Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Animation

Not enough Scott Pilgrim articles for one week? Well, here's this: a three minute animated short produced by Adult Swim and animated at Titmouse (the studio behind Metalocalypse) that brings to life the Lisa Miller/Kim Pine back story from the book Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (and later followed up in Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together), which was left out of the recently released film. But, the cast of the film reprises their roles, while Mae Whitman and Jason Schwartzman play different characters.


This supposedly aired last night, but I missed it, so here it is from Adult Swim themselves. I have no idea how long the clip will actually last on their site, so I hope it gets included in the DVD/Blu-ray release of the film or something. Kind of makes you wish there was some sort of Scott Pilgrim animated film... though something a bit better than Flash puppets would be appreciated.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Review

What? A movie review on the day it's released? And I still haven't reviewed Inception despite seeing it last month? Well, it's here! Edgar Wright's adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's six-part comic book series, Scott Pilgrim, is finally here! Does film live up to all the hype and comic fans' expectations? Or is this just another comic franchise that should have been left on the pages?

If you don't know by now (then you obviously don't visit often) the story of Scott Pilgrim follows the titular "hero" who recently starts dating a 17 year old girl, Knives Chau, too get over his previous break up but is soon taken back by a new girl in town that visits him in his dreams, Ramona Flowers. But there's one hitch to dating Ramona, in order to stay with her, Scott must defeat her Seven Evil Exes, or DIE!

Generally the film sticks to the story of the six books (despite the finale book, Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour, not being written prior to filming) however, because it's an adaptation of six comics in one film (and not one movie per book like some other film franchises) there's obviously a lot of edits done to the story. For one, the story doesn't span years like in the books (no birthday for Scott), characters like Lisa Miller or anyone over the age of 30 are completely absent from the film, and some of the Evil Ex battles are altered from their original forms. And what was cool, but only used twice, was for flash-backs, instead of using younger actors to portray the characters, actual scenes from the book were used, with O'Malley's drawings applied to animation which was cool, and some of his art work appears elsewhere in the film as well.

But it's not just seeing O'Malley's drawings on screen that makes this feel like Scott Pilgrim, but all the little visual cues are there as well; like the black dialogue boxes with character commentary, or visual sound effects that are ripped right from the books themselves. Aside from adapting Bryan Lee O'Malley's work and style though, is the other major element of the film, Edgar Wright. Despite the lack of any Brits in the film (though I hoped Pegg and Frost would cameo as the Vegan Police; there's another cameo instead, a surprising one actually...) and the lack of excessive blood, which was a staple to Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World still feels very much like an Edgar Wright film, which is a good thing. Heck, if it wasn't for the need to move on from conversation scenes and into effects heavy action, I'd say this wasn't too far off from Spaced.

The other thing was character portrayal. Going into this, I was really unsure if Michael Cera could actually pull off not being Michael Cera, but having seen the film now I'm actually pretty pleased with his 'performance'. He really gets to step out of his shoes during the numerous fight scenes in the film, but there are parts where he just gets to be himself, which is unfortunate. Kieran Culkin definitely steals the show as Wallace Wells, and I really enjoyed Alison Pill as Kim Pine, but she doesn't get the same focus like she does in the books which gave me the sadface. But it wasn't all great, despite Mary Elizabeth Winstead being quite appealing to the eyes, her performance as Ramona was really under-developed and the character just came across as really dry and unlikeable, which isn't like the comics at all.

As for the rest, most of the Evil Exes were great, especially Chris Evans and Brandon Routh (Captain America vs. Superman OMFG!!!), but I could do without Jason Schwartzman as Gideon. Hell, to be honest, the whole ending with Gideon was pretty weak when compared to the comic's ending, and I wasn't even too big on that when I first read it.

Overall, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is a good film, and it's one of the first films outside of video game adaptations that really speaks to the people that grew up with games, but also gets a few other pop-culture references in there. As a fan of the books however, I have to say that I like them better, because I already have a preconception of what's going to happen and a deeper feeling for the characters that I just didn't get out of the film's two-hours. So having said that, it's hard to say what non-fans will get out of this film, but if you're a gamer, a fan of music [the soundtrack is awesome], or humor, or Edgar Wright, I suggest you give this film a watch. And if you even semi-like what you see, pick up the books and get a better experience afterwards.

Overall Score: 8.8/10

Craving more? Check out my reviews of the Scott Pilgrim books by Oni Press: Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6! [Contains spoilers!]

I will also be reviewing the recently released video game at some point this week as well!

Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour Review

A week or two late, but I'll blame that on Amazon's shipping, non-existent e-mail replies, and my day job... Anyways! It's finally here, the sixth and final issue of Bryan Lee O'Malley's beloved (and somewhat over-hyped, just saying) comic series, Scott Pilgrim. What will become of your favorite characters? Will Scott defeat the last evil ex? WILL I WRITE SPOILERS?! NO! ... continuing...

Story
Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour takes more or less directly after the events of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Universe, with Ramona mysteriously vanished, Scott in his new apartment, and Kim Pine away with her parents; oh, and the last evil ex, Gideon Gordon Graves, constantly stalking Scott both consciously and subconsciously. But despite all this, Scott insists on waiting in his bed/couch, and playing on his PSPgo (gross). Eventually he must learn to man up, confront his demons, and find the girl he loves, and so on.

All in all the story work well and sums up all the characters quite well as there's pretty much a clear explanation as to what everyone ends up doing with their lives, it's not open ended like Lost or anything. However, I will say that the pacing was a bit off. It felt like nothing was really happening in the first few chapters, just meeting up with characters in an uninteresting fashion, and the just suddenly breaking out into all out action come the end. To be honest, the pacing was almost like the first book, and you'd think something like that would be adjusted after six years.

Writing
After re-reading my past reviews, and looking back, sometimes I wonder what the hell I was talking about. In this case, I find that O'Malley's writing really hasn't changed all that much from book to book. Sure there's humor, generally nerdy, hipstery, gamer based humor, and most of the time it's relatable and funny, but on its own the wriing doesn't really shock and awe, and the ending is very predictable.

Having said that however, I still enjoyed reading this book, and being the longest issue of the series, I'll admit there were moments where I wished it just would end; to the point that I'd just re-read pages to prolong the whole experience. I look forward to whatever Bryan Lee O'Malley does next, but I just hope it's once again not more of the same.

Arwtork
However, unlike the writing, O'Malley's artwork has changed significantly since the series started. Generally, most comic artists are working of monthly series so they're constantly developing their style, to the point where you probably don't even notice. With a once a year series like Scott Pilgrim though, the change from year to year is drastic. It wasn't as noticeable in the first three issue, but by this sixth volume, some of the characters look completely different.

And while I fell in love with the original character designs, I've grown to like these newer, over-simplified designs, as well as the more apparent use of half-tones, despite being a bit iffy on the designs when O'Malley revealed the first preview images from the book. Plus, I can actually tell Scott and Young Neil apart now!

Overall
With a movie releasing this week and a game releasing... well, yesterday to be exact, it's clear that Scott Pilgrim has definitely become a mainstream icon that goes beyond the indie comic series that used to be loved by only a few. But, when it's all said and done, this book was made for the people that cared for the series before all that, and I think the story and characters have gotten the send off they deserve. What becomes of the franchise now is anyone's guess, because there's definitely going to be a division of those that fell in love with the books, those that only know it as a film, and even a select few that only know the game. However, at this point, the proof is in the print, and reading Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour is truly the ultimate experience, even if there are some hitches.

Overall Score: 9.3/10

Forgot what happened? Check out my reviews for Scott Pilgrim volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5!

For more on Scott Pilgrim visit: scottpilgrim.com
For more on Bryan Lee O'Malley visit: radiomaru.com

Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour coming July 20th

Yes!! Just after the recent movie poster reveal, we get some solid information on the sixth and final book in the Scott Pilgrim series, now titled Scott Pilgrim's Final Hour:

According to the press release from Oni Press, "Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim Vol. 6: Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour, is published by Oni Press and features 248 pages of evil-ex butt-kicking in the easily digestible digest format for the low, low price of $11.99. Available at your local comic shop or bookstore Tuesday, July 20th, 2010."

Sounds good to me! That's just a month before the movie release too! Let's compare, shall we?

It's actually pretty interesting to see how the design of the series has changed over the course of six years. Especially since there's stuff I found really appealing in the first book that has greatly simplified when compare to O'Malley's recent work. And yet, there's parts to the new stuff I like as well. Anyways, hope that holds you over until July, because I know I'll be getting this day one!

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World teaser poster

Well, FINALLY! Here's the first teaser poster for Edgar Wright's movie version of Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim books:

And here's a similar looking scan from the first book, Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life:

Pretty close, considering. But I'm still unsure about Michael Cera being Scott though. I never really imagined him to be that guy I've seen in 15 other movies being all quiet and but occasionally angry because everyone takes advantage of him being that quiet guy you've seen before.

Regardless, I look forward to the film's August 13th release date, if only because it's an Edgar Wright film, and not just because I'm a fan of the source material.

Apple announces the iPad

Finally ending months (years maybe?) of speculation, Apple finally announced their long rumored tablet computer, now know as the iPad (see, it's like iPod... but with an "a"). And, before I get into detail, I'm glad this wasn't called the iTablet or iSlate, as rumored, because those just sound awful.

(Note: This is the standard version, the pricier, 3G enabled version has a plastic black bar on top akin to the original iPhone)

Important things first, the iPad features a 9.7" multi-touch screen, an accelerometer, speakers, headphone jack, and microphone input. The standard, 16GB wi-fi enabled iPad will launch at $499, with 32GB and 64GB versions priced at $599 and $699 respectively. For those on the go, without a wi-fi signal, Apple will also be releasing a wi-fi/3G enabled version with the 16GB size costing $629, 32GB costing $729, and the 64GB at $829. Meaning that even if you get the highest model, you'll still pay under $1,000. Sure, it's still expensive, but considering what it can do, it's cheaper than Apple's Macbook options.

So, what can it do? Well, from the looks of it, it's just a big iPod touch/iPhone, right? And, to an extent, it is, but there's more to it. Most notably, the larger interface/CPU, which not only allows apps like E-mail, and Safari to run faster and smoother, but also makes them more intuitive thanks to the larger screen and ability to use a nearly full-size touch-screen keyboard.

Other apps, like iPod and the iTunes and App Stores now benefit from an interface that closely resembles their PC/Mac counterparts, instead of dealing with the iPhone/iPod touch's small screen and touch keys. Also adding to the Mac-like feel of the iPad is a new version of iWorks (for Windows users, this is basically Apple's version of Office), which gives the device a purpose for those looking to use this for work, and not just entertainment or relaxation purposes.

Which brings me to the next feature, iBooks and the iBookstore, not to be confused with Apple's old iBook laptops. Much like the iTunes and App Stores, the iBookstore will allow you to purchase digital versions of new and classic books, with full color printing (so yes, even comics could be available, assumingly) and even added features like audio/video can be included as well; which gives it a bit of a step above Amazon's popular Kindle eBook reader.

But what about all of your iPod touch and iPhone apps that you've purchased over the last few years? Great news! Most, if not all, iPhone apps will run on the iPad without issue. And you can even choose between the option to use them at their original iPhone resolution (in a smaller box), or stretch them to run at full-screen. So if you were to hypothetically buy an iPad right now, you'd need not to worry about repurchasing all of your favorite apps.

Lastly, those looking for a much more computer like interface, Apple will also be releasing a propriety keyboard that also doubles as a stand, giving the iPad the look and feel of a mini iMac, but with an awesome touch-screen display. The standard wifi version of the iPad is expected to ship this March, with wifi/3G enabled iPad expected to release some time this April.

For more information, pictures, videos, and far better explanations of the features, be sure to visit Apple.com's new iPad website.

Sherlock Holmes Review

Surprise! It's a movie review I didn't expect to write. Why? Because I honestly had no interest or plan to see Guy Ritchie's latest film, having not been a big fan of his previous works, nor did I have a big interest in the character/story of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic Sherlock Holmes character. But after seeing Sherlock Holmes, has my opinion on Guy Ritchie or Sherlock Holmes changed at all? You'll have to read on to find out...

Story, where to start? I'm pretty sure everyone has a good idea of who Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his assistant, Dr. John Watson (Jude Law), are. Maybe not exact details, but at least some sort of general knowledge as to who Arthur Conan Doyle's characters are. Anyways, the first opens with the famous duo and group of constables confronting the mysterious Lord Blackwood (), who is in the middle of a cult ceremony. But after capturing Blackwood, and hanging him, it seems he's still very much alive. From here, Mr. Holmes uses his creative mind and Mr. Watson uses his general logic to investigate Lord Blackwood's return, even when Sherlock's former love, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) comes back into his life.

I think that's the general, mostly-spoiler free, summary of the film's premise. To be honest, it's been a long day, and I had already watched Burn After Reading earlier in the day, so I was actually dozing in and out of the film. I want to blame that on me being up so long without much sleep, but perhaps a chunk of the film just wasn't all that interesting. Like, I found the opening to be pretty fun and exciting, but once the film passes the hour mark it started to drag, and that's when the on/off sleep started. Come the end I was a bit more interested and entertained, but there were a ton of times where the film should have stopped, but it just kept going. And it's not like I hate long films, like Star Trek I wished was longer because it was a fun and entertaining film, Avatar was nearly three and a half hours, but it was really nice to watch... Sherlock Holmes, did not need to be two hours and fifteen minutes however. Sure, the duo of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law works really well, and their scenes were great, but Rachel McAdams' character, completely useless, and Lord Blackwood looked way too much like Robert Downey Jr. in the Rocky & Bullwinkle film for me to take him seriously.

Aside from the acting, both the good and the bad, my real interest prior to seeing the film was just how Guy Ritchie was going to translate his signature film style of cool guys in suits doing stuff they shouldn't and getting into car chases, into a Victorian-era piece with a character that people are familiar with. So, how'd that go? For the most part, quite well; this is Ritchie's first effects heavy (in comparison to the minimal special effects he's used prior) film, and it blended pretty well with all the live parts, and I think he was able to handle the setting without getting too modern feeling and ruining the period piece that it is. But I also liked that he kept his style despite the change, I may not like his work that much, but I found it amusing that the film's opening of horse and buggies running down the road was shot like his modern day car scenes, and the well-choreographed fight scenes were a nice touch, even if they don't exactly fit the image people of of Sherlock.

And that really summarizes the film, it's a Guy Ritchie film, set in a Victorian-era, utilizing a known character to make the film about. It didn't feel like the Sherlock Holmes I've been familiar with, but that didn't mean Robert Downey Jr. was bad, I was actually impressed with his consistent accent. It's just... I don't know, the acting from Downey Jr. and Jude Law is great, but the directing just isn't all there. It feels like a Guy Ritchie film, but doesn't feel like a Sherlock Holmes film, and quite frankly I think the film lasted too long for it's own good.

Overall Score: 7.5/10

And, sorry if this isn't my standard review quality, but I'm tired as hell right now.

Fantastic Mr. Fox review

And the reviews just don't stop this weekend! Regardless, finally, quite possibly my most anticipated film of this season arrived in theaters this weekend (well, most theaters; it opened hear in New York and in Los Angeles, but won't open elsewhere until Thanksgiving), Fantastic Mr. Fox, the latest film from one of my personal favorite directors, Wes Anderson.

But what sets this film apart from Anderson's five previous films? Well, for one, it's his first stop-motion animated film, and it's his first adaptation, being based off the Roald Dahl book of the same name (which I finally got around to reading a few weeks ago, just for the purpose of analyzing the film...). Another thing different about the film, is that it's Anderson's film with a PG rating, and considering all of his prior films were rated R, that's kind of something worth taking note of, but I'll explain later.

The film, like the book, follows Mr. Fox (George Clooney), a sneaky fox who likes to steal from farmers. What's different here though, is that Anderson has personified Mr. Fox, giving him a personality and motivation, which isn't as clear in the book. Here, having given up stealing, he's a husband to Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep), father to Ash (Jason Schwartzman, and created for the film), and uncle to Kris (Eric Anderson, also created for the film), and is employed as a newspaper writer and wants a better life for his family. But when Mr. Fox finds a new home, across from three dastardly farmers: Boggis, Bunce, and Bean, his old stealing habits kick in, and it may cost him his home, and the respect of his family and friends.

For the most part, the film sticks to the story of the book, albeit a bit indirectly. I'm not going to spoil anything for those that haven't read the book, but those that have read it will probably see how the events of the book are re-imagined with Wes Anderson's unique vision, making the story all his own. In short, it's the story of the book, but just tweaked. I didn't think it detracted from the enjoyment of the film, and if you haven't read the book this won't even be a factor for you, but it just seemed worth noting.

The biggest difference between Fantastic Mr. Fox and Anderson's previous work is obviously the change from live-action to stop-motion animation. I can't speak for everyone, but I know that before I saw the film, I questioned if Wes Anderson's signature filming style could be translated into a stop-motion film starring animal puppets. I can now say, after watching the film, that yes, there's no denying that this is indeed an Anderson film; from the flat shots and use of symmetry, there's no denying whose film your watching when you see this. And it's not even a limitation on the animation, which looks great (especially on the human characters) and flows well. It's unlike any stop-motion film I've seen before.

Even in the writing, the way characters talk and act is just that signature look, and while you may not actually see Anderson regulars like Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson, you will hear them, and think that also helped in retaining the feeling of his films. But, the non-Anderson regulars perform just as well. George Clooney and Meryl Streep have a really nice voice chemistry together, and they just seem so fitting for their characters; it's the type of film you can watch without thinking "oh hey, that's whatshisname!" throughout the whole thing because they just sound so natural. I really enjoyed Willem Dafoe as the oddly-Creol Rat, Michael Gambon as Bean, and Jarvis Cocker (who many may know as the former lead singer of Britpop band, Pulp) who has a small singer role as Petey, who looks like a caricature of himself. And to further the natural sounding voices, it's interesting to know that none of the voice work was actually recorded in a studio, instead Anderson opted to record in outside locations and such, and it really makes everything sound more believable despite seeing animal puppets on-screen.

Now that I've covered Anderson's hurdles of adapting, and moving to stop-motion, it's time to look at the most peculiar hurdle of them all, the PG rating. I'm always amazed when directors like Robert Rodriguez and Stephen Spielberg can go between gruesome rated R films and family friendly PG films so frequently without having any sort of hiccups, so it's interesting to see how Anderson went from five rated R films, to his first PG film, other than the fact that he adapted a children's book, in an animated format. There's a lot of peculiar dialog that you wouldn't expect from a film of this nature, like speaking of death, existentialism, alcoholism, and even the inclusion of characters that smoke (which is actually pretty much unseen in most children's media nowadays). Or for instance the word 'cuss' is used a lot in terms that would otherwise be wildly explicit, such as 'cluster-cuss,' 'are you cussing with me,' and 'what the cuss?' I'm sure you can get the gist of what they're trying to say there, and while I don't care, I'm sure many parents may not like the inclusion in what's targeted as a film for children.

The way I see it, Anderson made this film just like he would any other, but obviously changed the dialog and gave the film some wackiness thanks to the medium, so that it could be accessible to more people than just his usual fans. I think the way a lot of these more mature references are presented is so that adult viewers will get it, and the rest will just fly over kids' heads. When I saw the film, it was a primarily adult crowd, so I can't exactly say how kids will react, but everyone else seemed to be having a great time; I know I was having one.

Overall, I'd have to say, pardon me, but this film was FANTASTIC. It's an interesting case of a director known for sticking to the same style finally coming out of his comfort zone and creating something that feels familiar and yet is unlike anything done before. Fantastic Mr. Fox is certainly a new benchmark for Wes Anderson, having had mixed reviews on his last few films (though I liked them), and is certainly his most accessible film to date. When this releases nationwide next week, do yourself a favor and see this film, fan of Wes Anderson or not.

Overall Score: 9.6/10

Okay, don't give me that look, it may seem a bit biased, being that Wes Anderson is one of my favorite directors, but this is also my site. I will say, despite really liking all of Anderson's films, this film may actually be my new favorite of his. I'm not sure if it's the animation, or the cast, or the great soundtrack, but something about this film is just far more striking than anything else that Anderson has done before. What I really admire is just how well the movie was made despite being his first stop-motion feature (Life Aquatic had some stop-motion, but those segments were done by Henry Selick), while still retaining his signature film style. And despite being an adaptation, Anderson found a way to make it feel like it was all his own, while still being reasonably faithful to Roald Dahl's original book. Fantastic!

Daybreak, Episode Two review

Well, it looks like I went and read the next volume of Brian Ralph's Daybreak, despite having mixed (though positive) feelings after reading the first book. And, because that first book was a Hidden Gem, I think it's OK to just call this one a standard follow-up review.

Also, being that Daybreak started as a web-comic from Bodega Distribution, you can still read an excerpt from this second volume with cab be found at Bodega's blog.

Story
Episode Two, as one would hope after the way the first book ends, continues right after where you left off: alone with your one-armed, helpful companion, and a tag-along dog, trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world with mysterious beings following you.

Unlike the first book, there's not really any new characters introduced, except for one... who basically is only there for one page before the book ends. But like the first book, there isn't any real explanation of what it going on yet, which is kind of annoying. All I'm saying is that a character name isn't really asking for much, let alone some back story.

Writing
As said before with the first volume, the writing isn't really a key part of what attracted me to this series. And quite frankly, it's not even a prominent part of the book, despite the inclusion of its neat first person perspective. The writing will get you through the book, but it isn't really anything that will blow you away.

Artwork
Sticking to the same two-tone, brown on white, six panels per page design of the first book, there really isn't much to say about the artwork in Daybreak Episode Two. But that, unlike the writing, isn't exactly a bad thing, as it works really well for the book and makes it standout from anything else you'll find on the bookshelves at your local comic shop.

Of course, there is some mild upgrades from the previous book, like busier panels (which may or may not be better depending on the reader), more dynamic artwork angles and such; just don't expect it to be night and day from the last one.

Overall
Daybreak, Episode Two definitely has the same feel as the first book, especially when it comes to the writing and great artwork. However it also retains the mysterious/cheap left in the dark feeling of not exactly knowing who it is you are with and not knowing what's going on. And to further the feeling, the peak action part of the entire book, is cut short as the book ends, a.k.a. the book is saying, "Oh, you spent $10 on this book? Well, now you have to pay another $10 for what looks to be some answers." At least the first book's cut-off was in the middle of an engaging scene.

Overall Score: 7.5/10

If you can't find Daybreak at your local comic shop, Amazon.com thankfully carries the first two books, but it doesn't look like they carry the third yet.

For more on Brian Ralph, visit his website, BRalph.com

Hidden Gems: Daybreak, Episode One

What's this? A truly independent comic book review? Yes, while most book's I've reviewed are from actual independent publishers, this time around I've decided to review something that's more in the underground comic realm, and being that it's from 2006, places it in the Hidden Gems category.

Originally published online on Bodega Distribution's blog, Daybreak is Brain Ralph's third published comic book, although I haven't actually read the previous ones, I have browsed his first, Cave-In. And, going by the title of this article, you should know that Daybreak is (currently) a 3-part series, with each book spanning about 50 pages and going for $10 each.

Story
The story of Daybreak, at least within the first book (since I haven't read the follow ups yet) is an interesting one. And by interesting I mean that I don't know exactly, as the book never really explains what is going on.

What I could gather however is that the reader is a character within the world, which has been destroyed by some unknown, beast-like creatures. And essentially, you are guided by an unnamed, one-armed young man who is helping you survive.

Writing
Because of Daybreak's quite different way of treating the reader like a character, I have to say, it is unlike any other book or comic book I've ever read. And for better or worse, the lack of explanation adds a lot more mystery to the series.

But at the same time I see that as a weakness, because by not explaining anything, even by the time you get to the end of the book, it really feels like it's alienating the reader, even when it's actually including you. Regardless, the writing works for the book, and there's a nice touch of humor for the post-apocalyptic world.

Artwork
What caught my attention of Daybreak when I was browsing the underground comics shelf was it's artwork. Brian Ralph's style is very much that modern, minimalistic cartoon look that's been gaining in popularity these days in both comics and animation. Not that I have anything against it, in fact I find that style really appealing.

What's even nicer is the paper the artwork is printed on. You obviously can't really feel it from the computer screen, but it's got this recycled paper feeling that just works so well with the look of the artwork, which is all printed in one tone of brown. It's much different looking than anything else I've ever pulled off a bookshelf, and I think that's something to be appreciated.

Overall
Daybreak is certainly one of the more visually appealing, and visually distinct books I've read recently. And it's really nice to see something published with that minimalist cartoon style, in a finely printed book at that. But at the same time the artwork can't make up for the writing, which isn't bad, but it's just ... in a sense annoying. Why? Because you're not given any explanations for the setting despite being an included character, and by the end of the book you still don't know.

I mean, I understand the point of getting the reader to buy the following book, but when I'm not sure what's even going on, I'm even more unsure if I'd want to spend another $10 to just be left without answers again. But in its defense, you could get a book like Star Trek: Countdown, which has less pages, and unappealing artwork for about $20; in that situation, Daybreak looks a bit better.

Overall Score: 8/10

If you can't find Daybreak at your local comic shop, Amazon.com thankfully carries the first two books, but it doesn't look like they carry the third yet.

For more on Brian Ralph, visit his website, BRalph.com

Hidden Gems: Lost At Sea

Talk about catching up... Bryan Lee O'Malley's first book, Lost At Sea, pre-dates his popular Scott Pilgrim series, having originally been released in 2003 (making it just about as old as VFH!). But despite that fact, I didn't manage to read Lost At Sea until now, which makes it a pretty interesting book after having read the five Scott Pilgrim books.


Story
Lost At Sea follows Raleigh, and 18 year old girl who has been on a road trip with three fellow high school classmates whom she barely even knows. She is a quiet girl, with thoughts she rather keep to herself. Like how she believes she has no soul, and if she does, then it's inside a cat somewhere. What's she doing here?

When you get down to it, Lost At Sea is a purely existential story. You have you mysterious lead character, the character's sense of (lacking actually) purpose, and supporting characters who are just as mysterious because the lead has no clue of who they are. In short, if you've read an existential novel, there is really anything new here. But those, like myself, looking for more Scott Pilgrim-type wackiness, won't find it here.

Writing
Unlike the Scott Pilgrim books that O'Malley would write after this, Lost At Sea is its own self-contained book; though it is in the same manga size that O'Malley continues to work with. With this, it should be noted that Lost At Sea also doesn't have any chapter breaks, so it really ends up being a book that's best left to read in one sitting.

Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of Lost At Sea's writing. Not that it's bad, but the whole 'existential 18 year old girl' isn't exactly as relatable a topic as say, Scott Pilgrim's nerd-centric humor/action/love story. But what I can appreciate is Bryan Lee O'Malley's writing range, because when you read Lost At Sea and Scott Pilgrim, in either order, it's as if two completely different people wrote the books, which is a nice quality I think, as it certainly shows development.

Artwork
This part of the book was the most interesting aspect for me, because particularly, like the writing, it shows a lot of improvement and development when you look back at it. As noted in my reviews of the Scott Pilgrim series, O'Malley's style in those books never leaps in terms of style from one book to the next; for the most part, the artwork is pretty consistent.

But when you look back at Lost At Sea, you really get a feeling for where O'Malley started and where he is now. In terms of style, Lost At Sea clearly looks like O'Malley's work, but at the same time it's not quite at the big-eyed, poppy style that the Scott Pilgrim series is known for, further distinguishing the books, which is a good thing.

Overall
If you couldn't tell by my writing, I'll just tell you now, if it wasn't for enjoying Scott Pilgrim, I probably would have never even though to pick up Lost At Sea. So if it seems like you're seeing "Scott Pilgrim" more than "Lost At Sea," there's a reason for that. But overall, I'm pretty please with Lost At Sea, and I'm glad I read it, because I feel that it's good to know where an artist (whether it be comics/film/music/etc) comes from in terms of development. And I think that alone is what makes Lost At Sea such an interesting book, even if it doesn't live up to O'Malley's most recent work.

Overall Score: 7.8/10

For more on Bryan Lee O'Malley visit: radiomaru.com

Scott Pilgrim - Full Color Odds & Ends 2008 review

Let's face it, I'm a pretty big fan and/or supporter of Scott Pilgrim and its creator, Bryan Lee O'Malley. So imagine my excitement when I saw that Scott Pilgrim - Full Color Odds & Ends 2008 was actually available for purchase on Oni Press' online shop (the book, and Scott Pilgrim shirts for that matter, are rarely in stock).

Although the book is the size of a standard single issue comic-book (instead of the series' usual manga size), and is made up of mostly comics, at heart Odds & Ends is really an art book. The issue, which was released in 2008 collects assorted Scott Pilgrim short stories from 2006-07 which are not in the actual books. These include Free Scott Pilgrim (but now in glorious full color), a four page Wonderful World of Kim Pine color comic, as well as a couple of comic strips (both color and black and white).

The book also includes some sketch and marker pieces from Bryan Lee O'Malley, book advertisements (including this awesome one that spoofs the Super Mario Bros. 3 artwork), and neat, Katamari homage done by Dean Trippe and Jemma Salume which graces the back cover.

Writing
What's to say here? The thing with most of the book, is that it's all already available online, and legally. So, when I got the book, at least when it came to the comics part of it, it was all stuff I had previously read. However, already being a fan of O'Malley's characters and writing, I can tell you that the shorts you find in Odds & Ends are just as enjoyable as what you get in the books... just abridged.

Artwork
The the first I did when I got the book was open up the original, black and white, Free Scott Pilgrim and compared it to Odds & Ends' new full color version, made possible by Dean Trippe. The difference is pretty awesome, as Trippe added a lot of light and shade to characters and it just makes them pop so much more. Also, in the original some backgrounds were just photograph to due time constraints, but with this collection they're all drawn now, which was a nice change.

As for the other new work, being the pencil and marker pin-ups, they're really nice pieces. Because the books are primary two-tone black and white, it's a nice chance to see how O'Malley handles other traditional mediums and the use of color on his characters.

Overall
All in all, Odds & Ends 2008 is certainly a nice collection of Bryan Lee O'Malley's work. However, it's probably hard to convince a casual fan of the series to spend $5 plus shipping on a 32-page book of work they can mostly already find online legally and free. Personally, since I happen to like the series and the artwork a lot, Odds & Ends makes a nice collector's item and I'm glad I bought it. But really, it's a book for the fans, and no one else.

Overall Score: 8/10

You can only buy Scott Pilgrim - Full Color Odds & Ends 2008 from Oni Press' online shop.

Ashley Wood's Art of Metal Gear Solid review

After reading (and watching) Ashley Wood's first Metal Gear Solid comic series, as well as it's sequel series, Sons of Liberty (which I never got around to reviewing... sorry), one could say that Mr. Wood pretty much has the visual style for the Metal Gear series down. Thankfuly, IDW Publishing agreed, and decided to release an artbook of selected imagery from both Metal Gear Solid comic series, as well as Ashley Wood's work from Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, available for the first time in print.

First off, sorry about this one. I've had the book for about the whole summer, but because it was to be VFH's first artbook review I just had no idea how to make a write up for it. I mean, its not like a comic where you can judge the story or anything, it's just images. So, this is a different type of review than you may be used to here...

Pros
There's a lot of nice things about Ashley Wood's Art of Metal Gear Solid; of course, it's both Ashley Wood's art and it's all Metal Gear, so that pretty much makes it awesome to begin with. But in all seriousness, for a paperback book, it's printed quite nicely; I'd of preferred the stellar hardcover treatment that Sons of Liberty got, but this works.

And while the digital and traditionally made art work for the first two series is nice, the main attraction here was definitely being able to view Portable Ops' cut-scenes in still form for the first time. To be honest, after constantly looking at the MPO artwork in this book, I actually think it's some of Wood's best work in the series to date. Here's to hoping he gets hired for a Snake Eater or Guns of the Patriots series...

Cons
While the artwork in the book is beyond phenomenal, and has 120 pages full of my favorite artist drawing my favorite game series, there are parts of the book that really bothered me. The main kicker? Organization. While, more or less, the final third of the book is completely dedicated to showcasing Portable Ops, the beginning of the book is just a mess.

Yes, the artwork is beyond great, and the mix of both digital and traditional images is a nice touch, but the book constantly goes back and forth between Metal Gear Solid and Sons of Liberty artwork, and I'd of much preferred it to be divided. Also, while I understand it's an artbook, and it's basically comic panels and covers minus the words, but I wish there was some sort of description boxes (or maybe vellum sheets to not hide artwork) to say what issues/etc the artwork was from or maybe mediums used. As said, the Portable Ops aspect of the book is great, but everything else is a mysterious jumble.

Overall
Despite the jumbled mess, the artwork is fantastic, there's no denying that. If you're a fan of either Ashley Wood's artwork, or the Metal Gear series, or both, than there's no excuse not to get this. However, if you've yet to experience MGS in comic form, I suggest you find yourself some copies of The Complete Metal Gear Solid and The Complete Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty instead, and then maybe pick this book up. And while the main attraction, at least for myself, was the Portable Ops artwork finally in print, I did notice that there was some missing pieces. And quite frankly, I'd of much rather purchased a dedicated Ashley Wood's Art of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops instead, so that I would actually know what to expect.

Overall Score: 8/10

Awakening, Volume One review

After a couple of years, months, and other assorted delays, Nick Tapalansky and Alex Eckman-Lawn's existential-horror-mystery series, Awakening, finally get its first collected hardcover release. After all of this, has it really been worth the wait?

For those unaware, Awakening initially was published as an individual issue series starting in 2007; with ten planned issues, the first half of which was to be collected. Due to some dilemmas and a restructuring of Archaia Studios Press, only three of these individual issues ever came to be. However, thanks to everything being cleared up, these three issues and the two that followed are finally available for all to read as part of this hardcover collection.

Story
Collecting the first five issues of the series, Awakening, Volume One centers the story around former Park Falls detective, Derrick Peters, who is investigating a chain of recent, mysterious assaults by unknown assailants. However, Derrick's only eye witness at the moment is none other than Cynthia Ford, the "town crazy", leaving Detective Peters in a peculiar situation of disbelief.

Because this hardcover collects five issues of the series, it would be a little unfair of me to explain each part individually (I mean, that's why you're supposed to buy it); especially since each volume continues right after the other. But spoilers aside, what I can telling you is that the story of Awakening is very compelling, especially if you're like me and have a thing for detective stories. However, for those looking for zombies on top of zombies, you may want to look elsewhere as this book is more about human nature than it is about flesh ripping.

Artwork
This part of Awakening truly was the only thing that made me get into the series to begin with, having previously browsed through Alex Eckman-Lawn's artwork for the series, minus the text, via his online gallery. Perhaps it's the accidental blend of both Ashley Wood's and Ben Templesmith's styles, or just how well the artwork sets the tone for the book; but there was just something about the artwork of this book that made me have to own it. And with the hard cover's semi-gloss paper, Eckman-Lawn's artwork looks better than ever.

However, one thing the internet couldn't show me is just how much the artwork of this series changed during its 2007-2008 run. While the artwork is purposely sloppy, what you find in the first volume almost seems other-worldly when you get to the fifth volume. Gone is the heavy black line work, instead you'll find a comic that has found comfort in its unique style; and I'm certainly curious to see how much more the artwork will improve the next time around.

Writing
While for me, the initial appeal of Awakening was Alex Eckman-Lawn's artwork, I was more than pleased to find that Nick Tapalansky's writing was just as good. I think what makes Awakening so appealing, for myself at least, is how it conveys the feeling of a classic detective noir film, in just its writing alone. In fact, most of the text in the book comes from the narration of Derrick Peters, more so than conversation between other characters, which further embraces that existential feeling of the book.

But, much like the artwork of Awakening, the writing of the first book greatly differs by the time you get to issue five. For the better of course, but I certainly noticed more maturity and professionalism to the writing by the end of this first collection, leaving my expectations for the next collection pretty high.

Overall
As a note to those who actually picked up the first three issues of Awakening, here's why you need to buy the hardcover: contains issues four and five, has supplemental artwork from both Alex Eckman-Lawn and other artists, and it just plain looks awesome. But for those like myself who never got the chance to find Awakening in individual issues, or just didn't known about it, this hardcover collection is a must buy.

After years of only being able to browse limited pieces of artwork online, it was a really special feeling to finally hold Awakening in my hands and read it. While I can't guarantee everyone else will get that feeling, I highly suggest that you pick this up regardless. Because of if this first collection is anything to go by, then the next collection can only get better.

Overall Score: 9/10

For more on Awakening, visit Archaia's Official Website

Buy Awakening at Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, or other online retailers and comic book shops!

Awakening finally arrives!

After a year of delay due to the restructuring of Archaia Comics (formerly Archaia Studios Press), a halt to stand-alone issues, then an additional month delay from the original June release date, not to mention some shipping delays... Awakening Volume One has finally arrived in my hands!

As you may recall, that there is the Alex Eckman-Lawn signed print I had mentioned as part of DCBS's pre-order deal, which I not only endorsed but took part in as well. Sadly it was also this print that cause a fifteen day or so delay in shipping.. which I wasn't too fond of.

Regardless, it's here now, and I hope the rest of you out there that pre-ordered this book have also received yours by now. I can't to finally sit down, read this, and admire the artwork... not to mention review it sooner or later. Stay tuned!

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Universe review

After four great books it's finally come to this... oh, no this isn't the last book though. However, as of writing this, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Universe is the latest book to be published, as it originally released back in February of this year (making this the first Scott Pilgrim review that's reasonably on time!).


Story
Like Volume Four, Vs. The Universe takes place after an undisclosed amount of time from the previous book. The story begins with Scott's 24th birthday, and then skips ahead to a party at Julie's new place, where we finally meet "The Twins" (who were hinted about in volume four), a.k.a. the fifth and sixth members of Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends. However, this book isn't really about fighting this time around, as it focuses on Scott and Ramona's deteriorating relationship, and a more than dysfunctional Sex Bob-Omb.

Vs. The Universe's story is definitely a step in a new direction for the series, at least it feels like a departure from the action/comedy/romance that the first four issue were. I made a mention last time that drama had been brought into the series, but this time around the concept become more flesh out and is the focus of the book.

Writing
As said above, this fifth book doesn't feature as much of the action and comedy that made the Scott Pilgrim series so appealing in the first place. Instead, it focuses on a struggling relationship between Scott and Ramona, as well how their turmoil seems to be rubbing off on everyone else; I got into the series because it was fun, not because I wanted to feel bad.

That's not to say I hated it, as despite the new direction, the characters still feel just as real, and real people have many emotions. And yes, despite all the drama, there's still some comedy and action to be had, though it just won't seem as abundant.

Artwork
Yet again, when the same guy [Bryan Lee O'Malley] is making a series, this department doesn't seem to change much. But that's not to say there is zero change, after the course of five books, there's a definite appearance change to many of the characters, whether it from stress, or just a sense of style, characters continue to develop and yet still stay as their simple selves.

Also, maybe I it's just me, but a lot of the artwork doesn't seem to go to the end of the page like it used to, instead most have a centimeter white border around them, and I can't say I liked that. The end of the book this time around has a "making of" process by O'Malley, which I actually found pretty interesting as I personally have dabbled in the process of creating a professional style comic book...

Overall
All in all, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Universe is yet another fine addition to the series, even despite its lack of comedy and action in favor of a more dramatic storyline and writing style. It represents that even as these characters grow, so does the writing, and Vs. The Universe, despite all this, continues to do what the books prior have done: leaving you begging for more. While there's no set release for the sixth and final book, I can at least say I'll be happily (and anxiously) awaiting the day it arrives!

Overall Score: 9/10

Forgot what happened? Check out my reviews for Scott Pilgrim volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4!

For more on Scott Pilgrim visit: scottpilgrim.com
For more on Bryan Lee O'Malley visit: radiomaru.com

Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together review

Scott Pilgrim returns for his fourth book, but unlike the previous three books, Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together doesn't continue right after the events of the previous book, there's a month or so gap. However there's a short story called Free Scott Pilgrim which takes place between volumes three and four; details below. This forth volume, published by Oni Press, was originally released in 2007 (see, I'm catching up).

Note: For Scott Pilgrim completists, Free Scott Pilgrim can be downloaded from OniPress.com [this is a direct link to a .cbr file] or you can browse it page by page via the ScottPilgrim.com Previews section. It's not required reading, just something fun if you crave more of the series. Oh, and yes it's free, legally.

Story
As said above, Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together doesn't continue right after The Infinite Sadness, instead giving the characters a chance to grow a little off page. None the less, the focus of this book is back on Scott Pilgrim himself, which was something the previous book didn't do and I had a few words regarding that. Scott's old friend and former bandmate, Lisa (introduced in the beginning of volume 2, in the opening with 16 year old Scott), is back in town and is trying to catch up with Scott. However, Ramona seems to get the feeling that there's more between them than just being friends and it causes that typical drama.

Overall, the story is a good one, and focus being on Scott again made this book feel a lot more enjoyable than last time, and there's much more character development this time around than ther has been in the three previous books. Not to mention, Gets It Together is the longest book in the series so far, so that makes it more to enjoy.

Writing
While this is volume contains the most drama from the series so far, I have to say it's all been the one that's made me laugh the most, most due to Bryan Lee O'Malley's amusing artwork paired with hilariously subtle one-liners. There's just something about Scott's awkwardness that make him a very appealing character, and one that becomes even more believable as the series goes on.

As usual, there's a lot more gaming references this time around, but no so much as specific references, but more so in terms of gaming in general. Many times through out the book meters will appear over Scott, whether it be hunger, money, and yes, even pee. Not to mention, Scott gains a lot of EXP this time around, and even levels up! (I hope that's not a spoiler...)

Artwork
I was actually pleasantly surprised when I opened up this volume, as it includes the first major change to the series since it's started. I'm talking about color, something notably absent from the manga-inspired series (other than the cover art of course). Sure, the color section only lasts for the first chapter of the book, but it was a welcome addition and I found it interesting to see how O'Malley's traditionally black and white characters translated onto full color pages.

As for the rest of the book, it's back to the Scott Pilgrim you've been used to. I noticed a lot more solid black throughout the book, but that's more so because there's a focus on Scott's dreams and entering subspace; otherwise there's nothing majorly different from what you've been used to. As with the last volume though, there's once again guest art at the end of the book, but nothing I found to be overly appealing. The back cover however features a pixel art scene of the cast outside of Sneaky Dee's and I thought that was pretty cool.

Overall
Despite bringing drama into the series, Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together is definitely my favorite book of the series so far. After the mild disappointment that was The Infinite Sadness, I was very pleased to not only have the story focus on my favorite characters, but also have them develop a lot for the first time since the first book. And while O'Malley's great artwork hasn't changed much this time around, the inclusion of a color chapter was nice to see, and is something I'd like included in the next installments.

Overall Score: 9.4/10

For more on Scott Pilgrim visit: scottpilgrim.com
For more on Bryan Lee O'Malley visit: radiomaru.com

Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness review

Having purchased the series all at once, its only fitting that I've reached the third book of Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim series already; Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness, which continues right after Volume 2, was originally published by Oni Press back in 2006. And typing these dates makes me regret not getting into the series sooner...

Story
Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness continues with the The Clash at Demonhead (another video game reference, look it up) concert from the end of Vs. The World, with Scott still unsettled by the sight of ex-girlfriend and the band's lead singer, Envy Adams, and at the same time is ready to fight with the band's bassit and one of Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends, Todd Ingram.

What makes this book feel different from the previous is definitely the story, as most of the book is focused on the three members of The Clash at Demonhead more so than the familiar Scott Pilgrim cast. Of course the members of the band have strong influences on our regulars, what with Envy being Scott's former love, Ramona and everyone else hating Envy, and Todd having to fight Scott; but none the less, the inclusion of new faces and the focus being on them made this book feel a bit more fresh.

Writing
As with before, the writing of Scott Pilgrim continues to be amusing, relatable, and full of music and game references. The title alone is a reference to the Smashing Pumpkins' 1995 album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness; and Scott even wears one of Billy Corgan's 'ZERO' shirts. As stated before though with the story, this third book is more so about the members of The Clash at Demonhead more so than the characters we've come to know already. Not that it's bad, as it overall feels somewhat fresh, but these characters are just very one sided and don't seem as interesting as everyone else.

There's also a bigger focus on humor this time around, more so absurd and/or spur of the moment sort of stuff. Many a time things will come out of no where, or end abruptly. But there's a lot of interestingly amusing things, like Todd Ingram's psychic abilities, gained by becoming a vegan. Or Ramona being able to whip out a giant hammer (+2 against girls) from her small handbag in what is really the first Ramona-centric scene in these first three books. It's more or less from out of no where, but if the ending of the first thing was anything to go by, I should expect it by now.

Artwork
With a series like this, constantly illustrated by the same person, it's really difficult to constantly re-analyze the style. However, much like the step from the volume one to volume two, the artwork this time around becomes more complex and if there's anything I noticed it was a focus on light and shade, as well as the use of gradient shading something not often seen in black and white publications.

Though I did have one gripe about the artwork this time. I'm not sure if it was due to time constraints or what, but there's a select few scenes that use blurry photographs in place of drawings. It's really only few a few backgrounds, but they really stood out to me, in a bad way, and I think that really retracted from the book's nice style. Also, the end of the book contains some extra guest art, but I can't say I dug any of them over O'Malley's style for these characters.

Overall
Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness is a great continuation of the currently enthralling storyline, but there's just something about it that really didn't click with me like the first two books. It's still good, there's no denying that, but I think that while the introduction to new relationships between new characters is interesting, there seems to be too much going on at once and it makes it a little harder to follow than I would have liked. Like it or not, it's still a good book, and you'll need to read it if you want to get to volume four anyways.

Overall Score: 8.8/10

For more on Scott Pilgrim visit: scottpilgrim.com
For more on Bryan Lee O'Malley visit: radiomaru.com

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World review

Following the success of the first book, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World continues the story of Bryan Lee O'Malley's titular character and his quest to defeat Ramona V. Flowers' evil ex-boyfriends. This second volume of Scott Pilgrim is published by Oni Press and originally released in 2005.


Story
My biggest gripe with the first book was that the back cover description was very misleading in that it said the book was about Scott Pilgrim fighting off Ramona's evil ex-boyfriends, when in fact that entire premise doesn't even appear until the final pages of the book. Thankfully, with this second volume, that actually is the overbearing story this time around, so you no longer feel as mislead as you may have been.

But while the bulk of the book is about Scott's relationship with Ramona, the first (I'll estimate) 6th of the book actually takes in the past, when Scott was just 16; delving into the details of how Scott and Kim Pine met, started their first band, Sonic & Knuckles (yes, the video game references are still in plain sight), and eventually how they became separated. It's nice to get some back story on these character you only know so much about in the first book, and I'm hoping the following volumes do the same.

Writing
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World continues the first book perfectly with Bryan Lee O'Malley's comedic yet surprisingly real writing. Despite awkward situations, and somewhat over the top circumstances, the characters always have a feeling like they're real people with real emotions, and I think that what makes the series so appealing.

As for the comedic side, Vs. The World is certainly more over the top in its presentation and writing. There's a lot more in terms of intentional jokes and references that you're clearly supposed to get. That specifically refers to the gaming humor; i.e. Scott and Kim's first band, Sonic & Knuckles, Scott's association with "items" to Mario power-ups, and not to mention the opening artwork that resembles the start screen to Bonk's Adventure on TurboGrafx 16. It's the type of humor that if you get it, it's really funny, but if you don't it probably doesn't phase you.

Artwork
One of the most appealing parts of the first book for me was Bryan Lee O'Malley's unique, manga-inspired art style. So thankfully, that's still part of what makes this second book so appealing. But, that's not to say it stay's the same, as I personally noticed a lot of improvement.

Where the first book's presentation was arguably simple in terms of its design, Vs. The World kicks the artwork up a notch with more dynamic panels and varied character design (the latter of which the first book lacked). There's more line work, new angles, better use of light and shade and overall it just looks better. But this is probably going to be the more subjective aspect of any of the books, either way, I liked it.

Overall
Overall, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is a definite improvement over Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life, in terms of story, writing and artwork. However, that's not to say it's vastly improved as a lot of the book is just more of the same, just refined. I'm mainly pleased that the series now has it's story set and I'm under the impression that I won't be mislead like I was the first time around. None the less, I can't wait to get into volume three, and I suppose that feeling is all that matters.

Overall Score: 9.2/10

For more on Scott Pilgrim visit: scottpilgrim.com
For more on Bryan Lee O'Malley visit: radiomaru.com

Star Trek: Countdown review

While J.J. Abrams' new Star Trek film has been a hit for fans and non-fans alike, IDW Publishing's official prequel comic collection is aimed at long time Star Trek fans.

Star Trek: Countdown ultimately serves as the background story for the film's main villain, Nero; only known in the film as the captain of a Romulan mining vessel, the Narada, who seeks revenge on Spock after his home planet, Romulus, is destroyed. This trade-paperback collects the four volume series which was released earlier this year (January through April) as a lead up to the film, but can easily be read before or after seeing the film (in my case, after).

Story
As stated above, Star Trek: Countdown serves as Nero's back story, since he is practically the only "new" character introduced to the Star Trek franchise via the new film; and I'm sure everyone is curious as to what would cause a man to literally divide the timeline of the Star Trek universe in half.

What I thought was really cool about this series was the way it connected Nero, and ultimately the entire Star Trek film, with the Star Trek: The Next Generation series and characters. In actuality much of the book is inspired by the TNG two-part episode, "Unification", which had brought Spock into the 24th Century, and it shows. As a fan, it was just neat to see familiar faces in new scenes, but if you're not a Trek fan, chances are you won't even be picking this up in the first place.

Writing
If you left Star Trek wanting more, this is your best bet; and thankfully, the writing makes it feel like it really is an unseen part of the film. As the "Official Movie Prequel" (as stated on the back of the book), Countdown's story was thankfully penned by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, who co-wrote Star Trek alongside Abrams; while the book itself is written by Mike Johnson and Tim Jones. What's also nice is that the inclusion of The Next Generation feels natural, and not just tacked on, as the characters exist in a time not long after Star Trek: Nemesis, so it's nice to see that they tried to make this as canon as possible.

As for the book's focus, Nero, much like the film his story is an understandable one; but there's never a moment that you can really feel for him as his actions are always self-centered. Yes, I understand his entire planet was destroyed, and he did all he could to try and save it. But if you got the vibe that he's just a self-centered jerk from the film, his vibe is no different in the book.

Artwork
This is actually the part of the book I disliked the most, which can't be very good for what is essentially a visual medium. Call it my taste, but I was never wowed or overly impressed with David Messina's artwork for Countdown. It's not bad, his recreations of live action characters is pretty spot-on, but it never surpasses the look of generic comic book art.

Thankfully the great writing in the book makes up for the so-so art, but that may just be my personal preference of having a distinct, well done art style in comic books, and then good writing just ends up being the bonus factor.

Overall
As said, this is really a collection for Star Trek fans. If you left Star Trek wanting to know more about Nero's story, or just missed your Next Generation buddies, this is certainly a book to pick up. But if you only know Star Trek because of the new film, I don't think this book is a necessary inclusion to your reading list.

Overall Score: 7.8/10

For more Star Trek, be sure to read my review of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek.