extraterrestrial factions into the mix, great stuff so far.

4 out of 5 stars from me.