Graphic Novel Review: The Sound Of The World By Heart by Giacomo Bevilacqua

The Sound Of The World By Heart by Giacomo Bevilacqua

Release date: April 11th 2017

Publisher: Magnetic Press

Source: Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary

From Goodreads:

An experiment in social isolation turns into a journey of self-discovery as a photojournalist commits to spending sixty days in New York city without talking to a single person. More than just an exercise in observation and self-control, he's hoping to forget a troubled past and mend a broken heart. But the city has a sneaky way of throwing the best laid plans and noble efforts to waste, revealing secrets that lie right in front of him. All he has to do is open his eyes…

A touching, vividly illustrated journey through contemporary modern New York, exploring what it takes to find yourself — and maybe your soul mate — in the middle of a crowded, bustling modern world.

Review

I received an email this morning with available graphic novels and comics from DBD. Two of them caught my eye. Not from the cover, though, because the tiny pictures were barely visible. I found the premise of this one so intriguing that I had to read it. 

Set in the vivid streets of New York, we follow Sam, a guy who has an obsession with numbers and counts every moment in his life. Little do we know, this is all for a reason. He does everything to the beat of a song. One in particular, which is tied to a dear memory. 

Although confusing at times, this is a story of overcoming a heartbreak and learning to love again. 

The reason I mention it's confusing, is because there were moments in which it was not clear who was speaking. The points of view get mixed up and make it unclear. 

Aside from that, I found the writing style extremely compelling. And I wasn't bothered by the random bits of philosophical conversation or questions. I think they were a nice touch, and gave the story some depth.

You're welcome

Another nice touch was the diversity present in the story. I can't really talk about it because it is a spoiler. But it's something you don't get to read about every day.

The artwork was lovely. The shifts in the color palette were amazing and portrayed exactly what Sam was feeling. 

It was overall, a very nice put together love story with enough mystery to keep you hooked.

It's definitely worth the time.

Rating

4 out of 5 stars

See you next time!

I think love and mystery are a perfect combo, what do you think? Let me know!

Book/Graphic Novel Review: Breaking Up Is Hard to Do... But You Could've Done Better by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell

Hey there, better late than never, right? That's all I wanted to say. Enjoy the review.

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do... But You Could've Done Better by Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell

Release date: January 10th 2017

Publisher: Animal Media Group LLC

Pages: 310

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review

Let me start off by saying I've never seen a dedication to someone like the one in this book. It's per-fect. "To that one dude, for being such an inspirational dick." Can I get one of those please?

The idea behind this is genius! It's a great way for people who are in a not-so-good place after a relationship to unite and have a good laugh. 

Some of the stories will make you laugh, others will make you die from cuteness, and some other ones will make you want to punch the awful people in them. But that's the beauty of it, they provoke these emotions because we've all been there at some point. It's nice to know that we're not alone in this world.

And yes, the world is full of terrible, terrible people, but it's also filled with lovely humans who are strong enough to put these experiences in the past and share their stories for a greater good. So thank you to every single brave person who participated, and thank you, Hilary, for sharing your delightful art and creating this.

My only issue with this fantastic compilation is that the format is a bit messy and hard to read, and there are some orthographic mistakes. But I assume it's because I got an uncorrected proof, though. 

Rating

4 out of 5 stars

I just sent my own story to Hilary's site and I invite all of you to do the same!

I'll leave it here so you can have a laugh too:

I met a cute and funny guy on my high-school graduation trip (a tradition in my country) and we hit it off ever since the first night. I should have realized that he was an ass, but I was 17 and it was my first "love". We spent a lot of time together on this trip and we were supposed to "seal the deal" on the last night. I was going through a rough flu so I took a pill. Unluckily for him, the medicine knocked me off and the next thing I knew is it was morning and I had a bunch of texts from him asking if I was going to open the door or not. From that moment on, he started to act like a dick and like I didn't matter. After weeks of me being the only one showing interest in the relationship, I realized it was going nowhere and decided to end it.

The conversation went a little like this:

-Hey, listen, I'm tired of being the only one who shows interest.

-What do you mean?

-I'm always the one who talks to you. It makes me feel like I'm bothering you and I hate that feeling. It's not working.

-Don't worry, it doesn't bother me.

He clearly didn't get the point.

I'm sharing the story because, after 2 and a half years, he talked to me again two nights ago. It didn't take me long to find out that his girlfriend had just dumped him and he was probably looking for someone to sleep with. Honey, you may still be the same dick, but I'm not dumb anymore.

Do you have any awkward break-up story? Let me know!

Graphic Novel Review: Stitched #1 by Mariah McCourt and Aaron Alexovich

Stitched #1 by Mariah McCourt and Aaron Alexovich

Release date: May 2nd 2017

Publisher: Charmz

Pages: 96

Source: Netgalley

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary:                                              

Crimson Volania Mulch has a problem; she just woke up in a crypt and, besides her name, has no idea of who, where, or what she is. Welcome to the Cemetery of Assumptions, a vast landscape of stones, mausoleums, and secrets. Home to monsters and mayhem, it may also hold the answers to her unknown parentage. 

Crimson is a resourceful patchwork girl and determined to find them. Along the way, she meets the mysterious Wisteria, who has a tendency to change and a witch named Parameter whose spells tend to go awry. And two boys, Simon and Quinton, who make her feel something besides lost and confused. She must battle ghosts, zombies, and monsters in order to learn where she came from and who her real "mother" is. But will she do it alone, or will she have help from her new friends and unexpected crushes?

Let's meet the characters!

Crimson Volania Mulch

Brand-new and brimming with curiosity, Crimson is a mystery even to herself. Made up of different girls, she doesn't know who she was, so how can she decide who she should be? Waking up in Assumption Cemetery is only the beginning, but she knows at least four things already: she has great hair, she loves animals, vampire boys are seriously pretty, and she definitely needs to fin her selves. Whoever they were.

Wisteria Smials

A shy werewolf who paints, Wisteria is a loyal friend with a soft, kind heart...but watch out. If you threaten those close to her or waste time bickering, Wisteria's inner wolf will come out. And it is not to be messed with. No one knows where she lives, which is a bit curious, even for Assumption.

Simon

A swamp boy with a bioluminescent personality, Simon likes snacks, swimming, and Crimson. A lot. He lives in Assumption's swampy bayou and has no trouble saying what he thinks. He's determined and a bit overly confident, but he'll always be there for a friend.

Quinton

Assumption's resident vampire boy, he's pretty, he's properly brooding, and he's more than a little stuck up. He's older that even he can remember and doesn't let much touch his undead heart. Until he meets Crimson and has to face a past he's not quite ready to deal with.

Parameter Jones

A "magical technician" with a prickly personality and more power than skills, Parameter is Assumption's only human resident. Well, only living human resident. Parameter is there to learn and practice magic and become the best. Just don't call her a witch.

Crust

half badger, half hedgehog, all cute. Crust is the perfect pet for Crimson and the most adorable undead companion ever made. Was she a gift from Crimson's mom? Does she like cupcakes? All she knows is that she loves Crimson and will follow her anywhere.

Review                                                                                     

This is the most adorable graphic novel I've ever seen! And it was its colorful cover that drew me into reading what it was about. Although middle-grade is not my usual choice, I though this looked like a fresh and cute story. It totally was!

In terms of story, and although I understand this is targeted towards a younger audience, I felt it lacked something. It felt really simple. I don't know why authors underestimate children. They smarter than we think. It's okay to throw in some more mature content, they will understand it. Other than that, I truly enjoyed the story. I liked how this is, in some way, a story of diversity and acceptance. And I'm sure those topics will be further addressed in the next issues. 

The artwork. Oh, dear. It's fantastic. I love the brightness of it all even when we're surrounded by a creepy environment. The characters' colors complement their personalities perfectly. My only complaint is that some pages were a little too packed and may confuse the readers. 

Overall, I found this to be a fantastic, fun and cute story with just enough action. Both adults and children will enjoy this.

Rating                                                                                      

4 out of 5 stars

Rating System

Do you enjoy middle-grade? Would you like to have a half badger/half hedgehog pet? Let me know!

Graphic Novel Review: Lady Mechanika #0 by Joe Benítez

Lady Mechanika #0 by Joe Benítez     

Release day: October 2015
Publisher: Aspen
Pages: 25
Source: free on Amazon
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Summary                                                

The mysteries surrounding private investigator LADY MECHANIKA and her origin begin to unfold as she heads to a rundown city known as Satan's Alley. Located on the lower eastside, it is an area of town under siege by the presence of a murderous creature of unknown origin. While a weapons manufacturer has issued a reward for the unknown slayer, drawing a crowd of bounty hunters looking to cash in, Lady Mechanika's purpose is far more personal - information that could lead to the truth about her creation.

Review                                                                                      

Action-packed and off to a fantastic start

I know what you're thinking, and no, I'm not a fortuneteller: Why are you writing a review of a 25 paged issue? Well, first of all, it's MY blog. Second of all, it's like REALLY good. Third of all, it's available for free on Amazon! Yup, you're welcome. See? I told you I knew what you were thinking. 

I dived into this with high expectations due to it's many great reviews and it didn't disappoint. I'm barely dipping my toes into the world of graphic novels, but man, I'm doing great so far. 

We follow the story of a pirate-esque looking woman with mechanical body parts (I guess she's a cyborg then?) who is trying to figure out her past. We don't get much info out of this short issue; if anything, it raises a lot of questions and makes us crave more. 

Just in case 💕

Story: There's a lot of intrigue that definitely hooks the reader into getting the next issue. I found the story very interesting with just enough characters so as to not be confusing. Even though I understand that this is short for a reason, it did feel a little rushed. 

Artwork: I really really dig this type of dark illustration, and I definitely dig the steampunk theme. Don't you think the color palette goes perfectly with the whole theme? Cause I do. I just love the overall style and how Lady Mechanika manages to be girly yet super badass.

This is what I think happens every time Lady Machanika is in front of a mirror 👆

Overall                                                                                      

I think it's a solid starter point and I'll definitely have to check out the rest of Joe's work.

Rating                                                                                       

4.5 out of 5 stars

Rating System

Have you checked the rest of Lady Mechanika out? Is it as great as issue #0? Let me know in the comments.

Graphic Novel Review: Arclight by Brandon Graham and Marian Churchland

Arclight by 

Brandon Graham and Marian Churchland    

Release Day: March 28th 2017

Publisher: Image Comics

Pages: 128

Source: Issues 1-4 available on Edelweiss + for free.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Summary                                                       

From Goodreads:

A lady of the blood house has had her mind trapped in a strange alien body. Hiding on the outskirts of her kingdom until she learns that an alien monster pretending to be her taken her place. Brandon Graham and Marian Churchland bring you sharp genderqueer knights, blood magic, death gods, astral projection, and a goose. 

Review                                                                                      

I got my hands on this beauty, as I said, from Edelweiss+. I was just scrolling down through the selection of review copies and I saw this graphic novel. I'm not too sure of what caught my eye; If we're being honest, the cover is not that appealing. I guess it was the "fantasy" tag, cause I hadn't even read the premise, that lured me into downloading it. Oh, and the fact that I didn't have to request a copy to check it out also helped (thanks for that, btw). I'm so glad I did. 

This was my first experience with graphic novels. For real. I've always wanted to check them out but never did for some reason. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, MARTINA? I read it sooo quickly, and loved it so much. I can't even begin to describe how thrilled I am to continue reading 'em. I owe it all to Arclight.

Let's dive into it

Story: I found it confusing at times. Had I read the summary from goodreads before jumping into it, maybe I would have understood it a bit more. But where's the fun in that? My ONLY issue with it, was that Lady's story was a bit disorienting... *Spoilers* the back and forth between Lady's mind in the alien's body and the Alien's mind in Lady's body confused me a lot at the beginning and made me think it was a memory of the past. *end of Spoilers* The idea or concept of the story was really good, I really enjoyed it. So, well done Brandon (I can call you Brandon, right?).

Characters: I understand, that you can't do much in 120 pages, but I felt that the characters lacked, well, character. I didn't really feel like any of them had personality, except for maybe Nowak (who was obnoxious but in a good way). In fact, I think the character with the best personality was Goose. Love that little guy, he definitely had a lot to say. 

Artwork: HOLY MOTHER OF JESUS. The art is UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE. Dear, Marian Churchland, I'm your number 1 fan now. Keep the good stuff coming. Thank you.

I'll insert some so you see what I'm screaming about:

The color palette, the "drawn" feel with the thin strokes, just the world design is amazing. 10/10.

Some good stuff:

• Genderqueer. I was pleasantly surprised by this. I think it's great to have characters who don't identify with either gender. This allows them to not be so stereotyped.
• Have I mentioned the artwork yet? Oh I have? Well, it's amazing.
• I laughed so hard with this:

 Final Thoughts                                                                         

I really really enjoyed it and has opened me the world of graphic novels. I definitely recommend it, specially since it's available free of charge (you need to have an Edelweiss+ account). Hope you check it out!

Rating                                                                                       

4 out of 5 stars

Rating System

Have you checked it out yet? What are you waiting for? Tell me your thoughts in the comments!