Book Description

Reviews (2)

it's ok
overall an entertaining book.but i have a dilemma on where and when exactly to "read" it.it's too small to be a coffee book table; it's not something you'd read in bed. but it's a nice addition to a non-conforming books collection.

Great conversation starter
Hilarious actions diagrammed with simple but technical precision, such as how to curtsy and how to do the queen's wave - from the carriage, no less! It's a great conversation starter in my living room and everytime I pick it up I notice something new. ... Read more

Book Description

Hundreds of years in the future, Manhattan has become a deadly slum, run by mutant crime-lords and disinterested cops. Stuck in the middle is a young girl who thought she had no future, but learns she has a great destiny. In a world so poisoned that it doesn't notice the monsters on its streets, how can a street kid like Fray unite a fallen city against a demonic plot to consume mankind? Joss Whedon, the celebrated creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, brings his vision to the future in this unique tale. As inventive in the comics medium as in that of television of film, Whedon spins a complex tale of a skilled thief coming of age without the help of friends or family, guided only by a demonic Watcher. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Joss Whedon can do everything!
I loved this book! It is really good. The characters are interesting, although I don't like some of them, such as the villain (I won't name as I don't want to spoil). He didn't look scary at all. I know it was supposed to be a big shocker but they should have made him look scary now. Also, the end seemed kind of rushed. (Spoiler) The big demon whose stomach would open all demensions was a little out there. If you are a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel this is a good book, and I have a feeling a 2nd is on the way.

Brilliant
Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon wrote this eight issue mini-series for Dark Horse Comics. Taking place in the 23rd century in a Blade Runner-esque world; young "grabber" (pretty much a thief) Melaka Fray finds her world turned upside down when a mysterious demon named Urkonn tells her that she is the Slayer. Faced with a newfound destiny, a tragic past, and plot twists and turns galore; Joss Whedon's Fray is pure brilliance from beginning to end. Whedon's interpretation of future dialogue is amusing to say the least, and his quirky humor which has always been apparent throughout his various television shows is here as well. The art by Karl Moline and Andy Owens is amazing stuff indeed; bringing a surreal look to the dark and gritty future world while showing Mel mature more and more as each chapter passes. The only problem with Fray is in it's pacing. From the time that Mel accepts her destiny to the end of the book, the war against the vampires happens too quickly. If you can get past that though, you'll find some pure comic genius here, Joss Whedon style. Hopefully, Joss will do a much requested follow up to Fray after his current run on Marvel's Astonishing X-Men (also highly recommended).

Great artwork, interesting take on the Slayer storyline
I bought this book in part because Joss Whedon is the writer of this and is the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The storyline is set centuries after Buffy and is the story of a young slayer who is more like the Faith we know than Buffy.
I found the setting to be depressing, if that is the future it's sure going to be miserable, but the artwork is great- and the story isn't too bad either.

A brilliant alternate take on the Slayer mythology
I was really impressed by this superb graphic novel written by Buffy creator Joss Whedon. While I was expecting a fun and interesting addition to the Slayerverse mythology, I wasn't expecting such a surprisingly nifty take on the mythology that Whedon had established in Buffy and Angel.

The story takes place at some indeterminate place in the future a couple of hundreds years in the future. No Slayer had been called in ages because magic had moved out of earth's dimension. But the vampires have returned, and for the first time in generations a new slayer has been called. The trouble is, apart from being a thief, she doesn't have many of the marks of a slayer--no dreams, no instincts, only the raw physical fighting ability. She is a slayer, but a flawed one.

FRAY is filled with great graphic designs, a fine central storyline, a remarkably complex set of character relations, and some quite stunning plot reversals. I love the conceit of a not-quite-complete-slayer. The fighting skills are clearly the most important part of being a slayer, but Fray has no sense of her heritage, of her destiny, of her vocation. If Buffy at least struggled against her fate, Fray hasn't a hint of what her fate is. When tells the demon who would train her that she really hasn't had the dreams or visions of previous slayers, she is telling the truth. This makes her even more isolated than other slayers, more a loner.

I think anyone who enjoys either graphic novels or any of the work of Joss Whedon is going to love this. Hopefully there will be a follow up. The story ends with things definitely open to future development. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Not Just For Buffy Fans...
I must be ernest, I am not a fan of buffy..Yet the story of fray isn't so mutch a new instalment of slayor mythose.
even if you know nothing of joss whedons former work, know the man can write a comic book to make it both engaguing and accessable.
the plot is standerd fare, "cool, kinda bad chick is hauled reluctantly into saving the post modern world".
that is where the simmilarities to other silicone heroines stop and whedons tallent as an author and the other artists that created fray shines. the story brings you to the razor edge of the make or break point of any good comic "is it cliche?" but what we learn about frey from the hip neo-english slang to the sometimes gutwrenching fight sceens is the fact that it takes the tough chick storyline and reinvents it to both be familliar ground and yet something fresh and new.
I want to save the fun for the readers but lets just say when you finish it you will be yurning for a sequel... ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Fair Book
Golden Age of the Sith is not the best Star Wars comic I have read. I recomend it to any Star Wars fan who wants to learn more about the Sith.

Confusing start for the Old Republic Jedi
On the SW time line this is the first of the OLD REPUBLIC ERA stories released Aug 1997. Written by Kevin j Anderson, author of the JEDI ACADEMY TRILOGY (1994), KJA is one of the more important writers in the SW universe, or at least he was. He wrote the young jedi series, and those kids are now the heart of the jedi in the NJO series of books. He also wrote the Essential chronology with Daniel Wallace released in 2000. These old republic are comics have been criticized as almost unrecognizable from the jedi that luke is training.
It is not my job to defend KJA and his story, but times were different. What I can't explain away is the poor editing. All the ORE comics are confusing as heck. Most of them have no importance to the Skywalker era. The art work that gets a C grade, but Darkhorse has made tremendous strides in later comics. Comics produced in 2002 and 2003 have stunning artwork! I'll give this comic a 3 star review for starting things off.

5,000 years before Anakin and Luke
This is actually the first STAR WARS story in the entire chronology. Although be advised that it was published by Dark Horse Comics later in the TALES OF THE JEDI (TOTJ) run, in 1996-1997, as 5 issues and one #0 issue.

If you're going to read the TOTJ series, I recommend you start with this one. It's a great introduction to the Old Republic and the hidden Sith empire.

Kevin J. Anderson does a good job with the story and the characters. Some backstory on the origin of the Sith is provided. It is very cool to see the Sith and their manipulations, the conflict among themselves. The art is very good, with impressive planets and character designs. There is a nice level of detail and the coloring is above average.

I really like TOTJ because it is so far removed from all other incarnations of SW. There is so much to explore, and the history of the Sith is something that has always been of keen interest to me.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE SITH is a fast-paced read that entertains all the way through.

This story is concluded in TALES OF THE JEDI: THE FALL OF THE SITH EMPIRE.

Interesting SW history, but hard to like
'Golden Age of the Sith', as the other Tales of the Jedi books, is a bit of a hard sell for fans and non fans. Fans of Star Wars will buy this book to complete their collections, and just might enjoy it for it's historic tale set in the far past of the Star Wars continuity. However, the tale is so bizarre that it bears almost no resemblance to the current Star Wars universe. For some it might be a drawing point, but I think others will be turned off by this. Non fans will turn away, as the story isn't particularly intriguing and the art is sub-par. The rest of the 'Tales of the jedi' stories are much better.

Hardly the best of Star Wars
I found this to be a mixed package. Once again, I state that I've never been a Kevin J. Anderson fan. His earlier novels and comics were pretty good, but after his first few the quality virtually vanished.

The story of Gav and Jori is a bit of a bore, and even though you're supposed to feel sympathetic toward these two, I just didn't feel it. The Sith, meanwhile, turn out to be a bunch of squabling fools. The only character who is really worth a dime is Naga Shadow.

The art by Carrasco was good, though. His art style is well-fitted for the ancient 'Tales of the Jedi' series. (Any attempts to transplant him into 'modern' Star Wars, though, don't prove very fortunate, as 'Leviathan' proved.) The Sith architecture and garb is well-done, with beautiful vistas and the Egyptian-style tombs and architecture. Even the warships have a certain flair to them.

Overall, the art's about as good as the story is lackluster. Insight into the ancient Sith is unfortunately little. Flip through it, take a look at the nice, old-style art, and then I reccomend putting it back on the shelf. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The Adventures of Tintin Volume 1
Tintin in America:
The first well known Tintin book "Tintin in America" begins where reporter Tintin and his trusty canine companion Snowy get off of a train in Chicago in order to solve a new mystery. They come to investigate the doings of the largest gang in Chicago. On their way the gang finds out they're being investigated and try to stop Tintin. Tintin has many close calls and chases, and on top of that some very good luck. I reccomend this book to anyone who loves mystery, suspense, and a great comic.

The Cigars of the Pharaohs:
The second Tintin story begins where Tintin and Snowy stumble on a new mystery on a cruise ship. A man claims to know where the temple of an Egyptian Pharaoh is and Tintin and Snowy go along with him for fun. This temple had been visited before by someone else and Tintin had to find out who made the visit and why not all come out. This book gives the same suspense and mystery as most of the other Tintin books and I reccomend it just as much as all the others.

The Blue Lotus:
After a few days in royalty in India, Tintin is summoned to a new mystery in China. This time he has to investigate the doings of a secret drug dealer, the only problem is that they are too secret. Ofcourse this book has mystery and suspense and I reccomend it to any person who loves the genre.

This 3 volume book is classic Tintin and I love it so much. It's the best.

Tintin and Snowy rock!
I love Tintin books and this one is no exception. I like the size of the book, the hardcover has a good binding so that it doesn't come apart and with three adventures in one you are getting a great deal.

Want to keep your boys quiet? Give them the book!
I gave this book along with vol. 2 to my nephews at 5th grade and 1st grade and they can't put them down after the 1st page. So I decide to buy the whole collection for them.

(...);-P

Great gifts for kids at the age to open their mind and explore the world!

Watch out - Small Size
Watch out, this 3-in-one comes in a smaller size than the regular single adventures. Makes it harder to read and harder to enjoy the graphics.

Tin Tin- comic extrodinaire'
Tin-Tin is comicbook creation the way it should be!
Tin-Tin is NOT political correctness, it depicks human beings, events as they are, whether evil or good.
You'll be surprised comparing of todays wishy-washy P.C. comics to Tin-Tin..
It has morals, values, perhaps a bit over the top sometimes since black & white issues were more defined years ago..
The artwork is extremely good, even when some panels only have 1 sentance. Tin-Tin will take you to another time & place.
Before there was Indiana Jones, there was Tin-Tin! ... Read more

Book Description

A floating city promises hope for humans and mutants alike! But if Cable plans to be Earth's Savior, will Deadpool accept the role of Judas? Plus: the traumatic, tragic, and tantric events of "The Burnt-Offering" have left Cable - well, "regurgitated" - now Deadpool has to save the day! Even if it means confronting his fear of very big-headed villains! And the challenge of finding someone who can fix technology from thousands of years in the future.Collects Cable/Deadpool #7-12. ... Read more

Book Description

Jargon-spewing corporate zombies. The sociopath who checks voice mail on his speaker phone. The fascist information systems guy. The sadistic human resources director. The technophobic vice president. The power-mad executive assistant. The pursed-lip sycophant. The big stubborn dumb guy. They're Dilbert's coworkers, and chances are they're yours, too. If you know them, work with them, or dialogue with them about leveraging synergies to maximize shareholder value, then you'll recognize this comic strip as a day at the office, only funnier. Since 1989 Dilbert has lampooned not only the people but also the accepted conventions and practices of the business world. Office politics, management trends, business travel, personnel policies, corporate bureaucracy, irrational strategies, unfathomable accounting practices, unproductive meetings, dysfunctional organizations, oppressive work spaces, silly protocols, and inscrutable jargon are all targets of Adams's darkly goofy satirical pen. Dilbert strikes a deeply resonant chord with fans because it casts such a dead-on reflection of the realities of the white-collar workplace, even with its off-the-wall delivery. Today, Dilbert runs in 2,000 newspapers in 19 languages, reaching 150 million readers in 65 countries. The 24th Dilbert collection, Author's Cut, features Adams's personal all-time favorite selections, along with his own handwritten commentary about the strips. ... Read more

Book Description

Homicide detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim investigate murders specific to super-hero cases. And with all super-heroes declared illegal, a Powers crime wave has hit the city, and hit it hard! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Chris Hart Does It Again!
Without a doubt, Christopher Hart is one of the most prolific and talented cartoonist around. Having worked with companies such as Disney, his cartoon style is entertaining and stylic as well. It's got personality and it will make you want to engross yourself in the book. If you've not read any book by Chris Hart, this is one of his best. However, it is a wonderful book with lots of helpful ideas on becoming a cartoonist yourself.

It covers everything from how to place the features to costumes to animals. It would definitely be a useful starting (and ending) ground for anyone interested in this art.

Excellent find!
This book is great! There are a ton of helpful tips and techniques that range from how to draw facial expressions and body types to how to draw ice cubes and water... and even how to convey wind or rain. The author, Christopher Hart, even explains why cartoon characters have only three fingers.

This book is very clear, very informative and very funny! I highly recommend this book!

Great Stuff Here!
Christopher Hart has brought many hours of both fun drawing and thoughtful learning in my atristic journey. Not only does he explain everything you need to know for beginners, but some fresh stuff for the experienced artist as well. I'm sure anyone of all ages will enjoy learning form this and all of his great books.

Good book
I have had this book for a few years now and I love it. Hart gives lots of examples of a character in different situations. He also shows how to lay out your comic and gives advice on colors and such. This book /would/ have gotten the full 5 stars, but I felt that the section on animals could have either been expanded to include a basic rundown on construction for beginners, or left out entirely. The section is mainly about the relative height of animals to others and, above that, an intermediate construction of the animal itself, plus a brief written guideline. I should be getting Hart's book on cartooning animals today, so hopefully that will be more of a help to me in the animal area. All in all, this book is great for those who are just starting out or need a refresher.

really fun book
This book will help you transit from doodling to drawing cartoons. It is great for distracting your collegues during long meetings, delighting younger children who should be concentrating on other things, and annoying your spouse who is trying to pay attention.
Get it. ... Read more

Book Description

She was the catalyst that helped to turn a rag-tag rebellion into the Rebel Alliance. She provided the impetus for the "Heroes of Yavin" in their attack on the Death Star. And she was the spark that ignited the flames of passion in one of the galaxy's most notorious rogues. "She," of course, is Princess Leia, the leader - and heart - of the Rebellion against Palpatine's galactic Empire. The four stories in this volume follow Leia from the weeks just before the events in A New Hope, to the time just before The Empire Strikes Back - from her first transforming experience with armed rebellion, to facing the ramifications of consequences of the destruction of her home planet, to the beginnings of true love. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Will the most precocious child please step foward?
"Indespensable" is rendered rhetorical when it comes to Calvin and Hobbes, but a collection such as this should be required reading for, well, everyone. Calvin is the child we all were and continues to be the child we wish could still be. Of course any child who regularly uses words like "malpractice insurance" and "besmirching" asks you to suspend disbelief, but these phrases come from the same young boy possessing an unbelievably hyperactive imagination and a penchant for walking around the house in his birthday suit. And Hobbes, Calvin's best friend (who just happens to be a stuffed tiger - or is he alive?) represents everything we so crave and desire. Someone who will listen to you and give you unconditional love (not to mention a furry belly to lie on). Calvin's musings on life, school, and parents are nothing short of sophisticated philosophy. Take this book with your family and read it aloud for all to hear. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll imagine you're a tyrannosaurus rex. Indispensable.

Another great Calvin and Hobbes treasury...
It's another great Calvin and Hobbes treasury which includes cartoons from "The revenge of the baby-sat" and "Scientific progress goes boink".

You'll love this book of cartoons which includes some of Bill Watterson's best voted strips like the comic strips "tiger food" and "Eenie Meenie..."!

The things I love most of Watterson's comics are the jokes, sarcasm, character expressions, colourful drawings, and great backgrounds.

In this book you'll be able to read lots of club strips, Rosalyn stories, and family trips to places like the museam! You'll also be able to read lots of Spaceman Spiff and dinosaur strips.

This book would appeal to people of all ages from perhaps the age of eight to adult.

------------------Ahmed Mashhood age 12-----------

An anthology of laughter
Whether the collection is the "Indispensible" or "Essential" or "Quintessential" Calvin and Hobbes, it doesn't really matter. Watching this hyperactive, hyperimaginative child and his willing though wise accomplice, Hobbes, take on evil babysitters, Susie Derkins, the class bully and all creatures (real or imaginary), is a pleasure and laughter without stop. "The Indispensible Calvin and Hobbes" is another in a long list of the great comic work of Bill Watterson. This is an indispensible/essential/quintessential collection for all Calvin and Hobbes and humor fans!

Calvin and Hobbes Ranking System---#1
This treasury is far and away the best of the entire Calvin and Hobbes Collection. I own every book, and have recently reread them all, and without a doubt this is the very best. For one thing, it was written right in the middle of Watterson's C&H career, which means that the writing and ideas are still fresh, while super-improved drawings and Sunday strips have just begun. Second of all, Watterson must have been on a powerful creative streak, because there is an amazing number of stories within the "Indispensible" collection. There are three Rosalyn babysitter tales, the bug collection story, the bat project, two camping trips, G.R.O.S.S. adventures, the burglar break in, the car down the hill, multiple Stupendous Mans, multiple Spaceman Spiff getaways, the duplicator going "boink" and creating more Calvin's, a rare, great Tracer Bullet story, Calvin defying gravity and size, Calvin on the baseball team, and a time machine adventure to the dinosaur age. The sheer amount of stories here is unheard of for a C&H collection, and the best part is that almost every one is fantastic. Thirdly, the Sunday strips are in color, which is a huge plus. Fourthly, Calvin's parents have finally been rendered as three dimensional and sympathetic individuals, a characteristic that had been lacking in the earlier books. Last of all, as always, these comics are frequently hilarious, sometimes touching, and always entertaining. This collection personifies those characteristics to the nth degree, and is without a doubt the best Calvin and Hobbes for anyone to buy. If you're looking for other good C&H books, I would also recommend the Essential Collection (first two books, funny yet lacking in drawing), Snow Goons, Psycho Jungle Cat, Treasure Everwhere, and the 10th Anniversary. I hope this was helpful both for prospective buyers, and old fans looking back.

Indispensible : My favorite
I started reading C&H from this one and now have the complete collection. I rank this one at the top, (alongside the tenth ann collection). Another reason is that it contains some of the poetry work by Watterson. I am a fan of his poetry too. Sounds similar to my own... ... Read more

Book Description

From one of the swamp moons of Naboo, to the war-torn cityscapes of Brentaal IV, the battles of the Clone Wars have thrown the galaxy into turmoil. New Separatist threats, ranging from deadly biological weapons, to dark Jedi, to unkillable alien bounty hunters, have the loyalist Jedi and their clone troops pushed to their limits. This graphic novel collection contains three separate, yet linked stories of heroism and sacrifice set during the time between Episode II and Episode III! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

SUPERB QUALITY CONTROL WORKS.
I have been critical of the occasional lack of quality control by lazy editors at dark horse. But this comic is magnificent! I had tripidations when i realized that two writters, 3 pencilers and 3 inkers were involved. But the editors and everyone else did their jobs and the results are tremendous.

The master plan for the entire PRE-QUEL endeavor has been very satisfying so far, unlike the extremely disappointing NJO. Here the master plan combines excellent novels and comic books with the movies to tell the story.

Excellent followup to volume 1. Great job Lucas films and darkhorse.

The New Face of War
The Clone Wars rage on in this exciting volume.

This book contains the first appearances of the two new villains of the Clone Wars: the bounty hunter Durge, and Asajj Ventress, the female Dark Jedi.

If you saw the CW animated series than you are familiar with these villains. They are great new characters, and are the new face of war. Durge has a very cool look as well as an entertaining personality and dialogue.

The art is handled by three artists, all of them excellent. This features the first time Brian Ching drew an issue (Republic #53), and it's nice detailed work. Jan Duuresma is outstanding, as usual. Tomas Giorello also does a commendable job.

Dark Horse is really doing tremendous work with Star Wars right now. In my opinion, the current SW comics are among the best they've ever published.

The Wars continue...
Anyone who has read the first collected comic "Star Wars: Clone Wars; Volume 1" knows that the art work and story lines are excellent!!!

This issue expands on the conflict of the Clone Wars and develops the characters more so you can really get a feel for who they are and how they act, especially the Sith Warriors. Volume 2 contains much more action than Volume 1 and leaves you wanting the next Volume already!

If you have a love for Star Wars and the expanded universe of the comics; or if you just love a few great war stories in a sci-fi setting, this is the comic for you. However it should be said that although this comic can be read without reading the first volume, those that have read the first will enjoy this comic more as they can notice the character development and know the origins of some of the conflicts in this volume.

Happy reading and (Always wanted to say this), May the Force be with you! ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Solid, but ultimately disappointing, Batman murder mystery
This graphic novel gathers together all 13 issues of "Batman: The Long Halloween", written and drawn, respectively, by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. The story revolves around Carmine "The Roman" Falcone, the ruthless head of Gotham's fiercest gangster empire. The Roman is responsible for countless murders, hijackings, and crimes throughout Gotham, but authorities have never been able to convict him (most of the graft-ridden city is either on his payroll or bribable). Batman, along with a young Captain Gordon and headstrong District Attorney Harvey Dent, is determined to rid Gotham of Falcone's corruption, but he soon learns that a mysterious figure may have already beaten him to the punch: a serial killer, known only as "Holiday", is currently on the loose in Gotham and preying on members of Falcone's extended "family". Batman, Gordon, and Dent now face a combined problem: bringing Falcone to justice, while also ending Holiday's deadly spree.

One of "The Long Halloween"'s primary goals is to provide backstory on Gotham's crime lord past, and this is where the novel truly shines. Readers finally get to see the crime organizations that controlled much of Gotham in the early days (this dark past was hinted at in other Batman stories, but it's more fully explored here). In addition, "The Long Halloween" contains a fascinating retelling of Harvey Dent's past, which will be warmly welcomed by fans of this sometimes morally-dubious friend of Batman's. Unfortunately, readers hoping for a significant glimpse into Batman's own psyche will be sorely disappointed; Batman remains a cipher throughout most of the novel, speaking always in a terse, stacatto rhythm and providing little in the way of a glimpse into his mind's inner workings.

While "The Long Halloween" is competently written, it suffers from a lack of originality and a workman-like narrative drive. The ideas explored here (Italian gangsters and serial killers) are mildly intriguing within the larger context of Gotham, but Loeb doesn't infuse them with many new twists, so they remain tired cliches in this story. Also, in an attempt to give an "epic" feel to this saga, Loeb introduces many of Batman's most infamous foes into the mix (The Joker, The Riddler, The Scarecrow, and The Mad Hatter are just some of the villains on display here). However, the characters are introduced and then dispatched so quickly by Batman, that they don't provide any real sense of drama (in fact, at times, they almost seem to be there for comic relief, which doesn't seem quite right). I think this story would have benefitted from focusing on a much smaller handful of villains, rather than the scattershot approach it takes.

I similarly found the ending of the story and the mystery to be somewhat unsatisfying, although I acknowledge that this is a matter of individual tastes. While it's interesting to see Batman (and Gordon and Dent) involved in such a bizarre murder mystery, the story doesn't play fair with the standard "rules" of the genre--some may say this makes for a breath of fresh air in the Batman universe (and the mystery genre itself), but I think it amounts to a bit of a cheat for trusting readers. In the end, it's difficult to tell just how ambiguous Loeb intended certain elements of the mystery to be; in fact, there's a convincing argument to be made that some of the ambiguity is merely due to sloppy storytelling. Gotham and the larger Batman universe provide fertile ground for this style of mystery, but "The Long Halloween" ultimately fails to deliver on that promise.

Fantastic early-career Batman story
Long Halloween works on so many levels. I went into this book knowing how it was going to end and it still captivated me. It is both a murder mystery and a story of a fall from grace. The main plotline-the mystery of the identity of a serial killer who murders members of the Falcone and Maroni crime families every major holiday-almost takes a back seat to the tragic transformation of Harvey Dent, who starts out as Batman and Captain Gordon's partner and friend and becomes one of their greatest foes by the end of the story. This series ranks alongside the Killing Joke as an important piece of Batman continuity as well as examining Batman's relationship with his enemies. Loeb's writing is good minimalism, packing so much power into so little dialouge. Tim Sale's artwork is just beautiful. He is one of the most talented pencilers ever, and breaths new visual life to several Batman characters. The series is lenghty but it is also fast paced and can be read in a relatively short amount of time. The pacing of the artwork is near-perfect, save for the unsettling abundance of splash pages. This series also well balances Batman's foes between pyschologically and physically deformed supercriminals and regular human gansters. After reading this and the first issue of its follow-up Dark Victory, one can only wonder why team Long Halloween does not work on a regular Batman title.

My favorite Batman book, part 1
This is the book that got me back into graphic novels/comics. A lush, noir-esque story with great twists and turns as well as a new take on a classic villian that retains the basic origin while expanding it slightly.

It's set early in Batman's career, before Robin and before his role was clear in the eyes of police. The only person who believes in him and what he's doing is Jim Gordon, at this point only a lieutenant in the police force.

Fantastic art and a brilliantly written story. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale have quickly become my favorite tandem in graphic novels. Brilliant work! Brilliant!

Great Two-Face Story, Terrible Batman Story!
Here's another offering from the kings of retro, Jeph Loeb (writer) and Tim Sale (artist), reexamining Batman during his mythical "Year One" period. If you believe the intro to this volume, this story was meant to be a sequel to Frank Miller's classic retelling of the Dark Knight's early days in "Batman: Year One" (1986/7). As a story, this work is pretty weak in many areas; as a sequel, is simply falls short of the tight, mature storytelling of Frank Miller's original.

The story centers on the Roman family (originally introduced in "Batman: Year One"), a serial killer who offs people in creative ways during holiday seasons and the trio out to stop the crimes - Batman, Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent. Tim Sale is especially suitable for a work like this - his moody, atmospheric and splash-pages art are truly a sight to behold. You feel yourself being sucked into Batman's Gotham. My primary complaint is with Jeph Loeb's writing. Like my previous review of "Superman for All Seasons", my views of the man's writing hasn't changed. I like HOW he writes - I just dislike WHAT he writes! He's a great scripter, providing witty, timely and simply apt dialogues and caption boxes that the whole thing read very smoothly even though it runs into 300+ pages. The problem is with his insipid plotting. He should have someone else plot his tales and script over them. For example, in order to maintain the novelty of "holiday-themed killings", the story is stretched across THIRTEEN months and countless murders - and finally Batman catches the killer (but we are told that he got the wrong guy). And this is the "World's Greatest Detective"? Meanwhile, Batman consults a Hannibal-Lecter-like Calendar Man who is incapacitated in prison but seemingly knows the identity of the killer (?!?). See the problem? Batman, Gordon and Harvey are supposedly super-cops and they run around like madmen without a clue to the killer and you have this locked-up guy knowing the truth behind everything? Granted, Loeb was trying to set up a "Silence of the Lambs" scene with Calendar Man but therein lies the weakness of the whole thing. It is a scene set up for its own sake and doesn't contribute anything to the STORY. We live in times wherein comic writers are a lot more influenced by TV and movies than literature. And Loeb, former screenwriter, epitomize this new breed of writers who set up cool scenes, writes clever dialogue, provides the atmosphere with the right artistic collaboration but ultimately delivers something very hollow and shallow. "The Long Halloween" is often compared to the pulp classics of Chandler and Hammett. I disagree vehemently. Loeb and Sale gave us "mood" and "cool scenes" but ultimately the story is without gusto, the characters lack the machismo and grit of true noirish anti-heroes, and though the atmosphere is there, it lacks the tight, all-encompassing claustrophobia of the great noirish works.

The only redeeming factor in this work is the retelling of Two-Face's origin. Loeb is especially great in the quiet "character" moments and here, the tragic story of Harvey Dent's transformation into Two-Face is beautifully retold. But Loeb's strength is often his most-glaring fault at the same time. For example the book begins with a full-page drawing of a grim-looking Bruce Wayne muttering, "I believe in Gotham City" - a scene I found to be laughably out-of-character for the flamboyant playboy persona of Bruce Wayne! This kinds of out-of-character scenes abound throughout the story. All in all, this story should have been better written by a more gritty writer like Greg Rucka or Ed Brubaker (both of them have written far better Batman stories than Loeb here).

My favorite Batman book, part 1
This is the book that got me back into comics! I've been a Batman fan for years but these two guys reeled me in to the comics.

This story takes place early in Batman's career. How early? No Robin, Harvey is still "Apollo" Harvey Dent, and James Gordon is still married to his wife. It's essentialy a murder mystery involving the Falcone crime family, back when there were REAL criminals running Gotham as opposed to the classic Bond-villians-on-acid criminals! Members of this family are being hit and the killer leaves macabe souveniers related to the holiday on which the murder occurs. Everyone is suspect, the conclusion is startling; everything I love in film noir murder mystery!

The art is more realistic than other Batman books. My only quip is the way catwoman was designed. They reached the design apex on the animated series. But in this book she has large eye holes, large ears, and whiskers in a attempt to make her more cat-like. Selina Kyle is WONDERFULLY done! The best drawn character is the Joker, he's my favorite anyway!

This is my favorite book because it's back to the essentials: Batman kicks the crap out of criminals, no supernatural stuff, and a great emotional comples for our hero! Bravo! ... Read more

Book Description

Process Recess collects the art of James Jean. From his travelogue-sketchbooks of Vienna, London, New York, LA and Taiwan to his finished illustrations and paintings, we get to see a side of the artist that most have not seen. James's artwork blends media such as watercolor, oils, computer work, and sketching - all of which is collected here in a beautiful hardcover format. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hunter S. Thompson, in his drunken, rambling introduction to this volume of paintings and illustrations, calls Ralph Steadman "the Albert Gore of twentieth century art." It's hard to imagine a less apt appellation: Steadman's drawings and paintings are the wild antithesis of the notoriously stiff V.P. His pop art is also the opposite of Warhol's clean lines and soulless imagery; it screams with pain and nightmare power. While Steadman is best known for his illustrations to Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and other works, here his art is given free rein, and works with titles like "Earliest man, full of the sense of his own worth, screaming into the blackness, needing no god but himself..." and "Good time crucifix" combine Steadman's trademark splattered ink and unfolded figures with collage and sloppy airbrush. Although the text may offend those with no sense of irony (Thompson compares Steadman to artist manqué Adolf Hitler; Steadman relates the story of his first bowel movement), the hyperactive visuals are sure to delight even those who've never snorted ether while tripping on pure human adrenochrome. --James DiGiovanna ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Truly Inspirational
Ralph Steadman has proven to be one the most interesting and inventive artists of the late 20th century. He certainly has a cult appeal amongst Hunter Thompson fans, which is how i got turned on to his art. But upon purchasing this book i was truly amazed at how awesome all of his stuff is, this guy is truly inspirational. He has an original style, or at least as original as it gets. His writings and commentaries are funny and interesting as well. The book also has a great intro by Hunter. I'm an artist myself and this book really got my mind and imagination going. Steadman's got such a definitive look and style, which can only be summed up in one word: 'Gonzo'. I love this book and have looked through it many many times. I believe Steadman is one of the best artists living today, and is an inspiration to anyone trying to create something new and different.

Something Wicked in Fear and Loathing
Steadman takes the obscene to the edge with his book "Gonzo: The Art." He recounts his maturation in art from his drawings for Hunter S. Thompson's "The Kentucky Derby is Decadant and Depraved" to his own new ideas on what gonzo is. He even shows a portrait of what he thinks Thompsons parents were like, riding on the outside of the desert, maybe around Barstow, in the Big Red Shark. All in all, Steadman is an affront to your senses and will throw your world for a loop. Enjoy the ride!!

Makes people Ralph
This is one of the greatest compendiums of contemporary art I own. It has occupied pride-of-place on my coffee table since two hours after it arrived (had to go through it first), which means every visitor to my home sees it immediately upon sitting down. Reactions have been mixed-nobody disagrees as to Mr. Steadman's talent level, though quite a few have wished that he would choose different subjects to skewer with his warped pen. On the other hand, those who have been introduced to the work of this artist and enjoyed it now have the volume in their own homes. Not for the faint of heart, but rewarding to those who look at things slaunchwise through their own dark mirrors of the soul.

a brilliant sensory experience
Often in the shadow of collaborator Thompson, Steadman here gets to be the star & rightly so even though the good Gonzo doc does show up a few times. He has had other volumes out as well but this seems to be his greatest hits package or something, from various eras. Psychedelic spinning eyeballs, dripping blood, pliticians, decay & newspaper cuttings gloriously meshed together into true revelation. His styles do change & themes do too. He recounts that despite people thinking he was present for the escapades in the great Red Shark in Las Vegas, Ralph says he's never be mad enough to get in a car w/ hunter S. Thompson & also the difference w/ him being English & Hunter being extremely American. Anyway this was on the shelf next to Jean-Michel Basquiat & if anyone's getting art books I would thoroughly recommend both. BAD CRAZINESS!

The Truth
Excellent collection of Steadman artwork. Some biography of Steadman. Mostly color. Contains some songs and writings of Steadman and Hunter S. Thompson. ... Read more

Book Description

Volumes I & II in paperback of this 1992 Pulitzer Prize-winning illustrated narrative of Holocaust survival. ... Read more

Reviews (107)

More subtle than can be understood in a single reading
These books are an easy and fast read, but by no means are they simple. In two slim comic books, Art Spiegelman chronicles his parents' movement from comfortable homes in Poland to the death camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau, and from there to a surreally banal afterlife in upstate New York. We watch the destruction of the Holocaust continue in Spiegelman's father's transformation from a bright, good-looking youth to a miserly neurotic, his mother's deterioration from a sensitive, sweet girl into a suicide, and in the author's own unhappy interactions with his parents.

I have read some of the most negative reviews of these books, and I respectfully disagree. Some negative reviews ("Spiegelman is a jerk") castigate Spiegelman for his shamefully self-interested milking of his father's life and the Holocaust. Other negative reviews find fault with the unoriginality of the story, or discover historical inaccuracies, self-contradictions, or simplifications in the tale. Finally, a set of reviews are upset with Spiegelman's coding of people of different nationalities as animals(especially the Poles, who were also victimized by the Nazis but are depicted as pigs in the comics.)

The first criticism is both deserved and unfair. Deserved, because Spiegelman profits by the pain and death of millions, including his own family. Unfair, because Spiegelman himself consciously provides the basis for our criticism that he mocked and neglected his elderly father at the same time that he fed his own success upon his father's tales. The two volumes echo with his regret and unexpiable guilt at his treatment of his parents, and at his own success and survival. To attack Spiegelman for these things is like scolding a man in the midst of his self-immolation.

The second type of criticism finds _Maus_ to be sophomoric, inaccurate, or repetitive of other Holocaust survivor's experiences. The defense here is that Maus is the story of a single family, seen through the eyes of a single man (Vladek Spiegelman), and filtered again through his son. It is almost certain that the elderly Vladek forgot, exaggerated, or hid details, just as it is certain that his son summarized and misunderstood. However, the quasi-fictionalized format of the comic book throws this subjectivity into relief. The destroyed diaries of Spiegelman's mother are a reminder of the millions of life stories left untold, including stories perhaps too horrible and shameful for the survivors to reveal. _Maus_ does not claim to be an objective, authoritative history of the Holocaust, and in fact tries to emphasize its own limitations.

While other works may better convey the Jewish experience in the Holocaust, the innovative format of _Maus_ justifies its existence, as it allows the story to reach a greater audience.

Finally, many have objected to the negative stereotyping of the many peoples appearing in the book, especially the Poles. Spiegelman draws the Jews as innocent mice, but the Germans as bloodthirsty cats, and the Poles as selfish pigs. More amusingly (because they appear infrequently in the story) the French are drawn as frogs, the Swedes as reindeer, and the British as cold fish. The Americans are dogs, mainly friendly bow-wow dogs but also sometimes cold-eyed predators capable of pouncing on a mouse or rat. I believe that the wrongness of stereotypes was a major reason why Spiegelman used them. The Nazis are recorded as having called the Jews "vermin" and the Poles "pigs". Whether they had the qualities of these animals or not, they were treated as such... and such they were forced to become despite themselves. The Jews had to hide, hoard, and deceive; the Poles were compelled to act out of self-interest just to survive.

In other words, I think that Spiegelman's stereotypes were a deliberate choice. The WHOLE POINT of _Maus_ is how the dehumanization of the Holocaust twisted people beyond their capacities... how the camps tried to make people as ugly and despicable as their worst racial stereotypes, by making them all alike in their fear. Sometimes they succeeded.

Neither Poles nor Germans are depicted as only selfish, cowardly, and cruel in _Maus_. In fact, there are many Polish in Spiegelman's books who are shown as fellow-sufferers, or kind despite the risks to their own lives, just as there were Jews who betrayed their own. Look closely at the drawings-- I open Maus II to a random page, and see both pigs and mice in the prison suits, both as capos and victims. Who is the kind priest who renews Vladek's hope on page 28? A Pole! Even the Germans are seen to suffer from the war, caught by powers beyond their control. Meanwhile, Vladek himself is shown to be an inflexible racist (II, p. 98).

I argue, therefore, that the above criticisms of _Maus_ show a hasty reading of the books and poor comprehension of how an artist(even of non-fiction) chooses to convey a theme.

As a non-European, I have no personal investment in Jewish, German, or Polish points of view. However, as a second-generation American and child of war survivors [a civil war, so we are both victims and oppressors], I have a chord that resonates with the story of the Spiegelmans. I just re-read "Maus II" this afternoon and found to my amazement that it was still able to draw tears. In fact, when I first read the Maus books ten years ago I don't recall them affecting me so deeply... but I was younger then and had only an intellectual understanding of many things, such as love, fear, guilt, death, and weakness.

I wholeheartedly recommend these books to those who are willing to read them more than once. If you are not moved by them now, perhaps later you will be. Meanwhile, let's do our best to stop such suffering around the world.

A Modern Allegory
A veteran of the underground comic scene in the 1970s and a more recently a cover artist for the New Yorker, in the late 80s, Art Spiegelman undertook a project of interviewing his father Vladek, a Polish Jew who survived the holocaust in Auschwitz. He turned the narrative into an allegorical, graphical representation of the ordeal, in which Europe is a menagerie of humans behaving at our raw, animalistic worst, and perhaps best as well. Umberto Eco claimed that "Maus is a book that cannot be put down, truly, even to sleep." This was certainly true for me when I read it. Perhaps the only 'comic book' (as inappropriate as that term may be here) to win a Pulitzer Prize, Maus is gripping and compelling. Some have criticized it for relating simply a story which was no more remarkable than millions of others. Can anything different be said, however, of Night, or The Diary of Anne Frank? Does that make it any less important that the story be told? And yet, in Spiegelman's cat and mouse play, where moral virtues, failings, and decrepitude are writ large, Maus is also exceptional because of the strength of its allegory, which is almost Spenserian in its strength.

Yet Another Sanctimonious Telling of the Holocaust
This is yet another sanctimonious telling of the Holocaust. Maus is the blatant type of trivialization being taught to our children that leaves most unaware of the other victims of the holocaust. For American school children the Holocaust has become synomous with Jewish history. Maus simply reinforces most historical literature which focuses on the six million Jewish victims to the exclusion of the nine million Gentile victims. This book goes so far as to portray one of the Nazis other targets, the Poles, as fattened pigs going about their business unmolested by the Germans! There were three million non-Jewish Poles who perished in this tragedy, many trying to save their Jewish neighbors. Shame!

"The genocidal policies of the Nazis resulted in the deaths of about as many Polish Gentiles as Polish Jews, thus making them co-victims in a Forgotten Holocaust. This Holocaust has been largely ignored because historians who have written on the subject of the Holocaust have chosen to interpret the tragedy in exclusivistic terms--namely, as the most tragic period in the history of the Jewish Diaspora. To them, the Holocaust was unique to the Jews, and they therefore have had little or nothing to say about the nine million Gentiles, including three million Poles, who also perished in the greatest tragedy the world has ever known. Little wonder that many people who experienced these events share the feeling of Nobel Laureate Czeslaw Milosz, who anxious when the meaning of the word Holocaust undergoes gradual modifications, so that the word begins to belong to the history of the Jews exclusively, as if among the victims there were not also millions of Poles, Russians, Ukrainians, and prisoners of other nationalities." Richard C. Lukas, preface to The Forgotten Holocaust: The Poles under German Occupation 1939-1944

Anti-Polish Propaganda
While this a moving account of one families experience during the holocaust, the depiction of Poles as pigs in Spiegelman's "Maus" an unfair and highly insulting caricature. Poles suffered horribly under Nazi occupation. No nations suffered worse. Six million Poles were murdered. Roughly half were Jewish and half Gentile. In fact exterminating Poles was also part of the Nazi master-plan. They were victims and to portray them as pigs is a grave injustice. While I read the reviews pointing out pigs have positive traits or are neutral animals, it is disingenuous to present the selection of the pig as representative of the Pole as anything but a slur. Germans are shown as cats. This is no wonder since cats chase mice. Apart from that, cats are quite nice animals. This, however, does not pertain to pigs. I suggest when reading this book you research the positive events in the 1000 history of Polish Jews. For starters, visit Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. Over 11,000 'Righteous Gentiles' are honored; almost 5,000 are Polish. These are non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

A landmark comics work
"Maus," Art Spiegelman's moving tale of the Holocaust and how it impacts a family a generation later, is hailed as a comics classic for a reason. It is a landmark work that transcends the term "comics."

Through the seemingly absurd decision to use animals in place of people - Jews are mice, for instance, while Nazis are cats - Spiegelman manages to avoid coming across as heavy-handed, exploitative and melodramatic. The reader never feels that they are reading an educational tome with badly drawn people better suited for school than compelling entertainment. Instead, through the use of universal cartoon imagery, the emotional tug of the story is successfully conveyed.

Two threads are woven throughout. The first deals with the Holocaust directly, from the years before Jews were taken to the camps and then to release. The second thread deals with Spiegelman's relationship with his father many years later, and that relationship's ups and downs as the author tries to get the oral history he needs to tell the tale of "Maus." All of the pain, confusion, death, turmoil and horror of the Holocaust comes home, as does the autobiographical tale interwoven throughout of the author's relationship with his father - who is also the central figure of Holocaust survival.

Modern editions of this book ("Maus" was originally published in serial form) are generally produced very well. The two-book slipcase offered here is sturdy and attractive to look at. The pages are printed on thick, glossy stock. The black and white artwork really shines, every stroke visible and vibrant. Mine has been read multiple times and still looks great.

"Maus" is compelling reading that requires no great love of comics to enjoy. History lovers, those interested in the Holocaust, and people who like stories about family struggles will enjoy this. Readers will quickly forget they are reading a comic, instead becoming wrapped up in the story Spiegelman has to tell. A highly recommended buy. ... Read more

Book Description

Magneto, the X-Men's deadliest villain, returns. They've faced the Weapon X program, Proteus and even the superhuman strikeforce known as The Ultimates. Now, still licking their wounds from their prior battles, can Xavier's mutant team possibly survive the return of their most powerful foe? ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Magneto is back for his rematch with the Ultimate X-Men
One thing that was always impressive about the X-Men was that it was one of the few superhero comic books where the definitive villain popped up in the first issue. Of course we are talking about Magneto the Mutant Master of Magneticism. The same thing was true for "Ultimate X-Men," where Marvel essentially restarted the series in contemporary times, reconceptualizing some of the core elements. For example, this time around the original X-Men combine Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast and Iceman from the first lineup with Storm and Colossus from the second (with Wolverine being recruited from the dark side so that he can appear on every cover of the trade paperback reprints). The result is a lot of familiar items are condensed into each story arc, which is then collected into a trade paperback.

"The Return of the King" is Volume 6 in the "Ultimate X-Men" series and the title, of course, refers to Magneto. In the first volume in the series the X-Men fought Magneto and not only defeated him, but also apparently killed him. However, this turned out to be one of Professor X's mind games; he convinced Magneto that he was Erik Lensheer, unaware of his past life as a mutant terrorist. When the Brotherhood of Mutants discovers Magneto is still alive they find him and remove the mental blocks Xavier had placed in his minds. We are now back to the beginning in many ways, except this time around both Magneto and all the homo sapiens are very wary. In fact, the Bush Administration has Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. going after all the mutants, including the X-Men. Since they already have Xavier in custody, stopping Magneto is going to be a problem.

Actually, stopping Magneto is always a problem. For a long time I have been convinced that Magneto would actually win and the reason I liked the first volume of this series so much was that I thought it recognized this fact by having Professor X and the X-Men going up against Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants go at it just once for all the marbles. In the end Magneto should have been dead because he should be unstoppable in a rematch; indeed, look at what ends up doing in this one, extending his magnetic reach across the entire planet. Besides, if you can explode nuclear reactors, why stop at just one? Magneto is simply the most dangerous super villain in the Marvel (or Ultimate) universe. When they were retooling him they should have ratcheted down his power level a couple of notches (Actually, they should do the same thing for Xavier as well).

But since Magneto winning would mean coming up with a new title for the comic book, Magneto has to be defeated. Once again the key is getting his helmet off of his head and while I like the way that happens this time around, I still do not really buy that anybody could get close enough to actually do it. Besides, as is often the case with these Ultimate titles, things end up reflecting the blockbuster movies (e.g., Magneto, living in a plastic cage). Clearly one of the defining elements of the X-Men today is the relationship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr and the first issue of "Return of the King" provides an encapsulated version of their history (as well as a new explanation for how Xavier ended up in his wheelchair). Certainly there is something to be said for the ongoing debate that the pair have been having for over a decade.

Collected in "Return of the King" are issues #26-33 of "Ultimate X-Men," written by Mark Millar, and illustrated by Adam Kubert and David Finch, with Ray and Ben Lai. The most interesting addition to the X-Men mythos this time around is the sub-plot in which Wolverine finds a way to get Cyclops out of the way so that he can make a move on Jean Grey, especially given the intriguing idea that Logan and Scott are Charles and Eric, the next generation. Most of the relationships between the Ultimate X-Men (e.g., Colossus and Wolverine, Beast and Storm) are more interesting as well. Sometimes I think the "Ultimate X-Men" is overloaded with ideas, but for those who remember Marvel's Mery Mutants from the very beginning the changes are always something to think about.

Final Question: Since the Ultimate version of Nick Fury is African-American (apparently there were Howlin' Commandos in the Vietnam War), does that explain why Colin Powell was omitted from the White House discussions while Dick Chaney and Donald Rumsfeld were not? Just curious at that rather interesting omission.

The Ultimate Tale of The Ultimate Heroes
This TP collection contains the finest story arc yet for The Ultimate X-Men. Magneto is loose. The Ultimates want him after he has massacred hundreds of innocents in bridge collapse, and they figure the best way to get him is through The X-Men. Meanwhile, romantic jealousies lead to tragedy and betrayal as the Wolverine, Scott Summers , Jean Grey triangle goes over the boiling point. This series coincided with The Ultimate War, which you should read as well. Heck, read The Ultimates so you understand what this is all about. Great art, breathtaking plot twists and the great dialogue that only Mark Millar can provide. Don't miss this collection!

Contains "Ultimate X-Men" issues 26-33 (Not Just for Kids)
I have the hardcover "Ultimate X-Men" volumes 1 and 2 [covering issues 1-25] and the paperback, "Ultimate War". The title page includes a brief synopsis that should help you understand what's going on if you haven't read the earlier volumes. If you want a roll call, this volume includes the "ultimate" line versions of Magneto, Professor X, Dr. Moira MacTaggert, Nick Fury, Sabretooth, Multiple Man, Mastermind, Nightcrawler, Forge, the Blob, Iceman, Colossus, Storm, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Shadowcat, Rogue, and a mutant called Detonator whom I have not run across in the regular Marvel X-Men, but I'm still catching up. There's also a cameo by another mutant, but I don't want to spoil the surprise.

This book opens by showing us how Magneto and Prof. X worked together, how their friendship deteriorated over several years, and, in more detail, how Magneto crippled Xavier. Then it moves into the present day and Magneto's progress on his refuge for mutants as well as the unpleasant scene where he deals with plans for a satellite mutant tracker. Meanwhile, the X-Men-in-hiding are dealing with Magneto's brotherhood in the hope of rehabilitating their image.

Is the rumor that Wolverine deliberately left Cyclops to die in the Savage Land true?

In the grand tradition of comic book villains, Magneto tells our heroes something of his frightful plan for eliminating the human-mutant relations problem. The X-Men have only a week to find Magneto's hiding place and save the world. (Let me just say that a machine, different from and much more powerful than the one used in the first X-Men movie, is involved.) The final battle certainly kept my interest.

During most of the action, Professor X is being held prisoner in a S.H.I.E.L.D. detention camp for mutants suspected of being terrorists. He refuses to betray his students, of course. I reread his words of encouragement to a fellow prisoner after rereading earlier volumes and those words became a little unnerving near the end. Why?

Because of what Prof. X tells Nick Fury and what he tells Magneto when they meet again late in the book. You won't have to have read the earlier volumes to speculate on whether or not Xavier is telling the truth. I'm afraid that he *is* telling the truth. If so, that would explain a couple of his moves in earlier volumes that I found incredibly stupid -- and would make this version of Prof. X a little scary.

Ignore the "9-12" age group recommendation. While they might enjoy the action, I think you need to be older than that to fully appreciate this book.

Covers Ultimate X-Men # 26-33
First keep in mind that this should be considered an alternate universe version of the X-Men. That way you won't be screaming about the differences from the regular comics. If you've already read through volume 5, "Ultimate War", the opening does not pick up where that left off. It traces the rise and fall of the partnership between Professor Xavier and Magneto for the first 20 pages or so.

Magneto is getting ready to destroy the entire human race, except for a token man and woman. The X-Men are in hiding, although they do make an attempt to rehabilitate their image and track down Magneto. Prof. X has been moved to that detention unit for mutants in Cuba that was threatned in "Ultimate War". Cyclops is not dead (was anyone expecting he would be?), but he's not in good condition. Of course the X-Men will save the day, Prof. X will escape, and Magneto will be foiled, but there'll be plenty of fighting, explosions, and a threatened nuclear meltdown.

Loved the part where Storm meets the Beast's parents, not to mention having my suspicion about Xavier's cat confirmed.

The final scene between Xavier and Magneto is my favorite part of the book.

X-cellent!
I enjoyed this volume greatly! This picks up from the very badly drawn volume five, the X-Men are recovering from their attack from the Ultimates, and Professor X is still held captive. Many things are revealed in this volume...and the action is extraordinary! I was a bit disappointed that the cover isn't how it's viewed on this page (of course it has Wolverine on the front; but that pic wtih Magneto rocks), but I got over it. Buy your copy today!!! ... Read more

Book Description

At Wataru Fujii's high school, it's all the rage to wear paired rings with the girl you love. Wataru wears one though he is single, and one day inadvertently discovers that his ring pairs up with that of tall, handsome, and smart Yuichi Kazuki, the senior classman idolized by the entire school. Though Kazuki has a reputation for being kind to all, when dealing with Wataru, he is strangely harsh. Their paired rings somehow draw them together and the two alternately clash and attract, as they must sort out their budding feelings for each other. ... Read more