Comics Books

If you enjoy Edward Gorey's work, you'll enjoy this. Both drawings and text have been crafted with exquisite precision and wit.

In this sequel to "The Haunted Tea Cozy," the Bahhum Bug returns to Edmund Gravel and takes him on another journey to ponder over the fates and destinies of others. Upon their return to Gravel's home they calmly await the millennium. After all, will another day make a difference in the lives they just saw?

If you're unacquainted with Gorey, don't start with this - start with Amphigorey. But if you've already got the EG bug, here's another must for the library. This sequel of sorts (in as much as anything can truly be linked to anything else by EG), is a delight that will get you snickering everytime you put marmalade on your aubergine.

The following facts should be made clear immediately. There is not, in spite of the title, a single bust in this book (to say nothing of headlessness). There is not even, I might go so far as to say, much of a plot. But what there is lives in superb Gorey glory. The best way to approach this book is to consider it a sequel to Gorey's "The Haunted Tea-Cosy" (which actually did include a cosy of spectral proportions). Our heroes, Mr. Edmund Gravel and the Bahhumbug have finished saying goodbye to the last of their guests for the evening. Ah, but a creature soon comes to spirit our protagonists, "from place to place, where there is shame, also disgrace". The story uses such delightful and little heard words as "druthers" and "aubergine" while telling the lightly lamentable tales of a host of people. Each situation is privy to a little four line poem in the style of a-b-a-b. The subtitle of this book was "A Melancholy Meditation on the False Millennium" and by the book's end both the Bahhumbug and Mr. Gravel sit, drink their tea, and think about the new Millennium (looks of horror clearly plastered on their faces). This being one of Gorey's later works, we can't criticize it too severely. Mr. Gorey had a style all his own and there is a plot here, buried as it may be. If you're partial to Fellini-esque tales of woe, you will like this book. If not, best that you pick up a copy of something entirely different (like "Betsy-Tacy" or "Goodnight Moon") and leave this book to those who would enjoy it better.

Edward Gorey died in the Hyannisport Hospital on April 18, 2000 from heart failure. On April 23, 2000, Charles Osgood on "Sunday Morning" (CBS) aired a final interview with Gorey and gave a short memorial to him. Gorey final interest featured finials, and his final stuffed creation was the figbash. Gorey's first work was THE UNSTRUNG HARP (1953) and THE HEADLESS BUST (1999) appears to be his terminal one unless he has left some manuscripts for posthumous publication. Let's hope that he did. He's gone, but he is now draped with the robe immortality and on his way to take his place in the Pantheon of Literature next to Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll. A fitting poem for his mausoleum would be one by Walter Hamilton: "I never had a piece of toast, Particularly long and wide, But fell upon the sanded floor, And always on the buttered side."

I have been a faithful FoxTrot reader for years. Roger, Andy and their kids Peter, Paige and Jason are always good for a reality check with a large dose of laughter. I've got two girls and let me tell you, I see a lot of my kids in Paige with, I believe, even a healthy dose of Jason thrown in. And they have Peter's bottomless stomach. Of course, they're faithful FoxTrot readers too. I used to read the strip to them, explain what was going on, but now they get it just fine and we three all laugh together. Then my girls try and explain the strip to their dad, who pretends he doesn't get it.

The FoxTrot folks are a great family, one we sort of got used to checking up on every day, so we took the news that Mr. Amend was going to cease daily distribution of his wonderfully funny people and turn his strip to Sunday only, with a bit of sadness. Still, we have these terrific FoxTrot books to keep us going with our FoxTrot fix. Mr. Amend is to be commended for his great gift to our culture and his great gift to so many lives. I truly believe a laugh a day, helps keep the blues away and the FoxTrot gang are always good for a laugh. Heck there are a lot of laughs in the FoxTrot books. I know, I have them all and I am, along with my girls and my hubby dear, eagerly awaiting the next one.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, we don't have an iguana, but my girls do have a pet gecko and, you guessed it, his name is Quincy.

I've been a Foxtrot reader for a long time and personally I think there is something suspiciously wrong with people who don't find Bill Amend's characters funny as all get out. If you want a good laugh, check out Bill in your local newspaper, or better yet, get one of the Foxtrot books. They are all great, really, they are.

Like many of Mr. Amend's fans I'm a bit disappointed he's switching his strip to Sunday-only, but fortunately I can still read him daily in the Foxtrot books. Get them one and all and you can keep right on a laughing.

Once again the journey into Amend's world is a treat. His ability to sustain characters who are believable while remaining likable is not to be taken lightly. The last cartoonist who did that was Charles Schulz.

One request, Mr. Amend: Please let Jason have a real computer! At least give him a scroll mouse with five buttons - he deserves it!

Here is another fabulous collection of FoxTrot comics, which proves that Bill Amend still has it at being funny and clever. Anytime I see a new one of these books on the shelves of bookstores, I purchase them immediately. I have lost track of the times I have read each of them. "His Code Name was The Fox" is a great collection filled with humor and surprises.

Once again we visit the Fox Family, who always end up getting into unpredictable situations. Jason is still finding new ways to torment his sister, Roger is just as unintelligent as ever (especially when he acts like he is smart), Andy is getting more and more strung out by trying to keep her family sane, and Peter is not gaining any weight, no matter how much he eats. All of them play a very important role in this very funny and entertaining collection.

Some of the stuff you will encounter in the collection:
*Roger's novel
*Basement cleaning
*Peter's return to working at the theatre
*Paige's new personal secretary
*Jason's new video playmate, and much more!

If you love Foxtrot, then you will fall in love with "His Code Name was The Fox." I have read it many, many times already and have not gotten sick of it yet. Bill Amend proves once again that he can keep the laughs coming. Very highly recommended!

This is the 3rd FoxTrot book in the new smaller size. But don't let the smaller size of this book put you off. The strips inside are as large as ever (some even larger) and there are no problems reading it!

This book covers strips from Christmas 2001 through summer 2002 (actual dates not known at the time of this writing). The cover refers to an attempt by Roger to write a spy novel in which he is the star. The strips covering this funny even are all inside as are the usual fun caused by the Fox family and friends. Clean artwork and clean, fun humor abound in this comic strip book. Great for light reading before bed, or any other time!

but with a few twists here and there and much more in the way of detail and character development. Lots of fun, humor and really allows you to understand more about the cultures involved.

The narrative by the precocious (and somewhat obnoxious) high school girl Momoko Ryugasaki begins with a lengthy tutorial on everything that you could possibly want to know (and perhaps a good deal more)about the sixteenth-century Rococo origins of the Lolita style. She doesn't particularly care about what the reader (or anyone else) thinks, but her candor and perspective on life is endearing enough to keep one reading.

She is a refined and fashionable young lady who circumstance has sadly stranded in a rural and distant suburb of Tokyo. But it also leads her to Ichigo Shirayuri, a tough, yanki biker chick who, at first, seems to be Momoko's exact opposite. Through this odd relationship, Takemoto crafts a story with remarkable subtlety and power. In spite of his incredibly detailed knowledge of the Lolita and yanki lifestyles, his real genius is his understanding and portrayal of human nature and relationships. Just as the bond that forms between Momoko and Ichigo grows to transcend their differences, the real meaning of the story deepens to expand beyond the bounds of culture and lifestyle. And from a reader who has little interest in fashion or motor scooters, Kamikaze Girls gets a five-star rating and a place among what I consider the masterpieces of modern Japanese fiction.

awesome book. one of those books u can finish in one sitting cos its just so entertaining! definitely a one of a kind story. i wish there were more books like this one.

okay probably not words you think of when you think of a Japanese novel about a Yanki and a Elegant Gothic Lolita. Probably few if anyone that reads manga would probably even think to pick up the book. Yet I say EVERY girl should read it.
Because, its about the bonds that are the very beginning of any life long friendship. The friendships that actually last and will stand the tests of what ever is thrown at one during life, and what you'll throw back at life to keep that friendship.

Its just a wonderful book, that every girl should read. Even if its about two wildly different Japanese girls and neither is really a 'mainstream underground' in America, everyone LUVS a E.G.L. and who doesn't want to be a big bad Yanki sometimes?

word of warning, there is some cussing. artfully and tastefully done. and yes I apply those types of words to cussing.

I love this book. The art work is OKAY, not the best, but it fits the story well. Momoko is a sweet lolita, not a gothic lolita. There is a BIG difference. Ichigo(AKA Ichiko) is a yanki, who seems a bit clueless at times. There are some pretty big differences between the movie, then novel, and the manga, so try not to get too confused if you own all three! This book also includes 2 bonus stories, "The Pinky Finger Princess", and "The Middle Finger Princess". My favortie of the two is "The Middle Finger Princess", which might not be suitable for younger readers. There's some cursing in this book, but probably not as much as there is in the origional novel, so I reccomend this book for younger readers, as a substitute until they can handle the language.

This book is so cool. Kinda nasty when Kazan kills a whole bunch of people but besides that it was cool. Fawna can make water from her hands...i wish i could do that...

Kazan, I first read it at my friends house, she had books 1-3 on her desk. They are seriously good, and keep you wondering about Kazan and what happened to his friend. Read it, you wont regret it.

Really, really, good. One of the best stories I have read, better then every movie i've seen, every book I've read. You'll love how questions develop in your head like "if kazan is 8, and that happened 10 years ago, what the?", you'll love it even more when your questions get answered. Buy this series now, who cares about the price, this series is priceless.

This series is incredable. The plot is amazing, when you think you have it figured out, it changes!!! You get into the story and can't put it down.
The art work is amazing as well. Very detailed.
The only bummer is it has been flopped,(since it is from Japan) so there are some translation errors in some spots. (I noticed this in volume 1)
If you like action and an awesome plot at the same time these books are for you.

Kazan is a truly beautiful manga. The art in this is some I've never seen, and I'm an avid manga reader. The plot and character devolpment are extreamly good. My friend bought this and me and my other bestfriend all fell in love with the series. It's something different the majority mangas (the shading is very dark is some places). The story is so good, and there isn't enough things I could say about it. I promise you, you'll like this manga if you take the time to read it! It leaves you asking questiongs specially as the story moves along and gets into the later volumes. I hope you really do enjoy "Kazan".

This book is a fabulous collection of Dan Piraro's "Bizarro" Sunday comics. Unlike other cartoonists, Piraro has the incredible ability to portray realistic ideas and situations while still maintaining a "cartoon atmosphere." His ability to create such imaginative cartoons makes him one of the most original and hilariously funny artists out there. These full-color Sunday cartoons will give you an idea of how witty and true-to-life Bizarro can be.

In addition, each cartoon includes a small caption, perhaps explaining the meaning of the joke, or how Piraro came up with the idea for a certain cartoon. These small bits of information even sometimes explain who certain characters represent and their purpose in the cartoon. Also, in the back of the book, there is an in-depth explanation of each of the hidden symbols that Piraro hides in his comics. This is a genuinely funny book and should be read by all comic lovers--Bizarro or not. Such a chance to take a ride inside Dan Piraro's head is one that should not be passed up.

i interviewed dan piraro when this book came out. later i became a fan.

cool book......cool dude.

it makes me go laugh laugh.

it makes me eat more cereal. wear less hairspray.

jack e. jett
the jack e. jett show

I think Dan Piraro is one of the few people who have a handle on what life is all about. His cartoons show an insight into our world that precious few have. This latest of his books exceeds what I expected. The comments on his thinking are an added plus that put him over the top.
I don't know how his next book can be any better, but I'm sure it will be. Why am I sure? because I saw his Bizzaro Bologna Show when it came through town, and he was even funnier than I thought was possible.
I really feel sorry for the people in the towns that don't have him in their daily newspaper!!!

I've been a fan of Mr. Piraro's work for several years, and almost creamed myself when I heard he was coming out with a collection of his greatest Sunday cartoons!! "Life is Strange and So Are You" lived up to my utmost expectations, keeping me in hysterics for hours on end. My husband threatened to call poison control because he thought I must've accidentally eaten hallucinogenic mushrooms on my pizza, I was laughing so hard-but I assured him through my tears of hilarity that it was all Dan Piraro-who's just too freakin' funny!

I love his drawing style, the vibrant colors he uses, the secret symbols he sneaks in the art, and his outlandish sense of humor illustrated in every gag. The personal notes included with each cartoon give new and much-appreciated insight , sharing the author's comments and inspiration on each panel.

BUY THIS BOOK, IT WILL CRACK YOU UP!!

P.S. Thank you, Mr. Piraro, for giving of yourself, and for gracing the world with a heaping dose of laughter--exactly what we need!

Bizarro is by far one of the best cartoons in print today. He is clever, extremely funny and obviously he is a good artist. This book is cleverly done with all the little extra comments on each cartoon. They give a small insite into the mind of this cartoonist. It is truly a Sunday Treasury.

A very good book for even teenagers too read. Well written. Would give too my own children and grandchildren

What an easy way to spread the word about breast csncer...and how a significant other male can offer patient loving support through this kind of crisis. If there is a woman in your life, buy this for both of you, you'll never regret it.

I read an article about this book in Heal magazine, the magazine for cancer survivors. I am a 1 year Non Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor. When I received the book, I couldn't put it down. I read it through in one sitting. This is a great story for everyone-cancer victims, survivors, caregivers and anyone who wants to learn just a little bit more about patient's emotions. You don't have to have breast cancer to read this. It gives people who don't have cancer a greater understanding of what we go through.
I cried after reading this story-not for me, but for all the Lisa's out there and especially for the husband she leaves behind. I found myself worrying about her husband and the wonderful way he took care of her.
What a sensitive, thoughtful and caring story!

Having been with a close friend who as found a lump, opted for double masectomy, been declared 'in remission' only to have it recur, spread and ultimately overtake her, Batiuk really captures the whole experience--the good, the bad, the sad, and the infuriating (even the lab bungle reads as it happened to my friend).

If you've lost anyone to breast cancer, this will cut deeply. But it is worth it. It's a story that is true, and very well told. Keep the tissues nearby.

I have never read a book that could make me laugh and cry all within 2 pages of it. I read "Lisa's story" for the first time in the comic strips and fell in love with Funky Winkerbean. Now every Sunday I look forward to getting the Sunday paper just so I can read it first thing and see where Tom Batiuk is taking the characters next. It's great having the whole collection because now I can see what happens in between the Sunday ones and it actually makes me feel like I'm living the story. I really genuinely feel like I knew Lisa and when I read the line "She's gone" I cried. The imagery that Tom Batiuk used to portray her dying was incredible because it's like saying that we don't know where exactly we go when we die or whose face we're going to see on the other side, but it's comforting in a way and when she said "I love you" as her last words, talk about rip your heart out. I also love Summer and how she reacted to her mommy being sick and then her passing, it definetly reminds you of the innocence of a child. You also feel so bad for Les losing Lisa like that after being by her side and sometimes you forget that it's not just the woman going through it, but it affects the whole family. Bravo to Tom for having him stick by her through the whole ordeal. I highly recommend anyone male or female to buy this story, it's like making a new friend that you can see anytime and grieve with. Also, if you're going through it or know someone who is, it helps you to understand how they are feeling and know that you're not alone. BRAVO TOM BATIUK, you're story of Lisa is very inspiring!!!!!

Maahvelous sparkles with such heart and originality in both text and images that I am breathless. The noise of sameness is silenced in this inspired book by Chambliss and his outside the box interpretation of humanity, adventure, and hope.
LOVED IT!!!!

Scott Chambliss has created a fascinating book! The illustrations are remarkable, the characters very likeable, the message of hope, tolerance and acceptance is thoughtfully , yet gently revealed as the story unfolds. A very special book full of humor, warm feelings and soul. In essence, a wonderfully written and well packaged book!

This book is so fun and so innovative that it's a pleasure to see and own. The artwork clearly shows the creative hand of a Hollywood production designer...and finally a "hero" is not cloaked in darkness, but in all the glamour and exitement of international travel. Just a wonderful book.

This is the perfect book! It's really fun to read, has beautiful artwork and looks great on your coffee table.

This is the best book I've ever written and illustrated!
And it's also the first book I've ever written and illustrated!
So beware!
What may follow may be even better or even worse!
But in any case,
I'm glad you're here!
And YOU'RE MAAHVELOUS!
xoxoxScott

Among the most enjoyable books of my experience. Just the high quality reproduction of the covers would make this a great book. Add to that a fantastic presentation! Amazingly done.
A richly savory festival of imagination, creativity, insight(cultural, sociological, philosophical, etc.) and, of course, delightful humor and splendiferous transcendental artwork. Lots of charming tidbits including photos, extra art reproductions, etc.
Thanks Frank and The Usual Gang for this inundation of funshine and good cheer!

If there are better sight gags than those on the cover of Mad magazine, then I have yet to see them. This book is a collection of the first 400 covers and some of them had me hysterical with laughter. My favorite was the one where Alfred is holding a hard taco shell behind a Mexican dog that is straining mightily. Others were just as funny, although some did require explanation. The producers of the magazine were not above applying a little duplicity when creating the covers.
The only drawback for younger readers will be that knowledge of the current events of the time is a precondition if you are to get the joke. For example, some covers feature political figures, and if you don't know anything about them, the joke is lost. Other covers are spoofs of hit movies of the time, so the explanatory captions are a welcome addition. Having lived through those times, I understood most of them, but there were a few times when I didn't understand the joke until I read the caption.
This book is very funny and you cannot help but be impressed by the quality of the artwork and the zany intelligence that went into the covers of Mad. The producers of Mad constantly lampooned themselves as idiots, but they were without question geniuses.

this book is well designd and gives all the information about the covers over the years, including notes about the spacial covers.
i highly recomand this book to any mad reader.

I loved this book , mostly because Im a mad magazine FAN!!! BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!! GREAT BOOK

The first copy of Mad I saw was issue 29 in September 1956 (still got it too) and I was hooked. How could a magazine be so funny and be so spot-on with its satire? Easy, just employ the `usual gang of idiots' that's how. I kind of grew out of it when I discovered the National Lampoon, how could a magazine be so funny etc, etc. But I have always had a soft spot for Mad and this book of covers is a super addition to my back issues and other Mad books.

All 399 (up to November 2000) covers are in this well designed and printed book Mostly one or two covers to a page sometimes with Frank Jacobs' commentary and with a lot of the latter covers you get to see the preliminary cover roughs. As the years go by you can see how the covers changed from simple visual gags into ones that are much more graphic and busy because they have to work harder on the newsstand. The ideas are still very funny after all these years though. My favorite is issue 35 (October 1957) a wraparound that celebrated the fifth anniversary with a great painting from Norman Mingo showing a few dozen very famous American merchandising characters seated round a dining table, Alfred's at one end grinning. I would love this as a poster.

I think it is worth mentioning for Mad fans the seven CD-ROM `Totally Mad' set, every page from the issue one thru to December 1998, the interface is very user friendly and the discs have a lot of additional aural and visual surprises.

BTW, Robert Silver's photmosaic book cover, made up from the magazines covers, is stunning.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

Being a reader of comics for over 30 years, I've become jaded when I hear of a new book with a female lead. Years of bad stories and idiotic t&a art made me question whether or not to even bother with this. This book breaks the mold. Marc Andreyko writes a mature, human, and smart lead in Kate Spencer. Exceptional art by Javier Pina only adds to the goodness that is this collection. Well worth the money.

This collection contains the first five issues of Marc Andreyko's "Manhunter" series (if it was a Marvel title, it would have acquired the prefix "The Uncancellable" for having escaped the axe twice in its thirty-issue history). There have been six previous DC universe heroes to have used the Manhunter title, all male, but Kate Spencer is rather unlike her predecessors, not least because sehe's female. Kate is an LA prosecutor who has seen one too many villains get off and go on a killing spree, and so she dons various items fromt he district's impound and becomes a vigilante out for blood (but unlike Marvel's Punisher, she is rational and not a psychopath in her use of lethal force; she gives the system time to work before she kills). Kate's willingness to kill villains makes her something of a rarity in the DC universe, and Andreyko plays with that; in this story, she dodges the Justice League of America, fearful that her fellow heroes will arrest her for her actions, and has dreams where Batman (apparently well-known for his sanctimonious behaviour even amongst the DC populous) condemns her. However, she never compromises her beliefs.

Andreyko does not neglect to give Kate a personal life, and a strong supporting cast. First and foremost is Dylan Battles, a former villain's lackey who Kate blackmails into becoming her tech support in the war on crime; Dylan, a rather stereotypical loser nerd, is hilarious. Elsewhere there is her ex-husband, a novelist, and her young son, who she tries to do right by in spite of her busy life. Many writers don't bother giving their characters personal lives anymore, favouring a "we live in our costumes" approach, but Andreyko understands how to mix the personal and the superheroic, and does so excellently. This collection is highly recommended.

Forget Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The real shining star at DC Comics is Manhunter, the coolest heroine since...well, EVER. What I love most about Kate is that she isn't the squeaky clean, self righteous, supermodel in spandex that we see so often in comic books. She makes mistakes that can get her killed. She can be quite ethically challenged. And while she's just as likely as Batman to follow a nasty villain into the sewers, she'd rather shoot him in the face than lock him up in Arkham Asylum.

Normally I don't go for DC Comics, because the characters usually feel so cardboardy. After reading the first few issues, you'll be amazed that DC didn't release this under the Vertigo imprint because it is much edgier than any other superhero book they have on the shelf. Marc Andreyko not only does a great job with Kate, but he's peppered the book with an excellent supporting cast, particularly Dylan Battles, the former henchman-for-hire who manages her weapons and technology. I love a book that puts characters ahead of mindless super-battles!

I've only been following this series for a few months, and I can't wait until the third trade paperback comes out this summer so I can catch up on the issues I haven't read yet.

This is one of the better comic book stories featuring female characters. Why? Because most comic creators know that sex sells, and dress up their femme fatales in accordingly skimpy getups (one of the worst offenders is DC's Power Girl.) In this environment, MANHUNTER stands out as a comic that doesn't rely on the character's chest to drive sales. Instead, the Manhunter character draws us in by being human, and kicking butt without becoming a "girl power!" cliche.

Kate Spencer lives works as a DA in a city without "capes", or superheroes. As Superman patrols metropolis and Batman swings through Gotham, Los Angeles remains dirty, unclean, but still full of "metahumans" (super-villians, basically.) When one of these fiends wriggles out of the legal system, Kate decides enough is enough and dons a costume of her own.

What's remarkable about MANHUNTER is how it balances fight scenes and genuine drama--each chapter contains enough of both to keep the story going. MANHUNTER also gets a thumbs-up for explaining why most of the "real" cities in the DC Universe don't have superheroes protecting them.

Kate Spencer is a California prosecutor who, after losing another case against a killer metahuman, takes it upon herself to beginning meting out her own brand of lethal street justice. Arming and outfitting herself with various paraphenelia from the evidence store rooms (obtained from various villains) she takes on the identity of Manhunter (a popular moniker for DC characters, as someone in the book points out) and begins her vigilante career. That's "Manhunter" on the surface, sounding like an attempt to give the DC Universe its own Punisher-type character, or even like an attempt to amp up the aggressiveness-level of DC's own Green Arrow from his 80s/early 90s modus operandi. But rather than try to just copy the success of Punisher or Green Arrow, or other violent, on-the-edge, vigilante characters, there's some different factors at play here to give the "Manhunter" title its own identity.

There's considerable doubt about Kate's motivations. A hostile, cynical person to begin with, it's quite effective the way that, after her first kill, she's not only surprised by her total lack of remorse and by the strange satisfaction she feels, but the way she goes about things next. We see her going through the justice department (not to be confused with the Justice League) files looking for potential next targets, in an almost leisurely browse. One is left with the feeling that it's possible that she may not be entirely driven by a need for revenge and defending the innocent, but may be starting already to edge toward the path of using revenge and justice as her excuse, with killing itself being the real motivation.

Equally plausible is another scenario: Kate is socially dysfunctional, has a tenuous-at-best rellationship with her young son, an openly warring one with her ex-husband and is not the most personable or friendly towards much of anyone. There's a possibility that her whole career as a prosecutor has been an attempt to - what's the best way to phrase this? - to be a part of a society that she wants to be more integrated with, and to contribute, partly as a substitute for what she feels are lackings in her outward life. In this scenario, we have an outwardly hostile, mean-hearted character who's very different on the inside. And now that she has the mask and the identity, she's going much further than she ever has before. In this scenario, she's driven by noble motivations, but doesn't seem to realize how she's already dangerously close to losing control. She even seems to be developing a strange fixation on her first kill.

Those are two very different takes, but the opening issues of the "Manhunter" series are raising a lot of questions. There's the usual, subjective question of 'are her methods justified?' because it's clear from Issue 1 that Kate's not just setting out to take these characters down and sometimes being left with no choice but to kill - killing is the objective, and apparantly not just against certain extreme cases but as a general modus operandi in her new crimefighting career. We're left wondering just how far she's going to go in this, we're left wondering about her true motivation, we're left wondering if the path she's taken is going to take her a Lot further than she actually wants to go, we're left wondering a lot. And that's good. There are a lot of different ways they can go with this. Another aspect of the whole 'split possibilities' thing is that the new Manhunter finds herself - to her own surprise - dreaming about being accepted into the DCU's hero community, and at the same time increasingly afraid that they're going to be hunting her down because of her very bloody methods.

Kate Spencer isn't as immediately likable as DCU heroines as Zatanna or Wonder Woman, but she is interesting, and starts growing on one before too long. The thing is, whether she emerges as a champion or journeys all the way not just to, but crosses, the line between good and bad, it's going to be a very interesting ride, and leave us with a good addition to the DCU's cast of characters.

This collection reprints Numbers 1 - 5 of the Manhunter series, with No. 5 tying into DC's grand "Identity Crisis" crossover.

I read this book a few years back and decided to buy it again after my ex took it with him. It is a cleverly written plot arising important issues that always seem to be a part of life. I think a five year old can enjoy it as much as an 85 year old.

This book reads as smooth as The Cat in the Hat with its rhymning text, but doesnt play down to an adult who is reading it. I am in my mid-twenties and I idnetified with this book and enjoyed reading it! It has a great message that adults and kids will understand. This is perfect for teenagers who are stuck with books too adult or books under their reading level. I've seen 11yr olds reading this and they have enjoyed it as much as I have. This is the next big thing and we are all lucky to have joined the ride early in its success!!

Dreary and Naughty, by co-creators john lafleur and shawn dubin, is going to find its niche in the book of timeless stories for sure. This is the first book in a series they have planned and they've found their voice and their look for their characters with this first effort.

A perfect gift for readers of any age, this will appeal to your teen readers in their unsure years. if you've already given someone the Gashlycrumb Tinies or The Giving Tree...Dreary and Naughty books are the perfect addition to those classics.

Our family loves these books. It's almost like a picture book series for teenagers. We found the first one in a comic book store in Salem, MA and have been anxiously awaiting the release of others ever since. My 14-year-old can totally relate to the characters and to the moral of the stories. She shared them with her grandmother and we ended up getting them for grandma for her birthday as well. Our daughter loved the February 13th book as well and was so inspired she was going to sew up her own "Mr. Redbones" but then they came out with him in the nick of time for Christmas!

I'm a huge fan of Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas and Jill Thompson's Scary Godmother. Now I can add Dreary & Naughty to that list. Stylish artwork and a thoughtful message make for an entertaining read. Highly recommended!