Lumberjanes #18-23 by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Carey Pietsch, et al has been a little uneven for me lately. There was that whole mermaid arc that didn't thrill me, but we're in a better place now.
Zodiac Starforce #1 by Kevin Panetta and Paulina Ganucheau is a first issue I picked up on the fly. It was cute...a team of teen girls with powers that fall in line with their zodiac signs. Where's the scorpio, tho?
Friends is Friends by Greg Cook was a graphic novel I did not enjoy. Typically, I'm charmed by anything from First Second, but this one was a big miss. Cut into little vignettes of a "hobo" elephant and his friends, it seemed to not know exactly what it wanted to be. Adult? Children's? Boring? Pointless? Yeah.
Pretty Deadly #6-8 by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Emma Rios continues to rock my world. This second arc in the series is set in WWII and I can't wait to see where it goes.
Underwire by Jennifer Hayden was, by far, the surprise of the month. This is a graphic novel I picked up on sale at Comixology, and I couldn't have been more thrilled with it. Biographical vignettes of the author's irreverent life were just my bag.
The Wicked + the Divine Volume 1: The Faust Act by Kieren Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, et al was stellar. When it comes to sophisticated storytelling and compelling art, this one is tippy top for me.
Supergirl Volume 1: Last Daughter of Krypton by Michael Green, Mike Johnson, and Mahmud Asrar is again outside my comfort zone with its capes and tights, but I looooved this. There's some nostalgia involved here, too, since I've adored Supergirl since I was a kid.
We Can Never Go Home by Matthew Rosenberg, Patrick Kindlon, and Josh Hood was in my latest Landfall Freight box, and it was not my fave. Two teens, one who claims to have magical powers and one who is questionable, are on the run after they rob a drug ring. This just seemed like shallow storytelling and too many of the same old plot devices.
And the lonely prose this month...
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie just wasn't long enough, but beyond that, I have no complaints.
The Vegetarian by Han Kang was a book I loooooved. If you're participating in Outlandish Lit's #Weirdathon in March, this is right on the money.
I would consider six of these "my own damn books" for #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks. That is, they were procured before 2016 began. The others are a result of my not instituting a comics buying embargo on myself.
I've been waffling about The Vegetarian, but just read the first paragraph on another post and really loved that small snippet. So, it's still a possibility...
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely a very different kind of book. I was so tempted to put it aside at first, but I'm glad I endured. Lots of issues to discuss.
DeleteLook at you, killing it with the comics!
ReplyDeleteI almost just requested The Vegetarian at the library but resisted. I've got a stack of five books already for #Weirdathon, most of which are my own damned ones!
Wheee! Comics February was very good to me. Go you with your own damned books!
DeleteWooo hooo! You had a great February!!
ReplyDeleteI did! Comics all the time!
DeleteThe Vegetarian is already on my list (when I read it is another story), and I read just this morning a good review of another of her books, Human Acts (at Word By Word).
ReplyDeleteAs for reading my own books, this month it was only 2 (but one was a chunkster!).
I need to look up Human Acts! Good for you! I'm so bad at chunksters. Sooo very bad.
DeleteWhich of those comics (if any) would you think Bee would like? Keep in mind I've let her read Lumberjanes, so she's allowed fairly forward things. (Technically, she can read whatever she wants. What will keep her attention, on the other hand...)
ReplyDeleteMmm, really the only one I'd recommend out of this batch is Zodiac Starforce. I can't remember....has she read Gene Luen Yang?
DeleteWell... I loved THE SCULPTOR. LUMBERJANES is kind of all over the place for me, but I read it for fun more than expectations... I really enjoyed what I have read of JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS. I am in the minority with PRETTY DEADLY, but I am still hoping the second volume will change my mind... I love THOR. UNDERWIRE is on Scribd and I have glanced at it. I must read it! I have read all three volumes of THE WICKED + THE DIVINE and I really love it. I can't wait until Volume 4! At Valentine's Day I was allowed to start one new series and it came down to either BATGIRL or SUPERGIRL. I went with BATGIRL simply because for some reason SUPERGIRL was a ridiculous shipping time. Looks like I must get to it at some point!
ReplyDeleteI loved The Sculptor, too! The ending really got me (in a good way). I am a devoted Lumberjanes reader, even though some story arcs and artists are more likable for me than others. Pretty Deadly continues in more or less the same vein as before, but now it's set in WWII era, so maybe not your jam? We'll see. Can't wait to read more Wicked + Divine!
DeleteI'm adding Underwire and The Sculptor to my list. You haven't steered me wrong in this category!! I lean more towards stories told in graphic form than the superhero ones.
ReplyDeleteI hope you love them! I typically lean more toward stories that are not superhero related, but lately I've found some really enjoyable ones!
DeleteThe Vegetarian is something that needs to happen for me.
ReplyDeleteYessss because I want to know what you think of it!
DeleteI really enjoyed the first volume of Pretty Deadly. Need to get my hands on vol.2.
ReplyDeleteDang-it. You, Trish and Kailana loved The Sculptor and while I can appreciate the great artwork, I did not love the book. And that ending. I need to go back and read the last 30 pages or so and see what I missed. I was so confused...
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice list, Andi. I wonder how you create time to read so much despite all the work that you do. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the way 'The Sculptor' sounds. But, it is still expensive in India. Maybe, I will get it in Texas when I visit.
I buy your thought on 'We Should All Be Feminists'. It definitely should have been longer.
Have a great March, Andi. :)