Showing posts with label manga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manga. Show all posts
Monday, August 10, 2020
Friday, March 6, 2020
Friday, February 7, 2020
Two of My Video Reviews
Earthworm Jim is no longer on sale, sadly -- but if you can borrow it from someone, you should!
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Geeky Recommendations, 10/27/19
Books: Dan Simmons Month
Ilium
I'm going to steal Larry Correia's description of the series this book launches because I can't improve upon it: "Personally, I like Olympos and Ilium even better. They have the most batshit crazy plot synopsis I’ve ever heard of. It’s the battle of Troy on Mars, with space gods, and post-apocalyptic Earth has dinosaurs and Jews menaced by killer Muslim robot pods and a giant brain thing, and monster characters from Shakespeare run a space station, as narrated by a reborn history teacher, and a robot from Jupiter who really loves to quote Proust… and Dan Simmons MAKES THIS ALL WORK." Yes. Yes, he does. And in the process, he ties in a subterranean rebuke of the idea that men are meant to be safe and comfortable. Go read and see!
Comics
Marvels, Kurt Busiek, Alex Ross
Words cannot express exactly how beautiful this book is -- all thanks to the art of Alex Ross. You can rip out literally any page and hang it on a wall. (Please don't do that, though!) But lest you think this is mere eye candy, the story - which re-imagines the Marvel Universe's early history through the eyes of an ordinary photojournalist - is also well worth reading. I honestly have no clue why they didn't continue pursuing that conceit for ten, twenty, thirty, forty -- hell, a whole ongoing series of issues. I would have found it interesting at the very least!
Weeb Stuff
Cells at Work: Code Black, Vol. 1, Shigemitsu Harada, Issei Hatsuyoshiya
The original Cells at Work (the anime adaptation of which I squee about here) is an insanely cute, kid-friendly romp through the blood vessels (and sometimes bone marrow) of a healthy human body. This, however, is a darker, more adult variation on the theme. The cells here are working for a man who doesn't take care of himself and consequently suffers from autoimmune conditions, erectile dysfunction, arteriosclerosis, and - in one story - a gonorrhea infection. Needless to say, you probably shouldn't give this to younger readers. I have to say, though: there's something curiously moral about the main character's horrified response when he learns all his efforts to keep the penis erect may not have been for the purpose of reproduction. Hmmm.
Ilium
I'm going to steal Larry Correia's description of the series this book launches because I can't improve upon it: "Personally, I like Olympos and Ilium even better. They have the most batshit crazy plot synopsis I’ve ever heard of. It’s the battle of Troy on Mars, with space gods, and post-apocalyptic Earth has dinosaurs and Jews menaced by killer Muslim robot pods and a giant brain thing, and monster characters from Shakespeare run a space station, as narrated by a reborn history teacher, and a robot from Jupiter who really loves to quote Proust… and Dan Simmons MAKES THIS ALL WORK." Yes. Yes, he does. And in the process, he ties in a subterranean rebuke of the idea that men are meant to be safe and comfortable. Go read and see!
Comics
Marvels, Kurt Busiek, Alex Ross
Words cannot express exactly how beautiful this book is -- all thanks to the art of Alex Ross. You can rip out literally any page and hang it on a wall. (Please don't do that, though!) But lest you think this is mere eye candy, the story - which re-imagines the Marvel Universe's early history through the eyes of an ordinary photojournalist - is also well worth reading. I honestly have no clue why they didn't continue pursuing that conceit for ten, twenty, thirty, forty -- hell, a whole ongoing series of issues. I would have found it interesting at the very least!
Weeb Stuff
Cells at Work: Code Black, Vol. 1, Shigemitsu Harada, Issei Hatsuyoshiya
The original Cells at Work (the anime adaptation of which I squee about here) is an insanely cute, kid-friendly romp through the blood vessels (and sometimes bone marrow) of a healthy human body. This, however, is a darker, more adult variation on the theme. The cells here are working for a man who doesn't take care of himself and consequently suffers from autoimmune conditions, erectile dysfunction, arteriosclerosis, and - in one story - a gonorrhea infection. Needless to say, you probably shouldn't give this to younger readers. I have to say, though: there's something curiously moral about the main character's horrified response when he learns all his efforts to keep the penis erect may not have been for the purpose of reproduction. Hmmm.
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Geeky Recommendations, 7/3/19
Comics
The Underfoot, Vol. 1, Ben Fisher, Emily Whitten, Michelle Nguyen
I took a risk on this one based on its blurb on Comixology, and I didn't regret it. The main characters are uplifted hamsters left behind after a mysterious cataclysm wipes out human civilization -- a superficially ridiculous premise, but one that actually works because of the quality of the writing and the lovely art. There is, I should note, a vague environmentalist undertone in the world building, but it's subtle and - at least for me - completely unobjectionable because the storytelling here is clearly coming first. Each character is distinct and well-drawn, the adventure is legitimately gripping to read, and the book's themes of friendship and sacrifice are - thankfully - universal in scope.
William the Last, Vol. 1, Brian Shearer
This is another middle grade fantasy adventure that's definitely worth your time. Here, the title character is an orphan who discovers upon his grandfather's death that there's an entire kingdom beyond his isolated beach that he never knew existed -- and that he is more important to that kingdom than he ever realized. Once again: good writing, good art, distinct and lovable main characters. If you like the traditional hero's journey as much as I, you will enjoy this book.
Weeb Stuff
The Promised Neverland, Kaiu Shirai, Posuka Demizu
I'm not going to discuss the details of this story because I don't want to spoil the twist. What I will say? This manga reminds me of the original, unsanitized, creepy fairy tales. If you like that sort of thing, this is definitely written and drawn for you.
Now Streaming
And now, before we close out today's post: Let's talk about the second season of The Orville.
I find the opening of season two rather boring, to be honest. As a matter of fact, unless you're super invested in learning about Moclan elimination habits and divorce customs (or are, like yours truly, a completist), I think you can start with "Home" (2.3) without missing much at all.
Speaking of which: "Home" starts off a little slow as well, but stick with it. When the twist happens, it's legitimately frightening.
What's else? Okay:
This season features heavy world building for the Moclans -- with mixed results. I'm disappointed that the homosexuality analogy in "Deflectors" (2.7) isn't handled as subtly as the gender reassignment episode in season one (and I say this as someone who's willing to compromise on the whole keep-government-out-of-the-bedroom thing). On the other hand, the realpolitik dimensions of "Sanctuary" (2.12) are solidly written (though, granted, it's stupid for the Union to rely on one race for weapons development). Heveena is absolutely my queen -- the definition of a strong female character who doesn't let her life of persecution warp her morality or her pragmatism.
Of course, the two-part "Identity" (2.8/2.9) is a standout. As I posted on Facebook, "That escalated quickly." It's interesting that the Kaylons are a formerly oppressed race that's now out for revenge -- and that this is portrayed as evil.
Actually, in this season, this is a theme that pops up repeatedly: what is the proper response to injustice? What is the proper response when you're objectively wronged? In "Identity" and the equally excellent "Blood of Patriots" (2.10), we encounter characters who choose the route of anger and vengeance. In "Sanctuary," we encounter a character (the aforementioned Heveena) who fights for her rights while also maintaining her dignity and her principles. Which approach does the show clearly prefer? The latter. That's good. That's very, very good.
The episodes I haven't mentioned here rely on common sci-fi tropes, but despite their familiarity, they are entertaining.
The one thing I definitely missed, though? This season sadly lacked another trenchant satire like "Majority Rule." Come on, Seth: there's certainly more stupidity in our society that you can make fun of! I hope you do so in season three.
The Underfoot, Vol. 1, Ben Fisher, Emily Whitten, Michelle Nguyen
I took a risk on this one based on its blurb on Comixology, and I didn't regret it. The main characters are uplifted hamsters left behind after a mysterious cataclysm wipes out human civilization -- a superficially ridiculous premise, but one that actually works because of the quality of the writing and the lovely art. There is, I should note, a vague environmentalist undertone in the world building, but it's subtle and - at least for me - completely unobjectionable because the storytelling here is clearly coming first. Each character is distinct and well-drawn, the adventure is legitimately gripping to read, and the book's themes of friendship and sacrifice are - thankfully - universal in scope.
William the Last, Vol. 1, Brian Shearer
This is another middle grade fantasy adventure that's definitely worth your time. Here, the title character is an orphan who discovers upon his grandfather's death that there's an entire kingdom beyond his isolated beach that he never knew existed -- and that he is more important to that kingdom than he ever realized. Once again: good writing, good art, distinct and lovable main characters. If you like the traditional hero's journey as much as I, you will enjoy this book.
Weeb Stuff
The Promised Neverland, Kaiu Shirai, Posuka Demizu
I'm not going to discuss the details of this story because I don't want to spoil the twist. What I will say? This manga reminds me of the original, unsanitized, creepy fairy tales. If you like that sort of thing, this is definitely written and drawn for you.
Now Streaming
And now, before we close out today's post: Let's talk about the second season of The Orville.
I find the opening of season two rather boring, to be honest. As a matter of fact, unless you're super invested in learning about Moclan elimination habits and divorce customs (or are, like yours truly, a completist), I think you can start with "Home" (2.3) without missing much at all.
Speaking of which: "Home" starts off a little slow as well, but stick with it. When the twist happens, it's legitimately frightening.
What's else? Okay:
This season features heavy world building for the Moclans -- with mixed results. I'm disappointed that the homosexuality analogy in "Deflectors" (2.7) isn't handled as subtly as the gender reassignment episode in season one (and I say this as someone who's willing to compromise on the whole keep-government-out-of-the-bedroom thing). On the other hand, the realpolitik dimensions of "Sanctuary" (2.12) are solidly written (though, granted, it's stupid for the Union to rely on one race for weapons development). Heveena is absolutely my queen -- the definition of a strong female character who doesn't let her life of persecution warp her morality or her pragmatism.
Of course, the two-part "Identity" (2.8/2.9) is a standout. As I posted on Facebook, "That escalated quickly." It's interesting that the Kaylons are a formerly oppressed race that's now out for revenge -- and that this is portrayed as evil.
Actually, in this season, this is a theme that pops up repeatedly: what is the proper response to injustice? What is the proper response when you're objectively wronged? In "Identity" and the equally excellent "Blood of Patriots" (2.10), we encounter characters who choose the route of anger and vengeance. In "Sanctuary," we encounter a character (the aforementioned Heveena) who fights for her rights while also maintaining her dignity and her principles. Which approach does the show clearly prefer? The latter. That's good. That's very, very good.
The episodes I haven't mentioned here rely on common sci-fi tropes, but despite their familiarity, they are entertaining.
The one thing I definitely missed, though? This season sadly lacked another trenchant satire like "Majority Rule." Come on, Seth: there's certainly more stupidity in our society that you can make fun of! I hope you do so in season three.
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Geeky Recommendations, 4/10/19 (One Day Late)
Books
Voices of the Fall, Ed. John Ringo, Gary Poole
This is the second anthology in the Black Tide Rising universe - collecting short stories based on radio transmissions from the Fall (aka, the zombie apocalypse) - and I'm happy to report that the story quality here is consistently solid and in keeping with the thrust of the series as a whole. What is that thrust, you may ask? I'll explain it in two words: competence porn. From the straggling NASA scientists trying to rescue their astronauts on the ISS to the nukes trying to avoid sinking in their damaged submarine, the heroes here are neither nihilistic nor incapable of getting stuff done.
The Green Ember & The Black Star of Kingston, S.D. Smith
Youtuber #1 Marmaduke Fan pointed me to this series, and oh boy, am I so glad he did! S.D. Smith is a magnificent storyteller; indeed, I don't think it's overblown to say that he gets everything right.
World building? His rabbit civilization has a lore so thoughtfully conceived that it feels real. Obviously, Smith has studied the mythological archetypes -- or he simply has a natural understanding of their primary features.
Main characters? All sympathetic -- including Picket, who starts off a brat but at least has the self-awareness to feel guilty about it.
Plot? The action scenes - like, for example, the several-chapters-long flight from Nick Hollow in The Green Ember - are exciting as hell. And when the story in said novel quiets down, Smith still expertly maintains our interest by emphasizing the questions surrounding Heather and Picket's true heritage.
Themes? The Black Star of Kingston - a novella that recounts one of the legends of Natalia - features a positively Petersonian hero who decides he must leave the safety of his coastal settlement to confront the darkness of the mountains beyond. The principal story, meanwhile, explores the reality of a fallen world in which evil lurks and life is not always fair -- and counsels us all to cope with the tragedy of being by fixing our sights on a goal beyond ourselves. What a beautiful, universal message!
Oh, and one last thing: Smith knows how to nest smaller stories inside a larger cycle! The Green Ember - despite being the first of a trilogy - feels complete on its own.
Am I going to read the rest of this series and discuss it further in the coming weeks? You betcha! This is probably the best middle grade/YA series I've come across since The Wingfeather Saga. I wish I'd read it sooner.
Now Playing
I went to see Shazam early this week and liked it. While I wouldn't call it the film of the century, I enjoyed its sly lampooning of selfie culture and its emphasis on the importance of family. Also notable? The fact that the main character has to grow into his role. Unlike, say, a certain overrated female Marvel hero, Billy is initially overwhelmed - and tempted - by his new powers, and he ends up doing a lot of stupid and/or reckless things before he learns to be mature and take responsibility. That is a focused, decently-crafted story with a healthy moral core.
Comics
Daredevil: To Know Fear, Chip Zdarsky
Issues 1-3 of this story are out as of this week, and they are good. The mystery is compelling - did Matt actually kill somebody by accident, or is someone framing him? - the action scenes are excellent, and the Catholic elements are respectfully handled. I stand with Our Boi Zack in crowning Zdarsky the once and future "kweeng" of Marvel.
Weeb Stuff
World Trigger, (Vol. 1), Daisuke Ashihara
This straightforward sci-fi adventure story doesn't seem particularly groundbreaking so far, but it presents a few intriguing questions that have convinced me to read the next few volumes (at least). First of all, why is Yuma in Japan? Secondly, why are the monstrous "Neighbors" attempting to invade, and why are they appearing outside the emergence area? Are they following Yuma? And lastly, just what sort of world lies beyond the interdimensional portals? I suppose I'll have to see!
Voices of the Fall, Ed. John Ringo, Gary Poole
This is the second anthology in the Black Tide Rising universe - collecting short stories based on radio transmissions from the Fall (aka, the zombie apocalypse) - and I'm happy to report that the story quality here is consistently solid and in keeping with the thrust of the series as a whole. What is that thrust, you may ask? I'll explain it in two words: competence porn. From the straggling NASA scientists trying to rescue their astronauts on the ISS to the nukes trying to avoid sinking in their damaged submarine, the heroes here are neither nihilistic nor incapable of getting stuff done.
The Green Ember & The Black Star of Kingston, S.D. Smith
Youtuber #1 Marmaduke Fan pointed me to this series, and oh boy, am I so glad he did! S.D. Smith is a magnificent storyteller; indeed, I don't think it's overblown to say that he gets everything right.
World building? His rabbit civilization has a lore so thoughtfully conceived that it feels real. Obviously, Smith has studied the mythological archetypes -- or he simply has a natural understanding of their primary features.
Main characters? All sympathetic -- including Picket, who starts off a brat but at least has the self-awareness to feel guilty about it.
Plot? The action scenes - like, for example, the several-chapters-long flight from Nick Hollow in The Green Ember - are exciting as hell. And when the story in said novel quiets down, Smith still expertly maintains our interest by emphasizing the questions surrounding Heather and Picket's true heritage.
Themes? The Black Star of Kingston - a novella that recounts one of the legends of Natalia - features a positively Petersonian hero who decides he must leave the safety of his coastal settlement to confront the darkness of the mountains beyond. The principal story, meanwhile, explores the reality of a fallen world in which evil lurks and life is not always fair -- and counsels us all to cope with the tragedy of being by fixing our sights on a goal beyond ourselves. What a beautiful, universal message!
Oh, and one last thing: Smith knows how to nest smaller stories inside a larger cycle! The Green Ember - despite being the first of a trilogy - feels complete on its own.
Am I going to read the rest of this series and discuss it further in the coming weeks? You betcha! This is probably the best middle grade/YA series I've come across since The Wingfeather Saga. I wish I'd read it sooner.
Now Playing
I went to see Shazam early this week and liked it. While I wouldn't call it the film of the century, I enjoyed its sly lampooning of selfie culture and its emphasis on the importance of family. Also notable? The fact that the main character has to grow into his role. Unlike, say, a certain overrated female Marvel hero, Billy is initially overwhelmed - and tempted - by his new powers, and he ends up doing a lot of stupid and/or reckless things before he learns to be mature and take responsibility. That is a focused, decently-crafted story with a healthy moral core.
Comics
Daredevil: To Know Fear, Chip Zdarsky
Issues 1-3 of this story are out as of this week, and they are good. The mystery is compelling - did Matt actually kill somebody by accident, or is someone framing him? - the action scenes are excellent, and the Catholic elements are respectfully handled. I stand with Our Boi Zack in crowning Zdarsky the once and future "kweeng" of Marvel.
Weeb Stuff
World Trigger, (Vol. 1), Daisuke Ashihara
This straightforward sci-fi adventure story doesn't seem particularly groundbreaking so far, but it presents a few intriguing questions that have convinced me to read the next few volumes (at least). First of all, why is Yuma in Japan? Secondly, why are the monstrous "Neighbors" attempting to invade, and why are they appearing outside the emergence area? Are they following Yuma? And lastly, just what sort of world lies beyond the interdimensional portals? I suppose I'll have to see!
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Geeky Recommendations, 3/27/19
Books
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters, Mark Dunn
The main characters in this epistolary novel live in a fictional island nation that has organized its religion around the composer of the sentence "The quick, brown fox jumps over the lazy dog", which - as you know, I'm sure - contains all 26 letters of the alphabet. When letters start dropping off the nation's monument to this sentence, the governing council, in its infinite lack of wisdom, decides that the island's revered icon is commanding everyone from beyond the grave to stop using the missing letters. As time goes on and more essential letters are lost, life on the island becomes increasingly repressive -- and communication becomes virtually impossible.
Dunn handles the conceit of his premise in an able and engaging way. Eventually, he does have to cheat and use homophones once too many letters have been lost for him to proceed with his plot, but no matter: the theme here is remarkably timely.
Today I Am Carey, Martin L. Shoemaker
This novel is an expansion of Shoemaker's award-winning short story "Today I Am Paul", in which an android is tasked with caring for a patient with dementia. Here, Shoemaker follows the android over several decades as he/she integrates into a family and becomes progressively self-aware.
To quote my review on Amazon: "This is a quiet, beautiful SF novel that gets the essence of love exactly right. While it may frustrate the reader who is more action-oriented, I was hooked from the start by the title character and the well-drawn family who welcome him/her into their home and their lives. If you're looking for slice-of-life sci fi written with competence and, even more importantly, humanity, this is the book for you!"
(By the way, I see now that another reviewer has compared this novel to "Flowers for Algernon." I believe this comparison is apt.)
Comics
Saga (Vol. 1), Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples
From the blurb: "SAGA is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe."
My impression: I doubt the creators of this series share my views on art or politics, but it doesn't - and shouldn't - matter. The story, at least so far, is very well told. I particularly like the balance between Marko's pacifism and Alana's more belligerent, defensive stance -- but even the other characters (including the narrator, their child) have voices that are distinct and interesting to read.
One caveat, though: Don't give this trade to your kids. The language, violence, and sexual content is quite explicit.
Fighting American & Fighting American: The Ties That Bind,
Gorden Rennie, Duke Mighten, & Andie Tong
These two trades take an old Jack Kirby hero from the 1950's and transport him to the modern day -- quite literally, through time travel. They are also a veritable workshop on how to do humor correctly. The story takes the piss out of Fighting American's earnestness (and the superhero genre in general), but it also makes fun of conspiracy theories, the news media, the alt-right, and - delightfully - communists. In every way, the satire is balanced, fun, and written with love rather than mean-spiritedness.
Weeb Stuff
My Love Story!! (Vol. 1), Kazune Kawahara & Aruko
I didn't think I'd like this shōjo romance (the two exclamation points in the title were a huge red flag), but gosh darn it, it charmed me anyway. First, I love that the big, awkward main character gets the girl by being heroic and properly masculine. Second, their budding love is so damned pure. At one point, the girl is ashamed because she wants to hold hands, for goodness' sake! Such a thing would never fly in our own over-sexualized, cynical culture -- which is why it's so refreshing.
From Far Away (Vol. 1), Kyoko Hikawa
This older portal fantasy is also deeply counter-cultural -- and therefore fresh. When Noriko is transported suddenly into a bizarre parallel world, she isn't instantly competent. Instead, she's fearful and struggles to make sense of her new surroundings. But we can see even in this early stage that she has the intelligence to be a heroine when she eventually calms down and starts learning the locals' language. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here!
Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters, Mark Dunn
The main characters in this epistolary novel live in a fictional island nation that has organized its religion around the composer of the sentence "The quick, brown fox jumps over the lazy dog", which - as you know, I'm sure - contains all 26 letters of the alphabet. When letters start dropping off the nation's monument to this sentence, the governing council, in its infinite lack of wisdom, decides that the island's revered icon is commanding everyone from beyond the grave to stop using the missing letters. As time goes on and more essential letters are lost, life on the island becomes increasingly repressive -- and communication becomes virtually impossible.
Dunn handles the conceit of his premise in an able and engaging way. Eventually, he does have to cheat and use homophones once too many letters have been lost for him to proceed with his plot, but no matter: the theme here is remarkably timely.
Today I Am Carey, Martin L. Shoemaker
This novel is an expansion of Shoemaker's award-winning short story "Today I Am Paul", in which an android is tasked with caring for a patient with dementia. Here, Shoemaker follows the android over several decades as he/she integrates into a family and becomes progressively self-aware.
To quote my review on Amazon: "This is a quiet, beautiful SF novel that gets the essence of love exactly right. While it may frustrate the reader who is more action-oriented, I was hooked from the start by the title character and the well-drawn family who welcome him/her into their home and their lives. If you're looking for slice-of-life sci fi written with competence and, even more importantly, humanity, this is the book for you!"
(By the way, I see now that another reviewer has compared this novel to "Flowers for Algernon." I believe this comparison is apt.)
Comics
Saga (Vol. 1), Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples
From the blurb: "SAGA is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe."
My impression: I doubt the creators of this series share my views on art or politics, but it doesn't - and shouldn't - matter. The story, at least so far, is very well told. I particularly like the balance between Marko's pacifism and Alana's more belligerent, defensive stance -- but even the other characters (including the narrator, their child) have voices that are distinct and interesting to read.
One caveat, though: Don't give this trade to your kids. The language, violence, and sexual content is quite explicit.
Fighting American & Fighting American: The Ties That Bind,
Gorden Rennie, Duke Mighten, & Andie Tong
These two trades take an old Jack Kirby hero from the 1950's and transport him to the modern day -- quite literally, through time travel. They are also a veritable workshop on how to do humor correctly. The story takes the piss out of Fighting American's earnestness (and the superhero genre in general), but it also makes fun of conspiracy theories, the news media, the alt-right, and - delightfully - communists. In every way, the satire is balanced, fun, and written with love rather than mean-spiritedness.
Weeb Stuff
My Love Story!! (Vol. 1), Kazune Kawahara & Aruko
I didn't think I'd like this shōjo romance (the two exclamation points in the title were a huge red flag), but gosh darn it, it charmed me anyway. First, I love that the big, awkward main character gets the girl by being heroic and properly masculine. Second, their budding love is so damned pure. At one point, the girl is ashamed because she wants to hold hands, for goodness' sake! Such a thing would never fly in our own over-sexualized, cynical culture -- which is why it's so refreshing.
From Far Away (Vol. 1), Kyoko Hikawa
This older portal fantasy is also deeply counter-cultural -- and therefore fresh. When Noriko is transported suddenly into a bizarre parallel world, she isn't instantly competent. Instead, she's fearful and struggles to make sense of her new surroundings. But we can see even in this early stage that she has the intelligence to be a heroine when she eventually calms down and starts learning the locals' language. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here!
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