Book Review: The Second If Reader of Science Fiction

Cover by Jack Gaughan.

Book Review: The Second If Reader of Science Fiction edited by Frederik Pohl If was a science fiction magazine that ran from 1952-1974, with its most successful years being under editor Frederik Pohl, winning three consecutive Hugos for Best Professional Magazine 1966-1968. Mr. Pohl has considerately included some stories from before his tenure in his… Continue reading Book Review: The Second If Reader of Science Fiction

Comic Book Review: Adventure Comics #492

Cover art by Giffen & DeCarlo

Comic Book Review: Adventure Comics #492 edited by Dick Giordano & Carl Gafford My goal is to get all of these digest issues reviewed here before I retire. Let’s see how close I can get! “Battle with the Gods!” written by E. Nelson Bridwell, pencils by Don Newton and inks by John Calnan is the… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Adventure Comics #492

Comic Strip Review: Digger Volume One

Comic Strip Review: Digger Volume One by Ursula Vernon Digger of Unnecessarily Convoluted Tunnels, “Digger” if you’re not being formal, is a wombat. In her world, wombats are an intelligent bipedal species which otherwise resemble Earth’s wombats. Digger’s primary job is being a tunneler, but when we meet her, she no longer remembers where her… Continue reading Comic Strip Review: Digger Volume One

Comic Book Review: The Bitter End and Other Stories

Comic Book Review: The Bitter End and Other Stories illustrated by Reed Crandall and George Roussos This EC reprint volume covers the latter part of Reed Crandall’s career as an artist of EC comic books, and several genre stories by George Roussos, who didn’t stay with the company long. The book opens with an introduction… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Bitter End and Other Stories

Manga Review: Weekly Shonen Jump 2023

Best picture for kitty-lovers, worst for ailurophobes.

Manga Review: Weekly Shonen Jump 2023 by various creators It’s the eleventh anniversary of this blog! As every year, let’s take a look at the long-running colossus that is Weekly Shounen Jump! One Piece has moved on from the Wano storyline to one involving frequently referenced mad scientist(s) Dr. Vegapunk, who is not as cool… Continue reading Manga Review: Weekly Shonen Jump 2023

Comic Book Review: Black Magic Vol. 1

Comic Book Review: Black Magic Vol. 1 Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby The creative team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby tried many different ideas for comic books over the years. Some were successful, others flops. In 1950, they cashed in on the then hot horror genre with Black Magic, created for Prize… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Black Magic Vol. 1

Manga Review: Fairy Tail 3

Manga Review: Fairy Tail 3 by Hiro Mashima In a world where a substantial minority of people can use magic, most magic-users join “guilds” so that they can legally employ their powers to make a living. One such guild is Fairy Tail, known for its eclectic collection of weirdos and misfits…who are still extremely powerful… Continue reading Manga Review: Fairy Tail 3

Manga Review: Shonen Jump (2020)

Manga Review: Shonen Jump (2020) It’s the eighth anniversary of this blog, and time once again to look at the online version of Weekly Shounen Jump! There haven’t been any major changes to the format since last year. One Piece is still the longest-running feature, and is closing in on 1000 chapters! There was a… Continue reading Manga Review: Shonen Jump (2020)

Book Review: Seeking the Storyteller

Book Review: Seeking the Storyteller by Jessica Walsh & Briana Lawrence Alix Andre DeBenit and Randall Fagan are Hunters, tracking down and killing monsters called “demons” that harm humans.  They’re experienced and work well together, and the Twin Cities are surprisingly monster-infested so they’re doing quite well for themselves, with a warehouse headquarters and full-time… Continue reading Book Review: Seeking the Storyteller

Book Review: Broken Blade

Book Review: Broken Blade by Kelly McCullough A few years back, Aral had it pretty good.  He was a Blade of Namara, the goddess of Justice, who meted out her punishment to the powerful wealthy and upper-class people who abused their position and oppressed those below them.  He even had a cool moniker, Aral Kingslayer,… Continue reading Book Review: Broken Blade