Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 02:25 AM PDT

Justice League # 1 (DC)(US$3.99)

Writer: Geoff Johns

Artists: Jim Lee and Scott Williams

THE wait is finally over! And yes, DC has delivered on the creative front with this flagship-worthy effort for its revamped universe.

In Jim Lee and Scott Williams, you have an artistic team that has sold eight million copies of a single issue (X-Men # 1), while Geoff Johns has spent the last decade "re-synching" the DC Universe with fanboy expectations.

With such credentials, they could do wonders even to the Legion of Substitute Heroes!

It's all about the dream pairing here – as DC's strongest creative team gets to work on the universe's mightiest heroes and to rewrite 25 years of history. While JL-purists would scream blasphemy at the exclusion of the Martian Manhunter and Cyborg as his replacement, this blotch is overshadowed by the riveting illustrations.

From the Dark Knight evading a team of aerial law enforcers to the Emerald Knight strutting his will power whatchamajig, every single panel here is filled with excitement!

The art also happens to be the saving grace as there's little plot to boast – who needs it with Lee in such commanding form.

This first story arc is premised on (re)uniting a super team with the usual first meetings and slugfests. With this being a brand new beginning, everything is set to "reset" with all the heroes being strangers to one another.

The tale is set five years ago, with Batman setting the tempo with an adrenaline pumping rooftop pursuit of an Apokolips parademon.

The Dark Knight gets sidetracked when law enforcers and Sector 2814's protector (no prizes for guessing who!) steps into the picture.

As expected, Bats and Green Lantern combine well in their "first" adventure together, whilst exchanging notes between themselves.

With the Apokolips-prey blown to bits, the surprise comes in the Lantern taking the lead in the detective field.

He (simply) connects the parademon to a specific Metropolis-based Kryptonian. What's even more surprising is the Dark Knight's accommodating approach – as the duo head for an inevitable showdown with the "new look" Man of Steel.

In between the trio's meeting, the plot weaves into the reintroduction of Victor Stone @ Cyborg. Synonymous with the Teen Titans all this while, Cyborg's elevation into the big league is timely indeed and probably due to his recent Flashpoint escapades.

As for the other Leaguers, notably Flash, Wonder Woman and Aquaman, their impending debuts are mere issue(s) away – as judging by the build-ups, inevitable showdowns with Darkseid and Lex Luthor accommodating everyone.

Old is new again – that's my verdict of this Johns-Lee revamp.

While Batman and Green Lantern's costumes and attitudes have not changed much, Superman minus the red-undies will take some getting used to.

With Lee's magnificent art is a given, it's Johns giving colour and depth to the characters that I eagerly want more of. Overall, it's a positive start and now for the other 51 new titles!

DC Retroactive Justice League America The 90s # 1 (one-shot)

Writer: Keith Giffen and J.M.DeMatteis

Artist: Kevin Maguire

The BWAHAHA days are back and this is a wonderful alternative to the high profile Geoff Johns-Jim Lee revamp. Ironically, this same creative team was in the thick of the action the last time the DC Universe undertook a massive revamp, and their reunion here serves as a timely reminder as to the versatility of the League.

From the Clock King to Power Girl's cat, the whole 1990s bandwagon is brought back, making this one-shot a perfect complement to the classic 1990s run. What attracts me most is the presence of the "late" Blue Beetle and Maxwell Lord, who to me were the pulse of the League (then). Definitely the best offering in this Retroactive blitz.

Kick Ass 2 # 3 (Marvel)(US$2.99)

Writer: Mark Millar

Artists: John Romita Jr and Tom Palmer

AS Dave Liezewski finds self-fulfilment as a Justice Forever member, so do the others – as vigilante acts proliferate across the USA. Two major turning points take place in this issue as someone important learns about Dave's secret identity and the return of "he-who-shall-not-be-named"!

Moonlighting between his studies and crimefighting, Dave relives Peter Parker's college days dilemma. Thinking that he's finally got it made under the Chief's tutelage, Dave's past finally catches up with him – and we're not talking about Katie.

What's even more exciting is the inevitable return of Hit Girl!

Ultimate Comics The Ultimates # 1 (Marvel)(US$3.99)

Writer: Jonathan Hickman

Artist: Esad Ribic

Marvel squeezes in on DC's revamp hype through this umpteenth Ultimates reboot. Equipped with a white poly bag, the element of surprise is matched with a star-studded cast comprising Asgardians and Excalibur. If this comic came equipped with a dolby sound system, we would all be rendered deaf due to the explosions and rampant battle scenes.

Similar to Justice League, it's lots of "bang and boom" here but very little storyline – despite Hickman's proven track record on team books (Fantastic Four).

Esad's art is always a joy to behold but somehow I feel that he hasn't assimilated his style with most of the featured characters. Only the Asgardians look stunning. Fingers-crossed this story arc will put the Ultimates back on the map, especially after its last disappointing outing.

Comics courtesy of Earth638 (2.31J, Kelana Street Mall, Jalan SS6/12, Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya, Selangor – next to Giant Hypermarket). Hotline: 03-7804-8380/e-mail: earth638@yahoo.com, Twitter: @earth638.

Sweet sixteen

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 12:49 AM PDT

The Birthday Ball

Author: Lois Lowry

Illustrator: Jules Feiffer

Publisher: Sandpiper, 192 pages

PRINCESS Patricia Priscilla is bored with her royal life and the excitement surrounding her 16th birthday ball. Doomed to endure courtship by three grotesquely unappealing noblemen, she adopts a peasant disguise and escapes her fate – for just one week. In this tale of mistaken identity, creamed pigeons, and young love, the two-time Newbery medallist Lois Lowry compares princesses to peasants and finds them to be exactly the same in all the important ways.

All These Things I've Done

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 368 pages

IN 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the 16-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant District Attorney's son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is, until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight – at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her Mafia family.

Shelter (a Mickey Bolitar novel)

Author: Harlan Corben

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile, 288 pages

MICKEY Bolitar's year can't get much worse. After witnessing his father's death and sending his mother to rehab, he's forced to live with his estranged uncle Myron and switch schools. A new school comes with new friends and new enemies and, luckily for Mickey, a great new girlfriend, Ashley. For a while, it seems like Mickey's train-wreck of a life is finally improving – until Ashley vanishes without a trace. Unwilling to let another person walk out of his life, Mickey follows Ashley's trail into a seedy underworld that reveals that this seemingly sweet, shy girl isn't who she claimed to be. And neither was Mickey's father. Soon, Mickey learns about a conspiracy so shocking that it makes high school drama seem like a luxury – and leaves him questioning everything about the life he thought he knew.

This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein

Author: Kenneth Opel

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 304 pages

GROWING up, twin brothers Victor and Konrad fill their lives with imaginary adventures until the day they stumble upon The Dark Library, where they discover secret books of alchemy and ancient remedies. When Konrad falls gravely ill, Victor is drawn back to the mysterious library in search of a cure. He uncovers an ancient formula, beginning a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life. The brothers' success depends on how far they are willing to push the boundaries of nature, science and love.

Blood Red Road

Author: Moira Young

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 464 pages

SABA has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sand storms. The Wrecker civilisation has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother, Lugh, is around. But when a monster sand storm arrives bearing four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on a quest to get him back. Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of Silverlake, Saba discovers she is a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. Joining forces with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilisation.

Entwined

Author: Heather Dixon

Publisher: Greenwillow Books, 480 pages

AZALEA is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her – beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing – it's taken away. All of it. The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation. Every night, Azalea and her 11 sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest. But there is a cost. The Keeper likes to keep things. Azalea may not realise how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

The Thief of Eddis: A Conspiracy of Kings

Author: Megan Whalen Turner

Publisher: Greenwillow Books, 352 pages

SOPHOS, heir to the throne of Sounis, has disappeared without a trace. Eugenides, the new and unlikely king of Attolia, has never stopped wondering what happened to his friend. Nor has the Queen of Eddis, who once offered Sophos her hand. They send spies. They pay informants. They appeal to the gods. But as time goes by, it becomes less and less certain that they will ever see their friend alive again. Battles are fought, bribes are offered, and conspiracies are set in motion. Across the sea, a ruthless empire watches for even the slightest weakness. And Sophos, anonymous and alone, bides his time. Until, drawing on his memories of Gen, Pol, the magus – and Eddis – Sophos sets out on an adventure that will change all of their lives forever.

Geronimo Stilton and the Kingdom of Fantasy #3: The Amazing Voyage

Author: Geronimo Stilton

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 320 pages

HOLEY cheese! Join Geronimo as he returns to the Kingdom of Fantasy for a third amazing adventure! Geronimo learns that the Kingdom is suffering an endless, freezing winter and that the queen of the fairies is in danger. Once there, Geronimo explores fantastical new lands and travels on a magical talking ship. Can Geronimo extinguish a threatening volcano in time to restore peace and springtime to the Kingdom of Fantasy?

Tracing the leak

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 12:26 AM PDT

A look at the reclusive Julian Assange who almost single-handedly brought new meaning to the term 'whistle-blowing'.

WikiLeaks – Inside Julian Assange's War On Secrecy

Authors: David Leigh & Luke Harding

Publisher: The Guardian/Public Affairs, 352 pages

WIKILEAKS. The mere mention of the term has the potential to send civil servants in Downing Street, the White House, the Kremlin, why, even Putrajaya, scurrying around trying to impose some sort of damage control. Whisper the name Julian Assange, and you can almost imagine the sweat creasing their brows.

Eye-catching and simply titled WikiLeaks in bold block letters, this book goes inside Wikileaks founder Assange's war on secrecy. Ironically, the book chronicles the life of a man who is very private but tries to make everything else public information. Reclusive, austere and wildly self-involved, Assange almost single-handedly brought new meaning to the term "fanatical hacking".

With a brief introduction by Alan Rusbridger (the editor-in-chief of The Guardian), the authors David Leigh and Luke Harding – both journalists with that newspaper – tell the story by expertly guiding the reader through a step-by-step analysis of how a new war on secrecy secretly unfolded.

The book narrates how WikiLeaks came into existence, who Assange is, what makes him tick, why he did what he did and what the future holds for him. Each chapter divulges, as promised in the introduction, morsels of information that whet your appetite so much that you lick your lips and succumb to turning the page. Reading this book, you may be lulled into thinking that it is fiction writing at its best, when in fact, it is a true story.

Each new chapter of the book (with its catchy title) introduces a new character. The book starts off in Norfolk, Britain, with Assange disguising himself, implausibly, as a hunch-backed woman. The authors then cleverly switch to Iraq where the now infamous Bradley Manning – the 23-year-old US army private and alleged WikiLeaks source – was based. While Assange may be the titular character of the book, the supporting roles played by others, such as Manning, are given equal importance.

The book examines the Internet culture and technology that made mining top secret information possible, moving from high stakes daredevilry to occasional moments of circus comedy. It also brings to light the age-old comedic fact that continuously circulates in White Hall (and here I parapharase from the BBC comedy Yes, Minister): that is, should a folder be marked "Confidential", it will be leaked to the newspapers on the same day the Minister receives it; and if it were marked "Restricted", it will be leaked on the previous day, even before the Minister knows about it!

The book, published by The Guardian, further reinforces the fact that throughout this saga, WikiLeaks' principal partner in the mainstream media has always been The Guardian. It reveals that the esteemed British newspaper's journalists have always had unprecedented access to all the major players depicted in the book, from the angry and embarrassed politicians to Assange himself, who, at one point, was hiding in co-author Leigh's house.

Leigh (an investigations editor) and Harding (a Moscow correspondent) are both uniquely positioned to have first-hand knowledge of what exactly transpired, it seems. Input by people who were actually in the thick of things gives the book an almost faultless flow. This provides an excellent opportunity for everyone who has always wondered what all the hype was about to gain insight into the WikiLeaks scandal and Assange.

Details on the US embassy cables that were leaked are included in the book's appendix. Reading through the cables, you might almost think you're reading something out of a bizarre comedy show. One minute you may burst out laughing and yet, in the next, you may exclaim in disbelief at the ludicrousness of the information.

Besides providing a gripping look into one of the biggest international scandals of recent times, WikiLeaks also reminds people about the giant role that mainstream media (which is often taken for granted and even presumed by some to be obsolete) still plays in most countries. After all, without the mainstream media, WikiLeaks and Assange may not have become household names.

At its core, this book is an extraordinarily detailed and compelling human drama about a man and an organisation that are determined to end secrecy forever. Get it now, read it and take some time to ponder, before pausing and wondering, to leak or not to leak? Because, as we've seen, a trickle of information can soon become a gush.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Jumaat, 16 September 2011

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan