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.