Manga Review: Dr. Slump Volume 6

Manga Review: Dr. Slump Volume 6 by Akira Toriyama Dr. Senbei Norimaki is an eccentric inventor who lives in the isolated Penguin Village. Because his machines are often defective or goofy-looking, he has the nickname Dr. Slump. One day, he decides to create a robot girl, which he names Arale. She’s remarkably human-looking (and needs… Continue reading Manga Review: Dr. Slump Volume 6

Comic Book Review: The Complete Al’s Baby

Comic Book Review: The Complete Al’s Baby written by John Wagner, art by Carlos Ezquerra Chi-Town in the near future has had a law enforcement crisis and is overrun with retro gangsters reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties. Possibly the most ferocious of these felons is Al “The Beast” Bestardi, top hitman and enforcer for the… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Complete Al’s Baby

Book Review: Murder on the Titania

Book Review: Murder on the Titania by Alex Acks Colonel Geoffrey Douglas is experiencing a lot of stress recently. He’s just gotten a new job as chief of security for the Grand Duke of Denver, and his first task is to ensure that the jewelry made for the Grand Duke’s daughter’s wedding gets safely from… Continue reading Book Review: Murder on the Titania

Book Review: All Quiet on the Western Front

Book Review: All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque We open on a good day for Paul Bäumer and the men of the Second Company.  The sun is shining, there’s a light breeze to cool them, and they’re getting double rations.  The reason the men are getting double rations is that half… Continue reading Book Review: All Quiet on the Western Front

Manga Review: Showa: A History of Japan 1953-1989

Manga Review: Showa: A History of Japan 1953-1989 by Shigeru Mizuki This is the final volume of Shigeru Mizuki’s history of Japan and his personal life during the Showa Era.  It mixes events that affected the entire country with stories of his struggles as a man and an artist. As noted in the introduction by… Continue reading Manga Review: Showa: A History of Japan 1953-1989

Book Review: Kaiju: Lords of the Earth

Book Review: Kaiju: Lords of the Earth edited by Essel Pratt Kaiju (“strange beast”) is primarily a subgenre of the monster movie that became codified in Japan.  They’re mostly gigantic monsters that are nigh-unstoppable by conventional armaments, and run around destroying cities or fighting other giant monsters.  The seeds of the story type were sown… Continue reading Book Review: Kaiju: Lords of the Earth

Comic Book Review: Jacked

Comic Book Review: Jacked written by Eric Kripke, art by John Higgins. Disclaimer:  I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway for the purposes of this review.  No other compensation was offered or requested. Josh Jaffe is hitting a mid-life crisis.  His body is beginning to fall apart, he doesn’t really talk to his wife… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Jacked

Book Review: Snuff

Book Review: Snuff by Terry Pratchett Commander Samuel Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, Duke of Ankh-Morpork and Blackboard Monitor, has been aware in a general way that his wife Sybil owns some property in the countryside.  But now that their son Young Sam is six, Sybil has decided that it’s high time that the… Continue reading Book Review: Snuff

Book Review: Who Died in Here?

Book Review: Who Died in Here? edited by Pat Dennis Themed short story anthologies are a perennial favorite for genre fiction.  “Best of” collections tend to feature heavy overlap with other best ofs, while single-author collections have to rely on the reader being willing to pick up a particular author’s work.  Themes allow the authors to… Continue reading Book Review: Who Died in Here?