jackphoenix's reviews
508 reviews

Alien, Vol. 1: Bloodlines by Phillip Kennedy Johnson

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dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Marvel starts strong, finally moving the ALIEN story forward by providing fans an intriguing, gory story that lays the groundwork for more to come.
Batman - One Bad Day (2022-) #1: The Riddler by Tom King

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dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Refreshingly brief with a cinematic feel, it knowingly owes much to works before it but gives us an enjoyably dark Riddler story.
Spider-Girl, Volume 6: Too Many Spiders! by Tom DeFalco

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adventurous hopeful fast-paced

3.0

Boldly leaving Spider-Girl powerless for several issues (or the entirety of this collection), this is an entertaining “Mayday” adventure.
Nightwing, Vol. 2: Get Grayson by Tom Taylor

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adventurous hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

There’s excitement in spades, but it’s the heart and optimism, in both writing and art, in this series that make Nightwing the bright and shining star in the world of Batman.
Prometheus: The Complete Fire and Stone by Paul Tobin, Kelly Sue DeConnick

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adventurous dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

The stories and art are a mixed bag and a bit confounding at times, but overall this is a compelling narrative; even if it does raise more questions than it answers.
The Fright Before Christmas: Surviving Krampus and Other Yuletide Monsters, Witches, and Ghosts by Jeff Belanger

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dark informative reflective fast-paced

3.0

The work could do with some fine-tuning (the summary of A CHRISTMAS CAROL is unnecessary), but this short, breezy read is otherwise a pleasure.
Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

A taut psychological thriller until the book’s finale, it unfortunately fumbles at the finish line, undermining its own intrigue.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, Volume 8 by Bobby Curnow, Kevin Eastman, Chris Mowry, Dustin Weaver, Nick Pitarra, Paul Allor, Ben Bates, Sophie Campbell, Ryan Ferrier, Brahm Revel, John Lees, Tom Waltz

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

A volume with at least three excellent stories, especially the wildly fun Bebop and Rocksteady Break Everything, this series continues to impress.
The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster by John O'Connor

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funny informative mysterious medium-paced

4.0

Read my full review of this book in LIBRARY JOURNAL.
Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween by David J. Skal

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informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Skal’s writing flows effortlessly as he unveils the convoluted history of America’s most frightfully commercialized holiday.