Comic Book Extravaganza - Take Two

Back on April 7th, I posted another Comic Book Extravaganza.

Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch

Completion Date: March 9, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun!

Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn’t interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There’s only one thing she does want: to fight dragons!

Granted, no dragons have been breathing fire around Hereville, the Orthodox Jewish community where Mirka lives, but that doesn’t stop the plucky girl from honing her skills. She fearlessly stands up to local bullies. She battles a very large, very menacing pig. And she boldly accepts a challenge from a mysterious witch, a challenge that could bring Mirka her heart’s desire: a dragon-slaying sword! All she has to do is find—and outwit—the giant troll who’s got it!

A delightful mix of fantasy, adventure, cultural traditions, and preteen commotion, Hereville will captivate middle-school readers with its exciting visuals and entertaining new heroine.

I originally saw Vasilly post a review of this book and she loved it. This made me curious and my library actually had a copy, so I had to see what I thought of it. I have to say, I was rather impressed. One of my issues with reading lately is everything seems so much the same. I am getting tired of the same themes, the same plot lines, essentially the same characters, over and over again. This story, though, was fresh. How often do you see a story about an Orthodox Jewish community with a young woman who goes out and has great adventures. Plus, Mirka is a fun character that will make you want to follow along with her adventures. I was very impressed with both the artwork and the story, so I am very glad that I took a chance and read this.

Once Piece Volume 4 - The Black Cat Pirates by Eiichiro Oda

Completion Date: March 15, 2011

Reason for Reading: Carry on with the Series.

The superpowered pirate showdown continues, with Monkey D. Luffy's rubbery limbs tested to their limit against the fiendish Captain Buggy's Chop-Chop powers! Worse, Captain Buggy reveals an unexpected connection between himself and Luffyis long-lost hero, Captain "Red-Haired" Shanks! Only when the dust has cleared does Luffy's quest to become King of the Pirates truly begin. To learn the route to the Grand Line, where the legendary treasure called the One Piece is hidden, Luffy and his tiny crew must endure the Trial of the Forest on a remote jungle island. And waiting over the seas is the unpredictable Captain Usopp, who claims to be a deadly pirate captain... but Usopp says a lot of things. A semi-professional liar, Usopp spells endless headaches for Luffy's crew - but he may be their only ally against the very real dangers threatening his little town.

This is one of those series that I stalled on. I think I will probably stall on it again. I think it is a fun series, but it is HUGE and I just don't have the time for so many books. If the mood strikes me, I will read another, but I am not too concerned with getting to the end at the moment. The story at least is easy to pick-up on even if it has been a while. I just have to make some priorities and I know trying to get through this series will hurt my head. Eventually, the library will be missing volumes and that is frustrating. So, even though this series is a lot of fun, it is going back on hiatus for the moment.

The Complete Strangers in Paradise Volume 1 by Terry Moore

Completion Date: March 15, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun!

This quality hardbound volume is the first in a series collecting the SIP story in its complete story arcs. Book One contains the entire original mini-series that introduced Francine, Katchoo, David, Freddie and more. Plus, a 5 page short story, sketchbook pages, character designs, creator notes featuring never before seen pages of script and unused scenes, and for the first time ever, actual pages from the original version of issue one that Moore never published, choosing instead to redraw the entire issue before its release date, altering scenes and characters alike. This is a must have book for the new reader and serious collector alike!

I have been curious about this series for a while, but I was having a hard time deducing what parts of the series my library had. I did a bit of research and was surprised to find they actually had the first volume of the series. And, I liked this comic. It was entertaining, even with its serious moments, and different from what I would normally read. I am not sure if I am a big enough fan to read on, though. I guess what I am trying to say is that it had its good points, I am glad that I finally got a chance to read it, but it was nothing amazing for me.

True Blood Volumes 1-6 by Alan Ball, David Tischman, Mariah Huehner, & David Messina

Completion Date: March 20, 2011

Reason for Reading: Fun!

Blood and sex mix on a hot rainy night at Merlotte's, when Sookie and her friends are trapped by a vengeful spirit who feeds on shame. People die and dirty secrets are revealed as Sookie, Bill, Eric, Sam, Tara, Jason, and Lafayette and are all coerced to dig deep and tell painful memories from their past-those things we all have locked within us that we never tell another living soul! Bon Temps, Louisiana has never been stranger, or more twisted, in a story co-plotted by TRUE BLOOD series creator Alan Ball, with a script by David Tischman (Bite Club) and Mariah Huehner, and lush art by David Messina (Star Trek: Countdown).

Okay, so first I tried to read Charlaine Harris' series. The book I read was okay, but I didn't love it. Then, we decided to watch the television show. We have watched the first season so far and the cc really likes it... I am was still a bit 'meh' about it. Not willing to admit defeat, I decided to try one more time with the comics and see what I thought of them. I have to admit, they have been my favourite so far. I am still not a huge fan of the series, but the artwork and this particular story were interesting. I just don't like Sookie. She annoyed me in the books, she annoyed me in the show, and she still annoys me in the comics. While I do admit this was pretty good, I am still not a huge fan overall. But, at least I can say I tried.