Comic Review: Alice From Dream to Dream by Giulio Macaione and Giulia Adragna

Rating (Out of 5): ~3

Publisher: Boom! Box

Release Date: October 2018

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

After moving back to Ohio, Alice is stuck sharing a bedroom with her brother, and worse, sharing his dreams! The bright spot in her life is her best friend, Jamie, but there's more history between their families than Alice realized, and there are secrets buried deep in their small town that only she’ll be able to explore...but only in her dreams!

From writer and artist Giulio Macaione (Ofelia), Alice: From Dream to Dream is an otherworldly trek into a spectacular world of dreams, nightmares, and being a teenager.

Review:

Alice visits peoples dreams when she sleeps, whether she wants to or not. Sharing a room with her brother is making this particularly difficult for her, as he enjoys horror movies, and thus means she's rather sleep deprived. But she can't tell her family about it, and so grows more like a moody teenager.

I didn't mind the plot line in this book, but it also didn't really hit me. I'm not sure if it just didn't feel fleshed-out enough, or what, though. There's some history between Alice's parents and her best friend Jamie's parents. Then there's the typical mean girl at school, who Alice ends up forming a kind-of friendship with, after Jamie gets hurt and they bond to save him; this kind of worked.

Including the school psychologist seemed odd to me, especially since Alice decides not to tell her family about her ability, and yet talks to this stranger about it. Then the drama with Jamie's father just seemed a little weak to me, especially with how Alice saves him afterward.

It was just okay. I wasn't all that impressed, and actually a little disappointed, because I really wanted to like it.

Comic Review: Spinning by Tillie Walden

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Themes: YA, Comic, LGBTQ+, Ice Skating

Publisher: First Second

Release Date: 2017

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

It was the same every morning. Wake up, grab the ice skates, and head to the rink while the world was still dark.

Weekends were spent in glitter and tights at competitions. Perform. Smile. And do it again.
She was good. She won. And she hated it.
For ten years, figure skating was Tillie Walden’s life. She woke before dawn for morning lessons, went straight to group practice after school, and spent weekends competing at ice rinks across the state. Skating was a central piece of her identity, her safe haven from the stress of school, bullies, and family. But as she switched schools, got into art, and fell in love with her first girlfriend, she began to question how the close-minded world of figure skating fit in with the rest of her life, and whether all the work was worth it given the reality: that she, and her friends on the team, were nowhere close to Olympic hopefuls. The more Tillie thought about it, the more Tillie realized she’d outgrown her passion—and she finally needed to find her own voice.

Review:

This is an autobiographical comic, about Tillie as she was growing up, as an ice skater, and a lesbian.

It's about ice skating, and discovering herself, and coming out, all as a growing teenager.

This has a pretty good mix of all of these things. We see Tillie practicing, as she gets up very early every morning to ice skate, whether she enjoys it or not. We see her with good and bad coaches, with good and bad friends, as she enjoys it and works hard, and as she starts to question whether it's just habit and discovers that she doesn't actually like ice skating. Friendships form, and she falls in love for the first time, and decides to tell her family.

I understood parts of this book, and I really enjoyed following her as she discovers herself and decides what she wants for herself. It was also very frustrating to see her coming out, and how some people react to it, like her family. Seeing people react as if it's wrong (and parents, as if they've done something wrong) bothers me, so much, and I know it happens, still.

I really enjoyed reading this. I don't read a lot of American comics, but some of them are definitely worth reading. And I liked following this journey.

Comic Review: Wires and Nerve: Volume 2 - Gone Rogue (The Lunar Chronicles series) by Marissa Meyer and Stephen Gilpin

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Release Date: January 2018

Volumes: 2.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Book 1.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Iko – an audacious android and best friend to the Lunar Queen Cinder – has been tasked with hunting down Alpha Lysander Steele, the leader of a rogue band of bioengineered wolf-soldiers who threaten to undo the tenuous peace agreement between Earth and Luna. Unless Cinder can reverse the mutations that were forced on them years before, Steele and his soldiers plan to satisfy their monstrous appetites with a massacre of the innocent people of Earth.

And to show he’s serious, Steele is taking hostages.

Cinder and Kai, Scarlet and Wolf, Cress and Thorne, and Winter and Jacin all feature in this epic new battle. But it is Iko who must face her deepest fears when she uncovers the truth about her own unusual programming.

Review:

I didn't realize that this series was only two volumes long, or I would have read it faster.

I didn't mind the plot line in this series. We get to see Iko adventure out on her own, hunting down the beasts, and trying to stop Alpha Steele from his nefarious plans. Of course, she gets to meet up with the rest of the group at different intervals, as they are always there for each other and ready to help when it's needed. I did like getting to see Iko grow into her own, explore her humanity and what makes her who she is when she's a robot, and her relationship with Kinney grow.

While I might not have loved the actual plot of this particular spin-off—any more time that I get with this group of characters is the best. Getting to see Cress and Thorne, Scarlet and Wolf, and Cinder and Thorne together again is always my favorite.

I really think this series would make an amazing TV show. It would have to be a long one, and it would be amazing.

Comic Review: Gingerbread Girl by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover

Rating (Out of 5): ~2

Publisher: Top Shelf Productions

Release Date: 2011

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

There are plenty of established facts concerning 26-year-old Annah Billips. She likes sushi and mountains, but hates paper cuts and beer breath. She dates girls and boys, and loves to travel. She may have a missing sister, or she might be insane. Did Annah invent an imaginary sister named Ginger during her parents' ferocious divorce, or did her mad scientist father extract part of her brain and transform it into a living twin?
In this graphic novel, a host of narrators including boyfriends, girlfriends, magicians, pigeons, bulldogs, and convenience store clerks follow Annah through a night in her life in an attempt to determine that one last fact about Annah...and the Gingerbread Girl.

Review:

I thought that this was going to be a fun, quirky indie comic when I picked it up from my local bookstore. I'm a little disappointed by how it turned out.

We meet Annah, who believes she has a sister, made out of her own brain, who has disappeared. She's constantly looking for her, and believes that she has no emotions without her, and thus refuses to make any lasting decisions.

We meet Annah as the book starts, but then the story quickly shifts to other characters in the scene, who introduce themselves and talk to the reader, and talk about their experience with Annah. We get some science for what Annah thinks happened to her, and how it might have come about. The switching perspectives reminded me a bit of A Little Something Different, only not done quite as well, and more directly told to the reader.

Given how far-fetched the idea of her sister turns out to be, the thrown in science seems even more hard to believe. And then we get no answers—everyone refuses to answer any questions, as most of them don't have answers. Nothing gets solved, and we only get a base understanding of Annah and any of the other characters.

After I got to the end of the book, I felt a bit like I'd wasted my time. The whole concept was implausible to me, it didn't seem to have any real depth, and then nothing was answered or solved in the end. Not even her wish-washy attitude toward her dates. I'm a bit annoyed, possibly at how disappointed I was. The only part of it I did appreciate was the bisexuality of Annah.

Manga Review: Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, Volume 2, by Izumi Tsubaki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: February 2016

Volumes: 7+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A cast of real characters assembles around Nozaki-kun!

Umetarou Nozaki, a high school student leading a double life as an ultra-popular shoujo mangaka, is an extraordinary guy. But not to be outdone by Nozaki-kun, the people who hang out with him are pretty unique in their own rights too for some reason...and that's just one way of putting it...

With the main cast finally assembled, the romance and gags are turned up a notch in Volume 2 of this zany comedy!

Review:

Similarly to her Oresama Teacher series, this one is starting to collect so many characters I’m going to have a hard time following them all. I think either setting works well for her comedy gags, though, and it is definitely a reason to keep reading.

Lots and lots of gags and jokes on characters in this volume, of course. I do particularly enjoy when they’re related to Nozaki’s writing, like when he bases a character off a classmate, or when someone is roped into helping him.

I do enjoy this series, and I would like to keep reading. I’m just not loving it. I don’t find it hilarious, and I don’t laugh at all of the jokes. Most of them are just okay, but then there are ones I like a lot. I’m just iffy right now.

Though it is making me debate picking Oresama Teacher back up and continuing it.

Comic Review: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: May 2015

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The graphic novel debut from rising star Noelle Stevenson, based on her beloved and critically acclaimed web comic, which Slate awarded its Cartoonist Studio Prize, calling it "a deadpan epic."

Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

Review:

I’d heard so much about this book, that there was no way it wasn’t on my radar. And I’m glad that I finally picked it up.

First of all, I will say that I was impressed, particularly with all the positive body-image in this book. The way that Nimona chooses to look while human, and then also the hinted romance between Blackheart and Goldenloin—especially with that second one. There’s also the corrupted government trying to control everything, using Blackheart and Goldenloin for their own purposes. Nimona’s reasoning behind sticking to Blackheart but never talking about herself or where she came from. The depth behind all of this was really well done, and surprising.

It all leads up to the ending, which was rather deserving, even if a little sad.

Aside from that, this was a fun book to read. All the scheming and tricks that they use, the comedic antics thrown in. The artwork is pretty, and I love that it’s all in color and hardback. It’s a very pretty book, for sure.

I was impressed with this book, and will hopefully be picking up more like it soon. Definitely recommended.

Manga Review: Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, Volume 1, by Izumi Tsubaki

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5-4

Publisher: Yen Press

Release Date: November 17, 2015

Volumes: 6+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 2.

Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

To the eyes of classmate Chiyo Sakura, high school student Umetarou Nozaki--brawny of build and brusque of tongue--is a dreamboat! When Chiyo finally works up the courage to tell Nozaki how she feels about him, she knows rejection is on the table...but getting recruited as a mangaka's assistant?! Never in a million years! As Chiyo quickly discovers, Nozaki-kun, the boy of Chiyo's dreams, is a manga artist...a hugely popular shoujo manga artist, that is! But for someone who makes a living drawing sweet girly romances, Nozaki-kun is a little slow on the uptake when it comes to matters of the heart in reality. And so Chiyo's daily life of manga making and heartache begins!

Review:

I’ve heard so much hype for this series, that of course I had to pick it up. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’ve enjoyed other Tsubaki series, and this sounded interesting. I didn’t know that it was going to be all 4-koma comic-strip-based, though.

This is definitely more comedy-based than I realized, but it is enjoyable. Chiyo tries to confess her love to Nozaki, only to find out that he’s a mangaka when he mistakes her for wanting to be his assistant. She gets roped into helping him with his manga, and meets new friends by other classmates who know Nozaki.

Nozaki is pretty straight-faced, oblivious, not expected to write shojo manga. Chiyo is a somewhat average girl. Mikorin is Nozaki’s friend, who tries to be cool but freaks out when being nice to people. We meet a couple other classmates, all of whom are odd and hilarious in their own ways. There are definitely a lot of antics going on, and a lot of jokes about each other.

This was a fun volume to read, funny and cute, and I do look forward to picking up the next one. I was expecting more of a shojo, but I’m happy with the comedy of it instead.

Comic Review: Nightmares and Fairy Tales: Once Upon a Time..., Volume 1, by Serena Valentino and FSc

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5

Publisher: SLG Publishing

Release Date: 2004

Volumes: 4

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

This haunting first collection of Annabelle's memories are filled with frightening stories and dark fairy tales about her various owners . Featuring the first 6 issues, as well as some other spookirific surprises, including an introduction by Tommy Kovac (Skelebunnies, Stitch and Autumn) as well as a guest page by Jhonen Vasquez and other SLG creators.

Review:

This was a very dark, but very good, comic.

I wasn’t too sure what to expect, especially since I don’t read a lot of these, but it looked good. The art is gothic and dark, in a good way, with long necks and horrifying faces.

The storyline is really creepy. There’s a different one for each chapter, although ultimately they all revolve around a cursed doll. Annabelle wants to be loved and happy, and yet every owner that she has ends up dying horribly.

There are the normal stories, one about a girl and her friends, one about a girl and nuns, most of whom die somehow. There’s also a normal little girl who ends up being taken from her horrible parents and living with a nice lady, thankfully. There are two fairytales retold: Snow White and Cinderella. Both of them have horrible journeys but end somewhat nicely.

These are all horrible, nightmare-inducing stories, and they’re all very well done. The Snow White story particularly stands out to me. It was surprisingly good, and I’m glad I picked it up. I would like to find more stories like it.