Wonder Woman Just War by HG Willow Wilson ( Wfiter)

 

Grail convinces Ares that he was ready to leave the island and he says he's looking for his "Final Justice” The island of Thermyscia is being torn apart.  Trevor Steve’s unit disappeared and Etta tells Wonder Woman who immediately heads to the site where a soldier tells her she must have been one of those that came through the portal.

Wonder Woman meets up with Etta who tells her that what’s going on. Apparently, the US has an agreement with the Democratic country of Durovia that is been suppressing the indigenous people. Now a warlord has begun a war with the government. It is believed that he has Steve and his men. 

Wonder Woman finds out that Ares started this war. And that creatures from Paradise island have arrived through the portal and she finds out that the island may be gone. Worse, that Olympus May also be gone. Steve and his men manage to escape and find help with  Aphrodite.

Wonder Woman is trying to find a way to end this war and stop Ares. She also must find where Olympia has gone and Paradise island have gone.  This was a great comic with a fabulous storyline. I give this book a five out of five 

Listed on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Woman-Vol-Just-War/dp/1779503458/ref=sr_1_2?crid=HAGZIUG1E4YR&dchild=1&keywords=wonder+woman+just+war&qid=1607442087&sprefix=wonder+woman+just+war%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-2

Southern Bastards Vol 3: Homecoming by Jason Aaron (writer), Jason Latour (artist) Chris Brunner (artist). Jared Fletcher) Letterer)

In chapter 9 titled The Ma Who Never Got Away the sheriff of the ints of time, we could've made the right decision.   This chapter about the sheriff involves him thinking about all the times he could've been a man. if he made the one decision and he has missed all of those points in time we could've made the right decision.  Then it shows a flashback to when he was young and asking Coach for help with filling out scholarship forms. But the Coach had other plans in mind,

Chapter 19 the one titled Esau Going shows him fucking a woman  When the one who is fucking the woman on the first is done very well and the picture of the two of them looks lovely. But a  few minutes later when someone is coming to visit Esau he is still ducking her only this time it is as brutal and truly shows. The man who has arrived is a Bible thumper who wants to convert Easu.   Donny Ray, the Bible thumper gets roped into following around Easu on his illegal business for others and pisses everyone off.  Then he tries to get Danny Ray to do something against his religion.

Chapter 11 titled You're LOoking at Country which focuses on Deacon Boone who is religious but is also a man of the woods who hunts all the time. At his church, he is the best snake handler and is willing to pitch in with food.,  But when hears about a mentally handicapped girl who was raped y a real bastard, Deacon Boone decides to hunt a different animal for a change,

The last chapter titled Fourth and Goal is about the big game between Craw County and the school the next county over,  The Coach has made some big mistakes that will cause the game to be very much an uphill battle. This game is the be all end all for the county and they haven't lost in years.  This book is about winning this game by any means possible;  This book is just one more in the series that shows how damn fine it is

Listed on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Bastards-Homecoming-Jason-Aaron/dp/1632156105/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1EKVRLY0DUK54&dchild=1&keywords=southern+bastards+vol+3&qid=1606746901&sprefix=southern+basta%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-1

Legionquest by a lot of people

 For those of you who are interested in reading a book about Legion aka David  Charles Haller then you will be disappointed because he does not appear until page 347 in a 555-page book. Legion’s first act upon being awoken from his coma is to kill Destiny who is under the protection of Mystique this brings Mystique to were Legion.is located.  Mystique is running for Legion and the X-Men are after her for a crime she committed.

This leads the X-Men to Legion and Charles’s biggest The X-Men found out about Legion and headed over there to help out the other X-Men that were already there.  The Shiar sends an ambassador to help them out by keeping track explains what the crystal does and how the different planets of the different universes will die too of Legion isn’t stopped.

Then four of the X-Men Psylocke storm Iceman and Bishop all went back in time about 40 years by accident with Legion who has a special reason for being there—to kill Magneto. Now the four have no memory of who they are or how they got there. The rest of the X-Men must do their best to try and find their teammates.

I won’t kid you the Legion section is out of this world. And while the rest of the book is filled with a best of of the. X-Men they’re the best because they’re from some of the best writers. At the end is a collection of pictures for a swimsuit issue and it’s out of this world. I hate that I missed it when it came out. I give this book a four out of five for tricking us readers into buying something that has material even I’ve read.

Located at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/X-Men-Legionquest-Scott-Lobdell-ebook/dp/B07BH496DF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=9GKSDL12J3F6&dchild=1&keywords=legionquest&qid=1606325553&sprefix=Legionquest%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1

America\s Greatest Warriors: Avengers Unleashed Vol 1: Kang War One by Mark Waid (Writer). Mike Del Mundo (Artist, Colorist), Marco D'Alfonso (Colorist), VC's Cory Petit (Letterer)

 I really don't know what to say about this comic.  Is it good is it bad? I don't know but it is written by one of my favorite authors Marc Waid and he has written Doctor Strange, Superman, Flash, Deadpool including the famous one where he gets married. So this has the potential to be good.  But the story doesn’t come together really well and the artwork is awful and amateurish. The only 

This contains an awful lot of people including Hercules, female Thor, male Thor, Wasp, Vision, Spider-Man, and Sam Wilson as Captain Our faithful heroes are fighting against the completely unheard of Kang and Scarlet Centurion. The two of them are after Vision for stealing Kang’s baby form. They get Vision’s head and crack it open only to find that the information about the baby’s location has been downloaded elsewhere.

The avengers are joined by Vision from the future who tells them that he knows the location of the baby. Meanwhile, Kang and Scarlet Centurion go back in time to kill the babies of all Avengers minus Hercules for whom his baby’s location is unknown.

How will the Avengers get out of this tangled mess? Kang is truly evil and they must decide if wiping him out is worth it. I really didn’t much care for this book. I was disappointed in Waid. And the art is to be seen in order to appreciate how godawful it is. I give this book one star out of five.

Spider-Man/Deaepool Vol 3: Itsy Bitsy by Joe Kelly (Writer), Ed McGuiness (Penciller), Mark Morales (Inker), Livesay (Inker), John Dell (Inker), Walden Wong (Inker), Jason Keith (Colorist), Matt Yackey (Colorist), VC's Joe Sabino (Letterer)

 Spider-Man and Deadpool are going up against a band of animal criminals when suddenly they are interrupted by a super spider they name Itsy Bitsy whom they fight and cannot bring down, so Deadpool turns his hidey hoe into a bomb and uses a magic mirror to take him and Spider-Man to an alternate universe where Spider-Man can heal over time.  

While there in the alternate universe there's a giant hairy beast coming down on the little trolls who need their help. So, Deadpool drives the dragon while Spider-Man creates the bombs to drop on the beast. In the corner of the page as they set out is a square with the words "Flight of the Valkyries" as sung by a yak choking on a non=autotuned Soulja boy. And you know I can hear it as clear as day;  

Then they decide to go back to the big city and they find bodies wrapped up in silk on a web.  Itsy believes in killing bad guys--or whom she considers bad guys She tried to get Deadpool and Spider-Man to work with her but they wouldn't. Now it's time to catch her and to Spider-Man that's at any cost for she is killing in his name.  

This is when Nightcrawler shows up and tries to talk some sense into Spider-Man but he isn't having none of that. And Deadpool has to go to Hell to visit his wife who has someone to show him--the person behind this whole thing and you'll never guess who; He's told that someone wants to get even with Spider-Man by taking his soul and so far it's working;  Spider-Man is changing and becoming willing to kill.  But that's not going to happen on Deadpool's watch.  Spidey got him to stop killing and be a better person so he kinda owes him everything and won't stop until he finds a way out for Spider-Man,

This book is chock full of laughs and jokes--I mean with both Spider-Man and Deadpool it's inevitable!  But this one is funnier than the other two teamups I've read.  And the story is unique and creative especially when Deadpool is telling it,  The art is out of this world and amazing to look at.  This was an incredible book and I give it five out of five stars;

Quotes

It’s an election year. Someone will say something much stupider tomorrow.

=Spider-Man (Spider-Man/Deadpool “Itsy Bitsy”)

 

A day that starts with ice cream and this view is guaranteed to erase the night before.

-Spider-Man (Spider-Man/Deadpool “Itsty Bitsty”)

 

The absurdity of the world is starting to make sense to me.

-Spider-Man (Spider-Man/Deadpool “Itsy Bitsy”)

 

He has Picasso powers of self-Cubism.

-Deadpool (Spider-Man/Deadpool “Itsy Bitsy”)

 

  

Listed On Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Deadpool-Vol-Itsy-Bitsy/dp/0785197877/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=itsy+bitsy+deadpool+spider%3Dman&qid=1604940015&sr=8-1

Southern Bastards Vol 2: Girdiron by Jason Aaron (Writer(, Jason Latour (Artist(, Jared K; Fletcher (Letterer)

 In the previous comic, The book opens with Earl Tubbs leaving a message on the phone for someone and driving a truck to his dad's old place that his Uncle Buhl had been living in until he had to go to a nursing home. Now the place needs to be cleaned out and Earl who hasn't been to Craw County in a very long time is there to do this one job.  Years ago when Earl's daddy was Sherrif he cleaned up the town with just a baseball bat. Earl runs into someone he used to know at the local ribs joint named Dusty who's in trouble with the Coach and who has sent Esau to deal with the problem. But Earl won't let that happen and he attacks Esau and saves Dusty's life who isn't all that grateful.  Earl goes home and meets a kid in his tree hoping to watch TV who quickly runs away and Earl tried to chop down the tree that hangs over his father's grave with no success. Then Earl goes to the football game and Dusty comes out from the woods half-dead looking to talk to the Coach.  Dusty dies overnight and Earl tries to talk to the Sherrif but that gets him nowhere because the Sherrif is in the Coach's pocket.  He goes to his dad's home and there\s a lightning storm and he yells at the sky that he's leaving that he wants to have nothing to do with this.  Then he looks down at the tree that is no longer there and what was left of it was what resembled a bat.  He saw this as a sign and set out to make things right in Craw County. But the Coach uses the bat on him and kills him with it.  And the person he was calling at the beginning of the story was his black daughter.who is in the military on her way home to him;   

This next book in the series concentrates on the Coach's life and it gets to so you almost feel sorry for him.  He hasn't had an easy life;  His father sold moonshine and was a thief and a sonofabitch; who paid him no mind;  But he was determined to become a linebacker for the high school team, the Rebels,  He practiced daily on the filed trying to make something of himself but the boys just laughed at him and beat him up.  Then an old blind black man named Big took an interest in him and began to train him and he got better and the black defensive side of the team said he could be on the team because they respected Big and if Big said the kid was ok than he was ok.   And he became the best lineman in the history of the school.  

But no colleges called to offer deals to go there to play.  He couldn't figure it out.  The best he could get was being a ball boy for the high school football team. But that wasn't good enough and he set out to find a way to get something better;  At the beginning of the book, he remarks that Earl wasn't the first person he'd killed.  So who else did he kill, perhaps to get ahead? 

Coach is a complicated man;  You start off hating him from the first book. But you can't help but feel sorry for the child who tries so hard and gets his teeth shoved down his throat by the boys at school, by his father, by society. He doesn't stand a chance without Big\s help.  It's truly sad;  But he becomes a monster that even Big cannot stand;  This is such an incredible series and I love how they tackle the South's religion, aka football. The book opens with a forward from a Carolina Panther football player whom half of it doesn't make any sense since it's in football jargon.  But it was fun to read;  I give this book five out of five stars;

Listed on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Bastards-Vol-2-Gridiron/dp/163215269X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=11QGPKGHCEVCR&dchild=1&keywords=southern+bastards+book+2&qid=1604506546&sprefix=southern+bas%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-2

Extraordinary X-Men vol 1: X-Haven by Jeff Lemire (Writer), Humberto Ramos (Penciler), Victor.Olazaba (Inker), Edgar Delgado (Colorist ), VCs Joe Caramagna (Letterer)

 This series takes place years after All-New X-Men when Scott Summers set off a bomb killing a lot of people and causing the humans to no longer be afraid of mutants but still hate them and want to kill them.  On top of that, a terrigen mist is falling and creating Inhumans who are also being hunted. The mist is affecting mutants in that it is causing them to become sterile. No new mutants have been born in a long time

Majik Ilyana Perron has the ability to teleport so she goes to rescue mutants. This time she goes to rescue her brother Colossus who is a farmer in Russia. He doesn’t want to be rescued but the cause needs him and she convinces him to come with her when suddenly they are captured by Mister Sinister along with Nightcrawler. He wants to create the perfect creature that will save the entire species.

Storm has appealed to Jean from the past who is in college and living her life away from the X-Men to help then that they need her but she turns her down. Then she sees a kid being beaten up by humans and helps out and the boy she was just kissing gets disgusted and the kid doesn’t want her help because he is an Inhuman. She goes to find Logan and get him to come with her.but he doesn’t want to go because he’s just back from the future and he saw something there that really shook him and makes him want to have nothing to do with the X-Men. But Jean is Jean no matter which time period she comes from and she can get Logan to do anything.

Haven, their home base is being attacked so Logan and Jean came right on time considering Majik and the others haven’t returned yet. Who’s behind the attacks? Will they survive? This was a really good start to a new series. It has some of your favorite characters and some new ones. What does the future hold for mutant kind of any at all?   I give this book a five out of five stars.

Listed on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Extraordinary-X-Men-Vol-1-X-Haven/dp/0785199349/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=extraordinary+x-men&qid=1604504390&sr=8-1

I

The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb (Writer), Tim Sale (Artist), Gregory Wright (Colorist), Richard Starkings and Comicraft (Letterer)

 The Long Halloween is called that because it goes from one Halloween to another, stopping at each holiday on the way with someone dying. The first Halloween has The Roman’s Falcone’s nephew, Johnny, who was going to turn him into the cops but instead got married, dies on his way back from his honeymoon. 

Bruce Wayne is at the party due to a debt his father has on Falcone when he sees Selena Kyle and goes off dancing with her. Then both excuse themselves and he turns into Batman and she turns into Catwoman. Meanwhile, DA Harvey Dent and Captain Jim Gordon put up the Bat-signal calling him to come to talk to them. they decide to go after Falcone but with a zeal not killing anyone. Batman reluctantly agrees. Harvey feels as though the guy can’t be touched because he’ll buy off whoever he has to.

Then on Thanksgiving, a group is Roman’s goons her gunned dow eating their meal. With Christmas, the Joker shows up and people realize that someone named Holiday is the one doing all these killings on each Holiday going back to Halloween. And the Christmas one is Falcone’s body man.  New Year’s is his son whom he has kept out of the business, Alberto has been killed. 

One thing I really liked about the killings was that they were some in black and white with a memento to the holiday in a vibrant color contrasting against its backdrop. Sometimes though, there’s only be blood which was just as good in its richness. 

Who did the killings? Was it Calendar Man escaping Arkham or one of Maroni’s men? Or Catwoman or the Joker, though he protested to be looking for Holiday himself. Or was it Jim Gordon or Harvey Dent? They certainly wanted these people gone. Batman will investigate and find out the truth. No matter what.

This was. am an amazing comic and just out of this world with the storytelling and the images. I loved seeing all of Batman’s favorite foes in this book. And it really was brilliant to do a murder on each Holiday and follow through for a year. I’m not a DC fan bit every so often I like to dip my toe in and this was so worth it. I give it five out of five stars.

Listed on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Batman-Long-Halloween-Jeph-Loeb-ebook/dp/B0064W639K/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25ABS60G5F2LJ&dchild=1&keywords=the+long+halloween&qid=1604503992&sprefix=the+long+hall%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-1

 

Gwendy’s Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar

 

Gwendy, a compromise between her father who wanted to name her after his grandmother Gwendolyn and her mother who loved Wendy from Peter Pan, has decided to begin running the Suicide Stairs every morning because Frankie called her Goodyear— as in the blimp and others began to take up the chant. She wants to enter middle school without that moniker. 

She has noticed a man in a suit, which is odd in this heat, sitting on the bench at the bottom of the steps all week. Then one day he calls out to her and they cautiously begin talking. His name is Me. Farris. And he has something for her. A button box. The lid has eight buttons on it and each on stands for a continent with the one for Antarctica being black and standing for everything and a red button that means whatever she wants it to mean. Inside are two levers. One dispenses a piece of chocolate the size of a jelly bean and it leaves you feeling satisfied and full. You’ll still eat your meals but you’ll avoid the second helpings and the snacks. The second lever reveals an 1891 uncirculated silver dollar known as a Morgan Dollar and worth quite a bit of money. 

Later Gwendy will begin to remember that the buttons stand for blowing up continents and one for blowing up whatever she wants and another, a cancerous black one that blows everything up.  These buttons begin to haunt her. And she both wishes she’d never gotten that box and is glad she did for she has grown into a gorgeous young woman whom her best friend is jealous of. But she makes new popular friends. And can have any guy she wants. Her life is better with the chocolates and the button box.

Then one night she decides to try out the buttons. So she investigates South America and what’s going on there. Then she pushes real hard down on the button and goes to watch the evening news where she hears about Jim Jones and the tragedy down there in Guyana and feels it’s all her fault.  

Gwendy gets real nervous throughout the book about someone finding the box and pushing the black button so she moves it around and still someone finds it. Will she be there in time to stop them from discovering the box’s true purpose? This was a fantastic book and it has a sequel that I can’t wait to read. Oddly enough I’m on a diet myself like Gwendy trying to lapse a few pounds and I couldn’t help but think that those chocolates would sure come in handy! Though I could do without the buttons. This is indeed a creepy book but what else would you expect from the King of Horror? King really has a way of describing kids and how their thought process works. It’s pretty amazing for someone of his age to be able to do. Some writers lose touch with that part of themselves and can’t write convincingly about kids. But Gwendy was a very interesting character and this was one very interesting book. I give it five stars out of five stars.

Gwendy has a thought ( novel now in its adult implications, later to become a tiresome truth) secrets are a problem.

P 27-28

It’s a kind of morning that makes you wish death didn’t exist.

P 63

The best laid plans of sixteen-year-olds are rarely thought out.

P88

Listed on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gwendys-Button-Box-Stephen-King-ebook/dp/B074F2F92F/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=gwendy%27s+button+box+by+stephen+king+and+richard+chizmar&qid=1604503632&sr=8-1

Daredevil: Back in Black Vol 4 : Identity by Charles Soule (Writer), Goran Sudzuka (Artists), Ron Garney ( Artist), Marc LamiIng(Artist), Matt Milla (Colorist), Miroslav Mrva (Colorist), VC’s Clayton Cowles (Letter)

 In the previous comic, Blinspot comes across a painting made of over a hundred types of blood. Matt takes the case with the cops for him since he’s here illegally. Then some Inhumans are turned into art. They agree to work with Daredevil. Then Daredevil gets a call from Muse offering to share information when suddenly Blindspot calls from the courtroom to say that Muse has taken over. Daredevil follows Muse into the sewers. At some point Blindspot has his eyes gouged out.

With his guilt over Blindspot (more guilt than he usually feels) he sells all of his worldly goods and puts a hit on himself.  Daredevil also goes and talks to Father Jordan, a badass mysterious priest who is trying to tell him that what happened to Blindspot is not his fault.  At first, only the amateurs come and this ticks him off because he only wants the serious contenders but that costs money. So, he finds more money and ups the bounty and gets the guy he's been hoping to get: Bullseye. The bane of his existence. The one who has caused him so much pain. He can sense when the bullet comes. Will he deflect it of will he let Bullseye land his target?

In the next part is where Daredevil is confessing his sins to Father Jordan and explaining how the world doesn't know who he is.  Once everyone knew who he was and he found that he regretted coming out of the closet as it were and began to look for a way to reverse it.  Then one night two of the purple children (Kilgrave, a hypnotist and killer has some children who were hidden from him and from themselves) came to his door saying that the other children were missing and in danger and would Matt help them? He put on his suit and they followed the signal of the other purple children to Kilgrave's lair where he's waiting for Daredevil and wants to know what's the worst thing he would ever do? What do you think it is?

This comic is so great. It delves deeply into Matt's psyche with his guilt and introduces a new character with Father Jordan who I really hope to see again;  Killgrave is creepy and a good villain for Matt to go up against.  And again the black and white and red coloring of this book is just amazing and perfect;  I'm really enjoying this series. I give this a five out of five stars.  

Listed on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Back-Black-Vol-Identity/dp/1302905627/ref=sr_1_1?crid=EUC009UE1C4V&dchild=1&keywords=daredevil+back+in+black+vol+4&qid=1603715728&sprefix=daredevil+bak%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-1

Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider: S[ider-Aeddon by Seanon MxGuire (Writer(, Risi Kampe (Artist), Takeshi Miyazawa (Artist), Ian Herring (Colorist). VC's Clayton Cowles (Lettterer)

Gwen is now out of jail having served her time for the crimes she committed.   Everyone may know who she is but that’s okay because she's getting over things like that.  She's out catching muggers and such now and trying to hop a free dinner off her friend Harry when she sees the signal by Spider-Ham that he needs her so she goes.  Spider-Ham tells her a vampiric race of people who live off of Spider-People called Inheritors.  They've already gotten a head start on taking out the Spider-People and Spider-Ham and the rest have formed a resistance and they need her help;  But when she uses her bracelet to travel to the other diminution where the other is located, her bracelet messes up and sends her to a dimension she's never been.

The first rule of interdimensional travel is to find a Reed Richards on that Earth to help you.  But a Tony Stark will do. But on this planet, Oscorp was the ruler of things scientific.  Until she goes to the building and sees how run down it is. Then she is out to her friends;  

The next section of the comic deals with some of the ghosts haunting Gwen.  Ghosts of those who died in Spider-verse Part I and II;  In this section, she chooses to be the one to go back to all the worlds that lost someone and offer condolences and their bodies if they want them.  It's poignant and beautiful.  And at the end, Gwen will decide what to do.

My only complaint about this book is that it is too short. And while the second part is lovely, not much happens. Still, it was a great comic and I can’t wait to try out Ghost-Spider Vol 2. I give this book four out of five stars.

Listed On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Spider-Vol-Dogs-Days-Over/dp/130292012X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=185GKK9E2GMP2&dchild=1&keywords=spider-gwen+ghost-spider&qid=1603651645&sprefix=spider-gwen+ghost%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-3

West Coast Avenges Vol 1: Best Coast by Kelly Thompson (Writer), Stefano Caselli (Artist), Triona Farrell (Colorist), VC's Joe Caramagna (Letterer)

 Kelly Thompson, the writer is a favorite of min. She's written loads of Captain Marvel books, as well as Black Widow, one of my favorite series Mr. and Mrs; X: Gambit and Rogue Get Married, she's written Deadpool, taken over for Jessica Gones, and written Star Wars including Captain Phasma.  SHe's also written the female Hawkeye books which have led to this book a collection of superheroes on the west coast where Hawkeye lives and will be in charge of.

She has tryouts and the best of fifty-two is bread boy.  Then on walks, Gwenpool and all her prayers are answered. I beg to disagree, but at least the costume is a tad less hideous and with Thompson's writing she's a tad less annoying;  But honestly, nothing can make this character worth reading;  But Kate, Hawkeye, wants five people on the team which includes America  who can fly and punch through dimensions, and is very strong;  Then Omega Kid who has until psychic abilities wants to join.  Also, there's Fuse, Kate's boyfriend who can take any material or metal and touch it and have it become his body.  Hawkeye will be in and out as well.

Tigra, one of the original members of the old West Coast Avengers and she's looking to take over Los Angles as soon as she gets out of the ocean;  Omega Kid pushes for blasting her with his powers but that could be dangerous for her; But the gang is getting its ass kicked until a strange man who calls himself B.R.O.D.O, K. or Bro-Robotic Organism Designer Overwhelpinly for Kissing tames Tigra; and saves the day, But he isn't what he seems; When the two Hawkeyes investigate further they find quite a story.

My daughter is fond of saying that the movies I show her are "MEh"; This includes The Princess Bride;  It's not that she doesn't like it it's just that it didn't overwhelm her like it did me;  And so it is with this comic;  It has a moment or two but I ex0ect better from Thompson; That's not to say I've given up on this series;  It does have some good characters the st9ry needs some work and Gwrenpool needs to go away;  I give it three out of five stars.  

Listed On Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/West-Coast-Avengers-Vol-Best/dp/130291345X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3S7PZDOW5LFS3&dchild=1&keywords=west+coast+avengers&qid=1603112768&sprefix=West+coast+av%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-1

Doctor Strange: Strange Origin by Greg Pak (Writer), Emma Rios (Artist), Alvaro Lopez (Inker), Jordie Bellaire (Colorist), VC's Clayton Cowles (Letterer)

 Grek Pak is one of my favorite writers. He has written many of the Star Wars Darth Vader books, the Storm: Make It Rain book, Phoenix Endsong, the final book in the glorious Phoenix Saga, as well as many slightly earlier Hulk books and quite a few Firefly books;  joining him is one of my favorite colorists, Jordie Bellaire. who worked on Scarlet Witch, Suri, Wonder Woman, Occupy Avengers, Spider-Gwen, Hawkeye, Captain America, and my favorite comic of all Winter Soldier.  So much talent in one book means it has to be good, right? Well, we'll see.

This book opens with Doctor Strange still training with the Ancient One and hoping to heal his hands.  He believes the Ancient One to be a fraud for not taking his money and healing him so he turns to Mordo who intends to kill a man in the ritual but Strange puts a stop to that and for that and because Strange has been professed to be powerful Mordo puts a mouth clamp on him so he can't talk about what he's seen.  Strange runs to the Ancient One.  He asks if he could train by his side and the Ancient One agrees and takes the mouth guard off without Strange having told him it was there.  

His big problem is his nonbelief in magic that keeps him from being able to call up Visanti to do spells.  Strange meets Wong in a bar when he accuses him of being Mordor and the two fight.  The Ancient One breaks it up and tells them that Wong has lots of heart but lacks discipline and Strange has lots of Discipline but lacks heart and that they need each other and will work together.  While out on patrol, they see a woman overcome by a bizarre musical force that neither has encountered before. They rush in to save her.  She's Sopho di Cosimo of an Italian museum and tells them a tale of three rings she learned about in her museum that if one holds all three rings one can command the Visanti whether they are worthy or not;   She suggests destroying the rings before anyone can get their hands on them.  

So that's what they do. Though Strange battles his ability to call up Visanti to do anything, he does find a way to help as a doctor.  And not all of these rings are being held by evil beings or are being used for evil things so its hard to take them.  During the dark snowy background, the flashes of color really pop out at you.  This book really makes glorious use of color and there's a scene of an orange tiger with electric yellow serpents coming out of its eyes, and a man's face on the left, and a woman's face on the right with cotton candy pink bottom in a beautiful design holding something in its grasp with Strange and Sopio speechless down at the bottom; It's gorgeous.  The colors, the drawings, everything;  But that's just how this book is; It's filled with wonders and delights visually and a fabulous story as will;  By the way, this Wong is tall and skinny and has long black hair.  I'm used to my Wongs being shorter and bald;  This book truly is worth reading; I promise you;  I give it five stars out of five stars;

Listed on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Strange-Origin-Greg-Pak/dp/0785163913/ref=sr_1_1?crid=37MGJZ97LKVV&dchild=1&keywords=doctor+strange+origin&qid=1602854942&sprefix=Doctor+Strange+Strange+Origin%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-1

Gwenpool Vol !: Believe It by Christopher Hastings (Writer), Gurihiru (Artist), Danilo Beyruth (Artist), Tamara Bonvilllian (Colorist), Travis Lanham (Letterer)

 This is the worst comic ever;  No scratch that. It is the second-worst comic ever. Hellcat, you are still number one,  But this is truly atrocious,  For one thing, Howard the Duck is in it and I hate the duck,  For another thing, they mess with one of my favorite comics characters, Black Cat.  Felicia has evidence that the duck stole from her and will use it against him if he doesn't get back from Gwen what she stole from Felicia;  This box doesn't belong to Felicia she's just holding on to it for a group of people for a while.  

Let's pause for a moment and comment on Gwenpool and her dress/  Gwenpool is supposed to be a combination of Gwen Stacey and Deadpool but she's not;  She doesn't have anything of Gwen Stacey and I think even Deadpool is more intelligent than her;  He's definitely wittier;  Now her costume with is pink and white. Barf. And she has no pants! But that's not as ridiculous as the two long leather ponytails that come down from her head; I guess the creates were looking for something utterly stupid and they succeeded but this isn't funny stupid it's just stupid dumb.    

The problem with the duck winds up leading them to Hydra and even more problems;  Then when she goes to the bank to make a deposit it gets robbed and she saves the day only to be arrested by the robbers with whom she makes friends with and more chaos ensues;  There is nothing to save this book;  It is horrible.  This is the type of book that is supposed to contain funny lines that make you forget the diumbass situation the hero is in, But there is none of that here;  I give it a zero out of five stars;

Listed On Amazon\;https://www.amazon.com/Gwenpool-Unbelievable-Vol-Believe/dp/1302901761/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1A97MN7F1CQ1S&dchild=1&keywords=gwenpool&qid=1602777231&sprefix=Gwenp%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-3

Say Yes to the Duke by Eloisa James

I have to say right off that I was disappointed in this book.  I mean they don't kiss until at least halfway through the book and its a chaste kiss, not a rip your clothes off the kiss. Then they don't have sex until they're married at the very end of the book.  This is a romance book for crying out loud and an Eloisa James one at that! They're having sex usually at the  halfway point;   

Now the argument is going to be made that the character, Viola is shy and retaining and would not be swept off of her feet and that the gentleman would have to go slow.  I disagree. Especially since Viola had overcome her shyness at the beginning of the book and she admits that the Duke, Devin makes her feels calm and safe.  

What keeps them apart at the beginning of the novel is that Viola believes herself to be in love with the Vicar who himself has engaged to Miss Pettigrew a truly awful woman.  She writes him letters which is untoward and her Aunt puts a stop to.  The Duke before he meets Viola is set on marrying a Duke's daughter because that's what his father told him to do on his deathbed and honestly Devin knows very little about being a Duke so he hopes to have a Duchess who knows all about being one.  

Then at a ball, the two meet and Devin falls head over heels for Viola who thinks he is an idiot but can't deny how she physically feels around him.  I really wish I could have found something interesting to say about the two characters but I can't.  They're boring and the book is boring with no exciting plot devices to keep them apart This is a shame because I had been looking forward to reading Viola's story since we share some of the same characteristics.  But this book is a mess and I am terribly disappointed;  I give this book two stars out of five stars.

Quotes

The one thing you can say about marriage is that not even an idiot is allowed to challaage his wife to a duel,

-Eloisa James (Say Yes to the Duke p 19)

 

 Do you ever consider how odd it is that life revolves around tea?

-Eloisa James (Say Yes to the Duke p 167)

 

Viola blinked. “You never swear” “Profanity is a natural response to one’s children being threatened.”

-Eloisa James (Say Yes to the Duke p219)

Listed on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Say-Yes-Duke-Wildes-Lindow-ebook/dp/B07WZF8JYS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Z2VZYQY8W02P&dchild=1&keywords=say+yes+to+the+duke&qid=1602251216&s=books&sprefix=say+yes+to+the+duke%2Cstripbooks%2C180&sr=1-1

 

Daredevil: Know Fear Vol. 1 By Chip Zdarksky (Writer), Marco Checchetto (Artist), Sunny Gho ( Colorist), CX's Clayton Cowles (Letterer),

 Mayor Wilson Fisk is out to get any masked vigilante but especially Daredevil.  A cop from Chicago named North has been brought in to help with the situation and he hates vigilantes unlike some of the cops on the saads who have been helped by them. Then one-night Daredevil answers the call to an armed robbery at a liquor store and is forced to fight the three guys;  Daredevil is always careful about how much pressure to apply so as to knock them out without killing them.  But that night one of them died;  And Matt went a little crazy;

Foggy told him to turn himself in that maybe that'd let him keep the suit;  But Matt knows better than that;  Matt believes that Fisk is behind this; That he is innocent;  Daredevil then goes to the hospital to talk with one of the doctors who tells him that it was his screwup.  Then he goes and beats up on the homeless and picks up on a lead at a club; The same lead North and his partner get so the two groups arrive at the same time; North draws his gun on Daredevil and he uses his nunchucks on his partner;  Daredevil gets shot and goes down, But that's just where Daredevil wants to be because he can overcome his opponent from this position;  He picks up a disguise from a shop and keeps ongoing but is soon surrounded by the police;  

Does Daredevil have no one to help him?  Yes, he does;  He has Frank Castle who helps him out of this mess.     The two get to talking about how Matt has crossed the line and how this probably wasn't the first time he has.  Soon the two are fighting each other with machine guns and handguns and at first, Matt is only going for the Kevlar shots but soon something takes over--the Devil--and he is out to kill;

I really love the last comic where he is visited by a special guest who has something important to say that Matt just might listen to.  This is a powerful comic with lost of cameos;  Matt must try and face what he has done which is something so heinous he cannot believe that he has done it;  And when he finally accepts the fact that he has indeed done it he loses it and goes on a rage spree/  The writing is phenomenal and the artwork is just plain fabulous/  This book is incredible and truly worth reading; I give it five out of five stars'  

Listed On Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Chip-Zdarsky-Vol-Know/dp/1302914987/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1HL0DBD67TUUZ&dchild=1&keywords=daredevil+know+fear&qid=1602076253&s=books&sprefix=Daredevil+Know+Fear%2Cstripbooks%2C173&sr=1-1

          

X-23 The Complete Collection Vol 1 by Craig Kyle (Writer), Christopher Yost (Writer), Jay Faerber (Writer), Marjorie Liu (Writer), SI Spurrier (Writer), Biily Tan (Penciler), Francis Portela (Penciler), Filpe Andre (Penciler), Nuno Alves (Penciler), Jon Sibal (Inker), Raul Fernadez (Inker), Brian Haberlin (Colorist), Sonia Oback (Coloirst), Impacto Studios (Colorist), Soto Color and Nuno Alves (Colorist), John Rauch (Colorist), Marte Garcia (Colorist), Chris Eliopolos (Letterer) VC"s Cory Petit (Letterer), Troy Peteri (Letterer), VC's Rus Wooton (Letterer), VC's Clayton Cowles (Letterer), Dave Sharpe (Letterer), and Joe Sambino (Letterer)

 The main part of this comic is spent explaining how X-23 came into existence and her early years of life. Dr. Martin is heading up this crazy show and Dr. Zander Rice whose father died at the hands of Weapon X while he was making his escape after getting the adamantium claws is the surgeon who wants revenge.  Dr. Sarah Kinney is the geneticist who can take the skin sample from Weapon X and recreate him, aka clone him, and create their very own weapon.  

Zander trains her to go berserk and kill everything in sight when she smells a certain scent. Her first trial run with this is her beloved sensei.  Sarah takes on the role of her mother and reads to her from her own copy of the book Pinocchio.  But Sarah doesn't want to have warm and fuzzy feelings about anyone least of all the weapon she is creating.  

Her first mission is to go out and kill a man who is running for president and she does as well as all those present at the little airport terminal.  She continues to go on missions for Martin and Rice but when Sarah's niece is kidnapped she steals X-23, or Laura, and takes her out to find her niece, which she does and kills the kidnapper who it turns out had kidnapped seven girls before Meagan.  Debbie, Sarah's sister notices the changes in her sister and is grateful to Laura.  

When Rice sends her out to kill an entire family including a small boy, she kills all but the boy and that tells Sarah that they haven't created a monster or a weapon, but someone who thinks and feels.  The next section has her being interviewed by a wrathful Captain America who also wants his revenge for the incident of the presidential candidate.  Matt Murdoch is there at the Captain's request but as her story unfolds including more about Debbie and Meagan Matt finds himself acting more like Laura's attorney.  I have to say it's always nice to see Murdoch, if not Daredevil pop up in a comic book.  

The most beautiful, most exquisitely done was Marjorie Liu's X-23 and Marvel Women.  The paint is slashed on the canvas like Laura's claws.  The color scheme is dark: dark red--red for the blood she sheds; black--for the color of her hair.   It is also incredibly written with great insight into the character.  Overall this is a magnificent book that you can't go wrong reading;  The story is captivating and original.  I give this my highest score and would go higher if I could five out of five.

Quotes

But you know better. You are no ape. No pet. No tool to be trained. You are the tiger. You are the shark. You are the creature in the dark. A monster sleeping in the body of a child.  And they should fear you. They will fear you.  And eventually they do.

-X-23 The Complete Collection: X-23: Women of Marvel by Marjorie Liu

LIsted On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/X-23-Complete-Collection-Vol-1-ebook/dp/B01HP1MUNG/ref=sr_1_2?crid=K8PGU2JQZJIH&dchild=1&keywords=x-23+complete+collection&qid=1601651628&s=books&sprefix=x-23%2Cstripbooks%2C183&sr=1-2

Deadpool Vol 1 by Gerry Duggin (Writer), Brian Posehn (Writer), Tony Moore (Artist), Scott Koblish (Artist), Mike Hawthorne (Artist), John Lucas (Inker), Val Staples (Colorist), VC's Joe Sabino (Letterer), CLayton Cowles (Letterer)

The Right is fighting the Left. Blacks are battling Whites. The Country is being torn apart. So a necromancer decides to do something about it. He brings back the Undead Harry S. Truman and Captain America catches him at it and battles Harry while the necromancer gets away making the Captain look bad in the press hurting a beloved ex-President.  The thing is, the necromancer didn't stop at one President he resurrected all of them.  

S.H.I.E.L.D. knows that they need to deal with this but they want nothing to do with it so they fop it off on one of their least-liked agents who can take the fall when everything falls apart and leaves her, Agent Preston to figure out how to solve this without using agents, the Avengers, X-Men, or any other high profile superhero whose reputation might be damaged by this.

Her, Agent Preston's, prayers are answered when Deadpool is battling FDR in the subway and manages to kill him by using the third rail and electrocuting him.  She offers him a job and he agrees for a fee of $2 million dollars.  Deadpool goes to Liberty Hall where he runs into a bunch of undead Presidents and one helpful ghost, Ben Franklin.  The necromancer has gone to the cemetery to try to undo what he has done but George Washington and JFK find him and make him bring to life an army of undead soldiers.  

Deadpool goes on a killing spree of Presidents like for example when he found Teddy Roosevelt in the zoo hunting the animals he knew he had to electrocute him to kill him so he got the elephant to strangle him while he got a hold of some electric cables and he told the elephant repeatedly to drop Teddy but he wouldn't so all three of them got electrocuted and sent to Hell.  

Finally, Preston realizes they need backup so she grabs Deadpool, who takes Ben and yes! we get a cameo from one of my favorite Marvel characters: Dr. Strange.  A comic is always made just a little bit better with a visit from the Doctor.  And eventually, the Doctor decides to help them by creating a sword that can kill any undead. He also tells them where the necromancer is.  However, the necromancer no longer has his book.  Washington has it.  But Deadpool has plans for the necromancer. Complicated plans for him.  

Deadpool really is a favorite character of mine and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I love history and a look back at all the dead Presidents was a real hoot.  My only complaint would be that Andrew Jackson was taken too easily. In life, there were many attempts on his life, and one such attempt when the gun jammed he took his walking stick and nearly beat the man to death. They had to pull him off of the guy. He had a real temper. He was a redhead.  Though I must admit I did enjoy Ronald Reagan's death a great deal.  And having Ben Franklin around was a nice touch.  Agent Preston was a real badass, who cared for her family greatly and managed to keep Deadpool in line and was the real brains of the operation.  And honestly, you do know that there is more to it than this?  Someone is behind all of this. But who?  This was a fantastic book and I give it five out of five stars.    

Listed On Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Deadpool-1-Gerry-Duggan/dp/0785154469/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1S4X94TLCHMD6&dchild=1&keywords=deadpool+vol+1&qid=1601552148&s=books&sprefix=Deadpoool+vol%2Cstripbooks%2C177&sr=1-6

 

Spider-Man: The Darkest Hour by Jim Butcher

 This truly is a wonderful book and it's the one time Butcher took a very brief break from his Harry Dresden books and sadly he has not strayed again.  I am a huge Spider-Man fan and I can be critical of how Spider-Man's wisecracking mouth is done.  Butcher is a master in capturing Spidey's sense of humor He also adds two very interesting characters to the mix: Black Cat and Rhino.

Spidey runs into Mortia, Thanis, and Malos who are the sister and brothers of Morlum whom Spidey let someone kill.  These are the Ancients and Morlun was nearly impossible to defeat and he was left with nightmares afterward.   Now his brethren have come for revenge. The Ancients live off of those totems are animals.  Black Cat has been working at the Company and has uncovered something dangerous to Spidey and warned him he was in danger but she had no idea what it was.  The Ancients set up Spidey to fight Rhino who they roped in to help them but then they turned on him and beat him up.  Spidey couldn't leave him there so he took him back to Aunt May's because Peter and Mary Jane's apartment was discovered by the Ancients.

He makes an agreement with a blinded Rhino that they will be partners for the duration of this mess which is until dusk of that day.  They also agree to a ceasefire for twenty-four hours after its all over;  During that time he gets to know the Rhino and struggles with this knowledge and his belief that the Rhino is a bad guy that can never change.  But first, he must come up with a spectacular plan to bring down three very powerful beings with just him,, Black Cat, and a wounded Rhino.  SPOILER: I do so love it when Dr. Strange makes an appearance somewhere.  

While Spidey is dealing with that mess, Peter must deal with his duties as a school teacher where he has been forced to fill in as the basketball coach while the real coach is having surgery done that he doesn't want his team to know about; What the coach wants is for Peter to teach cooperation to his star player who feels like he's the only one who needs to be on the team, But this attitude will keep him from getting a college scholarship, But getting the team to listen to him is going to be tough.

Butcher based this book on a series of comic books and they were well chosen.  The Ancients are a powerful foe. He can't defeat them alone and he is given Black Cat, a favorite of mine, and Rhino. an odd choice as he is an enemy to help.  The language is delightful and Spider-Man's big speech is just out of this world.  Butcher is an amazing writer and here he shows he can write more than his Dresden novels.  It's just a shame that he's never tried again.  

Quotes

All I know is that every tijme I walk into a gymnasium, I get hit with a rush of memories from my own days of high schoo.  Some people call that phenomena “nostalgia” I call it “nausea”.  Unless of course, nostalgia is supposed to make you feel abruptly shunned, unpopular—in which case I suppose gymnasiums are nostaltics as all get out for me.

-Jim Butcher (Spider-<Man:The Darkest Hours p 7)

 

Redheads are naturally evil.

-Jim Butcher (Spider-Man:The Darkest Hour p 21)

 

Peter. You’ve spent your entire adult life fighting crime, protecting people from bad guys of every description and otherwise putting yourself in danger for someone else’s sake—while wearing brightly colored tights with a big black spider on the chest.  I think it’s safe to say you have issues.

=Jim Butcher (Spider-Man: The Darkest Hour p 90)

 

“If you can deal with the immortal unstoppable mosters I can deal with the DMV.” “Easy there Superchick. If you’re working up an archenemy you don’t want to start with the DMV. Go with someone a little easier to deal with. Dr. Doom. Magneto.”

-Jim Butcher (Spider-Man: The Darkest Hour p 141)

 

“What in the world did I do to deserve you?” “I have no idea. But it isn’t the sort of thing to happen twice.”

-Jim Butcher (Spider-Man: The Darkest Hour p 202)

 

I have seen gods and demons at war.  I have seen worlds created and destroyed.  I have fought battles so far from Earth that the light from their stars has never reached us.  I have seen good men die.  I have seen evil men prosper and I have seen scales balanced against all odds. I have seen the strong oppress the weak, the law protect the criminals instead of the citizens.  I have fought with others and alone against every king of enemy you can imagine, against every kind of injustice you can imagine.  In all that time I have never surrendered.  

-Jim Butcher (Spider-Man: The Darkest Hour p 276)

 

Good never came of treachery. It wounds the betrayer and the betrayed alike. 

-Jim Butcher (Spider-Man : The Darkest Hour p 286)

 

Listed on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Darkest-Hours-Jim-Butcher/dp/1416594760/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1601389329&sr=1-1

 

  

Star Wars: Doctor Aprha by Kieron Gillen (Writer), Kev Walker (Penciler, Inker), Marc Deering (Inker), Antonio Fabela (Colorist), Salvador Larroca (Artist), Edgar Delgado (Colorist), VC;s Joe Caramgna (Letterer)

In the previous Vader comics, Doctor Alpha found herself working for Vader. She is excellent at working with droids but her main job is grave robbing and selling to the highest bidder.  The ones who help her with this are a Wookie named   Black Krrsantan,, who she promised that she would help with a homeworld problem, and a series killer droid named Tripple 0 who was utterly devoted to her and then his partner in crime Beep;  

Right now they have a seller on their backs with whom they owe money to.  He has figured out that Alpha wants to avoid Imperial entanglements he just doesn't know that it's of the highest kind: Darth Vader.  Tripple 0 won't stand for her being threatened and he knows the guy has a brother who can take over and perhaps be a better boss so he takes care of business.  

Meanwhile, when Aphra goes to sell her stuff she is told she is not qualified to do so as she is not a doctor;  It's all been stripped away from her and there's her father saying he did it and he wants her to help him on his damn fool quest that he's been chasing his whole life;

It seems the race called the Orcu and the Jedi met at one time in a secret place that her father needs help getting to.  He believes there is much knowledge to be gained from this meeting,  Alpha doubts it ever took place;  At the same time they've pissed off the Imperials who are chasing them across the Galaxy by a woman who cannot afford to fail again;.  

I really like Doctor Alpha. She's pretty amazing which you can tell by the loyalty of the crew she mans.  She's smart, she's witty, she's always flying by the seat of her pants.  Remind you of someone else in this galaxy?  But I really love Tripple 0. I mean a serial killer droid? What's not to love? His banter with Beep is pretty funny too.  I give this comic a five out of five stars.  

Listed on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Doctor-Aphra-2016-ebook/dp/B071RZ2WPV/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ETTYONOIPRZV&dchild=1&keywords=star+wars+doctor+aphra+comic&qid=1601045348&s=books&sprefix=star+wars+doctor+aphra%2Caps%2C176&sr=1-1

Hidden Salem by Kay Hooper

 I've read nearly everything Kay Hooper has written especially the Bishop BCU books, which this book is one.  This book is meant to be the start of another series with a very bad man with superpowers that needs to be stopped.  I'm afraid I only got halfway through this book so I never found out who the bad guy's leader is.  However, he may not be revealed until a future book anyhow.  

My problem with this book was that it was boring.  Nothing really happened.  Geneva, one of Bishop's BCU operatives was sent in to try to figure out what was going on in this town;  Geneva is a telepath with an overdeveloped sense of smell, which means she can smell blood and find dead bodies.  The thing is, this town has a heavy static covering it blocking psychics. She can use her powers but it will be traced back to her and she'll be caught so she must be very careful.  So she does nothing.  Until a young girl is kidnapped and she feels the need to rescue her. So she goes to the house where the girl was taken late at night and gets taken herself.  

Grayson is another BSU agent who has been sent in to help Geneva because Bishop is worried about Geneva.  He is an empath who has the ability to see things.  He is acting like a hiker off the Appalachian Trail who is taking a break.  He receives a message from Geneva in the newspaper want-ads from before she went missing that tells him that she is about to do something dangerous and that if she gets caught not to worry about her it's the child that's important.

Also, a puzzle piece in this picture is Nellie Cavendish who has multiple powers and whose father asked her to come back there before her thirtieth birthday, which wasn't a problem as she felt drawn to return.  The Five Families are interested in her and what her returning could mean.  She keeps a rottweiler with her at all times which is wise since I think some of these people might want her dead.  

I tried really hard to get through this book but I just couldn't.  Geneva kept wandering around taking pictures and doing nothing and even when she got caught she was doing nothing.  All Grayson did was read newspapers.  And all Nellie did was wander around town.  Hooper's books are always filled with action and adventure and plenty going on to keep you turning that pages as fast as you can. But this book just didn't have that.  It was hard to click with the characters too.  I have to give this book zero stars out of five stars.

Listed on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Salem-Bishop-Special-Crimes-ebook/dp/B07VD1XN43/ref=sr_1_1?crid=32LK2PSK4S4M0&dchild=1&keywords=hidden+salem+by+kay+hooper&qid=1600627273&sprefix=hidden+salem%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1

Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey by Matthew Rosenberg (Writer), Leinil Francis Yu (Penciler), Carlos Pacheco (Penciler), Joe Bennett (Penciler), Gerry Alanguilan (Inker), Refael Fonteriz (Inker), Lorenzo Ruggiero (Inker), Ramon Rosanas (Artist), Bellardino Brabo (Inker), Rachelle Rosenberg (Colorist), VC's Travis Lanham (Letterer)

Years ago Jean Grey became the Dark Phoenix and caused havoc and destruction and the X-Men were forced to kill her. They mourned her loss. Now there is strange phenomena going on around the world that is causing the X-Men to wonder if the Dark Phoenix and therefore Jean Grey have come back from the grave. 

A young woman named Jeannie waits tables at a diner. She suffers from nightmares about space.  The place has familiar faces come in for dinner.   Her boss, Annie seems to be guiding her towards something.

The X-Men go to check out the various hot spots around the globe and instead find monsters.  Kitty goes in search of a psychic in order to find Jean and find Emma Frost who tells her that Scott always talked about this place in New Mexico and that if it was close to Scott's heart it would be close to Jean's as well. 

So they head there and they find Jean's grave dug up and dead X-Men ready to fight them.  They also find a diner.  Some of them fight off the dead X-Men while they decide who should to indie the dinet and talk to Jean.  Wolverine pretty much decides that and goes in knowing he might have to kill the woman he loves.

This book seems like a way to cash in on the Phoenix saga.  While it is nice to see everyone in one comic, it really is a waste of time and a blight on the original comics. I give it one star out of five stars.

Listed On Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Resurrection-Return-Jean-Grey/dp/1302911635/ref=sr_1_1?crid=N0JFOQKC8BZI&dchild=1&keywords=phoenix+ressurection&qid=1600435858&sprefix=phoenix+ress%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1

Wonder Woman The New 52! Vol 6: Bones by Brian Azzarello (Writer), Cliff Chiang (Artist), Goran Sudzuka (Artist), Matthew Wilson (Colorist), Jared K. Fletcher (Letterer)

In the previous comics, Lennox gets killed and Cassandra gets damaged badly and the Firstborn gets captured and Apollo takes him to Olympus.  War was killed by Wonder Woman who is now holding that title. Apollo has no intention of killing the Firstborn. He wants to break him and bring him to heal and have him bow to him.  Wonder Woman gets Zola an apartment and then suddenly the traitor Hermes appears to take her to Olympus since she is War now.  Wonder Woman asks that Hera is restored to her power, but Apollo says no. He tells her that a war is coming and that she will be needed but she tells him to fight it on his own.  Hermes asks for forgiveness as he was just protecting the child and he spends his time shadowing them. Cassandra goes in search of her brother Milan who has the sight and can find the Firstborn and Zeke. He is not willing to help though as he hates his sister.  Strife is not happy about War being murdered by Wonder Woman and she wants revenge. So she goes to visit and brings gifts. To Hera, she brings her cloak and to baby Zeke, she gives a blanket that blocks his presence from the eyes of the gods.  To Wonder Woman a hideous war helmet.  Then when they realize that Milan is gone and they need to save him they leave Zola with Strife who hints to her that she is a burden to them and should leave so Zola does. Zola, of course, runs into lots of trouble while out on her own, and Wonder Woman and Orion have trouble trying to get to Milan.  Apollo is torturing the Firstborn but he will not yield and the Oracles predict a war between the two of them with one of them dying. 

Apollo is dead by the Fristborn's hand who has taken over Olympus and turned it into an intestine.  He kills off Hades and unleashes the dead upon the earth.   He's looking for the Lastborn, or Zeke, so he can destroy him before he destroys him.  Zola and Zeke are on Paradise Island with Wonder Woman and Hera. Hera turns Diana's mother into a clay statue and pisses everyone off.  Then she turns them all into snakes and Wonder Woman makes her turn them back.  They realize she is a god and must be respected but they don't like her much.  This puts Wonder Woman in charge and makes her Queen.  Her first plan is to protect Zeke which doesn't go over very well with the warriors.  She's got an even crazier idea that she's working on with Hesphestus involving the men of Paradise Island.

Meanwhile, Cassandra is going crazier due to all the human flesh she is being forced to eat by Firstborn. The Messenger and Dio get attacked by the dead.  And Wonder Woman, Artemis, and Orion go up against the Firstborn's army in the forest as they try to kill it and they fail.  Wonder Woman is taken, hostage.  She has given up.  Firstborn plans on killing all the gods. Will none of them help her?  As the battle rages on at Paradise Island how long can they hold out?

This was a pretty good comic.  I particularly liked it when Wonder Woman, the superhero who embraces love basically told a bad guy screw you.  It was refreshing.  And it was cool to find out the ending to this story.  Its been a great ride and I've enjoyed every minute of it.  The artwork is amazing as always with its earth tones.  I give this book a five out of five stars.

Listed On Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Woman-Vol-Bones-New/dp/1401257755/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3T3XRBW7QNQKX&dchild=1&keywords=wonder+woman+the+new+52&qid=1600349024&sprefix=Wonder+Woman+the+new+%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-2

Daredvil Back in Black Vol 3: Dark Art by Charles Soule (Writer), Ron Garney (Artist), Matt Milla (Colorist), VC's Clayton Cowles (Letterer)

In the previous comic, Electra has come back and while Daredevil had hoped to introduce Blindspot and her, he senses someone off in her and tries to warn him off of her but Electra is attacking him and Blindspot is quick to defend him and he gets hurt. So Daredevil sends him to the special clinic to get fixed while he tries to figure out what's going on with Electra.  It turns out that she had a child born eleven years ago that could conceivably be his.  This daughter has been taken and she has video proof on a cell phone that he can't see.  Who took Electra's daughter and is it Matt's daughter as well? This one was heartbreaking and cruel and very well done.  In the next comic Matt goes to Macau and believes it or not gambles at Texas Hold "Em.  It's the only game he can play.  He reads the players he can to determine what they have and just goes "all in" when he feels he has a good hand or a good bluff.  But he really needs to win this tournament because he has something planned and he does indeed win it and Spider-Man meets him in his comped room.  Spider-Man is going to help Daredevil get a briefcase on a floor only accessible to certain people like the winners of the tournament.  They miss getting the briefcase and it flies away in a helicopter but Spider-Man has ideas on how to get it back.  I really liked this one because Spider-Man is a favorite of mine and his motor mouth and antics are just hilarious.  Another comic involves Echo who comes to Daredevil for help when an evil villain is taking over the city through sound turning people into zombies.  Another comic is about a psychopath named Gladiator who is after Daredevil.

In this comic, Blindspot goes to his special spot where people leave messages for him when they are in trouble and need help and he finds an unusual one and goes to a warehouse where he finds blood and strange painting.  So he calls Daredevil out of night court which gets him in lots of trouble with his coworkers.  When Daredevil arrives he smells 112 different people's blood on the painting.  He takes the message that was given to Blindspot just in case the police ever ask about it and he touches the painting to prove that he was the one called to the scene, not Blindspot since he's here illegally. 

Then the man who owns the warehouse wants to charge money to see the artwork. The head councilwoman's niece is one of the donors to the piece and she wants to shut him down so the D;A's office is looking to do that and since Matt is in hot water it\s his job to fix this.  Meanwhile Daredevil and Blindspot are searching the city looking for this "artist".

The cops find another artistic display, this time of Inhumans so Matt has the Inhuman liaison called in and their crime scene techs.  Frank, the liaison, is a former cop and he tells Matt he'll have to take it up with Medusa as to whether he can see any of the evidence and so Daredevil go up to Atlantia and is told no multiple times by Medusa who feels that if Matt and the cops get an artist that Daredevil has encountered and says his name is The Muse that she will look weak to her people so she won't share any information even if it means more people die.  Frank tells Daredevil that that is a ridiculous ant that he will help him out. Then Daredevil gets a phone call from Blindspot who is in a courtroom where Muse has taken over and is killing people and wants Daredevil's advice and he gives it to him.  He slips his invisibility outfit on and follows Muse out of the courtroom as he holds the judge hostage and he follows him down to the sewers where a surprise awaits.  Can Daredevil and Frank get to them on time?

This was an incredible comic with such an original idea all the way to the end.  The panels were done quite trickily and the art while done is red, black, and white to represent daredevil was done in such a creative way that it was a joy to behold.  This is truly an amazing series and I can't wait to see what comes next.  I give this book five out of five stars.

Listed On Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Back-Black-Vol-Paperback/dp/1302902970/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2I3GNNV153NAA&dchild=1&keywords=daredevil+back+in+black+vol+3&qid=1600030591&sprefix=Daredevil+back+in%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-1

Southern Bastards Vol 1: Here Lies a Man by Jason Aaron (Writer), Jason Latour (Art and Color), Jared K. Fletcher (Letterer)

Jason Aaron and Jason Latour, the creators of this comic are both from the South and decided to write something that tells how it really is in the South. I would like to say that there is a panel in the book that shows a Confederate Memorial at a stoplight in town and I swear it looks like one that I've seen a million times before when I used to live in this particular city. You would stop at the stoplight and stare at the memorial and turn either go straight or turn left. I was always turning left to go to the library. Now that memorial has been taken down. I haven't been up there to see what the area looks like without it yet. But I'm telling you that's the authenticity they put in this comic to really show you the South. 

The book opens with Earl Tubbs leaving a message on the phone for someone and driving a truck to his dad's old place that his Uncle Buhl had been living in until he had to go to a nursing home. Now the place needs to be cleaned out and Earl who hasn't been to Craw County in a very long time is there to do this one job.  Years ago when Earl's daddy was Sherrif he cleaned up the town with just a baseball bat.

Earl runs into someone he used to know at the local ribs joint named Dusty who's in trouble with the Coach and who has sent Esau to deal with the problem. But Earl won't let that happen and he attacks Esau and saves Dusty's life who isn't all that grateful.  Earl goes home and meets a kid in his tree hoping to watch TV who quickly runs away and Earl tried to chop down the tree that hangs over his father's grave with no success. 

Then Earl goes to the football game and Dusty comes out from the woods half-dead looking to talk to the Coach.  Dusty dies overnight and Earl tries to talk to the Sherrif but that gets him nowhere because the Sherrif is in the Coach's pocket.  He goes to his dad's home and there\s a lightning storm and he yells at the sky that he's leaving that he wants to have nothing to do with this.  Then he looks down at the tree that is no longer there and what was left of it was what resembled a bat.  He saw this as a sign and set out to make things right in Craw County.

Throughout the book, he keeps leaving messages for someone. Who are they?  Will he succeed like his father did?  I have to say Jason Latour did an incredible job on the art. The way he drew the panels in different sizes in order for you to get the feeling going on at the time and the use of red throughout to demonstrate anger and hatred is just amazing.  Jason Aaron tells a wonderful story that grips you to the end and makes you anxious to read the next volume.  If you're interested in more of their work Jason Aaron writes my favorite version of the Incredible Hulk as well as Wolverine and some of my favorite Star Wars comics.  Jason Latour has drawn one of my favorite comics, Gwen Stacey, Winter Soldier, Wolverine and the X-Men. These guys are really out of this world and definitely deserve more than five stars so I'll give them six. 

Listed on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Bastards-Here-Was-Man/dp/1632150166/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2C4ETO0SP497W&dchild=1&keywords=southern+bastards+vol+1&qid=1599833353&sprefix=southern+bas%2Caps%2C358&sr=8-1

Where the Light Enters:Building a Family, Becoming Myself by Jill BIden

This short book is about Dr. Biden's journey through life seeking a family to build on and finding herself in her work and educational opportunities.  Jill grew up in a rambunctious house of five girls and didn't get along with her dad because they were too much alike. It was her mother she turned to for comfort and advice.  Growing up she had to go to visit her grandmother who didn't like her because she cemented the marriage between her parents and this grandmother hated Jill's father for not being good enough for her daughter.  So she disliked Jill for making it impossible for her to get out of the marriage.  Her parent's dealt with it by keeping her at her father's parents' house.  She got married at eighteen to a man who wasn't right for her and went to college.  Her husband was a huge Joe Biden fan which is how she found herself at one of his rallies meeting his wife Neila, a beautiful person.

Just as Joe's wife and eighteen=month=old daughter were dying in a car crash, Jill's marriage was ending.  After time had passed, Joe asked his brother Frankie if he could find the woman on the walls of the plane terminal who was advertising the Parks and Rec. And Frankie who knew her from college as Jill could easily get her phone number which is how he wound up calling her and how they went on three dates in a row.  When they had dated for a long time and his sons Hunter and Beau decided that it was time for them to get engaged, Joe asked her and she said "No". He asked her again and she said "No". He asked her a total of five times before she said "Yes". 

She decided to stay home with the boys rather than work for now and soon she and Joe were pregnant with Ashley.  She would stay home for two years with Ashley before going back to teaching and soon she would go for her Masters. When Joe would become Vice-President she would continue to teach at a community college where hardly anyone there knew that she was the Second Lady. 

What impressed me was how she is an introvert and managed to give those speeches to hundreds of people.  I too am an introvert and I know I couldn't do that.   What was also impressive was her works with the military and their families.  Also, the devastation of almost losing Joe to an aneurysm back in 1988 and losing Beau to cancer in 2015.

If you're looking for an insider book on what goes on inside the White House or who the Obamas really are this book isn't for you. This book is a book that introduces you to Dr. Jill Biden and who she is and what she has come through.  She is a tough woman who doesn't cry in front of other only because she is too busy being strong for other people and can't take the time to fall apart.  She is always thinking of others before herself.  I will end this on a Joe Biden story she recounts in her book.  The house gets struck by lightning and burnt to the ground. She's naturally upset about losing their home but when Joe arrives he's smiling even though this was a precious house to him and he says Now we can fix the problems in the old house.  And she feels better having heard him say that.  I give this book five out of five stars.

Quotes

What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined for life—to strenghten each other in all labour to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of last parting?

-George Elliot (Adam Bede)

One of the advantagesof being disorderly is that oneis contatly making exciting discoveries.

-A.A. Milne

Even our misfortunes are a part of our belongs.

-Antoine De Saint-Exupery

  The Bidens have another belief as well:”If you have to ask, it’s too late.” When someone is in need, when thy’re hurting, when they’re overwhlelmed, you don’t wait until they tell you they need help.  You give it before they have to ask.

-Jill Biden (Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself p 50)

The only place outside Heaven where you can be perectly safe from all the dandgers and perturbations of love is Hell.

-C.S. Lewis (The Four Loves)

Comparison is the thief of joy,

-Theodore Roosevelt

Good marriages push us---not to become someone else but to become the best version of ourselves.

-Jill Biden (Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself p 102)

You can’t have it all, all at once. Who--man or woman—has it all, all at once?  Over my lifespan I think I have had it all. But in different periods of time things were rough. And if you have a caring life partner, you help the other person when that person needs it.

-Ruth Bader Ginsberg

Maybe the strength we gain is simply the knowledge that survival is possible.  Mabye it’s the realization that pain isn’t fatal, that it allows you to go back out into the world, breakable bones and all.

-Jill Biden (Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself p 127)

She left before I was done needing her.

-Jill Biden (Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself p132)

Maybe life doesn’t get any better than this, or any worse, and what we get is just what we’re willing to find: small wonders, where they grow.

-Barbara Kingsolver

Success in parenthood means preparing your children to go out into the world and leave you behind.

-Jill Biden (Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself p 170)

Food may not be the answer to world peace, but it’s a start.

-Anthony Bourdain

Faith sees best in the dark.

-Soren Kierkegaard

Some people are so much sunlight to the square inch.

-Walt Whiman

Listed On Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Where-Light-Enters-Building-Discovering/dp/1250182328/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3P4W31SPTSDHT&dchild=1&keywords=where+the+light+enters+jill+biden&qid=1599662989&sprefix=where+the+light%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-1

The Amazing Spider-Man vol 1: World Wide by Dan Slott (Writer), Christos Gage (Writer), Guiseppe Camuncoli (Penciler), Cam Smieth (Inker), Marte Gracia (Colorist), Bobbie Thompson (Writer),Dennis Hoepless (Writer), Antony Holden (Writer), Satcy Lee (Artist), Ian Herring (Colorist), Javier Rodrigez (Penciler, Colorist), Paco Diaz (Artist), Israel Silva (Colorist), Jordie Belamie (Colorist), VC[s Joe Carmagna (Letterer), Chris EDliopoulos (Letterer), VC's Travis Lanham (Letterer),

Parker Industries has invented a wearable tech called Webware that allows the user to wear anywhere and have unlimited data and clear reception.  The interstellar group called Zodiac has let loose one of its sects, Leo, and it has stolen their secure servers which were linked into every private Webware account across the globe. He captures the Lion and his accomplices just in time to make it to his press conference where he tells the world that he won't be charging cheap labor and he will be capping his salary at a junior executive level.  Also that Spider-Man is his bodyguard.   Meanwhile, back in San Francisco, Prowler is dressed up as Spider-Man and hunting the streets.

At a wedding, Peter tells his employee, Sajani who is his date that anything they do would be for the good of mankind, though she has plans of her own. But before Peter goes he has a word with Sanjai about what she's working on and who she's been working with, i.e., Black Cat and the Ghost, and sabotaging projects to make the company fit her vision for it.  Her robot has an image of Doc Ock in it which means that nothing she does is any good.  Then Zodiac attacks and Prowler jumps out in his Spidey suit but he doesn't have Spidey's skills or warning system and gets the shit kicked out of him so Pete gives them what they want hoping that they can get it back before the encryption has been hacked.  So Prowler and Spider-Man go underwater which is where it is.
They fight the Zodiacs and manage to get Peter's Webware but the Zodiacs take the technology and send it all over their bases. This makes Spider and Fury happy as they own know where the bases are located.

Meanwhile, Silk fights a Zodiac and takes the Parker tech he has on him and brings it to her Mistress the Black Cat. Spider-Woman who is pregnant and talking to Captain Marvel while unloading groceries is attacked by five bad guys, weird ones, and outs them down and calls the police. Miles Morales the very young Spider-Man took down a tough guy and left him for the police. These criminals were sent underground where they were encased in a special slime that keeps them from moving. Who is in control?

 Osbourne is busy selling arms to African dealers from a market he is creating. The Human Torch gets upset when Peter buys the family's building and burns through it until Peter explains why he did it. Now Spider is supposed to be a part. of a.multi team mission to take. down Zodiac but instead, he goes to help his Aunt May with a reluctant Mockingbird who works for S.H.I.E.L.D.  these green goblins are attacking the village where she is putting up solar panels. Spider and Mockingbird get them and save the village.

The Zodiac make their endgame and attack the London Museum. Will Spidey get them all and find out what it is they're really after?  This was a great comic filled with lots of great characters including extra Spider-People.  This has a fast-paced storyline that is exciting to read about.  I can't wait to read the next volume in this series.  I give it five stars out of five stars.

Listed On Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Spider-Man-Worldwide-Vol/dp/078519942X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8RQWCNV36LHB&dchild=1&keywords=amazing+spider-man+worldwide+vol+1&qid=1599581762&sprefix=The+Amazing+Spider-Man+Vol+1+World%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-1