Reading List: May

I tried to regain my honor by reading five books and a trade paperback this month. I doubt I'll be able to repeat this feat next month, but what can you do. This is what I read in May:

Iron Man: The Inevitable
I didn't like this miniseries at all. The story by Joe Casey left me indifferent (even worse: it bored me), and the artwork by Frazer Irving was a horrible mismatch for the story and the character. Call me crazy, but Tony Stark looked remarkably like Hitler, and I didn't find that funny or appropriate. Skip it if you haven't read it.

Something Wicked This Way Comes
I was curious to read this classic by Ray Bradbury, and it was an interesting story but kind of slow and not as compelling as I would have liked.

Are You There, Vodka? Its Me, Chelsea
I already talked about this hilarious book by Chelsea Handler here.

El último deseo
A very interesting read by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Last Wish (Ostatnie zyczenie in Polish) introduces Geralt de Rivia and his world, which develops throughout six more novels that I might just have to read. My friend Nash gave me the first two volumes as a birthday present, and even though it took me a couple of months to start reading the first one, I finished it in a matter of days. The mixture of fantasy, lore, and fairy tales is very original and ingeniously presented, and the main character is enigmatic, charismatic, and other adjectives ending in -atic that mean the book is a lot of fun to read. All in all, this novel was an unexpected treat, and I can't wait to read the next one. Thank you, Nash!

The Spider and the Fly
This oversized book is based on the cautionary tale by Mary Howitt, and is beautifully illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. You'll read it in a matter of minutes, but you'll spend a lot longer drooling over the artwork that accompanies the words. Great fun!

The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart
This gothic novella by Mathias Malzieu is also a steampunk tale of sorts, something you wouldn't be surprised to see as a Tim Burton movie. Malzieu is the singer of the French band Dyonisos, and this novella was the basis for their latest album, which must be an interesting collection of songs if they were inspired by this story. As it happens, I found the video for one of them, and it totally looks like the story I read, if that makes any sense, so check it out, and then decide if you'd like to read the book.

And that's it for this month. I will be traveling in June, so we'll see how many books I'm able to take with me. If you want to find out, come back in a month and all the secrets will be revealed!

Uncanny X-Men #520

Greg Land draws this issue, and it kind of feels like he was in a bit of a hurry, because there is lots of blacks and darkness where there should be backgrounds. Granted, part of the action takes place in the sewers, and it's not as if they have street lamps down there, but some panels definitely seem rushed. Then you have the meeting scene, where everything is dark except for a couple of screens glowing in the background. Call me paranoid, but I think this is a cheap trick to churn out the required pages to meet the deadline.

At any rate, the story by Matt Fraction is entertaining, and the books ends with a low-key cliffhanger, if that is not an oxymoron. I wonder what'll happen next month.

Home-Made Horror

My girlfriend bought Paranormal Activity on DVD, and so we watched it the other night. She had seen it already, and I was curious to see if the movie would live up to all the rave reviews it got when it opened last year. Well, it did, because I thought the film was a lot of fun. It was creepy and disturbing, and it felt like it could be real, which makes for a great scary movie. Also, the acting was incredible, and that, in addition to the way the film was shot, gave me the impression I was eavesdropping on what was going on in the house. I felt like that could really be going on, and that people would react in the exact way this couple does, and that is the greatest compliment I can think of.

The DVD comes with an alternate ending (the original one, I think) that I liked about as much as the one in the final cut. (Actually, it wasn't all that different.), and the austere menu and presentation reinforce the idea of it being a found tape, an amateur recording. It simply fits the content (and concept) of the movie perfectly, which is a great idea, just like the movie. So watch Paranormal Activity if you haven't already, and let us know what you think!

Gleor

Behold the fearsome Gleor in all its destructive glory!

This is one of those pictures that were triggered by silly stories or weird ideas. My girlfriend and I were at the mall, and when we went back to the car we saw this vanity plate that said "Gleor". It was a Florida Gators plate, so we concluded the only possible explanation for this was for Gleor to be a mutant alligator of sorts. Needless to say, this monster all but begged to be drawn, so I proceeded (urgently) to do so. Since we "met" him at the parking lot, it only made sense he found us there and, in a fit of rage, destroyed our pick up truck.

I had a lot of fun drawing Gleor, and I think the picture turned out rather nicely, so I hope you guys enjoy it. As usual, let me know what you think!

Simply a Master

I bought Ultimate X #2 for one reason and one reason only: Arthur Adams. The legendary artist has never been known for his tremendous output, yet he is so talented that both fans and pros admire his skill. As a matter of fact, it is hard to find an artist working nowadays who doesn't mention Adams as one of his influences and/or favorite artists. Therefore, when the 11 O'Clock Comics guys reviewed the book, I knew I'd have to get it… even if Jeph Loeb wrote it.

It is widely known that I don't consider Loeb the best of writers, yet he keeps working with artists I love and I am then forced to buy his books. He worked with Joe Madureira on Ultimates 3, with Frank Cho on Red Hulk (and, if I'm not mistaken, the upcoming Ultimates 4), and now with Arthur Adams on this book. (And also on Red Hulk for a couple of issues.) So after lamenting my luck, I went ahead and bought the stupid book. Was it worth it?

It was amazing, that's what it was.

The story was actually interesting, mysterious, and well told. There is barely any action scenes to speak of (yay!), and the whole tale develops at a slow, leisurely pace that I really, really enjoyed. And the artwork… To say it was extraordinary would be to say the sun is kinda shiny. Everything Adams draws in this book is simply perfect. He draws people incredibly well: their faces, expressions, body language. Their clothes are so detailed and realistic they almost blew my mind. His backgrounds are out of this world: Karen's bathroom is a work of art; her room is amazing; the mall is rendered so beautifully you will think the place actually exists; and the cars parked outside are incredible. I could go on: the panels are terrific, his sequential storytelling brilliant… He is a master.

As it turns out, Ultimate X is an ongoing bimonthly series by Loeb and Adams, so I guess this means I'll have to add it to my must-buy list, because if issue 2 is any indication, this series is going to be gold. Go buy it!

Alien With a Hat

Another quick sketch I drew directly in ink just to practice my curvy line and keep myself entertained. It's a very simple drawing, but I kind of like him. Maybe he is out for a walk, or casing a joint, or stalking somebody, I don't know. At any rate, let me know what you guys think!

Communicating 07

Here you have the seventh page of Cultura de comunicaciones, the story my sister and I submitted to a comic book contest last January. This page is also heavy on text, but I really like all the illustrations. Starting with the cute blogger who may or may not be based on an actual person, I think everyone on the page looks rather neat. Somebody pointed out one of the guys in the second panel looks just like me, and I must confess he is supposed to be me. By then I was running out of ideas for different faces, so I decided to include myself as part of the crowd, so I hope you'll forgive my little homage to myself. As for the last panel, I think the guy texting while taking a dump is not only hilarious but also true to life. (Confess, you john texters!) And as an amusing side note, the bathroom is modeled after the one in my apartment. (This is what you see from inside the bathtub.) Talk about being true to life!

Deviants

I have fond memories of the two or three issues of the original DV8 series from the 90's. It was about the second time (after Impulse) I had come across Humberto Ramos's artwork, and I actually own a couple of original pages by Ramos from the series. Therefore, when I saw the first issue of the new DV8 series, I thought I owed it to myself to at least check it out. True, the creative team is completely different now (Brian Wood writes and Rebekah Isaacs draws), but I enjoyed the first Northlanders trade by Wood and so I thought I'd give it a try.

I was happy to see the story focused on Copycat, or, at least, she is the narrator that puts together a string of flashbacks. I always like Copycat, and it was nice to see her again. The story is mysterious, and Wood reveals details and information little by little. For some unknown reason, the team has somehow landed on a strange, primitive world (with two suns!), and the superpowered team members are understandably mistaken for gods. And that's about as much as the reader finds out. Interesting, but perhaps not great.

The artwork is fine as well, but I didn't think it was exceptional. Isaacs is certainly competent, and her style fits the story, but I guess I miss the way Ramos and Campbell and Lee depicted the characters, and it's simply not the same. Before you say "well, duh!", I realize it's not supposed to be the same, and that that's the whole point, yet I wish it was, at least when it comes to the visuals. (I mean, check out the cover by Lee accompanying these lines, in color here.) Or maybe I would be happier if one of my favorite artists had drawn the book, I don't know. Still, DV8 #1 was an interesting read, and I might even get the trade when it comes out. Didn't I say the same about iZombie and American Vampire? I think I'm starting to see a pattern here…

How Many People Wanna

To conclude with our Kick-Ass celebration, here you have a little drawing I did of the main character, fearless crime fighter Kick Ass, and the awesome Hit Girl. I drew this picture after drawing the sketches of the characters without photo reference. This time around though, I did look at their costumes online to portray them more accurately. Also unlike the previous sketches, I drew it in pencil first and inked it later, so the lines are a bit cleaner than they might have otherwise been. And other than that, there's really nothing else for me to say about it, so I hope you like it!

Grotesque

As a way to practice my curvy line, I thought it would be a good idea to draw a horrible monster from the deepest recesses of the nearby marshlands... Or something like that. I drew this guy with no previous plan or idea what he would end up looking like, but I must say I like the way he turned out. Oh, and I didn't draw the other arm and leg because I didn't feel like it, hahaha. Enjoy!

In Comparison

I watched Jeepers Creepers on DVD immediately after I saw Crap of the Titans in the theater, and in comparison to that cinematic excretion, JC felt like a masterpiece. Now, I know it really isn't, but I found it very enjoyable, and, if nothing else, the writing was much better than I expected. I really liked the banter between the two siblings (played by Gina Philips and the ubiquitous Justin Long), and even though certain decisions the characters made were ludicrous and the only purpose they served was to move the story forward, I still had a good time watching the movie. As far as horror movies go, I wouldn't rank JC among my favorites, but it was creepy, entertaining, and an overall satisfying watch.

Communicating 06

Here you have the sixth page of Cultura de comunicaciones, the story my sister and I submitted to a comic book contest last January. This page is heavy on text, and the things I talk about are so abstract I had a really hard time deciding what to draw. I am especially proud of the third panel, which totally looks like a web browser. I was hoping my sister would realize what it was, and when she sent me back the colored version, I was blown away: every little icon was the exact right color!

At any rate, this is probably the least exciting page in the comic book, but I felt I had to convey all that information somehow. Plus, the page was so simple I drew it in record time!

Cannibal Children

Here you have a quick sketch I drew while playing Dungeons & Dragons with my friends. One of them mentioned how our group is always killing everyone we come into contact with, and how she did not want to kill any children unless they turned out to be cannibal children. That was all it took to get me to grab a pencil for a lightning-fast sketch which I then proceeded to flesh out directly with a black pen. The result is, I think, more disturbing than anything else, but I really like it. At the same time, I hope I never come across anything like this creature, seeing as it looks rather nasty and violent. Needless to say, I hope you guys like it!

That's Just Naughty

The fourth and last entry (so far) in our Inappropriate Carvings series, this scene blew my mind, destroyed my brain, fried my synapses, and, in one word, left my jaw unhinged in disbelief. I mean, look at what that demon is doing with the bellows! Why is he tormenting the monkey? And even more important, why is the old woman helping him? What did the monkey do to them? I really want to know what incident triggered this horrible act of retaliation. I am sure there is a riveting narrative that culminates in this moment, and I want to know what it is. Maybe I should write my own story, and perhaps illustrate it. Now there's a thought...

Bloody West

I bought the second issue of American Vampire, a series written by Scott Snyder and Stephen King, and illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque. The reason why I bought the second issue instead of the first one is because… well, I thought it was the first one, but I was mistaken. I know, I know --not the sharpest knife in the drawer, etc. At any rate, I got it and I read it, and I liked it about as much as I thought I would. Like I recently said about iZombie, both story and artwork are okay, but the book didn't strike me as anything amazing. I had been thinking about maybe getting the trade when it comes out, and I'm still undecided. Maybe if I found it cheap, I would, but I don't think I'd pay full cover price for it. And yet, American Vampire was entertaining enough. Have you guys read it? What did you think? Make sure you let me know!

Mishandled Misadventures

Coinciding with the publication of Chelsea Handler's third literary enterprise, her second book, Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea, came out on paperback, and I rushed to get it. I thoroughly enjoyed her first book, My Horizontal Life, and so I was ready to laugh out loud again with the comedian's misadventures.

MHL focused on one-night stands, but Vodka is broader in scope and recounts different anecdotes that are not related to sex necessarily. As with her previous effort, this book is laugh-out-loud funny, and the weird situations Handler finds herself in are priceless and definitely worth reading. I like her outrageous way to describe people and situations, and how she tries to be as insulting and infuriating as possible while keeping her tongue firmly planted in her cheek. I mean, "a kid with an unusually large cranium and 'crazy eyes'"? Who wouldn't want to read this book?

Graveyard Shift

I bought the first issue of iZombie for three reasons. One, because the 11 O'Clock Comics guys raved about it. Two, because I've found myself enjoying a lot of Vertigo books recently. And three, because it was only one buck. I was reluctant to get this book written by Chris Roberson because it was drawn by Mike Allred, an artist best know for his character Madman. I know everyone loves Allred (and Madman), but I've never really warmed up to either one, and therefore I thought I wouldn't enjoy the comic book. However, I am happy to say I was quite wrong.

The story is quirky and somewhat original, and Allred's artwork has come a long way from what I remembered. The main character, Gwen, is a zombie that looks "normal", and she must eat brains once a month to avoid becoming, well, a brainless zombie. To ensure ease of access to the freshly deceased, she works as an undertaker in the local cemetery, where she gets to hang out with a ghost from the sixties and a wereterrier she calls Spot. Is that quirky enough for you?

While neither story or pictures blew me away, iZombie was entertaining, and I might (maybe, perhaps, we'll see) buy the first trade whenever it comes out, so let me know if you check it out, and tell me what you think!

Vacendac y sus rompehuesos

Aquí tenemos tres matadores más, entre ellos el jefe de la unidad, Vacendac "dos hachas". Me gusta mucho esta miniatura con el parche, y le he pintado el pelo cano, para representar que es un matador veterano. Ésta en una peana más alta que el resto de la unidad para destacar.

El matador tripón con el hacha levantada me gusta mucho también porque, aunque rompe la estética de matadores super cachas, le da a la unidad un toque divertido.

Del otro componente me gustan sus dos martillos, pues le da al grupo una variedad de armamento que me gusta bastante.

Bueno, espero que os gusten. ¡Ya solo quedan dos matadores más por presentar!

Stellar Stark

Here you have a quick sketch of Iron Man I drew while playing Dungeons & Dragons. I drew a very basic sketch in pencil and then moved in with the pen and did all the detailwork and everything else. I think it turned out rather cute, and very different from my previous Iron Man sketch, which, if I remember correctly, I drew two years ago when the first movie came out, which I guess means you won't see another Iron Man picture until who knows when. Enjoy!

Tinhead's Back!

After the awesomeness of the first one, I was really hoping Iron Man 2 wouldn't be a disappointment, so I am happy to say I found it tremendously enjoyable. The dialogue was well written even if it was a little too expository at times. The action sequences balanced the more chatty scenes very well, and it was really cool to see Iron Man and War Machine teaming up and kicking butt. I also liked how there was a lot more Tony Stark than Iron Man in the movie, which I think is the way to go. I prefer good dialogue and character scenes over big fights, and IM2 is exactly that. As a matter of fact, the court scene early in the movie probably was my favorite part of the movie. Needless to say, this is due to Robert Downey Jr.'s stellar job as Tony Stark, but he was not the only noteworthy actor in the film. As it happens, pretty much everyone was great, from the underused Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johansson to the deliciously evil Sam Rockwell. I didn't care all that much for Mickey Rourke's character, but it is undeniable he did a very good job portraying him.

The whole Avengers subplot probably was my least favorite thing in the movie, as I see how Marvel is pushing their crossover movie, which is supposed to come after Thor and Captain America get their own films, both already in the works. And talking about those two characters, watch out for subtle (and not-so-subtle) references to both throughout the movie.
Something that surprised me is that the hilarious "You complete me" scene from the trailer was not in the movie, and I would really like to see it, so please make it available on the DVD. What wasn't all that surprising was the hidden scene after the credits. There was one in the first movie, so it only made sense there would be another one in the sequel, and there sure is, so don't leave the theater until you see it.

All in all, Iron Man 2 was tremendously enjoyable, so if you liked the first one, go to see this one. A fun time at the movies!

Uncanny X-Men #519

Fraction and Dodson deliver the goods in the continuation of last month's journey into Emma Frost's mind. Dodson goes crazy on the page layouts, and the book looks simply stunning. The story is also very enjoyable, but this two-issue mini arc seems to be over, so I wonder if we'll see a return to what was going on before on issue 520 (which wouldn't make me all that happy), or if Fraction will take us somewhere completely unexpected. I guess I'll just have to wait and see!

Adorable Sociopath

Right after I finished my Kick-Ass sketch, I drew this one of Hit Girl, probably the most badass character in the movie and, I'm assuming, the comic book. Just like I did with Kick-Ass, I drew her in ink directly, and I didn't look up references for her costume but drew her from what I remembered from the movie. Let me know what you guys think!

Taped to a Chair

My girlfriend brought Suicide Kings to my apartment so that we could watch it together, and I must say I enjoyed it quite a bit. She hadn't seen it in forever, and I had never seen it before. As a matter of fact, I had no idea what it was about. My only clue was the cover, which features Christopher Walken tied to a chair. Beyond that, I didn't know what to expect.

I thought the story was interesting and well told, and the acting was great. I didn't expect anything less from Walken, but Denis Leary surprised and amused me in all his scenes, which seemed to have been written by a Tarantino fan. The movie is slow paced, but it never seems to drag and it's never boring, which is remarkable given there is only a handful of locations, no action to speak of, and the whole thing feels more like a play than a movie.

All in all, I had a great time watching this film, so if you haven't seen it, I recommend you check it out. It's definitely worth seeing!

Communicating 05

Here you have the fifth page of Cultura de comunicaciones, the story my sister and I submitted to a comic book contest last January. The old lady having TV issues is one of my favorite pictures in the whole nine pages, just like the radio guy on page four, the monk on page three, and everyone on page one. Other than that, I also like the old MS- DOS operating system in the third panel. Ah, the memories...

Nursing the Reptile

The third entry in our Inappropriate Carvings series is so wrong I think it trumps the first two installments. Why on Earth would you let a dragon get that close to you? And also, what is the dragon thinking? Doesn't he know he is not a mammal and therefore does not need to be fed that way? Or, what was the artist thinking when he carved this particular scene? I wonder how many people who visit this monument actually notice these figures. I had been here at least once before, and I never had, so this discovery made me giddy with elation. Yet the best one is still to come!

Nueva victoria

Después de unos cuantos meses de inactividad en el mundo de los campeonatos de Warhammer, Vheto Slidecaster y sus elfos oscuros han vuelto victoriosos de tierras alcoyanas.

En la primera batalla, Vheto Slidecaster y sus muchachos se enfrentaron a un ejército de enanos con un montón de máquinas de guerra, cañones, lanza virotes, cañones de salvas, enanos con arcabuces, y un sacerdote enano que tira rayos desde un altar. Pero fue el día de los defectos de construcción, ya que explotó un cañón de salvas, el sacerdote enano decidió morir al invocar las plegarias de sus dios para lanzar rayos, y los artilleros enanos no conseguían acertar a mis tropas, así que las caballerías, el carro, la hidra, Vheto, Esmili y su hermana Mirith se lanzaron de cabeza contra el enemigo y lo masacraron.

En la segunda partida, Vheto y sus muchachos se enfrentaron a los temibles ejércitos de no muertos, donde unidades de esqueletos, y zombis estaban lideradas por cuatro temibles vampiros dentro de una unidad gigante de caballería tumularia. Y para acabar de arreglar el asunto, dos walgufs, criaturas que son una mezcla entre vampiro y ogro, les acompañaban por los flancos. Viendo la imposibilidad de ganar esta batalla en combate frontal, mis unidades se diseminaron por todo el campo de batalla para no ofrecer un blanco fácil de atacar mientras mis ballesteros, los lanza virotes y las caballerías ligeras con ballestas no paraban de disparar. Rápidamente, los hombres de Vheto acabaron con las unidades de infantería y los walgufs y se concentraron en disparar a la superunidad con todos los vampiros dentro, ataque que se mantuvo hasta que pudieron lanzarse a la carga todos mis nobles junto a los restos de mi caballería pesada, el carro y la hidra, que terminaron por aniquilarlos a todos. Sin embargo, costó más de lo que en un principio pensó Vheto Slidecaster, ya que los vampiros son unas criaturas muy difíciles de eliminar y dieron mucha guerra.

En la tercera batalla, un ejército de pieles verdes, orcos, y goblins cubrían como una marea verde todo el campo de batalla, y carros, orcos en jabalís salvajes, goblins con arcos, lanza virotes y un gigante se abalanzaron sobre los elfos oscuros. No fue el día de los ballesteros y los lanza virotes, que apenas causaron bajas mientras el enemigo se acercaba a toda velocidad, ni tampoco el de la caballería, que no pudo controlar a sus monturas y se quedaron paradas; sino que fue la unidad más insignificante del ejército la que le dio la victoria. Las dos pequeñas unidades de seres voladores de las cavernas se interpusieron entre los carros de los héroes goblin el tiempo suficiente para que las sombras (la unidad de élite de los elfos oscuros con sus temibles espadas a dos manos) y el maestro de asesinos acabasen con uno y Esmili con el otro. La otra unidad consiguió distraer al gigante interponiéndose entre él y la caballería lo justo para que la hidra cargase contra el costado del gigante y lo devorase. Vheto cargó contra un carro orco que decidió salir corriendo y pasar por encima de sus tropas haciendo una escabechina, pero se quedó expuesto a los disparos de los lanza virotes goblins con tan mala fortuna que tanto él como su pegaso fueron abatidos. Pero no os preocupéis, que se recuperarán. El resto de la batalla consistió en ir cazando unidades de goblins y orcos, pero son más escurridizos y duros de lo que pensaban y sólo se consiguió una victoria decisiva.

Así que, al final, un segundo puesto, lo que significa una nueva hacha de combate para mi armería. Y aquí tenéis un mini vídeo del torneo con una explicación de qué es Warhammer.

We're not Cool

To continue with our Kick-Ass celebration, here you have the song Mika composed for the movie. According to Mika, they showed him the movie and gave him three days to write and record the song, which he proceeded to do with enthusiasm. In this interview, which was recorded at the premiere, Mika he says he is excited to see/hear his song in the movie, which made me feel a little bad for him, because the song only plays in the credits. Even worse, it is the second song in the credits. Still, I like it, so whatever.

Tres matadores más

Bueno, aquí tenemos tres enanos más para la unidad de matadores.

Lo bonito de la unidad que estoy creando es que los enanos son de diferentes marcas, con lo que no hay miniaturas repetidas. Aunque sale un poco más caro, queda genial en este tipo de unidades en las que no llevan un uniforme.

Siguiendo con el esquema de colores, he pintado la "falda" en colores rojos, al igual que los mangos de las armas ,y, para darle un toque de color, he pintado una línea blanca cerca del borde. Aunque no se aprecia del todo en la foto, la peana es como de un templo o palacio bastante deteriorado, en el que predomina el blanco con detalles en rojo, para dar un efecto de uniformidad a las miniaturas.

Me gustan mucho el del puño de hierro en alto en plan vacililla, y el del hacha que está a punto de partir a alguien por la mitad. ¡Ya me diréis cuáles os gustan a vosotros!

Communicating 04

Here you have the fourth page of Cultura de comunicaciones, the story my sister and I submitted to a comic book contest last January. The first panel displays the second one of the two ideas I originally had when I started thinking about the comic book. My favorite panel here is the third one, though. I love the way the old guy turned out, and he is definitely one of my favorite characters in the whole nine pages. He just looks so neat! At any rate, let me know what you guys think!

Gilim, hijo de Gorgak

Este es uno de los señores enanos de mi nuevo ejército. Es una de las miniaturas que más me ha gustado desde que juego a Warhammer, y una de las que más me ha costado encontrar. Me encanta la pose del enano, la manera de sujetar el casco y la cara está genial.

Como los colores del clan del Valle de la niebla (mi ejército enano) son el rojo, el blanco y el dorado, decidí pintar las armaduras en rojo con los detalles en dorado. También estoy pintando la mayoría de los soldados rubios, para darle un aire más nórdico al ejército que creo que le va muy bien, exceptuando la unidad de matadores y algún que otro moreno. Finalmente, la peana de roca la tengo que sustituir por una de un camino, que es la que voy a poner en las unidades grandes.

Espero que os guste.

Reading List: April

Well, I managed to read three books in between my work at the farm and the time I spent hanging out with my girlfriend. Also, I got to read some cool trades, so, all in all, April turned out to be a good month reading-wise. This is what I read:

Pandora Drive
This horror novel by Tim Waggoner was so wrong and so disturbing that some of the mental pictures it conjured will stay with me for the rest of my life. A gruesome but entertaining tale!
Lazarillo Z
I bought this book while I was in Spain because I thought it could be really funny. At the same time, I was afraid it would turn out to be a horrible waste of money, but the truth is somewhere in the middle. In the vein of Price, Prejudice, and Zombies, this is a retelling of the classic story adding zombies and creatures of the night to the tale. The result is interesting and amusing, and while it won't become a classic like the one it was inspired by, I don't regret having read it.

Cycle of the Werewolf
This is an old book by Stephen King I had never read before because it was fifteen bucks at Barnes & Noble, and, for such a short story, I thought it was overpriced. I understand it is packed with beautiful illustrations by Berni Wrightson, but I simply wasn't willing to spend the money. Enter Amazon, and their great deals, and yours truly ended up buying the book. And hey, it turned out to be a very enjoyable tale. I liked the structure, the very impressionistic descriptions, and the way King uses precise brush strokes to create this world and characters. It was a quick read, but tremendously entertaining.

Iron Man: Hypervelocity
A friend of mine let me borrow this Iron Man trade because the awesome Adam Warren wrote it a few years ago. You should know by now that Warren is one of my favorite comic book creators (both as a writer and an artist) thanks to Empowered, so I was interested in reading Hypervelocity. Warren did the layouts but not the finished artwork, yet the pictures were still pretty to look at. As for the script, both story and dialogue were pure Warren, and the overwhelming technobabble fit the character perfectly and proved how literate, inventive, and resourceful Warren is when it comes to using the English language. A fun read!

Mysterius the Unfathomable
I had been eagerly anticipating this trade by Jeff Parker and Tom Fowler, and it was a lot of fun. The story was weird, interesting, twisty, and very entertaining, and the artwork by Fowler was extraordinary. A terrific read!

And that's it for April. It seems like I've settled for two or three books and a couple of trades a month, so I guess that's what you should expect next month as well. Swing by then, and find out!