Escalator by Brandon S. Graham

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Escalator is a series of short comics, all by Brandon Graham. Although I routinely read short science fiction stories and anthologies, it’s much rarer for me to come across comics anthologies. This collection contains some of Brandon’s oldest non-porn comics. I think it’s an interesting insight into his mind as well as look into how his work differed in the 1990s. A lot of is it autobiographical or semi-autobiographical and that adds a little something special to the stories as well.

One Year Ago Today: 3D Printed Guns become much more of a reality

Five Years Ago Today: No Post

Complete Multiple Warheads TP by Brandon S. Graham

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You can read what I thought about the story here: http://www.comicpow.com/2013/06/26/mu…

What this trade adds to the Image Comics series is the first issue from Oni Press which sets up some of the characters as well as why they leave the city. It also includes the porn comic that originated the characters. The porn comic wasn’t my cup of tea, but as a completist, I did want to see where the characters started off. Interestingly, with each edition of the comic, Graham draws Nik with less hair. He has a full beard in the porn comic, a goatee in the Oni Press comic, and a clean-shaven face in the Image Comics issues.

One Year Ago Today: Scarlett begins displaying empathy

Five Years Ago Today: No Post

To Be or Not To Be: A Chooseable-Path Adventure by Ryan North

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The book was a fun read. I first did Hamlet Sr, then Ophelia, and then Hamlet. I decided to go with the Shakespeare option each time, essentially turning the book into a modern English version of Hamlet (with commentary). The main thing I learned is that Shakesspeare relies on a lot of silly tropes that only worked because they were new back then.

The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I first saw the movie adaptation in middle school. The youth ministry pastor decided to share it with us. I fell in love immediately. When I came across it again in college, I bought it and my wife and I have seen it so many times we can more or less recite the movie. Outside of Disney movies the only others we know so well are Snatch and The Birdcage. While I was in college I came to realize it was based on a book. At the time I was a huge Audible fan and I got it as an audible book. The weird narrative structure didn’t make sense to me as a audio book. So I put it off for about a decade. Then, I suddenly decided to check it out from the library.

Zombies vs. Unicorns by Holly Black

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reading this inspired a discussion in the Goodreads sword and laser group about what makes fiction YA. This book has a lot of adult stuff. Depending on your views you may wish to restrict it to older teens. (contains, among other things: mentions of erections, the word fuck, and bestiality)

I don’t care for zombies or unicorns. I can understand their metaphorical place in storytelling but other than the walking dead comic I don’t consume any zombies media. Yet I found this book supremely entertaining. It’s a great anthology that hits pretty much every emotional note; a well-balanced collection.

One Year Ago Today: The end of too big to fail?

Five Years Ago Today: No Post

The Martian by Andy Weir

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

On the third mission to Mars things go horribly wrong and Mark is left for dead. It seems like a pretty grim premise, but this book was a very fun read. I love Mark’s logs, which are - essentially - Mark’s inner monologue. This was not “watch one man go mad in isolation”; it was a test of one man’s ingenuity.

Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book has answered so many questions I had growing up reading the Bible. Assuming the acceptance of what the gospels said Jesus did- a lot of it is now put in perspective by understanding the world he lived in. I also have a better understanding of the seeming contradictions in the epistles. It is mostly due to a theological struggle between Paul and James.