Lila Mae Watson is the first Black female elevator inspector who ‘intuits‘ what is wrong with the machine. 'Empiricists‘ examine the mechanics and derive their conclusions from observation. The leader of the intuitionists has died leaving behind clues that lead to blueprints for a revolutionary new elevator design. Lila must find the schematics before others who want to destroy it. Part mystery, philosophical debate, and racial drama. Recommended!

Frank Castle has disappeared. But a new Punisher is on the streets. Joe Garrison, a former SHIELD agent pursues the criminal responsible for the deaths of his family and wears body armor that looks like a skull but considers himself a hero. The interesting thing about Punisher is that he is morally indefensible. He kills people who do not deserve it. He puts innocents in danger. This just waters down the character and makes him less interesting.

In this second volume, Abigail Adams rises to claim the mantle of destruction left by her defeated husband. Jimmy must dig up his undead father from his peaceful grave to help put an end to the growing threat. Much bloodshed ensues. Horrifying art, and great fun!

Ultraman, the defender of Tokyo, has been missing for decades. Teenager Shinjiro soon discovers that his father is the one who merged with ‘the being of light‘ to become Ultraman, when a new threat arises after many years of peace. He also learns that his penchant for never getting hurt is due to his parentage. Will he inherit the mantle of Earth's savior? Decent, but just the start of a more interesting story, I hope.

This is the definitive account by someone there to document the events. I mean, he was in the crowd witnessing historic speeches and running for shelter during bombing raids. If you want to know almost everything about the Nazi regime, this is the book. The infamous question: ‘How did the German population let this happen?‘ Is somewhat answered here. Terrifying, and highly recommended. Happy 'NO KINGS' day!

I was looking forward to a straight narrative detailing how Lex Luthor became the US president. Instead, this book is a collection of short stories (some no more than two pages long), that detail his rise to power. Some are better than others, and as usual in a collection like this, the quality varies drastically. The tale is interesting, but the execution is uneven.
Happy 'NO KINGS' Day!

The titular story, where a group of wealthy folks who have been injured or harmed by powered individuals hire the Punisher to kill them all, is spectacular and an instant classic!

The second 4 part story, an I AM LEGEND riff, where the Punisher is one of the few human survivors who hunts powered cannibals, is not that good. The first story is so fantastic, It carries the entire book.

This is the second Palahniuk book in a row to disappoint. Mercifully brief, at least. I just couldn‘t connect with this narrative. Some of it went over my head. I used to fully immerse in his writing, now, it flows over me, leaving little behind. Is it me? Not sure. I‘ll keep reading his stuff, though.

This FF book checks all the boxes: random fights with possessed allies, intergalactic space travel, meddling in the affairs of an alien society, and fighting with one of the group‘s oldest enemies. But, for some reason, it just didn‘t do it for me. Not sure why. Every individual element seems in place, but the whole left me wanting better. Maybe I expect so much more from the FF.

In retrospect, it seems like a foregone conclusion. Who would be the best leader of the world‘s most lethal ninja clan, THE HAND? Who else but the most prolific killer of all?

This story details how Frank‘s childhood and adolescence lead directly to his future persona. Also, what is his most personal desire (and weakness)? The one thing THE HAND provides Frank to keep him happy? The ninja clan‘s supernatural background gives a clue. Great fun!

In 2012 Randy Blythe (vocalist of lamb of god) was arrested after arriving in Prague for the death of a fan at a concert two years prior. No one in the band or management had known about the issue. This is the harrowing account of his 34 days spent in jail and the months-long trial after. The fallout from this would prove to shake the foundations of concert organizers in the Metal world as they reexamine safety precautions moving forward.

SUICIDE SQUAD has a specific tone achieved through the delicate balance of a group of mercenaries in silly costumes having quirky banter sessions between bouts of ultra-violence. This run has a Manga art style that renders the characters as deformed cartoons. This destroys that balance, and the book becomes entirely silly. I cannot oversell how much this ruined the book for me (and I am a long-time fan). Only for hardcore followers of the series.

DOCTOR DOOM is the best villain in comics (GOAT: VADER). I thought I would love this book, but it left me cold. It bothered me how often Victor is seen without his mask. How casually he adapts to being powerless and on the run. I loved KANG randomly popping in and out of the timeline. Maybe I just don‘t see him as a sympathetic figure. I think he works best as the opposite—an overwhelming force for his interests, be they neutral or evil.

Classic King. This is totally in the vein of his previous tales where ‘an otherworldly event taking place globally (but its epicenter in a small Maine town, duh) and the minute-by-minute actions taken by a large cast of locals fighting on either side of the dilemma‘. I‘m hard-pressed to see what contributions were made by his son and co-author Owen. It reads exactly like King‘s voice and feels part of his fictional universe. By the way, it‘s good!

Like peanut butter and chocolate, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE are fantastic together. I don‘t even really care what they do, I know it will always be gory and hilarious. When the mysterious villain Delta plunges the disparate duo into violent scenarios for wealthy elites' viewing pleasure, they get much more entertainment value than expected. Really fun!

The DEFENDERS have always been the STAR TREK to the AVENGERS‘ STAR WARS. Meaning, less bombastic and more weird and thoughtful. Led by Dr. Strange, a group of mystical misfits must delve deep into the pre-cosmos to counter a threat to existence itself! Bizarre in a good way, but not as great as other tales from this team I‘ve read in the past.

Emotional, hits you right in the feels. This book tracks the lives of the FF as they age over the decades and struggle with the changing times. I‘ve enjoyed the other ‘Life Story‘ books very much, and the trend continues here. Recommended!

To me, this iteration of SUPERMAN (late ‘80‘s) by the great John Byrne and Jerry Ordway, is the sweet spot for the character. Bright and colorful, yet shedding the ridiculous fringes of the Golden and Silver eras. There are still zany plots and characters, but with just enough pathos to be taken seriously. Fun, with a hint of realism, is just the right flavor of the Son of Krypton for my tastes.

Everyone thinks Bruce Banner is dead. But he‘s not. He‘s just wandering around the US waiting for nightfall when ‘the other guy‘ emerges. This ‘reboot‘ is great! It takes the book back to its gothic horror roots, establishing a Jekyll / Hyde dynamic (and a bit of vampiric flavor in that ‘he only comes out at night). That Hulk is also crafty and devious, makes this story interesting. Oh, and he‘s also immortal! Worth checking out!

Jessica Drew‘s life is messy.
She has a baby at home her partner takes care of while she zips around the world (and space) to find a cure to a strange ailment that is slowly consuming her. All while still taking the time to fight criminals and supervillains. This is both endearing and entertaining, just like Peter Parker, it‘s a way to ground her problems like the ones we all face every day. Fun in the most ‘comic book‘ ways. Recommended!

At the end of WWII, the JSA find themselves of no more use to the country, and then try to return to civilian life with varying degrees of success. An obvious WATCHMEN clone, but not a bad one. My only complaints are the lack of action set pieces (until the final battle on the last pages), and the underwhelming nature of the story under the shadow of other much similar and superior books. Worth checking out if this kind of narrative works for you.

When I was a child there were no fantasy franchises about going to school (why would I spend my free time reading about school?). I blame the wizard kid. Light and fun, a nice eclectic group of magic-related children, and actual stakes (someone dies)! Decent, if you‘re into this kind of thing.

It takes an amazing writer like Brubaker to take the tired, beaten-down ‘vigilante‘ trope and breathe new life into it (with a supernatural twist). A depressed grad student tries to commit suicide but instead becomes enthralled by a dark power that propels him to take lives or suffer consequences. Another crime classic by Brubaker. Recommended!

As a riff on the famous Matheson short story, THE BOX, this is ok. It is very short and can be read in one sitting. Don‘t know why it took two authors to write this (co-written by Richard Chizmar), it‘s like something King could have spit out in his sleep. Decent, but not essential.

Anyone who follows Metal knows Max Cavalera. Founding member of the biggest metal band from Brazil, SEPULTURA, and of the acclaimed band SOULFLY. Although he has made some of the heaviest music ever, he is a very gentle, soulful person who has suffered his share of tragedy and also enjoyed much success. This book documents his journey from a childhood in Belo Horizonte to his life on the road as a musical icon. Essential for every metal fan!

I love the first half of this story, with the spy mystery vibe and the incredible color schemes. The conclusion to this tale is just not as good as the first half, although the ending is appropriate. I‘m not sure why I feel this way, but the energy and forward momentum subside in this half. It feels like the story winds down to its somber conclusion. The end is pretty melancholic, so maybe it has to be this way. Still worth reading!

The Department of Truth is a secret organization responsible for keeping dangerous conspiracy theories from becoming real — by the percentage of the population that believes in them. The art is dark, messy, and beautiful. As a fan of the X-FILES, I should be all over this, but despite the great concept, the characters are generic and the narrative is too familiar. Worth checking out if you‘re a fan of these themes. If not, you won‘t miss much.

A tale set in the trenches of WWI was bound to be grim, but this book is bleak, monotone, and despite the constant barrage of bombs and bullets, it‘s boring. The characters are flat, and the mono-color palette is numbing. In theory I have no problem with an artist cloning parts of the art, but when a close up shot of the platoon‘s marching feet is multiple dupes of the same pair, a line is crossed. Avoid this one, it's a waste of time.

Mr. Chance acts as a decoy target for the wealthy. While standing in for Lex Luthor, he is poisoned. With only 12 days to live, he must solve his own murder. This story is well written as an adult thriller, with astounding color schemes (so evocative of the ‘60‘s mod movement). The only downside is that this is part one of a two-part story. So far, I‘m hooked and can‘t wait to read the rest!

This is a fantastic example of a familiar story elevated by great writing and art. We‘ve all been exposed to ‘middling celebrity abducted by fan/stalker‘ stories, and they are usually pretty mediocre. This one is a banger! Well-thought-out observations of the relationship between fame and fandom, coupled with an adaptive art style that changes according to mood and suspense level. Worth checking out!

We meet a new Green Lantern, Sojourner Mullein, in the furthest reaches of space, assigned to a city with a population-wide ‘emotion suppressant‘ in place. No violent crime has occurred here in hundreds of years, until now. What starts as a murder mystery, slowly expands into an exploration of what it means to keep the peace in a multi-species society rebelling against the status quo. A fantastic story with a great new character. Recommended!

Let me just state this up-front. Ed Brubaker is the absolute best crime fiction writer in comics today.
This story centers on an elderly writer in 1930's New York, whose pulp stories are true events from his secret past as an outlaw in the Wild West. He must now use his gritty experiences to help fight an encroaching darkness in the present. Short, but like an arrow hitting a target dead on, this is certainly worth the ride.

Marc Spector suffers from multiple personality disorder. In this case, the personalities are Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America. Can Moon Knight recover stolen Ultron tech, navigate the criminal underworld in his new home, L.A., and embrace a burgeoning romance with Echo, as his fellow Avengers argue in his mind? Deadly consequences await in this tale of violence and madness. Recommended!

Stressed out by the news, I decided to relax by reading a funny book...

After the death of Stephen Strange the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme was taken by his widow, Clea. Daughter of the Faltine Warlord Umar and niece to the Dread Dormammu, she can be terrifying when opposed. Pursued by agents of Death as she seeks a way to bring her beloved Stepehn back to life, she scours the underworld for a solution.
She's a fitting inheritor to the role of protector of Earth. Worth checking out!

I‘ve been a fan of SUICIDE SQUAD for decades. There have been many teams and iterations to varying degrees of quality. This is one of the good ones. Equal parts fun and violent, this book does not disappoint. Recommended!

One of my favorite authors. But this is not one of my favorite novels from him. The style of prose is still fantastic, the characters are suitably ghastly and the gross-outs are multiple. But this one did not connect with me as much as his other books do. I‘m not sure why; possibly enough of this went over my head, and I‘ve not experienced the full weight of the story. Recommended for fellow fans, but not for everyone.

In the wake of Hydra‘s defeat after taking over government (with help from a villain posing as Cap) the population is understandably wary of trusting Steve Rodgers again. It‘s fascinating to read his inner thoughts about this crisis of faith as he battles disaffected soldiers with American flags on their faces. Very thoughtful read, recommended!

Terrible.
From ugly / stupid character designs and silly names to a barely there plot, this book seems to rely entirely on the novelty of superheroes as dinosaurs. Really, that‘s it. Lazy world building leads to nonsensical situations leads to me not caring about anything that happens here. Do not bother with this one. Absolute pass.

Devastating!
This is a tale about an angry young girl who sees giants impeding her personal happiness. This one digs deep. It gets to the heart of childhood, grief and growing up. This one is really good and it deserves ‘classic‘ status. Highly recommended!

Loosely based on the real-life experiences of the comic artist David Mack, this tale of undercover espionage in the art world is very intriguing. It doesn‘t get a high endorsement from me mostly because the art (though gorgeous) doesn‘t quite match the story. Others may be able to overlook this and enjoy the book, however it was too distracting for me.

A boy befriends a fawn as he is lost in the wilderness after a car crash. This story is very emotional and sweet, and it is very brief. A one sitting read. Worth checking out, but be warned, you‘ll likely finish this before you‘re satisfied.

A young woman suffers an attempt on her life, ending up in a coma. Her disembodied spirit lives on, and tries to connect with her surviving loved ones as well as trying to make sense of her new reality and solving her own murder. A well crafted mystery, engaging characters and a narrative that does not get bogged down in details makes for a very satisfying story. Worth checking out!

Ironically, this tale about a young android is one of the most humane and heartfelt stories I‘ve read in a while. By turns it seems the narrative might go to some disturbing places, but it eventually ends up hitting right in the feels. Very touching, and emotional. Recommended!

I feel like I‘ve seen this trope repeated recently: mysterious incident confers powers to random young bystanders who then coalesce into warring factions. However, this book does it right: we are dropped into the fracas immediately. No time wasted with the ‘how this all started‘ which is boring. Folks from the neighborhood react differently to this and pursue their interests accordingly, kicking off the action. Worth checking out!

Terrible.
I grew up watching ultra macho war movies, especially those set in Vietnam, so I am not against the genre. But this book tries to sell you the old tale of ‘war is hell‘ plus revenge today for a crime in the past. But the reveal of what the retribution is for, left me hollow inside. Once revealed, the heavily misogynistic themes of the story are understood to be the framework of the entire book, and not a villain to be rejected.

This is the third RECKLESS book I‘ve read. It‘s excellent, just like the others. I don‘t have much new to say, so I‘ll repeat myself: Ed Brubaker is the king of modern comic noir. If you enjoy dark crime fiction, this is the series and writer you want to follow. Highly recommended!

This book about an aging American super spy suffers from all the antiquated tropes we remember from old 007 fictions. The book leans into these purposefully, rendering your enjoyment a referendum on how much you either miss these old cultural touch points, or are hopelessly bored by them. I‘m in the latter camp. I prefer the Neo noir of Ed Brubaker‘s RECKLESS series which adheres to the noir aesthetic without drowning in outdated norms.

This book demonstrated to me how much I need a high concept to really enjoy sci-fi. Give me time travel, first contact or robot laws, and I‘m happy. This is a story about a group of mercenaries hired to seek valuable cargo in an extremely dangerous trek. With few tweaks, this tale could have taken place anywhere, anytime. The same could be said about STAR WARS, which I adore, so my thesis is debatable. I‘ll try another one of his books sometime.

Pitch perfect ending.
I rarely come across an ending that is completely satisfying. Not too happy / corny, not ultra bleak and depressing. Just the right balance makes it feel like it could not have resolved any other way. One of my favorite books in a long while. Highly recommended!