I didn’t believe that I’d be reading a comic book about the Flintstones and somewhat enjoying it! But H★★1/2
Yeah, I know. I didn’t believe it either.
I didn’t believe that I’d be reading a comic book about the Flintstones and somewhat enjoying it! But Hanna-Barbera had always used The Flintstones to comment on modern society and here, Mark Russell does the same, and does it well. He takes the idea of the “modern Stone-Age family” and takes it up a notch, reflecting on our millennial society, everything from organized religion, marriage, sexuality, politics, and modern science. It’s fun to see all the allegory.
But I was really disappointed by the book’s structure. Not only is it frustratingly episodic issue to issue, but sometimes even scene-to-scene! Not only does that give the effect of not really being able to connect with the characters, their issues, or a full story arc, but it also makes each sequence kind of jarring, jumping from vignette to vignette. This was a big issue for me and I wish that the creators were able to present this commentary with more of a through-line, within an actual cohesive story with potent character work. ...more
I’ve never once thought to myself, “Self, one thing you’re missing from your life is an erotic fiction novel from Jeff Strand.” That thought has neverI’ve never once thought to myself, “Self, one thing you’re missing from your life is an erotic fiction novel from Jeff Strand.” That thought has never crossed my mind.
But I can say now, with full confidence, that yes, I did very much need to read erotica by Jeff Strand.
"Did you bring condoms?" "Uh, no. Not to a planned murder. That's a whole different level of deviance."
At this point, Strand is a genre unto himself, but there’s no denying that this book is erotic fiction through-and-through (with all of its hot and heavy doses of sex), just with a bit of a twist.
A jealous husband named Ralph decides to approach a hot stud named Kent at a diner and hire him to have bad sex with his wife Julie so she can be dissuaded from cheating. Kent has the hots for Julie and Julie really wants to get laid, so obviously things don’t go as planned. No one has ever said anything about these characters being smart.
Ralph could handle his wife shouting the wrong name during sex, but not the wrong two names.
What follows is quite possibly one of the funniest books I’ve read, causing numerous moments of out-loud laughter as I marveled at the terrible decisions the characters made and the hilarious dialogue exchanges that Strand conjured up. One of the things that makes Strand’s work so irresistible and fun to read is the feeling that he’s having the time of his life writing this filth....more
Two life-long friends hide out in a tiny survival bunker after the world gets taken over by mutant zombies. There's blood, madness, and lots of guts aTwo life-long friends hide out in a tiny survival bunker after the world gets taken over by mutant zombies. There's blood, madness, and lots of guts and body parts. But there's also casual sex, cans of beans, and it's also funny as hell. Not only must our heroes struggle with now being friends with benefits, but also with how the hell to survive this.
This is a story that could only come from the mind of Jeff Strand and is suitably entertaining. But it doesn't balance the tone as well as his more successful books and leans a little too much on the jokey side of things, where it lost some of its urgency. But it's still a laugh-out-loud read that will be a good way to spend an afternoon!...more
In Jeff Strand's novels, especially the Wolf Hunt series, I've learned to expect it all. Anything can happen. So when Lou is brought back to life by sIn Jeff Strand's novels, especially the Wolf Hunt series, I've learned to expect it all. Anything can happen. So when Lou is brought back to life by some evil alchemy, I didn't bat an eye, I just rejoiced in the fact that I could have more George and Lou banter for another 200 pages. And like Ripley in the Alien movies, wherever George and Lou go, the werewolves follow. The adventure this time brings together all of the supporting characters from the previous books planning an assassination in an effort to prevent a human/werewolf war.
If you're familiar with Strand's books, you know what the deal is. If you're new, get ready for some intense lycanthrope action, hillbilly psychos, deformed killer babies, and seriously demented humor....more
This won't be forever changing lives through it's poetic and artistic examinations of character and theme, but it will prove to be a gripping, q★★★1/2
This won't be forever changing lives through it's poetic and artistic examinations of character and theme, but it will prove to be a gripping, quick, bloody read one night before bed!
I always say this, but Jeff Strand is like his own genre and his books have a feeling of their own. This story is FAR from being a comedy but not many people can infuse levity into such a dark story but still maintain the dread the way Strand can. The ending is a bit underwhelming but the rest of it moves at a great pace and will definitely keep your attention....more
What a wild ride! If you're interested in history and conspiracies, this Valiant series is the one for you. Here we're introduced to the dynamic duo oWhat a wild ride! If you're interested in history and conspiracies, this Valiant series is the one for you. Here we're introduced to the dynamic duo of Archer and Armstrong, an odd couple if there ever was one. Armstrong is one of three immortal brothers from ancient Mesopotamia, who now gets drunk and quotes poetry, and Obadiah Archer is a bright-eyed and naive assassin raised in seclusion in a religious cult compound hidden in a creationist amusement park and trained all his life to hunt and kill the Antichrist: He Who Must Not Be Named.........but his name is Armstrong. He realizes that Armstrong isn't quite the Antichrist, he's just a lazy, lovable galoot,and the two hit the road on adventures fighting a variety of interconnected secret societies bent on world domination! Not to mention ninja nuns and telepathic Nazi monks!
There are some laugh out loud moments in this one, especially in the banter between the two leads. And be warned, the plot goes by at such a breakneck pace, it can be hard to keep up, so you gotta hold on for the ride and pay close attention. I love all the clever hints as to how the series will connect to the larger Valiant universe (lots of foresight there guys!).
What really put this book over the top was the wacky-as-fuck third volume, "Far, Faraway." The first two arcs were cool and all but this one takes the cake. I wasn't prepared for the utter insanity; so crazy I couldn't help but love it. Our boys end up stuck in another dimension where every unexplained disappearance or conspiracy go to die. It's a really clever history mashup where a war is brewing involving Martians, dodo birds, dinosaurs, Roanoke settlers, and even Ambrose Pierce! The way everything connects here is tons of fun and it's cool bumping into all these Easter eggs.
Check out this charming, witty series that somehow manages to pack so much in its pages. You might even get some history lessons as well!
It’s very tempting to compare this series to Valiant’s other buddy comedy comic: Archer & Armstrong: Deluxe Edition, Book 1, but it’s actually very different. While A & A are two unlikely friends who end up actually working pretty well together, Quantum and Woody are two brothers who turn into the world’s worst superhero team.
Like, ever.
[image]
The premise is actually pretty cool and is ripe for hilarity. These two guys are adopted brothers who couldn’t be anymore different, as Woody is a loser conman and Eric is a straight-laced cop. They’ve been trying to stay as far away from each other as possible until they team up to solve the murder of their father and end up in a lab accident that gives them energy powers. But those powers come with a catch, because the molecules in their bodies are held together by special bracelets that must come into contact with each other (klang) every 24 hours or they will vaporize. So now they have to see each other everyday! Let's hope they try to make the best of it.
This actually starts out pretty great and there are times of actual LOL hilariousness, but the humor does get stale after a while and definitely lacks the clever ingenuity that makes Archer and Armstrong so awesome. But it’s still a decent book, especially when dealing with the supporting cast, like their sexy clone roommate, Miss 69, or their third teammate, the super-powered Vincent Van Goat....more
The same way that Ellen Ripley in the Alien movie series is destined to always do battle with the alien, George and Lou in the Wolf Hunt series will aThe same way that Ellen Ripley in the Alien movie series is destined to always do battle with the alien, George and Lou in the Wolf Hunt series will always be forever linked to werewolves for our sadistic entertainment. This sequel picks up soon after the first adventure and George and Lou are on the run after botching the last job, watching telenovelas and trying not to get killed by bounty hunters. But their luck runs out and now their only way to save their butts is to take a job kidnapping another werewolf, this time a young girl, with bloodthirsty parents.
While this sequel doesn't have the novelty or quite the same relentless pace as the first, it still has the same great humor, suspenseful and scary moments, and pretty well-written action scenes. There are twists galore here, and I'm constantly impressed by how well Strand can handle it all juggling the changing tones and keeping it all entertaining....more
Image publishes really high quality deluxe hardcover collections of their comic books and this edition of Sex Criminals is a stellar example! Not onlyImage publishes really high quality deluxe hardcover collections of their comic books and this edition of Sex Criminals is a stellar example! Not only does it collect the first two wacky volumes of the series, it also comes with extras you can't miss! It starts out with a hilariously inappropriate fake book cover underneath the dust jacket, which already has an eye-catching title. Then at the end, it includes a gallery of all the beautiful cover art, articles on the creative process, a hefty list of useful sex tips from the creators, and a really cool piece highlighting some of the clever jokes hidden in the artwork.
A stellar deluxe release that's sure to be a collectible!
The two volumes included in this edition are also sold separately:
Our favorite couple has narrowly escaped Kegel Face and her Sex Police and now they want to lay low, settle down, and just be a regular couple. But liOur favorite couple has narrowly escaped Kegel Face and her Sex Police and now they want to lay low, settle down, and just be a regular couple. But like any new couple, the honeymoon phase fades and the real struggle begins!
The fun is over in Sex Criminals and in some ways, I thought the shift in tone was interesting. But it did mean that I enjoyed this volume a little less. I really wanted more time-stopping sex and CumWorld criminal hijinks but instead I got hefty doses of relationship woes and dealing with depressing mental health issues. Although it wasn't as fun, Fraction does do a great job with pushing the further development of Jon and Susie and the rest of the supporting cast.
It's still lovable and and comical (that porn parody of The Wicked and the Divine...hilarious!), I just wish that the plot momentum was consistent with the last volume.
This is the kind of book that's pretty mandatory to read in a physical form, if only to read it in a public place and have the decent people of the woThis is the kind of book that's pretty mandatory to read in a physical form, if only to read it in a public place and have the decent people of the world give you weird glances after they look twice at the title.
The book's concept leaves room for so many possibilities and loads of entertainment. Jon and Suzie are a young, everyday couple, but they both share one special gift: they have time-stopping orgasms. No really, they literally stop time during the cum-down after sex. So once they hook up, they do what anyone with that gift would do, they decide to rob some banks! Let the games begin!
[image]
There are a couple of things in this series that elevates the concept above being merely juvenile and made it something distinctive. The first are the characters, who are relatable and charming if not fully likable, both endearing and multi-faceted enough to make me want to read much more about them. The second is Chip Zdarsky's artwork, which is colorful and witty, working perfectly in tandem with Matt Fraction's writing and a great fit for this fun romantic comedy. I also really love the light-streak effects that visually cue the time-frozen Cum World/Quiet. The lovely art is sometimes a character in itself, through it's attention to detail and it's subtle in-jokes that make you truly study the art on each page.
The whole thing is a great premise for a romantic comedy and it's a fun way of looking at a new couple exploring sex and relationships and all their complexities....more
After falling in love with Jeff Strand's work on a number of his novels and novellas, and really appreciating his witty, dauntless, irreverent charm, After falling in love with Jeff Strand's work on a number of his novels and novellas, and really appreciating his witty, dauntless, irreverent charm, I should've known that his style would be perfectly suited for short stories. This collection happens to be pure Strand, all guns blazing and zero fucks given, which is everything that we want from the author. He hits the reader with stories about a conscious soft drink with a bone to pick, fingernails that grow at a dangerous rate, murderous bathtub drains, and middle school serial killers. As always with Strand, there's a great mix of horror, the profane, and jet-black comedy that is a style all his own, with some stories even totally breaking the fourth wall with complete awareness that they're stories. But then, he can turn it all around and write a tear-jerking autobiographical story about the death of his dad.
Although the majority of stories here are enjoyable, my favorites happened to be in the first half, including "Cry," a really original tale about an emotionless man who goes to extreme lengths to cry, including rubbing habanero peppers in his eyes, "The Tipping Point," about a date night taking a violent turn for the worst, "Fair Trade," where an adulterer must face the consequences, and both "John Henry, the Steel Drivin' Man" and "The Eggman Falleth," stories that tell the untold stories behind the John Henry folktale and the Humpty Dumpty poem.
Jeff Strand once again proves to be a natural-born storyteller in a class all his own, and his work is so consistently entertaining. He's quickly becoming one of my favorite writers and this collection further proves that he can tell a story about anything....more
Yes, dammit. We're still stuck in Fairyland with Gertrude. But now she's in an interesting position after taking Cloudia's place as the queen of FairyYes, dammit. We're still stuck in Fairyland with Gertrude. But now she's in an interesting position after taking Cloudia's place as the queen of Fairyland and all the juicy authority that comes with it. But who would have guessed that being queen would be so boring and tiring? And Gertrude's maniacal search is still on to find secret ways of finally escaping Fairyland.
[image]
I enjoyed getting deeper into the world-building of Fairyland this go-round as Gertrude roams the land looking for a way out, and Scottie Young got a chance to flex his creativity even more. Although the story seemed a little less focused this time, this volume is funnier than the first one. It's become much more wacky and meta and with copious amounts of candy-colored ultra violence for our enjoyment! There's some crazy shit in here, like Gertie's dangerous adventure inside Larry's bottomless Hat of Holding where she's forced to fend off lint zombies. Not to mention the batshit final issue. I love it! Give this series a try if you enjoy creative and witty fantasies like Rat Queens or Saga.