The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf |
| Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:10 AM PST FROM space sagas to fairytale twists, supervillain heists to alien abductions, this month's selection of new graphic novels for mature readers has something for everyone. Saga, Vol. 1 COLLECTING the first six issues of this epic series by the writer of Y: The Last Man and Ex Machina, with gorgeous artwork by Staples, Saga is the, er ... saga of a child who is born to parents from two opposite sides of a neverending galactic war. With a fascinating mix of science fiction and fantasy influenced by a healthy dose of Star Wars-like space opera, this is one of the year's most engaging and entertaining reads. Fairest, Vol. 1: Wide Awake A SPIN-OFF from Willingham's long-running Fables series, Fairest turns the focus on Fables' female characters, with Willingham himself taking on the first story arc involving Briar Rose a.k.a. the Sleeping Beauty and the Snow Queen. The series is meant to be a complement to the main Fables series, and serves to further expand the already richly detailed world. Saucer Country, Vol.1: Run MEET Arcadia Alvarado, Governor of New Mexico and Presidential candidate, who has to deal with immigration problems, budget cuts, and an alcoholic ex-husband. On top of it all, she's convinced she was abducted by aliens! One of the year's most intriguing new series, Saucer Country explores the myth surrounding UFO abductions and other extraterrestrial activities. Wide Awake collects issues #1-#6 of the series, as well as an extra story from Strange Adventures #1. The Unwritten, Vol. 6: Tommy Taylor and the War of Words THINGS finally come to a head as Tom Taylor goes to war against the cabal that has tormented, imprisoned and tried to destroy him. Collecting issues #31-#35.5 of the ongoing series, this trade paperback also includes the ".5" issues that were released in between the regular comics, detailing the history of the Unwritten cabal. Supercrooks, Book 1: The Heist JOHNNY Bolt is a veteran supervillain who has just been released after doing a stint in prison for using his superpowers in a robbery. Fed up with the tough competition amongst villains in America, he and a few pals head over to Spain, where they plan one of the most audacious heists of all time – robbing the world's most notorious super-villain, The B*stard! This brand-new series from the creator of Kick-Ass has been described as "X-Men Meets Ocean's Eleven" (comicbookresources.com) and is a worthy addition to Millar's line of hard-hitting, no-holds-barred Millarworld books. Annotated Sandman, Vol. 2 THIS special edition collects issues #21-#39 of Gaiman's iconic series (spanning the Season of Mists and A Game Of You storylines), with annotations by Leslie Klinger (whose previous work includes The Annotated Sherlock Holmes and The Annotated Dracula) that detail the historical and literary references in the series. Scalped, Vol. 10: Trails End IF you've been following this gritty, hard-hitting series about life on a Native American reservation, you definitely won't want to miss the explosive conclusion which sees Dashiell Bad Horse tying up loose ends in a fiery stand-off climax with Lincoln Red Crow, Agent Nitz and Catcher. A satisfying end to a brilliant series. Collects Scalped #56-#60. Kick-Ass 2 AFTER the events of the last book, Kick-Ass' success in bringing down the Mafia sparks a superhero craze – overnight, everyone wants to be a superhero as well! So, Kick-Ass takes the next logical step – he joins a superhero team! Unfortunately, his nemesis Red Mist also forms his own team of supervillains, and Kick-Ass is forced to cajole the 11-year-old, foul-mouthed, ass-kicking Hit Girl out of retirement to help whip his ass into shape. All the titles featured here are available at Kinokuniya, Suria KLCC. |
| Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:10 AM PST Marvel goes for broke with a significant shift in its universe and a series of new titles. NOW ... this is what I call Marvel! Having played second fiddle to DC Comics for a whole year, the House of Ideas is back with a vengeance. While their "Distinguished Competition" utilised the Flashpoint alternate-reality event to spin off a roster of 52 new titles, Marvel is going for broke with Marvel Now! Its chief creative officer Joe Quesada insists Now! is not a reboot, but a "shifting" of the Marvel Universe following the events of the recently concluded Avengers Vs X-Men (AVX) mega-event. The changes will go beyond merely cosmetic (i.e. new costumes) and will also include shifts in the status quo, revised alter-egos, new creative teams and so on. Last month's Uncanny Avengers was just the tip of the iceberg, as the subsequent offerings pave the way towards a brighter future for the Marvel Universe. Besides the titles featured here, there are also new #1s for other characters such as Iron Man and Deadpool. All New X-Men #1 JEAN Grey returns (for the umpteenth time!) together with the original X-Men! No, it's neither a hoax nor a "What if…?" story, and there is definitely no cloning involved. Falling back on the old time-travel option, Beast deduces that the only way to undo the damaged caused by Cyclops during AVX is to get the latter's younger self to correct his future self. While confusing initially, the sight of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's pioneering Children of the Atom team dispelled whatever concerns I had about this blast-from-the-past escapade. Being a huge fan of the original X-Men (thanks to the Cyclops and Jean romance, as well as the cool dark blue duds), I am all for this X-citing "old meets new" event. The inevitable showdown between the younger Cyclops and today's "Leader of Mutants" Cyclops should hog the limelight for a good dozen issues, but what's equally intriguing is how Jean adapts to her new surroundings, particularly when coming to terms with eventualities in her "future" such as her role as Dark Phoenix, her "relationship" with Wolverine, and also Cyclops' current squeeze, Emma Frost! Fantastic Four #1 WHEN Reed Richards mutters "Uh-oh", you know the outcome has to be something cataclysmic or fatal. After all, it is pretty unusual for one of comics' brainiest personas to be so dumbstruck. The premise for this relaunch has Reed discovering that the cosmic powers which gave him his stretching abilities are also gradually killing him and the rest of the Fantastic Four. With no known cure existing in this universe, Reed has only one option left – look for it in the Unknown Universes. This prompts a year-long space journey (although factoring in time travel, Mr Fantastic estimates the trip will only take four "real time" minutes, which ties in to the developments in spin-off title FF #1). I have high hopes for this title, thanks to Fraction's past track record in revolutionizing Iron Man. Further enhancing the issue is the presence of Bagley, who is known for delivering gradually improving long runs – case in point, his Ultimate Spider-Man stint. FF #1 FF stands for the Future Foundation – where Reed Richards hopes to nurture the next generation of creative minds to ensure a better tomorrow. The Fantastic Four have to leave Earth on a trip that will take all of four minutes, and not willing to leave Earth unprotected even for that short period of time, each of them chooses a replacement to take their place at the FF for that period. Reed opts for an unorthodox replacement in Scott Lang a.k.a. Ant Man, whose credentials as an engineer, nanotech specialist and part-time superhero makes him a suitable choice. However, his character is blemished by the fact that he is an ex-convict and currently, a grieving father (his daughter was killed by Dr Doom). The latter development is what got me hooked on this title – imagine the potential of Scott utilizing a dozen creative young minds to avenge his daughter's death! Hopefully, Fraction shares the same wavelength as I do. The other members of this quartet are Medusa (Sue's choice), She-Hulk (The Thing's choice), and new character "Miss Thing" (a regular human and ex-model chosen by Johnny Storm, because she just happened to be the girl he was bedding at the time). On paper, this may appear to be the most distasteful FF team since Herbie the Robot was inducted, but I do sense that there will be some surprises in store! Captain America #1 THIS is the sixth Cap title relaunch I have gone through, and I would have given it a miss if not for Romita Jr's presence. While most reboots have centred on the Red Skull, this time we get the debut of the Green Skull instead. This first issue also headlines perennial Cap villain Arnim Zola, who abducts the hero to Dimension Z to fulfil his plan of cloning a son. If you use Ed Brubaker's run as a benchmark, then this premiere issue is definitely not of the same calibre. But there is one positive note – namely, a breakthrough in the Steve Rogers-Sharon Carter romance. The ball is now in Steve's court, and it'll be interesting to see how extreme a status change Remender gives to the couple. Janson's inks also help to provide better finishing to Romita Jr's art, especially when compared to the latter's work on AVX. X-Men Legacy #1 IT is great to see fellow Malaysian Tan Eng Huat add another mainstream feather to his cap, on a title that features the homecoming of Legion (a.k.a. David Haller, or Charles Xavier Jr.). After decades of being stereotyped as the misguided one (he did ignite the Age of Apocalypse after all), Legion is now undergoing psychic rehabilitation and preparing to fight his father's cause... that is, before finding out about Xavier's death (AVX #11). Besides having to come to terms with the devastating news, Legion also has to deal with the multiple personalities entrapped in his psyche. Unfortunately, Legion is not exactly a character who grows on you, and I found this a confusing read because of the constant switching between reality and Legion's psyche. Thor, God of Thunder #1 THREE Thors for the price of one! The present-day Thor joins forces with a younger Mjolnir-less version and an elderly Odin-like version to fight a common enemy – the God Butcher! Aaron serves up a thought-provoking tale that bridges myth and superheroics, as Thor grapples with the differences between being worshipped as a superhero and as a god. The premise is built on the notion that even immortals can die. Thor comes across a series of "god killings" during his past and present adventures, and discovers that the killer is none other than a demigod who is hell-bent on killing other immortals across the nine realms. I bought this for Esad Ribic's art and he is truly in his element in bringing the thunder! Indestructible Hulk #1 THE transition from "Incredible" to "Indestructible" starts here, and the first status change involves the Green Goliath becoming an agent of SHIELD! Fed up with being stereotyped as a force of destruction, Bruce Banner decides to utilize his brains and brawn for a greater cause. To do this, however, he needs direction and resources that only SHIELD can provide. Hence, Banner approaches the agency's director Maria Hill for a job, and his "audition" sees him going up against the Mad Thinker. As with his work on Daredevil, Waid focuses on Hulk and Banner's strong points while piggybacking on tried-and-tested plots. Leinil's work here is simply stunning, further cementing his status as one of Marvel's must watch artists. Comics courtesy of Earth638 (2nd Floor, Kelana Mall, Jalan SS 6/12, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tel: 03-7804 8380. Email: earth638@yahoo.com) |
| Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:10 AM PST The Essay JIMMY Lee Hickam is growing up dirt poor with a surname that has been synonymous with trouble for generations. When he proves to be a football star, people nod and say he's lucky, it might take him somewhere. But when he writes a prize-winning English essay, accusations of cheating come thick and fast from irate parents of the "good" kids and even the school administration. Only his English teacher believes in him and, despite what others say, she strives to take his writing talent as far as it can go. Jimmy Lee's story, as he challenges undeserved stigmatisation in his effort to rise above his circumstances, is one that underlines the importance of persevering in the face of life's obstacles. Diary Of A Wimpy Kid, Book 7: The Third Wheel OH no! It's that rite of passage that every boy has to undergo at some point in his life: the school dance. What's worse, this is a Valentine's Day dance so going without a date would be a disaster, of course. And so our favourite Wimpy Kid scrambles to find someone of the fairer sex willing to accompany him. Greg's only consolation is that best pal Rowley is having just as difficult a time getting a date. Fallen In Love LAUREN Kate expands the universe of her bestselling Fallen series with a collection of four stories featuring characters that have appeared in the lives of eternal lovers Luce and the fallen angel Daniel, the focus of the series. Set in the Middle Ages, these stories tell of Miles and Shelby who find love where they least expect it, of Roland whose heart is broken, of Arianne who has to choose between love and doing the right thing, and a different take on Luce and Daniel's romance with Luce becoming Lucinda just to spend a night with her love. The Worst Thing About My Sister WHAT happens when you put chalk and cheese together? Nothing very good, that's for sure! Girly Melissa and tomboy Marty are worlds apart but they've managed to live together so far without committing murder. Then mum tells them that they have to share a room. Melissa's Justin Bieber obsession and love of all things pink are going to drive Marty crazy; and Marty's football boots and DIY bits from her projects with dad are sure to grate on Melissa's delicate sensibilities ... And then something really bad happens and the sisters discover the unexpected consequences of living too close for comfort. |
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