Graphic Novel Review: Athanasia by Daniel Kraus, art by DaNi, colors by Brad Simpson, letters by Jim Campbell

cover art for Athanasia by Daniel Kraus

Athanasia by Daniel Kraus, art by DaNi, colors by Brad Simpson, letters by Jim Campbell

Vault Comics, 2025

ISBN-13: 9781638492818

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition1

Buy: Bookshop.org | Amazon.com

 

 

In Venture City, the Molson family has tended the grounds at Athanasia Cemetery, the burial grounds for fallen superheroes of the Dynamic Guild, for generations. Forrest Molson dropped out of high school a year ago. She maintains her sobriety, works with her father as an assistant groundskeeper, and is expected to take over when he is ready to retire. The problem is that she does not see the hero worship of the Dynamic Guild to be more than that, and questions her father and grandfather’s logic in continuing to work for them. Struggling with relationships, the death of her little sister, and the future in general, Forrest finds herself spiraling.

 

After an argument with her father, she lets herself into the cemetery after hours, using the monogram that allows only the Guild and their employees to enter. A strange green substance emerges from the ground at night. When she accidentally comes into contact with it, she is temporarily granted superpowers.

 

What starts out as Forrest’s quest for justice for the people left out of the Dynamic Guild’s orbit quickly spirals into extreme vigilante horror as she becomes addicted to the supergoo and loses control over herself. The Molson elders need to make some difficult choices if they want to help Forrest and survive the coming fight.

 

The horror emerges subtly and builds in Athanasia. It is more than an addiction story. Forrest sees the victims of what the Dynamic Guild deem as lower importance. She is verbally sexually harassed by middle aged men on the street. She witnesses an elderly woman being swindled by her landlord for more rent money. A purse snatcher runs past her after a victorious haul off the arm of a young woman. Then she walks in on one of her closest friends being sexually assaulted in the high school gym. Something in her breaks further.

 

Between experiencing and seeing everything going on around her, knowing the Guild is ignoring those living on the outskirts, and succumbing to her new addiction, Forrest craves more power, no matter the cost. Pushing the limits of her body and psyche, and the supergoo, is all she can think about. Learning more about the superheroes is intense, both in terms of their rise and what happens when they die.

 

Athanasia is a great book for readers of Kingdom Come, Watchmen, and other series that dig into the dark side of superhero culture. Highly recommended.

 

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on October 20, 2026 by , Reply

Book Review: Tears of the Dragon (Kiranis #4) by Ronald A. Geobey

 

 

cover art for Tears of the Dragon by Ronald A. Geobey

Tears of the Dragon by Ronald A. Geobey

Temple Dark Publishing, 2026

ISBN: 9781068250743

Available: Hardcover, ebook edition

Buy: Bookshop.org | Amazon.com

 

The fourth volume in Ronald A. Geobey’s magnum space opus, Tears of the Dragon continues along the path established by the previous three volumes: multiple plotlines intertwined with many characters, all heading for various unknown outcomes. This is SERIOUSLY complex stuff, on the level with the most multi-faceted material Kim Stanley Robinson or Frank Herbert ever wrote. This saga is likely to have a very devoted following over time, but it’s for certain types of readers. In other words, the mass appeal may be a bit limited, but the fans of the series will love it.

 

I’ll admit I got somewhat left in the space-dust on where all of this is heading, and my comprehension of the plot is pretty limited. However, that did not detract from my enjoyment of the story. Here’s an analogy. I love the films The Departed and Interstellar, yet even after multiple viewings, I still can’t figure out all the plot points of either film. This series is much the same way. I can’t make head or tail of it at times, but it’s still a good read. I like seeing what the characters are doing, the action taking place, and all the twists to the plot. When this series finally reaches its conclusion, I fully expect that I may not even comprehend it, but so what? As the Grateful Dead famously said, “at least I’m enjoyin’ the ride.”

 

For all that, that doesn’t mean that the author has written an impenetrable story. This isn’t Finnegan’s Wake. I’ve always had trouble with stories that involve time travel and multiple dimensions, and this story has a lot of that. There’s also a lot to keep track of, and I forget things. I still enjoyed the story, though, especially the thread with Cassandra Messina as the Empress. I’m still not sure how she was cloned multiple times, with the original model appearing at the same time as a clone, years later, but again, no sense worrying about it. I found the story captivating, all the same. There was a discussion between two characters in the area of page 170 that I would like to see a bit more of in the series, almost a break to help explain part of the plot. More little sections like that would be helpful for readers like me, who struggle with hard sci-fi, and I would like to see a few more of those interspersed within each book.

 

Overall, this series is one that is likely to have individuals with very strong opinions about it, from both supporters and detractors. One thing is certain: the world-building and layering of plot threads is staggering. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it done on this scale before. Regardless of whether you love or hate this series, it’s a monumental achievement that is almost impossible to ignore. Recommended for fans of the series. For new readers who want to give it a shot, make sure to start with the first book: you CANNOT read this series out of order.

 

 

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson

 

Posted on October 18, 2026 by , Reply

Book Review: Out of Body: Stories by Chris Vanjonack

Cover art for Out of Body by Chris Vanojack

Out of Body by Chris Vanjonack

Harper Collins, September 2026

ISBN: 9780063471528

Available: Hardcover, ebook edition, audiobook

Buy:  Bookshop.org | Amazon.com

 

 

The ideas in Out of Body are exceptionally creative and original, but the style is not for everyone.  Readers more into experimental writing will probably love it, but those who prefer a more traditional narrative may be frustrated. I shall try to explain.

 

First of all, all the stories are written in the present tense, and one is written in second person, and for me, that is a big problem.  I know present tense writing is all the rage right now, due to the supposed immediacy of the style, but I just find it annoying, especially when it is done in second person.  I’m not totally against present tense, and some authors, such as Paul Tremblay and Ishmael Soledad, are able to get it to work, but it’s difficult enough to use effectively for full length novels, and even tougher for short stories. Writing present tense removes a lot of the power of narration, and that becomes more glaring in short stories, since the author has to focus mainly on the characters to tell the story.  That’s what kept me from really enjoying these tales: the  need for the voice of the unseen narrator to advance the story idea.

 

I also struggled with some stories’ lack of narrative structure. It seemed like some of the stories just didn’t go anywhere.  The idea was there, but there wasn’t really a beginning, middle and end: things just happened, and then they stopped, with nothing explained or resolved.  The story “What We Look Like Together” is a good example.  Fantastic idea: a stranger inserts himself into a woman’s photo booth photo, and from there on out, he somehow shows up in every photo of her, doing different things.  Very intriguing!  It kept happening, and happening… then the story just ended.  No explanation, nothing resolved or even hinted at.  That was disappointing.  The story “Open Spaces” had a similar feel.  A couple decides to have sex in any national park rumored to be haunted, and starts running into ghosts.  Again, a creative idea, but it just kind of ended with a fizzle.  Not all stories need to have things explained at the end, but a bit more structure would have made these more enjoyable.

 

For all that, I really do think this book will find an audience with those who are likely to be more open to this style of writing.  As noted, the ideas were excellent.  There were ghosts having group meetings to deal with their ghostly state, a kid who can somehow invent the most incredible things, some killer clowns in the woods that seem to be an nationwide hazard…the list goes on.  All original, just not written in a way that I can enjoy reading.  They are some of the best short story ideas I have come across in a while.

 

Bottom line: this will probably be good for readers who enjoy authors who take chances with how they set a tale down, and enjoy present tense writing.  For the people who prefer more traditional, straightforward narratives, this will likely be one to skip.

 

 

Reviewed by Murray Samuelson

Posted on October 18, 2026 by , Reply
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