The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor & the Bogus Identity (Vol 1) by Mike Carey (writer) & Peter Gross (artist)
The Unwritten by Mike Carey is one of the best current series being published right now. It is one of the few titles put out by Vertigo — DC’s mature line of comics — that has kept Vertigo from losing its respected place in the world of comics. Vertgo was started by Karen Berger with Neil Gaiman’s wonderful Sandman stories,
October 18th, 2013. Brad Hawley´s rating: 5 | Mike (M.R.) Carey | Comics | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
This review is my 50th column for Fanlit, so I want to mark this personal milestone by writing about the most important epic fantasy comic in existence. I know a few people might argue with me, but only a few. There’s a general consensus that Bone by Jeff Smith is not only the best epic fantasy comic, but possibly the ONLY epic fantasy comic depending on how you define “epic fantasy.” All arguments are minor quibbles as far as I’m concerned because none of them would call into question the high quality and staggering brilliance of Bone.
October 11th, 2013. Brad Hawley´s rating: 5 | Jeff Smith | Comics | SFF Reviews | 8 comments |
Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit, Volume 1 by Motoro Mase
Though I haven’t read too much manga — pronounced “mahn-gha,” in case you were wondering — I am starting to acquire a taste for it. I think part of my problem was trying to read it slowly like I do American comics (and like I recommend in my essay here on FanLit, “How To Read Comics“). Watching my daughter devour quickly the entire 20-volume set of Bakuman,
September 27th, 2013. Brad Hawley´s rating: 5 | Comics, Reading Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Foiled by Jane Yolen (writer) and Mike Cavallaro (illustrator)
The past few weeks I’ve been spending time writing reviews that focus on new Monthly Comics I think would make good entry points for new comic book readers who have never had pull lists, and I have several more new comics I want to promote. The end of 2013 is an excellent time to be a new reader of comics. However, I must break this series on Monthly Comics because I just read a graphic novel too good for me not to immediately write a review of it: Foiled,
September 20th, 2013. Brad Hawley´s rating: 5 | Jane Yolen | Comics | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
SIDEKICK by J. Michael Straczynski
For a few weeks I’ve been introducing you to some excellent new comics that are just beginning. Last week I talked about TEN GRAND by JMS (J. Michael Straczynski) and this week I’ll talk about his new comic SIDEKICK. There are four issues of TEN GRAND out so far, but only one issue of SIDEKICK; therefore, though I can say for sure that I’m completely sold on TEN GRAND, I’m less sure about SIDEKICK.
September 13th, 2013. Brad Hawley´s rating: 4 | J. Michael Straczynski | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
New Monthly Comics: TEN GRAND by J. Michael Straczynski
In my previous two columns, I’ve talked about the advantages of having a “pull list” and buying comics on a monthly basis instead of merely waiting for a collection to come out as a trade edition. I also suggested a few titles that are good ones to start with right now since they are just beginning. In the first column on monthly comics, I recommended VELVET by Ed Brubaker and THE DREAM MERCHANT by Nathan Edmondson.
September 6th, 2013. Brad Hawley´s rating: 5 | J. Michael Straczynski | Comics | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
New Montly Comic Titles: ASTRO CITY by Kurt Busiek and THE WAKE by Scott Snyder
In last week’s column, I explained pull lists and the benefits of buying monthly comics instead of waiting for trade collections or only buying older comics that have already been collected. Mainly, I argued that comic book stores and comic book readers offer a community that is more active and immersed in fictional narrative than anywhere else (even here at FanLit!). Why? Because of the nature of the comic book industry: Since comics come out monthly,
August 30th, 2013. Brad Hawley | Comics | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Why You Should Be Reading Monthly Comics: New Titles for Those New to Comics! (And What is a “Pull List”?) OR New Comics, Part One (Or How to Read Comics, Part Ten)
When I started reading comics, I was in my 30s and was simply overwhelmed with all that was out there. Where should I start? I would have loved knowing that there were some new titles out there that required no background knowledge because they were about new characters — not all comics are about superheroes you’ve heard about all your life. I would have been even happier to find out some of these series only lasted six issues (similar to a stand-alone novel with only six chapters).
August 23rd, 2013. Brad Hawley | Comics, Reading Comics | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |
The Darkness: Origins, Volume 1 by Garth Ennis (writer) and Marc Silvestri (artist)
The Darkness: Origins, Volume 1 by Garth Ennis is an excellent series that features and is named after a spinoff character from The Witchblade. The Darkness made his first appearance in issue #10 of Witchblade and got his own title soon after. He’s essential to the mythic origins of the Witchblade, and in fact, along with the Angelus, predates the Witchblade. The Darkness is the elemental power of chaos;
August 2nd, 2013. Brad Hawley´s rating: 4 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Witchblade Volume 2: Awakenings (Issues 86-92) Writer: Ron Marz. Artists: Mike Choi, Keu Cha, and Chris Bachalo
I had to go ahead and immediately write a follow-up review to my first column on Ron Marz’s WITCHBLADE because I think he really hits his stride in this second collection. Basically, just like I think you need to stick with SANDMAN for the first two to three volumes before you give up on it, I think reading the first two volumes of Marz’s run is essential to even begin to know whether his take on the series might be of interest to you.*
In my first review of WITCHBLADE,
July 26th, 2013. Brad Hawley´s rating: 4.5 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Great minds think alike, Marion! The same thought occurred to me at one point while reading this book....
Interesting! I have to say I had a "Jim and Huck underwater" moment, reading your synopsis.
No doubt about it--I have to read these.
Pretty much as expected going into 2024, Nicola Griffith's Menewood was my pick for best book read in that year.…
Sounds intriguing!