Graphic Saturday: Y The Last Man

Y: The Last Man #1 by Brian K. Vaughan
Art: J.G. Jones, Pia Guerra, Jose Marzan
Published: September 2002 / Vertigo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Source: Purchased
Look for this at goodreads / Amazon / Comixology

One of the things that is relevant in this title is how the storyline is organized. The storyline is done using a sequence of events occurring in different parts of the world. By creating the story this way we can understand the real global impact of the situation formulated in this title.

Y: The Last Man presents as a premise males around the world dying spontaneously, leaving females as the only gender populating the earth. It caused an impact on me as a reader because massive deaths in males in all species would be catastrophic for the evolution and continuity of the species. It would bring the end.

There are so many reasons for me to recommend this graphic novel series to you. Y: The last man has great art on its cover which depicts the evolutionary element intrinsic in the story by including the monkey and the DNA. Colors complement the cover so well. Art inside is good and enhances the narrative. The author created enough mystery around the main character to make me want to return to the series. Why is he surviving? Is he special? I will stop writing about the goodness of this series because it is time for you to look it up and see for yourselves.

You want to know more about artist Pia Guerra visit her at Hellkitty.

For J.G Jones visit Comic Vine 

Find writer Brian K.Vaughan at Panel Syndicate 

Visit Jose Marzan at his Jose Marzan Jr.

About Y: The Last Man

"Unmanned (Part I of V)"

Written by Brian K. Vaughan (Lost, EX MACHINA), this is the saga of Yorick Brown - the only human survivor of a planet-wide plague that instantly kills every mammal with a Y chromosome. Accompanied by his pet monkey, Yorick searches for his lost love...and the answer to why he's the last man on earth.

What have you been reading?  Have you read other works created by this talented group of people?  Did you know that Vaughan created Saga?

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Graphic Saturday! Sex Criminals Vol.1

Sex Criminals, Volume 1: One Weird Trick by Matt Fraction
Published: April, 2014/ Image Comics
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Look for this at goodreads / Amazon / Comixology
Source: I received this copy (vol 1) via Netgalley for review purposes. Issue 1 was purchased.

I describe Sex Criminals as a series without inhibition. It's author took a leap into a daring subject: Sex. My favorite thing about this series is the introduction the author gives to each character because we get to know them from the beginning of their sexual curiosity to their adult age. Suzie is a complicated character. She begins experiencing with sexuality to create a space of her own. Years pass by until she feels empty and alone.Is there more people like her?

Suzie is not alone.

Suzie stops time with sex. LOL! The premise is funny but this graphic novel works it so well. The graphic novel develops a plot around how Suzie and her lover in a Bonnie and Clyde style, take to steal using their abilities. The first Volume has number 1-5. It gives the reader a clear panorama of what Sex Criminals' is all about. It's creators are direct and are pretty sure about what they want they want to do with this series. Every number has amazing covers as well as Vol.1. Colors are perfect for the illustrations. Inside, art is good but not mind blowing. It could use some improvement.

This is a graphic novel I plan on keep reading. I read Suzie Down in the Quiet (no.1) thanks to Comixology. Later the volume was available at Netgalley, which provided me with the opportunity to understand more about this series.

What comic series have you been reading? Have you found any graphic novels you want to recommend?

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Graphic Saturday! #Review A Bag of Marbles by Joseph Joffo

A Bag of Marbles by Joseph Joffo
Illustrator: Vincent Bailly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Look for this at goodreads / Amazon
Source: Netgalley for an honest review

In 1941 in occupied Paris, brothers Maurice and Joseph play a last game of marbles before running home to their father's barbershop. This is the day that will change their lives forever. With the German occupation threatening their family's safety, the boys' parents decide Maurice and Joseph must disguise themselves and flee to their older brothers in the free zone. Surviving the long journey will take every scrap of ingenuity and courage they can muster. If they hope to elude the Nazis, they must never, under any circumstances, admit to being Jewish.

The boys travel by train, ferry, and on foot, facing threats from strangers and receiving help from unexpected quarters. Along the way they must adapt to the unfamiliar world beyond their city and find a way to be true to themselves even as they conceal their identities.

Based on an autobiographical novel by Joseph Joffo and adapted with the author's input, this true story offers a harrowing but inspiring glimpse of a childhood cut short.

The story begins showing two brothers enjoying just being kids playing marbles. These children lead a normal life until his father sends them to a trip away from Paris, the only place they have known. The father asks them to travel by themselves into the free zone to protect them from the Nazi invasion. During this trip, the children get to know people who help them get to their destination. On this trip, the kids manage to stay one step ahead of the Nazi army by the ingenuity that characterizes them and the kindness of people thye find. Eventually, every member of the family travels while facing difficult situations. This is a story of survival and effort to find a safe place.

This comic is inspired by the story of Joseph Joffo. The tone of the comic is generally suitable for the situations presented. I find contradictory the reactions the characters show while experiencing stressful situations. They show no fear or intense reaction.

The comic kept me constantly reading. Even once I finished, the story remained on my mind.

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Graphic Saturday! Review Saga No.1

Saga #1 by Brian K. Vaughan
Chapter One
Art by Fiona Staples
Published: Image Comics, 2012
Source: Purchased
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Look for this: Amazon /Comixology / Goodreads

About this comic from goodreads:

Star Wars-style action collides with Game of Thrones-esque drama in this original sci-fi/fantasy epic for mature readers, as new parents Marko and Alana risk everything to raise their child amidst a never-ending galactic war.

The plot of this comic is very interesting. Saga starts with a couple in the process of receiving their daughter in the world. They live in a place in which both are enemies for political situations. Alana comes from Landfall and Marco from the moon of the planet, Wreath. These two territories are at war, so they begin a journey in search for peace to have their relationship and to protect their baby. This family is chased by many enemies who want to imprison and threaten their safety and the newborn’s.

Additional dialogue is intertwined into the story narrating the events in the voice of the child. This gives the story a sense hope, knowing that somehow in the future in Saga, we will see the characters succeed in finding sanctuary.

This comic written by Brian K. Vaughan has smart dialogue that invites to be read. Vaughan’s plot and the art created by Fiona Staples in Saga, support of each other, making a comic I am delighted to read. Definitely I will continue with this series, as it is a promising one.

Recommend Saga for mature readers.

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Graphic Saturday! The Cute Girl Network

The cute girl network
Authors: MK Reed, Greg Means
Illustrator: Joe Flood
Publication: First Second / November 12th, 2013
Look for this at Goodreads /  Amazon
Source: Netgalley for review

About this from goodreads:

Jane's new in town. When she wipes out on her skateboard right in front of Jack's food cart, she finds herself agreeing to go on a date with him. Jane's psyched that her love life is taking a turn for the friskier, but it turns out that Jack has a spotty romantic history, to put it mildly. Cue the Cute Girl Network — a phone tree information-pooling group of local single women. Poor Jane is about to learn every detail of Jack's past misadventures… whether she wants to or not. Will love prevail?

In this graphic novel from Greg Means, Americus author MK Reed, and Joe Flood, the illustrator of Orcs, comes a fast, witty, and sweet romantic comedy that is actually funny, and actually romantic.

Graphic Novels in black and white is popular this days and possibly necessary to keep comics in budget. A lot of black and white comics are hitting the shelves and quite frankly they are doing an excellent job. As I have said plenty of times in this blog, colors are not a necessity to enhance good stories. The cute girl network follows the blank and white trend of comics with good entertaining stories.

Jane and Jack are the MCs of this urban story. They find themselves drawn to each other from the first time. She is a free spirited skater girl and he is a guy with a low income job selling soup from a street cart. Jack is not the smartest, or the most attentive or excels in anything but he grows attached to Jane and at least strives for not making an idiot of himself everyday. This works until the NETWORK gets in their lives and doubts a plenty get inside Jane’s mind. What is the NETWORK? you might say. Well, you definitely need to grab this graphic novel to find out and that way you get to know if these lovebirds work out.

The dialog is smart and fun, even witty in some cases. Art is ok and cartoonish. For all of you book devourers, there is a scene that is a total treat. Jane has book lover friends! And they get to read the thoughts of these gals about a favorite sparkly vampire of mine.

Graphic Saturday! Check this comics out

The Deathlings: Anne's Story #1
Writer: Ian Struckhoff
Artists: Manuela Soriani, Michela Da Saco
Color Artist: Juri Hayasaka
Cover by Reuben Negron
Publication: Black Label Comics
Source: Preview Version Purchased at Amazon
Look for this series at Amazon 

     This preview of The Deathlings is a dark comic book written by Ian Struckhoff. The heroine in The Deathlings is Annie.  Annie has weird, dark and vivid dreams which she tries to capture in the morning so she doesn't forget. She interacts with dark looking characters and clearly she is intrigued by this world.

     The Deathlings piqued my interest from the first time I saw its cover. Annie has uniqueness and original character design.  I like that she doesn't look like a cookie cutter heroine.  I'm interested in this series and want to see what else Ian Struckhoff can do with Annie.

     Characters are well designed.  Colors are well utilized.  The comic shows a particular dark ambiance.

The Walking Dead #1
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Illustrator: Tony Moore
Publication: Image Comics, 2003
Source: Purchased
Look for this series at Comixology / Amazon/ Goodreads

Description from goodreads

An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months, society has crumbled: There is no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. Rick Grimes finds himself one of the few survivors in this terrifying future. A couple months ago he was a small town cop who had never fired a shot and only ever saw one dead body. Separated from his family, he must now sort through all the death and confusion to try and find his wife and son. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally begin living.

     The Walking Dead is a great show.   I can't wait for its new season.  In the meantime I found The Walking Dead #1 at Comixology and decided to give it a try.  This comic gave birth to the series so it was time I grabbed the comic. This number introduces The Walking Dead world.  Rick is at the hospital where he begins to notice what is happening in the world.  In the outside he interacts with a man and his son and prepares for searching for his wife and son.  Rick looks scared but decided to find them.  Like in the series he shows his qualities and empathy towards people.

     I like the art and colors in The Walking Dead.  The cover looks really good.  Inside, images are shown in black and white, which really suits the The Walking Dead story.  Zombie design is somber, amazing and depicts rawness.  Without doubt, The Walking Dead is a most read in the graphic novels' world.

The Evil Tree #1
Writer: Erik Hendrix
Illustrator: Daniel Thollin
Publication: Arcana Studio/ November, 2012
Source: Purchased
Look for this series at Comixology / Amazon/ Goodreads

Description from goodreads

In a colonial village outside of NYC, Misha and her fiance, Daren, seek an escape from the fast pace of the city. As they settle in, Misha becomes withdrawn, suffering from bad dreams and depression. When Daren brings his friends to the house to "shake out the cobwebs," little does he know he is setting into motion events started hundreds of years ago with the original occupants of the house, the Willam Family. Not only did the ill-fated Willam family die in the house one cold winter, but the house has developed a history of female occupants committing suicide. The friends must solve the mystery of the house before the Willam Family ghosts pick them off one by one!

     The Evil Tree works the formula of the cabin in the woods plus dark presence equals weird stuff.  I have seen this time and time again in many movies.  It can be a repetitive theme that can be made original according to the authors skill.  Although, The Evil Tree needs some polishing in its dialog and character interaction, the author creates a mystery in Misha which definitively helps the story.  Her friends are worried about her because they notice she has changed since she have been living in this isolated place.  Some presence is perturbing her and just at the end author Erik Hendrix leaves this number in this terrifying cliffhanger of a situation.

     I appreciate Erik Hendrix interest in creating fear using a winter setting in an isolated cabin.  Also, They made  a great job with colors.  My favorite thing is how Misha is overcome by this mysterious presence and then this presence becomes kind of tangible thru the tree.  This is a series to watch.  If you are a fan of suspense and terror, get The Evil Tree.

The Intrepid Escapegoat
Author and Illustrator: Brian Smith
Colored by Mike DeVito
Publication: Third World Studios
Source: Free Comic Book Day version purchased at Amazon
Look for this series at goodreads / Amazon

Description from goodreads

The EscapeGoat comic universe is set in a pseudo-Victorian era Earth; it is a time of discovery and advances in science, but also a time of ancient magics. Thomas Fleet (AKA The Intrepid EscapeGoat) is a world famous escape artist, a star of the stage and screen who performs before packed houses all over the globe. What separates EscapeGoat from other magicians and mediums of the time is that he knows there is REAL magic in the world, and on occasion it falls on him to stop the supernatural threats facing mankind. He travels the world with his act, solving the paranormal riddles that plague the towns and cities he visits along the way.

     Art is nice and cartoony.  Colors are really good, which is always a plus.  Character design fits the story really well.  The concept is good and could work well for an animated series.  Main character is kind of an Indiana Jones escapist extraordinaire, which gives the series many possibilities storywise. 

     Although I see many positive qualities in this series creatively speaking, this number is not that impressive.  It lacks something, it could be more engaging.  Nevertheless, I would like to read additional numbers to see how this characters develop.

     This version of The Intrepid Escapegoat is the Free Comic Book Day version.  This event take place the first Saturday of May each year.  Look for a comic book store near home.

Graphic Saturday! Wars in Toyland

Wars in Toyland by Joe Harris
Illustrated by Adam Pollina, Brent McCarthy and Nolan Woodard
Publisher: Oni Press/July 10th, 2013
Source: Netgalley for review purposes
Look for this at Amazon

A little about this title from goodreads:
Toyland was once a place of wonder and beauty, at least until the teddy dictator Roxbury took over. After Matthew's brother and playmate, Alex, disappears, Matthew finds himself carried into Toyland by his own loyal toy soldiers. Matthew soon learns that Alex has been here, too, held captive by Roxbury. Leading an attack on the teddy bear's fortress, Matthew never considers that his brother might be beyond saving.

Wars in Toyland is certainly an amusing comic book from the creative mind of Joe Harris. A fantastic wonderland has come to life by the skillful hands of illustrators Adam Pollina, Brent McCarthy and Nolan Woodard. This is a comic you should look forward to read for the story is quite imaginative.

Matthew is the hero on this story, a kid who enjoys playing with his toys and sharing that time with his brother Alex. At the end of one playing session he ends on a fantastic toyland a little by accident or perhaps a little by longing since his brother has been missing.

He arrived abruptly to a land built from toys, for toys and populated by toys...his toys. At his arrival he finds a clue of his brother's whereabouts, which motivates him to help the toys. Toyland is controlled by a Tediarchy and the toys need Mathew to lead them into war. Also, Mathew needs to free his brother. He will become the Captain of that army made of wood, cotton and all sort of things.

How beautiful this comic looks! Illustrations show character and high creative standards. Some illustrations show surrealistic influences, especially the images where the doll head was shown. The colors are beautifully done and are nice to look at. Cover art is well done and gives a perspective of what will be inside.

The story is creative and offers novelty in a theme previously used by other stories: Toys coming to life. It is delightfully entertaining. This comic is well written. The way the characters interact with each other is great. Matthew is the main character,but I consider soldier John to have part of that spotlight. He is a natural hero,loyal and a leader. Joe Harris did a really good job creating this characters.

Highly recommend this comic book!

Graphic Saturday! Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen

Nothing Can Posibly Go Wrong by Prudence Shen
Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Publisher: First Second, May 2013
Source: Netgalley for an honest review.
Look for this at Amazon / BN / BD
To know more about the author: Website
To know more about the illustrator: Blog / Website

From goodreads:
You wouldn’t expect Nate and Charlie to be friends. Charlie’s the laid-back captain of the basketball team, and Nate is the neurotic, scheming president of the robotics club. But they are friends, however unlikely—until Nate declares war on the cheerleaders. At stake is funding that will either cover a robotics competition or new cheerleading uniforms—but not both.

It's only going to get worse: after both parties are stripped of their funding on grounds of abominable misbehavior, Nate enrolls the club's robot in a battlebot competition in a desperate bid for prize money. Bad sportsmanship? Sure. Chainsaws? Why not. Running away from home on Thanksgiving to illicitly enter a televised robot death match? Of course!

In Faith Erin Hicks' and Prudence Shen's world of high school class warfare and robot death matches, Nothing can possibly go wrong.

Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong is a web comic that found its way to the presses and will be available in May.  It is refreshing and entertaining.  A series of fun ocurrences are all around the book which makes the comic easy and effortless to read.  The story puts an unlikely group of people together and that brings something different to the table, making the reader wonder constantly what could be the possible outcome of the story. I enjoyed reading Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong.  It would be interesting to see a short series with the daily  lives of these characters.

Illustrations are in black and white and while reading I never felt a need for color.  Illustrations are well drawn and have their own character and individuality. More nice illustrations can be seen on Faith Erin Hicks' webpage.  Visit it so you can get a notion of this cartoonist's work.

I recommend this comic for YA readers.

Graphic Saturday! Grimm Fairy Tales Vol.13 by Mark L. Miller

It’s the weekend so time to read on some graphic goodness. Thanks to Netgalley for this week’s offering, Grimm fairy tales vol. 13.

Grimm Fairy Tales Vol.13 by Mark L. Miller
Published: Zenescope Entertainment / Feb 2013/ Jul 2013
Rating: 2.8 out of 5
Source: Netgalley for honest review
Look for this at Amazon 

About this comic (from goodreads):
Struggling with the consequences of her actions, Sela begins to try and help the select few inmates who deserve a second chance - never realizing that deep within the prison itself a powerful being watches from the shadows. From the writer of the Jungle Book comes the newest arc that will have fans talking for months to come!

Never having heard anything of this comic at all, I decided to jump in and just enjoy the ride. The concept for this series is a modern reinterpretation of classic fairy tales with a twist that revolves around the occurrences of the life of the Sela Mathers. We start at a prison where the main character finds herself for a particular reason unknown at the moment being a neophyte to this world. This is when we meet Miss Sela Mathers,our protagonist. Her court appointed caseworker visits her in prison to try and explain to Sela that there might be a way out for her out of prison. Sela apparently has no desire whatsoever to leave prison since to her she deserves to be there doing penance. It seems that our girl was involved in the destruction of a school due to her trying to rescue her lost daughter that has been raised by Sela’s greatest enemy. Yeah get your heads around that.

All it’s not what it seems in this prison for gals. As all hell breaks loose in the prison we get to see Sela’s supernatural abilities. She can channel energies from other realms such as oz, wonderland, even neverland. I kid you not. She displays her energy powers during a prison riot, saving people here and there. This incident was merely the appetizer for Sela’s misadventures as inmate 7227,since a prison riot was not enough, she needs to battle her own inner demons and some physical ones in the form of soul sucking zombies.

What can I say about the overall story? While not groundbreaking in any form, this tale does have it’s high points. Between Sela’s interaction with problematic inmates out to shank her and her paranormal problems, there is meat to this story where I thought there would only be a little morsel. Definitely entertaining and quite engaging at least in intervals.

The art can be quite detailed and helps to depict the violence in the story quite well. Then again it suffers from rotating artists and that diminishes the quality somewhat at times. At times it did create the somber, dark and depressing atmosphere that a horror comic or story needs.

To me it rates an 2.8 out of 5. Interesting story but not as fleshed out as it could be and a seesaw artwork throughout the story art. This is not a good jumping point for new readers of Grimm Fairy Tales.   Recommend this comic for mature readers.

Graphic Saturday! Witchblade Red Sonja

For Graphic Saturday this week we have for you Witchblade/Red Sonja. Just as the tittle suggests it’s a crossover between Top Cow’s leading lady, Detective Sarah Pezzini the wearer of the mystical weapon, the witchblade and from Dynamite Entertainment, Red Sonja. It’s the same character from that old movie with Brigitte Nielsen and The Terminator himself, Arnold.

Witchblade Red Sonja by Doug Wagner
Art by Cezar Razek
Publish Date: April 2013 /Dynamite Entertainment
Source: Publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
Look for this at Amazon / BN

A little about this trade paperback from goodreads:

Red Sonja, the She-Devil with a Sword, pursues a cannibalistic monstrosity into the heart of a dead, black mountain. Meanwhile, Sara Pezzini, modern day bearer of the Witchblade and NYPD Detective, investigates the ghastly death of a Catholic Priest. Two of comics most celebrated heroines together in one terrifying tale of loss and redemption.

Since the participants of such an event are separated by quite a few millennia, we are treated to a story that shifts perspectives from that of Sarah’s contemporary present to Sonja’s distant barbaric age. So let's dive into the story first. Though a bit entertaining the story itself is not something that will hook you right at the start. We get Sonja on the past on her righteous quest slaying monsters and such. While on her quest she meets her witchblade wearing contemporary and they both unite against the greater threat. In the present, Sarah is busy with domestic life and her life as a police detective, until her case takes a turn to the supernatural. The events then begin to show a connection between Sarah’s and Sonja’s story. Through some magical long distance calling through the witchblade, our titular characters connect and interact. Thus this provides the answers to deal the threat present to them both. Oh and lest we forget the big baddie is a fallen angel. Cool huh? The ending did leave me wanting more from it. It was like, “well we have a reset button so lets forget what happened before because it caused too many problems to sort through".

Onto the art now. Suffice to say that it was average. Nothing special really. A tad too generic looking, at least to me. Nothing really popped. Not the character designs, nor the color pallette. In the end another cross over for the sake of doing one.

I give a 3 out of 5, for the entertaining action at least since the story itself wasn't that original nor satisfying, especially the happy clean ending leaving details unsolved.  Recommend this to those seeking thrilling action, but not too deep a story.

Graphic Saturday: Revival by Tim Seeley & Mike Norton

Revival, Vol. 1: You're Among Friends by Tim Seeley
Illustrators: Mike Norton, Mark Englert
Published: December 2012, Image comics
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
More about Revival
Look for this at Amazon / BD

Let me ask you something: when is the next volume out? This is one of those stories that grab your attention from the get go.  We could say it's about zombies, but also it could be about miracles.  It is a new POV on undead creatures.  Imagine a neighbor returns to the community after dying, what would you do? Sincerely I wouldn't know. After too  many Romero's movies and the seasons of The Walking Dead I have been predisposed to be a zombie exterminating machine in theory.

In this comic, people revive and seem normal, just disoriented.  Then they become confuse and aggressive. A task force is created to work these cases, where Dana one of the main characters will see how things unfold on this crisis.  Her sister Martha, will be crucial on this volume and probably will be relevant in future volumes of the story.  This volume has a surprising ending that gave me a glance to some clues about the mysteries that have been presented up to this point in the comic.

This comic made a big impression on me. The story is grabbing and certainly challenging in content for the author.  It requires ingenuity to create novelty in the zombie idea.  This author achieved this.  It works an infinitely used idea, people returning from the dead, and a interesting idea is born. What if people return and behave just as they used to before dying? Should we be welcoming? Are they a threat? The story has lots of possibilities, all in the hands of this author. I read this, already thinking about the next volume now because it is that amazing. It has amazing art to match it. Colors are really nice and the drawing style is exiting, never boring.

Reading on my tablet!
This comic is Mike Norton, Mark Englert and Jenny Frison's awesome work

I recommend this comic to all comic readers but also to those who haven't read a comic yet. This is the kind of book that surely will make you a comic reader. Thanks to Image and Netgalley for providing me this for an honest review.





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Graphic Saturday: True Blood Vol.1

True Blood Volume 1 by Ann Nocenti
Illustrator: Michael Gaydos
Publisher: IDW Publishing, Jan 2013
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Source: Provided by Netgalley for honest review
Look for this at Amazon / BD

This is the first volume of True Blood's graphic novel. In this volume the first five numbers have been put together to show us more about Sookie from the TV series. The comic books are not based on the books and I wish that would have been the case.

We get to know more about the vampire's mainstreaming on this volume. Remus, a vamp from Eric and Bill's past appears disrupting everything during Coffin Day celebrations. A series of flashbacks let us see Remus, Eric and Bill in their respective roles when mainstreaming was about to happen. These flashbacks are intertwined with events of the three of them in the present day. Remus is the character who connects the stories. In a way this volume is about him.

Overall, the story is interesting. The art is good but I'm not crazy about. Nevertheless, I plan on continuing the volumes. I think this comic has something to offer to the Sookie Stackhouse's world.

About the 5 numbers:
My favorites are #1 and #5.  Why? Book #1 has a strong ending and it is the one that provokes questions in the reader.  The #5 is about Russell Edginton and I love his macabre doings.  He is one of those characters who are catalysts for the story.

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Graphic Saturday! Glitter Kiss by Adrianne Ambrose

I have been waiting for this comic book for a long time.  Finally the e-ARC made my tablet.  This Graphic Saturday we have Glitter Kiss.

Glitter Kiss by Adrianne Ambrose
Illustrator:  Monica Gallagher
Published: December 19th 2012/ Oni Press
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Look for this at Amazon / BD
Source: Netgalley, for review purposes.

Since I saw this title on Netgalley I simply had to read it. I read the ARC version of this one.

The story is funny and simple. Girl likes this guy and they see each other in secret. When she discovers why he is hiding her, her heart is broken. Then she buys some lip gloss and is when everything changes for her...and for him.

I read this quickly and it is hilarious. The guys in the story got what they deserved. I loved the lesson  learned by Tinka the main character: self respect. The ending was a little disappointing because it felt rushed.

I liked the black and white in the comic, but color would definitely improve it.

Would love to see this as a series. What else could happen in Tinka's life?

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Graphic Saturday! The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Book 1 by Denise Mina
Based on: Stieg Larsson serires
Art : Leonardo Manco and Andrea Mutti
Cover: Lee Bermejo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Source: Vertigo via Edelweiss
Find this at Amazon

I had access to a preview from the comic adaptation of the popular thriller novel The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. This creation of author Stieg Larsson now goes graphic.

As soon as I saw the cover I knew the quality of the artwork had to be amazing inside that book. Lisbeth looks strong and simply like someone you don't want to mess with. The image has a strong quality to it that makes the characters more palpable. I appreciate images texture. Manco and Mutti delivered great effort to it. Also, details are a strong point, even hands have wrinkles. Faces show expressions and gestures we can differentiate. Good use of shadows and shades to establish time, emotions and atmosphere.

Many positive things but sadly, the preview doesn't have dialog. I have high hope for this graphic novel. So as soon as you see it available, give it a try. I know I will.

This is an honest review according to the merits of this book.

Have you read any comics lately?
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Graphic Saturday! Spotting graphic greatness

How do you spot a potential good graphic novel?  Hmm, that's a good question.   We want to make  good expending of our money while  been satisfied with whatever we read.  Usually we read a synopsis or follow friends recommendations and then we make a  buy.  But how can we be sure?  Simply, we can't.  Buying  comic is like buying a new book, it is a gamble.  It can be pure greatness or a bunch of forgettable pages.

So, this is my guide to find great comics, graphic novels and even books:

One of many stack of books
Graphic Saturday! at Jessy's Bookends

1. Do not succumb to pretty covers!  I used to be drawn to pretty covers.  Still do, but it has less power over me now.  One day, my husband told me: " Stop looking for pretty covers.  Probably you have been missing great books."  So true, since then my obsession for gorgeous covers has been tamed.
2. Stay away from amazing art hiding awfully boring story lines!  One of my fave graphic novels is Neil Gaiman's The Sandman Series.  Why?  Art in the series kept improving with every number.  The story is the strongest suit of the series.  Coloring is incredible, it is done in a way that creates ambiance and climate.  Characters are individuals with an independent voice.  It is the kind of work that can maintain its currency.
3.  Cliche MC is a big NO!  Read the synopsis.  Synopsis are your best friend when looking for that next reading.  The Cinderella girl finds the rich guy and leaves happily ever after.... Stay away from that.  Look for edgy, quirky characters.  Look for MC who set their own pace because they are the ones driving the action.
4. Read something out of your comfort zone! Stop yourself if you  read five consecutive romances and you are picking a sixth.  Try a new genre.  Maybe find a new author.  Read something you usually wouldn't pick.  I have found great books by picking new genres of bargain bins at the book store.  Give this a go, won't be disappointed.
5. Google it! Read about the author. Visit their blog or website.  Make a stop at their book or comic imprint.   Get to know more authors like the one you enjoy.
6. Hop from Blog to Blog! Bloggers have great content that will save you time.  Any reader can find recommendations and reviews in the blogging world.  For instance, if you are looking for Manga, Alison at Alison Can Read has a Monday's meme dedicated to that genre.  If you are looking for comics or graphic novels visit Jessy's Bookends every Saturday.
7. Tweet, Tweet and other social networking blasts!  I follow you, you follow me, we follow authors, we follow publishing houses and the following goes on and on.  We gather all sorts of info just by following at twitter.  We read about new books, new authors and even giveaways.  We bloggers use social networks as a strong tool to promote our content.  Get a twitter user account and be part of the information torrent.   If you don't have a goodreads account, it would be time.  If you are reading this, definitely you are part of the same species as me: those who carry books everywhere  in a plethora of formats.  So, goodreads should be good for you.  One of the benefits is that you can receive recommendations from other users and share reviews.  If you want you can even add me by clicking the button on the  menu on the right side of this blog.

Hope these recommendations can be helpful while buying that new comic book or any kind of book.  Do you have more ideas?  Share them with me on  the comments section.