[BOOK REVIEW] Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus Volume 1 by Joss Whedon

Title:  Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus Volume 1

Authors:  Joss Whedon, Christopher Golden, Dan Brereton, Scott Lobdell, Fabian Nicieza and Paul Lee

Artists: Eric Powell, Joe Bennett, Cliff Richards and Paul Lee

Genre:  Horror / Comedy / School  / Action / Romance

Year Published:  2007

Year Read: 12/31/2015

Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus #1

Publisher: Dark Horse Books

Source:  Library

Content Rating:  Ages 16+  (Some Language and Gory Violence)

Buy or Add on:  Amazon  //  Goodreads

Introduction:

Now, I have to tell everyone who reads this review something…I am a HUGE FAN OF “BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER!!!”  I have always loved that show and when I heard that they were making comic books out of this series, of course I had to check them out!  So, when I picked up the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus Volume One,” I was wondering what this volume was going to be all about and to my excitement and delight, this volume detailed the early years of Buffy Summers when she first moved to Sunnydale and how she became a vampire slayer and I was quite impressed with the whole experience!

What is this story about?

This volume contains five stories that details Buffy’s first year as a vampire slayer and also features other characters during their early years such as Angel, Spike and Drusilla.  These are the five stories featured in this omnibus:

All’s Fair:

Written by: Christopher Golden

Artwork by: Eric Powell

In this story, Spike and Drusilla (Dru) go off to the World’s Fair in 1933, causing mayhem as they suck out the blood from various unfortunate human beings while discovering a demon who wants to be freed from its prison at the same time!

Buffy: The Origin

Written by: Dan Brereton and Christopher Golden

Artwork by: Joe Bennett

Based off of Joss Whedon’s original script for the origin story of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” this story details how Buffy Summers first became the vampire slayer we all know and love and the character development that she goes through to realize her true destiny.

Viva Las Buffy!

Written by: Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza

Artwork by: Cliff Richards

After Buffy gets expelled for burning down her old school, she and Pike run away from home and ended up in Las Vegas to start a new life.  But, Buffy will soon learn that she cannot run away from her problems when she encounters a sinister ring going on inside the casino.

Dawn and Hoopy the Bear

Written and artwork by: Paul Lee

Dawn Summers, Buffy’s younger sister, ends up getting a cute little teddy bear named Hoopy the Bear from a total stranger and while she loves her teddy bear unconditionally, she will soon realize that Hoopy the Bear is not what he seems at all... 

Slayer, Interrupted

Written by: Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza

Artwork by: Cliff Richards

Inspired by the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” TV episode “Normal Again,” Buffy’s parents ended up admitting Buffy to a rehab center since they believed that Buffy has gone insane when she started talking about her vampire slaying business.  Has Buffy really gone insane and her vampire slaying business is really all in her head or is Buffy’s destiny truly real?

What I loved about this story:

The writing: Oh my goodness!  Who would have thought that several separate stories about Buffy’s early years as a vampire slayer would be mind-blowing good?  I have to tell you that I enjoyed each story in this volume (although the only story that I thought was half-way decent was “Dawn and Hoopy the Bear”) and I think that each writer had done this series a true justice!  I was always curious about the origin story of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” since I was only familiar with the TV series created by Joss Whedon and I have never seen the original 1992 movie that detailed the origin story of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” although I did see bits and pieces of the movie when I was younger.  When I first found out that the original 1992 movie was not what Joss Whedon originally intended when he scripted out the origin story for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” I was a bit surprised (and yet not really, since this is Hollywood we are talking about) and I was glad that we got a closer interpretation of Joss Whedon’s vision of the origin story of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in this omnibus since I wanted to see how Joss Whedon really wanted Buffy’s origin story to go.  I also enjoyed the fact that we get to see not only Buffy’s early years, but other characters too like Spike, Drusilla and Angel.  I really loved Spike and Drusilla’s story since they are truly funny together and I always wanted to know what Spike was like before he met Buffy.  I was also really excited to see Angel in this omnibus since I love Angel as a character, even though I wished that Angel had his own story in this volume so we get to learn more about his character during his early years.

The artwork:  The artwork in each story is truly beautiful and effective to look at, especially with how each artist manage to capture the actor and actresses’ true facial expressions.  I think the artists that really captured Sarah Michelle Gellar’s facial expressions the best were Joe Bennet and Cliff Richards as they truly draw the characters realistically and it felt like I was really watching a TV episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” since each character look like their live action counterparts from the TV series!

What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:

For anyone who does not like language and gory violence in a graphic novel, this omnibus does have some language and gory violence (mostly revolving around Buffy staking vampires in gory ways).  Also, I have mentioned that the short story “Dawn and Hoopy the Bear” was a story line that I could have done without since I felt that this story did not really bring anything to the main stories and was just there to tell a story about Dawn.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus Volume 1” is a truly fantastic volume for anyone who is a huge fan of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in general and who wants to learn more about the origin stories of our favorite vampire slayer!

You might also like:

• Fray by Joss Whedon

[BOOK REVIEW] Serenity: Better Days by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews

Title:  Serenity:  Better Days

Authors: Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews

Artist:  Will Conrad

Genre: Science Fiction / Action / Adventure / Comedy


Year Published: 2008


Year Read: 2013


Series:  Serenity #2


Publisher: Dark Horse Books

Source:  Library

Content Rating:  Ages 13+ (Fight Scenes)

Buy or Add on:  Amazon  //  Goodreads

Introduction:

After reading the first volume “Serenity: Those Left Behind,” I was determined to read up on all the “Serenity” comics being made by Joss Whedon after the TV series “Firefly” was abruptly cancelled.  Now, I finally got a chance to read the second volume of the “Serenity” series called “Serenity: Better Days” and man, was it one hilarious and action-packed volume!

What is this story about?

When the crew of Serenity ended up finding a huge pile of cash, they all start having daydreams about what they will do with the money while at the same time, taking a nice vacation.  Unfortunately, a soldier who is out for vengeance on the “dust devils” (terrorists who work within the Independents) is doing everything in his power to ambush the crew of Serenity.

What I loved about this story:

Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews’ writing:  Once again, both Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews managed to write a completely hilarious, action-packed and emotional story rolled up into one volume!  After reading, “Serenity: Those Left Behind,” I assumed that this volume was going to continue after the events of that volume.  But, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this is a one-shot story about what the Serenity crew would do with so much money and how their lives would change if they actually had a successful heist.  I loved the way that Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews portrayed each character’s fantasy about being rich, with my favorite daydreams being Jayne’s and River’s since theirs were the funniest in the entire sequence!  I also loved the fact that Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews managed to explore how the characters all feel about being rich as their reactions were both expected and unexpected!  It was also interesting in introducing a new threat for the Serenity crew in the form of a soldier who wants revenge on the “dust devils” for killing so many innocent people.  I loved how this brought in a new viewpoint on the Battle of Serenity and how the independents (the group of survivors that Mal and Zoe are from) are being viewed as the bad guys, despite them fighting for their independence from the Alliance.  I also viewed the term “dust devils” as being a sort of derogatory term for the independents, which really adds so many layers to the after effects of the war of Serenity Valley.

Will Conrad’s artwork:  Will Conrad’s artwork as usual brilliantly grabs the close likeliness of the characters from the “Firefly” TV series; such as the artwork of Mal looking exactly like the actor, Nathan Fillion and the artwork of Jayne looking exactly like the actor, Adam Baldwin. I also loved the way that Will Conrad drew the action sequences as they look truly intense and exciting and I was so mesmerized by the various explosions and gunfights that occurs in this volume!

What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:

The reason why I took off half a point from the rating was that I felt that this story was a bit too short.  I actually wished that this volume a bit longer and explained more about the characters’ reactions to being rich.  I also wanted to know more about the “dust devils” situation with the soldier and how he knew about Mal and Zoe’s involvement with the Independents during the Battle of Serenity Valley. 

Final Thoughts:

Overall, “Serenity: Better Days” is an extremely interesting read full of humor, emotion and action that would make “Firefly” fans proud! I would highly recommend this volume to anyone who is a huge fan of the “Firefly” TV series and enjoys a good stand-alone story!

 

 

[BOOK REVIEW] Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews

Title:  Serenity:  Those Left Behind

Authors:  Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews

Artist:  Will Conrad

Genre: Science Fiction / Action / Adventure / Comedy


Year Published: 2006


Year Read: 2013


Series:  Serenity #1


Publisher: Dark Horse Books

Source:  Library

Content Rating:  Ages 13+ (Fight Scenes)

Buy or Add on:  Amazon  //  Goodreads

Introduction:

Now, I will be honest here.  Even though I have seen many of Joss Whedon’s works in the past, I did not know anything about the infamous cancelled TV series “Firefly” up until recently.  What is even more surprising about this is that I had the movie “Serenity” for many years before I watched “Firefly” and I did not know that “Serenity” was a continuation of “Firefly” until I saw the movie again recently and realized that these were the same characters that I saw in “Firefly!”  So, after watching “Firefly” and “Serenity,” I decided to check out the comic books that were based off of this series and I stumbled upon “Serenity: Those Left Behind” which I realized was a missing story that bridge the gap between the TV series “Firefly” and the movie “Serenity” (which is a pretty clever way to get more stories told with this franchise)!

What is this story about?

After a treasure heist goes wrong, the crew of Serenity (Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds, Zoe and Wash Washburne, Inara Serra, River and Simon Tam, Kaylee Frye, Shepherd Book and Jayne Cobb) all try to find another way to earn money.  The opportunity comes up when a shifty man named Badger comes up and tells Mal that there is hidden treasure at the location where the Battle of Sturges had taken place and the Serenity crew decided to go to the location to find the treasure.  Meanwhile, Mal’s old nemesis Agent Dobson wants vengeance against Mal for shooting his eye out and goes after the Serenity Crew. At the same time, the two men who came from the Alliance Government try to find the Serenity Crew to take River Tam away.

What I loved about this story:

Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews’ writing: Actually, Brett Matthews wrote the script for this story and Joss Whedon created the idea for this story!  Anyway, the writing in this comic book was just fantastic!  I loved the fact that Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews were able to tell a prequel story for “Serenity” in order to bridge the gap between “Firefly” and “Serenity” for anyone who was wondering what events had taken place after the “Firefly” TV series got cancelled.  I loved the way that Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews focused on all of the characters and developed them even further than how they were developed in the TV series.  I was literally trying to figure out what direction the characters will go after “Firefly” got cancelled and I was more interested in the directions that Mal and River took in this story since I always found them to be the most interesting characters in this series!  I also enjoyed the various threats that the Serenity crew had to go up against in this story, especially when they ended up confronting the two men from the Alliance and Mal’s old nemesis, Agent Dobson.  It really helped close up any plot lines that centered on these characters and allowed us to move on to the story set up in the movie “Serenity.”

Will Conrad’s artwork:  Will Conrad’s artwork was simply amazing as all of the characters were perfect copies of the actors who played these characters in “Firefly!”  I loved the way that Will Conrad put so much detail into the characters’ designs as they look truly realistic and gorgeous and it made me feel like I was actually watching another episode of the TV series since the characters looked exactly as they were from the TV series!   I also loved the various artwork covers of each character that was done by a different artist as it brings so much creativity to this book. All of the cover designs were fantastic and each artist brought in so much life to this story, such as John Cassaday’s artwork for Mal, Joe Quesada and Danny Miki’s artwork for Zoe, Tim Bradstreet’s artwork for Shepherd Book, Brian Hitch’s artwork for Jayne, JG Jones’ artwork for Inara, Jo Chen’s artwork for Kaylee, Leinil Yu’s artwork for Simon, Josh Middleton’s artwork for River and Sean Phillips’ artwork for Wash.

What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:

The reason why I took off half a star was because I felt that this story would be too difficult for anyone who has not seen the “Firefly” TV series to really grasp.  Since this story takes place after the TV series “Firefly,” it seems like a requirement to actually look at the “Firefly” TV series to actually understand what this story and the characters are really about.  Also, I felt that this story was a bit too short in explaining about the events that happened before “Serenity” took place and I kind of wished that they explained more about how the characters’ lives are changing after “Firefly” got cancelled and how these events also affect the Alliance.  It just feels like this is the type of story that needs to be lengthy due to it tying up the loose ends between “Firefly” and “Serenity.”

Final Thoughts:

Overall, “Serenity: Those Left Behind” is a fantastic follow up story for “Firefly” and a great prequel for “Serenity” and anyone who is a huge fan of the “Firefly” series will definitely enjoy this comic book! 

* 2009 Hugo Award Nominee for Best Graphic Story

[BOOK REVIEW] Fray by Joss Whedon

Title:  Fray

Author: Joss Whedon

Artists: Karl Moline and Andy Owens


Genre: Horror / Superheroes

Year Published: 2003

Year Read: 2012

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Source:  Purchased

Content Rating:  Ages 15+ (Death, Gory Violence and Mature Themes)

Buy or Add on:  Amazon  //  Goodreads

INGREDIENTS FOR THE PERFECT VAMPIRE SLAYER STORY:

* 2 cups of Joss Whedon’s writing

* 2 tablespoons of one tough heroine

* 2/4 teaspoons of demons and vampires

* 1 cup of pure action-packed fun!

And what do you get?  BUFFY!

Well actually, you get “Fray” this time, same premise but different character.

What is this story about?

One hundred years in the future, Manhattan has become a dark and crime ridden place and while various monsters run the streets under the notice of the police, there lives a young girl named Melaka Fray who happens to be a street thief stealing things for money.  One day however, a demon named Urkonn visits Melaka and tells her that she comes from a long line of forgotten slayers and that she is destined to save Manhattan from the invasion of demons.  Can Melaka save Manhattan from the demon invasion?

What I loved about this story:

Joss Whedon’s writing: Well, aside from the fact that this story is strongly related to one of my most favorite TV shows, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” Joss Whedon’s writing was extremely strong and even though there were too many elements relating to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (tough heroine fighting vampires to save the world), the story felt like it was set in its own universe, even distancing itself from the world of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” as this story is set in a dystopian world where criminals rule the streets.  Joss Whedon has done an excellent job at setting this world in a dark futuristic world where crimes rule the street, sort of like how criminals rule the streets of Gotham City in the “Batman” comics. 

Melaka Fray: I just loved the portrayal that Joss Whedon has given the main heroine of this story, Melaka Fray!  Melaka Fray is like Buffy Summers from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” except she is a grittier version of Buffy since she is a thief and she loves to fight anyone for the thrill of it while Buffy Summers is tough but she always has a sweet personality that makes her a really likable person.  I loved the way that Joss Whedon unfolded her character throughout this book as she is not shown as an unsympathetic street thief since she became a thief because of the death of her brother where she constantly blames herself for his death, which provides more depth to her character.  Also, her estranged relationship with her law-abiding sister Erin, who happens to be a cop, also adds more depth to Melaka’s character.  Also, it was awesome seeing Melaka fighting vampires as she has some really impressive moves that rival Buffy’s moves when she is fighting vampires!

Karl Moline’s and Andy Owens’ artwork: Karl Moline and Andy Owens’ artwork is extremely phenomenal in this book!  I loved the way that Melaka Fray is drawn as she looks like a punk girl with blue hair that has pink tips at the ends and has purple lipstick which made her look extremely impressive and tough!  I also loved the images of the demons and vampires themselves as they are really creepy looking as they are pale and have sharp teeth and yellow eyes and since I am a huge fan of gory images, there are plenty of gory images of vampires getting their heads sliced off that drawn me in this book.

What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:

Since this book is about vampire slaying, there are many gory scenes where vampires are getting their heads cut off and also there are scenes of innocent people getting bitten by vampires that might make readers who are uncomfortable with blood and gore feel a bit disturbed.  Also, even though this does not become an issue for me after I finished reading this story, there are a lot of similarities to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” that might make you think too much about “Buffy” throughout this book:

* Melaka Fray fights vampires (Buffy)

* There are demons and vampires terrorizing the town (Buffy)

* The heroine comes to terms with her destiny as a Slayer (Buffy)

But despite these similarities, I still think that this story stood out extremely well and I found myself being invested in the characters and the story itself!

Final Thoughts:

Overall, “Fray” was an awesome read for me and I would definitely read this book over and over again in the near future.  Unfortunately, there are no more books about “Fray” being made at this moment and after reading the ending of this book; I really wanted to see more of the book “Fray” and Melaka Fray’s endless battles with the vampires. I hope that Joss Whedon writes more stories about “Fray” in the future!

[BOOK REVIEW] Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable by Joss Whedon

Title: Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable

Author: Joss Whedon

Artist: John Cassaday


Genre: Superheroes / Action / Adventure

Year Published: 2007

Year Read: 2011

Series: Astonishing X-Men #4

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Source:  Purchased

Content Rating:  Ages 15+ (A Sex Scene, Violence and Death)

Buy on:  Amazon  //  Book Depository 



Flashback:

After reading the first three volumes of “Astonishing X-Men” by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday, I was waiting with anticipation in reading the final volume of this fantastic series, “Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable” and I was perfectly astonished and not disappointed! This volume will definitely not disappoint X-Men fans and will stand the test of time as one of the best endings to a comic book series!

What is the story?

After the events of the third volume “Astonishing X-Men: Torn,” the X-Men are transported into outer space and meet up with Agent Abigail Brand who informs the X-Men that recently the resurrected X-Men member, Colossus is the one who is destined to destroy the Breakworld, the planet that the alien invader Ord came from. What is worse is that since the inhabitants of the Breakworld has learned about Colossus’ destiny; they plan on destroying the Earth by firing a giant bullet towards the Earth! Can the X-Men stop the bullet from hitting Earth and will all of the X-Men members make it back alive? Read this volume to find out!

What I loved about this comic:

Joss Whedon’s writing: As always, Joss Whedon really knows how to weave a brilliant story with even more memorable characters to match! I loved the way that Joss Whedon truly makes this volume dramatically climatic as the story got more interesting and intense as it went on and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how the X-Men would be able to stop the bullet from hitting the Earth. I also loved seeing the relationship between Kitty and Colossus become more serious and intimate in this volume as they truly care about each other and there is a really hot scene between the two lovebirds in this volume! I also loved the relationship between Emma and Scott and even they had their moments of doubt in their relationship and I thought that Joss Whedon had written that strain in their relationship extremely well. I also loved the fact that in the “Giant Size Astonishing X-Men One” which continues after the “Unstoppable” volume, we are introduced to other Marvel super heroes such as Spiderman, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and many others and it was interesting to see them try to help out the X-Men in saving the world and I loved the jokes that Joss Whedon provided for Spiderman since it really fit his character. I also loved the humor that Joss Whedon incorporated into this volume as it made this final volume not only intense to read, but light-hearted in a way that will make you laugh so much at how the characters in this book took this worldwide threat in a more hilarious light. I especially loved the little quote that Colossus has when he attempted at making a joke at a serious situation:

Abigail Brand: “I’m assuming you’re as mystified by this as the rest of us, Rasputin.”

Colossus: “No. I’m not. I have been planning to destroy the Breakworld since I was a child.”
(silence)

Colossus: “This is why I don’t make so many jokes. I never know when is good.”

John Cassaday’s illustrations: John Cassaday’s illustrations are just are brilliant and gorgeous in this volume as it was in the first three volumes! I loved how all the characters have looks of shock and anger on their expressions when they found out the true scope of the plans for the Breakworld, especially Colossus’ shocked expressions when he realizes that he is the one destined to destroy the Breakworld. I also loved how John Cassaday did an excellent job at illustrating all of the other popular Marvel characters such as Spiderman and Iron Man coming together and the image of all the Marvel super heroes coming together in a space ship reminded me of DC comics “Justice League.”

Shadowcat (once again!): Joss Whedon has truly done an excellent job at portraying Kitty in this volume. I loved how she would try anything to save the world and how she was so brave and heroic throughout this volume because it really made her character truly stand out even more in this volume. I also loved her relationship with Peter as she truly cares about him and I loved the moments between them.

What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:

The only problem I had with this volume was how one of my favorite characters died. I will not tell you who die because that will spoil everything, but it is a character that I have grew fond of since I read this series and that character will be sorely missed.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, “Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable” is a brilliant conclusion to this fantastic run by Joss Whedon and X-Men fans will definitely savor this series for all time!

You might also like:

• Astonishing X-Men: Gifted by Joss Whedon

• Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous by Joss Whedon

• Astonishing X-Men: Torn by Joss Whedon

[BOOK REVIEW] Astonishing X-Men: Torn by Joss Whedon

Title:  Astonishing X-Men: Torn

Author: Joss Whedon

Artist: John Cassaday


Genre: Superheroes / Action / Adventure

Year Published: 2006

Year Read: 2011

Series: Astonishing X-Men #3

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Source:  Purchased

Content Rating:  Ages 15+ (A Sex Scene, Violence and Mature Themes)

Buy or Add on:  Amazon  //  Goodreads




After finishing the second volume of the awesome “Astonishing X-Men” series “Dangerous,” I was definitely looking forward to reading the third volume of this series “Torn.” Imagine my pure delight after I had finished reading this volume since I was totally blown away by the twists and turns in this volume and I am sure that X-Men fans will enjoy this volume as much as I did!

What is the story?

Emma Frost has been acting strange ever since the incident with Danger in the last volume and now she is literally playing mind games with Cyclops which might cause harm to our beloved leader! Meanwhile, the new Hellfire Club starts making its move on the X-Men by playing vicious mind games with them that will help them get to their ultimate goal of releasing Cassandra Nova from her prison! Also, the identity of the mutant who is destined to destroy the Breakworld is finally revealed! There is a lot going on in this volume that determines the fate of the X-Men, so stay tuned!

What I loved about this comic:

Joss Whedon’s writing: Once again, Joss Whedon has woven a story that is full of humor and suspense that will keep anyone’s attention at bay! This story was fantastic as it was full of mystery and drama and I was shocked at how ruthless the new Hellfire Club is when they were manipulating each X-Men team member mentally. Probably the most traumatic scene in this entire book was of Kitty’s nightmare sequence involving her, Peter and their son that the White Queen put on her. I will not reveal what happened during this sequence, but you might want to pray for Peter and Kitty’s relationship to work after this volume. Joss Whedon also had a great knack for humor and I loved the scenes where the Hellfire Club messes with Wolverine’s mind and makes him into a wimpy man who constantly spews random things whenever he is scared. This is such a rare moment for me to see all serious and bad-tempered Wolverine become a scared wimp in a matter of seconds and it really provided so much humor for a serious storyline.

John Cassaday’s illustrations: John Cassaday’s illustrations are just as memorable here as they were in the previous two volumes. I loved the way that he makes the characters look so realistic and one of my favorite images was of Wolverine looking so scared throughout his episode of his mind being altered because they were extremely hilarious and it was rare seeing Wolverine in this state. But, my all-time favorite image in this volume was of Kitty running through the sewers that was reminiscent of the earlier comics where Wolverine was also in the sewers after being defeated by the Hellfire Club at the time and John Cassaday made Kitty look so intense and brilliant in this scene that I think that this was one of the most memorable scenes in the “Astonishing X-Men” series since Colossus’ return!

Shadowcat: Wow! Kitty was just truly awesome in this volume that I just love her character even more than I did in the cartoon series! I loved the way that she was the only person who was not affected by the Hellfire Club’s attempts at messing with the X-Men’s mind, although briefly, and the way that she fought Emma was just spectacular! I truly think that Joss Whedon has done her character justice in this series and it makes me want to read more of this series!

Peter and Kitty’s relationship (once again!): This time, Peter and Kitty’s relationship is up a notch and I really enjoyed seeing their relationship go even further! I especially loved the opening scene in this volume of Peter and Kitty having a picnic together and I really loved the little cute banter that Kitty and Peter have with each other before Peter (gasps) kisses Kitty!

 What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:

The only problem I had with this book was that the plot tends to be a bit confusing and there were times where there were certain moments in the story where the conflict is not fully explained. For example, I am not sure about the Cassandra Nova arc and I was trying to figure out what was going on in that arc since I do not understand what Cassandra Nova was after at Xavier’s Institute. Well, I guess this might be made clearer in the next volume.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, even though “Astonishing X-Men: Torn” has some confusing moments, this was still a brilliant read for me and I cannot wait to read the final volume in Joss Whedon’s and John Cassaday’s run on this series, “Unstoppable!”

[BOOK REVIEW] Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous by Joss Whedon

Title:  Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous

Author: Joss Whedon

Artist: John Cassaday

Genre: Superheroes / Action / Adventure

Year Published: 2004

Year Read: 2011

Series: Astonishing X-Men #2

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Source:  Purchased

Content Rating:  Ages 15+ (Violence, Some Scary Imagery and Death of a Child)

Buy or Add on:  Amazon  //  Goodreads 



Flashback:

After reading the first volume, “Astonishing X-Men: Gifted,” I just could not wait to read the second volume in this fantastic series, “Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous!” Joss Whedon and John Cassaday has once again woven a truly interesting story that is way more intense than the first and is full of shocking surprises that will leave every X-Men fan shocked for the rest of their lives!

What is the story?

After the events of the first volume “Astonishing X-Men: Gifted,” a young student named Wing had lost his mutant powers when Ord, the alien invader in the last volume, took away his powers using the mutant cure. Unfortunately, because of this, Wing has decided to commit suicide…in the Danger Room! This then causes a strange and horrific occurrence at the Xavier Institute as a giant damaged Sentinel starts attacking the X-Men and the Danger Room starts haunting all the students at the Institute! Who is this mysterious being who is causing trouble at the Institute? Read this volume to find out!

What I loved about this comic:

Joss Whedon’s writing: Once again, Joss Whedon has astonished me again by writing a truly creepy yet exciting sequel to this fantastic series! Joss Whedon’s writing is full of shocking surprises that really shocked me to the core, especially towards the end when it is revealed who is controlling the Danger Room! It was interesting seeing the Danger Room turn against the X-Men and I loved how Joss Whedon incorporated some of the horror elements from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” such as monsters and living corpses, into this volume as they made this volume such a shock to read through.

John Cassaday’s illustrations: John Cassaday’s illustrations are simply amazing in this volume and I loved the way that he drew all the monsters in the Danger Room as they all look so creepy and realistic that I was literally on edge when I looked at the illustrations! I also loved all the characters’ appearances, especially Peter and Kitty’s appearances because they look so lovely together and their facial expressions are always drawn so realistically that I often find myself either sympathizing or rooting for the character.

Peter and Kitty’s Relationship: I just love this couple to death! Peter Rasputin and Kitty Pryde are the perfect couple for each other as they stand by each others side during battle and I just loved the little private conversation that Peter and Kitty have about what happened at Genosha because it showed how much Peter truly cares for Kitty’s feelings and how he wanted to protect her at all cost. I just thought that was the most romantic scene in this entire book (coming from a romance novel fan!)

What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:

Be forewarned that there are some images in this book, mainly the appearances of the monsters that show up in the Danger Room, that will make your skin crawl, it certainly made my skin crawl and it was hard for me to sit through some parts of this book without my skin crawling. Also, the reason why I gave this a four star rating instead of a five star rating is because while this book was really interesting to read, I thought that it steered too far from the original plot of the first volume as it just jumps from the plot about an alien invader coming to earth to the X-Men trying to fight the Danger Room. This would usually lead me to wondering what is actually going to happen next and why we are off topic from the main plot and it also confuses me so much that I often cannot concentrate too much on the story at hand.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, “Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous” was a great read and I am definitely looking forward to reading the third volume in the series “Torn” next!

[BOOK REVIEW] Astonishing X-Men: Gifted by Joss Whedon

Title: Astonishing X-Men: Gifted

Author: Joss Whedon

Artist: John Cassaday


Genre: Superheroes / Action / Adventure

Year Published: 2004

Year Read: 2011

Series: Astonishing X-Men #1

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Source:  Purchased

Content Rating:  Ages 16+ (Gory Violence and Some Language)

Buy on:  Amazon  //  Book Depository 



Brief History:

Alright, I have actually first heard of the “X-Men” series when I was little and it was through a 90s cartoon series entitled “X-Men: The Animated Series.” From that day on, I was so hooked onto the “X-Men” franchise that I practically watched every incarnation of “X-Men” throughout my life which included the animated series “X-Men: Evolution” and I even watched all three “X-Men” movies. Now the truth of the matter is that even though I have heard of the “X-Men” franchise ever since I was a child, I never read the comics at all, until now. I never read the comics before because there was just too many universes involving everyone’s favorite superhero mutants and I am one of those people who cannot keep up with too many different versions of certain characters’ lives because I will get confused easily. Well, I stumbled upon this unique comic book from the “X-Men” series entitled “Astonishing X-Men: Gifted” and when I found out that Joss Whedon (creator of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) was going to write an “X-Men” comic, I was shocked and excited at the same time! Joss Whedon is surely an accomplished writer and I have watched “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” before and I really enjoyed that show! And now, without further ado, I will now discuss about what this book is all about and my opinions on this comic.

What is the story?
Cyclops and Emma Frost, who are now in charge of the institute, started reforming the X-Men once again to prove to the world that even though they are mutants, they are the heroes and they want to “astonish” the world with their heroic deeds. However, when a mutant cure reaches all over the world and many mutants line up to get the cure, will the X-Men’s efforts to prove to the world that they are the good guys fall in vain? And to add to that, the X-Men will soon reunite with a fellow mutant who was presumed dead. Who is that mutant? Find out once you pick up “Astonishing X-Men: Gifted!”

What I loved about this comic:

Joss Whedon’s writing: Joss Whedon’s writing was so brilliant in this comic! He really knows how to bring excitement and suspense to the storyline regarding the X-Men trying to figure out the secrets of this “mutant cure” and who is behind all of this commotion. I also loved the way that Joss Whedon is able to shock the audience with various scenes that came so unexpected in the story, such as the scene where we find out about the mutant who was presumed dead and when I found out about that situation, I was totally shocked beyond all reason and yet I was extremely happy to see how the shock of this scene was written and shown. I also loved the way that Joss Whedon incorporated humor into the story at the right places, like Wolverine’s obsession with beer and that one popular line in the book where Wolverine is cursing like crazy and you just see a bunch of symbols indicating the strong language.

John Cassaday’s illustrations: John Cassaday’s illustrations were simply gorgeous and fitted this story perfectly. I loved how all the X-Men characters look so real and I especially loved seeing their expressions that ranged from anger to shock as it was amusing to look at. I also loved the lighting of certain scenes such as the X-Men going to the Benetech lab and everything inside the lab is shaded in green which fitted the brooding mood of the lab.

The characters: I have never seen such amazing characters from the “X-Men” universe in my entire life! All the characters were interesting without being boring at all and I loved seeing the actual conflicts they have with each other, especially between Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde as they clearly have contempt for each other due to Emma’s horrible past. Even though I will always be a Cyclops/Jean Grey fan, I thought that the relationship between Emma and Scott was pretty interesting and they seem to share some kind of bond that I never would have seen in any other comic. I also loved the fact that Kitty Pryde seems to be the star of this issue since the media rarely focuses on her character and what was so interesting about her character was that she resembled Buffy from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” in being the heroic heroine who would do anything to save her friends from disaster.

What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:
I do not really have much of a problem with this issue since I thought it was perfect, but for those of you who do not like gore and language, this volume contains plenty of gore and language, so I would probably not read this issue if language and violence is a bother to some people.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed reading “Astonishing X-Men: Gifted” and I am looking forward to reading up on the next issue “Dangerous” from this fantastic series! If anyone has ever read the “X-Men” series before and you want to recommend me some titles, please recommend me some “X-Men” titles that were really great to read!