Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

June 13, 2015July 14, 2019 / Absidity Art / Leave a comment

Rot & Ruin, Vol. 1: Warrior Smart by Jonathan Maberry (author) & Tony Vargas (Illustrator)

Graphic Novel /Comic Book – Paperback, 120 pages

Published May 5th 2015 by IDW Publishing (I won a copy through Diamond Distributors)

Brand-new adventures set in the world of Rot & Ruin!

Written by New York Times best-selling author and multiple Bram Stoker award-winner, Jonathan Maberry, this all-new storyline continues events from the award-winning series of novels.

We meet Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Chong as they travel through the Sierra Nevada mountains just one faltering step ahead of zombie hordes and one giant leap behind the plane flying through the sky that set them on their journey of discovery.

I’ve never read any of the other Rot and Ruin books and to be honest I wouldn’t have read this book hadn’t I won it – but I’m glad I did as I mostly enjoyed it.

The first page sets up the universe, giving us sufficient background on the characters and their world. By the second page you’ve got a feeling for these likable kids and the story can take off at a fast pace, which it does really well. I didn’t feel I was missing anything by not reading the previous books.

We follow Benny Imura, his girlfriend Nix, his best mate Chong and Lilah the girl they found living out in the forest on her own, as they scrounge for supplies and dodge and slash their way through the hordes of zombies while trying to track down where the plane they saw came from.

The story is pretty standard until they stubble access the creepy farmer John and his baby farm. I’m not going to say anymore then “it” made me really psychotic thriller uncomfortable, but “it” made the story – if that makes sense.

I’m not a big Zombie fan. I love me some evil bad guys, demonic cults and mythological beasts – but I’ve never been on the Zombie band wagon.

I would say that over all I enjoyed this compendium more than the first eight Walking Dead’s combined – sorry that’s all I’ve got to compare it to – I made it through the first eight of The Walking Dead books by Robert Kirkman. I decided to give the Walking Dead a try as I really enjoyed what I’d read of Kirkman’s Outsiders (demonic possession) series.

I think zombie loving teens (and any zombie fans in general) would eat up this take on a YA Zombie Apocalypse Graphic Novel – Hey! Zombies just aren’t my thing and I’m still giving it a three stars, so that should say something.

Twitter – https://twitter.com/jonathanmaberry

Website – http://www.jonathanmaberry.com/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/72451.Jonathan_Maberry

BATGIRL: ‘The New 52’ DC Comic Book Series

March 13, 2015July 14, 2019 / Absidity Art / Leave a comment

The daughter of Police Commissioner Jim Gordon, Barbara Gordon was raised in Gotham City, knowing firsthand the dangers inherent in living there. A classic overachiever and determined student, she struck out on her own as Batgirl in an attempt to help both Batman and her father in their mission to protect the citizens of Gotham. Quickly reined in by Batman and trained to be a more effective hero. Batgirl became a valued member of his team along with the first Robin, Dick Grayson. Tragically, Barbara’s life was forever altered when the joker shot her while she was in her civilian identity, while he was attacking her father. She was paralyzed from the waist down, and it seemed as if her time as Batgirl has been ended permanently. But Barbara did not give up. Working herself to the absolute limits of her physical and mental abilities, in time she regained the ability to walk. Taking things a step further, she made the daring choice to retrain herself and return to patrolling Gotham City as Batgirl.

I’d forgotten Batgirl was Commissioner Gordon’s Daughter, so that was a nice surprise.

I like Batgirl; she has a cool motorbike that can ride up walls then para-shoot back down, oh and she’s a strong, independent female kicking bad guys asses.

I started this whole thing backwards; the first Batgirl comic I read was #39, then going on to read #39’s story continuation in Secret Origins #10. I decided at this point that I really should stop and start at the beginning.

I’m still getting used to how short comic books feel – they end and I just want to keep reading.

So let’s start at the beginning:

Batgirl #0: in this Issue we get to see the First time Barbara puts on the cape and becomes Batgirl. We get a glimpse at her first year as a crime fighting vigilante. I really enjoyed this prequel issue setting up what I am sure to be an action packed and entertaining series. I’m looking forward to following Barbara Gordon through this series. I can definitely see myself becoming addicted to Batgirl’s world, which my husband is not too happy about lol.

Bob’s Burgers

March 5, 2015July 14, 2019 / Absidity Art / Leave a comment

Bob’s Burgers Volume 1 By Chad Brewster, Jeff Drake, Justin Hook, Rachel Hastings and Mike Olsen

Published Apr 7 2015 by Diamond Book Distributors / Dynamite Entertainment

I received a copy to read and review through Net Galley, so thank you to the Authors and Publisher for allowing me this opportunity.

Now you can read about the Belcher family (parents Bob and Linda, and their children Tina, Gene and Louise) with brand-new in-canon stories created by the TV show’s producers, writers, and animators!

That’s right, all-original stories that expand upon the fan-favorite animated series, including hilarious installments of “Louise’s Unsolved Mysteries”, “Tina’s Erotic Friend Fiction”, “A Gene Belcher Original Musical”, “Letters Written by Linda”, “Bob’s Burgers of the Day”, and much more!

I’ve only every managed to catch a few episodes of Bob’s Burgers the show and I liked what I saw. I decided to give the Comic book version a ago and I’m glad it did as it was a really fun and quick read.

‘Volume One’ contains the first Five issues. Each issue is set up with each Belcher getting their own sections to show off their quirky wonderful selves. My favourite throughout was Tina’s erotic friend fiction, it gave us everything thing from a Frankenstein Jimmy Jr with a perfect butt, to Tina as a super hero horse with some zombie apocalypse thrown in for good measure. I also really enjoyed Louise’s fort inspired shanty town and giggled out loud when it imploded on itself. Linda’s letters were amusing and Bob’s burgers of the day were delicious. I couldn’t really get into Gene’s Musicals, although the farting frog pied piper was a goofy bit of fun – I felt everything else transferred to the page from the screen really well.

I’ve gone and got myself some Bob’s Burgers DVDs now 🙂 time to give them a go.

Four Stars

If you like Bob’s Burgers and you like comic books then you’ll be in Belcher Burger heaven with this.

Bob Dahli

Outcast by Robert Kirkman

February 27, 2015July 14, 2019 / Absidity Art / 2 Comments

Outcast by Robert Kirkman

Published 10th February 2015 by Image Comics & Diamond Book Distributors

I received a copy to read and review through Net Galley, so thank you to the Author and Publisher for allowing me this opportunity.

Thanks to The Walking Dead Robert Kirkman would have to be one of the biggest names in the comic book industry at the moment. Outcast has only just put out it’s first six issues and it’s already been picked up for a TV show.

I don’t normally read things labeled as “Horror” but am happy I gave this a go. I am still rather new to the comic book world but am loving it (don’t worry I have no intention of giving up my YA Fantasy’s or any other books for that matter).

I enjoyed Outcast. I liked Kyle, I felt for the bloke. When we first meet Kyle he is living out his days in filth as a hermit, stuck in his own personal hell. Through a series of flash backs we learn of the major events in Kyle’s life and it quickly becomes evident that there has always been some sort of demonic force behind his downfall. His mother was possessed when he was only a little boy. His wife becomes possessed, sending his little girl to hospital clinging to life and he is blamed for it. The Demons seem drawn to him. Kyle ends up with the local Reverend carrying out an exorcism, and we see him come to life again with the passion to discover the truth. That’s where this volume ends, with Kyle Vowing to discover the truth.

I intend to follow this series, I actually liked it that much. I want to see if Kyle can clear his name and get his little girl back. I want to see what happens with the big bad demon that was threatening the Reverend. And I want to find out why the demons all keep calling Kyle ‘Outcast’. I’d say i’ll wait until they do volume two rather than individual issues, so i’ll probably be waiting another six months (I’m going off of the fact that Saga a issue comes out once a month and every six they do a ‘volume’ combining the six). I don’t think I’d get enough substance in one issue, I fly though one volume as it is.

Anyway I’m rambling – five stars.