REVIEW: Saga #1-#6 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

WOW! That's all I have to say after reading Saga #1-#6. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples made me enjoy reading a comics again.

I've been a long time DC and Marvel comics fan and lately I'm getting tired of all the pointless reboots and endless crossovers and confusing storylines that are happening with the Big Two. I've been a Batman and X-Men fan since I was a kid and lately, I'm no longer hooked with the storylines. I was really excited with the New 52 and the relaunch of the X-Men but after all was said and done, it was just a big disappointment for me. I could never recapture the magic that I felt while reading these comics years ago.

I need to read something new, something different. So I started to check out other comics and the first thing that caught my attention was Saga. After reading the first issue, I was instantly hooked. I could not stop reading till issue six. It was just that good. I never had this much fun reading a comic book. Brian K. Vaughan is at the top of his game here. His ideas are unique and fresh and I can't wait for more. This, combined with Fiona Staples' red-hot art truly elevates the quality of this book.

Saga is the story of Hazel, who is narrating the story from a future point in time. She was relating the events leading up to her birth and how her parents, Marko and Alana, tried to escape the planet Cleave after evading Freelancers working for Wreath and winged soldiers from Landfall. BTW, Landfall is the largest planet in the galaxy while Wreath is its one and only moon and they are not getting along well. Marko and ? are not unlike Romeo and Juliet. They are members of warring factions from Wreath and Landfall, respectively,  and both sides are not happy with their union, most particularly with their newborn child.

Just one of the humorous moments

This comics is highly recommended for both SF and Fantasy fans since both genres feature well in the story. Marko's home planet moon,Wreath, is more on the Fantasy side while Landfall, Alana's home planet, is more on the SF side. It has humor, excitement, action, suspense, everything.

I can't wait when issue seven is finally released. Thanks Brian and Fiona for helping me rediscover the joy of reading comics!

DAVID FINCH! 'Nuff said...

I first caught sight of David Finch's art during his New Avengers run. I was immediately impressed! Then I continued to be impressed by his work on Moon Knight and more recently The Dark Knight.

So imagine my surprise when I heard that David Finch is coming over to Manila courtesy of Fully Booked. Wow, first it was Neil Gaiman, then Nicholas Sparks (I'm not a big fan but still, he is a big name author), then now David Finch. I know that I would not be able to attend the event since Mar. 11th is a Sunday and the 12th and 13th are weekdays but I'm still glad to know that famous authors and artists are taking notice and visiting the Philippines. Who's next? Stephen King perhaps... :)

Latest Haul from Book Sale: Another addition to my Dune collection plus a Historical Novel

Last Monday, Feb. 27th, I was able to buy another book to add to my growing collection of Dune novels. The book was Heretics of Dune at the irresistible price of P30.

Upon further browsing, I discovered a biographical novel of one of my favorites artists of all time, Michelangelo.  This book is The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone. Here are some info about the author from Amazon.com:

Irving Stone was born in San Francisco on July 14, 1903. He wrote several books in a genre that he coined the “biographical novel,” which recounted the lives of well-known historical figures. In these novels, Stone interspersed biography with fictional narrative on the psychology and private lives of his subjects. He also wrote biographies of Clarence Darrow and Earl Warren, and short biographies of men who lost presidential elections. He died on August 26, 1989.

The Agony and the Ecstasy got a very high 4 plus rating at Goodreads.com and most of the reviews there are positive. I haven't read any biographical novel and I am hoping that this book would be my first. I just need more time to squeeze in my reading since my reading time has been reduced to nil ever since I stopped riding on the MRT.

Latest Haul from Book Sale: A Coffee Table Book, a Batman: Year One TPB plus Dune & Star Trek books

I just got the best bargain of all from Book Sale last night. I was able to buy Batman: Year One TPB, one of the most critically-acclaimed Batman stories of all time, for only P130 at Book Sale. WOW! Unbelievable, yes! That's what I enjoy the most about Book Sale. The pure joy of discovery! I came in not knowing what to buy but I came out with treasures in my hand! This Book Geek is one happy person :)

Actually, I came into Book Sale twice last night. The first time I was there I discovered a beautiful and inspiring coffee table book called Adirondack Moments with pictures by James Kraus. Being also an amateur photographer, I was quickly inspired and captivated by the wonderful photographs and captions inside the book. I did not know where Adirondack was but after browsing the photographs, I want to know where it is and having this excellent coffee table book is the next best thing. And for only P90, I did not think twice about buying it.

Upon digging in the bargain shelves, I chanced upon two pocketbooks of two series that I am currently collecting. The first was House Harkonnen.  This was my sixth book in my ever-expanding collection of Dune novels. The other was book I found was the fifth entry of the Star Trek New Frontier series of books by Peter David. I already have books 1-4, 7, 9 and 10 in this series set in the Star Trek universe.

When I was about to pay for these books, I noticed a copy of Batman: Year One TPB near the cashier. I didn't pay much attention since I was thinking that it might cost around P300 to P400 and I'm already out of cash. But I did check it out, being a big Batman fan that I am, while the cashier took my payment and I was surprised to discover that the TPB costs only P130. So I immediately requested the cashier if she could keep it for me for awhile while I withdraw some money and promised to come back later to buy it.

So that's it! The story of one of my most valuable hauls from Book Sale. Till next time! :)

Farewell to NBS: TechnoHub :(

I mourn this loss...

It was time for my snack break and usually before going to my favorite place I first stop by at National Book Store. After a long December vacation I was excited to head back to the branch near our office. NBS has been close to my heart since I was a kid. Proudly, "laking National", so to speak! So imagine my heartbreak when this scene greeted me. Words alone cannot describe what I felt...

Just read Justice League #1-#3 and Detective Comics #1-4

Last Sunday, I slowly unwrapped my LBC packages from Comicx Hub. I've already ordered three sets of comics from Comicx Hub but due to my busy schedule I was unable to open and read them. I even took pictures of the package as I open them. Talk about being geeky! But hey, it was almost more than 20 years ago since I've handled a print version of a comics so forgive me for acting like this :)

I was really impressed with the direction Geoff Johns and Jim Lee are taking the Justice League. It was a little slow but I knew that it would pay off at the end. I can't wait for issue #4 where a meaner-looking Aquaman will finally be able to strut his stuff. And it's about time that Aquaman becomes a major player, instead of being the butt of jokes in Big Bang Theory.

On the other hand, I was a little disappointed with Detective Comics. The first two issues were excellent in setting up Dollmaker. But issues #3 and #4 felt a little weak for me. Anyway, I still had high hopes for this title.

Overall, I was really satisfied with my comics that I tweeted the message below:

I felt like a kid again as I read through my Justice League & Detective Comics. I truly miss the smell of new comics. Thanks @comicxhub !

— aka Ivee (@israelv) December 12, 2011

I still have the Regenesis package left and I'm already excited at the thought of opening and reading the comics contained therein.

#NowReading Dune by Frank Herbert

Now I'm ready to delve into a science fiction masterpiece, Dune. Now, on to Arrakis!

From the official site:

Frank Herbert's Dune series is one of the grandest epics in the annals of imaginative literature. Selling millions of copies worldwide, it is science fiction's answer to The Lord of the Rings, a brilliantly imaginative epic of high adventure, unforgettable characters, and immense scope.

Source: http://www.dunenovels.com/

This Month's New Releases by Goodreads.com

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/

StephenKing.com's 11/22/63 Fan Appreciation Giveaway

If you are one of Stephen King's Constant Readers, and if you live in the United States (sadly, I don't) then you are in for a treat.  Check out this news from the official StephenKing.com newsletter:

To celebrate the release of 11/22/63, StephenKing.com is proud to announce that we will be holding a Fan Appreciation Giveaway. Entries will be accepted from 6:00 AM ET through 11:59 PM ET on November 8th. (See Complete Rules for details) 

Fans within the United States will be able to submit their entries using this form during the hours listed above. We will randomly select 100 people to receive a free mass market hardcover edition of 11/22/63.

The newsletter can be found here: http://www.stephenking.com/newsletter/display.php?M=205280&C=eea2694c6f3f63799c271b202a19a6d4&S=96&L=1&N=106

And the rules here: http://stephenking.com/promo/112263_giveaway/rules.html

Advanced congratulations to the 100 winners. Can't wait for this book to come out!

Comics ordered via Comicx Hub

I'm a big X-Men fan since way back in the Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, Whilce Portacio and Jim Lee days and recently I began enjoying again the latest storylines of my favorite mutants (Prelude to Schism and Schism).  I was thinking that it is the right time for me to jump back into comics. But sadly, there are no nearby comic stores in our area. But then I stumbled upon Comicx Hub where you can order your comics online and have them delivered the next day. So that solved my problem. Imagine my joy when I saw their ad on a Regenesis Starter Pack for only P650 with free shipping.  That is, as the Godfather would say, an offer that I could not refuse. So I logged in, purchased the Starter Pack and now I'm counting the days till my order arrives. 

Thanks Comicx Hub for this online service! :)

For your comics needs, please check out Comicx Hub's official site: https://comicxhub.com/

Latest Haul from Book Sale: The Mist (Movie Tie-In)

Here's my latest haul from Book Sale's Walter Mart, North EDSA branch: a movie tie-in version of Stephen King's excellent novella, The Mist.

I first read The Mist as part of the Skeleton Crew collection and it was one of the most enjoyable Stephen King stories that I've read.  I've also seen the movie and I also liked it even with the modified ending. I think I liked the theatrical ending more than the ending from the book, but that's a topic for another day.

What I liked most about the movie tie-in version of The Mist is the outstanding cover art by the legendary Drew Struzan (who also did the famous movie posters for the Indiana Jones series).  You can check out his works at http://www.drewstruzan.com and check out below for the actual Drew Struzan art of The Mist:

A classic story by a legendary writer. A classic cover by a legendary artist. What more can you ask for?

Sources:
http://www.drewstruzan.com
http://www.drewstruzan.com/illustrated/portfolio/?fa=large&gid=1069&mp&gallerystart=101&pagestart=1&type=mp&gs=1

Stephen King's The Stand to be directed by Ben Affleck

Stephen King's The Stand is memorable to me since its the first Stephen King book that I bought when I was in High School. I've read the book and became one of SK's Constant Readers ever since.

When the mini series came out, I watched it but I was underwhelmed. Something was lacking like most of Stephen King adaptations, with the exception of The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and, at least for me, The Mist.

Upon reading that Ben Affleck is now tasked to bring The Stand to the big screen I was a bit apprehensive. But who knows, Ben Affleck might be the man to do the job. We just have to wait and see.

Source: http://www.totalfilm.com/news/ben-affleck-is-the-top-choice-to-direct-stephen-king-s-the-stand

Latest Haul from Book Sale: 1984

Yesterday, I bought my second copy of George Orwell's classic, 1984, at Book Sale, Walter Mart North EDSA. I like the cover of this edition better than my first book.  It's simple but full of impact. The big eye says it all.  The cover of my older edition of 1984 is somewhat outdated:

Upon googling 1984, I found this cool retro cover, which I think would surely be now hard to find:

If you're interested in other covers of 1984 check out this site:
http://www.artnewsworldwide.com/flavorwire-art-news/38969-george-orwells-1984-a-visual-history.html

Amazon.com Review:
Among the seminal texts of the 20th century, Nineteen Eighty-Four is a rare work that grows more haunting as its futuristic purgatory becomes more real. Published in 1949, the book offers political satirist George Orwell's nightmare vision of a totalitarian, bureaucratic world and one poor stiff's attempt to find individuality. The brilliance of the novel is Orwell's prescience of modern life--the ubiquity of television, the distortion of the language--and his ability to construct such a thorough version of hell. Required reading for students since it was published, it ranks among the most terrifying novels ever written.

Latest Haul from NBS: Hunter's Run

Yesterday while checking out books at National Bookstore's TechnoHub branch, I saw a science fiction book by George R. R. Martin entitled Hunter's Run. I never knew that George R. R. Martin also write science fiction.  Actually he wrote this book with two other authors: Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham.  After enjoying Martin's Game of Thrones series, I'm excited to read another tale from Martin so that sealed the deal (plus the 50% discount surely helped) and I bought the book.  I plan to read it after The Resort.

BTW, I just noticed that National Bookstore is now using paperbags for our purchases.  I'm not sure when this practice started but it's a good one nonetheless.  Kudos to NBS for being green but I'm sure that I'm going to miss those red plastic bags.

From Publishers Weekly (Amazon.com)

Starred Review. Martin (Song of Ice and Fire series), Dozois (Strange Days) and Abraham (A Shadow in Summer) revisit classic themes of exploration, exploitation and what it means to be human in this gritty SF adventure. Humanity has finally reached the stars, only to find that all the best spots have been claimed by other races—the Silver Enye, Turu, Cian and others. Human colonists serve as world-building crash-test dummies, dropped onto empty planets deemed too dangerous or inconvenient for other races, to pave over whatever marvels and threats evolution had put there. On the misbegotten colony planet of São Paulo, ore prospector Ramon Espejo has no illusions, especially about how the Enye view humanity. Then Ramon murders the wrong man in a drunken fight and takes off into the wastelands to avoid the Enye authorities. Once in the outback, he discovers he's not the only one trying to hide from the Enye—and that the deadly cat-lizards called chupacabras are far from the worst dangers on São Paulo. This tightly written novel, with its memorable protagonist and intriguing extrapolation, delivers on all levels. (Jan.) 

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.amazon.com/Hunters-Run-George-R-Martin/dp/006137329X

Want to write a Novel this November? Join NaNoWriMo!

Ever dreamed of writing your very own novel but felt the task too daunting? Most of us do. But why not give it a try? Next month is the perfect month to do this since it's the National Novel Writing Month. So what is NaNoWriMo all about? The goal is to write a 50,000-word novel from Nov. 1st to Nov. 30th. Sign-up first in  the official site at http://www.nanowrimo.org then start writing your novel there. I've been a member for 2 years already but I've yet to write my own novel. Hopefully, I would be able to do it this coming November.

For more info, check out the following links:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/about/hownanoworks
http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/faq

Hope to be writing with you next month! :)

Latest Haul from Book Sale: X-Men Proteus & The Resort

Yesterday, I truly had a wonderful purchase at Book Sale's Walter Mart North EDSA branch. Upon browsing their rows of books, I discovered an X-Men: Proteus Marvel Premiere Classic hardcover (by two of my favorite X-scribes of all tie, Chris Claremont and John Byrne) for only P340! That's a real bargain. Plus, you would hardly find any graphic novels in Book Sale. The last time I bought a graphic novel from Book Sale was years ago --  several CrossGen TPBs and a Doctor Mid-Nite compilation.

Product Description from Amazon.com:
One of the X-Men's greatest allies must face her darkest secret when a child born of violence bends reality to his whims! The paranormal Proteus battles the X-Men in body and soul, shaking the psyches of even their strongest! But as Marvel's mightiest mutants face one world-threatening wonder, an even worse one awaits as the stage is set for the debut of Dark Phoenix! Collects X-Men #125-128, and Classic X-Men #32-33, #36.

Source: http://www.amazon.com/X-Men-Proteus-Marvel-Premiere-Classic/dp/0785137688

In addition, last Saturday I was also able to buy a Bentley Little book entitled The Resort.  I was immediately intrigued by the plot of a family vacationing at a mysterious resort out in the desert of Arizona.

Product Description from Amazon.com:
Welcome to The Reata, an exclusive spa isolated in the Arizona desert.

Please ignore the strange employees and that unspeakable thing in the pool. And when guests start disappearing, pretend it isn't happening. Enjoy your stay, and relax. Oh...and lock yourself in after dark.

Source: http://www.amazon.com/Resort-Bentley-Little/dp/0451212800

Stephen King & Joe Hill will collaborate to adapt Throttle into graphic form

Stephen King & Joe Hill fans would be excited to learn about this great news from iFanboy:

This afternoon, IDW Publishing announced a father-and-son team-up between famed novelist Stephen King and Locke and Key/The Cape scribe Joe Hill to adapt their story Throttle into graphic form. Throttle will be half of a four-part series, Road Rage, which will also adapt the story that inspired it, Richard Matheson’s Duel.

Read the rest of the article by clicking on the link below. I'm definitely adding this to my Wish List.

Source: http://ifanboy.com/articles/stephen-king-and-joe-hill-share-road-rage-for-idw-this-february/

COMICXHUB's X-Men Regenesis Launch Party on Oct. 12th

Calling all X-Men fans!  COMICX HUB is inviting you to the X-Men Regenesis Launch Party on Oct. 12th, from 12NN to 12MN at the COMICX HUB Warehouse, Shaw Blvd., Pasig City.

Sadly, I won't be available tomorrow since I've got a prior engagement :(  But for those of you who can make it, don't miss out on this special event.

Here are just some of the highlights according to the newsletter sent by COMICX HUB:

• All X-Men and X-Men related compilations in paperback and hardcover are on sale for up to 50% off! Have your collections complete as we even have "X-MEN: PRELUDE TO SCHISM" for only Php500.00!
• Lucky ones will get the chance to win a variant edition of X-Men Regenesis #1! All purchases within the day qualifies for the raffle draw at the end of the night for a chance to get a varant edition cover of "X-MEN: REGENESIS #1"
• Plus, witness the launch of our newest service: "In-Store Pick up" where everyone can get their new releases picked up from our warehouse every Tuesday afternoon at an exclusive 20% off until Friday, every week!
• Drinks and Snacks will be served. All attendees automatically get 50 REWARDS POINTS credited to their accounts, to use when purchasing online.

Contact COMICX HUB at:
The COMICX HUB Team
“I’ve Got Mine Online”
3F Bloomingdale Plaza Bldg.,
Shaw Blvd.
Pasig City, 1603
T+632 477 8508
F+632 477 8583

Source: http://comicxhub.com/

Another point for Printed Books in the ongoing face-off between E-books and Printed Books

I started to read The Eye of the World e-book on my Android device before I went to sleep last Saturday.  It was a fun chapter but since I'm already tired from the whole day's activities I started to doze off and down went my hand along with my Android device which eventually crashed on the floor.  It was a good thing that it was enclosed in a protective cover and that ensured its safety.

Which brings me to my point.  If I've been reading a printed book it would just be perfectly OK if I dropped it on the floor even after I dozed off (Well, not really since I'm somewhat OC and I don't want the corners of my books to be damaged, but that's another story for another post.) and not be worrying about a damaged gadget. So that's another big point for printed books!

So what do you guys think?  E-books or printed books?  Can there be only one?  Or will they be able to co-exist?  I'm rooting for the latter since both e-books and printed books have each of their own advantages.  BTW, I saw this cool Tale of the Tape graphics from Newsweek:

Further Reading: http://mashable.com/2010/07/19/reading-faceoff-e-books-vs-print-books/

Nicholas Sparks Live in Manila on Oct. 28th

I must admit that I'm not a big Nicholas Sparks fan since I haven't read any of his books (Although I have to say that I love the movie adaptation of A Walk to Remember starring Mandy Moore and Shane West) but I am thrilled that he is coming over here to promote his latest book, The Best of Me, on Oct. 28th at the Podium.  Who knows, this might pave the way for other authors to promote their new books here in the Philippines.