Venneh

It may be bc I'm on my phone, but what am I missing here?

Amulet, Roberto Bolaño: My first Bolaño. A single woman who resists army occupation at the university, and all her recollections and hallucinations during this period. Beautiful, evocative writing, and goddamn, I want more. Read this in a single train/bus ride pretty much.

The Three Body Problem, Cixin Liu (translated by Ken Liu): This won the Hugo last year. I can see why. Still definitely has elements of the classic Chinese novel format and structure in it, but mixed in with sci fi, and a really interesting plot thread. There's some real awkwardly placed flashback sequences and it sometimes interrupts the actual plot to do some required explanation, but it still works. Also, the term pan species communism. Leaves off in a real good place, I'll be interested to see where the sequel goes.

Black Widow 1: Waid pretty much takes a backseat and lets Samnee and Wilson draw a mostly dialogueless, action-heavy first issue. Interesting to see how Samnee does Widow's fight style, and you're dropped in in media res. No idea where it's gonna go, but it's got my attention at least. Survivor's Club 6: We're clearly getting to the part where they'll wrap up for the trade, some nice nods to peoples' backstories that have mostly gone unmentioned until now, and some good climax setup. Let's see if the landing sticks. The Sheriff of Babylon 2-4: Got these because my store was doing 20% off for a moving sale. I'm really interested in where this series is going. King is an excellent writer, and it's neat seeing how he builds slow dread here as opposed to, say, the creeping suburban dread of Vision. Glad to see this get extended out to 12 issues, and definitely going to get it on the trades. Single Issues: 49 TPBs/Collections: 16 Digital First Issues: 10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vntAEVjPBzQ Just saying.

The P Craig Russell Library of Opera Adaptations vols 1-3: This is a really, really fucking shitty reproduction of P Craig Russell's artwork. It's still fucking gorgeous. Pretty sure this is all out of print now, but if you ever come across it, get it. It's worth it. Sex Criminals 14: I've kind of been falling out of love with this arc, and haven't been able to articulate why that is. And the four page meta bit in the middle with why Fraction ended up not wanting to fully articulate a scene is kind of a symptom of that. Like, Kelly Sue had similar issues with stuff over on Bitch Planet, but she saved the discussion for the backmatter. Putting it in the middle of the comic just doesn't land it for me. And Suzie articulating what she does at the end of the issue feels like Fraction talking too. I'm gonna be sticking to the trade on this I think, and I'm gonna hope they can get their swing back, or that Fraction takes a break to get his house in order. Angela: Queen of Hel 5: So, this isn't appearing after issue 7 on Marvel solicits, and I have a feeling it's been cancelled. But if this is one of the last few issues I get, I'll be happy. Great wrap up to this arc, and the Stephanie Hans splashes are just, holy shit, how many limbs do I need to sell for these? Not sure how I feel about the line explaining why Sera's suddenly so thin (hopefully it's a promise to get her back to model, feels like Marguerite is making an excuse for the artist?), but overall? Hell yes. Cry Havoc 2: The flashbacks are good for explaining how we got to here, the action in Afghanistan is great, and it's neat to see how different colorists makes Kelly's artwork look different. Also, boar Hulk. Single Issues: 46TPBs/Collections: 16Digital First Issues: 10

Have a good one, man!

Happy birthday Sims!

Clover: The Dark Horse omnibus edition. One of Clamp's earlier works, and one of their attempts at sci-fi. Very minimalist, lots of empty space, the designs are as gorgeous as ever, but the plot's kind of paper thin, and when you've got two flash back volumes trying desperately to flesh it all out, it kind of shows. Worth a read for seeing Clamp in their earlier phases, and what seems pretty experimental for them. Ran for two years in a magazine in Japan, though I wonder if the chapters weren't the smaller increments that appear in the book, and not the larger groupings. Sin Titulo: Cameron Stewart's webcomic, in collected form. Neo noir by way of Murakami, with just a dash of Plato. Doesn't get overly indulgent like some semi-autobiographical webcomics sometimes do, and doesn't really feel like there's any filler, either. Just a perfectly flowing narrative and some great art. Single Issues: 43TPBs/Collections: 13Digital First Issues: 10

Witches of Lychford, Paul Cornell: One of those Tor novellas they put out. Fun, quick read about an old woman and two young women up against the evils of a supermarket chain and the disruption of the barriers between the worlds. Potentially some threads for sequels too.

The Fifth Season: The Broken Earth, NK Jemisin Go read this now. Go in blind, don't read any spoilers, and just enjoy the ride.

Mind MGMT vol 6: Perfect end to the series. I'm not kidding when I say I will throw the entirety of this at you as an example of one of comics' masterworks. Bitch Planet 7: Takes a bit of time to ease you back into the story proper, great back matter, and the wheels are turning again. Still likely to trade switch soon. I Hate Fairyland 5: You can see exactly where Young would've ended this if it had been less popular. Instead it's a whole "you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain" thing, and no, I won't tell you how that plays out, go pick up the trade and see for yourself. I can't wait to see more of Young's vitriol. The Mighty Thor 4: Splits between the wrap up of the elf war and increasing tensions and civil war on Asgard, in a perfect way. Especially those last two pages. Bring on the fight next month! Also fuck this is pretty. Single Issues: 43TPBs/Collections: 11Digital First Issues: 10

Hellboy in Hell 7+8: Mignola is back in full form, and it's fucking gorgeous. You don't need to know lots about the current status quo, just that Hellboy is dead and in hell. Nice little arc. Devolution 1: Remender tries to do his take on Walking Dead, except with humanity being devolved. It is not exactly spectacular. Radioactive Spider Gwen 5: Captain Stacy meets up with the Kingpin, and they get closer to the truth of why Peter died, and what exactly is going on with Harry Osborne and the Lizard. Gwen doesn't really feature in this issue that much, but that's okay. Latour continues to write a fun comic, and the guest artist this issue continues Rodriguez' art style, while bringing his own twist to the verse. Gotham Academy 15: The yearbook concept is a neat way to get guest artists and writers, and to wrap up a year of the book. I hope to god that this actually continues, as it's pretty great, but fingers crossed. Good blend of art styles here, and some real cute stories, too. Weirdworld 3: One of the prettiest, funnest, most original books Marvel is putting out right now. Here's hoping that it can keep going. The Ultimates 4: Good handling of flashbacks to stuff that went on in other comics to explain what's going on, and an interesting new twist to what's been done (anyone know who that was at the end of hte issue?). Insexts 3: God bless, Bennett, this just keeps getting weirder and gorier in the best kind of ways. And the art swings perfectly between beautiful and straight up horror. Dr. Mirage: Second Lives 3: So, on the one hand, De La Torre does a great job on the art on this, especially in leaving his ghosts as just the pencils, which makes them stand out, and is gorgeous besides. On the other hand, we have a random artist switch for a few pages in the middle of the issue, which is jarring, and doesn't say good things about the deadlines this was under. This is a four issue mini but it feels like there's a lot of chaff that could've been cut in the first few issues to make this flow better. I was under the impression this was a six issue mini, not a four issue. Single Issues: 40TPBs/Collections: 10Digital First Issues: 10

Selling my old PS3 - 120 gig model, the HD drive doesn't work anymore (but it does work for DVDs), but everything else does. Wouldn't come with a controller, but would come with hook-in cables. Probably asking $100 plus shipping. Anyone interested?

Saga 31: Yeah yeah yeah more characters coming back to bring things full arc, can we get back to Hazel already please? No Mercy 7: Aaaaaaand things get even more fucked! Single Issues: 31TPBs/Collections: 10Digital First Issues: 10

The Price of Salt, Patricia Highsmith: The novelette the movie Carol is based off of. It's dreamlike, and evocative, and beautifully written. And it's one of the few lesbian oriented pieces from the time (late 50s/early 60s) that actually ends happily. Definitely worth a read.

Survivor's Club 5: This could've done without the fill-in last issue; it feels like we're really getting going on the plot. Kelly does some pretty neat stuff on the art. Vision 4: Welp, things get pretty fucked, more so than the normal, here. Real pretty, and love how much more overt the creeping dread becomes heres. Pretty Deadly 8: Fuck if I know what's going on here story wise, all I need to know is that it's real purdy. Single Issues: 29TPBs/Collections: 10Digital First Issues: 10

Cardcaptor Sakura vol 1 omnibus: I haven't read these since middle school. It's neat to come back to them. It's still super pretty, even if CLAMP has some at best questionable anatomy at times. Also, super earnest. Also, WAY gayer than I remembered. Single Issues: 26TPBs/Collections: 10Digital First Issues: 10

Table Titans vol 1: tabletop webcomic. It's cute, it's funny, it's worth a quick page through. Descender vol 1: Lemire and Nguyen do space, persecuted robots, and the remnants of humanity, with water colors that are gorgeous. Would be interested in paging through vol 2, seeing what happens. It's an intriguing set up. Shirahime Syo: CLAMP does a quick, rushed anthology about snow tragedies. It's pretty, but you can tell they were pressed for time. Single Issues: 26TPBs/Collections: 9Digital First Issues: 10

Updates! -Still haven't touched DAI or Life is Strange -Borderlands the Pre Sequel is full of bullshit backtracking -Finished Terra and Aqua's routes on BBS (Aqua was the most equipped to handle her final bosses I think). Didn't get all of the stupid Xehanort reports so I can't unlock the epilogue, and I'm not going back for them, unless I can just pick up the save files and go back for them. (I probably can't, can I.)

POTD. Do I have a second?

Cry Havoc 1: Hell. Yes. Pitch is "It's Not About Lesbians Werewolves Go To War – Except It Is". The more accurate pitch is "Pulp Fiction, except with lesbian werewolves and war". We get three distinct periods of time in this - the initial bite, the war zone, and the end result of the war zone, and to say too much more than that is spoilers. You get the same artist (Ryan Kelly, always great), but three different colorists on each period, which does amazing things. @Dread, I'd be interested to hear your opinions on this. The Spire 6: And now, the endgame starts. The mystery is deepening, and I think my hunch about the Marquess is right the more I do. Again, beautiful art and colors, and I hope we get more out of this than just the mini. Monstress 3: Getting a sense of the smaller scale plot, don't have any clue what's going on on the larger front, but godfuckingdamn this is gorgeous. I Hate Fairyland 4: Honestly, half the reason to read this series is to read Young's preview for the next issue, which is basically him slowly letting out every bit of venom that working for Marvel seems to have instilled in him over the last few years. And plus, you can absolutely tell that he's having utter fun with just getting to let loose. Always gives me a guaranteed few laugh out louds each issue. Angela Queen of Hel 4: Just gonna get this out of the way: FIRE THE FUCKING MAIN ARTIST, THEY'RE KIND OF SHIT. Seriously. Stay on goddamn model, it's not that hard, and quit drawing Sera as some thin ass waif, she's a thick transwoman. Hans continues to be the highlight of this art wise, and I wish we could get her to commit to a whole series with her as the main artist, but that's probably not gonna happen. As for the story, continue to love it, especially when Marguerite brings back elements of Journey Into Mystery I thought everyone else had forgotten about (Thori the hellpup shall rend eternal on the furry road!), and getting to see some of her salt with how she's treated in the larger comic community exorcised (see: Bor). If they can just get a better main artist, it's going to help, a lot. Single Issues: 26TPBs/Collections: 6Digital First Issues: 10

Magic for Beginners, Kelly Link: A collection of short stories with a light surrealist fantasy/horror bent. I think I needed to be in a very specific headspace to read this that I wasn't always in when I did so, but the stories are very evocative. If you find it on sale, worth picking up.

Finished the True Pacifist run on Undertale. They are not kidding when they say that that game will make you sob. So good. I was thinking about doing a Genocide run, but honestly, after True Pacifist, I fucking can't. Also played through the entirety of Tales from the Borderlands over a period of about 24 hours (including sleep). Honestly, this is the level of storytelling I was hoping for in 2. However? The quicktime events, while simple enough for the most part, occasionally have these poorly timed ones that make you want to throw your controller in frustration. Like, if we could get 2K/Gearbox on the gameplay, and Telltale on the story for a main installment, we'd probably have a real damn good game. In other news: -Still working on BBS on the PS3, haven't touched it since I last posted -Started DAI, the map not showing terrain is the worst thing, probably going to need a bit of time to get fully into it -Started Life is Strange, finished the first episode, interested to see where this is gonna go -Jim started Borderlands the Pre Sequel, definitely seems like an improvement on 2 so far (barely an hour or two in)

*Circus music intensifies*