[41-50] Reading Digest: The edition made up entirely of comics
Okay! Hello ladies and gentlemen, I'm back! Sort of. I have um, moved to university? And discovered a BRAND NEW LIBRARY! Woohoo! Cue getting out roughly a million books, and the very real risk of dislocating my shoulder as I cart them back and forth.
And when I say "a million" I mean "Hurrah, hurrah! I have read the books I needed to reach 75! Now, to write about all... of... Oh bugger." So, my current plan is to go through my list and do [EXTREMELY short reaction shots (although with my penchant for tl;dr, which is full effect as you may have noticed, that is NOT likely to last long), then make a NEW list of books I plan to go into more depth about! If you have any books you particularly want me to witter about, please say so! (I warn you, some of these are back from early summer, so my memory might be a bit foggy! Please forgive me!)
[Edit: As I FAIL at keeping things short, I'm doing these in batches! We'll see if that works any better.]
[41/75] Young Avengers: Sidekicks by Jim Cheung and Allan Heinberg: I have this sneaking suspicion that if I hadn't read this awesome fic (which spoils this whole volume ROTTEN but considering I picked up the comic with the Young Avengers in just as what is apparently the second TPB started I didn't think it was such a big deal) before I got this, it would have made A LOT LESS SENSE. PLUS, it has TIME TRAVEL and that is guarranteed to have me muttering in a corner about "GOD DEVIDES BY ZERO, TIME TRAVEL STORIES HAPPEN." So uh, the story is um. It involves time travel and the Avengers trying to be practical and backstory and I like that it ends where it begins, and I am SO SAD FOR KANG b-but. It was LACKING something.
And it had time travel. Eh.
Anyway, let's see. The art is good, I like the twists (even though I knew what was going on), I like that the Avengers' first reaction is an understandable "Call their parents and don't let them be superheroes" and they stick to it despite everything - it frustrates me a little, but they're trying! I like that for all that they're trying to FIX everything, the Young Avengers manage to make things WORSE but still try to do the right thing anyway. I like the CHARACTERS and the fact that they're not some super-organised polished team - they're teenagers, and they bicker and argue and don't agree on courses of action and! Yay for disorganisation! Also yay for people like Kate, who is awesome practical-even-in-a-bridesmaid's-dress love. She does a little much "*handwave* Problem solved!" for my tastes, but GIRL WHO HAS NO POWERS PWNING A BOY WHO HAS is always going to win in my book. Also Kate/Eli is one of those pairings that you can see coming four miles away with your eyes closed and facing the wrong direction. ♥ AWESOME SARCASTIC BITCHY OTP, GUYS.
ALSO, speaking of the pairing stuff, I will now put up with a lot from Marvel because TEENAGE GAY SUPERHEROES WHO DON'T DIE HORRIFICALLY AT THE END! Admittedly, that was subtle-to-the-point-of-subtext (except that, y'know, I've read the next comic, and that OPENS with Billy outing himself.) but goddammit it MADE SENSE which more than can be said for the Cassie/Kang. WHERE DID THAT COME FROM, MARVEL. Other characters that are AWESOME ON TOAST (which is, to my distress, not something I said a lot during this series) involve Jessica Jones (and although her friend had some awesome lines I want to SLAP her), Iron Man. Iron Man mainly because of the panel where he was carrying Captain America with an arm quite comfortably around his waist. Which is the only panel I remember in any real detail, except possibly the one where Cassie GROOOOOOOWS. THIS SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE REST OF THE COMIC GUYS.), and Teddy who is huge and green and has a daft sense of humour and is SURPISINGLY SNEAKY. DO WANT. Now if we just got more of him-and-Billy being together... Basically I love all of the characters, even though I still confuse them for each other, but I still come out of it going "... Huh."
[42-43/75] Runaways 3 and 4 by Adrian Alphona, Jo Chen, and Brian K Vaughan Guuuuuuuuys HOW DID I NOT SEE THIS COMING!? Right, here is my thing. If there is EPIC SECRET ONE-OF-US-IS-A-TRAITOR I generally refuse to play along, even when the story asks me to believe that parents WOULDN'T recognise their own child. But in Runaways, I couldn't think of who it would be anyway! All the characters seemed to be NOT THE TYPE WHO WOULD DO THAT, and well, Alex felt like the POV character completely, and the POV character is NEVER the -
Wait.
What!?
Yeah, suffice to say, Alex being the traitor surprised the hell out of me, as did Gert/Chase (and a side-note: HOW MUCH DO I LOVE THAT THIS IS A PREDOMINANTLY FEMALE TEAM WITHOUT THE FUCKING FANSERVICE. Oh yes, the rest of you Marvel people, IT CAN BE DONE. Now follow their example!), although in retrospect it all makes perfect sense. Alex WOULD, and all his explanations - and his scheming and playing all the others like instruments a-and - and basically, YES. It does indeed work out very well! The parents sacrificing themselves is logical too - a little odd until you think "Guys, they DOOMED THE WORLD and gave up their own plans to save themselves FOR THE KIDS." And I love that none of the Runaways can bear to go back to a normal life, being told what to do and talking to therapists - and that Chase was about two months ahead of them, stealing dinosaurs and kicking ass.
I also love Chase in the whole STOP THIS GUY BEFORE HE KILLS THE AVENGERS IN THE FUTURE (And how much do I love Gert being called "Heroine" and leading the Avengers? LOTS AND LOTS!), because o-omg, he is CRAZY and so devoted to Gert. And the new kid is adorable and I love that organisation and I made a noise audible only audible to dogs and goldfish when I saw Jonathan Starsmore because I LOVED GEN X WITH THE FIRE OF A THOUSAND SUNS AND HE IS BA - oh, wait, no he isn't. It's someone PRETENDING to be an awesome sarcastic english guy with half a face. Ah well. Anyway, I love the mystery in that - of figuring out who the kid was and why he was going to blow up the world, and. And. I love that they mention Ultros, dismiss him, and then it turns out that YES IT WAS INDEED THE EVIL KILLER ROBOT. I love the fact that there is a SUPPORT GROUP for former teenage superheroes (and that Jonathan's a git to them all. ♥). I love how Karolina's just that much more obvious with her thing for Niko. I love Molly full stop. I love GERT AND HER FSKING DINOSAUR! \o/ I also like that (I think) they're going back to the Old Thingimawhatsits that the parents were working for as well, because I love it when thingimawhatsits don't just disappear off the map, they PLOT and RETURN MORE EVIL THAN EVER MWAHAHAHAHA. *ahem* For the record, I want more comics to be like this: COMPLETELY AWESOME. And with AMAZING ART. *is starry-eyed over the covers and the inside art*
[44/75] Full Metal Alchemist Volume 15 by Hiromu Arakawa: Dear Tokyopop: Sometimes I REALLY HATE your translators. It's nothing personal. It's just that, well, when they change a characters name half way through the series, or when there's something so off I can pick it up, we have A Problem. Kay? Kay. Anyway, this is kinda - not up to the standard I expect of FMA? Don't get me wrong, I flailed because HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHES and BROKEN ROY and BROKEN RIZA, and NOT!CRAZY SCAR and his FAMILY a-and holy shit, Kimberly + homunculi? SCARY STUFF and all the BACKSTORY, and all the art was as good as ever but - there was something missing. Something besides Ed. It just felt like what it was - a really extended flashback sequence at a REALLY ODD POINT TO HAVE IT and it disappoints me. ;__;
[45/75] Tactics Volume 3 by Kazuko Higashiyama and Sakura Kinoshita: And you know what, despite any reservations I might have about the translators at Tokyopop? I am SO GLAD that they have Tactics instead of ADV. GUYS, BUY THE FIRST TWO FROM TOKYOPOP INSTEAD OF ADV, they do wickle Kantarou with the most ANNOYING baby voice EVER, but it's gotta be better than what ADV did. *shudders* Anyway. The stoooooory. I love stories about sisters who will do anything for the other, and this one mashes pretty much all my buttons. Yes, I do have a button labelled "Sickly, sweet, self-sacrificing psychics." (Alliteration ftw!) I try not to admit it too often. I also have a weakness for Haruka Doing The Right Thing (and being asked to teach Kantarou the way of the manslut!) The ending of that chapter made me sad for all involved, which - doesn't usually happen. PLUS, they managed to put foreshadowing and THREATS OF DOOM into the silly cheering-up story that followed! What the hell! (By which I mean: DID LIKE, PLEASE DO IT AGAIN.)
[46/75] Cybersix Volume One by Carlos Meglia and Carlos Trillo: I have to admit, I actually read this before I saw the cartoon, and my god, was that a tone-shift and a half. The cartoon is a lovable, heart-warming little thing with CUTE HAPPY SLUDGE MONSTERS and a miniture dork completely failing to rule the world. The Cybersix comics? Um. Wow. NONE OF THE ABOVE. I think thebaconfat once said she wanted more time in Cybersix's head? Or at least to know how she thought of herself - this is where you get it! Plus the confirmation that Cybersix DID actually get her outfit out of a prostitute's wardrobe! It's kinda depressing, and her backstory's a little different to the cartoon - and there is less of Lucas charging in to save the day and NO HAPPY SLUDGE MONSTER - but the character dynamics are still there! Lucas is still kind and knows Cybersix could bend him in knots, and he READS POETRY. Adrian is still kinda "Er, what?" apart from how he gets A LOT LESS screentime which makes me sad. The art looks kinda like something out of Tintin to be honest with you - which is odd because, y'know, Cybersix wanders around naked a lot. ANYWAY, I do like it, but it is NOTHING like the cartoon in tone or certain details of Cybersix's backstory. (AVAILABLE HERE FOR ALL WHO WANT IT.)
[47/75] Petshop of Horrors Volume 3 by Matsuri Akino: Oh, Petshop of Horrors, HOW DO I LOVE THEE. I love it LOTS. Anyway, I was reading this to try and get my groove back for writing fic, and it has lots of the stuff I like about this series! Contracts going badly wrong, Leon being a detective/trying to buy D with sweets/saving D's life/completely failing at any of the above, Count D being smug and creepy and beating the moral into the customers and making out with someone who's trying to kill him WHY HAVE MORE PEOPLE NOT READ THIS?! I do love this series, and I think this is the volume with the abused dog (which is sad and logical and I feel so sorry for the dog!), the cannibal chef (... I love Wong, and I think I've actually written fic about this story so uh. My love of it does not need to be restated), and the old lady who escaped Nazi germany (which is another one that's sad and sweet, if slightly less logical than I'd like. ;___; ) There IS another one somewhere, but I can't for the life of me remember what it is - REST ASSURED THOUGH, I do indeed reccomend this series! If only so I have more people who'll capslock about it with me.
[48/75] League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 1 by Alan Moore: I believe I said most of what I think about this series when I was reading it - although by the second volume it had mostly descended to AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH. More on that when I actually get to that volume. Let me see! *quotes her Twitter digest*
* 10:36 Dear Alan Moore: HOW MANY PEOPLE GET RAPED/NEARLY RAPED IN THIS DAMN COMIC? Yours with grevious WTF, Susan #
* 13:55 Is anyone else REALLY SCARED of Mister Hyde? Anyone at all? Also the whole can't-see-Griffin thing not usually played up this much. :\ #
* 14:04 And by "not as much" I mean "why is the only person who makes a big deal about it the one who CAN see him?" #
* 14:05 Sherlock Hooooooolmes! Alan Moore I may forgive you all the raping in this. #
* 14:07 Someone pointed out that Moriarty was right about the "drug addict," so why not the "sodomitic." I only just got what they're talking about. #
* 14:29 "I'll see to it if you just get out of my bloody pissing WAY... Please." Mina enforces manners on the scary guy! \o/ #
* 17:41 Oh god Baco when you said this had horrible things in it, I didn't think you really MEANT it. #
* 17:55 Okay, I finished it and am now making this face: O_____________o.
Only BIGGER. #
My thing with this series is that all the "monsters" - Hyde and the invisible man - are actually monstrous. Hyde's a murderer, and the invisible man MOVED INTO A GIRL'S SCHOOL to have his way with the students. O___________o And, y'know, that WORKS because it FREAKS ME THE FUCK OUT. At least until Mina sort of bullies Hyde into submission (Can I take this opportunity to mention I love Mina and how she's practical and dignified and figures everything out faster than the others!) and I realise that as Hyde can see the invisible man, HE IS GOING TO DIE HORRIBLY. The art is... Odd... But the story's interesting and I love stories where the heroes (such as they are) get played mercilessly, so even when I'm physically recoiling from the screen I like this. Then we get...
[49/75] The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 2 by Alan Moore: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH! That is all can say about this at the current point in time because I STILL want to curl up in a corner and scream whenever I think about it. AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!
[50/75] Firewatch by Connie Willis: Oh my god, I love this story to death. It's - I dunno, it feels quiet and Bartholemew is shattering apart slightly at the seams and- and- I love how he gets the LITTLE things wrong and how he and Langby suspect each other and. And. FOR THE RECORD I consider this by thebaconfat to be PART OF CANON. It's a BRILLIANT companion to it, please all read it! It adds so much to some of the scenes! (AVAILABLE ONLINE HERE.)
And when I say "a million" I mean "Hurrah, hurrah! I have read the books I needed to reach 75! Now, to write about all... of... Oh bugger." So, my current plan is to go through my list and do [EXTREMELY short reaction shots (although with my penchant for tl;dr, which is full effect as you may have noticed, that is NOT likely to last long), then make a NEW list of books I plan to go into more depth about! If you have any books you particularly want me to witter about, please say so! (I warn you, some of these are back from early summer, so my memory might be a bit foggy! Please forgive me!)
[Edit: As I FAIL at keeping things short, I'm doing these in batches! We'll see if that works any better.]
[41/75] Young Avengers: Sidekicks by Jim Cheung and Allan Heinberg: I have this sneaking suspicion that if I hadn't read this awesome fic (which spoils this whole volume ROTTEN but considering I picked up the comic with the Young Avengers in just as what is apparently the second TPB started I didn't think it was such a big deal) before I got this, it would have made A LOT LESS SENSE. PLUS, it has TIME TRAVEL and that is guarranteed to have me muttering in a corner about "GOD DEVIDES BY ZERO, TIME TRAVEL STORIES HAPPEN." So uh, the story is um. It involves time travel and the Avengers trying to be practical and backstory and I like that it ends where it begins, and I am SO SAD FOR KANG b-but. It was LACKING something.
And it had time travel. Eh.
Anyway, let's see. The art is good, I like the twists (even though I knew what was going on), I like that the Avengers' first reaction is an understandable "Call their parents and don't let them be superheroes" and they stick to it despite everything - it frustrates me a little, but they're trying! I like that for all that they're trying to FIX everything, the Young Avengers manage to make things WORSE but still try to do the right thing anyway. I like the CHARACTERS and the fact that they're not some super-organised polished team - they're teenagers, and they bicker and argue and don't agree on courses of action and! Yay for disorganisation! Also yay for people like Kate, who is awesome practical-even-in-a-bridesmaid's-dress love. She does a little much "*handwave* Problem solved!" for my tastes, but GIRL WHO HAS NO POWERS PWNING A BOY WHO HAS is always going to win in my book. Also Kate/Eli is one of those pairings that you can see coming four miles away with your eyes closed and facing the wrong direction. ♥ AWESOME SARCASTIC BITCHY OTP, GUYS.
ALSO, speaking of the pairing stuff, I will now put up with a lot from Marvel because TEENAGE GAY SUPERHEROES WHO DON'T DIE HORRIFICALLY AT THE END! Admittedly, that was subtle-to-the-point-of-subtext (except that, y'know, I've read the next comic, and that OPENS with Billy outing himself.) but goddammit it MADE SENSE which more than can be said for the Cassie/Kang. WHERE DID THAT COME FROM, MARVEL. Other characters that are AWESOME ON TOAST (which is, to my distress, not something I said a lot during this series) involve Jessica Jones (and although her friend had some awesome lines I want to SLAP her), Iron Man. Iron Man mainly because of the panel where he was carrying Captain America with an arm quite comfortably around his waist. Which is the only panel I remember in any real detail, except possibly the one where Cassie GROOOOOOOWS. THIS SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE REST OF THE COMIC GUYS.), and Teddy who is huge and green and has a daft sense of humour and is SURPISINGLY SNEAKY. DO WANT. Now if we just got more of him-and-Billy being together... Basically I love all of the characters, even though I still confuse them for each other, but I still come out of it going "... Huh."
[42-43/75] Runaways 3 and 4 by Adrian Alphona, Jo Chen, and Brian K Vaughan Guuuuuuuuys HOW DID I NOT SEE THIS COMING!? Right, here is my thing. If there is EPIC SECRET ONE-OF-US-IS-A-TRAITOR I generally refuse to play along, even when the story asks me to believe that parents WOULDN'T recognise their own child. But in Runaways, I couldn't think of who it would be anyway! All the characters seemed to be NOT THE TYPE WHO WOULD DO THAT, and well, Alex felt like the POV character completely, and the POV character is NEVER the -
Wait.
What!?
Yeah, suffice to say, Alex being the traitor surprised the hell out of me, as did Gert/Chase (and a side-note: HOW MUCH DO I LOVE THAT THIS IS A PREDOMINANTLY FEMALE TEAM WITHOUT THE FUCKING FANSERVICE. Oh yes, the rest of you Marvel people, IT CAN BE DONE. Now follow their example!), although in retrospect it all makes perfect sense. Alex WOULD, and all his explanations - and his scheming and playing all the others like instruments a-and - and basically, YES. It does indeed work out very well! The parents sacrificing themselves is logical too - a little odd until you think "Guys, they DOOMED THE WORLD and gave up their own plans to save themselves FOR THE KIDS." And I love that none of the Runaways can bear to go back to a normal life, being told what to do and talking to therapists - and that Chase was about two months ahead of them, stealing dinosaurs and kicking ass.
I also love Chase in the whole STOP THIS GUY BEFORE HE KILLS THE AVENGERS IN THE FUTURE (And how much do I love Gert being called "Heroine" and leading the Avengers? LOTS AND LOTS!), because o-omg, he is CRAZY and so devoted to Gert. And the new kid is adorable and I love that organisation and I made a noise audible only audible to dogs and goldfish when I saw Jonathan Starsmore because I LOVED GEN X WITH THE FIRE OF A THOUSAND SUNS AND HE IS BA - oh, wait, no he isn't. It's someone PRETENDING to be an awesome sarcastic english guy with half a face. Ah well. Anyway, I love the mystery in that - of figuring out who the kid was and why he was going to blow up the world, and. And. I love that they mention Ultros, dismiss him, and then it turns out that YES IT WAS INDEED THE EVIL KILLER ROBOT. I love the fact that there is a SUPPORT GROUP for former teenage superheroes (and that Jonathan's a git to them all. ♥). I love how Karolina's just that much more obvious with her thing for Niko. I love Molly full stop. I love GERT AND HER FSKING DINOSAUR! \o/ I also like that (I think) they're going back to the Old Thingimawhatsits that the parents were working for as well, because I love it when thingimawhatsits don't just disappear off the map, they PLOT and RETURN MORE EVIL THAN EVER MWAHAHAHAHA. *ahem* For the record, I want more comics to be like this: COMPLETELY AWESOME. And with AMAZING ART. *is starry-eyed over the covers and the inside art*
[44/75] Full Metal Alchemist Volume 15 by Hiromu Arakawa: Dear Tokyopop: Sometimes I REALLY HATE your translators. It's nothing personal. It's just that, well, when they change a characters name half way through the series, or when there's something so off I can pick it up, we have A Problem. Kay? Kay. Anyway, this is kinda - not up to the standard I expect of FMA? Don't get me wrong, I flailed because HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHES and BROKEN ROY and BROKEN RIZA, and NOT!CRAZY SCAR and his FAMILY a-and holy shit, Kimberly + homunculi? SCARY STUFF and all the BACKSTORY, and all the art was as good as ever but - there was something missing. Something besides Ed. It just felt like what it was - a really extended flashback sequence at a REALLY ODD POINT TO HAVE IT and it disappoints me. ;__;
[45/75] Tactics Volume 3 by Kazuko Higashiyama and Sakura Kinoshita: And you know what, despite any reservations I might have about the translators at Tokyopop? I am SO GLAD that they have Tactics instead of ADV. GUYS, BUY THE FIRST TWO FROM TOKYOPOP INSTEAD OF ADV, they do wickle Kantarou with the most ANNOYING baby voice EVER, but it's gotta be better than what ADV did. *shudders* Anyway. The stoooooory. I love stories about sisters who will do anything for the other, and this one mashes pretty much all my buttons. Yes, I do have a button labelled "Sickly, sweet, self-sacrificing psychics." (Alliteration ftw!) I try not to admit it too often. I also have a weakness for Haruka Doing The Right Thing (and being asked to teach Kantarou the way of the manslut!) The ending of that chapter made me sad for all involved, which - doesn't usually happen. PLUS, they managed to put foreshadowing and THREATS OF DOOM into the silly cheering-up story that followed! What the hell! (By which I mean: DID LIKE, PLEASE DO IT AGAIN.)
[46/75] Cybersix Volume One by Carlos Meglia and Carlos Trillo: I have to admit, I actually read this before I saw the cartoon, and my god, was that a tone-shift and a half. The cartoon is a lovable, heart-warming little thing with CUTE HAPPY SLUDGE MONSTERS and a miniture dork completely failing to rule the world. The Cybersix comics? Um. Wow. NONE OF THE ABOVE. I think thebaconfat once said she wanted more time in Cybersix's head? Or at least to know how she thought of herself - this is where you get it! Plus the confirmation that Cybersix DID actually get her outfit out of a prostitute's wardrobe! It's kinda depressing, and her backstory's a little different to the cartoon - and there is less of Lucas charging in to save the day and NO HAPPY SLUDGE MONSTER - but the character dynamics are still there! Lucas is still kind and knows Cybersix could bend him in knots, and he READS POETRY. Adrian is still kinda "Er, what?" apart from how he gets A LOT LESS screentime which makes me sad. The art looks kinda like something out of Tintin to be honest with you - which is odd because, y'know, Cybersix wanders around naked a lot. ANYWAY, I do like it, but it is NOTHING like the cartoon in tone or certain details of Cybersix's backstory. (AVAILABLE HERE FOR ALL WHO WANT IT.)
[47/75] Petshop of Horrors Volume 3 by Matsuri Akino: Oh, Petshop of Horrors, HOW DO I LOVE THEE. I love it LOTS. Anyway, I was reading this to try and get my groove back for writing fic, and it has lots of the stuff I like about this series! Contracts going badly wrong, Leon being a detective/trying to buy D with sweets/saving D's life/completely failing at any of the above, Count D being smug and creepy and beating the moral into the customers and making out with someone who's trying to kill him WHY HAVE MORE PEOPLE NOT READ THIS?! I do love this series, and I think this is the volume with the abused dog (which is sad and logical and I feel so sorry for the dog!), the cannibal chef (... I love Wong, and I think I've actually written fic about this story so uh. My love of it does not need to be restated), and the old lady who escaped Nazi germany (which is another one that's sad and sweet, if slightly less logical than I'd like. ;___; ) There IS another one somewhere, but I can't for the life of me remember what it is - REST ASSURED THOUGH, I do indeed reccomend this series! If only so I have more people who'll capslock about it with me.
[48/75] League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 1 by Alan Moore: I believe I said most of what I think about this series when I was reading it - although by the second volume it had mostly descended to AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH. More on that when I actually get to that volume. Let me see! *quotes her Twitter digest*
* 10:36 Dear Alan Moore: HOW MANY PEOPLE GET RAPED/NEARLY RAPED IN THIS DAMN COMIC? Yours with grevious WTF, Susan #
* 13:55 Is anyone else REALLY SCARED of Mister Hyde? Anyone at all? Also the whole can't-see-Griffin thing not usually played up this much. :\ #
* 14:04 And by "not as much" I mean "why is the only person who makes a big deal about it the one who CAN see him?" #
* 14:05 Sherlock Hooooooolmes! Alan Moore I may forgive you all the raping in this. #
* 14:07 Someone pointed out that Moriarty was right about the "drug addict," so why not the "sodomitic." I only just got what they're talking about. #
* 14:29 "I'll see to it if you just get out of my bloody pissing WAY... Please." Mina enforces manners on the scary guy! \o/ #
* 17:41 Oh god Baco when you said this had horrible things in it, I didn't think you really MEANT it. #
* 17:55 Okay, I finished it and am now making this face: O_____________o.
Only BIGGER. #
My thing with this series is that all the "monsters" - Hyde and the invisible man - are actually monstrous. Hyde's a murderer, and the invisible man MOVED INTO A GIRL'S SCHOOL to have his way with the students. O___________o And, y'know, that WORKS because it FREAKS ME THE FUCK OUT. At least until Mina sort of bullies Hyde into submission (Can I take this opportunity to mention I love Mina and how she's practical and dignified and figures everything out faster than the others!) and I realise that as Hyde can see the invisible man, HE IS GOING TO DIE HORRIBLY. The art is... Odd... But the story's interesting and I love stories where the heroes (such as they are) get played mercilessly, so even when I'm physically recoiling from the screen I like this. Then we get...
[49/75] The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 2 by Alan Moore: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH! That is all can say about this at the current point in time because I STILL want to curl up in a corner and scream whenever I think about it. AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!
[50/75] Firewatch by Connie Willis: Oh my god, I love this story to death. It's - I dunno, it feels quiet and Bartholemew is shattering apart slightly at the seams and- and- I love how he gets the LITTLE things wrong and how he and Langby suspect each other and. And. FOR THE RECORD I consider this by thebaconfat to be PART OF CANON. It's a BRILLIANT companion to it, please all read it! It adds so much to some of the scenes! (AVAILABLE ONLINE HERE.)