Friday, May 26, 2017

Book Review: Sara and V.I. Burn it Up in "FALLOUT"

FALLOUT
HARPCOLLINS/William Morrow – @HarperCollins; @WmMorrowBks

AUTHOR: Sara Paretsky – @SaraParesky
ISBN: 978-0-06-243584-2; hardcover (April 18, 2017)
448pp, B&W, $27.99 U.S., $34.99 CAN

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Fallout is the new novel from bestselling author Sara Paretsky.  It is also the most recent novel in her long-running “V.I. Warshawski” series of novels featuring Chicago-based private investigator, Victoria Iphigenia “V.I.” Warshawski.  The series began in 1982 with the novel, Indemnity Only.  In Fallout, V.I., also known as “Vic,” travels to Kansas on the trail of a vanished film student and a faded Hollywood star and finds herself also investigating a decades-old conspiracy.

As Fallout begins, V.I. is approached by a young friend, Bernadine Fouchard, and Bernadine's cousin, Angela Creedy, to find a missing relative, a young Black man named August Veriden.  August is a film student and budding filmmaker, and although no one knows where he is, the police want to talk to him because he is a person of interest (lead suspect) in a break-in at his job.  It does not take long for V.I. to learn that others are looking for August and are willing to tear apart a workplace or home to find him.

V.I. discovers that August left Chicago in the company of Emerald Ferring, an actress best known for starring in a few African-American cult films in the 1960s.  V.I. follows the duo to Kansas, but by the time she gets to Lawrence, Kansas (home of the University of Kansas Jayhawks), she learns that the military is also interested in Veriden and Ferring whereabouts.  Their arrival in Kansas and subsequent disappearance seems tied to events in 1983, a year when anti-nuclear protests brought Ferring back to her Kansas home.  Something bad happened back then and it is starting to happen again.  This missing persons case may be V.I. toughest case, and as the bodies pile up, she discovers that even she isn't safe.

I read a few V.I. Warshawski novels back in the 1990s, maybe even in the late 1980s.  I don't know what got me started.  Was it the movie, V.I. Warshawski, starring husky-voiced Kathleen Turner in the title role?  Was it because I heard, while listening to a radio show (National Public Radio?), that a then-new V.I. novel was one of then President Bill Clinton's favorite books?

Well, I liked the two (or three) that I read, but school and work slowed my novel reading to, at best, one or two novels per year.  I never forgot V.I. and always wanted to return to the series.  When William Morrow's marketing offered a review copy of Fallout to bloggers, I jumped at it.  I am not at all disappointed; V.I. is as lovely a character as I remembered.

Fallout starts out as a standard P.I. (private investigator) novel, more or less.  The goal for the investigator, in this case, V.I., is to find someone and eventually another someone.  By the time, V.I. has made it from one end of Kansas to the other, Fallout starts to feel like a conspiracy thriller, and as the readers go deeper into the narrative, they can be forgiven for thinking that Fallout might be a little bit military thriller.

Ultimately, Fallout represents the best of a V.I. Warshawski novel – the mystery/suspense/crime novel that is more than a little bit different.  Sara Paretsky offers an irresistible narrative flow that makes it hard to stop reading.  Paretsky and her character, V.I Warshawski, are legends because they both deliver ferocious crime novels like Fallout.

A

www.saraparetsky.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

--------------------------

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Review: ALL-STAR BATMAN #6

ALL STAR BATMAN No. 6
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Scott Snyder
ART: Jock; Francesco Francavilla
COLORS: Matt Hollingsworth; Francesco Francavilla
LETTERS: Steve Wands
COVER: Jock
VARIANT COVER: Jock; Francesco Francavilla
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (March 2017)

Rated “T” for Teen

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

“Ends of the Earth” Part 1 and “The Cursed Wheel” Part 5

When I first saw the straight-to-video animated film, Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero, I realized what a great character long-time Batman nemesis, Mr. Freeze, could be.  To put it simply, the late actor Michael Ansara killed it delivering a great voice performance as Freeze in SubZero.  I think Boyd Kirkland and Randy Rogel created pathos for Freeze in SubZero that the character has rarely (if ever) had.  Since seeing that film, I have chosen to hear Michael Ansara's voice whenever I read comic books in which Mr. Freeze appears.

So I was happy to learn that Mr. Freeze is the bad guy in the second story arc of the new star-creator-driven Batman comic book series, All-Star Batman.  This new story features series writer Scott Snyder, and is drawn by Jock; colored by Matt Hollingsworth; and lettered Steve Wands.

All-Star Batman #6 opens with Batman trudging through snow in Alaska, 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle.  There is where he will find Mr. Freeze, hold up with a small army of living dead and about to hatch a plan to unfreeze Armageddon on humanity.

There is a sense of desperation in this new story, “Ends of the Earth.”  Personally, professionally, and socially – in the grand scheme of things, personal drive and desire drive conflict for the players in this new Batman thriller.  Each side believes that his choices are, if not the ultimate good, then, the best outcome for everyone.

This is the apocalypse writ intimately on old grudges and broken promises, and Jock's art is perfect for this stylish, world-ending, character study.  After the shiny, thrilling opening arc, Scott Snyder brings everything down to a simmer that still manages to threaten the world.  Meanwhile, “The Cursed Wheel” continues with a new artist, Francesco Francavilla, who delivers a creepy opening chapter.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.


-------------------------------


Monday, May 22, 2017

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 24, 2017

DC COMICS

MAR170259    ACTION COMICS #980    $2.99
MAR170260    ACTION COMICS #980 VAR ED    $2.99
MAR170268    BATGIRL #11    $3.99
MAR170269    BATGIRL #11 VAR ED    $3.99
MAR170375    BATMAN 66 MEETS WONDER WOMAN 77 #5 (OF 6)    $3.99
MAR170272    BATMAN BEYOND #8    $3.99
MAR170273    BATMAN BEYOND #8 VAR ED    $3.99
FEB170301    BATMAN NEW GOTHAM TP    $29.99
MAR170356    BATMAN THE SHADOW #2 (OF 6)    $3.99
MAR170358    BATMAN THE SHADOW #2 (OF 6) BURNHAM VAR ED    $3.99
MAR170357    BATMAN THE SHADOW #2 (OF 6) SALE VAR ED    $3.99
FEB170305    BATMAN WILDCAT TP    $24.99
MAR170278    BLUE BEETLE #9    $3.99
MAR170279    BLUE BEETLE #9 VAR ED    $3.99
FEB170335    BOOKS OF MAGIC TP BOOK 01 (MR)    $34.99
FEB170306    DC UNIVERSE BY MIKE MIGNOLA HC    $39.99
NOV160371    DCTV ARROW CONSTANTINE AF    $28.00
NOV160372    DCTV ARROW VIXEN AF    $28.00
NOV160373    DCTV SUPERGIRL AF    $28.00
NOV160374    DCTV SUPERGIRL MARTIAN MANHUNTER AF    $28.00
MAR170342    DEATHSTROKE #19 (LAZARUS)    $2.99
MAR170343    DEATHSTROKE #19 VAR ED (LAZARUS)    $2.99
MAR170286    DETECTIVE COMICS #957    $2.99
MAR170287    DETECTIVE COMICS #957 VAR ED    $2.99
MAR170300    HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #21    $2.99
MAR170301    HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #21 VAR ED    $2.99
MAR170306    HELLBLAZER #10    $3.99
MAR170307    HELLBLAZER #10 VAR ED    $3.99
FEB170336    HELLBLAZER TP VOL 16 THE WILD CARD (MR)    $24.99
MAR170374    INJUSTICE GROUND ZERO #12    $2.99
FEB170312    JLA YEAR ONE DELUXE ED HC    $49.99
MAR170314    JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7    $2.99
MAR170315    JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7 VAR ED    $2.99
MAR170381    KAMANDI CHALLENGE #5 (OF 12)    $3.99
MAR170382    KAMANDI CHALLENGE #5 (OF 12) VAR ED    $3.99
MAR170387    LOONEY TUNES #237    $2.99
MAR170399    MOTHER PANIC #7 (MR)    $3.99
MAR170400    MOTHER PANIC #7 VAR ED (MR)    $3.99
MAR170389    SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP #26    $2.99
MAR170326    SUICIDE SQUAD #18    $2.99
MAR170327    SUICIDE SQUAD #18 VAR ED    $2.99
FEB170319    SUPERMAN ADVENTURES TP VOL 03    $19.99
FEB170317    SUPERMAN THE FINAL DAYS OF SUPERMAN TP    $19.99
DEC160389    SUPERMAN THE GOLDEN AGE OMNIBUS HC VOL 04    $75.00
MAR170350    WONDER WOMAN #23    $2.99
MAR170351    WONDER WOMAN #23 VAR ED    $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 24, 2017

MARVEL COMICS

MAR170943    ALL NEW GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #2    $3.99
MAR178104    ALL NEW WOLVERINE #19 KUBERT 2ND PTG VAR    $3.99
MAR171016    BEN REILLY SCARLET SPIDER #2    $3.99
MAR171034    BLACK PANTHER #14    $3.99
MAR171035    BLACK PANTHER #14 MCKELVIE CONNECTING B VAR    $3.99
MAR170922    CAPTAIN AMERICA STEVE ROGERS #17 SE    $3.99
FEB170970    COLOR YOUR OWN MARVEL TSUM TSUM TP    $9.99
FEB170989    DEADPOOL WORLDS GREATEST TP VOL 07 DEADPOOL DOES SHAKESPEARE    $15.99
FEB170987    DOCTOR STRANGE AND SORCERERS SUPREME TP VOL 01 OUT OF TIME    $15.99
MAR171060    DOCTOR STRANGE SORCERERS SUPREME #8    $3.99
MAR171052    ELEKTRA #4    $3.99
JAN178989    ELEKTRA #4 STEVENS VAR    $3.99
MAR171070    GUARDIANS OF GALAXY MOTHER ENTROPY #4 (OF 5)    $3.99
MAR170951    I AM GROOT #1    $3.99
MAR171003    INFAMOUS IRON MAN #8    $3.99
MAR170965    JEAN GREY #2    $3.99
MAR170930    MIGHTY CAPTAIN MARVEL #5 SE    $3.99
MAR171028    MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #19    $3.99
FEB170984    MOON KNIGHT TP VOL 02 REINCARNATIONS    $15.99
MAR171027    MOSAIC #8    $3.99
MAR170935    SECRET WARRIORS #2 SE    $3.99
FEB171000    SILVER SURFER EPIC COLLECTION INFINITY GAUNTLET TP    $34.99
FEB170994    SPIDER-MAN BY TODD DEZAGO AND MIKE WIERINGO TP    $39.99
MAR171075    STAR-LORD ANNUAL #1    $4.99
MAR171005    TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #19    $3.99
FEB170981    UNCANNY INHUMANS TP VOL 04 IVX    $17.99
FEB170983    UNWORTHY THOR TP    $15.99
MAR171008    VENOM #150    $5.99
MAR178105    WEAPON X #1 LAND 2ND PTG VAR    $3.99
MAR171083    X-MEN BLUE #4    $3.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for May 24, 2017

IDW PUBLISHING

MAR170477    GHOSTBUSTERS 101 #3    $3.99
MAR170478    GHOSTBUSTERS 101 #3 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
MAR170505    GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #240    $3.99
MAR170506    GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #240 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
MAR170554    HIGHLANDER AMERICAN DREAM #4 (OF 5)    $3.99
MAR170555    HIGHLANDER AMERICAN DREAM #4 (OF 5) SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
MAR170598    MICKEY MOUSE #20    $3.99
MAR170600    MICKEY MOUSE #20 FUNKO ART VAR    $3.99
MAR170599    MICKEY MOUSE #20 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
FEB170380    MICRONAUTS TP VOL 02 EARTHBOUND    $19.99
MAR170612    MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #54    $3.99
MAR170613    MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #54 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
MAR170529    OPTIMUS PRIME #7    $3.99
MAR170530    OPTIMUS PRIME #7 SUBSCRIPTION VAR A    $3.99
MAR170531    OPTIMUS PRIME #7 SUBSCRIPTION VAR B    $3.99
MAR170587    POWERPUFF GIRLS TIME TIE #1 (OF 3)    $3.99
MAR170589    POWERPUFF GIRLS TIME TIE #1 (OF 3) FUNKO ART VAR    $3.99
MAR170588    POWERPUFF GIRLS TIME TIE #1 (OF 3) SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
MAR170564    SAUCER STATE #1 (OF 6)    $3.99
MAR170565    SAUCER STATE #1 (OF 6) SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
MAR170483    STAR TREK BOLDLY GO #8    $3.99
MAR170485    STAR TREK BOLDLY GO #8 FUNKO ART VAR    $3.99
MAR170484    STAR TREK BOLDLY GO #8 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
MAR170467    STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE FUNKO UNIVERSE    $4.99
MAR170468    STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE FUNKO UNIVERSE FUNKO TOY VAR    $4.99
JAN170479    TMNT TEA TIME FOR A TURTLE HC    $12.99
MAR170544    TMNT UNIVERSE #10    $4.99
MAR170545    TMNT UNIVERSE #10 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $4.99
MAR170605    WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES #738    $3.99
MAR170607    WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES #738 FUNKO ART VAR    $3.99
MAR170606    WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES #738 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
MAR170624    WEIRD LOVE #18    $4.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 24, 2017

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAR170073    ANGEL SEASON 11 #5 MAIN FISCHER CVR    $3.99
MAR170074    ANGEL SEASON 11 #5 VAR DEKAL CVR    $3.99
MAR170038    BLACK HAMMER #9 MAIN RUBIN    $3.99
MAR170039    BLACK HAMMER #9 VAR LEMIRE    $3.99
MAR170075    BTVS SEASON 11 #7 MAIN MORRIS CVR    $3.99
MAR170076    BTVS SEASON 11 #7 VAR ISAACS CVR    $3.99
DEC160112    CONAN OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 CITY OF THIEVES    $24.99
JAN170150    CONAN THE SLAYER #9    $3.99
MAR170041    DEPT H #14    $3.99
JAN170141    GROO FRIENDS AND FOES HC    $49.99
JAN170115    HARROW COUNTY TP VOL 05 ABANDONED    $14.99
MAR170022    MASS EFFECT DISCOVERY #1    $3.99
MAR170023    MASS EFFECT DISCOVERY #1 NIEMCZYK VAR    $3.99
JAN170173    PSYCHO PASS INSPECTOR SHINYA KOGAMI TP VOL 02    $11.99
MAR170040    REBELS THESE FREE & INDEPENDENT STATES #3    $3.99
MAR170034    SHAOLIN COWBOY WHOLL STOP THE REIGN #2 (MR)    $3.99
MAR170035    SHAOLIN COWBOY WHOLL STOP THE REIGN #2 CHO VAR (MR)    $3.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors from May 24, 2017

IMAGE COMICS

MAR170737    BEAUTY #15 CVR A HAUN & RAUCH (MR)    $3.99
MAR170738    BEAUTY #15 CVR B MITTEN (MR)    $3.99
FEB170638    DEADLY CLASS #28 CVR A CRAIG & BOYD (MR)    $3.99
FEB170639    DEADLY CLASS #28 CVR B MACLEAN (MR)    $3.99
FEB178680    DEADLY CLASS #28 CVR C SPAWN MONTH VAR (MR)    $3.99
MAR178024    DEADLY CLASS #28 CVR D SPAWN MONTH B&W VAR (MR)    $3.99
MAR170701    DYING AND THE DEAD #4 (RES)    $3.99
MAR170702    DYING AND THE DEAD SPEC ED TP    $9.99
JAN170729    EAST OF WEST #33    $3.99
MAR170762    MAGDALENA VOL 4 #3    $3.99
FEB178869    MAGDALENA VOL 4 #3 CVR B SPAWN MONTH VAR    $3.99
MAR170811    MAYDAY TP (MR)    $14.99
FEB170696    MOONSHINE TP VOL 01 (MR)    $9.99
MAR170880    NO MERCY TP VOL 03 (MR)    $14.99
MAR170765    OLD GUARD #4 (MR)    $3.99
FEB178674    OLD GUARD #4 CVR B SPAWN MONTH VAR (MR)    $3.99
MAR178018    OLD GUARD #4 CVR C SPAWN MONTH B&W VAR (MR)    $3.99
MAR178086    PLASTIC #1 (OF 5) 2ND PTG (MR)    $3.99
MAR170769    PLASTIC #2 (OF 5) CVR A ROBINSON (MR)    $3.99
MAR170770    PLASTIC #2 (OF 5) CVR B HILLYARD & MARTIN (MR)    $3.99
FEB178675    PLASTIC #2 (OF 5) CVR C SPAWN MONTH VAR (MR)    $3.99
MAR178019    PLASTIC #2 (OF 5) CVR D SPAWN MONTH B&W VAR (MR)    $3.99
MAR170772    RAT QUEENS #3 (MR)    $3.99
MAR178087    REDNECK #1 2ND PTG (MR)    $3.99
MAR170771    REDNECK #2 (MR)    $3.99
OCT160632    RINGSIDE #10 (MR)    $3.99
MAR170694    SAMARITAN VERITAS #1    $3.99
MAR170777    SAVAGE DRAGON #224 (MR)    $3.99
MAR178501    SEVEN TO ETERNITY #5 2ND PTG    $3.99
MAR170780    SEVEN TO ETERNITY #6 CVR A OPENA & HOLLINGSWORTH    $3.99
MAR170781    SEVEN TO ETERNITY #6 CVR B HARREN    $3.99
FEB178671    SEVEN TO ETERNITY #6 CVR C SPAWN MONTH VAR    $3.99
MAR178017    SEVEN TO ETERNITY #6 CVR D SPAWN MONTH B&W VAR    $3.99
FEB170681    SUN BAKERY #3 (MR)    $4.99
MAR170790    UNDERWINTER #3 CVR A (MR)    $3.99
FEB178526    UNDERWINTER #3 CVR B ZDARSKY (MR)    $3.99
MAR170849    VIOLENT LOVE TP VOL 01 STAY DANGEROUS (MR)    $9.99