Ash's Cabin

Ash's Cabin is a coming of age graphic novel by Jen Wang. It was published on August 13, 2024 and has been written for young adults in grades 10 through 12. 

The publisher's summary:

Ash has always felt alone. Adults ignore the climate crisis. Other kids Ash’s age are more interested in pop stars and popularity contests than in fighting for change. Even Ash’s family seems to be sleepwalking through life. The only person who ever seemed to get Ash was Grandpa Edwin. Before he died, he used to talk about building a secret cabin deep in the California wilderness. Did he ever build it? What if it’s still there, waiting for him to come back…or for Ash to find it? To Ash, that cabin is starting to feel like the perfect place for a fresh start and an escape from the miserable feeling of alienation that haunts her daily life.  But making the wilds your home isn’t easy. And as much as Ash wants to be alone…can she really be happy alone?  

 

The publisher's website states that this graphic novel tackles the topic of gender identity. I was not aware of this until the ending and I looked up the book. A classmate places her hand on Ash's hand and Ash's face lights up. I feel a little stupid for not picking up on the new masculine name but in my defense let me say the reader doesn't know what Ash's name originally was. In fact, in the first chapter I thought Ash was male. Her desire to learn survival skills didn't cause me to suspect anything either. It just sounded like a great adventure. Her withdrawal from her high school classmates didn't make me suspicious either. Half the kids in school are withdrawn. My only clue that she was gay was that hand.

I would not categorize the book as LGBTQ fiction. It's about Ash's six month long plan to camp in the wilderness and then her execution of the plan. She takes her beloved dog Chase with her and, as an animal lover, I enjoyed their exploits. She was only supposed to be gone two weeks but Ash lasted 42 days in the wilderness. After Chase became injured Ash should have taken him home. She didn't and that upset me some.

All things considered, Ash's Cabin was a fun read. 5 out of 5 stars.

Tender

Tender was published on March 12, 2024. It is a psychological thriller in comic format and is the author's debut graphic novel.

The publisher's summary:

Carolanne wanted a perfect wedding, a perfect husband, a perfect family. She carefully performs her own roles (gal pal, bestie, girlfriend, wife, and expectant mother) and manipulates those around her to try and get the results she wants. Her desire to control the uncontrollable ultimately becomes her undoing. When things don't go her way, she exerts dominance over the one thing she does have total control over: her body; until that "betrays" her. After suffering a horrible loss, Carolanne spirals into a literal, all-consuming delusion causing her body to produce symptoms of a hysterical pregnancy ― as a result of her slicing off bits of her own flesh and eating them.

Chicago cartoonist and educator Beth Hetland’s graphic novel debut is a brilliant psychological thriller that tears down the wall of a genre ― body horror ― so often identified with male creators. Heady and visceral, Tender uses horrific tropes to confront women’s societal expectations of self-sacrifice despite those traditional roles often coming at the expense of female sexuality and empowerment.

 

I won't lie. After finishing the book I had to read the summary above in order to figure out what I just read. The story alternates between time periods as you would see with any psychological thriller. However, I was not expecting it and was confused as to what happened in Carolanne's life. A re-read helped me understand.

The horror aspect of the book is from Carolanne's self mutilation. We only have illustrations to know she was doing this to herself. Some of the illustrations were so jarring that I couldn't look at them. It's only apparent that Carolanne was trying to have a perfect life from these drawings and that the pressure she put on herself had to come out somewhere. We read about her striving for the perfect relationship, perfect wedding and perfect motherhood. Unfortunately none of that actually happened.

The ending was unexpected. I am still thinking about it a week after reading the novel and have a sinking feeling in my stomach. The author deserves accolades for writing the usual date, wedding, baby story from the horror genre. It works.

Not recommended for kids. The drawings have nudity and self-mutilation. 5 out of 5 stars.

Ruined

Ruined was published in November 2023. It is a Regency-era romance graphic novel about the unexpected passion that bloomed from a marriage of convenience. This reminds me of a show I love, Bridgerton, from the dresses to the parties.

The publisher's summary:

The whole town is whispering about how Catherine Benson lost her virtue, though they can never agree on the details. Was it in the public garden? Or a moving carriage?

Only a truly desperate man would want her now—and that’s exactly what Andrew Davener is. His family’s estate is in disrepair, but Catherine’s sizeable dowry could set it to rights.

After the two wed, Catherine finds herself inexplicably drawn to Andrew. But could falling in love with her husband tear her marriage apart? In this richly detailed Regency romance, duty and passion collide in a slow-burn tale of intertwined fates.

Ruined is a sweet Regency story.  Our heroine was caught having pre-marital sex, in the bushes, with a man who was engaged to someone else. The villagers could not resist gossiping about her and her father was horrified at what she had done. Catherine's father made a quick wedding arrangement with an aristocratic family that needed money. In a few short weeks Catherine was married to Andrew Davener and taken to live at Davener House. The house was in a state of disrepair with a leaky roof and old furniture. Much of the family jewels had been sold to pay for some repairs. 

There were problems with the marriage from the start because Catherine and Andrew did not know each other, let alone love each other. Catherine did not want to consummate the marriage until she received proof of love from Andrew. He left her bedroom on their wedding night promising not to return unless she asked him to. Catherine threw herself into renovating her new home but did not have much contact with her husband, except at meal time. Both were abrupt with each other.  When Andrew asked her what she expected from the marriage she stated that she wanted love letters and poetry. Thus began their dance around each other as they slowly began to get to know one another. There were 4 or 5 problems that they encountered during this time period but eventually love won out. 

The plot had several twists and turns in the relationship that gave the story an air of mystery. I knew that they would end up together because, after all, this is a Regency romance. There were 3 other couples involved in the plot and one of them was gay, which was covered up by the two ladies working in the same business.  The ending was a happily ever after. 

I would love to see a sequel but do not know if that is in the author's plans.  We shall see.  I am rating the book 4 out of 5 stars. The story was good and the drawings were superb, colored in bright colors.

A Geek in Japan

 

I saw this travel guide at my local Barnes and Noble. Its pages appear similar to a comic book format but it is not a comic.  I figured that the page design would help me retain information easily so I bought it. It was published in 2019. The guidebook covers a wide array of topics in short articles accompanied by sidebars and numerous photographs. It provides a lively digest of the society and culture of Japan. The book was designed to appeal to the generations of westerners who grew up on pokemon, manga and video games. This audience description does not describe myself. However, I found the book to be a fantastic resource.

Spotlighting the originality and creativity of the Japanese, debunking myths about them, and answering nagging questions like why they're so fond of robots, author Hector Garcia has created the perfect book for the growing ranks of Japanophiles in this highly informative guide. It has sections on Japanese culture, history, work life, music, TV and movies. Each section has photos and sidebars and short articles on each topic.  The sidebars are what make the book look like a comic book. The humor also gives it that comic book feel.

I am preparing for a month long visit to Japan in 6 weeks and have read several guidebooks. A Geek In Japan has its place among them all. The information contained in the book rates somewhere between a comprehensive travel guide and light reading.  I am rating it 3 out of 5 stars.

Cool Tokyo Guide

I have reviewed several other comics from Abby Denson. She writes Japan travel guides in comic strip format. This format makes it easier for me to remember all the information that she offers. In this guidebook Denson gives more detailed information about visiting Tokyo and, boy, am I glad I read it.

In this guidebook Abby, her husband Matt, friend Yuuko and her cat Kitty Sweet Tooth show readers a restaurant where clowns drive robots and mermaids ride on sharks, fantastic shops for lovers of everything from vintage manga to dollar-store treasures, great places to take kids, famous sites both old and new, and must-visit spots and even a few spots outside the city. This guide also helps you navigate everyday life in Tokyo, such as train etiquette, trash disposal, tricky toilets, department store fitting rooms and the surgical mask phenomenon. There is also a special family travel section for those traveling with children, as well as information on ways to prepare ahead of time to make the most of your stay in Tokyo.

However, the information most needed by me has to do with JR Rail Pass. I wasn't considering a rail pass for my Autumn trip. I thought that I would take cabs and buses for places not within walking distance from my hotel. After discovering just how expensive cabs are, I have decided that I need the rail pass. It's a good thing I figured it out at this time because ordering one takes five months and it has to be purchased before your trip. I can pick up the pass upon arrival at the airport in Tokyo. Another line! The author has done a great job of explaining that the train stations have information in both Japanese and English. I wasn't expecting to see English posted on transportation hubs. In addition, I was not aware that the SIM card in my smart phone may not work in Japan. I am worried about being able to take photos and store them on the device but I have never heard anyone talk about this so I don't know what to believe. 

I love that the comic strips have dialogue in a large font.  It is easy for me to read. Also, it is amusing to read that the favorite Christmas meal in Japan is Kentucky Fried Chicken. It's a little weird but Japan does not have many Christian churches.  Most citizens follow the Shinto faith. 

The Cool Tokyo Guide is a fantastic resource and if you are going to travel to Japan, I recommend that you take a look at it.  5 out of 5 stars.

Uniquely Japan

Uniquely Japan is one of several travel guidebooks that I purchased for my upcoming trip to Japan. Most of them are in comic strip format. Three have been written by Abby Denson! She also wrote Cool Japan Guide and Cool Tokyo Guide which I will review later this month. Denson has used her own drawings and photographs in this book. There are chapters devoted to Arts and crafts, fun things to do, fashion, food, high tech toilets, Japanese creatures. and street sights.

I have learned to look down at the ground to see lavishly decorated manhole covers, pink polka-dotted backhoes, and toilets with warmable seats and blow dryers. I now know that I can get my ramen from a vending machine and I will see silly mascots promoting serious businesses and whimsical architecture for neighborhood police stations. Denson also discusses several types of sweets available in Japan, which is important to me! However, I have already begun researching sweets by ordering boxes of sweets and tea directly from Japan.

Uniquely Japan is a nice resource to have. While it is in no way a comprehensive guide, I know that there are a few things I will remember due to the comic strip format.  I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

We Hereby Refuse

We Hereby Refuse is a graphic novel about the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. After the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, tens of thousands of Americans of Japanese descent were rounded up and placed in detention camps around the US. They lost their jobs, their businesses, and even their homes, not because of any crimes committed, but simply for their ethnic roots. Three characters are featured in the book. Jim Akutsu, Hiroshi Kashiwagi and Mitsuye Endo each embody a typical Japanese American experience during this time period.

Mitsuye Endo was a 21-year-old typist who lost her job with the State of California when she was ordered to report to the internment camp. A lawyer asked her to sue the government for causing her job loss. He recruited her because she seemed the ideal candidate at a time when everyone was scared of Japan. She did not speak Japanese and didn’t follow a Japanese religion like Buddhism or Shinto so didn’t believe that she could be threatening in any way. She even had a brother serving in the US army and she had also done everything the government had ordered her to. Her case eventually was heard by the U. S. Supreme Court, where she won.

Jim Akutso, who repeatedly tried to sign up for the Army but was refused because of flat feet. After he was imprisoned in a detention camp he was found out he’d been drafted, but now he refused. His reasoning was that if his country wasn’t willing to let him live freely, then he wasn’t going to fight to protest the freedoms he didn’t even have. He was convicted of dodging the draft and moved from the camp to a regular prison where he was given a sentence that extended past the end of the war.

Twenty yesr old Hiroshi Kashiwagi was waiting for his younger brother to graduate from high school so they could go to college together. Hiroshi was helping his parents on their fruit farm when the internment order came. He immediately registered for the draft but was soon dismayed to find out that the army changed his classification to IV-C, the category for enemy aliens. When army recruiters arrived at the Tule Lake Camp with a questionnaire to be completed, Hiroshi refused to agree to be drafted because of one question that required him to foreswear allegiance to Japan. He never had any allegiance to Japan and believed that to agree made him a criminal. He could be deported though for not completing the form. Hiroshi organized several resistance efforts at Tule Lake.

The graphic novel format helped to tell this story in an engaging and easy to read way. It immediately drew me into the dilemmas that these three characters faced. Chapters alternated between each of the characters and the illustration style was different for each of them, which helped me to follow the subplots easier. 

We Hereby Refuse is essential reading. Each of us should be familiar with this part of American history. 5 out of 5 stars. 

Where the Body Was

I was excited when I found out Net Galley would provide me with a copy of this comic. Author Ed Brubaker writes awesome stories and this one is no different. The story takes place in Summer 1984 in an abandoned boarding house on Pelican Road that junkies have taken over. 

The story opens with an introduction to the boarding house. We meet the couple who were the original owners as well as their neighbors. After they pass on the boarding house falls into disrepair and junkies and other criminals move in. A girl who thinks she is a superhero, wearing a mask and a cape, has a crush on Palmer who is doing drugs with a woman he is sleeping with, Toni. In order to get cash for their fix, the couple burglarize homes. She threatens him with going to the cops if he doesn’t stop. Palmer tells everyone that he is a cop and flashes a badge at anyone whose behavior he does not like. Despite this, I found him to be a sympathetic character. Another character that I liked was Ranko. He is a homeless man who sees everything happens on the street even though no one sees him.

There were alot of characters introduced in the beginning and I didn't even try to remember who was who. I knew I would get them straight during my read which I did. Each of these characters get to narrate their own chapters and the reader begins to see the well crafted plot through their eyes. The body was not introduced in the book until the halfway point. 

Normally I would complain about this but the story was so absorbing that I didn't even notice its absence. 

Where the Body Was is an entertaining mystery that satisfies. Comic fans will want to read this one. 5 out of 5 stars.

Supper Club

This cute comic by Jackie Morrow is entertaining and enjoyable. The characters in Supper Club are high school seniors who want to spend the most amount of time together as possible before they graduate. The girls cannot agree on whether to get involved with sports or a school club so they invent the supper club for themselves only. At each meeting they are supposed to bring one dish to share with everyone else.  Nora has taken the lead for the group but they alternate meeting at each other's homes.

The publisher's summary: 

Nora, Lili, and Iris are seniors at Seaside High. Their differing schedules and mounting extracurriculars inspire the girls to form a secret club where they can hang without sacrificing their future aspirations. Enter Supper Club, the delicious solution to their problems. When life starts to crumble like a cookie under the girls' feet, they rely on comfort food to hold it together. Can Supper Club endure life's most challenging recipes without burning to a crisp? 

The characters in this story are believable. They accurately portray how high school seniors behave and the dialogue between them is spot on. Each of them has the usual parental issues to deal with. Some do a better job than others. What the adult reader gets is a trip down memory lane. My own school experiences matched what Nora, Iris and Lili experienced. The comic strip panels were colored with primary colors and I love how the author showed their hair flying in the air when they were frazzled.

I received a free copy of the book by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I am happy to say Supper Club is a fantastic read. 5 out of 5 stars.

Barnstormers

Barnstormers was published in Summer and Fall of 2022 as a 5 part Comixology Original. It was written by Scott Snyder with Tula Lotay drawing the scenes. Barnstomers is an adventure and romance story that is set in 1923. The barnstormer era in American history had WWI pilots offering civilians joyrides in the sky for a small fee. One of those pilots was Preston Pike, who has flown his way across the U. S. Southeast scrounging for customers. When a telephone operator tells him that there will be a big crowd waiting for him in nearby Barnville, Preston races over.  Instead of eager clientele, he finds himself crashing into a wedding and the bride to be decides to make a getaway in Preston's plane. Along the way, the two of them bond and become romantic with each other.

This was an enjoyable story that is quick to read.  I thought it was awesome that the bride decided to bail on her wedding. She had an arranged marriage with a man she did not love and when the plane crashes into the reception area she believes it is a sign to run. The style of the illustrations is modeled after adventure comics from the 1920s which I thought was fitting. The bright colors used by Dee Cunniffe gave the story a relaxed feel.

The final issue will not be released until tomorrow, April 4, 2023. 

Book of Evil

The Book of Evil is a Comixology Original by Scott Snyder. Part 1 was published in October 2022. The book does not have the feel of a comic but rather an illustrated story about four young friends growing up in a strange future. In this future, over 92% of adolescents become psychopaths when they reach puberty. The four friends embark on a journey across America looking for a safe haven. As they search for this utopia, they find terror behind every corner. At this time, only two installments of the series have been published. #3 was supposed to have been published last month but I cannot find it.

The story was eerie as were the drawings by JOCK. The characters are supposed to reside inside the yellow yolk lines drawn on roads. If they leave the yolk, they get punished. If they get punished bad enough then they cannot become human.  All of the characters are named after famous authors such as Homer, Poe, Milton, Elliott, and Blake which must mean something. I just don't know what it is.

I must admit that I had a hard time following the plot. It seemed to me that the entire first entry only showed the reader what this strange world entailed. I also read part 2 of the series and have come to believe that this series is not for me. I will not be reading any future installments. The story was too weird for me but I know that there are comic fans out there who will enjoy it. 

The Black Ghost

The Black Ghost is a 5 part Comixology Original by Alex Segura and Monica Gallagher. All 5 issues were  published in May 2021 in one volume by Dark Horse Comics and it promises a continuance of the story at the close of #5.  

Our main character is Lara Dominguez. She is a troubled Creighton cops reporter obsessed with the city's debonair vigilante - the Black Ghost. With the help of a mysterious cyber-informant named Lone, Lara has inched closer to uncovering the identity of the Ghost. But as she searches for the breakthrough story that she desperately needs for her paper, Lara navigates the corruption of her city, the uncertainties of virtue, and her own personal demons. The question is whether she can overcome those demons to write spectacular news stories.  

Lara is a fantastic character.  She is a lesbian vigilante of color but her sexual orientation and race do not figure into the story. Lara not only is a journalist but she also teaches a GED class. She is an alcoholic and this prevents her from advancing in her life and career. Another character that I liked was Ernesto who is one of Lara's GED students. He lives in the Dregs and unfortunately gets beat up because of his involvement with her.  Milano's bartender Molly and Lara's boss Maggie are also characters who were interesting and added depth to the story. Crime chieftain Barnabas is the villain of the story and Lara's former classmate Kelly works for him.. All of these characters would make for a fantastic long comic series.

The Black Ghost was a fun read. 5 out of 5 stars.

New America

New America is a Comixology Original political thriller that explores the future of a divided nation. Curt Pires is the author of this three part series.  The story of the New America is set in a near-future landscape where a group of secessionists have broken away from the U. S. and created a new nation. They hope that it will be a utopia but an outbreak of violence makes it look just like the old America. Is this a foreshadow of what could come to Americans in the real world?

The story begins with the end of the old America with a partisan Congress, problems at the border, white supremacists and a crazy President Trump. The New America, though, is not any better. While the new president is African American, he uses power just like the white ones did. The politics is the same. The exception is that there are now armed guards everywhere throughout the nation. Citizens of the old America are seen as terrorists. 

This is a depressing comic. There wasn't much plot movement to keep me interested in the story but I kept reading because I expected a big ending. I didn't get it but perhaps that is the point. Separating the different factions in our country will not work. We have to talk to each other.

The Vision

The Vision #1 is a graphic novel about an android called Vision.  This android, sometimes called a "synthezoid," was built by the villainous robot Ultron created by Hank Pym. Originally intended to act as Ultron's son and destroy the Avengers, Vision instead turned on his creator and joined the Avengers to fight for the forces of good.  Part 1 collects the comic series 1 through 5 and was published in 2015 by Marvel.

The Vision wants to be human so he goes to the laboratory where he was created and he builds a family. There is his wife, Virginia and two twin teens Viv and Vin who look like him. They also have his powers and share his ambition to be ordinary. However, they have the power to kill. Ordinary, huh?

I found it amusing that this family always flew to wherever they were going.  If they wanted to be ordinary they should have walked or drove a car.  However, the kids flew through the air in order to get to school and, yes, they were seen in the air by students. It was also pretty amusing to see the kids try to learn the subjects everyone has to take in high school. Virginia would quiz them daily to ensure that they were doing well. Their power to kill, though, could not be turned off and we see Virginia and the twins use their powers of force when they were threatened.

This was a fun story so I will be getting the subsequent novels.

Beatrix Rose Vigilante

Beatrix Rose Vigilante is a 5 part Comixology Original written by Stephanie Phillips and it is fantastic. Beatrix Rose was working for British intelligence when her team turned on her and killer her husband and kidnapped her daughter. Beatrix went underground for awhile but resurfaced in Hong Kong. She became trapped by the Triad in Hong Kong and is forced to work for them. Her job is to protect them as there is another killer, called Yaomo or Demon, who has targeted the Triad's bosses.  Beatrix sets out to find Demon and kill him. 

The comic is a fun read with no sex or foul language, if that bothers you. Lots of killing, though but that didn't stop me from enjoying the comic.  5 out of 5 stars.

Regarding the Matter of Oswald's Body

Regarding the Matter of Oswald's Body is a 5 part online comic published by BOOM! Studios in November 2021. It is a crime thriller set in Texas where President Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald. The Kennedy assassination has spawned many conspiracy theories: mafia involvement, the second gunman, government cover-up… but the most important chapter of this sordid tale may just be the theory that the body buried at Oswald’s Rose Hill gravesite is not actually Lee Harvey himself. Meet the ragtag group of “useful idiots” – a wannabe cowboy from Wisconsin, a Buddy Holly-idolizing (former) car thief, a world-weary civil rights activist ready for revolution, and a failed G-Man who still acts the part – who are unwittingly brought together to clean up the crime of the century, and specifically deal with the matter of Oswald’s body.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this story. I know most of the conspiracy theories surrounding the Kennedy assassination but never heard of the one about Oswald not being buried in his grave at Rose Hill Cemetery in Fort Worth, TX. I searched Wikipedia regarding this conspiracy to see what information was out there about Oswald's body being stolen. I found that his body was exhumed 18 years after his death as there were questions whether a Soviet spy, who was an Oswald lookalike, was buried there instead. The body in the grave was Oswald though. The characters in the story indirectly show that they killed Kennedy and used Oswald as the fall guy.  Jack Ruby, who is the person who shot Oswald, was not mentioned in the comic. I thought that was strange. The premise for the story was good. However, the author played too much with the facts and we don't need any additional false theories about Kennedy assassination out there. 

A paperback copy of the series will be published on August 30, 2022 by BOOM! Studios. I don't think that I will be buying it for my print collection. 3 out of 5 stars. 

Vann Nath: Painting the Khmer Rouge

This is a graphic biography of Vann Nath, a Cambodian painter. Nath used his art to fight against the tyranny of the Khmer Rouge. In 1978, the young painter was arrested by the Khmer Rouge, the violent and totalitarian Communist Party of Kampuchea that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Imprisoned in the infamous Tuol Sleng prison, better known as S-21, painting became synonymous with survival for him. Ordered, like many Cambodian artists and craftsmen, to put his talent to use to glorify his captors, upon his release he continued painting, this time, to remember and pay tribute to the victims of Pol Pot's regime.  The only reason that he survived is because the man running the prison needed someone to paint of portrait of their supreme leader, Pol Pot. Nath became the most celebrated survivor of the prison. He died in 2011.

I learned much from this book. I knew that the Khmer Rouge were brutal but had never read about any specifics from their reign of terror. Vann Nath's graphic depictions of the torture he experienced in S21, which he painted after his release, brought it to life. The story is unsavory but sometimes the truth is brutal. At the back of the book are copies of the paintings Nath painted for the regime during his incarceration. I like his style and wonder what subjects he would have painted if his life had not been so difficult. 

If you love history, you should read this book. 5 out of 5 stars.