Batman, Volume 11: The Fall and the Fallen Review (Tom King, Mikel Janin)

Oh nooooooooooo! Tom King’s Batman continues to nosedive in quality in Volume 11: The Fall and the Fallen - what an unfortunately fitting subtitle!

Project Superpowers, Volume 2: Evolution Review (Rob Williams, Sergio Fernandez Davila)

The Avengers have a cool-sounding but confusing superhero team name (what’re they avenging??); Justice League sounds hella corny but perhaps appropriately so for a team headed up by Superman; Project Superpowers though is by far the (green) lamest, most naff-sounding superhero team evarrrrr! But, credit where credit’s due: I wasn’t bored with this book like I usually expect to be, and almost always am, with the likes of Avengers or Justice League.

H. P. Lovecraft: He Who Wrote in the Darkness Review (Alex Nikolavitch, Gervasio)

I find HP Lovecraft absolutely MADDENING!

I’ve been drawn to his strange stories ever since I discovered them as a teenager even though they’re badly written and horribly boring. But the visions in them and what they represent are so appealing. If you read summaries of his stories you wonder how they could possibly be anything but the most riveting horror fiction you’ll ever come across - and then you read them…

One Piece, Volume 1: Romance Dawn by Eiichiro Oda Review

One Piece is the best-selling manga of all time - and, going by this first book, I have no idea why!

Batman, Volume 10: Knightmares Review (Tom King, Mikel Janin)

I’m honestly disappointed to be saying this because I’ve so enjoyed his Batman run and I’ve come to view it as one of the few dependably good titles out there at the moment but Volume 10: Knightmares is Tom King’s first Bat-stinker. He’s written a coupla average books before, like The War of Jokes and Riddles and the Wedding book, but Knightmares is the first one where I couldn’t have cared less about what I was reading.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy Review

A particularly maudlin boy, a Yoda-like mole who likes cake, a quiet fox, and a wise horse roam a generic countryside setting saying inspirational Instagram platitudes to one another:

Elevation by Stephen King Review

Does anyone else always hear Bono’s stupid hooting voice whenever you read that title? El-eh-vay-shun-ooo-ooo-ooo! Etc. I like U2 but that song was such ass. Moles digging in holes - wtf?!

Into the Fire by Gregg Hurwitz Review

There’s something scary in Max Merriweather’s neighbourhood. Who’s he gonna call? The Nowhere Man (dun nuh nuh nuh nuuuh)! He ain’t afraid of no crooks!

Trees, Volume 3: Three Fates Review (Warren Ellis, Jason Howard)

Warren Ellis and Jason Howard return for their third Trees book, Three Fates. For a series that’s always been focused on the global picture with multiple storylines happening concurrently across the planet, Three Fates instead takes place in just one location: the small Russian town of Toska, which is an interesting and unexpected new direction.

The Witcher, Volume 1: House of Glass Review (Paul Tobin, Joe Querio)

Geralt of Rivia is The Witcher, a magical warrior who wanders the generic fantasy realm of Whatever. Here he teams up with a hunter who’s haunted by his wife who’s a vampire. They get lost in the woods and decide to hole up in a house made of glass. They doss about until they don’t. What do people like about The Witcher? No idea!

Komi Can't Communicate, Volume 2 by Tomohito Oda Review

In the second volume of Cute Socially Awkward Girl Who Is Too Scared To Speak But Is Bizarrely Worshipped By Everyone At Her School, Tomohito Oda leans hard on the Mulder and Scully-type relationship of Komi and Tadano. Tadano and Najimi visit Komi’s house (the first time she’s brought friends round!), we meet more kooky fellow classmates, the group goes out for ramen, and they head off on a shopping trip to find Komi a new outfit.

Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann Review

So I’m late to the party on this one because Simon Hanselmann’s Megg and Mogg books went from a great first book in Megahex to meh in the next two - Megg and Mogg in Amsterdam and One More Year - and I thought this was the holding pattern here on out. Well, I’m sorry for doubting Simon Hanselmann because he instead came through with the best book he’s done yet in the magnificent fourth book in the series, Bad Gateway!

Gwendy's Button Box Review (Stephen King, Richard Chizmar)

1974, Castle Rock, Maine (it’s a Stephen King story so of course it’s set in Maine!), and 12 year old Gwendy Peterson meets a mysterious man in a black hat at the top of the ominously-named Suicide Stairs who has a present for her: a button box. Each button represents a continent with the black button representing… something unknown but terrifying… and the red button representing your heart’s desire. Press them - if you dare - and see what happens. The box also dispenses magic chocolate and extremely valuable, mint condition 1891 Morgan silver dollars. What does it all mean - and why Gwendy?

4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster Review

That’s enough - I can’t read this shit anymore! When a book starts to feel like a weight around the neck, like it’s work, when you look at the number of pages left and groan - yeah, that’s the time to walk away from it. So I’m calling it at page 480 out of 870 or so - no more. No more 4321, no more Paul Auster in fact. I used to be a huge fan but not anymore. 4321 has convinced me that former me was plain wrong about him or he used to be good and he’s just deteriorated shockingly in his old age.