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tiedyedude's reviews
1070 reviews
Brood X by Joshua Dysart
2.75
This didn't really do it for me. It has an excellent premise: a group of nomadic laborers are hired by an anonymous client to build a bomb shelter in a remote area, but the land is swarmed by a locust super brood. The bugs interrupt the work, the noise interrupts rational thought, and people start dying. There were some effective moments, but I would have liked another page or two exploring the killer's intention. While it is discussed in vague ideas, there could have been a more tangible explanation that would have been more satisfying without really affecting the story. Also, at one point, they talk about the possibility that they are in hell/purgatory, and several men share their past crimes. one just says that he's gay, and everyone accepts that as a rational reason for him to be there, then he dies. It is not the reason he is there or why he dies, but it just rubs me the wrong way that this is how his story plays out. I think this is really close to being a excellent horror novella, but it just falls short for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide, Sexual harassment
Judge Dee and the Executioner of Epinal by Lavie Tidhar
4.0
Another fun entry into the Judge Dee vampire chronicles. A rare personal tale of the famously logical and impartial judge.
Trick 'r Treat Omnibus by Michael Dougherty
3.25
This volume combines a comic adaptation of the original movie, and the follow-up comic series. The adaptation is fine. The new stories are pretty good. The New World story “Seeds“ was good and I really liked the indigenous story “Corn Maiden.“ I found the art in “Echoes“ really ugly, but “Monster Mash“ was a good ending. There is so much potential with this property, I hope a proper film sequel eventually materializes.
Lady Mechanika, Vol. 1: The Mystery of the Mechanical Corpse by Joe Benítez
4.0
This is a great introduction to a fun character. A woman fitted with mechanical appendages and no memory of her past, she is monster hunter who reluctantly teams with a persistent Q-type inventor. Lots of exposition and dialogue bubbles. It'll be interesting to see if that continues, or if the text lessens as we become more familiar with the world.
Lon Chaney Speaks by Pat Dorian
3.0
The author mentions up front that Chaney was very private, so many of the details were embellished. It'd be interesting to learn how much was based on evidence, and how much was imagined. Still, it told a good story and the illustrations were well done. I also enjoyed the two-page spreads that offered movie synopses and illustrations of the characters he played.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath
3.75
A spin on Dexter with cuddly, anthropomorphic animals. Serial killer vs. serial killer as our main bear tries to maintain order in her small town to keep her dark secret in place. As a fan of Dexter, I would have liked to have seen something more original story-wise, but, to be fair, the concept is a little limiting. Also, were the unevolved creatures part of the world, or a vision, and if part of the world, what are the rules of this world?! Still, it is a very enjoyable comic and the areas of question for me did not effect my enjoyment of the book.
Garlic & the Vampire by Bree Paulsen
4.25
A community of anthropomorphic vegetables (brought to life by a witch to help with her garden) begin to suspect a vampire might have inhabited the nearby abandoned castle. Despite its crippling anxiety, Garlic is chosen to confront the new neighbor, for obvious reasons. Super cute story and art.
Adulthood Is a Gift! by Sarah Andersen
5.0
Who doesn't love Sarah's Scribbles?! This not only has a collection of new and classic comics, but also a series of essays in which Sarah reflects on her career.