More books

209. Jon Sable, Freelance Omnibus, vol. 2 by Mike Grell
     
     Adventure comics from the 80s. Great art, occasionally awkward characterization.
210. Lost Dogs by Jeff Lemire.
     
     Lemire's first graphic novel back in print. A little rough, but showing the promise exhibited in his current work.
211. African-American Classics (Graphic Classics, vol. 22) edited by Tom Pomplun & Lance Tooks.
     
     Anthology of comics adaptations of short stories & poems by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, et al. (Checked out of the library.)
212. The Savage Sword of Conan, vol. 5 by Roy Thomas, John Buscema, et al.
     
     They seem to have run out of Robert E. Howard stories to adapt by the time they got to this volume.
213. Captain America: Death of the Red Skull by J.M. DeMatteis, Paul Neary, et al.
     
     I had fond memories of these comics from when I was a kid and am happy to say that it holds up well. (Library.)
214. The Lovely Horrible Stuff by Eddie Campbell
     
     Money, money, money. It's been a while since I read a comic that Campbell both wrote and drew, and I had forgotten just how good he is.
215. Snarked, vol. 1: Forks and Hope: Forks and Hope by Roger Langridge.
     
     Fantastic all-ages comic inspired by the works of Lewis Carroll. Fun & funny. One of the best comics I've read all year.
216. H.P. Lovecraft's the Dunwich Horror by Joe R. Landsdale, Robert Winberg & Peter Bergsting.
     
     Adaptation/sequel to Lovecraft's story. Not terribly impressed, which is unusual. I normally like Landsdale quite a bit. I think it was the art, which I didn't care for.
217. The Twelve, vol. 1 by J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Weston.
     
     (Library.)
218. The Twelve, vol. 2 by J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Weston.
     
     I enjoyed the first volume when it came out a couple of years ago, and I was looking forward to the second volume, but it was delayed and delayed. Glad it's finally out now. Nice wrap-up to the story. (Library.)
219. The Knight Life: Chivalry Ain't Dead by Keith Knight.
     
     The first (and only, as far as I know) collection of Knight's syndicated "autobiographical" comic strip.
220. FF, vol. 3: All Hope Lies in Doom by Jonathan Hickman, Juan Bobillo & Nick Dragotta.
     
     It had been too long since I read volume 2, so I had difficulty remembering what was going on, and the book made no allowances for new readers or faulty memories. (Library.)
221. Marvel Universe Spider-Man: Amazing Fantasy by Paul Tobin, Rob DiSalvo, et al.
     
     Fun all-ages comics.
222. Invincible Iron Man, vol. 9: Demon by Matt Fraction & Salvador Larroca.
     
     (Library.)
223. The Defenders, vol. 1 by Matt Fraction, Terry Dodson, et al.
     
     Weirdness in the Marvel Universe.

Updating again

193. The Punisher by Greg Rucka, vol. 1 by Greg Rucka & Marco Checchetto.
     
     (Checked out of the library.)
194. Roadwaysby Jeff Lang & Ted Slampyak.
     
     Print on demand collection of a fun comic series that ran for a short time in the 90s. Only available through Amazon.
195. Crogan's Loyalty by Chris Schweizer.
     
     New volume in this wonderful series about history and family. I got the first two volumes from the library. Someday when I have some disposable income again, I need to buy copies of them.
196. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century, pt. 3: 2009 by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill.
     
     I like this one better than part 2, but still a little too dark for my tastes.
197. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.
     
     Teena warned me that this one feels a lot like a repeat of the first volume, and I see why. Still, I quite enjoyed it and am looking forward to the third book. (Borrowed from Teena.)
198. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, vol. 8: Last Gleaming by Joss Whedon, Scott Allie & Georges Jeanty.
     
     I stuck it out through all of "Season 8", but I wasn't all that impressed. I'm not going to bother with "Season 9".
199. Oil and Water by Steve Duin & Shannon Wheeler.
     
     A writer for The Oregonian and a cartoonist went to Louisiana after the Deepwater Horizon disaster. This book is the product of their experience. (Library.)
200. Batman: Gates of Gotham by Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins & Trevor McCarthy.
     
     (Checked out of the library.)
201. Archie: A Celebration of America's Favorite Teenagers by Craig Yoe.
     
     A look at the history of the Archie characters and the publishing company.
202. Morning Glories, vol. 3: P.E. by Nick Spencer & Joe Eisma.
     
     I really like this series, and while there are plenty of mysteries, I feel confident Spencer knows what's going on and all will be revealed. I just wish it were published more frequently so I could see the answers.
203. All Saints Day: An Amy Devlin Mystery by Christina Weir, Nunzio Defilippis & Dave McHargue.
     
     I need to remember how much I enjoy the things Weir & Defilippis write.
204. Daredevil by Mark Waid, vol. 1 by Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera & Marcos Martin.
     
     Everything people have been saying about this series is true. It's lots of fun, which is a welcome change to Daredevil. He has been grim ever since Frank Miller's run in the 80s. A light-hearted touch is a welcome change. Also, it's nice that Marvel is acknowledging creators in their book titles now, it'd be even better if they acknowledged more than just the writer. (Library.)
205. Dungeons & Dragons, vol. 2: First Encounters by John Rogers, Andrea DiVito, et al.
     
     I really like the fact that the collection is designed to look like a D&D source book, but that wouldn't matter if the comics inside weren't enjoyable. Fortunately, these are.
206. Red Lanterns, vol. 1: Blood and Rage by Peter Milligan & Ed Benes.
     
     As I mention nearly every time I read something by him, Milligan can be hit or miss for me. This is somewhere in the middle. I didn't dislike it, but I am glad I didn't buy it. (Library.)
207. Cinderella: Fables Are Forever by Chris Roberson & Shawn McManus.
     
     Spy story starring Cinderella. Fun.
208. Tales of the Beanworld, vol. 3.5 by Larry Marder.
     
     Collection of odds & ends, stitched together to make a (slightly awkward) story. Also, color! (Borrowed from Teena.)

Not completely caught up yet, but I need a break from sitting at the computer. More soon.

An Apology

Sorry I didn't post on Sunday. I spent the day being frustrated with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, an 8 year old video game that I really enjoyed up until the end, when I realized that by choosing the Light Side path, I had made the final battle much harder for myself. Plus, the Force powers that I had selected made that fight nearly impossible. I did not finish the game that day, but by resetting the difficulty level, I was able to finish the game.

Anyway, on to books from the last couple of weeks.

174. The Complete Idiot's Guide to U.S. History, Graphic Illustrated by Kenneth Hite & Shepherd Hendrix.
     
     Overview of U.S. history. No great insights, but it is under 200 pages.
175. A God Somewhere by John Arcudi & Peter Snejbjerg.
     Mbr< Really liked this, although I found the ending rather flat. (Checked out of the library.)
176. Avengers: West Coast Avengers - Lost in Space and Time by Steve Englehart & Al Milgrom.
     
     This holds up better than I expected. The characterization is still pretty awkward, however. (Library.)
177. Thirteen by Mike Carey & Andy Clarke.
178. Incorruptible, vol. 6 by Mark Waid & Marcio Takara.
     
     This series is still good. (Library.)
179. Water Baby by Ross Campbell.
     
     Campbell's art is good, his writing is not, bad, exactly, but his stories don't seem to have much of a point to them. And his art style can be problematic in that every female character is drawn in a ridiculously sexualized manner. Reading a comic by him is an uncomfortably close look into what turns him on. (Library.)
180. The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy, vol. 1: 1931-1933.
     
     The first couple of stories didn't really impress me, but that soon turned around and I found these comics surprisingly compelling. I can see why this is one of the classic comics. If I can find them cheap enough, I'll be picking up other volumes.
181. Deadenders by Ed Brubaker & Warren Pleece.
     
     One of the best stories I've read in set in a distopian near future. Again, the ending doesn't quite hold up, but the rest is fantastic. (Library.)
182. A Disease of Language by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell.
     
     Comics adaptation of "The Birth Caul" and "Snakes and Ladders", two spoken word performances/magical workings that Alan Moore has done. I have recordings of those performances and listened to them as I read the adaptations, and I think that really adds to the experience.
183. Empowered, vol. 7 by Adam Warren.
     
     The latest volume in Warren's fun superhero series that evolved out of commissions for cheesecake art. Things are getting increasingly serious, but still feel ultimately optimistic.

It's Been a Month. Time to Catch Up

Keeping things short since I've got a lot of books to get through.

131. The Boys, vol. 10: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker by Garth Ennis & Darrick Robertson.
     
     (Checked out of the library.)
132. Flex Mentallo: Man of Muscle Mystery by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely.
     
     Morrison's love letter to super-heroes.
133. Shapes and Colors: A Cul de Sac Collection by Richard Thompson.
     
     Another collection of this wonderful comic strip.
134. Essential Defenders, vol. 6 by J.M. DeMatteis, Don Perlin, et al.
     
     I know I read these comics when I was a teenager, but I remembered almost nothing about any of them except for the Dr. Seuss tribute issue.
135. Thunderbolts: Fear Itself by Jeff Parker, Declan Shalvey, et al.
     
     (Library.)
136. The Sixth Gun, vol. 3: Bound by Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt & Tyler Crook.
     
     Another great collection of this fantastic horror-western.
137. Hulk: Fear Itself by Jeff Parker, Elene Casasgrande & Gabriel Hardman.
     
     (Library.)
138. Abe Sapien, vol. 2: The Devil Does Not Jest and Other Stories by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Patric Reynolds, Peter Snejbjerg & James Harren.
     
139. Secret Avengers: Run the Mission, Don't Get Seen, Save the World by Warren Ellis, et al.
     
     Generally liked this, except for the part where Captain America condones torture. And that's a big damn sticking point. (Library.)
140. Schulz's Youth by Charles Schultz.
     
     Cartoons Schulz did for a religious newsletter aimed at teenagers.
141. Jim Henson's the Storyteller, vol. 1 by various.
     
     (Library.)
142. 20th Century Boys, vol. 20: Humanity in the Balance by Naoki Urasawa.
     
     This story probably should be considerably shorter, but I'm still enjoying it and sticking it out to the end.
143. Sabrina the Teenage Witch: The Magic Revisited by Tania Del Rio.
     
     Manga-influenced version of the character.
144. Stan Lee's Starborn, vol. 3: Homecoming
     
     (Library.)
145. Superstar: As Seen on TV by Kurt Busiek & Stuart Immonen.
     
     Bought this directly from Busiek at Stumptown. I'd love to see more about this character.
146. American Barbarian by Tom Scioli.
     
     Kirby-esque post-apocalyptic story. Lots of fun. (Library.)
147. Mangaman by Barry Lyga & Colleen Doran.
     
     (Library.)
148. The Damned, vol. 1: Three Days Dead by Cullen Bunn & Brian Hurtt.
     
     Gangsters & demons.
149. Essential Marvel Team-Up, vol. 3 by Chris Claremont, John Byrne, et al. Nostalgia comics for me. I had a subscription to this comic when I was a kid, and I read 12 of the issues collected here over & over.
150. Lucifer, vol. 1: Devil in the Gateway by Mike Carey, Scott Hampton, Chris Weston, et al.
     
     I read this a while back, but it never grabbed me. I've been enjoying The Unwritten so much that I'm giving it another shot. However, the library doesn't have volume 4, and it looks like it's out of print. So that could be a problem. (Library.)
151. I...Vampire! by J.M. DeMatteis, Bruce Jones, Tom Sutton, et al.
     
     Horror comics from the early 80s. (Library.)
152. The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath and Other Stories by H.P. Lovecraft & Jason Thompson.
     
     
     
     Comics adaptation of Lovecraft's Dreamlands stories.
153. Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Services, vol. 12 by Eiji Otsuka & Housui Yamazaki.
     
     This manga series is back. (Library.)
154. Rin-Ne, vol. 7 by Rumiko Takahashi.
     
     Supernatural romantic comedy. (Library.)
155. Doctor Who Classics, vol. 6 by Steve Parkhouse, Alan McKenzie & John Ridgeway.
     
     Comics featuring the sixth Doctor.
156. Avengers: West Coast Avengers Assemble by Roger Stern, Bob Hall, et al.
     
     (Library.)
157. The Future's So Bright I Can't Bear to Look by Tom Tomorrow.
     
     Political cartoons from the Bush years.
158. Ultimate Comics Thor by Jonathan Hickman & Carlos Pacheco.
     
     Origin for the Ultimate Comics version of Thor. (Library.)
159. Rin-Ne, vol. 8 by Rumiko Takahashi.
     
     (Library.)
160. The Supervillain Handbook: The Ultimate How-To Guide to Destruction and Mayhem by King Oblivion, PhD, as told to Matthew D. Wilson.
     
     Guidebook to being a supervillain. Quite funny.
161. The Mighty Thor by Matt Fraction & Olivier Coipel.
     
     (Library.)
162. Captain America and Bucky: The Life Story of Bucky Barnes by Ed Brubaker, Marc Andreyko & Chris Samnee.
     
     (Library.)
163. Sword of the Atom by Jan Strnad & Gil Kane. Some beautiful art. The story isn't bad but nothing all that special.
164. Batman: The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder, Jock & Francesco Francavilla.
     
     (Library.)
165. Lucifer, vol. 2: Children and Monsters by Mike Carey & Peter Gross.
     
     It had been so long since I first read this that I wasn't sure I had actually done so. It just seemed vaguely familiar. Liked it this time. (Library.)
166. Hitman vol. 6: For Tomorrow by Garth Ennis & John McCrea.
     
     Lots of fun. Just one more volume after this.
167. Willie & Joe: Back Home by Bill Mauldin.
     
     The great WWII cartoonist continued drawing after he came home, and here are those cartoons.
168. The Mighty Alice by Richard Thompson.
     
     The latest Cul de Sac collection.
169. Gone to Amerikay by Derek McCulloch & Colleen Doran.
     
     Three intertwined stories of Irish people coming to America. Beautiful artwork from Doran, as always. And a great story that really comes together at the end. I was nearly in tears. Wonderful book. (Library.)
170. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise, pt. 2 by Gene Luan Yang & Gurihiru.
     
     This comic really captures the feel of the show.
171. Essential X-Men, vol. 7 by Chris Claremont, et al.
     
     The comics reprinted here are from about when I was ready to give up reading the issues. Claremont's writing tics are becoming more & more prevalent.
172. Steve Rogers: Super Soldier by Ed Brubaker & Dale Eaglesham.
     
     (Library.)
173. Captain America: Prisoner of War by Ed Brubaker, Mike Deodado, et al.
     
     (Library.)

Whew.