Comic Adventures Issue #46

I read a lot of comics and rarely review them here on the blog. That's because I really don't have a lot to say for an entire post.  So I thought I would review several comics on one post.  I will still review graphic novels on their own now and then, but this is where I will talk about super-hero type comics (DC/Marvel) or sequels to some that I have already reviewed.

This week I talk about Batwoman Vol. 6,  Supergirl Vol. 6 Crucible, Teen Titans Vol. 1 Blinded by the Light, and Superman/Wonder Woman Vol. 4 Dark Truth.

So apparently this was the final issue in the Batwoman New 52 run. I really loved this comic when it first started.  I had never really read or knew much about Batwoman prior to the New 52. Odd things happen in this comic to not even finish a good story about Kate Kane.  Her sister is brought in for a little bit.  She is now Red Alice and she was really an evil killer.  Now she is teaming up with her sister Batwoman.  OK.  Then Morgan Le Fey turns up into this comic as a side story.  There is still the story about vampires. I really didn't like the art either.  It is messy.  I think this comic was kind of rushed.  Like... we have a contract for one more issue so let's just through it together. The characters on the cover are some sort of team pulled together for this comic.  Clayface, Etrigan, and Ragman.  Maybe they are some sort of team in another comic but I had never heard of them working together before.  But hey... let's just throw whatever in this final issue.  Really disappointing end to a comic that started out amazing.  Another comic that failed because behind the scenes there was drama with the writes and DC so the comic and the readers ended up suffering because of it. 

2 out of 5

Another new costume on a superhero.  Supergirl's new outfit isn't too bad though. The comic is about Kara spending time at a school for superheros.  I like that... it's like Monster High (which I secretly love every time I go to my cousin's house and she wants to watch it). Apparently this was the last issue of Supergirl in New 52.... so .. I'm not sure I loved how they ended the series either. I suppose maybe DC knew that the New 52 was coming to an end so they went ahead and started canceling all the titles. I kind of remember now finding out it was canceled right when the show was about to start airing on CBS. I thought the show was really good.  I'm glad that it wasn't completely canceled and it moving to the CW now.  The only thing is our local CW still hasn't bothered to upgrade to HD.  What is this??  2005?  When Smallville used to be on CW we would contact them all the time about getting switched to HD and they would always tell us it was happening next year.  It's 2016 now....  Anyways, I totally just went off on a tangent. I feel like now that this series is finished it never really fleshed out Supergirl.  She was whinny through the whole series, always wondering who she was.  Constantly fighting with Superman.  Never really getting along with the human race.  I think if you haven't read this series you should just go ahead and skip it.
3 out of 5

So... I really enjoy Teen Titans.  I'm not sure why DC had to revamp it in the middle of the New 52 but they did and here it is.  I actually also received a copy of it with my purchase of Justice League vs Teen Titans DC movie (which was pretty good).  The art in the comic was amazing.  Sometimes I had a hard time reading it but that's because the comics that come with the Best Buy special editions of the DC animated movies are small (fitting in the DVD box) so the lettering is tiny. There aren't a lot of introductions of the characters so hopefully you know who everyone is. I also don't know if Power Girl really looks like a teenager?  She looks like a full grown woman! I think this series is continuing into the Rebirth but I'm not sure.  I know it's going up to volume 3 at least. Have you ever checked out the show Teen Titans Go?  It's actually pretty funny.  Blinded by the Light has a lot to do with STARR labs.  I really enjoy reading about STARR Labs so if you enjoy learning more about them this is a good comic for that. 

4 out of 5

Best Buy Edition

This series!  This tiny review will be filled with spoilers so beware.  Clark is all upset because Lois revealed who he was in another comic.  So the whole world knows Clark is Superman and he is trying to hide that.  Wonder Woman is trying to be there for him through all this.  He is so stressed out that he breaks up with her telling her he doesn't love her.  WHAT THE?  I mean... this comic probably doesn't have much time before the New 52 is over.  They couldn't just keep them together?  She is going to be there for him though no matter what (barf) and they end up fighting the New Suicide Squad and just pretty much squashing them.  I don't know.. I feel like a strong woman like Wonder Woman would be pretty ticked at Clark for kicking her to the curb for no reason.  I don't even know how the comic can go on if they are broke up?  I guess there is a volume 5 coming and that's the final volume it seems. This has a little more crossover then I would like from the Superman New 52 and I haven't really kept up with those as much as I would've liked. 

3 out of 5 

This counts for 53 comics towards my 2016 Graphic Novels Challenge.

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas

Title: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sarah J Maas
Pages: 418
Published: August 27th 2013 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens 
Source: Ebook
Links: goodreads, Sarah J Maas.com

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil. Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart. Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

I am really enjoying this series. I am so happy to be reading a series where all the books are out! YES! I think this book series is so addictive.  The way Maas does world building is fantastic. So this book picks up immediately where the last book ends.  Celaena is now the King's Champion and so she has to do what he says. She not only has that to worry about but also the Wyrdmarks.  There is of course a little love drama. Chaol, Dorian and Celaena are kind of a love triangle.  I like how the author just nips it in the butt and it's not an annoying love triangle.  Nehemia is an amazing character in this book.  She is so strong and what Celaena should be.

One thing I  liked about this book was that we get to explore a little bit more or Celaena's past.  Not too much.  But enough.  Some of her past I didn't totally expect which is something I really really enjoy.  I love to be surprised when I read.  I had no idea what was going to happen in this book.  The previous book had a straightforward plot.  We knew Celaena needed to be the champion and win. But then ... nothing.  So when this book started I was excited to see what were her missions going to be. I also like how flawed the characters are.  They all make mistakes.  Things they wish they hadn't done, or actually don't have a problem with the choice they made.  This book does a good job of making the reader hate the villain, the King of Adarlan. One character that did not get enough page time is Mort.  An ancient talking doorknob. I really wanted more from him.

This is a decent sequel.  Sometimes series suffer from second book syndrome where it is really just a filler book. Crown of Midnight really moves the story along.  I am pretty much almost done with book three so be sure to look for that review soon.

Reviews of other books in the series:
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Comic Adventures Issue #45

I read a lot of comics and rarely review them here on the blog. That's because I really don't have a lot to say for an entire post.  So I thought I would review several comics on one post.  I will still review graphic novels on their own now and then, but this is where I will talk about super-hero type comics (DC/Marvel) or sequels to some that I have already reviewed.

This issue I talk about Wonder Woman Volume 8 New 52,  Rat Queens Volume 3 Demons,  He-Man The Eternity War Vol. 2, and 

I love Wonder Woman in the New 52.  Yeah, I've said that before.  There is a big costume change as you can see on the cover over there.  Wonder Woman is always getting a costume makeover these days. No one wants her too girly, too slutty, to manly, I mean the old school costume was just fine. Donna Troy is the villain from the previous volume.  What I like about her is she is pretty much the same as Wonder Woman but darker.  More finishing up plots here.  Wonder Woman is the God of War, she is apart of the Justice League, she is queen of the Amazons. Strife has turned out to be one of my favorite characters in the series.  She is such a troll.  She gets Troy to break out of prison and just laughs about it. She pretty much convinces Troy to go to the Fates to get her life string cut only to find out she doesn't have one!!! I wish the Fates had been drawn a little better.  Overall... I love that the mythology is still here in the comic. I'll be sad when rebirth comes around in volumes because I'm sure they'll take Wonder Woman in a new direction. 
4 out of 5

I love the Rat Queens soooo much!  This comic series is really amazing.  Especially if you like fantasy and adventure type stories. I love the all female cast of character that run around in an adventuring company. I did just read that this comic would be continuing as a webcomic.  UGHHH... I don't know if sales were just really down or what.  I know there has been a lot of controversy with the artists and writers.  Pushing each other out, arrests, so much drama behind the scenes. I don't know how I feel about the whole webcomic thing?  I mean.... is it going to be free?  I get these from the library so I'm wondering. The new artist does draw the girls way more sexual, but that happens in DC Marvel comics too.  I enjoyed this comic but I'm not going to continue in this series if there are no more issues that we know are going to come out for sure.  It's unprofessional to me and awful for the readers to have to deal with it as well.  I feel like the publisher should've nixed this in the butt sooner. 
3 out of 5.

I'm sad that the He-Man DC run is done.  I really enjoyed it.  I thought this would a good ending to the series.  Nothing was left up in the air.  Skeletor finally becomes the villain he should be. I was getting tired of him not really having a big presence. Finding out more about Skeletor's past was so interesting to read.  I love a good villain backstory. Skeletor claims he is going to take Hordak's power and save the universe. This comic kind of leads into a possible She-Ra series.  The Crystal Castle is shown for She-Ra to be the queen of this castle.  I loved to see it. Swift Wind is in this comic as well and is as loyal to She-Ra as expected. OK.. I'm a She-Ra fan girl. I suppose there just wasn't enough fan base to keep these comics going.  I look on goodreads and there aren't a lot of reviews.  He-Man is a fantastic comic series though and I recommend it to everyone who likes fantasy.  Though the Eternity War did drag a little... went on a little too long.  Sorry to see that this is the end of it.

4 out of 5

Justice League to me has been one of the top comics that came out of the New 52.  So Mobius wants war with Darkseid, saying the New Gods are dead (I think the New Gods are from Convergence??).  So this is why Mobius and Darkseid want to fight each other.  I guess...  Then the Justice League joins because the battleground is going to be Earth! There's a couple side stories squeezed in.  Superman and Lex Luther get boomed somewhere and have to figure out how to get back together.  Batman and Green Lantern get stuck together and I think that it's hilarious.  Their banter is funny. No Aquaman in this volume... um... guess he's doing his own thing. The art is something I love... Justice League has been able to keep great artists on board. This is the type of comic you are either going to like or don't like.  Either you like huge epic battles or you don't.  I am glad this isn't some huge crossover event and it's all taking place in the Darkseid War arc.

5 out of 5

This counts for 49 comics towards my 2016 Graphic Novels Challenge.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Author: JK Rowling
Pages: 343
Published: July 31st 2016 by Little, Brown UK
Source: Library
Links: Pottermore

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016. It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Well... you know I had to read this. I read it right when it came out too. It's quite a quick read.  I'm glad I read it even though I was leery about it.  Yes it's going to change the way you thought the kids of Hogwarts were going to turn out. They are all adults now and all have kids. The story follows mostly the kid's story. In case you didn't know, the book is a play.  So be prepared to read it in the format of a script. I wish I could see this play so hopefully someday it comes to America. Albus Severus Snape who is Harry's youngest son is having a hard time in school.  He is trying to live up to his father's legacy which isn't easy.  Scorpius Malfoy, Draco's son, isn't having an easy time in school either so they become unlikely friends.  I hope you go into this book when you read it knowing nothing.  That makes everything even more surprising.

Cursed Child Cast

The following is going to have spoilers for this book.  I don't normally put spoilers in reviews but I want to actually chat about what this book was really about so proceed with caution.

Rowling does such a good job with mixing themes into her stories.  This book talks about supporting one another, parenting, seeing people for who they really are and accepting it, growing up, the feelings of needing to be perfect, and more. I liked reading about the gang of friends being together again. I did have some issues though with the parents.  Harry Potter is kind of shown as a bad father. I'm not a parent so I have no idea about Harry's feelings as a parent but I am sure it's not easy.  He and Severus really just don't get along.  Harry I think expects too much out of his son.  In my mind (before reading this book) I would think Harry would be an amazing parent but apparently not. Draco turns out to be the better father.  Really I love who Draco became as a man. Harry doesn't want Severus and Scorpios to be friends but Draco wants his son to be happy so pushes Harry to allow this.  I don't really like that Harry's character wouldn't want this.  Would he be so petty when he grew up to act like this?  This is what I'm talking about if you read this, characters might not be who you want them to be.

The book's real plot surrounds the Time Turner.  I don't always love time travel stories.  They can feel like a way to make a plot that wasn't there to begin with. The kids in the book come across one and decide to go back in time and change things around to make their lives better.  So we keep seeing a different future for Harry, Hermione, Ron and Draco. It is interesting how just one choice in your life and change your entire destiny.

Now let's really get into the problems with the book. Sometimes I do think Rowling needs to let Harry Potter rest.  She's like that person that can never let high school go.  She constantly goes back and adds more and more to the story.  I obviously can't let go either because I keep reading everything that she puts out.   Who do you think is the villain of this book?  Voldemort.   Ughh... really?  Well OK fine, I can deal with that. But then... he has a child?  With Bellatrix LeStrange? Now I can see Bellatrix wanting to be with Voldemort so bad.  But Voldemort getting it on and having a child?  I don't know.  I mean... they would have to have sex.   Voldemort having sex?

End spoilers.

I think there is a middle of the road on this book.  You can read it and just like it. I don't think it's a love it or hate it book. I still don't love the cover. It's creepy.  I don't know who that child is on the cover either?  I recommend this book if you are a Harry Potter fan.  It's a fast read and there is the magic of Rowling's writing that will suck you in.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone