The Human Target, Volume 2

Today's post is on The Human Target, Volume 2 by Tom King, Greg Smallwood (Illustrator). It is 232 pages long and is published by DC Comics. As it is the second collection so you need to have read the first collection to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes classic style noir mysteries with superheroes. There is mild foul language, implied sex, and action violence. The story closely follows Chance until the end. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Christopher Chance has 12 days to solve his own murder! Superstar writer Tom King and acclaimed artist Greg Smallwood continue the noir examination of a classic DC character!
Christopher Chance has made a living out of being a human target—a man hired to disguise himself as his client to invite would-be assassins to attempt his murder. He’s had a remarkable career until his latest case protecting Lex Luthor when things go sideways.
An assassination attempt Chance didn’t see coming leaves him vulnerable and left trying to solve his own murder, as he has 12 days to discover just who poisoned him. After discovering clues, the death of a Green Lantern and a torrid romance with Tora Olafsdottir, a.k.a. Ice, DC’s top bodyguard may meet his match when Beatriz da Costa, otherwise known as Fire, steps into his life. Only time will tell what secrets this flaming femme fatale might hold, and just how badly The Human Target might get burned.
Human Target is a hard-boiled, gritty story in the vein of classic detective noirs, told by bestselling and critically acclaimed creators Tom King and Greg Smallwood!

Review- An excellent end to an excellent run. Chance is running out of time to find his killer. He knows all about the how and the why behind his poisoning but the who is still eluding him. The ending is very satisfying with all questions being answered, the real bad guy is punished, just not camera, and Chance must face the end his own way. The art continued to be standout and really make this series. King does a wonderful job with the story and I would like to read more from him and see him return to the character of Christopher Chance, in another storyline. I would strongly recommend this collection. 

I give this collection a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this collection from my local library. 

Wonder Woman, Vol. 3: The Circle

Today's post is on Wonder Woman, Vol. 3: The Circle by Gail Simone, Terry Dodson (Illustrator), Rachel Dodson (Illustrator). It is 160 pages long and is published by DC Comics. The cover has Wonder Woman on it. The intended reader is someone who likes superheroes, Wonder Woman in particular. There is mild foul language, no sex, and action violence in this comic. The story closely follows Wonder Woman but moves around as needed. 

From the dust jacket- Gail Simone, acclaimed writer of BIRD OF PREY, SECRET SIX and more, unveils her own unique vision for Wonder Woman in this hard-hitting graphic novel. This title includes Simone's first tales of the Amazon Princess. Along the way, readers will learn what deadly secret the mysterious Circle holds about Diana's birth. Plus, the reformed Secret Society of Super Villains invades Paradise Island, led by the dread Captain Nazi. Collecting issues #14-19 of her hit series!

Review- A interesting four issue run about some history of Wonder Woman around her birth and a two more issues about an alien invasion on another planet and Diana being their champion. Each issue starts in the past around Diana's birth and how it changed her home. The rest of the issue is about Diana trying to get to her home to protect her mother and the other Amazons. The art is fantastic, I love how Dodson draw Diana with a strong jaw, muscles, and beautiful blue eyes. She looks every bit a goddess and warrior. Last two issues the story was interesting but the art was not as good. Gail Simone is a wonderful writer and she knows her Wonder Woman. Simone understands that Diana is a complex character with deep passions and a drive to live up to her name. I look forward to reading more of Simone's work. 

I give this comic collection a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this collection from my local library. 

The Human Target, Volume 1

Today's post is on The Human Target, Volume 1 by Tom King and Greg Smallwood (Artist). It is 192 pages long and is published by DC Comics. The cover is a target with the main character in the center. The intended reader is someone who likes mysteries with superheroes. There is mild foul language, mild sexuality, and violence in this comic. The story closely follows the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Christopher Chance has made a living out of being a human target--a man hired to disguise himself as his client to invite would-be assassins to attempt his murder. He's had a remarkable career until his latest case protecting Lex Luthor when things go sideways.
An assassination attempt Chance didn't see coming leaves him vulnerable and left trying to solve his own murder, as he has 12 days to discover just who in the DC Universe hated Luthor enough to want him dead by slow-acting poison. And the prime suspects happen to be...the Justice League International?

Review- A wonderful noir mystery set in the DC universe. Christopher Chance is a man of many faces and voices. He puts his life on the line so his clients can be safe. But when he poisoned and has only twelve days to solve his own murder, Chance is in over his head. Especially when the prime suspects are superheroes. There is so much to like about this story from the plot to the characters and most especially the art style. It looks very traditional  like it was made using colored pencils, making the drawing look so good. I'm looking forward to the next volume and seeing how chance is going to solve his murder and who did it. 

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this comic from my local library. 

Lois Lane: Enemy of the People

Today's post is on Lois Lane: Enemy of the People by Greg Rucka. It is 304 pages long and is published by DC Comics. The cover has Lois Lane on it doing a Superman pose. The intended reader is someone who likes comics, Lois Lane, and mysteries. There is some mild foul language, no sexuality, and mild violence in this comic. The story is told from third person close moving as needed for the story. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Lois Lane has uncovered the story of the century... if she can prove it!
Out of Metropolis and on the road- and carrying a secret that could change the DC Universe forever- journalist Lois Lane embarks on a harrowing journey to uncover a global conspiracy. She's chasing a plot that reaches the highest levels of international power brokers and world leaders. And she's doing it without the Man of Steel's aid.
With their relationship currently dominating the tabloids, Superman isn't the best backup for her while she's trying to lie low. Instead, she's joined by Renee Montoya, a.k.a. the Questions. As the duo digs deeper, the threats around them grow. Someone obviously wants Lois Lane dead, but is she a target because of what she already knows or because of what she's close to finding out?

Review- A very fun and interesting comic that knows how to use Lois. Lois is a reporter and she is best when she is on the trail of a big story that no one wants her to discover. Lois is trying to uncover what is behind a string of people who cannot remember who they are. Add in some political drama of the government behaving badly and Lois has a hit out on her. Of course, she doesn't let that stop her, no instead Lois uses that to find the answers to her story. It is not all Lois all the time, her relationship with Renee Montoya adds depth to the story with them working to together and fighting for answers. Lois and Clark have some moments too but they are just to help the reader understand and place their relationship. A great run and I would love more comics following Lois doing her thing. 

I give this comic a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this comic from my local library.

Teen Titans: Beast Boy loves Raven

Today’s nonfiction post is on Teen Titans: Beast Boy loves Raven by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo. It is 208 pages long and is published by DC Ink. As it is the third in the DC Ink series you need to have read the first two volumes to understand the story. The cover is a picture of Gar and Raven on it. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who likes DC characters and their origins. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- It seems like years, but it’s only been a few days since Raven Roth recovered her memories, trapped her demon father, Trigon, into her amulet, and had her heart broken for the first time. But she doesn’t have time to think about the past…she has to focus on finding a way to get rid of Trigon for good.
Garfield Logan still can’t believe he has powers that allow him to change into different animals, but the price of knowing that his parents kept this secret hidden from him just feels too high. And what’s more, his difficulty controlling these abilities could have unexpected consequences.
Both are seeking answers from the one person who seems to have them all figured out: Slade Wilson.
When their paths converge in Nashville, Raven and Gar can’t help but feel a connection, despite the secrets they both try to hide. It will take a great amount of trust and courage to overcome the wounds of their pasts. But can they find acceptance for the darkest part of themselves? Or maybe even love?

Review- Continuing the adventures from the previous books Gar and Raven are off to meet a mystery man, Slade, who says that he can help them with their problems. They meet by chance and spend some time together and being teenagers, they get crushes quickly. Then the plot comes back and they are kidnapped by the bad guys who want their powers for themselves and the ‘greater good’. Plus we meet Damien Wayne and he is a spicy boy and I like him. I am very curious about what the overall plot is and I have to wait until next year before the next volume comes out for more story. I do like this series and I want to read more but man that wait is going to kill me. 

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Raven

Today’s post is on Raven by Kami Garcia (Goodreads Author) and  Gabriel Picolo (Illustrator). The cover has raven in profile on it. It is the first in the Teen Titans series. It is 192 pages long and is published by DC Ink. The intended reader is someone who likes DC superheroes. There is mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this graphic novel. The story is told from third person close of Raven. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- When a tragic accident takes the life of 17-year-old Raven Roth's foster mom--and Raven's memory--she moves to New Orleans to recover and finish her senior year of high school.

Starting over isn't easy. Raven remembers everyday stuff like how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can't remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. And when impossible things start happening, Raven begins to think it might even be better not to know who she was before.

But as she grows closer to her new friends, her foster sister, Max, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she's ready to face what's buried in the past...and the darkness building inside her.

Review- A fast paced and interesting retelling of Raven’s origins. The story starts with a car accident and Raven is the only survivor but she doesn’t remember anything from her past. So she moves to New Orleans to live with her mother’s sister and her cousin. Raven is troubled by dreams and hearing voices but her cousin helps her understand that she can hear other people’s thoughts and how to control that. There is a little love story and a revelation of the big bad at the end. Of course there is more going on than just Raven and this is the start of the Teen Titan series, so we see some players that will come back in later volumes. I liked this volume and I look forward to reading more from this imprint. 

I give this graphic novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this graphic novel from my local library. 

These Vengeful Souls

Today's review is on These Vengeful Souls by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas. It is 287 pages long and is published by Swoon reads. The cover is a blue gray with a pendant in the center that has a lock of hair in it. As it is the third volume of These Vicious Masks trilogy you need to have read the first two books in order to understand the story. There is very mild foul language, no sexuality and Mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third-person close of the main character Evelyn. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- England, 1833. On the run with the grieving Sebastian Braddock, Evelyn wants two things: to be reunited with her friends, and to get revenge on the evil Captain Goode. Not only has he misused his and Sebastian's powers to rack up a terrible death toll, but he's also completely destroyed any hope of Evelyn or her friends regaining the lives they once knew.

Evelyn is determined to make Captain good pay for what he's done, but is her revenge worth risking the lives of Sebastian and her friends? Or is it better to flee the city and focus on staying alive? And with the Captain spreading lies about Sebastian in an attempt to flush them out of hiding and turn the populace against them, does she even have a choice at all? 

Review- Good but slightly unsatisfying ending to a fun trilogy. We pick up exactly where the last volume left off with Evelyn and Sebastian hiding in a church trying to find their friends. Captain Goode has taken complete control of the society either by force or by promises. In addition he has used his influence to turn London against Evelyn and her friends’, Sebastian in particular. So there's lots of problems to solve in this volume and not a lot of time to solve them in. In the end the bad guys are dealt with, the good guys win, and all's right with the world. But I felt unsatisfied with the ending. I think part of that is because we don't get to see Evelyn and Sebastian really do anything . The epilogue is a letter that Sebastian has written for the next person who will inherit his poison powers, and that's the end. I don't think the authors are intending to write any more following these characters, but I would like them too. I would like to see when Evelyn and Sebastian do, they talked of going to India to help fight against the colonial powers but that's all. So I would have to say that this volume is the weakest of the trilogy but if you've read the other two you should read this one just to follow them all the way to the end and to see Evelyn finish her character development. 

I give this final volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing from my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Shadow of the Batgirl

Today's post is on Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn and Nicole Goux (Illustrator). It is 208 pages long and is published by DC Comics. The cover is dark blue with Cassandra in the bottom looking at the reader. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and some violence in this comic. The story is told from third person close of Cassandra. There be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Cassandra Cain, teenage assassin, isn't exactly Batgirl material...yet. Will she step out of the shadows and overcome her greatest obstacle- that voice inside her head telling her she can never be a hero?
Lucky for Cass, she won't have to defy her destiny alone. With the help of her mentors, noodle shop owner Jackie Fujikawa and a librarian named Barbara Gordon, she'll attempt to answer this questions the only way she knows how: learning everything she possibly can about her favorite hero. The problem is that Batgirl hasn't been seen in Gotham for years...
Can Cass find Batgirl before her father destroys the world she has grown to love? Or will she have to take on a heroic mantle of her own?

Review- This is a beautiful re-imaging of Cassandra Cain becoming Batgirl. Cass is just a voiceless assassin for her father, she doesn't know who she is, why her father wants her to do things she does, and she doesn't know where she is going. Cass is accidentally broken free of her father's control and she just runs without any idea about where she is or what she is going to do. The rest of the volume is Cass discovering herself, dealing with what her father was trying to make her, and making choices for her future. I really enjoyed this graphic novel, it was very well written, the art style is a good fit for this story, and the story itself is a wonderful coming-of-age story. If you don't know anything about Cassandra Cain, I think that this is a good place to start and I hope that DC Comics does more with this Cass.

I give this comic a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this comic from my local library.