Graphic Novels Edition, Vol. 2

Last week when my computer was down, I finished up a couple of
graphic novels. Since I couldn't decide which series I liked better, I decided just to continue with BOTH series!!

The first book was The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman (256 pgs, Vertigo, 1991). If there was one word to describe this book, it would be: Disturbing.

In the beginning.....But of course, we never see the beginning. We come in in the middle, after the lights have gone down, and try to make some sense of the story so far. Whisper to our neighbors, 'Who's he? Who's she? Have they met each other before?" We get by.

Volume 2 opens up with the final chapter of Volume 1 where Dream is talking to his sister, Death. But this book is less about Dreams and more about Nightmares than before. We meet another one of Dreams siblings: Desire. It seems his younger sibling is trying to play games - games that could have fatal consequences.

We also meet Rose Walker. Granddaughter of Unity Kincaid (the woman from Vol. 1 that was raped while suffering from the sleeping sickness), Rose is on a quest to find her younger brother, Jed. Jed hasn't been seen in years, since he was left in the custody of his father. And he's in trouble now. But Rose is also a Dream Vortex....one with the ability to merge the dreams of others. It's an incredible power because she can draw dreams and nightmares to herself. If this happens, it could cause the Dream world to collapse upon itself.

But the main premise of this book, as I said before, are nightmares. While Dream was imprisoned, several major players in the Dream World escaped: Fiddler's Green, and 3 Nightmares: Brute and Glob, and The Corinthian. Dream must find them and bring them back.

First of all, I LOVE this series. I love Neil Gaiman. And I love the fantastic drawings that are tucked away in this book. But know for sure that this volume is exceedingly disturbing. Not the stuff of pleasant and safe dreams, this is one that deals with child abuse, rape and serial killers. Truly the subjects of nightmares. A "Cereal" Convention takes place: a gathering of the world's most prolific serial killers, all trying to learn from each other. They even set up panel discussions!! With special guest, The Corinthian, these are the worst and darkest of all things that make up the human condition.

You disappoint me, Corinthian. You, and these humans you inspired and created disappoint me. YOU were supposed to be my masterpiece, or so I thought. A nightmare created to be the darkness and the fear of darkness in every heart. A black mirror, made to reflect everything about itself that humanity will not confront. But look at you. Forty years walking the earth, honing yourself, infecting others with your joy of death and what have you given them? Nothing. What have your wrought, Corinthian? Just something else for people to be scared of, that's all.

Gaiman looks at the blackest side of the human heart in The Doll's House. He truly has a gift of insight into the human psyche. And he knows what makes people scared. Although the volume ends well, most of this book is dark and scary. As I said before, it is deeply disturbing. But it is also a fantastic read!! Most definitely a classic as far as graphic novels are concerned and well deserving of a 5-star review!! 5/5


The second Graphic Novel series that I am reading is Fables. Fables Volume 2: The Animal Farm by Bill Willingham (128 pgs, Vertigo, 2003) is the next in line.

Yes, it's "Once Upon a Time" time again!

As we know from the first volume, the Fables have been exiled from their lands. The fables that are able to live in New York City amongst the "mundy's" or mundanes, as they Fables like to call the humans. But there are some Fables that are not able to live easily among the humans. Talking animals, giants, and dragons....just to name a few. So these Fables are relegated to live on the Animal Farm, or just The Farm. It is a compound that allows them a place to roam without the wandering eyes of the mundanes.

In Volume 2, Snow White decides to take her bi-annual visit to the Farm a little early to spend some quality time with her sister, Rose Red. Snow is hoping to be able to mend some fences with her. But when they arrive, things are not quite the way they are supposed to be. The girls stumble upon a meeting of the residents. Dun and Posey (part of the 3 little pigs) tell Snow that the caretaker of the Farm, Weyland Smith, has resigned....just walked off. The pigs are now in charge. Snow and Red are tired, and decide to figure it all out in the morning.

But when they wake up, they are surprised by the vicious murder of Colin the pig and the phone lines are down. Things are not as they are supposed to be at The Farm, and it's up to Snow White to figure out what's going on.

This series is just so much fun! With a page from Orwell's Animal Farm, there is a revolution on the rise, and the animals are arming themselves. With a frighteningly militant leader in Goldilocks, the animals are trying to re-take their homelands. I know this is only the second book in the series, but I love it already!! Sometimes you can tell by just a few pages whether or not you are going to love a book or not. The same goes with this series. It's nothing new to put a spin on an old fairy tale. But Willingham really creates fresh ideas with this series. And even though they are "fairy tales", the underlying darkness is always there. Nothing is as you would expect it. I mean, come on: Goldilocks is a radical militant, who is sleeping with Baby Bear; Snow White is hot and heavy (though she won't admit it!) over the Big Bad Wolf; and there is more fire power coming from the old lady in the shoe and her many kids than most small countries!

The message is a bit political, but the story is bold and fantastic. The pictures are beautiful, and I can't wait to start the next book in the series. On a side note, I see that ABC is going to make a series out the graphic novels. I'm dying to see a cast list!!! 4.5/5

The Graphic Novels Edition

It must be a record!! 3 days in a row!! I decided to combine my graphic novel reviews. Figured it might be easier that way. Of course, I could probably talk all day about these two!!


I decided for my first graphic novel I should probably start with a known love....Neil Gaiman. Makes sense, right? The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman (240 pgs, Vertigo, 1993) is just an amazing piece of art. The language, the story, the pictures, the characters. This one has it all!

Wake up, Sir. We're here.

As this story opens, a mystic by the name of Roderick Burgess acquires a grimoire with the sole purpose of 'capturing' Death. But his failure to bind Death results in another being captured: Dream. Imprisoned for almost 70 years before he can escape, Dream returns to the world to find his realm in shambles. His powers are diminished, and he goes on a quest to get back his "tools" so he can rebuild and set the World of Dreams right again.

In his quest, we meet some of the incredible cast of characters this book (and hopefully the series) has to offer: Cain and Abel, Lucifer Morningstar, The Hecateae, John Constantine, and Dream's sister, Death (who happens to be a really cool goth-chick!)

I know this story is only the first, but it held me utterly captive! From page 1, I could tell it is something special. Brilliant in it's complexity, it is dark and bold. The section entitled "24 Hours" is so completely chilling, it actually made my skin crawl!! Dr. Destiny, the man who has Dream's Ruby, goes into a diner and spends 24 hours there showing us the affect that Dream's possessions has on people. In the wrong hands, the power of the dream can be a really horrific thing.

As you can probably tell by my gushing...I will definitely be reading the rest of this series!! For ANYONE that loves things dark and creepy, this is a MUST read!!! 5/5

Next on the list of new favorites is Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham (128 pgs, Vertigo, 2002).

Once upon a Time....in a fictional land called New York City....

In today's modern society, Fables live among the humans, or mundanes, as they like to call us. They have been exiled from their home. They have set up an underground Fable government to police and rule their own. King Cole is the man in charge, although the brunt of the dirty work falls to his next in command, Snow White. We open the series with the disappearance/murder of her sister, Rose Red. Bigby Wolf (Big Bad Wolf) is the Sheriff of the Fables and is called in to investigate.

Although completely different in tone than The Sandman, I think I might just love this book equally! It is a world where Snow White and Cinderella are both divorced from the womanizing cad, Prince Charming. Rose Red is a party girl that dates Jack (and the Beanstalk) but has promised her hand in marriage to Bluebeard. The Big Bad Wolf has the hots for Snow White. And Pinocchio, a boy for centuries, just wants to get laid!! Inventive, fresh, and witty, this book is fantastic! Taking old fairy tales and relating them to modern day is not a new concept, but this book takes the whole realm of Fables and puts them in one box. And it works so well!!

One of the best things about the book is the addendum entitled A Wolf in the Fold. This is purely prose, and it tells the tale of Bigby and how he rescued so many of the Fables from the invaders to their land. Fascinating and brief, we get just a peek at the man behind the wolf's clothing.

I don't think I will be able to read this series fast enough. Now I just have to FIND all the editions in the library system!! Although this may be a fairy tale, it is most definitely too adult for the younger set. Simply fantastic, I give it my highest recommendation!! 5/5

Zig-Zagging: A Memoir

When Lisa from TLC Book Tours asked me if I would like to be a part of a Blog Tour for Zig-Zagging: A Memoir by Tom Wilson (212pg, HCI, 2009), I jumped at the chance. For as long as I can remember, I have loved reading the Ziggy cartoons. He's such an inspirational little guy that always seems to see the bright side of every bad thing that happens to him.

Zig-Zagging: A Memoir, Loving Madly, Losing Badly....How Ziggy Saved my Life is written by Tom Wilson Jr. He is the current genius behind the Ziggy cartoons, but he is not the first. His father, Tom, is the original creator of Ziggy. Originally drawn for use in his father's greeting card business, Ziggy has grown into the phenomenon he is today. And Tom has always felt like Ziggy was more than just a character his father drew. No, Ziggy was more like a brother to Tom.

The book begins in the early years giving us the details of how Ziggy was born. Through Tom's childhood, Ziggy was a connection to his father. They used to go to Big Boy's and eat dinner together, Tom and his father. And they would draw on the paper placemats and play their own game called "Save Ziggy". Tom's dad would draw Ziggy in a precarious position and then Tom would draw ways to "save" him.

But this book is about more than just Ziggy. It's about Tom himself. In college, he meets his soulmate: Susan, the love of his life. They marry right after school, and start a modest but wonderfully happy life together. When Tom's father gets sick, he is called into service to help with the cartoon. An artist of his own right, Tom stays in the background to do the cartoons while his dad is the one in the public eye. But when Tom's dad is no longer able to continue, Ziggy is handed down.

But Tom's world is turned upside down when Susan is diagnosed with breast cancer. Through a long and difficult 7 year battle, the Wilson's continue to live hard and make memories for their children. But Susan's death knocks the wind out of Tom. He sinks into a horrible depression. And only a little guy named Ziggy can save him.

What I liked most about this beautiful little book is that Tom writes in the "Zen" way that Ziggy thinks. "Every now and then, maybe we become lost in order to find ourselves again." "Life is a love affair and love is an affair of life. Love affairs must be embraced and savored for all their complexities, just as life must be, as well. Being a student of life also means being a student of love. Love is a living thing with an agenda and a commission to work within our fate."

Losing the love of his life was a horrible tragedy. But dropping out of his own life was a far worse one. Seemingly, it was Ziggy that pulled him through it all.

This small little biography is such an inspiration to anyone that has lost a loved one. A quick read, it's filled with not only gut-wrenching personal accounts of his loss, but also gives comfort that yes, it will get better. Best of all, there are many Ziggy cartoons interspersed throughout. I really loved this little book, and I think many people can draw strength from not only Tom Wilson's perspective on loss, but also his renewed faith is God. As someone who has suffered a devastating loss of a dear loved one, I could too well relate to his words. A must read for all Ziggy lovers, and a must read for a person that just wants to be inspired! 4.5/5

You should watch this video for a quick insight into who Tom Wilson is now, and his take on the book itself:

Perfect Holiday Book

Maybe it's just me. But for some reason, I've had a hard time getting myself psyched up for Christmas. I dragged my heels about putting up the tree. I stalled on Christmas shopping. But this past week, I think it's finally coming on. I received my Secret Santa package in the mail. And I decided to read Christmas Jars by Jason Wright (149 pgs., Shadow Mountain). I thought it might help the Christmas Spirit gain a little momentum. This little book, almost a novella, certainly packs a punch!

Louise Jensen spent every Christmas Eve doing the same thing. She went to Chuck's Chicken & Biscuits and ate dinner. It was a tradition she had been following for years. Except one. She was sick on Christmas Eve and had to put off her annual dinner....until New Year's Eve. Maybe it was fate. Or maybe it was God's plan. But whatever the reason, Louise was in the right place at the right time. A baby girl was left in the booth next to Louise with a note:

To the next person to hold my baby girl, She is yours now. I'll miss her more than you know. But I love her too much to raise her with a daddy that hits. Truth is, he didn't even want me to have her anyways, and her life will be better without a mommy that will always need to run. Please tell her I love her. And please tell her I will hold her again. I cannot give her much, but this year I give her the life her daddy wouldn't. And a little bit of hope.

And this is how Hope Jensen came to be adopted by a loving mother that would do anything for her. As the years went by, it was obvious to everyone that Hope wanted to be a journalist. When she graduated from high school, she started interning for the local paper. With a lot of hard-work and determination, Hope moved up the ladder. But things at home just weren't the same. Louise had cancer. And although she fought it valiantly, it was no use.

Hope's first Christmas Eve without her mother was hard enough. But when she got to her apartment that night, someone had broken in and stolen all her things! As the police were taken her statement and collecting evidence, a mysterious bag showed up by her front door. No one saw who delivered it. It contained a jar....labeled Christmas Jar and was filled with money! As Hope was trying to find out who left the precious gift, she formed the idea of writing "The Story". A story that would lead to her first Front Page exclusive.

This was a fantastic story!! Beautifully written in a sparse fashion, Jason Wright tells an inspiring tale of love, generosity and heart. The only I fault I see with this story is it's too short! As with a lot of the short story genre, I felt that it would have been nice to have a little more character depth. There is only so much you can get with a 120 pages. But the tradition of the Christmas Jar and how it links to Hope's past is one that will warm even the coldest of heart. It really does put things in perspective. Could this little story (which is slated to become a "Major Motion Picture") be the next Christmas Carole? It just might.

4.5/5

(A special thanks goes out to Patrick from Shadow Mountain Publishing for sending me this little gem!)

Who Doesn't Love Zombies???

OK....well maybe I don't LOVE Zombies, but I love the genre!! Starting with the cheesy Romero movies, all the way to the new "Dawn of the Dead" and "28 Days Later", I have a passion for them. But I have to say, I haven't read a lot of Zombie books. Enter Monster Island by David Wellington (288 pgs, Thunder's Mouth Press). This is the first in a trilogy of Zombie books that Wellington originally published online.

Some time in the very near future, the Epidemic hits our planet. What is this epidemic? We never find out: but it causes the dead to rise again. Dekalb used to be a weapons inspector for the UN working in Africa. After the Epidemic took his wife, Dekalb and his daughter were captured by a band of female rebels in Somalia, led by Mama Halima. Normally, a man wouldn't have a chance with this group of females. But Dekalb has special knowledge that the Somalians need: he can lead them to the UN hospitals. Mama Halima needs AIDS medication. After a lengthy search through many of the countries in the area, no meds are found. All the hospitals have been raided. There is only one place Dekalb can think of that will have the much needed medical supplies: The UN Headquarters in New York City. With his daughter being held as collateral, Dekalb and a band of teenage school girl rebels set out on a ship and sail halfway around the world to find the drugs.

Now we meet Gary, a man who used to be a doctor in the city. Gary decided the old philosophy "if you can't beat them, join them" was the only way to make it. With his medical training, Gary felt that the reason the Zombies were so slow and stupid is because of a lack of oxygen to their brain when they dead and before the reanimated. So Gary hooked himself up to machines to keep everything flowing through the death process. When Gary "awakened", he was still able to think logically and move better than the rest of the zombies. The only real difference is the hunger that is unquenchable.

This book was fun!! The best part of the novel to me was the change in Dekalb. He had to rewire his way of thinking: from a peace keeper to a survivor. It was really hard for him to pick up a weapon against others, even if they were already dead. But when it came down to it, Dekalb became the hero that he needed to be to save his daughter. Wellington tells a great story and doesn't go too over the top. The suspense level was high from page one all the way till the last page. Although, I must say, he left us hanging, BIG TIME, by the end. So I guess this means I'm going to have to read Zombie Nation now!! 4/5

Classic Sci-Fi at it's BEST!

The Chrysalids by John Wyndham is a futuristic tale told by a boy named David. At the beginning of the book he is about 10 years old living in a small community of people years after a devastating nuclear war has laid waste to much of the planet. God's Tribulation has destroyed the unworthy. In David's community life is spent without any technology and anything that isn't deemed normal, is looked at as an abomination in the eyes of God. People that have abnormalities, called "deviations", are considered Mutants. Mutants are sterilized, so that they can not reproduce, and sent to the "Fringes", the wild land outside of the community to fend for themselves. Any crop or animal that has a deviation is destroyed. Every child that is born must be inspected and given certification. Any type of difference is not tolerated. When David's friend Sophie is found to be a Mutant because she has 6 toes, he realizes how dangerous it is to be different. And David IS different. He, along with several other children in the area, are able to communicate with each other by "thought-shapes" or telepathy. After Sophie is taken, the children understand that they must hide their abilities. Although difficult at times, this works for awhile. Until David's younger sister Petra is born. Petra has the ability to communicate with the others as well. But Petra's powers are far superior to the others, but she is so young she can't control them.

David are Rosalind try to teach Petra to hide her abilities. But Petra communicates to someone outside their area. In a place that none of the other children have heard of. A place where there are many people with the ability to communicate through thought-shapes. A place where the children would not be considered different or a Mutant. But by this time, David, Rosalind, Petra and the others are under suspicion. What happens next is an escape attempt through the Badlands and the Fringes.

This book is so far ahead of it's time. It denounces bigotry and religious fundamentalism. It shows what a world that supports intolerance would look like. And it isn't pretty. This book was great and has my highest recommendations!! 5/5