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Book Review: Calexit #1 by Matteo Pizzolo, art by Amancay Nahuelpan

Calexit #1 by Matteo Pizzolo, art by Amancay Nahuelpan

Black Mask Studios, 2017

ASIN: B07146NKY6

Available: Kindle ebook and comiXology

Calexit #1, a new comic series from indie publishing house Black Mask Studios, presents a frightening world not far off from the current political climate. A fascist, autocratic president takes control of the United States, but loses California, the sixth largest economy on Earth. The largest mass demonstration in history happens only one day after the president takes over, and not surprisingly, the state he lost has the largest turnout of protesters. The next week, LAX and SFO, two of the largest international airports, are blockaded by protesters. California becomes a political battlefield after declaring its status as a sanctuary state, and her citizens refuse to be ruled. Deportations similar to home invasions occur regularly; militiamen are hired to act as guards, and California is angry. Jamil, smuggler to some and courier to others, and Zora, a freedom fighter for the Pacific Coast Sister Cities Resistance, are at the center of this dystopian story.

There is strong political commentary in the first volume of Calexit that left me uneasy, yet hopeful. Pizzolo doesn’t pull any punches with his content, and Nahuelpan’s art adds to the gritty, imposing environment and characters. The President uses language and terminology that is uncomfortably like that of our current president, and has the same perfectly coiffed hair when he makes his fleeting appearances. The man in charge of deportation operations is the spitting image of Steve Bannon. I’m wondering what the next installment will look like in the coming months as our real world political landscape shifts.

This volume includes an editorial essay written by Pizzolo that sheds light on the world of Calexit and interviews with political activist Amanda Weaver, director Lexi Alexander, and professor emeritus and author Bill Ayers. Recommended.

Contains: blood, nudity, violence

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Kirsten, Reply

Book Review: Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughn, art by Cliff Chiang

Paper Girls, Volume 1 (Issues #1-5) by Brian K. Vaughn, art by Cliff Chiang

Image Comics, 2015

ISBN: 9781632156747

Available: Library binding, paperback, Kindle edition and comiXology ebook

Paper Girls begins with a strange dream that Erin, the new papergirl, is having, just before she has to awaken for her route. We discover that that date is November 1, 1988. Halloween is almost over for some costumed teenagers when they see Erin on her own. She becomes their target, until the other papergirls (Mac, Tiffany, and KJ) show up, and take matters into their own hands. The girls partner up, two and two, in order to finish their routes in peace, each pair traveling with walkie-talkies in case the teenagers show up again. It should have been smooth sailing from there, but then the girls chase robbers into an abandoned building and find a strange piece of machinery that instantly transports them to another time. Things are very different in their neighborhood after that. Adults speaking a strange language; aggressive flying reptiles; people disappearing; humanoid teenagers who can only communicate with the papergirls through a translation stone; and meeting a very different Erin after she emerges from the time machine, are just a handful of the strange things that the papergirls encounter in the first volume.

I have to admit that this is my first exposure to Vaughn’s work, as I have not read Saga yet. All I have to go by is my first reading of Vaughn’s storytelling, and I enjoyed it. That said, I have consulted with a few colleagues about Paper Girls as compared to Saga, and, while they enjoyed the story, it didn’t meet up with their expectations. The biggest complaint was that the story was too disjointed and the reader doesn’t get much backstory of the papergirls. I do agree, but I still think this is a good story. One friend also indicated it was a slow burn, but pretty rewarding on the last panel of the book. The first volume ended on a great cliffhanger, too. I’m looking forward to reading Volume 2. A note: as this is set in the 1980s, there is some offensive language specifically regarding the LGBTQ community. Recommended for ages 15 and up.

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on August 23, 2017 by Kirsten, Reply

Book Review: Pretty Deadly

Pretty Deadly, Volume 1: The Shrike by Kelly Sue Deconnick, art by Emma Rios

Image Comics, 2014

ISBN: 9781607069621

Available: Paperback, Kindle & comixology ebook

The story begins with the skeletal Bunny and Butterfly introducing us to an unusual little girl named Sissy the Vulture Girl, and her guardian, old man Fox. Sissy and Fox travel to different towns reciting the “The Song of Deathface Ginny”. which tells the story of The Mason, the love for his wife Beauty, and the tragedy that awaits her due to his carelessness with her. We learn through the tale that Deathface Ginny’s skills as gunslinger and sabre wielder are legendary, and that if she is set free, death awaits those who cross her path. As the book progresses, Sissy discovers there is much more to the story.

The artwork in this volume is absolutely gorgeous. The backgrounds are vast landscapes with the colours changing to illustrate where the action is taking place. The characters are uniquely rendered.

The storytelling is disjointed and there is a lot of information the reader gets in this first volume, but this method of storytelling it fits the material well. If you like Preacher or gritty westerns with supernatural elements, this may be a good title for you to check out. In addition, if you are looking to read or highlight something for the next Women in Horror Month, February 2018, this is definitely a title you need to pick up. Deconnick and Rios are an amazing team of women creators in the comic horror genre. Highly recommended.