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Graphic Novel Review: Frickin’ Butt-Kickin’ Zombie Ants, Volume 1, Number 1 by Steve Stern, illustrated by the Fillbach Brothers

Frickin’ Butt-kickin’ Zombie Ants Volume 1, Number 1 by Steve Stern, illustrated by the Fillbach Brothers

First Comics, Inc., 2011

ISBN-13: 9781618550026

Available: Paperback

 

The story begins with a volcano unearthing four perfectly preserved fossilized zombie ants from prehistoric times, who end up washed ashore in the middle of a zombie infestation. However, this isn’t any normal infestation. The zombie population is divided into “good” and “bad”. The latter consume brains, while the former prefers a concoction called “brainus artificialis”, a food source created by fellow zombie, Professor Haversham. The zombie ants meet two…fairly intelligent zombies named Lucinda and Buddy, who introduce the ants to the professor. The trio get the ants situated in their new home, but quickly discover that they must protect their new world from giant decapitating flies, bad zombies, and humans. How will the good zombies and the frickin’ butt-kickin’ zombie ants survive?

This book has so many good elements. It’s fast-paced, humorous, and all-ages friendly. Some of the references might not hit the mark with people unfamiliar with the zombie subgenre. For instance, there are three mines throughout that have the name of major horror figures that were important to the subgenre that readers new to it might not know. It might open the door for them, though. The artwork is great, in simple black and white. I love the design for the zombie ants in particular. I recommend Frickin’ Butt-kickin’ Zombie Ants for anyone looking for some humor in their zombie comics. Recommended.

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on January 3, 2020 by , Reply

Musings: 14 Years of Monster Librarian

Well, Monster Librarian has been in business now for 14 years. My husband Dylan started it up just about three months after our first child was born– he was an ambitious guy, starting a review site with a three-month-old in the house.

We have never been a huge money-maker, and while we are an Amazon affiliate, Amazon has not paid out to us since he died in April of 2014. Since then Monster Librarian has been running on the money that was in our business bank account and contributions from a very few individuals. This year I asked for help with funding for our hosting and mailing fees, and several people came forward to make that happen.

Thank you so much to Colleen Wanglund, Laurel Hightower, Warehouse Cafe, Darryl Brown, Caroline Cooney, and Michele Lee. I hope we will be able to count on the support of our readers and followers this year, as well.

So we are moving onward into another year! It will be interesting to see what that brings. I have a couple of predictions, based on trends I’ve been seeing and recent events: a return to the classics of the genre (and of course, continued critiques); more horror on audio, both as audiobooks and podcasts; and more #ownvoices titles. I also expect to see some debate over defining horror romance, although maybe I’m wrong about that one.

Many thanks to my fantastic reviewers: Lizzy Walker, David Simms, Murray Samuelson, Aaron Fletcher, Benjamin Franz, and Robert D. Yee, and to the hardworking and talented Michele Lee, who not only reviews for Monster Librarian but edits our companion blog on YA horror, Reading Bites.

I’m looking forward to seeing what interesting things come out of the horror genre in 2020, so stick with us and we’ll do that together!

 

 

Posted on January 2, 2020 by , Reply

Book Review: How Quickly She Disappears by Raymond Fleishmann

How Quickly She Disappears by Raymond Fleishmann

Berkeley, 2019

ISBN-13: 978-1984805171

Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition, audiobook

 

This novel has been billed as the cross between The Dry and Silence of the Lambs.  That’s a boast if I ever read  one. Is it accurate? Read on to find out. If nothing else, it’s a fine thriller that has a great comparison line.

Set in 1941 in the wilds of Alaska, the story begins with Elisabeth Pfautz living in a small town with her husband who works as a teacher, and her daughter. Everything seems normal– boring, even– but they’re content with life.

The postal plane arrives on a regular schedule, their only connection the outside world. One day, a different pilot and carrier, Alfred Seibel, lands and asks a small favor: to be put up in the family home as the agreement states as part of an old town rule. Alfred departs the plane and inserts himself into Elizabeth’s life. With Alfred being German, the situation could get ugly, easily, for both sides.

Once he’s settled into the house, Elizabeth is plagued by dreams of her twin sister, Jacqueline, who disappeared twenty years prior, never to be found.

Alfred quickly inserts himself into her family, and the town. Yet one day, he murders a local, a close friend of Elizabeth’s. Once in prison, Alfred tells her he has information about Jacqueline and how he might be able to solve the mystery that has plagued Elizabeth for most of her life. With a poor marriage and no life in the desolate land, she accepts his request to visit him in prison.

He offers her this: for each gift she gives him, he’ll take her one step closer to her sister.

She accepts, and finds that although Alfred begins innocently enough, he quickly steps up his game. As Elizabeth discovers the cost of each gift she gives, he has her hooked with the puzzle he hands her.

Alfred turns out to be a quality villain who is much more than he seems to be, full of flaws that Lecter never revealed. Elizabeth is no Clarice. but she’s not meant to be. Her surroundings, family, and town, all serve as antagonists in her quest to find her sister, or at least the final piece of the puzzle. This literary fiction novel masquerading as a thriller/horror hybrid lulls the reader into a stark place that ultimately delivers in all three genres.

A challenging, yet highly rewarding, read for this new year.

 

Reviewed by David Simms

 

Posted on December 31, 2019 by , Reply
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