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Post by Valhalla Erikson on Feb 6, 2021 13:37:56 GMT
Hello and welcome to the retooled edition of Ode To Literature! A weekly review series where I'd review a work of fiction and give it my overall rating. Despite the title it isn't limited to just books. Fan Fiction is fair game but only the kind of fan fiction I feel has that Lit quality.
At the end of each review I'd provide an overall grade in these categories:
Monument of Literature: A work of fiction that is so good that it stands the test of time.
Edge of Your Seat: Work of fiction that keeps you glued in from beginning to end.
Time Waster: Entertaining yarn with some flaws but not glaring enough to rob you of your enjoyment.
Bargain Bin: A rather subjective rating. While not the most memorable piece of literature it's not completely terrible and has some entertainment value.
Who Wrote This Crap?!!: Flat out bad writing in general. Works of fiction that is horrible yet isn't outright offensive to the reader in any way.
KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!: A work of fiction that is offensively bad that it should be cast back into the depths of Hell. |
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Post by Valhalla Erikson on Feb 6, 2021 14:01:21 GMT
 After decades of wearing a cape and protecting the city of Seaholm, Mel is forced to retire and train her replacement. The new cape in town is Jessie, a teenager who is different from Mel in almost every way. With a SNAP! of her fingers, Jessie is able to transform into Versema, the newest powerhouse in Seaholm. Together, they chase the other super-types from Mel's past, leading to a brutal confrontation with the monster called Sawtooth.
The best way to describe this series is it is what you'd get if you take Shazam meets My Hero Academia but gender flip the teen hero and the mentor. Upon the first few panels you get a clear idea of who the characters are and their whole ideology in life. Mel tends to have a rather cynical viewpoint and, as the series progress, you'd start to wonder if there will come a point if she'll take a more fallen hero route? Yet Jessie has a more idealistic depiction and she tends to act as Mel's morality pet.
In most ways the first volume is there for establishing the series, it's characters, and its setting. What I find interesting is that there isn't a big bad in sight. The meat of the story is the relationship between Jessie and Mel. I find the relationship rather sweet as it's clear that Mel doesn't want Jessie to end up like her and there are moments thtat she does envy Jess's hopeful demeanor. It honestly makes you want to root for Jessie to bring Mel out of the cynical downward spiral and see the world in a more ideal manner.
What I find refreshing is that Jess's home life is a pretty healthy one. Far too often you'd have teen heroes where their home life is riddled with angst and dysfunction yet her parents are pretty cool and supportive of Jess's lifestyle.
The tone of the book has that nifty blend of Bronze Age of Comics storytelling yet there are inklings of Silver Age hijinks. Maybe not as campy as All-Star Superman but you can tell that the person who wrote the comic loves the classics.
And the pacing of the comic comes at a pretty fast pace. Not once was I ever at a moment where I felt bored with the book.
If there is one gripe I had it would be in the final issue of the first volume. Without giving everything away I appreciate that the artist managed to make the female characters, Mel in particular, attractive yet have their bodies be appropriately proportioned. Yet there was one scene I felt that, while tasty, Mel's body proportions looked a little off.
Overall I give the series an Edge of Your Seat rating. It filled the void that Invincible left in me and I personally feel that this book is as close as we can get to an American version of MHA. From the looks of things it's written more competent than that series.
While there are some flaws it kept me entertained to the point that I want to see where the story goes in the next volume. This is the story I'd recommend if you want a superhero series that puts idealism back into the genre.
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Post by SuperKamiGuy1 on Feb 7, 2021 0:59:11 GMT
After decades of wearing a cape and protecting the city of Seaholm, Mel is forced to retire and train her replacement. The new cape in town is Jessie, a teenager who is different from Mel in almost every way. With a SNAP! of her fingers, Jessie is able to transform into Versema, the newest powerhouse in Seaholm. Together, they chase the other super-types from Mel's past, leading to a brutal confrontation with the monster called Sawtooth.
The best way to describe this series is it is what you'd get if you take Shazam meets My Hero Academia but gender flip the teen hero and the mentor. Upon the first few panels you get a clear idea of who the characters are and their whole ideology in life. Mel tends to have a rather cynical viewpoint and, as the series progress, you'd start to wonder if there will come a point if she'll take a more fallen hero route? Yet Jessie has a more idealistic depiction and she tends to act as Mel's morality pet.
In most ways the first volume is there for establishing the series, it's characters, and its setting. What I find interesting is that there isn't a big bad in sight. The meat of the story is the relationship between Jessie and Mel. I find the relationship rather sweet as it's clear that Mel doesn't want Jessie to end up like her and there are moments that she does envy Jess's hopeful demeanor. It honestly makes you want to root for Jessie to bring Mel out of the cynical downward spiral and see the world in a more ideal manner.
What I find refreshing is that Jess's home life is a pretty healthy one. Far too often you'd have teen heroes where their home life is riddled with angst and dysfunction yet her parents are pretty cool and supportive of Jess's lifestyle.
The tone of the book has that nifty blend of Bronze Age of Comics storytelling yet there are inklings of Silver Age hijinks. Maybe not as campy as All-Star Superman but you can tell that the person who wrote the comic loves the classics.
And the pacing of the comic comes at a pretty fast pace. Not once was I ever at a moment where I felt bored with the book.
If there is one gripe I had it would be in the final issue of the first volume. Without giving everything away I appreciate that the artist managed to make the female characters, Mel in particular, attractive yet have their bodies be appropriately proportioned. Yet there was one scene I felt that, while tasty, Mel's body proportions looked a little off.
Overall I give the series an Edge of Your Seat rating. It filled the void that Invincible left in me and I personally feel that this book is as close as we can get to an American version of MHA. From the looks of things it's written more competent than that series.
While there are some flaws it kept me entertained to the point that I want to see where the story goes in the next volume. This is the story I'd recommend if you want a superhero series that puts idealism back into the genre.
Sounds like a really good ride! I'm planning to start reading it tomorrow in fact thanks in part to your recommendations. I could use a new Superhero Comic after going on break from MMPR and MHA. For different reasons of course.  The similarity to Invincible is definitely a huge selling point. Tomorrow is going to be a comic reading day for sure! |
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Post by Valhalla Erikson on Feb 28, 2021 11:38:12 GMT
 Its world is much like our own until sometime in the late 90's, when the Event created an alternate history. (The actual Divergence Point has to predate the Event; the Vice President on Event Day doesn't correspond to anyone who's actually held the office.) The Event was a worldwide sensory blackout that lasted 3.2 seconds; everyone experienced those brief seconds of sensory deprivation, and when the world came back they found that the Event had also triggered a temporary but worldwide loss of power (known as the Blackout). Most importantly, however, the Event changed The Rules.
In the aftermath of the Event and the Blackout, as stalled and out-of-control cars and powerless planes turned freeways and cities into death-zones, a small percentage of people reacted to the trauma and danger by exhibiting superhuman powers. Called "breakthroughs", many of them exhibited powers similar to those of traditional comic-book superheroes, though others were patterned after older myths and some were just plain weird. The first recorded breakthrough, a Superman-knockoff who took the codename "Atlas", put on a jumpsuit and cape to do good in the days and weeks following the Event, setting the pattern for public-minded breakthroughs who followed. Much of the plot is driven by the separation between expectations and super-heroic reality as the main character, Hope Corrigan, gains superpowers and deals with all the changes in her life. Through her eyes, the reader sees the difference between media-driven stereotypes and the truth about the superhero profession.
The story takes place ten years after the Event, and an entire generation has grown up in a world of "superheroes." Unlike the heroes of the comics, however, Post-Event superheroes are certified, licensed, and regulated by state and local governments; most active heroes are members of Crisis Aid and Intervention teams and act as civilian contractors to city governments. While they do aid local police in responding to superhuman threats, mostly they act as Emergency Response Personnel. They also milk their own media-value for everything it's worth, using costumes and codenames to market their images (and sometimes to cover true secret identities). The presence of breakthrough powers is the only fantastic element in the Post-Event world, which strives to be a socially realistic setting, in that the story explores the political, legal, social, and personal issues created by the reality of people with superpowers. In general attitudes, the setting's superheroes resemble the more nuanced heroes of The Golden Age of Comic Books.
Imagine if Buffy Summers got flying brick powers. *beat* Ok but imagine that BUT in a world where having super powers is more commonplace. And sprinkle in a little heroes while you're at it. You'd get this series.
This book is a solid example on super beings in the modern day and it goes out of its way to showcase just how much of an impact that could have in a real world society. There's even a section in the book that explains how hard a hero should hit someone without worrying that the person they'd hit will turn into paste. The laws of physics do come into play and the heroes take it to heart most of the time.
The book series has a variety of interesting characters: Artemis is your textbook gothic vampire but, in terms of personality, she's like Faith. Which makes her interactions with Hope all the more enjoyable. I also like how its Superman Archetype is a bonified hero rather than the typical fallen hero he's usually depicted as. There's also the student/mentor dynamic between him and Hope.
The pacing of the novels flow pretty well, there weren't moments that I felt bored, and when it gets to the superhero battles they're always fun and pretty intense. In some ways I felt like I was reading a MHA novel.
I find it pretty refreshing in that it has a good villain yet the heroes are...competent! Usually the heroes have to be dumb as bricks or the villains have to be overpowered as hell but I appreciate the balance it showed for both parties.
The one gripe I do have is that its main character doesn't exactly have anything interesting going for her. She sort of had a tragic backstory but that wasn't due to whatever choice she made. And she pretty much got what she wanted in the beginning of the story. I wouldn't go as far as to call her unlikable though.
Overall I'd give the series a Time Waster rating. It's good to see a superhero novel that is more idealistic with its heroes flawed yet still willing to do the right thing. In this current age we live in, we need idealism back in our superhero stories. |
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Post by SuperKamiGuy1 on Feb 28, 2021 22:02:50 GMT
Its world is much like our own until sometime in the late 90's, when the Event created an alternate history. (The actual Divergence Point has to predate the Event; the Vice President on Event Day doesn't correspond to anyone who's actually held the office.) The Event was a worldwide sensory blackout that lasted 3.2 seconds; everyone experienced those brief seconds of sensory deprivation, and when the world came back they found that the Event had also triggered a temporary but worldwide loss of power (known as the Blackout). Most importantly, however, the Event changed The Rules.
In the aftermath of the Event and the Blackout, as stalled and out-of-control cars and powerless planes turned freeways and cities into death-zones, a small percentage of people reacted to the trauma and danger by exhibiting superhuman powers. Called "breakthroughs", many of them exhibited powers similar to those of traditional comic-book superheroes, though others were patterned after older myths and some were just plain weird. The first recorded breakthrough, a Superman-knockoff who took the codename "Atlas", put on a jumpsuit and cape to do good in the days and weeks following the Event, setting the pattern for public-minded breakthroughs who followed. Much of the plot is driven by the separation between expectations and super-heroic reality as the main character, Hope Corrigan, gains superpowers and deals with all the changes in her life. Through her eyes, the reader sees the difference between media-driven stereotypes and the truth about the superhero profession.
The story takes place ten years after the Event, and an entire generation has grown up in a world of "superheroes." Unlike the heroes of the comics, however, Post-Event superheroes are certified, licensed, and regulated by state and local governments; most active heroes are members of Crisis Aid and Intervention teams and act as civilian contractors to city governments. While they do aid local police in responding to superhuman threats, mostly they act as Emergency Response Personnel. They also milk their own media-value for everything it's worth, using costumes and codenames to market their images (and sometimes to cover true secret identities). The presence of breakthrough powers is the only fantastic element in the Post-Event world, which strives to be a socially realistic setting, in that the story explores the political, legal, social, and personal issues created by the reality of people with superpowers. In general attitudes, the setting's superheroes resemble the more nuanced heroes of The Golden Age of Comic Books.
Imagine if Buffy Summers got flying brick powers. *beat* Ok but imagine that BUT in a world where having super powers is more commonplace. And sprinkle in a little heroes while you're at it. You'd get this series.
This book is a solid example on super beings in the modern day and it goes out of its way to showcase just how much of an impact that could have in a real world society. There's even a section in the book that explains how hard a hero should hit someone without worrying that the person they'd hit will turn into paste. The laws of physics do come into play and the heroes take it to heart most of the time.
The book series has a variety of interesting characters: Artemis is your textbook gothic vampire but, in terms of personality, she's like Faith. Which makes her interactions with Hope all the more enjoyable. I also like how its Superman Archetype is a bonified hero rather than the typical fallen hero he's usually depicted as. There's also the student/mentor dynamic between him and Hope.
The pacing of the novels flow pretty well, there weren't moments that I felt bored, and when it gets to the superhero battles they're always fun and pretty intense. In some ways I felt like I was reading a MHA novel.
I find it pretty refreshing in that it has a good villain yet the heroes are...competent! Usually the heroes have to be dumb as bricks or the villains have to be overpowered as hell but I appreciate the balance it showed for both parties.
The one gripe I do have is that its main character doesn't exactly have anything interesting going for her. She sort of had a tragic backstory but that wasn't due to whatever choice she made. And she pretty much got what she wanted in the beginning of the story. I wouldn't go as far as to call her unlikable though.
Overall I'd give the series a Time Waster rating. It's good to see a superhero novel that is more idealistic with its heroes flawed yet still willing to do the right thing. In this current age we live in, we need idealism back in our superhero stories. Now this sounds like a fun ride! Honestly, I could see us incorporating elements of this kind of story into Ex-Beings. |
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Post by Valhalla Erikson on Mar 21, 2021 4:24:13 GMT
Coming Soon.....  *looks at vid* Accurate |
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Post by Valhalla Erikson on Mar 21, 2021 4:57:57 GMT
Coming Soon..... *looks at vid* Accurate This is considered a Very Special Episode so I'm not going to do the usual introduction with this review. If I'm even going to call it a review. More like a rant but minus cursing Until now I've never read the comic. The only thing I've got from this was Linkara's infamous review of it. So to prepare for my review I did happen to read it. This is one of the many many many MANY examples as to how the Big Two fails when incorporating sexual assault. And this is the worst offender. Given the fact that one of their Nakama was kidnapped, brainwashed, and raped. Then once she got pregnant her crew treated this as a special occasion. Despite some of the problematic warning signs. You know, an easy fix would be that The Avengers themselves were brainwashed into accepting the WTF before them. But NOPE. This was willing stupidity. I've seen stupid from both Young Justice and Arrowverse heroes but this level of stupidity makes you want Carol to sever her ties with them for good. Granted there was a comic in which Claremont had Carol call The Avengers out on how much they've abandoned her to her fate and the utter betrayal their actions. The moment the group realized their idiocy they felt bad and vowed to be better. There's a reason why the dude is hailed as one of the best Marvel writers of all time. The only way I'd recommend this comic is to use this as a study peace on what not to do when incorporating sexual assault in a superhero story. |
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Post by SuperKamiGuy1 on Mar 21, 2021 5:05:47 GMT
Coming Soon..... *looks at vid* Accurate This is considered a Very Special Episode so I'm not going to do the usual introduction with this review. If I'm even going to call it a review. More like a rant but minus cursing Until now I've never read the comic. The only thing I've got from this was Linkara's infamous review of it. So to prepare for my review I did happen to read it. This is one of the many many many MANY examples as to how the Big Two fails when incorporating sexual assault. And this is the worst offender. Given the fact that one of their Nakama was kidnapped, brainwashed, and raped. Then once she got pregnant her crew treated this as a special occasion. Despite some of the problematic warning signs. You know, an easy fix would be that The Avengers themselves were brainwashed into accepting the WTF before them. But NOPE. This was willing stupidity. I've seen stupid from both Young Justice and Arrowverse heroes but this level of stupidity makes you want Carol to sever her ties with them for good. Granted there was a comic in which Claremont had Carol call The Avengers out on how much they've abandoned her to her fate and the utter betrayal their actions. The moment the group realized their idiocy they felt bad and vowed to be better. There's a reason why the dude is hailed as one of the best Marvel writers of all time. The only way I'd recommend this comic is to use this as a study peace on what not to do when incorporating sexual assault in a superhero story.Or just don't incorporate it at all. Netflix Jessica Jones is one of the very few superhero media I've seen that tackled it reasonably. But yeah, Avengers #200 was crap and so was its villain. Marcus is best forgotten about in the dumpster fires of Comic History! |
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Post by Valhalla Erikson on May 18, 2021 22:56:16 GMT
"In this world, is the destiny of mankind controlled by some transcendental entity or law? Is it like the hand of God hovering above? At least it is true that man has no control, even over his own will."
After the scathing rant review I thought I'd review on something positive. Berserk!
If there is a Mount Rushmore of Dark Fantasy works then this should be placed on it. The author doesn't hold back on the pure brutality that is showcased within the series. Some of which will make you want to put the book down for a moment.
Personally I'd recommend starting the series off with The Golden Age Arc. Which showcases Guts joining The Band of The Hawks and you get to follow his journey as the series gradually takes us into pure nightmare fuel territory. And that is what I like about The Golden Age Arc.
It starts out as your standard fantasy series with a Ragtag Bunch of Misfits and a leader with an impossible dream that he wants to see fulfill. In any other series Griffith would be your standard Shonen anime hero but he gradually becomes truly reprehensible as the series progress. Griffith is an example of how a Shonen anime character with a dream can become truly scary when he's willing to do anything to see his dream come to pass. And when you see just how far he goes, you'll never look at Griffith the same way again.
What makes the series even more awesome is the attention to detail with the artwork. That showcases just how captivating the world of Berserk is and how diverse its characters are.
Then you have the villains within the story. The author doesn't hold back in showcasing just how reprehensible the villains are. Which makes Guts tearing them a new one even more satisfying. You really want to see them die when it's all said and done.
Overall I'd give Berserk a Monument of Literature rating. Start with The Golden Age Arc and you'll be in for quite a trip. This is the story I'd recommend if you need inspiration for a Dark Fantasy novel.
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Post by SuperKamiGuy1 on May 19, 2021 0:26:35 GMT
"In this world, is the destiny of mankind controlled by some transcendental entity or law? Is it like the hand of God hovering above? At least it is true that man has no control, even over his own will."
After the scathing rant review I thought I'd review on something positive. Berserk! If there is a Mount Rushmore of Dark Fantasy works then this should be placed on it. The author doesn't hold back on the pure brutality that is showcased within the series. Some of which will make you want to put the book down for a moment. Personally I'd recommend starting the series off with The Golden Age Arc. Which showcases Guts joining The Band of The Hawks and you get to follow his journey as the series gradually takes us into pure nightmare fuel territory. And that is what I like about The Golden Age Arc. It starts out as your standard fantasy series with a Ragtag Bunch of Misfits and a leader with an impossible dream that he wants to see fulfill. In any other series Griffith would be your standard Shonen anime hero but he gradually becomes truly reprehensible as the series progress. Griffith is an example of how a Shonen anime character with a dream can become truly scary when he's willing to do anything to see his dream come to pass. And when you see just how far he goes, you'll never look at Griffith the same way again. What makes the series even more awesome is the attention to detail with the artwork. That showcases just how captivating the world of Berserk is and how diverse its characters are. Then you have the villains within the story. The author doesn't hold back in showcasing just how reprehensible the villains are. Which makes Guts tearing them a new one even more satisfying. You really want to see them die when it's all said and done. Overall I'd give Berserk a Monument of Literature rating. Start with The Golden Age Arc and you'll be in for quite a trip. This is the story I'd recommend if you need inspiration for a Dark Fantasy novel. Oh yeah this is the good stuff! Berserk is one of the greatest dark fantasy stories ever written. With an emphasis on Dark. There is some messed up things in this story and it is definitely a hard R/capital M. But thankfully there's plenty of badassery to balance it all out. This story will definitely leave its mark on you without a doubt but there is a sense of hope that there's a light at the end of the very dark tunnel. |
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Post by Valhalla Erikson on May 20, 2021 7:01:52 GMT
Fuck me sideways  It wasn't too long ago that I did a review of Berserk, now it shall forever be considered a tribute as it's creator Kentaro Miura has sadly passed away due to a ruptured aorta. Not since the death of Carrie Fisher has this kind of news left me rattled. Whenever I look at the series, it gave me a newfound appreciation regarding Dark Fantasy. Berserk was my introduction into Dark Fantasy long before Lord of The Rings ever was and it has become a huge influence to me as a writer. As I credit most of what I'm doing with The Lone Swordsman to Berserk. The best thing that came out of the series was Casca snapping out of her insanity and she got to reunite with Guts. What I do appreciate is that, as heartwarming as it was, the trauma of what happen is still there but the two of them are working through it together. Any hack writer wouldn't even come close to that kind of storytelling. On the upside. This makes me even more confident that the series will forever stand the test of time. RIP Miura and thank you for showcasing us how Dark Fantasy is truly done. |
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Post by SuperKamiGuy1 on May 20, 2021 18:53:00 GMT
Fuck me sideways It wasn't too long ago that I did a review of Berserk, now it shall forever be considered a tribute as it's creator Kentaro Miura has sadly passed away due to a ruptured aorta. Not since the death of Carrie Fisher has this kind of news left me rattled. Whenever I look at the series, it gave me a newfound appreciation regarding Dark Fantasy. Berserk was my introduction into Dark Fantasy long before Lord of The Rings ever was and it has become a huge influence to me as a writer. As I credit most of what I'm doing with The Lone Swordsman to Berserk. The best thing that came out of the series was Casca snapping out of her insanity and she got to reunite with Guts. What I do appreciate is that, as heartwarming as it was, the trauma of what happen is still there but the two of them are working through it together. Any hack writer wouldn't even come close to that kind of storytelling. On the upside. This makes me even more confident that the series will forever stand the test of time. RIP Miura and thank you for showcasing us how Dark Fantasy is truly done. Damn man this hurts. He died way too young before he could even complete his legendary work of art. This is a real tragedy. He deserved so much better and passed away far too soon. RIP Miura. You are a legend. |
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Post by Valhalla Erikson on May 29, 2021 8:48:01 GMT
 The reimagined origin story of Harley Quinn starts with Dr. Harleen Quinzel as an up-and-coming psychologist with clever ideas on how to lower the horrific crime rates of Gotham City. According to her hypothesis, many criminals diminish their capacity for empathy through constant stress until singular events have them Jump Off The Slippery Slope. Find the ones in danger of such events, prioritize them for psychological treatment and the recidivism rates should go down. To test her ideas, she just needs to interview the supervillains of Arkham Asylum. What could go wrong?
This stand alone story is one of the rare instances that manage to incorporate parts of Harley's backstory from the Batman The Animated Series episode 'Mad Love' and update it for a more modern effect. And what is presented is a pretty interesting take of the character.
What really irritates me is how writers who don't get the character tend to turn Harley into just a generic Deadpool clone. Coming from someone who has followed the character since the cartoon series I find Harley a more complex character than that. Harley is who I'd consider a cautionary tale of how Gotham city can corrupt an innocent civilian and twist them into something that is barely recognizable. And this book takes a peek inside Harley's head as she's treating the inmates in Arkham.
The book doesn't pull no punches by showcasing that Harley isn't this picture perfect individual. Yet you'd still sympathize with her when The Joker would gradually start bending her to his will and turn her into someone who is nothing more than a pawn of his. The fact that this is a young psychiatrist with a bright future ahead of her, it just made her inevitable fate all the more tragic. Given the fact that she sincerely wants to help reform the inmates.
There is some familiar nods. Like her and Ivy's relationship. Interestingly enough, as unhinged as Ivy is, her friendship with Harley is legit and has little to no agendas behind it.
Overall I give the series a Edge of Your Seat rating. The story reads like a tragic fairy tale with beautiful artwork. Yet provides us a Harley whose human rather than some lame Deadpool-esque caricature.
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Post by SuperKamiGuy1 on May 29, 2021 17:25:17 GMT
The reimagined origin story of Harley Quinn starts with Dr. Harleen Quinzel as an up-and-coming psychologist with clever ideas on how to lower the horrific crime rates of Gotham City. According to her hypothesis, many criminals diminish their capacity for empathy through constant stress until singular events have them Jump Off The Slippery Slope. Find the ones in danger of such events, prioritize them for psychological treatment and the recidivism rates should go down. To test her ideas, she just needs to interview the supervillains of Arkham Asylum. What could go wrong?
This stand alone story is one of the rare instances that manage to incorporate parts of Harley's backstory from the Batman The Animated Series episode 'Mad Love' and update it for a more modern effect. And what is presented is a pretty interesting take of the character.
What really irritates me is how writers who don't get the character tend to turn Harley into just a generic Deadpool clone. Coming from someone who has followed the character since the cartoon series I find Harley a more complex character than that. Harley is who I'd consider a cautionary tale of how Gotham city can corrupt an innocent civilian and twist them into something that is barely recognizable. And this book takes a peek inside Harley's head as she's treating the inmates in Arkham.
The book doesn't pull no punches by showcasing that Harley isn't this picture perfect individual. Yet you'd still sympathize with her when The Joker would gradually start bending her to his will and turn her into someone who is nothing more than a pawn of his. The fact that this is a young psychiatrist with a bright future ahead of her, it just made her inevitable fate all the more tragic. Given the fact that she sincerely wants to help reform the inmates.
There is some familiar nods. Like her and Ivy's relationship. Interestingly enough, as unhinged as Ivy is, her friendship with Harley is legit and has little to no agendas behind it.
Overall I give the series a Edge of Your Seat rating. The story reads like a tragic fairy tale with beautiful artwork. Yet provides us a Harley whose human rather than some lame Deadpool-esque caricature.
It's nice to see more nuanced version of Harley after all of the bleh versions of her. To say nothing of the s-tshow that was Injustice.  This is the kind of Harley I like to see. Still a villain but a victim at the same time with real depths and nuance to her and character of her own. If this was the writing we got for Harley moving forward from now on I would have no complaints. |
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Post by Valhalla Erikson on May 29, 2021 17:35:31 GMT
The reimagined origin story of Harley Quinn starts with Dr. Harleen Quinzel as an up-and-coming psychologist with clever ideas on how to lower the horrific crime rates of Gotham City. According to her hypothesis, many criminals diminish their capacity for empathy through constant stress until singular events have them Jump Off The Slippery Slope. Find the ones in danger of such events, prioritize them for psychological treatment and the recidivism rates should go down. To test her ideas, she just needs to interview the supervillains of Arkham Asylum. What could go wrong?
This stand alone story is one of the rare instances that manage to incorporate parts of Harley's backstory from the Batman The Animated Series episode 'Mad Love' and update it for a more modern effect. And what is presented is a pretty interesting take of the character.
What really irritates me is how writers who don't get the character tend to turn Harley into just a generic Deadpool clone. Coming from someone who has followed the character since the cartoon series I find Harley a more complex character than that. Harley is who I'd consider a cautionary tale of how Gotham city can corrupt an innocent civilian and twist them into something that is barely recognizable. And this book takes a peek inside Harley's head as she's treating the inmates in Arkham.
The book doesn't pull no punches by showcasing that Harley isn't this picture perfect individual. Yet you'd still sympathize with her when The Joker would gradually start bending her to his will and turn her into someone who is nothing more than a pawn of his. The fact that this is a young psychiatrist with a bright future ahead of her, it just made her inevitable fate all the more tragic. Given the fact that she sincerely wants to help reform the inmates.
There is some familiar nods. Like her and Ivy's relationship. Interestingly enough, as unhinged as Ivy is, her friendship with Harley is legit and has little to no agendas behind it.
Overall I give the series a Edge of Your Seat rating. The story reads like a tragic fairy tale with beautiful artwork. Yet provides us a Harley whose human rather than some lame Deadpool-esque caricature.
This is the kind of Harley I like to see. Still a villain but a victim at the same time with real depths and nuance to her and character of her own. If this was the writing we got for Harley moving forward from now on I would have no complaints. Don't even get me started with her tv series where the writers turned her into Deadpool 2.0 but minus the regeneration Here's a newsflash, why not make Harley unique for a change? |
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Post by SuperKamiGuy1 on May 29, 2021 17:53:44 GMT
It's nice to see more nuanced version of Harley after all of the bleh versions of her. To say nothing of the s-tshow that was Injustice.
This is the kind of Harley I like to see. Still a villain but a victim at the same time with real depths and nuance to her and character of her own. If this was the writing we got for Harley moving forward from now on I would have no complaints. Don't even get me started with her tv series where the writers turned her into Deadpool 2.0 but minus the regeneration Here's a newsflash, why not make Harley unique for a change? Same. It can be really hard to care about Harley with how she's treated in the comics and the writers. She's a character that really needs to be given depth beyond just her humor to make her more of a character. It's why I prefer Telltale Harley really. At least they did something new with her. |
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Post by Valhalla Erikson on Jun 22, 2021 5:22:18 GMT
 The first book, Forever Red, focuses on Natasha's attempt to find and kill her Evil Mentor Ivan Somodorov, a teenage girl named Ava who Natasha had rescued from Ivan's clutches 8 years ago, and Ordinary High-School Student Alex Manor, whom Ava can see in her dreams for some reason.
Agent Romanov believed that Ivan was dead after the S.H.I.E.L.D. raid on his Supervillain Lair in which she rescued Ava, but recent kidnappings suggest that Ivan is Not Quite Dead. Realizing that Ava plays a key role in Ivan's Evil Plan, Natasha and Ava, with help from Alex must track down and stop the man who has caused so much suffering and torment in their lives.Everyone has their own guilty pleasure and I'm not ashamed to say YA is mine. It's stupid it's cheesy and some scenes can unintentionally make you LOL but damn do I find them engaging when they're done well. And to anyone who is a Black Widow fan I must warn, there is typical YA stuff happening in the book. Thankfully not by Black Widow so I can manage to overlook that. I have what you could say an emotional connection with the book, mainly with the Ava character. While my Ava and this Ava has little to no connection with one another Book Ava played a part in My Ava's creation.  The strength of the book stems from the action scenes, when its on boy its on. It's gripping and edge of your seat kind of action. What I also like is you also get to see some spy stuff happening. This book came long before we ever got a Black Widow movie but I credit the Author in giving us a Black Widow we should have gotten from the MCU. Because I don't see Black Widow from the MCU. All I see is Scarlett Johansson playing as herself. But this one breathes Black Widow. I also depict a Logan vibe. Without giving anything away you can see the connection when reading this book and I thought Natasha and Ava's relationship was nice. The downsides are that some parts of the book felt agonizingly repetitive. And if you're not a fan of YA then you might be turned away from this. Overall I give the book an Bargain Bin. If you're a fan of spy related stuff and Black Widow you might enjoy this book regardless of the YA clichés that occur within. Despite it's flaws I say it is Black Widow done right. |
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Post by SuperKamiGuy1 on Jun 22, 2021 21:17:22 GMT
The first book, Forever Red, focuses on Natasha's attempt to find and kill her Evil Mentor Ivan Somodorov, a teenage girl named Ava who Natasha had rescued from Ivan's clutches 8 years ago, and Ordinary High-School Student Alex Manor, whom Ava can see in her dreams for some reason.
Agent Romanov believed that Ivan was dead after the S.H.I.E.L.D. raid on his Supervillain Lair in which she rescued Ava, but recent kidnappings suggest that Ivan is Not Quite Dead. Realizing that Ava plays a key role in Ivan's Evil Plan, Natasha and Ava, with help from Alex must track down and stop the man who has caused so much suffering and torment in their lives.Everyone has their own guilty pleasure and I'm not ashamed to say YA is mine. It's stupid it's cheesy and some scenes can unintentionally make you LOL but damn do I find them engaging when they're done well. And to anyone who is a Black Widow fan I must warn, there is typical YA stuff happening in the book. Thankfully not by Black Widow so I can manage to overlook that. I have what you could say an emotional connection with the book, mainly with the Ava character. While my Ava and this Ava has little to no connection with one another Book Ava played a part in My Ava's creation. The strength of the book stems from the action scenes, when its on boy its on. It's gripping and edge of your seat kind of action. What I also like is you also get to see some spy stuff happening. This book came long before we ever got a Black Widow movie but I credit the Author in giving us a Black Widow we should have gotten from the MCU. Because I don't see Black Widow from the MCU. All I see is Scarlett Johansson playing as herself. But this one breathes Black Widow. I also depict a Logan vibe. Without giving anything away you can see the connection when reading this book and I thought Natasha and Ava's relationship was nice. The downsides are that some parts of the book felt agonizingly repetitive. And if you're not a fan of YA then you might be turned away from this. Overall I give the book an Bargain Bin. If you're a fan of spy related stuff and Black Widow you might enjoy this book regardless of the YA clichés that occur within. Despite it's flaws I say it is Black Widow done right. YAYS! Always nice to see a Natasha focused story and book! And Natasha hunting down her creators is a classic spy espionage style storyline while borrowing elements from Logan. An awesome style of storyline for best girl! |
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Post by Valhalla Erikson on Jul 27, 2021 14:51:19 GMT
Twelve-year-old Simon Pooni used to have promise as a basketball player, but fate decided against it. Simon was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and quickly began to lose control of his legs. Trapped in crutches or a wheelchair, Simon's crushed dreams and cruel classmates left him in a deep depression.
The only escape he has is Superior, a series of superhero films starring the titular Flying Brick, played by constant "I Am Not Spock" victim Tade Scott. Simon idolizes the character, fantasizing about what it would be like to have such incredible power. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a wish-granting space monkey named Ormon shows up and transforms him into the fictional superhero.
His wildest dream is now a reality, Simon sets out to emulate the selfless hero he idolizes and flies off to try and fix the world's problems. However, unknown to him, Ormon is not who he says he is, and his wish may come with great consequences...Mark Millar can be a rollercoaster. One minute he can write gems like Jupiters Legacy then there are other times he'd get waist-deep into Edgelord territory. After reading this comic I must say this has got to be the best variation of Shazam I have ever read. The book reads like a heartfelt tribute to the late Christopher Reeve and how his portrayal as Superman opened the doors for other superhero franchises. And not once did his tribute come off as mean-spirited. If you've ever followed his Ultimate run him doing a lighthearted approach is pretty refreshing. The main character is likable and you'd honestly feel for his plight. Plus it's not often you'd have a superhero story that featured a handicapped character. Whenever you'd hear concepts of superheroes in the real world they usually come off as a jab towards the genre and it's usually mean-spirited. Looking at you Ennis. Yet Millar showcases that it's possible to write a superhero story in the real world while still keeping it idealistic. Overall I'd give this story an Edge of Your Seat rating. It's a book I'd recommend if you're a Superman fan and Millar is perhaps one of the few writers who get the character. Filled with good art and intense action scenes.
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Post by SuperKamiGuy1 on Jul 27, 2021 20:30:49 GMT
Twelve-year-old Simon Pooni used to have promise as a basketball player, but fate decided against it. Simon was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and quickly began to lose control of his legs. Trapped in crutches or a wheelchair, Simon's crushed dreams and cruel classmates left him in a deep depression.
The only escape he has is Superior, a series of superhero films starring the titular Flying Brick, played by constant "I Am Not Spock" victim Tade Scott. Simon idolizes the character, fantasizing about what it would be like to have such incredible power. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a wish-granting space monkey named Ormon shows up and transforms him into the fictional superhero.
His wildest dream is now a reality, Simon sets out to emulate the selfless hero he idolizes and flies off to try and fix the world's problems. However, unknown to him, Ormon is not who he says he is, and his wish may come with great consequences...Mark Millar can be a rollercoaster. One minute he can write gems like Jupiters Legacy then there are other times he'd get waist-deep into Edgelord territory. After reading this comic I must say this has got to be the best variation of Shazam I have ever read. The book reads like a heartfelt tribute to the late Christopher Reeve and how his portrayal as Superman opened the doors for other superhero franchises. And not once did his tribute come off as mean-spirited. If you've ever followed his Ultimate run him doing a lighthearted approach is pretty refreshing. The main character is likable and you'd honestly feel for his plight. Plus it's not often you'd have a superhero story that featured a handicapped character. Whenever you'd hear concepts of superheroes in the real world they usually come off as a jab towards the genre and it's usually mean-spirited. Looking at you Ennis. Yet Millar showcases that it's possible to write a superhero story in the real world while still keeping it idealistic. Overall I'd give this story an Edge of Your Seat rating. It's a book I'd recommend if you're a Superman fan and Millar is perhaps one of the few writers who get the character. Filled with good art and intense action scenes. You wouldn't think that Mark Millar could pull off Captain Sparklefingers but he really nails it with Superior. It's an awesome take on the idea while still making it his own all without going grimderp with it. It's actually a real accomplishment for him. |
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It wasn't too long ago that I did a review of Berserk, now it shall forever be considered a tribute as it's creator Kentaro Miura has sadly passed away due to a ruptured aorta.
