Book Review: Pop (miniseries)

Book: Pop (issues #1-4) by Curt Pires with illustration by Jason Copland and color by Pete Toms and lettering by Ryan Ferrier

Edition: Single print issues

Rating: 2 stars

Review:

Pop was okay, reading it felt as if a good portion of the story was missing. There was not a lot of information given to the reader to make this a more interesting and complex story. It went from one scene to another without giving much detail or backstory.

The story centers around Elle, one of the soon to be celebrities who had escaped from her growth pod. While running away from the factory she met Coop, a guy who didn't think he had much to live for, who ended up trying to help her figure out what was going on. The company wanting Elle back sent two assassins after her.

Some time later, after a little trouble acquire their target they were able to get both Elle and Coop, taking them to the factory. Later on several predictable things happen with this story ending on a predictable note.

Sorry to say there's not much to this story, it's dull and boring. The artwork wasn't bad but the story didn't do anything to enhance it. I guess I was expecting more from this. I wanted to know why were they manufacturing these pop stars and what happens when they are no longer popular? Instead all I got was more questions than answers and certainly not anything interesting to read.

This wasn't a good read for me. This had a lot of potential but unfortunately the story didn't go anywhere.

Art of the Day: Static

Artwork: Static Shock Surfer by Kerong (Keron Grant)

Book Review: Scoop to Kill

Book: Scoop to Kill (A Mystery A La Mode book #2) by Wendy Lyn Watson

Rating: 3 stars

Review:

In this second book, Tallulah "Tally" Jones tries to find out who killed both Bryan Campbell, a graduate student and Dr. Emily Clowper, an English professor who worked at Dickerson University. With evidence pointing to Dr. Clowper having killed Bryan then later killed herself after finally succumbing to the pressure of guilt. Tally got some help from her cousin Bree, Bree's daughter Alice, and Tally's friend and potential love interest Finn.

Similar to the first book it takes a while before any mystery solving takes place and even when it did it felt as if the characters found the clues somewhere off page before revealing it to the reader. It didn't seem as if there was a lot of active clue searching.

Is there some rule that there must be a love triangle for cozy mysteries? That seems to be the standard in these types of books and I'm really starting to get tired of it. Tally wasn't sure how she felt about either her old high school boyfriend Finn or her old friend Cal but of course they were both interested in her. Finn is fun and dangerous while Cal is steady and reliable. 

I gave this 3 stars because it wasn't bad it's just wasn't a mystery book. It's a little lacking in the mystery department and slow moving. The characters are fun and interesting but it reads more like chick-lit with a little mystery added on as an after thought.

Although, there is one more book in the series I have no desire to read it. I'm through with this series.

Illustration of the Day: Birds of Prey

Illustration: Birds of Prey issue #122

Book Review: Gargoyle Hall

Book: Gargoyle Hall (An Araminta Spookie Adventure book #6) by Angie Sage with illustrations by John Kelly

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

Description:

When Araminta throws cold water over her best friend, Wanda, to disperse a crowd of panicked bats, it's decided Araminta has been helpful one too many times, and she is packed off to boarding school. On arrival, Araminta is surprised to discover that Gargoyle Hall makes her home, Spook House, seems positively cosy. Strange moans and clanks echo down the corridors and the two head girls are equally creepy. Most of the other pupils have been scared away, but Araminta senses that something or someone is behind the menace. With the help of best friend Wanda and Uncle Drac's prize bat, she is going to do something about it!"



Rating: 3 stars

Review:

This was a slightly weird yet cute little story that follows would be detective Araminta Spookie as she and her best friend and sidekick Wanda Wizzard try to solve mysteries around her house and at the boarding school they both wind up at.

Araminta's aunt Tabby and uncle Drac seem to be keeping secrets from her and it has something to do with her uncle's bats. But just as she was going to start investigating, her great-aunt Emilene showed up with devastating news. Araminta will be going off to boarding school. But why? It's not her fault uncle Drac's bats got tangled up in Wanda's hair and she had to pour a bucket of water on her. She was only trying to help. But with even more less than stellar behavior happening around Spookie House it was safe to say that Araminta will find herself off to boarding school.

She was not happy about going away nor arriving at her new school Gargoyle Hall. After meeting the headmistress Mrs. Gargoyle and Violetta and Philomena, two mean students who were sisters, she went to her new room. Things perked up once she found Wanda who had stowed away in Araminta's trunk along with one of her uncle Drac's bat.

The happy reunion didn't last long because soon a loud and creepy noise was heard throughout the night. The following day brought nothing good, the headmistress was missing and her and Wanda were being bossed around by Violetta and Philomena. While Araminta and Wanda were locked in the cellar by the mean sisters, she had a suspicion where the headmistress may be but unless they could get out of the cellar they may never be able to help her.

That was not it, according to the mean sisters, there was a monster at the school. This was another mystery she had to solve. Help came unexpectedly when Araminta's cousin Mathilda showed up to rescue them but that was just the beginning of their weird time trying to solve the mysteries at the school.

Gargoyle Hall feels like it exist in the world of the Addams Family with Araminta always on the lookout for mysteries and this story has plenty of them to solve. There are also several ghosts (but they're her friends) and bats. This is a fun story for children who want a mystery book that's a little spooky (but not too spooky). Also, I love the cover art and the illustrations throughout the story they were really cute.

Art of the Day: Lois and Clark

Artwork: Lois and Clark Kissing by naooh

Book Review: Unicorn on a Roll

Book: Unicorn on a Roll: Another Phoebe and her Unicorn Adventure (Heavenly Nostrils book #2) by Dana Simpson

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Description:

The magical friendship of Phoebe and her best friend, unicorn Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, is back in this second adventure of a girl and her mythical creature!

One year has passed since Phoebe skipped a rock across a pond, accidentally hit a unicorn in the face, and was granted a single wish—which she used to make the unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, her obligational best friend. In some ways, not much has changed. At school Phoebe still clashes with her rival--and sometimes “frenemy”--he ever-taunting and imperious Dakota. Outside of school, she still fills her free time with extra-credit homework assignments, dramatic monologues about the injustices associated with school cliques, and imaginative conspiracy theories regarding global forces like the “powerful construction paper lobby.” But unlike before, Phoebe now has a best friend to share it with—someone to make her laugh and to listen to all her extravagant ideas.

In this second volume of Heavenly Nostrils, titled, Unicorn on a Roll, the reader is invited on a journey into the lives of Phoebe and Marigold as they navigate the difficulties of grade school, celebrate the winter holidays, and explore their super hero/super villain personas together. Join in the fun, as Phoebe competes against Dakota for the leading role of “Lisa Ladybug” in their fourth-grade play—or as she struggles to “manage” the PR debacle related to her nose-picking-scandal. (“I will neither confirm nor deny the events surrounding Boogergate.”) Witness a band of unicorns staging an “intervention” and learn all the details of Marigold’s secret crush on a mysterious creature she has never seen. Perhaps most important, watch as this surprising friendship between a charming, nine-year-old dreamer and a vain, mythical beast forever changes both of them for the better.


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

My review is probably longer than the description but I truly love this little book. Unicorn on a Roll is simply adorable and fun to read. This is the second book in the series which feature a collection of comics that follows the life of elementary student Phoebe and her best friend Marigold the unicorn.

Phoebe is an adorable little girl who is going through the daily grind of school and life at home. At school she has to contend with the snobbish bully Dakota while at home her parents just don't seem to understand her. 

Meanwhile, Marigold is so self-centered, I'm amazed that she can tear herself away from gazing at her reflection in the pond or from constantly thinking about herself to have time for Phoebe.

For some strange reason these two mesh well together and even in her most self absorbed way, Marigold is always there for Phoebe.

This collections includes a lot of fun stories such as Phoebe trying to find a great Christmas gift for Marigold as well as trying to figure out how to enjoy New Year's Eve (it's the one day of the year her parents let her stay up late). Not to mention Phoebe being thrilled to be in a spelling competition and trying out for her school's play but mostly this book is about the friendship between Phoebe and Marigold.

Did I say how much I adore this book? Well, I do and it's now a new favorite of mine.

Fashion Meets Comics: Sue Storm

Image: from the Fantastic Four movie

I was inspired by Sue Storm's Fantastic Four uniform to create two outfits, I love the mash-up of different textures and colors. Sue may be a scientist but it doesn't take a genius to see how chic, edgy and cool her uniform is.

From the neutrality of the black to the boldness of the blue, I wanted to see if I could put together outfits in this daring color combo.

For the first outfit, I paired a jacket with a dress and the second outfit is a jacket, top and jeans. I included an accessory with each look.

Image: from the Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer movie

Book Review: Supreme: Blue Rose

Book: Supreme: Blue Rose (issues #1-7) by Warren Ellis with illustrations by Tula Lotay

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Image Comics

Description:

"You are not dreaming. We are trying to communicate with you. Local reality has been reinstalled. Things have gone wrong. The revision has corrupted. Finding Ethan Crane is your supreme priority. Do not trust Darius Dax. We are all going to die." Supreme: Blue Rose re-introduces the central Image Comics character Supreme, in a multi-layered and often hallucinatory mystery presented by New York Times bestselling writer Warren Ellis and acclaimed new artist Tula Lotay in her astonishing graphic novel debut.


Rating: 2 stars

Review:

I picked this looking for something different to read and it's definitely different but I can't say I actually enjoyed reading it. I can't help feeling like Supreme: Blue Rose was a discarded Doctor Who time travel plot that didn't pan out. It was slow moving, boring and didn't make a whole lot of sense. However, it did have amazing artwork with the colors giving off a 3D effect at times.

The story is a little twisted and trippy as the currently unemployed investigative reporter Diana Dane is hired by the elusive and mysterious Mr. Darius Dax to find out more about an artifact that he has in his possession. According to his research it fell out of the sky and crashed in a small town but that's not what the news had reported.

While Diana was trying to figure out what was going on there were various and confusing subplots focusing on time travel and alternate universes. There was a lot of randomness in this such as the scenes of the Professor Night TV series, what was the point of including that, they added nothing to the story.

So, in the end, the story was just okay but the artwork was great.

Comic Book Wednesday: Sept. 2nd Picks

Here it is, already another Comic Book Wednesday, what's everyone picking up?

My list is a little short this week, not a lot out this time. There is one thing that's not on my list and that's Barb Wire. If it's not at the comic book store then I'll wait to pick up the series in the trade edition. 

Well, here's my list:


Archie Comics

Book: Betty and Veronica Comics Annual #236

Description:

The BFFs are back with even more pages of fun! Veronica's upset; her father plans on buying a robot for their mansion. Wait, what's so bad about that? Veronica's convinced this new robot will cause nothing but turmoil in her family's home, but Betty disagrees. Will this robot be a help or a hindrance? Find out in 'Nice Advice1" the fun all-new lead story to this comics annual!

Illustration of the Day: Betty Cooper

Wow, Betty is reading a book, watching TV, playing records and eating all while talking on the phone with Veronica. Now that's what I call multitasking.

Books of Interest: Kids of the Round Table

This looks really interesting with these kids ending up in the world of King Arthur.


Book: Kids of the Round Table (issue #1-4) by Robert Tinnell and Aaron J. Shelton with illustrations by The Fraim Brothers (Brendon and Brian)

Publication: October 15, 2015

Description:

Twelve year-old Kevin and his friends are transported to a world of magic after finding King Arthur's legendary sword Excalibur. Can these new Knights of the Round Table stop the evil witch Morgan le Fay from conquering both worlds? 

Book Review: The Good Brother

Book: The Good Brother by E.L. Chen

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: ChiZine Publications

Description:

Tori Wong is starting over. She’s fled home to do all the things she’s never done before. Like go out on weeknights, flirt with boys, and live out of the shadow of her overachieving brother, to whom her parents always compare her—even though he’s dead. But reinventing yourself isn’t as easy as it seems. Especially during the Festival of Hungry Ghosts, when traditional Chinese believe that neglected spirits roam the earth. Three ghosts return: her vengeful brother Seymour, and ambitious Vicky and meek Mui-Mui, herself at age seventeen and eleven. How can you start a new life when you are literally haunted by the past?


Rating: 4 stars

Review:

It's Ghost Month and 21 years old Victoria "Tori" Wong is being haunted by her older brother Seymour's ghost. After days of following her around tormenting her, she finally gave in to his ghostly demands, of burning the hell money. But doing that was supposed to make him leave, instead two more ghosts appeared. They were ghosts of her younger self, a version of her when she was ten (Mui-Mui) and the other when she was 17 (Vicky).

The Good Brother had an interesting story but at times it's a bit gloomy. I think Tori's life was very miserable long before the ghosts showed up. It started to make me wonder if maybe she manifested them because she was so disappointed with the way her life was going. Another thing she was tired of was living in her brother's shadow and would like to finally live her own life. But her parents want her to go back to college to become a doctor as her brother was planning to do.

It's hard to imagine but the ghosts were making her life even more unbearable than before from them causing problems at her job at the bookstore to crowding her at home, everything was a mess.

When I started reading this I thought man is this gloomy and I almost decided to stop reading it. I don't know why I continued, maybe it was in the hopes that the story would perk up a bit but really I kept reading because I wanted to know why she was being haunted and also to see if she would finally start living her life.

I found that the doom, gloom and dreariness had a point in this story because although she didn't want to admit or deal with it. Tori was dealing with a lot from the pressure of her parents to live up to their expectations to trying to figure out who she was now since she was no longer Mui-Mui or Vicky. She was at a crossroads so to speak and the ghosts just added to her misery. It seemed as if she was running away from her problems but the ghosts were something she could not run away from.

This surprised me because I thought it was going to be one big bleak story but it was more than that. I'm glad I didn't stop reading, because I would have missed the importance of Tori's ordeal. With all the dreariness this does have a happy ending in a way with Tori's life starting to go the way she wanted it to.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would although there were things that made me a little mad but in the end it wasn't a bad read. Despite the heaviness of the story it was a quick read and the writing was fast-paced and emotional.