High School 15+
WAR STORIES: Vol. 1 & Vol. 2
By Ellen Ma Staff Writer REVIEW Garth Ennis brings you this series that consists of eight standalone short stories taken place during World War II, with one set in the Spanish Civil War. Although Ennis is the main writer, each story is taken on by a different artist. The unique quality about this series is the different perspectives of each short story, which may be one of the reasons as to why there are so many artists.
FABLES: LEGENDS IN EXILE, VOL. 1
By Catharina Evans Staff Writer STORY REVIEW The premise of this oft-touted series places “exiled” fables in contemporary New York City to live among the “mundanes” (i.e., real people). In FABLES: LEGENDS IN EXILE, characters from a spectrum of universes, both film and literary, mix uneasily together. In this upside-down world, Snow White reigns, Prince Charming comically bumbles around as an obnoxious lady-killer, and the Big Bad Wolf does good as Sheriff.
TALE OF SAND
By Kevin Hodgson Staff Writer STORY SUMMARY Surreal is the only way to really describe TALE OF SAND, which is a graphic novel based on a lost screenplay by Jim Henson, of Muppet fame, and his writing partner, Jerry Hujl. The screenplay was found collecting dust in the Henson archives and was given over to the very talented graphic novelist Ramon K. Perez, whose vivid illustrations tell the tale of a stranger known only as “Mac” set in motion on an adventure in the American southwest. I can’t even begin to do the story tangents justice here, except to say […] Read More
MUSH: SLED DOGS WITH ISSUES
By Kevin Hodgson Staff Writer STORY SUMMARY In an isolated part of Alaska, a team of sled dogs lives with two humans. The humans squabble over the state of their isolation as the dogs squabble over who is going to be the lead dog, and who might get a chance to mate with whom. Add in some talk about existentialism (by the dogs) and survival (by the humans), and you get an odd story.
THE SIGN OF FOUR
By Adrian Neibauer Staff Writer STORY REVIEW The SIGN OF FOUR is a graphic adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Dr. John H. Watson. Part of their Crime Classics line of comic literature, British graphic novel and manga publishing company, SelfMadeHero, set out to adapt not only THE SIGN OF FOUR, but THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, and STUDY IN SCARLETT, and THE VALLEY OF FEAR. Each novel is a must have for any fan of Holmes’ mysteries.
V FOR VENDETTA
By Ellen Ma Staff Writer REVIEW V FOR VENDETTA takes place in a dystopian England when everything has collapsed from war. The government has become “Big Brother” and the entire system is corrupt. However, on the historical day of Nov. 5, 1997, a mysterious man named V blows up Parliament. The reader is taken through V’s mission –– to take down the fascist rulers of England, as well as coming to know Eve, a young girl who is saved by V and taken under his wing.
KILL SHAKESPEARE
By Chris Wilson Editor-in-Geek REVIEW In the middle of a moss-cobbled stone room sits an iron cauldron bubbling with the sweat and suffering of souls. Around it stands the witches three, each with a bone to mix the pot. With their cackles they stir and chant and create their delicious abomination boiled on the backs of the bards of old.
JAY-Z: HIP HOP ICON
By Kevin Hodgson Staff Writer STORY SUMMARY It’s no secret to anyone who knows music that Jay-Z (aka, Shawn Carter) remains one of the most powerful icons of pop culture today. His influences are everywhere from the ways he turned his rhymes into a business empire to the numerous protégés now on just about everybody’s iPod or radio (Rhianna, anyone?)
BEST EDITORIAL CARTOONS OF THE YEAR (2011)
By Kevin Hodgson Staff Writer SUMMARY BEST EDITORIAL CARTOONS OF THE YEAR is a collection of, well, some of the best political and editorial jabs of the past year, and as you might expect, there are very few sacred cows left unscathed by the creative pens of these artists.
THREE SHADOWS
BY ADRIAN NEIBAUER Staff Writer STORY REVIEW THREE SHADOWS by Cyril Pedrosa and translated from French by Edward Gauvin is the saddest and most moving graphic novels I have ever read. Louis and Lise are a husband and wife who are raising their young son, Joachim, in an unnamed rural, European landscape. Their small family is filled with simple pleasures and lots of love as they work together on their farm. However, everything changes when three mysterious shadows appear on the horizon haunting the family.