Comic Books Books

This next installment in Toshihiro Ono's shonen(boys) Pokemon manga series is called 'Pikachu Shocks Back'. It's aimed more at older kids and teenagers, and the artwork is drawn very well. There are four stories here:
(1)The Human Race and the Pokemon Race: Ash decides to travel along with Brock, and he meets up with Misty(again) and her three beautiful sisters at the Fuschia Festival. After causing a Tauros to get angry, Misty and Ash end up being saved by a girl named Lara, who's arm is broken thanks to an accident she had while riding her Ponyta. Ash decides to help her out by racing in the Free-For-All with her Ponyta. Unfortunately for Ash, a racer that likes to cheat has other plans for the boy with the red cap.
(2)To Evolve or not to Evolve That is the Question: Misty joins up with Ash and Brock as they head to Stone Town, the place where Evolution Stones cmoe from. Misty meets up with a timid boy named Mikey, and finds out he's apart of some underground society that likes to evolve their Pokemon. The problem is, Mikey doesn't want to evolve his Eevee. And that doesn't exactly make his three brothers happy with him. Misty also begins to question whether she has a 'weakness for younger men'.
(3)Pikachu's Excellent Adventure: Pikachu gets seperated from Ash, and tries to find his way back to his trainer. The electric mouse joins up with Squirtle and some other Pokemon on a journey to find a Poke-Paradise that's supposedly guarded by some godess. On their travels, they meet up with a trio of shady fellows that call themselves 'Team Rocket'.
(4)You Gotta Have Friends: Ash begins to wonder if Pikachu is drifting away from him as he stumbles upon a Pikachu colony.

The artwork is way more realistic than the art in the other Pokemon mangas, and I thought it was kinda cool. Even though this series was aimed at teenagers, Viz decided to edit alot of the scenes to make it appropriate for the kiddies, making the women and the girls less 'endowed', and they now wear FAR more clothes than they originally did. This was good and bad at the same time, because they sorta went overboard with the editing; Misty and some of the other girls are like walls now, if you know what I mean! But still, this is a great book if you're a Pokemon fan, or a shonen manga fan. It's got lots of action, funny and likable characters, and some great artwork.

the comic at the very beginning was the cutest and the first story, the human race and the pokemon race. looked amazing althou ponyta looked more stronger and less graceful. the second story, to evolve or not to evolve (i'm sure you all know what this is about) has the best pictures and is soooo cute. Pikachus adventure, is a new story that is wonderful and a nice touch. the the last one you gotta have friends... was touching and confirmed pikachu is a guy!!

You have to try this awesome comic!If you've seen the episodes, and you son't want to read them all over again, donn't worry, it has humor, action, and things that weren't shown in the show.Every comic is extra long and you get 4 for a real low price!You don't even have to like pokémon, and the pictures are creative and wonderful.And I wouldn't put it past Brock to not to say anything funny in the story.This Pokémon Comic Colection is a must-buy!!!

I loved this book. It was great and I would recomend it to all the pokemon fans out there. Even people who are not particularly fond of pokemon can enjoy this book.

This book was great.I really enjoyed it.It has some different pokemon adventures in it, like the one about mikey and his eevee.That one was very funny. I have read this book alot of times and I still do.What it means by "graphic novel" is that it is just like a comic book, so that I could read it at school and the teachers didn't know.Hehehe :).But anyway, if you liked the pokemon T.V. series,(I think this is a lot better ), you should definatly consider this.I'm still going back and reading it!

Another excellent compendium of early Americana and social history as illustrated in the E. C. Segar Thimble Theatre comic pages. Nothing sanitised or homogenised about this. A must for the Popeye enthusiast. A delight on any coffee table or bedside stand.

I am a danish cartoonist/illustrator, and my style is on the funny side.
When I was a kid in the 50's I came to know some of the original Segar strips from some books an aunt of mine had in her shelf. That I never forgot. I have often returned to Popeye, and have exposed my son to him as well. When he was about 5 years old, he was a huge fan of the old black and white animated movies, and I had to paint an anchor on his arms every morning before he went to kindergarden. I gave him a small corn pipe as well, and he went around like Popeye in the movies, with his arms out to the side. And on day his teacher came and said: "I think he has a problem with his eyes, maybe you should take him to a doctor." But I could tell her, that it was just because he was playing Popeye, walking around with his right eye closed.
After my childhood came many frustrating years, where the only Popeye cartoons were the ones Segars successors made, and they were just a faint copy of the masters work. It was a seldom thing to fall over one of Segars original works.
So how can I describe how happy I was when Fantagraphics began this project. I bought the first volume, and could hardly wait for the next. I will follow this project to the very end.
I have noticed that the drawing style has rubbed off on my own style in the later years, and I love the humor.
Segar's original Popeye cartoons are a milestone in comic book history!!!

For someone raised on early 20th century comics, the series this book is volume 2 in is a real treasure. Elzie Chris Segar was a comic genius on a par with Carl Barks, Mort Walker, and Charles Schultz. His original newspaper Popeye comics are some of the greatest created. Stories are original and ludicrously inventive and the humor is top of the line. It's not for everyone, but connoisseurs of really great comics will have to have this.

E. C. Segar was a comic genius, but just how great a genius becomes clear as you read his Popeye stories in this beautifully reproduced new series from Fantagraphics. Popeye himself is one of the most fascinating and complex characters in American fiction, a tender-hearted ruffian who clobbers not just big thugs but also puny bystanders, and yet somehow never seems the least bit like a bully. Popeye was still taking shape in Popeye Vol. 1: "I Yam What I Yam" (Popeye), but he's completely present in the new book, and now it's the turn of supporting characters like Roughhouse and Wimpy--Segar's second-greatest comic creation--to emerge before our eyes. I hope these wonderful books are getting the support they deserve. Their only drawback is that it's a year between volumes.

Volume one featured the world's first introduction to Popeye. In this volume the character of Popeye continues to take shape. As the book progresses Castor Oyl slowly fades from the scene until Popeye and Olive are left standing as the undisputed centerpieces of Elzie Segar's Thimble Theater. Popeye's physical appearance improves significantly bringing him much closer to his traditional look particularly in his chin which looked kind of droopy in the first volume.

You can sense a bit of a moral dilemma on the part of Segar. On the one hand the humor of Popeye revolves around his violent nature and inhuman ability to take and deliver punishment. On the other hand Segar clearly wants to make Popeye a likable even admirable character. His solution seemed to be to always add at least a hint of obnoxiousness to everyone he punches so that one can make an argument that the recipient of Popeye's punishment had it coming to them. Although this means that Popeye's neighborhood (never referred to as Sweethaven as far as I've seen) is packed with men itching for a fight. Every once in awhile Popeye socks someone for no good reason like an American Indian who Popeye assumes might try and scalp him. In this case Olive Oyl acts as the voice of reason telling Popeye it's wrong to abuse American Indians. This also seems to be a way for Segar to let people know that he is aware that some of Popeye's actions are morally dubious. In this volume Popeye becomes an almost Mother Theresa type humanitarian, opening up a one-way bank using a $25,000 the reward he received. He ends up giving out money to the poor until he's left with nothing for himself. This seems to be a continuing theme with him repeatedly using money he earns to help out the poor. Popeye has also become a hero and protector of children and in one comic Popeye tries to help a small boy learn to fight. He does this by punching out random men walking down the street.

Volume 2 features some famous firsts. The first appearances of Wimpy and Roughhouse and the first time Popeye is shown powering up with spinach. It's difficult for me to express how much I loved these comics. Elzie Segar's Popeye is a surprisingly multidimensional character compared to his later incarnations. At one point, after a particularly harsh verbal barrage from Olive, Popeye slaps her to the ground. It's a shocking moment even more so because earlier in the book Popeye had financially assisted a woman who had been battered by her husband. When Olive scolds him for the slap Popeye replies, `I yam what I yam' but in that instant with his head held low he might as well have said, `I can't help what I yam'. Quite a difference from the cardboard hero he became as the years went by. Where else would you find a cartoon character wrestle with his own penchant for violence or later express such honest and heartfelt love for a girl?

Volume one was five star material but volume two is even better. I never would have expected a comic over seventy five years old to be this edgy and legitimately funny. It's also amazing how much Elzie Segar's drawings improve over a very short period of time. There is one strip in particular that had me laughing hard. Popeye has gotten himself involved in a war and, in one of his last appearances; Castor Oyl tells Popeye that King Blozo wants to see him immediately. Suddenly a cannonball flies up and smacks Popeye in the rear sending him sailing like a rag doll through the air, through a pole, through the castle wall landing him at the king's feet. Castor says something like, "It wasn't THAT urgent". The visual of Popeye sailing through the air is absolutely hilarious and the punch line was perfect

If you're reading this review you're likely debating whether you should get this book and if you're debating let me assure you, you should. The only downside is we have to wait until fall 2008 to get the next volume.

Every once in a while, there is a comic book story that haunts and disturbs you. The Punisher MAX Vol. 5 trade paperback is one of the few that you will encounter within the super-hero genre.

Garth Ennis is known for his over-the-top violence and theatrical dialogue while The Punisher is a one-dimensional character that serves to act out our vigilante desires. I was expecting to revel in my guilty pleasure when everything I thought I knew about a Garth Ennis Punisher script was replaced by the tale of an all too real predicament of human wickedness.

The Slavers story arc makes the reader aware of an escalating commerce that is growing within the borders of the Ukraine, Albania and other Eastern European countries that have a newfound clientele within the United States. The practices of which the governments of such countries appear to approve are forced prostitution, rape, and infanticide. An endless supply of young children are utilized as commodities to satisfy the sexual whims and depraved desires of the monsters that walk among us. Ennis brilliantly blends the complex topic of human trafficking and the fantasy world of the Marvel Universe to offer the reader a moment of wishful thinking. This is quite the welcome change of pace from the usual Punisher tale where his enemies are evil comedic versions of the character that breathes his last in a most creative way.

Throughout the years, a list of great artists have pencilled one of the various Punisher titles that were published by Marvel Comics but few have been able to portray the severe world of Frank Castle like Leandro Fernandez. With inker Scott Koblish, Fernandez's realistic style conveys the cruel settings of a fate no child deserves to suffer. The action scenes are larger than life yet still contain that much needed plausibility to convince the reader that what is transpiring is believable.

Where lesser writers would have faltered with a subject of such social significance, Garth Ennis does not walk down the road of morality or ethics. True to the essence of the Punisher, this is a tale of brutality, violence and bloodshed. It may not be the reality that we would hope for those who profit on innocent beings but The Slavers trade paperback gives us an oppurtunity to dream about such a situation, and enjoy it.

Review by Brian Grindrod

The Entire Max series is awsome this is yet another thrilling tale by the Master Garth Ennis.

This is as good a piece of genre fiction that you will ever read. Brilliant, brutal, and haunting. The last page will stay with you for a long time. What they should have used as a the storyline for the upcoming Punisher movie.

The Slavers examines a highly important but often overlooked social problem: forced prostitution.

The catastrophic Tsunami in Indonesia on Dec. 26, 2005 saw a huge inflow of scumbag smugglers seeking out small children as sex slaves. Garth Ennis cites this all too real atrocity in The Slavers to underscore the ruthless predation of women by sex slave gangs.

Gratifyingly, Frank dishes out truly vicous punishment. The interrogation of the sex slavery mastermind recalls Marv's chop job on Kevin in Sin City but in an even gorier way. And Frank delivers a powerful message to other would-be slavers with a real hot videotape at the end.

Tim Bradstreet's cover art is brilliant, as usual. Leandro Fernandez provides gritty realism. His art features well drawn figures and cityscapes with heavy, moody blacks and shadows. A lot of effort and care has gone into making Garth Ennis' script come alive and it shows.

Slavers satisfies because in the real world, the victims of forced prostitution aren't getting justice.

This is the best story arc in the Ennis run on the Punisher thus far. The story starts simply enough, but progresses to a powerful and cathartic crescendo. It deals with disturbing topics (forced prostitution, rape, and infanticide) and does an excellent job of showing the horror while not overwhelming the reader with excessively graphic accounts (both in the text and the art.) This is what the Punisher title should be: Not silly cross-overs with ridiculous and redundant "super-heroes," nor overwhelming villains that are simply caricatures of the Punisher himself, i.e., the Russian or Barracuda, but a dark anti-hero doing what we many of us wish we could to despicable men (and women.) The end of "The Slavers" is breathtaking in its violent justice; it is a dark masterpiece of the medium.

Light, entertaining memoir from the maker of Haiku Tunnel. If you enjoyed the movie you will enjoy this book. I laughed out loud over and over.

This book was absolutely hilarious in every sense. The humor was crude, so fans of this type of writing will be impressed. I was never bored.

If you grew up with poltically active parents of any sort, the first the three monologues in this book will resonate strongly. In that monologue, Kornbluth gives a hilarious explanation of the dynamics of his relationship with his parents. He discusses how his parents influenced childhood goals (to lead the worldwide Communist revolution) and the various odd but amusing habits they -- especially his father -- exhibited.

Kornbluth's writing style is clearly influenced by the standup origins of the work; it reads quickly and yet slightly awkwardly, as a transcibed monologue generally will. But despite the slightly different writing style, you will find yourself laughing out loud more often than not.

What a fun book. I heard "The Mathematics of Change" live and bought this book. My only complaint is that his style would be better live. Has anyone thought of a book on tape? Especially since this is basically a tape on book. Nonetheless, I recomend this book and wait for the audiotape.

An ancectdote about this book-- it was given to me by a friend and I read it on a cross country flight last winter. I laughed out loud so much the man across the aisle finally had to ask what it was. I finished it before we landed and handed it to him. Not only did he take it gladly, he mailed it back to me weeks later with a note saying he'd enjoyed it so much he'd bought copies for everyone on his gift list that year. I've since seen Kornbluth live, as well, and look forward to hearing much, much more from this hilarious, heartfelt, instantly loveable character. I highly recommend the book and the author to every thinking person with a sense of humor.

Remembering Farley is a must for anyone who loves dogs. If you remember a companion from childhood or have every lost a beloved dog, then you must get this book. It is funny, heroic, touching, and tragic. Highly recommended to anyone. Great for adults and kids.

I am 33 years old and have read FBOFW since day one. When Farley joined the family, I was afraid that they wouldn't keep him. But every day he became more a part of the family than the day before. The days that featured Farley were the best. The day they couldn't revive him after he saved April was horrible. I am a grown man with a family of my own and I creid over the loss of this fictional dog. Even looking back now, I get teary eyed. I was so thankful when Lynn put this book out. If you only buy one FBOFW book, make it this one. You will stillbe able to watch the family grow and you will become very fond of this very important part of the Patterson family. Farley was indded a special friend and this book remembers him well.

This was one of those books that you can read over and over. I made the mistake one day of taking this book to work with me to read while I ate my lunch. At some points I was laughing so hard people started to give me strange looks. It also made me cry. You don't have to own a pet to appreciate this book. (But it helps.) I have been following Lynn's strip for the past year and I am gradually buying each and every one of her books.

I highly recommend this book!

This book is a must have for anybody who has ever shared a life with that special dog, and then suffered their loss. Not only will you remember all the little things that you thought you had forgotten,but this collection will allow you to laugh again.

It is also a book that any fan of Lynn Johnston's simply has to have in their collection. Farley was, and still is, such an important part of this family. It is fitting that this collection of strips was assembled as a final tribute to the dog that changed the family forever.

Lynn Johnston and her cartoon For Better or Worse is not really well known in Australia, so it was with a degree of apprehension that I decided to buy this book to see what her cartoons were like.

One of the best book purchases I've made as I soon went on to buy as many of her books as I can. Quite simply she has great drawing skills as unlike many other cartoonists objects she draws such as houses, cars, kitchens, people etc. look realistic.

Unlike other cartoons people and animals also 'age' in her cartoon strips. So you'll see the life of Farley from a young pup to his ultimate demise. Along the way you'll see not only Farley grow and change but also the Patterson family.

Her humour is often subtle so it might be suited to those who get a quiet chuckle out of the ordinary everyday things in life that happen. If you are after something along the lines of Gary Larson then this one might not be for you.

I would highly recommend this as a great selection for anyone wanting to see what Lynn Johnstons cartoons are like or to anyone who has ever loved and lost a loyal freind. You might find that Farley's antics were quite similar in some respects to those of your own dog.

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.

Feeling a little down? Having a hard time laughing? Well, FoxTrot will cure you of that in no time! After all of these years, this comic strip is still able to make me laugh, make me smile and make me forget about my problems, even if it's just for a little bit. "The Return of the Lone Iguana" is a hilarious collection of FoxTrot strips that will have you laughing over and over again. With 128 pages filled with FoxTrot hilarity, this is a collection that will not disappoint.

Everything is fair game in the Fox Family. Jason continues to drive his sister insane with his various toy weapons and pet iguana. Peter is still doing essays at the last minute (literally!) and is driving his parents nuts with his loud music. And of course, Andy has to put up with her husband's stupidity and insanity. Yes, it is an ordinary day for the Fox Family.

In addition to the triumphant return (return?) of the Lone Iguana, you'll also get:

*Paige's mall trip with Peter*

*Jason's new internet*
*Peter's sick day from school*
*Jason's "The Far Side II"*
*Halloween with the Fox Family*
*Paige in a play*
*Thanksgiving: the meal of horrors*

and a whole lot more!

"The Return of the Lone Iguana" is a hilarious FoxTrot collection that does not disappoint for a single second. If you're a fan of the comic strip, then I highly recommend checking it out. If you have never read FoxTrot before... the more reason to check it out!

This is one of the best foxtrot books ever!! If you only want Foxtrot books that are worth raeding, this is one of them!!

This is one of the best Foxtrot books I've ever read! Quincy is my favorite character. Anyway this book mainly revolves around Jason and "The Lone Igunana" in the first few pages of the book, but I won't give anyanymore details. Hope you enjoy reading it, I sure did!

I can't imagine anyone reading this comic and not being inspired. Whenever I feel deflated I know that after a fix of Hothead all will be well in my world. I just pray that Diane Dimassa will shortly put us out of our misery with some further tales of Hothead. Chicken for president!!!

This book is a must for any earth inhabitant who feels like she/he doesn't belong. Hothead welcomes you into her world where "weirdoes" unite for peace and love. Feel the love, baby. Chicken rules!

Hothead is the person I would be if I weren't me! Diane di Massa is so brave and funny and insightful, that after one of those unbearable days, I come home and read about HH, and all that anger is channelled back into creativity. Buy this book!

What can I say that hasn't been said? Bodacious, salacious, outrageous, delicious. You don't have to be a lesbian to love this book either. Straight men should HAVE to read it-- they shouldn't have any more trouble identifying with Hothead than we've had identifying with all those "universal" straight, white, male, ablebodied, middle-class heroes! (Oh, that was sarcasm, btw...)

Hothead Paisan is not your two dimensional superhero, but superheroine she is. She boils all that is wrong with the world down to white guys who oppress everyone else. In a rage that has no equal she takes on the white male establishment with guns, grenades, chainsaws, baseball bats, and any other lethal weapon she can find. Spurred on by enormous doses of caffeine, this urban terrorist roams the city as the body count goes ever higher. Her holy rage is beautifully counterpointed by her cat Chicken, her blind friend Roz, and a deity in a table lamp that calls herself Donna Summer. These three try to bring love and peace to Hothead's tortured soul. The illustrations perfectly portray the highly emotive Hothead and her range of feelings. This second volume contains #s 10-18 of the comix and a 22 page introduction to people who don't have the first volume. But why settle for part when you can have the Complete Hothead Paisan (#s 1-21) published by Cleis Press in 1999?

My five year old loved this book and has read it several times. The pictures are very cool and make the time soldiers more realistic.

"Rex", the first of the Time Soldier series by Robert Gould is a well written and beautifully photographed kid's adventure story in the time of the dinosaurs. Five boys and a girl travel back into a prehistoric age through a time warp portal in their neighborhood forest. "Rex" is written at an appropriate reading level for elementary age children and contains educational facts on dinosaurs and their environment. The younger children can concentrate on the excellent photography if they are not yet up to the reading level, while the older children can learn new vocabulary from reading the text. The fantastic computer generated images of the dinosaurs are very detailed, down to the wrinkles on the hides and gleam in their eyes. The story line emphasizes the friends helping each to survive the difficulties that they encounter. I highly recommend this book for elementary school age children.

I really love Rex 1 and Rex 2. The books are visually stunning and wonderfully written. These books make kids want to read them and I enjoyed reading them, too. The Books are exiting and good-clean fun. I am keeping a set for my daughter and myself and gave copies as gifts to my friend's son and my nephew. I hope we can look forward to a Rex 3! -Aleta

My mother's testimonial is absolutely true. I am an absolute fossil fan - dedicated to anything dinosaur. I have read my share of good dino and adventure books, and I would rate both Rex and Rex 2 as being among the top best for kids (as well as for everyone else). I am fifteen, with a seven year old cousin, and we both absolutely love the series. Unlike most children's tales, it is not "dumbed down" nor dull in any way. It is creatively exiting, fun, and even a little misterious. The artwork is incredible, using superimposed images of real and artistically drawn creatures. The unusual perspectives and beautiful artwork in Rex 2 alone makes this book worthy of any youngster's library. But, above all, the stories are what give the books their unique charm. The harrowing adventures of the boys in delightful situations such as exploring a Cretaceous forest or having to track down a tyrannosaurus rex in an jungle known as a city have enough activities and goings-on that you get wrapped into the action. In addition, you will not see a T.Rex eating frightened victims or destroying buildings for the fun of it; you will see a prehistoric monarch acting like what it really was ... a magnificant and powerful animal of times long gone. I would undeniably rate these stories as the crem-de-la-crem of children's books. -Inga

As a teacher in the east county of San Diego I have just used this book with my class and it was a huge success. The children and the adults in my class were quite taken with the local connection. They enjoyed realizing that the photos were taken close to home and the story kept their interest. It was fun to read and to listen to. I met the authors and they were very informative and I enjoyed talking with them.
Thanks

I was shown this book by a family member just before my grandchildren came to visit from across the country. My grandson is 6 years old and had not yet entered the first grade. All it took was a look at the cover and he was into it.
He studied each of the pages and turned to me with a desperate voice (while holding my face with his hands and making me look into his eyes)"TEACH ME TO READ GRANDMA! I want to know what they are doing"!
Well, I think that says it all. This is a kid that does not sit still for a minute and here he was asking to learn to read!
The concept of photography of real kids, and the fabulous graphic arts, really drew my little guy into the book. I am hoping there are more to come. Books about "Time Soldiers" and grandchildren! tee hee...

If it wasn't for this story, I'd probably still be ingorant of the world graphic novels. I had grown up reading comics, your typical Batman, X-men, etc fan, but never realized the world beyond muscle bound super heros. This is a great and amazing story. The characters pull you into their world and when you're done you wish there'd be more. I love this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good read

Derek Kirk's work is a hallmark of the very best stuff that came from the webcomics era. At first you can be misguided to think it's too focused on the "american-korean blues", but Derek's work goes well beyond that - it sure has an autobiographical tone, but you become quickly involved with the environment.

This book is a unique opportunity to have it in print, and I recommend it as much as the online version.

Derek Kirk Kim is a talented and powerful storyteller. The characters are people you either already know or would like to. His draftmanship is superb, he doesn't cut corners with the art. Every story is daring in its honesty and astute in its observation. I highly recommend this graphic novel.

Derek Kirk Kim is one of the very, very few uproariously talented cartoonists out there who's also a crack-shot writer. I'm a big comics fan, but my tastes err on the side of the artwork. Derek's book won me over for looks hands down. It's normally an added and rare bonus when good writing accompanies the art that makes me buy a book. Derek's book bore such a bonus. Even more rare is the occurrence of top notch art and quality writing coming from the same creator. Derek must have a small star where his brain ought to be. To be as talented as he is to be literally celestial. To produce such grounded, human subject matter that rings true and promises to outlive fad culture is also super(above)normal. The Xeric grant and the coveted Eisner award could not have been given to a more worthy creator. With or without that prestige, Derek's work deserves your attention. BUY HIS BOOK SO HE'LL WRITE MORE.

Derek Kirk Kim is one of the best comic book artists/writers/graphic novelists out there today. He's up there with Alex Robinson, Seth, and that group of select creators who are making quality books for people who are growing tired of some of the stale, stagnant writing in mainstream comics today. As much as I like Frank Miller, Bendis, and the other people working at Marvel and DC, the writing often seems uninspired. Derek Kirk Kim, on the other hand, clearly loves his work and this collection, which you can see on his website as well as buy cool wallets, is fantastic. He captures not just the Korean-American experience, but the mindset of what it's like to be young and finding yourself. He describes life in California so well (and draws it so well) and it's entertaining to watch characters comment on what it's like to grow up and move out of the neighborhood. The dialogue is great and captures that feeling that when you're talking with your friends, someone needs to write it all down because it's so entertaining. Kim already did. And illustrated it. I loved this book and I'm sure you will too.

This book contains many funny moments of brilliance. As I was reading it, I kept going "he he, yeah." I enjoyed it and I think it's the kind of book you can read several times. The thing I like about it is that the humor is kind of dark and biting. We're all so confused and the harder we try the more we screw up. Still the cartoons are unpredictable and keep coming at you from different angles. Some of the cartoons are elaborate and include a number of characters interacting over a span of several pages. Others are incredibly simple -- one hit that just leaves you reeling or smirking. Well worth reading and thinking about.

This cartoon compilation is an entertaining expression of various perspectives on the world to which I happen to agree, at a level deeper than discussed amongst polite company. If you want a one-page commentary on the essence of our existence, just take a look at page 68. Then when the message soaks in, go out and do something that makes you say "yee haw". 'nuff said.

Rationalization and self-delusion help us avoid embarrassing truths about ourselves, enable us to fake ourselves out as we all live through everyday dramas that seem terribly important at the time.

Wheeler goes straight for the jugular, skewering himself and ourselves, as he targets our dark secrets, revealing them to be the human condition rather than as the unmentionable neuroses we imagine them to be. I found myself laughing on every page, laughing at the author and laughing at myself as I realized, "It's not just me, but even better, it's FUNNY!"

Having followed Mr. Wheeler's career since his early collection Children With Glue, I had high hopes for this collection. And I must say it has surpassed all my hopes. I am loving this one. And would say that it is his best yet. Which given how great all collections of his work are - is high praise.

In the two decades that Shannon Wheeler has been publishing comics, he's always been able to put his finger on the pulse of the world surrounding him and his audience. From the snarky Children with Glue to shining a light on the underbelly of the counter culture movement with Too Much Coffee Man to the politically astute work of How To Be Happy, Shannon's evolution as an artist and an American Zeitgeistian prophet continues in Screw Heaven.

Artistically, he's moved towards a simpler, yet more expressive style, while the dialog and character interaction has become significantly more nuanced and well crafted. This volume graces both the coffee table and deserves a spot on the shelves of anyone who is a serious comics collector.