My Favorite Comic Books

So, yes. It's been a really really long time since I actually posted on here. But hopefully I'm back now! And to get this blog up and running again, I've compiled a list of my favorite comic books, including what I liked, what I didn't like, etc. Enjoy!



The Avengers
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Main Characters: Iron Man, Captain America (Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes), Thor, Red Hulk, Spider-Man, Hawkeye, Wolverine, Spider-Woman
What I Liked: I've actually liked a lot of the Brian Michael Bendis stuff I've read so far. He does a really good job with the team dynamics, and sometimes the plotlines.
What I Didn't Like: You know how I said "sometimes" the plotlines? Yeah, well, in Avengers they're kind of a hit or a miss. Some I loved, some I didn't.
The Verdict: 6/10



Hawkeye
Writer: Matt Fraction
Main Characters: Clint Barton, Kate Bishop, and Pizza Dog
What I Liked: They were really funny, and the characters were really relatable. It was also really interesting reading a comic about a not-so-super hero while he's not being a... well... hero. And the cameos in vol. 2 were a lot of fun too. And Pizza Dog. I love Pizza Dog.
What I Didn't Like: It's fun. Not that that's a bad thing, but sometimes it feels like that was the sole goal of the book. When the plot did get "serious", it felt kind of... I don't know... dull. I dunno. Maybe I'm not making much sense here. Anyway.
The Verdict: 8/10



Amazing X-Men
Writer: Jason Aaron? I think?
Main Characters: Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Storm, Firestar, Northstar, Iceman, Azazel
What I Liked: Firestar's character development was great. Her change through the course of the story... She became a lot more confident in her place as an X-Man. And Nightcrawler's back! He's been one of my favorites ever since I got into X-Men. So that was great. I guess... just the characterizations overall. And the plot was very well done, too.
What I Didn't Like: The way it ended. I can't really go into detail without spoilers, but... just no. I didn't like the ending.
The Verdict: 8/10



Young Avengers
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Main Characters: Wiccan, Hulkling, Miss America, Kate Bishop, Kid Loki, Speed, Prodigy, Marvel Boy/ Noh Varr/ The Protector/ whatever he calls himself
What I Liked: The team dynamics and character development were AMAZING. I loved each and every one of the characters. And the writing was hilarious. And Billy and Teddy were just so darn CUTE together.
What I Didn't Like: The plot felt really rushed sometimes, like they were trying to cram too much into too few pages. And am I the only one who didn't get the whole Kid-Loki-Turning-Into-Teenage-Loki thing? I dunno.
The Verdict: 9/10



Excalibur (Classic)
Writer: Chris Claremont
Main Characters: Captain Britain, Meggan, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Rachel Summers
What I Liked: These are probably the oldest comics I've read which means they're from before 2000 and WOAH THERE'S MORE THAN ONE TOKEN GIRL ON THE TEAM THIS IS SHOCKING. But seriously. The plot was great (I loved the concept of the Warwolves), and a lot of my favorite characters were included.
What I Didn't Like: I found the art kind of meh, but that's just personal preference. It's also annoyingly hard to get your hands on a copy.
The Verdict: 7/10



Runaways
Writers: Brian Vaughan and Joss Whedon
Main Characters: Gertrude Yorkes, Karolina Dean, Nico Minoru, Chase Stein, Molly Hayes, Alex Wilder, Xavin, Victor Macha
What I Liked: Um. EVERYTHING. No. Just kidding. I'll try to be a bit more specific here. Most of the time, the art was great (most of the time meaning "when it wasn't that weird manga stuff"). The plotlines were stupendous. But the best part was the character development. If you like excellent, three dimensional characters, chances are you'll LOVE Runaways. As an added bonus, Joss Whedon was such a huge fan that when Brian Vaughan left he wrote a few issues.
What I Didn't Like: As mentioned before, after a little while, (around vol 9 I think?) the art style switched to a really weird manga-but-not-really thing and I didn't like it at all. Also, since the series was canceled in 2009, there are a ton of strings left untied that'll have you making up headcanons for years to figure out what happened.
The Verdict: 10/10 as long as you pretend everything after Joss Whedon's books never existed.



All New X-Men
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Main Characters: Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Angel, Archangel, Iceman, Shadowcat, Storm, Mystique (I feel like I'm forgetting someone, though...)
What I Liked: The plot was really unique, and it was pretty cool to see all the old X-Men trying to adjust to modern day life. Kitty's banter with Bobby was a lot of fun to read. The dark path Jean has started heading down is pretty interesting, although I'm not quite sure what's up with her relationship with Hank? But oh well. He's got to be better than Scott.
What I Didn't Like: SCOTT SUMMERS. Ugh. That guy. Get it? Huh? Huh? Thinly veiled Night Vale reference? But seriously. He's starting to get on my nerves. A lot.
The Verdict: 8/10

Review: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Wow. Just... wow.

This book blew me off the face of the earth. I mean, not literally, but... it was really good. Really, really good.

First off, there's the absolutely gorgeous, yet simplistic, cover. People are always telling me "don't judge a book by its cover!" But so far, it's seemed a pretty accurate rubric, with a few exceptions.

TFIOS has one of my favorite covers ever. It looks as though it's made of clipart, yet it has a nice artsy feel to it. I love it.

Secondly, this book is sad. If you're looking for a fun, easy read with no tears and very few metaphors, skip this book. Then come back to it when you're ready because it's not to be missed.

I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENED TO HAZEL AND GUS' HAPPILY EVER AFTER?

And then there were the metaphors.

This book is stuffed with so many metaphors, I was still picking up on new things during my second read of it, and I'm sure that if I decide to read it again I'll pick up on some more.

And then there were some absolutely beautiful quotes.

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep. Slowly, then all at once."

"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities."

"My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellations."

You get the picture.

And then there was John Green.

I want to write like John Green someday.

One of my favorite things about John Green is the way he writes books inside of books, then quotes these books in his books. If that makes any sense at all. An Imperial Affliction nested so nicely inside of TFIOS. It was amazing.

Actually, the whole book was amazing.

So, those are my thoughts on it... what did you think of TFIOS?



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Review: Runaways, Vol. 4: True Believers

Runaways, Vol. 4: True Believers by Brian K. Vaughan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



So, this one was by far my favorite of the Runaways books. Full of plot twists, brilliant character development, and some excellent artwork, it certainly deserves my five star rating.


THE ART

Not my favorite, but still excellent. The darker, rather subtle colors fit the mood of the book very well. Molly looks quite a bit older than usual, and it seems as if they slimmed down Gertude a bit, but aside from that I liked it.


THE WRITING

One doesn't usually expect excellent writing in a comic. But True Believers was quite good. Perhaps not right up there with Harry Potter, but it still beats some novels I've read. Not many, but some.

The characters, as usual, were quite well developed. I like the budding romance between Gert and Chase; as Nico says, they're "made for each other." I also like the Karolina/Nico/Alex love triangle. I don't usually enjoy love triangles, but I do like this one. Molly at times seems very immature for her age, but I felt like in True Believers, she grew up a little.

Now on the plot twists. I don't believe I've encountered this many plot twists before in a single book. Victor's past, for example. And the ending... What was with that? Has Alex returned from the dead?

OVERALL

So, that being said, I LOVED True Believers. It's one of my favorite comics so far, and certainly worth a read.



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Review: The House of the Scorpion

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I never would've picked this book up on it's own, unless I was just looking for the longest book on the shelf, which does happen sometimes. Looking at the cover, you would never guess that it was a science fiction story- I guessed that it was probably historical fiction. But it was required reading for a class i'm in, so I figured I would give it a shot. Boy was I surprised.

First of all, if you're looking for a quick, fun read... put this book back on the shelf. It's an amazing story, and probably in the same league as Harry Potter when it comes to my favorite books. But even for the fastest readers, this book is going to take a while.

For one thing, it's dense. It deals with the psychological issues of cloning humans and animals, along with several other controversial issues. It definitely requires some thought to read. That being said, if you don't mind any of this stuff (like me), this book is not to be missed.

Matteo Alacran is certainly not an endearing character. He takes after the man he was cloned from, El Patron, in many ways. Without the guidance of his friend Maria, he would have turned out much differently- and taken after El Patron in many ways.

Nancy Farmer does an excellent job showing her vision of our future world. Unlike many dystopian stories, not every part of the world is corrupted, dark, and grim. But many are. Just like today, not everything is horrible, but not everything is wonderful, either. Perhaps that's part of the magic of this story.



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Review: Get Real: What Kind of World are YOU Buying?

Get Real: What Kind of World are YOU Buying? by Mara Rockliff

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



'Get Real' is a nonfiction YA book about voting with your dollar, a subject that my mom believes quite strongly in. I spotted it while browsing the shelves at our school library, and thought "Hmm. May as well pick it up. It looks interesting.' That's how I find the majority of the books I read. So I checked it out and took it home.

First of all, this book is a fun read, but it's also quite frightening. Believe me, if you read it, you'll start to have serious doubts about whether or not you really want to be eating hamburgers. And if you ever decide you want to buy a new pair of jeans (which you probably will), you'll think twice about where they come from.

But enough with the warnings. It really is an amazing book, and you should read it. It takes important issues stemming from corporate America. Speaking as a teen, I loved the tone. It was fun and easy to understand, but I never felt like the author was talking down to me. This is saying a lot- the only other book like this that I've read is 'A World Without Fish', and this problem is the main reason that I don't read as much nonfiction.

Also,each source used is clearly listed at the back, and the list takes up about three pages, even in a tiny font size- the author clearly wasn't making this up.

So, overall, I'm going to give this book a 10/10!



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The Neptune Project Book Review

Yay! I finally got around to a trip to the library this weekend and ended up checking out 28 books. Decisions, decisions. So, for my first review, The Neptune Project, by Polly Holyoke.

First, I'm unsure as to why this book doesn't have a fandom yet. Okay, okay, it just came out last year, but it's utterly amazing.

So. Quick summary.

*Spoiler Alert*

Nere grew up in a small coastal city in California. She suffered from asthma and bad eyesight (One of the reasons I loved her as a character, but more on that later) but also had the gift of powerful telepathy, which she inherited from her mother. The Neptune Project takes place in a dystopian society hundreds of years in the future (More on that, too). Human societies are dying, but a group of brilliant scientists have found a way to save it. Nere's mother, along with several other genetic scientists and marine biologists across the west coast, have genetically engineered their children to survive underwater.

Now. First of all. Nere, Nere, Nere. One of my new favorite characters.

First of all, in her mind, dolphins and animals are no less important than humans. They deserve the same respect and compassion that you would give a sibling or friend.

Second. She puts survival first. She's in the middle of a love triangle, but why let that stop her? Unlike certain other female protagonists (*coughcoughKatnisscoughcough*), when she's stuck in a life or death situation, Nere doesn't wait around and worry about her boyfriend. She's got friends to take care of, first and foremost. She's also socially awkward, and doesn't exactly know how to respond when straightforward Dai begins to flirt with her.

Third, I like to believe that the fact that I have asthma is simply due to me being part fish.

Alright. Now on the beautiful world building.

There aren't paragraphs and paragraphs of description on this futuristic society. It's just there, yet it's completely believable. Polly Holyoke certainly knows what she's doing when it comes to creating realistic future societies.

So, that's about it for tonight- I've got to go.

Rating: 9/10

Wings of Fire: The Dark Secret Book Review

So. I promised you all a few more book reviews, and look! Here's one now.



*Spoiler alert!*

So, this series is quite a bit below my reading level, but I still enjoy it. I mean, dragons, prophecies, and warring rival queens... What's not to like?

First of all, I must say, I loved this book.

Number one, it changed the focus of the series. Instead of focusing on the battles, it focused on revealing more about Starflight and Sunny's characters, which really needed to have a bit more focus on them- the romance between the two is adorable, but it doesn't really work up until now because there was very little characterization. Starflight is the smart one, and Sunny is the sweet one. Up until now, the series never really went further than that.

Number two, it revolved around secrets and lies- perfect for a book mainly about the mysterious NightWings.

Third... Man, that was a major plot twist! Morrowseer made up the prophecy himself to create a powerful bargaining chip in the war, so that the NightWings could get a new, less dangerous territory.

Fourth, I was glad to learn a little more about quite a few characters other than Starflight and Sunny. Deathbringer isn't just an assassin- he's a rebel. Blaze is being manipulated by Queen Glacier, so she definitely isn't a good choice for a queen.

Overall, I'm going to give this book a 8/10.

THE SCORPIO RACES!!!!

 

This book was recommended to me numerous times, but it was just now that I finally decided to read it. Based on the description from the back cover, I figured it would be yet another semi-hunger-games failed dystopian romance-  but it isn't.

In The Scorpio Races, water horses- based on kelpies from Celtic mythology- compete in a deadly race that truly puts the rider's skill to the test. Water horses (capaill uisce) are not your regular horses.True kelpies, from Irish and Scottish mythology, are faery horses that live in lakes and sometimes the ocean. They lure people- usually children- into their home and eat them. The Scorpio Races modifies this myth slightly to fit the story- they live in the ocean off the coast of a small island and occasionally come on land searching for food.

Puck is a feisty girl- and a brave one. The first girl to ride in the races, she even enters on her island pony instead of one of the capaill uisce, all to save her home.

Sean belongs to the sea and has a fierce connection with a capall uisce named Corr. In a desperate act, he vows to win the races and earn the money to buy Corr and save the horse from its owner's vengeful son.

Together, they win the races- and create a very memorable story that's hard to forget, with a wonderful ending.

Rating: 9/10

Jacob Have I Loved Review

 

Jacob Have I Loved is the tale of Louise and her twin sister, Caroline. Although Louise is older by a few minutes, her sister Caroline is the favored child. Her birth was filled with drama and even as a baby, Louise was often ignored. When an old sea captain returns to his home on their small island, Louise's life is turned upside-down with boys (and men), her sister, and the cruel taunts of her grandmother.

Louise had always felt out of place on the island, where "men's work" and "women's work" are strictly divided. Louise loves the sea and wishes to become a fisherman like her father, but, unfortunately, that is considered man's work and not appropriate in their tiny, isolated, strictly-Methodist town.

When Captain Hiram Wallace returns to his birthplace on Rass Island, Louise at first hates him for stealing her best friend, Call, but later develops a crush on him. Her grandmother taunts her cruelly and unmercifully. Even worse, when the Captain's wife dies, Louise's grandmother accuses her of using rat poison to murder the old woman. 

A little bit on this grandmother: I'll just tell you now, you wouldn't want her anywhere near you. When she finds something wrong with a person, or something that she doesn't approve of, she insults and taunts them with biblical verses. One day, she reads her own granddaughter the verse "Jacob have I loved,but Esau have I hated", referring to the brothers Jacob and Esau (correct me if I'm wrong, this is all coming from the book as I've never read the Bible). Supposedly, God himself said this, Jacob being the younger brother and Esau being the older one. She also accuses the Captain of some much worse things, and Louise's mother also. 

The Jacob Have I Loved taunt sends Louise into a deep depression and she begins to believe that God himself hates her. When her friend Call is sent away to war, she begins to help her father on his boat, although it is disapproved of. She drops out of school and begins being home schooled by her mother and the Captain. 

When the Captain offers to use the money from his dead wife's will to send Caroline (Louise's sister) to a special boarding school in New York, where she could develop her talent for singing, Louise becomes even more depressed.

However, when her parents return from (Spoiler alert!) Caroline and Call's wedding, her mother tells Louise that they really always loved Louise very much. The Captain tells her that she is smart enough to do anything she wants in life. She realizes that she dreams of becoming a doctor (What?! I had no idea that this was coming. There were no hints of it earlier on.) and asks her mother if she could go to a college. Her mother promises to not prevent her from leaving and Louise receives a scholarship to become a doctor. However, she is prevented from continuing in the course (Because she's a girl- this took place around the time of Franklin D. Roosevelt) and advised to train to be a nurse or midwife instead. 

She leaves to the mountains and lives in a small valley with very few people and becomes a nurse and midwife. She meets a man she loves, marries, and gets her sort-of happily ever after.

Rating: 7.5/10

The Outsiders Book Review

 

 Our class recently read this, so I figured I'd post my review of it here (with a few modifications).

Basically, The Outsiders is about this kid named Ponyboy (weird name, I know. His brother's name is Sodapop.), who is part of a gang called the Greasers (Not a real gang gang, just this group of boys who are best friends and stick together no matter what. They do participate in fights, which they call "rumbles", against their rival group, the "Socs") whose friend kills another dude named Bob(Who is a Soc) (First it's Ponyboy, now it's Bob. At least there's no Fred.) and has to run away. Ponyboy goes with him and they end up saving these kids from a burning church. (Major Spoiler Alert Ahead!) Johnny (His friend.) dies in the end, and then another one of his friends, named Dally, ends up killing himself (Sort Of) because he thinks it's his fault.

First of all, on the plot of the story. It was pretty good. It flowed smoothly and kept me hooked. However, one thing bugged me about it. The author, SE Hinton, claimed that she (Yes, she. More on that later.) wanted to write a realistic story about teenagers and growing up, and she did a pretty good job at that, but I didn't find it very realistic that Johnny, a sixteen year old, was willing to dive into a burning building to save these two random kids he didn't even know. It is, however, much more realistic than the "Mary-Jane-Goes-To-The-Prom" novels of Hinton's time.

Now for the characters. I found them very well written. They all had detailed descriptions at the beginning of the book. It was a little annoying that I had to read through a whole chapter on the characters, but I also enjoyed having the background information before I started the book- it was really helpful to know that before I really got into the story.

I really thought that the About the Author page was the most interesting part of the book. The author wrote the story in high school because she said she "Wanted a realistic story about teenagers and was through with horse books". Authors are better about that now, but it's still hard to find a YA book that includes something other than romance and love triangles (Stop with the love triangles already, people!) She called herself SE Hinton because she didn't want people to know that she was a girl- she figured that people wouldn't want to read a book about teenage boys and gang violence if they knew that it was written by a girl.

Overall Rating: 8/10