What are you reading in August/16?

This month we will see the start of the Olympic Games. So, pass the torch, telling us what you are reading this month.

I just finished Batwoman: Elegy, which had its moments., though I think the art and paneling was ambitious to the point where it became occasionally distracting.

>2 brianjungwi:

I remember reading that one twice - once through, ignoring a lot of the visuals because they were distracting so I get the story and then a second time, paying more attention to the graphic elements and choices, knowing the story so knowing where the paneling is going...

3> AnnieMod

A good idea! I like clever panels, but there are times when I miss squares and rectangles. Overall I liked the origin story that was included in the tpb, but i'm a sucker for the bat books.

>2 brianjungwi: I do suggest keeping going too. JH Williams's Batwoman: Hydrology was pretty nice. And the Batwoman series didn't get weird right away. (Or weirder).

This is Comics Adjacent. Right now I'm trying to get through The Secret History of Deena Pilgrim. I'm not sure that I'm going to make it on the first try though. Probably will wind up returning it, then putting it on hold again. (What can I say, I have Groot waiting for me instead... :))

Has anyone read The Puma Blues by Stephen Murphy? I just got my hands on it. All the comments I've seen so far are positive, but I don't know much about it.

I've finally read Saga, Vol.1 and it lives up to the hype. Brian K. Vaughan did it again and I'm totally in love with Fiona Staples (gee... My wife can't read this!). I really imagine how would it be Y: the last man drawn by her.

I know that it is not a comic book, but I must tell that I am re-reading American Gods (now in the extended version) due to the announcement of a TV series based on it.

I've forgot how good it is!!!

>7 apokoliptian: Saga (and especially Staples's art) really is fabulous; glad to hear you are enjoying it!

>7 apokoliptian:, >9 Euryale: Agreed. Love the Saga series, and Fiona Staples' art.

>2 brianjungwi:, >5 DanieXJ: I loved Batwoman: Elegy and most of the rest in that series, so I would recommend keep going also. But then again, if it's not your cup of tea...

>8 apokoliptian: I'm looking forward to the TV series because I love anything Bryan Fuller does and I have a copy of the book here to read, but I've just not been a Gaiman fan in the past so I don't know. I'm glad you're enjoying it though. :)

Currently, I'm still making my way through the Fables series. I finished March of the Wooden Soldiers and up next is Mean Seasons.

>11 sweetiegherkin:
I really love Fables, but unfortunately I've stopped reading it at Fables, Vol.12: The Dark Ages. Now that I have bought the rest of the series, I must read it all from start to catch up, what will be a pleasure!!!!

If you like it, try Jack of Fables, one of the funniest series I ever read.

Regarding American Gods, try it. If you like it, there is also Anansi Boys, another funny book.

>7 apokoliptian: I'm so jealous. You have 4 1/2 (sorry, I didn't love, love part of Saga, Vol. 5, but Saga, Vol. 6 was just totally awesome!) more volumes to go.

>11 sweetiegherkin: Ugh, I really, really tried to like Fables, and I got maybe four or five in, but... nope. Maybe I'll try it again at some point in the future.

>12 apokoliptian: Yes, I'm definitely curious about trying the spin-off series too, but I think I want to finish the main Fables first before I dive into those.

More than likely I'll end up starting American Gods, if for no reason other than the TV series. I've heard good things about Anansi Boys as well, but then again I also heard fantastic things about Graveyard Book, Sandman, and Whatever Happened to the Cape Crusader?, and I didn't like any of them.

>13 DanieXJ: To each his own. If you already read 4 or 5 and didn't like them, you probably aren't going to like the rest of the series... Might as well spend your time on those books you do like! :)

>13 DanieXJ: I thought Saga Vol. 5 was a letdown, too, as did my wife, but Vol. 6 was right back on track and terrific.

>15 jnwelch: Oh yes, 6 definitely got Saga back on track.

>14 sweetiegherkin: I probably won't go back to them again. I rarely stop reading serieses, whether they're comic book ones, or prose novel ones, but I have done it a couple of times before. So... won't be the first time, won't be the last. Definitely to each their own. :)

>16 DanieXJ:

If you are a fan of reimaged fairy tales - Fables is your comics. If you are not - it can be a bit... lukewarm :)

>14 sweetiegherkin:

I've heard good things about Anansi Boys as well, but then again I also heard fantastic things about Graveyard Book, Sandman, and Whatever Happened to the Cape Crusader?, and I didn't like any of them.

Don't feel bad - happens to me with Neil Gaiman's stuff all the time. No offense to anyone who's a fan of his - it's just that his popularity and the accolades that so much of his work has received mystifies me a bit.

Good to know some folks who aren't enamored of Neil Gaiman's books. I love them. I'd say fantastic things about Neverwhere (my favorite) and Ocean at the End of the Lane, too.

>17 AnnieMod: Funny thing is I'm not really a fan of fairy tales, but I still like Fables. I think I'm drawn to the character-driven part and the bits of humor scattered in amongst the drama.

>18 artturnerjr: Yeah, he's definitely a decent writer so I mean no offense, but I personally just can't seem to connect with his works. They just leave me feeling sort of "eh."

>5 DanieXJ: Thanks for drawing my attention to Powers: The Secret History of Deena Pilgrim. I love her tough, smart-ass character in the comics, so I may give this prose novel a try.

2> If you found JH Williams III's Batwoman layout distracting, you may want to avoid Promethea. I love his artwork myself, the wilder the better. I enjoyed The Sandman: Overture as well.

However, I don't care for his writing. I abandoned Batwoman when he started scripting it; there was a story that jumped ahead or back in time every page or two, that I found just too annoying.

I liked The Arab of the Future: 2 read in its English version through Library early reviewers. It was made by Riad Sattouf who spent his childhood in Libya and Syria. Particularly liked his use of achromatic grey to highlight dramatically faces in the characters.

I liked the narrative of a childhood in The Arab of the Future:2 by Riad Sattouf who uses achromatic grey to dramatically highlight the faces of his characters and reminisce on rural Syria during the later part of Hafez el Assad's end of reign.

We've enjoyed the Jessica Jones tv series with Kristen Ritter, so I wanted to try Jessica Jones Alias. I liked the first story a lot, the next two not as much. I've got the second collected volume, so we'll see.

I'm also enjoying the graphic adaptation of The Girl Who Played with Fire, which for me so far is as good as the other two.

I'm reading Kaptara the first 5 issues in a graphic novel. It's hilarious and really kind of out there. I saw it on a list of best fantasy graphic novels of 2016.

>22 edgewood:

Promethea, Book 1 is sitting on my TBR shelf right now. Hoping to get to it next year.

>25 jnwelch:

Jessica Jones Alias

I read that last year and enjoyed it a lot.

I've mostly been reading nonfiction this month, but I threw in Hark! A Vagrant for a variation on the history theme.

Visiting family for the month and the local library has a nice collection of graphic novels, standouts have been Zahra's Paradise about the aftermath of the green revolution in Iran and on a lighter side Infinite Kung Fu which is a nice homage to the Shaw Brothers in a post apocaylptic kung Fu world (with zombies).

I also enjoyed Fray by Joss Whedon (a futuristic Buffy-verse story)and read the first Outcast tpb which was interesting, but dark.

> 5 DanielXJ: I read Hydrology, and liked it =)

So I was continuing right along with Fables: Wolves, but I wasn't super thrilled with that particular one in the series so I took a pause to move on to some other comics.

I read Smile, which was cute even though I wasn't the intended audience of a middle school girl -- but I can recall those days and also, having gotten braces on as an adult, my memories of that experience are much nearer! Definitely got some phantom pain / flashbacks with some of the dental work scenes in the book.

Next up was Sloth, which was a different kind of read with a sort of surreal / magical realism bent to it. It was enjoyable but also a tad confusing. Has anyone else read it? I'd be interested in others' takes on it.

Now I'm working my way through The Crackle on the Frost (no touchstones exist for this one apparently) - a sort of existential crisis story with painting style illustrations. Very evocative writing with abstract art that is fitting to the feelings-heavy "plot."

>30 sweetiegherkin: I read Smile, too, out of curiosity, as Raina Telgemeier is so popular. I wasn't the intended audience either. I'm glad middle school girls are reading her, though.

I'm loving the second Jessica Jones volume. This is a series I'll follow now.

Picked up Ghost World, which I found disappointing. Couldn't really get into because the characters were just so unappealing. I am curious to see how it translates into film though, so I'll be checking out the movie next.

^I never did see the movie, but I had a similar reaction to Ghost World. I liked his Patience a lot more.

>33 jnwelch: hmm, thanks Joe, I'll have to look into that one. I really enjoyed his Mister Wonderful so I was hoping Ghostworld would also be good, but no such luck.

>32 sweetiegherkin:

I want to see Ghost World (film) now, too, but it's more out of being interested in seeing more of Scarlett Johansson after being impressed with her performance in Lost in Translation, which I just saw for the first time about a week ago.

I actually liked the Ghost World graphic novel quite a bit, as well as Clowes' David Boring. I can see how his work wouldn't be to everyone's taste, though.

^Loved Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation, and loved that movie.

The second Jessica Jones was good to the last drop, and I'll be picking up the third.

Now I'm re-reading The New York Four by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly. I really enjoy their collaborations, with Local being my favorite.

>36 jnwelch:

Loved Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation, and loved that movie.

Yeah, I was very pleasantly surprised with that one, as it's basically a romantic comedy, which, uh, is not exactly my go-to genre (quite the opposite, actually). I thought Bill Murray (whose career I've been following since I was a little kid) was pretty great in it, too, and I really like the way the viewer gets to decide what the ending is. A really charming little film. :)

Count me on Lost in Translation. Nice movie, great soundtrack.

By the way, I think the Ghost World movie is better resolved than the comic book. I've liked it better.

For more Scarlett Johansson, I recommend Match point by Woody Allen.

>38 apokoliptian:

Nice movie, great soundtrack.

Oh yeah. That scene where they're all singing karaoke together is probably my favorite in the movie. Nice demonstration of the way music cuts across cultures. Corny, but it works.