Comics Wrap-Up + MCU fangirling - Hockey and Family Problems PLUS CIVIL WAR TRAILER!!!!

THE FIRST TRAILER HAS LANDED!!!! CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR!!!!

Sorry, I just had to make that perfectly clear. This is like - me have an EXTREME fangirl moment. I might actually cry. And I don't even know why. AND IF MARVEL HURT BUCKY I AM TRACKING THEM THE F**K DOWN!

SERIOUSLY, THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HURT MY BUCKY BEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Honestly, I will be an emotional wreck. Bucky is a victim, not a villain - and nothing will cover the level of feels should something happen to him.

I could do a trailer review of this but... I get the feeling it will degenerate into hdfgjkrhiglowehrofjhtiwrhgofikghporenhlk fangirl-ian pretty quickly. You're probably best watching it and making up your own minds.

So, moving on to the rest of this week's comics wrap-up...

Graphic Novels

The Hockey Saint (US link) is a graphic novel about a hockey star and a growing friendship - honestly, it's a lot better than I just made it sound, and raises a lot of good points about celebrity, sport, and the media. I actually really enjoyed it, and you can see my full review here.

Single Issues

Uncanny X-men #444 (US link) is an X-men title (which you'd probably already figured out,) which shows the X-men trying to police the growing and sprawling community of global mutants. Basically, to keep the peace.

What I really enjoyed about this was the baseball game at the beginning - which showed off some awesome mutant powers, and kept the tension within the group visible. This is X-men; there's always going to be tension about something. I did think that, seeing as how the cover was Nightcrawler's tail, he could've featured a bit more (I adore Nightcrawler.)

X-men Vol 2, #26 - Bloodties Pt 2 (USA link) is a 90s title - part of a cross-series event (Bloodties.) Genosha (one of Marvel's fictional countries,) is at civil war between human and mutate (their country's mutants.) Genosha has a history of genocide and bloodshed, and the current mutate faction are followers, or 'disciples,' of Magneto.

Magneto, though, is out of commission - and so the rebel leader, Cortez, has kidnapped Magneto's granddaughter, Luna. Luna is the child of Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff) - who, back in the 90s, was still allowed to be the son of Magneto and an adopted son of a Roma family (recent re-writes have essentially got rid of Pietro and his sister Wanda's entire history, and very quickly replaced it with one that fits into Avengers film rights - which is in no way suspicious.)

Kidnapping the child of an Avenger with firm links to the X-men is probably not the brightest of ideas. So a bunch of superheroes descend on Genosha, attempting to find baby Luna, and not add too much to the bloodshed.

The Mighty Thor Vol 1 #1 (2011) (USA link) is likewise concerned with family issues - though of an Asgardian nature. This is early on in Loki's regression to little boy-god - and he's so sweet! Sorry, couldn't resist pointing that out. This definitely has the air of the start of a series rather than a full story.

Why Do Books Make Great Gifts?

Stuck for Christmas pressies for auntie so-and-so, or what's-his-face and whatshername from work? You could give them a book - no, I'm totally serious. I am the Reading Addict around here after all.

Books are personal

No-one ever reads the same book as anybody else: no, really. Don't look at me all squinty - I have a point here.

No-one ever experiences a book in the same way as the very next person who reads it - the reader is part of the book. What you get out of a book makes it what it is - and no-one ever quite has the same experience as anybody else.

Therefore you can get your family and friends one of the most personal of gifts - without having to shop in the undies section.

There's a book in every price range

Don't have the budget for a super-duper bestselling new hardback? Fine - get another of the author's books instead, they're likely to be cheaper now that there's a new one out.

Get a box-set of a trilogy (you can find plenty on offer - especially this time of year,) and give them a good value gift that also looks the part.

You can go seasonal

This works exceptionally well with children's picture books, which can be read at Christmas to keep the little ones happy while dinner's cooking or the washing-up is being done.

Plus, who doesn't like something with a Christmas theme? Makes everything brighter somehow.

There's a book for every age and taste

Books come in so many types, and so many different genres, and authors, and... well, you see what I mean.

There is a book to suit pretty much everyone. Especially kids - you can attract them with shiny things and get them hooked on reading for life (ok, slight evil plan, there, but it's all good.)

They're easy to wrap!

Never underestimate your levels of thankfulness for easy-wrap gifts. Sure, books can sometimes be heavy - but it's so much easier to wrap than that oddly-shaped box of chocolates, the pair of socks, the hair accessories, and the mug set with the sticky-out handle.

I'm just saying, after all that, you're going to be happy to have a nice rectangular object to wrap for once!

Survival Kit For a Winter's Day

Winter can be uber-cold, and uber-crappy. Particularly if you're of a depressive nature and/or living in Britain (so much rain! so much dark!) So, sit tight and take my advice on warming (and actually enjoying) a cold winter's day.

A Kitty!
Kitties are all fluffy and cute and sweet and special ;) And luckily, on cold days, they're not adverse to a warm lap to snuggle up on. I love kitties, they're like a reader's best friend - amongst other people of course. And I have two, which is really cuddly and really cute (Yay!) :)

Tea/Coffee/Pick Your Poison
Never underestimate the power of a hot drink in your favourite mug (or something stronger in a posh glass, I'm not here to judge!) Plus, you know, you have an excuse to drink, and warm your hands on, a nice hot cuppa. (and any excuse to drink coffee, and I'm there!)

A Blanket
Blankets are snuggly! Never forget this fact! Never! Also, they are handy as bait to attract kitties (look *insert kitty's name* - cwtchy blanky! (cwtchy is a Welsh/Wenglish word for extra snuggly things, and/or the best of hugs.)) I have lots of nice and snuggly blankets - and they certainly come in handy as the nights (and days - it's chilly here!) get colder.

Chocolate and/or Cake
Never underestimate the power of cake. Cake (as far as I'm concerned,) is one of the major food groups - it's just that, occasionally, it gets left off the chart. Ditto for chocolate. And chocolate cake is sacred. There are some things in life which you just shouldn't deny yourself - chocolate cake is most definitely one of them. :)

And last but certainly not least...

A Good Book!
(And I like to think I give you plenty of advice on that front.) ;-)

Reviewing the Evidence Time! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - The Hockey Saint by Shapiro, Inoue, and Mossa

Title: The Hockey Saint. (US Link.)

Author: Howard Shapiro, Marica Inoue, Andres Mossa.

Genre: Graphic Novel.

Series: Forever Friends Trilogy (#2.)

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

I approached this graphic novel with a little hesitation. I know nothing about ice hockey. Like seriously, nothing. It's just not a popular sport in the UK in general - and Wales is more about the rugby than anything else.

You'll be happy to hear that, despite my hockey ignorance, I enjoyed this book a lot.

This is apparently #2 in a trilogy - but I read it as standalone and had no difficulty with reading it as such.

Premise:

Jeremiah Jacobson, or 'Jake,' is a 21-year-old hockey star. Tom Leonard is a 19-year-old college hockey player whose life is going through a rough patch - he also idolises Jake.

The two somehow form a fledgling friendship, but can it survive the demands of the sport, the press, and life?

Best bits:

I really did enjoy this - it was very readable, and the characters were actually a lot more involving than you would think on first glance. To such an extent that I basically zipped through reading this.

The art is perhaps a touch on the unusual side, but while a lot of artists make the mistake of becoming too radical in their attempt to bring a fresh style to their work, the artwork here keeps the balance well. I'd even go as far as to say it's charming (in a mature way, of course.)

The social issues touched on here are dealt with carefully and sensitively - and it gives the book a real heart that shines through excellently.

I also love the questions raised about the role of sports stars/athletes, and their glorification by a media that would just as soon tear them to shreds if it'll mean more viewers, readers, listeners, whatever.

Not so great bits:

Some of the issues dealt with might upset some people - notably that of alcoholism and drink-driving. Also mentioned are poverty, illness/cancer, the treatment of veterans, parental death, and suicide. All are dealt with sensitively, and, in my view, with great skill and balance - but this may still be upsetting to readers dealing with similar issues.

I think this book was set in Canada - but I'm not 100% on that. Enough places in the USA were mentioned to give me some doubt. On balance, it was probably Canada... probably. The names of the leagues etc. would probably tell most North Americans where it was, but as a British girl with no interest in hockey, I was left just a little confused.

Occasionally, the dialogue is a touch stilted and/or naïve, but really, this is barely noticeable, and the vast majority of the speech flows well.

Verdict:

This is a readable and eloquent graphic novel, absorbing and charming, and accessible to people outside the world of hockey, this has some stuff to say in style.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA - Goodreads

Nerd Church! - Four Tales of Incredible Courage

I think we could all do with some courage (no, not the Dutch kind - shh!) How about you? You want some courage? These four books (in my humble opinion,) have characters who show real courage, in the most difficult of times.

The Courage of Friendship and Compassion

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This a beautiful book, and I will always, always, always recommend it - to anyone, at any time. And Liesel, to me, is courage.

A girl growing up in Hitler's Germany, Liesel is trying to wind her way through the challenges of her life and times. Things are about to be made ever more complicated by the actions of her foster father, Hans, in hiding the Jewish son of an old friend.

Liesel never lets the challenging circumstances make her any less than who she is. Her friendship and kindness are more courageous than any bullet.

Buy now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads - Author's Facebook Page

The Courage of Survival

Blood Red, Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick

This is a book that I haven't read in years - but that I still think of as something truly memorable and remarkable.

Written by Marcus Sedgwick, this is a YA book with no teenage characters. All of the characters are, in fact, adult.

Set in the Russian Revolution of 1917, this book follows the true story of Arthur Ransome - the author of Swallows and Amazons - who acted as a double-agent at the heart of the new Communist regime. Such a double-agent, in fact, that no-one actually knew for sure which side he was on.

I loved the way this book tried to show the human story, and to portray the way that Ransome was an ordinary man, trapped by truly extraordinary circumstances, and just trying to survive in a world that had turned upside-down.

Certainly, if you're into spy stories, history, or both, then this book is worth the read.

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads - Author's Website

The Courage to Endure

Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

This memoir of the life of a man kidnapped into slavery in the US is made all the more incredible and poignant by the fact that it is non-fiction.

Solomon Northup writes beautifully and with dignity, and as far as I'm concerned this should be required reading on anyone's list.

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads - Full Review

The Courage of Love and Sacrifice

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A true 19th Century classic, this is a novel of the French Revolution. Featuring some of the most beautiful lines in English literature, this is Dickens (as far as I'm concerned,) at his best.

True, I disliked the character of Lucie - a bit two-dimensional in my opinion - but overall, this is a stunning book.

Without giving away any spoilers, I can tell you that Dickens brings the French Revolution, and the terror it brought with it, to life. But this is fundamentally a tale of love and sacrifice. It is honestly worth reading just for the beautiful tragedy it reveals.

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads

The Writer Diaries (Or NaBloPoMo, Week 3, Re-Cap)

Luckily, I haven't found this week so difficult as last week in terms of blogging. Sure, it's still been tricky on times, but it's certainly been less of a struggle.

Only a week (plus a few days,) left to go of NaBloPoMo November 2015 - and I reckon that I can do this :)

So, Week 3 looked a little something like this:

(A reminder that I use the British/European date format of dd/mm/yy.)

Sunday, 15/11/15
Nerd Church - A Little Bit of Hope


Monday, 16/11/15
What Makes a Good Book Review?


Tuesday, 17/11/15
Reviewing the Evidence! - The First Man by Gavin Frankle


Wednesday, 18/11/15
Are Target Audiences Holding Books Back?


Thursday, 19/11/15
Comics Wrap Up - The Line Between Hero and Villain


Friday, 20/11/15
Friday Fics Fix! - In Which There is Randomness and Ice

Friday Fics Fix! - In Which There is Randomness and Ice

I promised you something half-way respectable after last Friday's foray into shamelessness. So this week's fic is sex-free (woo!) - it is however pretty damned bonkers all the same. Because that's the way fan-fiction rolls - it's all pretty demented in some form, you just have to pick your poison.

I've introduced you all to the world of Avengers crack fics before now (I'm sorry, if it makes even the slightest bit of a difference at this point, I am sorry.) This week's fic is another piece of Avengers crack.

Crack fiction, if you need the reminder, is fan-fiction which is so random and/or out of character, that you wonder what the author was on when they wrote it. True, you could apply this to much fan-fiction which is not crack, but crack usually has a pretty damned random sense of humour - I mean, like what would happen when you combine the Internet with Monty Python. Getting the picture? Good.

This week's dose of fan-fiction is -

Loki is Cool by Convenient Alias.

Basically, the Avengers in this fic are stuck in the middle of a heat-wave with no air conditioning. Thor happens to mention that Loki is capable of conjuring ice... and chaos ensues courtesy of Tony Stark's subsequent attempts to get Loki to make them some.

Occasionally the writing trips over itself, but there are some fantastic verbal spats between characters, and some witty one-liners. It will make you smile if you're in the mood for Avengers-based silliness - I guarantee it.

Meanwhile, with my vow to be somewhat respectable and lay low on the smut all wrapped up and dealt with, I have a new vow for next week: I will try to find fan-fiction that is not Marvel-based to recommend to you! The key word here is 'try' - because Marvel-based (and especially Avengers-based,) fan-fiction is what I mainly find myself reading.

I am aware, though, that a lot of people are not dedicated Marvel fans, so I'll try to rustle up something else for a change - wish me luck!