billyjepma's reviews
587 reviews

The Penguin Vol. 1 by Tom King

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was sure this would be a drab read—if not because I don’t care that much about The Penguin, then because I didn’t love all of King’s characterization of the gangster in his Batman run—but lo and behold, it’s a brutal, violent slow burn that could be setting up something really special and unique. This is a full-blooded gangster tale, with these introductory issues essentially functioning as Penguin’s “let’s get the band back together” moment, which is just as cool/scary as you might expect. 

King doesn’t hold back, either, and I was surprised by how far DC’s editorial let him go with some of the violence. Even the suggestions of violence are just as potent and, not uncommonly, more unnerving than the actual blood that’s shed on the page. Penguin is as cold-hearted as can be here, and King’s writing leans into the hardened criminal vibe in great ways. The artwork brings all of those vibes right to the forefront, too, and gives the comic a dirty, palpable grit that I really loved. There’s not a ton of momentum here—at least on the broader plot King is developing—but the foundations are rock-solid so far. I’m very eager for more. 

The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was really, really good in a way that snuck up on me. Each story is good on its own, but when linked together in the collection their shared thematics, anxieties, and ideals evolve into something far richer and toothier. Evans’ writing is excellent; not flashy, but measured and lovely and naturalistic. I wish the endings for the short stories weren’t quite as abrupt as they are, admittedly. However, even that abruptness (mostly) aligns with Evans’ presentation of the motivations and consequences that carve the women in her stories into the people they are. The characters make this the powerhouse it is, too. Evans has an impeccable knack for getting into the weedy, thorny interior lives of her characters, letting (forcing) her readers see why they make the choices they do, why they face the consequences they do, and, often, why the world they live in didn’t give them any choice in the first place.

This is almost a 5-star read for me, and upon reflection, might eventually climb up to it. But the final short story—the titular one—ends on a note I didn’t love. In a series of stories that felt familiar yet intimately unique, this one concludes with a bigger dramatic push that almost felt out of place. I see why Evans ended up with the ending she did, but I wanted and hoped to see her do something different, to take the roadmap of tensions she had laid out for us and show us a different outcome. All of this is undoubtedly a “me problem,” but closing the book with this specific ending left me with a sense of discontent I’m still feeling the following day. Still, this is an excellent, worthwhile read that I will be keeping on my shelf and recommending to others. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Medical content, Classism, and Cursing

Minor: Gun violence, Stalking, and Mass/school shootings

Kaya, Book 2 by Wes Craig

adventurous tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

I’m not enthralled yet, but this second story arc gives more depth to the world and characters—although Kaya herself is still a strangely one-dimensional character—and Craig has a lot of fun with the art, which earns this some bonus points. The comic feels like the kind of cartoon you’d watch and love as a kid, even though it was a little old for you, which is something I’m very much vibing with so far. I’m in for the long haul, but I do hope Craig gets into his characters more because, as cool on paper as they are, I’m going to need more from them eventually.

Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic by

informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

I own quite a few art books, but this is one of the few I’ve actually read cover-to-cover instead of flipping through to admire the art inside. Alongside 80+ gorgeously high-quality plates of Wyeth’s work—of a decent variety, too—are four in-depth, scholarly essays that look deeper into Wyeth’s work. It’s these essays, which occupy about of the book’s page length, that made this hit me as hard as it did. I felt like I was back in college again, which is a good thing, in this case, as the richly researched and argued essays gave me new windows into the why and how of Wyeth’s work on both a macro and micro level. 

I’ve always loved Wyeth’s work; his cinematic perspectives and imaginative, dreamy slant on realism have spoken to me since I first became aware of art as something more than a pretty picture. But after reading this, I feel like I can finally articulate where Wyeth’s style comes from and, more importantly, why it’s so compelling even beyond the obvious aesthetic appeals. I was genuinely sad to reach the end of the book because I didn’t want to stop learning about the stories behind and within these paintings. It set a high bar for the rest of my year’s reading, to say the least. 

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is one of those books that sweeps you into a world you never knew you longed for. It revels in the folkloric—yet no-less believable—place it creates and breathes life into every one of its characters, no matter how fleeting their time on the page might be. Stiefvater's writing is just gorgeous, too, and her voice is poetic without being distracting, blunt without feeling shallow, and so precise that there were countless lines or turns of phrase that stopped me in my tracks. She has this way of describing things in a way you've never heard before and yet somehow feel like you grew up hearing them. I relished every moment spent in the story, every tensely held breath, every embarrassing gasp at the warm embers of an emerging romance, every profane word I shouted when the book threw another heartwrenching twist at me. I’m going to be coming to this one for a long time. 

Update (12/28/23): Somehow, it might be even better on a re-read? It’s such a rich, ferocious, and lived-in story, with a vividly persuasive sense of place that I can’t help but get immersed in. I love how genuine the nervy, anxious relationships are, and how much restraint Stiefvater shows in a lot of the pacing. It’s a patient, rewarding book with a raw, earthy quality that occupies you as much as you occupy it. I’m glad I went for the audiobook this time, too. Both narrators are perfect and give the characters the exact voices I always imagined. Love, love, love this book. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Animal death, Misogyny, Death, Blood, and Bullying

Minor: Cursing, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Saga of the Swamp Thing: Book Two by Alan Moore, Len Wein

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

After just two volumes, I’m starting to think that there’s a very real case to be made that this is one of the best series DC has ever put out. Moore and company are striking consistent, impressive balance between pulpy genre and sweeping, gorgeously illustrated poetry of theme and subject. The “Rite of Spring” alone is enough to rank this amongst the best comics I’ve ever read, and that’s just one part of a larger story that’s just as intimately romantic as it is cosmically spectacular. I’m so enamored with this. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Body horror, Violence, and Sexual content

Minor: Blood, Domestic abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

Feed the Wolf: Befriending Our Fears in the Way of Saint Francis by Jon M. Sweeney

informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

A very nice, easy to read introduction to Saint Francis that, instead of focusing on the more “miraculous” and iconic parts of his life, looks at his human character and motivations. The writing isn’t that great, admittedly, but the sources are strong and the takeaways are warm worthwhile, even if they’re not that deep.

Immortal Thor Vol. 1: All Weather Turns to Storm by Al Ewing

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

4.25

Thor is one of the few Marvel characters whose comics I’ll consistently seek out and try to stay on top of, but ever since the Jane Foster era ended, I haven’t been quite as invested as I’ve wanted to be. I liked Aaron’s concluding stories, and I liked the start of Cates’ run, even if it did start to lose me (I’ll finish it eventually, maybe). But it’s been a minute since a Thor comic felt properly epic and mythic. Thankfully, that’s exactly what Ewing brought here. 

The villain is mostly one-note, admittedly, so the stakes don’t feel too lofty, despite the lofty size of the threat. But that doesn’t end up mattering too much because this is clearly an appetizer, a prelude to whatever larger scheme Ewing is planning. That’s not to say this volume is without tension, though. While it lacks stakes in the classic sense, Ewing does a lot of strong character work that gives Thor problems to solve that require more than the whack of a hammer, which I love. Seeing Thor flex some new muscles—he smiles now!—that isn’t his biceps are fun and gives the story some clever, refreshing personality. It’s a personality plays very well alongside Ewing’s take on Loki, too, which leans into the Trickster’s chaotic vibes with a smirk and wink. The sibling dynamic between Loki and Thor in the first few issues is a delight.

Cóccolo and Wilson’s art is superb—vibrant, expressive, and epic—and I really, really hope they both stick around for the long haul because the energy they bring pairs with—and elevates—Ewing’s scripts in the best ways. We’ll see how this series unfolds, but I’m very optimistic based on this introductory volume. 

The World-Ending Fire: The Essential Wendell Berry by Wendell Berry, Paul Kingsnorth
Did not finish book.

I might come back to this, since Nick Offerman’s narration on the audiobook is very good, but the subject matter of these essays got a little tiresome to me, after awhile. I admire Berry’s conviction, for sure, but it started to feel one-note, and it’s been months (at least) since I’ve gone back to it. 

Batman: Detective Comics, Vol. 1: Gotham Nocturne: Overture by Ram V

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Honestly, this was pretty good! It feels like a lot of setups for the next volume(s), which means the momentum Ram V builds doesn't really go anywhere, but it's good momentum with some sharp hooks that make me optimistic about where it could go. The art is also excellent and lives up to the "Nocturne" subtitle more than the story itself does, at least so far. Lots of moody environments, strong lighting, striking coloring choices, and generally impressive layouts give the occasionally slower, tenser pages an ominous air that I very much vibe with. The backup story with Gordon is a nice bonus, even if it ends on a lackluster note. It's not uncommon for these backups to be pretty forgettable and frivolous, but I like how this one leans into the vibes of Ram V's story and gives it some additional dimensions. 

Consider this a soft recommend, as my final sentiments of the collection will likely depend on how well the rest of the story does or doesn't capitalize on the potential. But I will say it's nice to feel some excitement about the setup for one of the main Batman comics.