Book Review – Ultimate Iron Man by Orson Scott Card

Title: Ultimate Iron Man

Author:  Orson Scott Card

Illustrator: Andy Kubert, & Mark Bagley

Format: Paperback

Published: 2006

 

As I said last review the book there was only a short reprieve and I am here to present you yet another comic.  This time I bring you something from the Marvel Universe which isn’t all that common for me. Today I present to you Ultimate Iron Mann.  This is a comic that I almost didn’t pick up.  I saw the tile realized I should probably read a bit of Iron Man considering that I am rather fond of the movies.  Yet I saw the cover art and the way the suit is designed is very different, rather round and not what I’m used to as I have seen Iron Man featured in other comics such as the Guardians of the Galaxy comics which I will say is a must read!  (Seriously a 5 out of 5 if I were to review it.)   Yet, before putting it back I looked at the back and realized that the comic was written by an award winner and with that I decided why not it’s not like I’m risking money on this book as I was at the library at the time.

 

I picked up the book and was a little surprised that this was starting with the store of Howard Stark.  I was confused but continued to read and continued to be confused.  This story was something of an origin story but not in the way that I sort of know the story via the movies or what I have heard.  Pretty much Tony Stark was a genetically altered child.  His mother was exposed to a virus of sorts that was killing her and causing baby Tony to grow up as more than just a child but as a brain child.  He looks normal but all of his flesh is also brain matter so if you attack his brain in the normal sense of the word you have no effect on him.  In addition to brain being his entire body, he also has the ability to regenerate and re-grow body parts.

 

Because his entire body is a brain and his cells constantly regenerate Howard Stark uses a chemical on his son that acts as a personal shield.  No punches or punctures can harm a person with this stuff on and the only way it can come off is with anti-bacterial soap.  The side effect – Tony is blue, at least until they find a formula that is invisible that Tony can wear, allowing him to go to normal school and meet Rhodney. With a few more complications of issues, Tony also meets Obadiah and other familiar characters to the world of Iron man but it is all different than I know it as most of them are teenagers going to the same school.

 

If what little I’ve shared of the book is any indication it was a weird read and it took my thoughts and conceptions of Iron Man/Tony Stark and turned them on their head but there were little things that seemed to keep the same.  I don’t know if I would read more in the series but this oddity did keep my attention and I would also give it a 3 out of 5.

Book Reivew – A Practical Guide to Vampires by Treval Vorgard

Title: A Practical Guide to Vampires

Author:  Treval Vorgard (this is a pen name)

Illustrator: (22 different Illustrators) directed by Kate Irwin

Format: Hardback

Published: 2009

 

Never thought you would see a regular book review from me?  Thought you were doomed to read reviews of comic books and Manga?  Well dear readers I grant you a small reprieve with an actual book!  It is a small thin book but it was a pleasure to read all the same.  Though this is being presented to you mid November this book was actually picked up by me and read in the middle of October so the season was calling for such a book as this.  Not to mention my brain has been itching to write an idea I have with werewolves and vampires but that is another store for another time – literally.

 

Anyway this book was sitting on the main display at the library and it with another book drew my attention in and I decided to grab this book.  I have done my fair share of research on vampires and werewolves and the various legends and I’ve decided it was high time I look a little deeper.  Now I will tell you right off that this book did not take me much deeper.  Though it is classified as a non fiction book it is more fiction than not.  Though the book had its short comings it was still an amusing read.  At the very least I decided to keep reading it when a friend was asking me to play a game with her.  I am a fiend when it comes to games particularly puzzle games and that was the type of game I was being offered.  (I muliti- tasked and read and played at the same time.)

 

Over all it was a quick read and gave you a glimpse of vampires and what they are like but nothing in particular detail, the drawings were quite nice and really for a children’s book it was quite good.  I will also admit that this book introduced me to some added monsters I did not know about such as the Illithid and I was amused at the vampire games listed in the book.

 

So if you are looking for a light read, want a basic gasp of vampires or have a kid that is intrigued by the creatures of the night this book is the place to go.  It  is easy to read and follow and the side notes from the author who is just as much a character of the book as the fiction and story that is created in this non-fiction format are somewhat amusing.  Over all I would give this book a 3 out of 5.

Book Reivew – Alice in the Country of Clover March Hare by QuinRose

Title: Alice in the Country of Clover March Hare

Authors: Quin Rose

Illustrator: Soyogo Iwaki

Format: Paperback

Published:  2014

So it is half way through November now and I am sure you are sick and tired of Alice reviews.  I know I’m sick of writing them though I’m not sick of reading them.  Yes, I enjoy them that much.  Any way I promise this will be the last one for a while.  It’s not the last of the comic/manga genera but it is the last Alice story for now.  I’ll promise for the reminder of the year no more Alice from me.

 

Anyway this story if focused of course on the March Hare also known as Eliot.  He has always been a fun and awkward character he is number 2 in the mafia and very loyal to Blood Dupre who is the head of the mafia.  He’s a very focused individual of doing his job well which includes shoot first ask questions later though there are no questions as all are dead, but still Eliot has always been a bit of an awkward bunny.  I’ve found him to be cute at times with his obsession with carrot anything and I love that Alice usually wants nothing more than to squeeze his ears (something that she does not want to do with Peter White the other rabbit in the series.

 

Anyway with just how awkward and cute Eliot is, the same is true of the relationship as Eliot is unsure of himself and how things are with Alice and she is equally unsure and they sort of dance around each other in the story.  Of course Eliot loves Alice and protects her no matter what and Alice eventually realizes her feelings for him and book is just a ball of cuteness peppered with gun fights and jealousy from the other characters that also love Alice.  Over all it is a classic Alice/QuinRose story and I overall enjoyed it particularly the end.

 

With this review I believe outside of Boris, I find the mafia family to be the most interesting and fascinating characters of the series and I think on the whole I will enjoy most books that focuses’ Alice living there and being with them.  Over all I think I’ll give this book a solid and strong 3 pages out of 4 saying that it wasn’t bad, but it was good but not overly remarkable either.  It is a good light read to pass some of the time.

Book Review – Alice in the Country of Clover Nightmare by QuinRose

Title: Alice in the Country of Clover Nightmare

Authors: Quin Rose

Illustrator: Job

Format: Paperback

Published:  2014

 

Yes, back to back Nightmare stories.  After reading the Country of Joker story with Nightmare I was all for picking up a story that happened earlier so to speak.  The drawings are still a little odd and get more and more odd as you delve into the book and hit the bonus stories.  But the story was still decent and I liked the main story even if it was short.  It was rather cute and funny.

 

In this story, Alice advises Nightmare to take a new kind of medicine that tastes good as Nightmare refuses to take poor tasting medicine for his health and it cures him of his ails but inhibits him from reading thoughts and cause him to be rather focused on work which was something he was loath to do.  Some of the comedic moments in this story are great and enjoyable.  Yet before the end Nightmare shows more of his swoon worthiness as he takes on a whole group of bad guys by jumping in and out of dreams and just being handsome and amazing as he is spurred to great things for Alice to keep her safe and alive.  This simple act alone make my heart melt and goes to prove that I am a bit of a girly girl.

 

The side stories I will admit I don’t remember well and did not like because of the art.  The art in the main story was off from what I was used to but it wasn’t so bad to distract from the story the later art that tells a story of Ace, Peter White and Alice and then one of Alice and the Bloody Twins was soo off that I only remember the art and not so much the story.

 

Aside from the main story which I enjoyed and found enjoyable I think my favorite part of the book are the bonus strips as they very much made me giggle.  There is one on the inside cover, one at the end of the main story, that happens just after it and the one on the back cover.  They are cute comedic and show a lighter side of Nightmare that makes me adore him more beyond his swoon worthiness.

 

For the Nightmare story that was maybe ½ of the book itself I would give it a 4 out of 5 page review (and this includes the bonus strips as they are Nightmare centric.  But the book as a whole loses a whole page making it a 3 out of 5 page book for the poor art work and about ¼ of the book being a preview for a new manga series.