Recommended

[MorriganFearn]

Here's a thread for anyone who has something to recommend, be it video, book, movie, comic, or art. Summer is upon us, so let's kick back and try to enjoy ourselves.

[MorriganFearn]

My Recommendation

Title: Marvels
Type: Graphic Novel (4 issues of a comic book)
Authors: Kurt Busiek (Author), Alex Ross (Artist)
Associated with: Marvel Comics



This is a gorgeous book, and not just because the art is gloriously realistic and drool worthy. It's the story of the Marvel heroes from the 1930s and the first hero to the 1970s and the death of Gwen Stacy. But the real characters of the story aren't the heroes forcing history on unprepared humans. This is a book about the ordinary people, the ones who look skyward and are amazed and often frightened by the "marvels" that fly over their skylines. Our main character isn't a hero, and doesn't have super powers. His name is Phil, and he was just a punk free-lance photographer of the 1930s, trying to make a buck, and messing around with his high school pals. Normal Bronx kids with names like James Jameson.

In the first issue we start with the Human Torch's perspective -- the original Torch, who fought Namor and saved lives in WWII. We start with a man who isn't a man, but despite being crated in a lab by a scientist his story is a human story. We can only watch as the original Human Torch is placed in a vacuum by his creator to keep him from bursting into flames and terrifying the normal people of the day. When he breaks out to run through the city, the startled people who encounter him don't see an expression of fear or anger. Only their own mirrored surprise.

And Phil is one of the bystanders to the explosion of the first Marvel Hero. He takes pictures of them. His mind changes when it comes to them. At first he wanted to ignore the marvels that were being thrown in his face. Then he expected them to become part of society. It wasn't going to happen. And he realizes, watching on the front lines in Europe in WWII, as Captain America leads men into storming compounds and concentration camps, what most people in New York don't:

"The Marvels are here to stay. It isn't going to be them that adapts to us. The world is different now. The rules have changed. Forever. And nobody has any idea what the future's going to bring. But you know what? It's going to be one heck of a ride finding out!" - Phil Sheldon in a letter to his wife, Doris



From the first issue deals with what it was like to was the fantastic suddenly appear, but the second is much darker. WWII has ended, and now every day people like Reed Richards are gaining fantastic powers. Everyone loves the Avengers, they could be anyone.

But a new type of super hero is on the way. One that makes humans obsolete. It's the dark, mutated side of Phil's Marvels, complete with eye beams and ice blasts. Possibly, even more chilling, when a mob corners these young super humans, the boy with the frightening red visor tells his friends not to attack the humans because "they're not worth it."

No wonder Phil gets caught up in the riots that occur when Bolivar Trask unleashes the Sentinels upon the world. No wonder he throws a stone. But then he comes home and discovers just how close mutants are to him, and that he's the one giving up his humanity to hate those that aren't human.



By the third issue the end of the world is coming. Quite, quite literally. This issue is a bit more about the awesome fight scenes and incredible art than the others have been. Nevertheless, Phil is still learning what it's like in this world of living legends. For one thing, the world will end when Galactus decides he wants a snack. Perhaps, with life only a flap of a butterfly's wing away from death there are things that are more important than writing and photographing the heroes of the hour.

But the fourth issue is the deepest, and most depressing. If you don't know the story of Gwen Stacy then I can't say anything. She was the girlfriend before Mary Jane, invented in the 1960s and given no personality in the comic run. Until Marvels, where we get to see the sweet, beautiful, kind girl that Peter Parker must have fallen in love with. However, I think that Phil makes the best point about her:

"And I realized that the Marvels were not here to hound us, or save us. They were here for the the people like Gwen, to look at and wonder, and most of all to protect her and that innocence."

Basically, it's a wonderful story, even if you're not a Marvel fan, or you don't know much about the comics. It's a retelling of the classic stories of the universe, in a fresh, and exciting way, without having to resort to using an alternate universe, which is truly amazing.

[Nyaa-Neko]

I was actually thinking about making some threads like this for various things. Anyway, I shall start off with webcomic recommendations, because there are a ton of webcomics out there, and many of them are horrible (in my opinion). Why? Cuz they're all so different...anyway, I generally like a more manga-like style of things...and I don't like comics with TOO much sexual talk/content/overtones (yet I like TwoKinds). It's hard sorting through webcomics, but when you do find good ones, it's always majorly fun. Plus, they're free...so here we go, some webcomics I've liked:

Title: Megatokyo
Link: www.megatokyo.com/
Author: Fred Gallagher (Piro)
Updates: M - W - F
Warnings: Not much...maybe I'd rate it PG simply to be safe?
Style: Manga style most definitely, though it's read left-to-right. He draws it in pencil (I think), but he puts in a lot of detail. It's an amazing style with a hint of cute, a hint of realism (he's an architect, I think), and a lot of...pretty.
Summary: It starts out with two American gamers getting stuck in Japan, but it sort of spins outward into a "commentary" on multiple realities, how everybody sees the world, relationships, culture shock...and gaming. l337 gaming. It's funny, deep (maybe...), and just incredibly enjoyable. There's a reason it's so popular. I love the sketchy art style!

Title: Aoi House
Link: www.aoihouse.net/
Author: Adam Arnold, Shiei (I don't know her real name)
Updates: M - W - F
Warnings: Definitely PG-13. It's got a toooon of sexual humor...oh, and the fact that the only reason it's called "Aoi" is cuz the "y" fell off the sign (it should be "Yaoi") should tell you a bit about some of the humor...don't read if you don't like.
Style: Manga all the way - it's even read right-to-left. Shiei uses screentones in the print volumes, but I don't remember if she uses them for all the web pages...it's probably my favorite style, as it's a bit cutesy but...um...not even close to going overboard.
Summary: It's about two anime-loving college boys looking for a dorm to stay in, then come across the anime club, Aoi House. Little do they know...it's full of yaoi fangirls. It's a humor story about the "harem" (it's a harem parody) the boys have...of the girls...while parodying so many anime titles, I can't begin to list 'em. Pokemon gets parody'd once, in fact. It's hilarious, well-written, well-drawn, and it looks awesome in print, too.

(Note: Seven Seas, the company that produces Aoi House, also has three other "webcomics" running, all of which are previews of upcoming print titles. They have previews of all of their titles - you should check 'em all out! I especially recommend Amazing Agent Luna, Last Hope, and Hollow Fields.)

Title: Inverloch
Link: www.seraph-inn.com
Author: Sarah Ellerton
Updates: M - W - F (two pages each update day!)
Warnings: Um...there is a bit of blood, but I think that's it.
Style: Full-color, full-page. I think it definitely derives a bit from manga-style, and a little bit from American-style. It's amazing Photoshop work! Yay Photoshop!
Summary: Hmm...it's a fantasy story about a world inhabited by humans, elves, and a dog-like (I guess) race called the da'kor. It's about a da'kor named Acheron who finds out about a missing elf (Kayn'dar) from his elven friend, Shiara. Even though it's against cultural customs to help the elves (the da'kor and the elves don't like each other), he goes on a journey to find Kayn'dar, along with Lei'ella (the elven mercenary), Varden (the human thief), and Neirenn (the wizard-in-training girl). Themes are racial segregation and prejudice...it's got some good values to teach!

Title: Earthsong
Link: www.earthsongsaga.com
Author: Lady Yates
Updates: M - Th (though it might go to once a week for the summer)
Warnings: Um...a bit of violence?
Style: Full-color, full-page, and it's kind of...Disney-esque? Manga? Dunno, really...it's pretty art, though. I have the first (and only, sadly enough) volume in print.
Summary: Willow, a young woman, wakes up under a tree to discover she's in a world she knows nothing about...and has no clue who she is. Then she's drawn into a celestial war between planets and fought out by the "children" of the planets...see, planets all have a core, but they've been accidentally releasing some of their core into their children, and that turns into a thing called a soulstone. One planet, Earthsong, receives all the soulstone-children so she can make sure they don't die from all the energy...but another planet is jealous, and is trying to kill her. It's fantasy, I'd say. It's got...um...a character from Japan? And one who turns into a dragon? Willow is purple? Dunno how else to describe it without giving it away...

Title: TwoKinds
Link: 2kinds.com
Author: Tom Fischbach
Updates: It used to be M - W - F, but it's a bit sporadic right now. It's probably just a temporary thing, though.
Warnings: Quite a bit in terms of sexual overtones. He uses sexual humor rather frequently, and sometimes females are drawn naked (however, they're covered in fur...so it's not really very detailed). Definitely PG-13!
Style: Manga, most definitely. The art is wonderful right now (I love his style!), but it wasn't all that great in the beginning. He definitely improved a TON since then.
Summary: There are three races in the world - humans, keidran (anthros), and basitin (kinda...anthro-ish...), and there is a TON of animosity between the three. Trace, a young templar (magician) wakes up one day without remembering anything about himself...and is almost immediately ambushed by a tiger keidran named Flora. They start traveling together (and later meet up with a basitin named Kieth and a wolf keidran named Natani), and it's sort of about their relationship, racial discrimination, prejudice, and...conspiracy theories? Not sure what the whole tower deal should be called...but it's great! ^_^;;

Title: Misfile
Link: www.misfile.com
Author: Chris Hazelton
Updates: M - T - W - Th - F
Warnings: PG-13 for sexual overtones and substance abuse (only in the very beginning, though). Heck, it's about a boy turned into a girl by a pothead angel...um, yeah. Also, if you are super homophobic or despise transgender people, I would not recommend you read this. Also, if you really don't like anything dealing with the Christian religion, or hate it when angels are portrayed badly (or something), don't read this. In addition, some females (*coughCassielcough*) are drawn in very scantily-clad clothing.
Style: Manga-style, but read like a Western comic. It's drawn in pencil with some minor screen tone usage, but...I think it works...I love the art on this one!
Summary: The basic summary, used by almost everybody, is something like this: "it's about a boy turned into a girl and a girl who lost two years of her life by a pothead angel". That's the basic premise...but there is so much more than that. It goes into the life of Ash (the boy-turned-girl), Emily (the now-sophomore-who-used-to-be-a-senior), Rumisiel (the angel who got kicked out of Heaven for drug abuse), and all the others...oh, it's about cars and car racing, too. I like the car races. :3 Overall...it's...amazing. Also, it's funnier (I would think) if you're a girl, since you get to watch Ash flailing about, trying to learn how to deal with everything that defines being a teenage girl. It's fun. XD

Title: Red String
Link: redstring.strawberrycomics.com/
Author: Gina Biggs
Updates: M - W - F
Warnings: Um...there is a tinytiny bit of nudity in one spot, and one girl-girl relationship. Well, it's about relationships, so what do you expect? PG or PG-13 on this one, most likely.
Style: Manga all the way, though read in Western fashion.
Summary: It's about Miharu, a teenage girl in Japan, who suddenly finds herself in an arranged marriage. Shocked and horrified, she runs out of the house and basically breaks down in front of a complete stranger...and falls in love with him. Then she learns he's actually the guy she's supposed to marry...so it focuses on their relationship. Then the focus expands outwards to her friends and their relationships, then to her cousin, then to...a lot of people. It's a wonderful shoujo-y manga-type thing, and it feels really real to me. The characters are people you can relate to, and the story is so dramatically wonderful.

(I shall add more later, if I can think of any more that I read regularly. ^_^;; These are just the ones I check regularly right now...)

[Ukesagi-tan]

Title: Planet Zebeth
Linkage: www.kabutroid.com/planetzebeth/
Author: Kabutroid/Kabuthunk
Updated on: Fairly random schedual, but usually three times a week.
Description: Metroid with a twist. 'Nuff said. Samus and Kraid basically run about on a planet in search of murder, upgrades, adventure, and booze. The author makes common appearances, and usually screws life up for them. A few adult-oriented jokes and themes here and there, and if you have a REALLY twisted mind, references to bestiality. All in all, it's a good comic, though.

Title: Ctrl+Alt+Del
Linkage: www.ctrlaltdel-online.com
Author: Tim Buckley
Updated on: Never checked the schedual m'self.
Description: A fairly random comic. Ethan, a main character, is a complete and utter nutball, and pretty gullible, too. He's invented a sentient being from an X-Box and attempted to create a time machine. Lucas, another main character, is the more intelligent of the initial group. He enjoys gaming almost as much as Ethan. Often the one to mess with Ethan's head. Others are in there, as well. Most early things involve only Lucas and Ethan, but with the introduction of others, the stories expand. Pretty funny, especially Ethan.

Title: Pokèmon X
Linkage: pokemonx.comicgenesis.com
Author: Recon Dye
Updated on: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday usually
Description: Starts out fairly simply, but expands into a much greater story later on. It has a fairly strange cast. Brendan, who fears all things tall-grass, May the smart one, and Wally. Plus Rocky. Another funny comic for all Pokè-Lovers to read.

[shadow=red,left,300]Title:[/shadow] Exterminatus Now
[shadow=red,left,300]Linkage:[/shadow]exterminatusnow.comicgenesis.com
[shadow=red,left,300]Authors:[/shadow] Edney, Faulkner, Graham, Webber. First names unknown.
[shadow=red,left,300]Updated on:[/shadow] Friday, or thereabouts.
[shadow=red,left,300]Description:[/shadow] Fairly adult in humor and story, but otherwise teen-oriented. It's pretty funny, and a lot of storylines are long. Basically, a group of sonic-esque characters in the Mobius Inquisition go about killing daemons and the like.

[Jason-Kun]

Title: 8-Bit Theatre
Link: www.nuklearpower.com/archive.php
Author: Brian Clevinger
Updates: Once a week or so it gets updated...
Warnings: I'd give it PG-13 for all the viloence and cursing and sexual jokes. Other than that it's clean.
Style: The style is sprites. Everything is sprites but it's good for a sprite comic.
Summary: Its a prodaty (sp?) of Final Fantasy with other things. Its deep, dramactic, and all around good.

[MorriganFearn]

Web comicals:

Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire

To be found at: www.dominic-deegan.com

Description: A grumpy seer, a sorceress with tusks, a crippled healer, and the necromantic older brother. Chaos. Order. Balance. A four panel strip of epic proportions, and bad puns. Stop by, and get caught up in the story lines.

~ ~ ~

Girl Genius

To be found at: www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20021104

Description: A gaslamp fantasy about an alternate pre-WW1 Europe where Mad Scientists (Sparks, to be more politically correct) rule form their mountaintop strong holds. Is it magic? Is it science? No, that death ray pointing in your face is mad science.

The story follows the intrepid adventures of Agatha Clay, the most hapless student of Transylvania Polytechnic University, as her path spins into the orbit of Baron Wufflenbach, the tyrant who pulled Europe together under his rule after hundreds of generations of war between the mad boys and girls. The Baron himself is a spark of unparalleled brilliance, and has dark plans to study the spark of others, since it has the habit of causing chaos around the individual so talented. He should know, after all, his two best friends were the Heterodyne Boys, the most famous sparks in Europe, one of whom had the unfortunate luck to fall in love with Lucrezia Mongfish, settle down, have a baby son, and watch as his castle blew up around his ears, his wife disappear, and his son killed. This was the advent of "The Other", and the Heterodyne Boys dropped out of the picture fighting the zombie-revenants created by "The Other." And then Klaus Wufflenbach stepped in, destroyed the infected, and brought a ravaged Europe some sense of peace and security under his harsh, but fairly benevolent rule.

The only problem is that everyone has been waiting for the return of the Heterodynes. And Agatha Clay is about to end up right in the middle of the whole snarled mess.

For all the fans of FMA I'd really recommend this comic. For all fans of talking cats, I'd really recommend this comic. For all fans of sweet romance, I'd really recommend this comic. And the fans of the ding-bot. Because he steals Agatha's diary.

~ ~ ~

Somthing Positive

To be found at: www.somethingpositive.net/sp12192001.shtml

WARNING! This comic is extremely abrasive and cynical. It has its sweet moments, but the humor is offensive towards many groups. I find it part of the charm of the comic, making the moving moments all the more moving, because you realize exactly how much good the characters are trying to cover with their cavalier attitudes, and contempt for the entire human race. It's a comic for people who either don't mind cruel tongue lashing humor, or for those willing to look past the obvious. I know that my cynicism is fed by clicking through the archives, and I think Bunny would enjoy it a lot.

Anyway, the comic is semi-auto-biographical. Semi. More like Mark Twain and Charles Dickens autobiographical. The characters are almost real, and some situations might have really happened. Follow the adventures of Davan (RPG gamer, and the greatest angry geek loser in the world), and his friends: Aubrey (violent hot Aisan chick, who breaks your spine with a smile), Peejee (violent hot Aisan chick who has an unerring instinct for falling for her gay male friends, and likes to write), Jhim (gay Buddhist man!), Jason (actor and playboy), Kim (a Wiccan who likes the expressions people make when they are chloroformed), and a whole host of others as they stumble their way through life after college.

[Ukesagi-tan]

SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION!

Title: Something Stupid
Linkage: www.drunkduck.com/Something_Stupid/
Author: Moi
Updated on: Whenever it gets updated (current schedule, to be changed at a later date)
Description: Mega Man and co. do stuff. And stuff.

Title: Adventures in Stupidity
Linkage: www.drunkduck.com/Adventures_in_Stupidity/
Author: Me
Updated on: Whenever it gets updated
Description: Be it a random bout of inspiration or a conversation I found humorous at the time, it goes on there. Mega Man recolors and such abound.

[MorriganFearn]

Here's my list of books and recommendations:

"The Big Over Easy" by Jasper Fforde (Jack Spratt Investigates Nursery Crime Book 1) - Read it, eggcellent mystery and fractured fairy tale in one.

"The Fourth Bear" by Jasper Fforde (Jack Spratt Investigates Nursery Crime Book 2) - Read it, slightly more improbable than the first in the series (TBOE, already mentioned), but just as fun (plus Ashley is a cute alien).

"The Dark Lord of Derkholme" by Diana Wynne Jones - this was a re-read, and it's still as fantastic as the first time. Moved me to tears and laughter.

"The Year of the Griffin" by Diana Wynne Jones - Read it if you care what6 has happened to the characters of TDLoD. The plot isn't as exciting as TDLoD, but the characters are just as wonderful.

"The Sanctuary Sparrow" by Ellis Peters (Brother Cadfael Mysteries #7) - Ehhh, read it if you really LOVE the Brother Cadfael mysteries. Otherwise this one came out as a meh. Seventh in the series, and I know I should feel worry for the poor juggler who has to flee the charge of murder and a mob all in one night, but I just didn't care.

"The Devil's Novice" by Ellis Peters (Brother Cadfael Mysteries #8) - This one is a good read. It has characters that you care for and sympathize with, and a plot that leaves you guessing. Eighth in the Brother Cadfael Mysteries, and a good one.

"Rose Daughter" by Robin McKinley - This was another ehhh. Almost a flop. We all know the story of Beauty and the Beast. If you['re going to do a retelling, you can't treat the loss of the family fortune, the mysteriously magical castle and the Beast's beastiness as though these are suspenseful mysteries. We know what's behind them, and we want to get to the point. She gave it a different ending, but the differences needed to be established before the last 20 pages. Still well written and fun until Beauty arrives at the castle and the pace really begins to drag.

"The Hound of Rowan" (Book 1 of the Tapestry) by Henry H. Neff - Good fluff. This series has the drawback that it's walking in "Harry Potter's" footsteps, and it has a hint of formula about it, but the book is really fun once you're into it, and it will take you on a thrilling, if not always gripping, ride through Irish mythology. I look forward to the time that my library gets the second book "The Second Siege."

"The Thirteenth Child" (Book 1 Frontier Magic) by Patricia C. Wrede - Good book, and it looks as though it will be a great series. Like most of Wrede's magic books, the setting may be magic, but the plot is character driven (in this case the characters of the large and boisterous family) and is a delight.

"Book of Enchantments" by Patricia C. Wrede - Fun Collection of ten Short stories. If you're in the mood for a few good fairy tales and one or two humorous clips from other series Wrede has written (The Enchanted Forest, for a start) then pick this one up.

"Wren to the Rescue" (Book 1 of the Wren Books) by Sherwood Smith - Fun, fun, fun. It's a book you won't mind reading to younger siblings, cousins, or those obnoxious brats you have to babysit. The story is simple, but the characters are smart and wonderful -- like a Disney movie without the stupid princesses, it works out as a nice "family" book.

"Wren's Quest" by Sherwood Smith (Wren Book 2) - Not quite as fun as the "Rescue" but a solid good read. This book suffers from the "Everyone's having a hard time growing up, and therefore can't trust one another" syndrome of Harry Potter 5, but it's only a light, bareable dose, rather than the all out angst fest. Good book, with a nice set-up for the third and final book in the series, plus it introduces Hawk, who is a very good minor villain, and too-proud-to-be-a-hero.

"Wren's War" by Sherwood Smith (Wren Book 3) - Really good. The lightheartedness of the first book is no longer in such force, but the fighting and the conclusion is worth it. Plus, watching Wren and Hawk interact is fun. Would have liked a little less reliance on "old and forgotten power" but great story, and I wish there was more.

"Serpent Mage" by Margret Weis and Tracy Hickman (Death Gate Cycle Book 4) - Good, almost stunning. The conspiracy that forms the book's main plot isn't brilliant--we've gotten enough hints in the earlier books to guess, and frankly the "evil Sartan" are too boring to care about--but the side plot, and the three friends who we follow for a good half of the weaving story are fascinating, and Haplo is finally beginning to come into his own, character wise, as he begins to make the inevitable turn in his thinking. A good read, and I'm looking forward to the next one.

"New Moon" by Midori Snyder (Book 1 of the Oran Trilogy) - Good action and fun characters, a little over the top in "OMG isn't it amazing how a woman holds this job when all the men hatez her?!" for some of the characters, but that's mostly directed at the "bad" guys (actually fairly sympathetic characters for a change) so it doesn't matter. Going to read the rest of the trillogy.

"The Dragon's Touchstone" by Irene Radford (Book 1 of the Dragon Nimbus History) - Eh. A flop. Might try to pick it up and read the ending, but while the plot promises lots of fun, and the world seems fairly rich, the characters lack anything that makes me want to connect with them (a lot that makes me want to bash them around the head for stupidity, though). Too boring to finish when I have other more interesting things to get to.

"The Name of the Rose" By Umberto Eco - Magnificent and intellectually draining. This took my head off. It's one of those books that is so dense that you can't read more than thirty pages at a time, or else your brain will explode. The mystery itself isn't as enticing as the discussions that the characters undertake to find the truth.

"The Blade Itself" by Joe Abercrombie (The First Law: Book 1) - Incredible and gritty fantasy novel. The hero is an inquisitor, and some scenes in the torture chambers are enough to turn your stomach, but the characters are real, and wonderful as fallen angels and tired old men who hang on for the last fight they have left. I'm going to get the next books in the series if I can.

"The Case of the Missing Books" by Ian Sansom (A Mobile Library Mystery) - A disappointment, frankly. The author is trying too hard. He wants to be funny, and has succeeded in making all of his characters so laughable and pathetic that you just can't bear to watch them stumble through their dull, well mocked lives.

"Dealing with Dragons" (Enchanted Forest Book 1) by Patricia C. Wrede - Hillarious and winsome. I've never read these before for some reason. Probably because I'm a snob about books that are thinner than my thumb. Or I could just be an idiot. Brilliant, and well written. Could have used more dragons, though.

"Searching for Dragons" (Enchanted Forest Book 2) by Patricia C. Wrede - More hillarity, and the beginning of an over arching plot. Who doesn't just love Telemaine? Really, the jargon he spouts is brilliant. And Morwen's cats win it.

"Calling on Dragons" (Enchanted Forest Book 3) by Patricia C. Wrede - Morewen's cats will have you from the first few pages. Even though this book is a little more grim, the humor is still rife, and the plot is gripping. As is the Telemain/Morwen shipping (admittedly, I was probably reading a little too far into it, but still, awesome).

"Talking to Dragons" (Enchanted Forest Book 4) by Patricia C. Wrede - The funny first person story that brings the first three books into perspective. We've all read the fairy tales about the boy who is secretly a prince, but this entire series is about the family that had to encounter the tragedy that made them hide their son's identity for sixteen years. A little more grim in spots than the other three books, it still ends in a marriage, and a happily ever after.

Currently Reading:

"Ulysses" by James Joyce - enjoying this

To Read:

"Before They Hang" by Joe Abercrombie (The First Law Book 2)

Waiting for:

"Dissolution" by C.J. Sansom (A Matthew Shardlake Mystery)