2015 Reading Challenge Book 101 Stairway to Hell

TITLE-Stairway to Hell
AUTHOR-Chuck Eddy
FORMAT-Oversized paperback
FIRST TIME READING-No
PRICE-Gift

Back when this came out in 91 I got a copy. But during one of my moves I lost it. I had actually forgotten about it,until I saw it on Amazon. And was just given it as a gift about a week ago.

Chuck starts the book off explaining why he chose the albums he did. And this is needed,cause there is lots of albums listed that most people wouldn't consider metal. Like The Osmonds,Run DMC,Bon Jovi and other stuff.

Going back now and re-reading this there is more bands that I know of than when I first got it back in the early 90s. Hell I now have a list of albums I want to track down.

The album reviews are entertaining. Even when it is bands I don't like. Really my only complaint is the #1 album. Never have been a fan of Led Zep. And think IV is one of the most over-rated albums of all time.

Stairway to Hell gets a 3.89 outta 5.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 100 The Doomsday Brunette

TITLE-The Doomsday Brunette
AUTHOR-John Zakour&Lawrence Ganem
FORMAT-Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-yes
PRICE-$1

This is the sequel to Book 98 of the challenge.Got both at the same time. In this one our private dick is called in for what is a locked room murder. 

Seems years ago some scientist used gene splicing and created 4 perfect women. Named Ona,Twoa,Threa and Fora. Each is gorgeous,ultra smart and a few other things. All of them are now fairly rich. And while gathered at Ona's home Fora dies. 

I was very surprised at how much better this was than the first book in the series. And I did really enjoy that first book. The dialogue is much better. And feels like stuff I would hear in old detective films. The pacing is better. 

I looked on Amazon and seems like there is at least 2 more books in this series. Now I just gotta track them down.

The Doomsday Brunette gets a 4.66 outta 5.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 099 The Bionic Man Vol 1 Some assembly required

TITLE-The Bionic Man Volume 1 Some assembly required
AUTHOR-Phil Hester & Kevin Smith
FORMAT-Trade Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-Yes
PRICE-Free,got it from the Library ILL program

I remember Kevin Smith mentioning years ago that he had wrote a script for a Six Million Dollar Man film. But nothing came of it. Then a few years back Dynamite comics took the script and got Phil Hester to work on it a some.

My understanding is the 10 issues covered in this trade are from the movie script Smith wrote.If so I would love to have seen it become a movie.

The story is the origin of the Bionic Man. Updated to modern day. With lots of little Easter eggs for fans of the franchise.The art is nice,but has this sameness look that most comics from Dynamite have. It never stands out but also never is so bad it harms the story.

Steve is a test pilot who almost dies in a crash. And is put back together with bionic parts. So far we are pretty much following the old TV show.Then we get the curve ball of Steve not being the first person they have done this to. So there is a rogue Bionic Man out there. And of course Steve fights him.

While I liked the story there was no need to make it 10 issues. 5 or 6 would have worked just as well.Hell it isn't until issue 4 that Steve receives his bionic parts.But once he does the comic kicks it into high gear and doesn't slow down.

The Bionic Man vol 1 gets a 3.56 outta 5.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 098 The Plutonium Blonde

TITLE-The Plutonium Blonde
AUTHOR-John Zakour&Lawrence Ganem
FORMAT-Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-Yes
PRICE-$1

The cover is what got my attention with this book. I looked at it and thought "Ok here is a mash up of science fiction and pulp era stuff." And I was pretty much right.

Set in 2057,this is the first novel in a series about the last detective left on Earth. Zachary Nixon Johnson is his name. And he prefers old fashion ways. Like how now most people have flying cars that they let the autopilot drive. Not Zach,he hates them and still tools around in his now ancient gas guzzling car.

In this adventure our private dick is hired out by an ex-exotic dancer. Who is now head of a major corporation. Seems a replica of her was made and escaped. So Zach is hired to track this replica down. Of course there are twists and turns along the way.

The book has a great pace to it.It is a bit over 300 pages and felt much shorter. Now I haven't read lots of pulp era detective fiction. But what I have read,reads similar to this novel.

When I got this book I also picked up it's sequel. Which I hope to have finished before the end of the year.

The Plutonium Blonde gets a C+.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 097 Alien Legion:Piecemaker

TITLE-Alien Legion:Piecemaker
AUTHOR-Carl Potts&Chuck Dixon
FORMAT-Trade Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-Yes
PRICE-Free(was an X-mas gift)

Until about 8 years ago,even though I had heard lots about Alien Legion,I had never read an issue. Then I got a few real cheap at a con. Tried it out and loved it. So threw a few of the trades Checker books published on my X-mas wishlist. And my Aunt Midget got this one for me.

This trade reprints the last 7 issues of the second series of Alien Legion that Marvel published under their Epic Comics imprint.By this time Chuck Dixon was doing most of the writing and Larry Stroman was handling the pencils. I normally enjoy any military/war stuff from Dixon. And have been a fan of Larry's artwork since he was doing X-Factor.

Most of the stories in this trade are 1 and done. But the one major continuing story is about when the Legion gets sent to a planet being held hostage. And we find out the leader of the group holding it hostage is Jugger Grimrod's father.So we get to meet the man that helped create most Alien Legion fans favorite member. As for why this volume is titled Piecemaker. And spelled that way,well the Legion has a ship. That is pretty much made to be used as a last resort. It blows a planet to pieces. So is nicknamed The Piecemaker.

After reading this I wanted more. But sadly after the second series from Epic was cancelled there hasn't been much new Alien Legion stuff to come out. There was a few one shots in the 90s. And I heard of a new series that was suppose to start this year. No clue if it did.

But if you enjoy military fiction,science fiction and comic books this is  a series worth tracking down. I know besides the two trades Checker books put out there is at least one Alien Legion Omnibus from Dark Horse.

Alien Legion:Piecemaker gets a B+.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 096 World War Z

TITLE-World War Z
AUTHOR-Max Brooks
FORMAT-Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-No
PRICE-$5

From not long after this book came out I kept being told how I had to read it. I kept putting it off mostly cause I had a feeling I wouldn't like it. Then a few months before the film was released I grabbed the novel.

This is as the cover states an oral history of the zombie war. A reporter is traveling all over the world talking to people. And we slowly get pieces of what happened. Now as of this writing I haven't watched the film. I do wonder how the hell this translates into a film. There really isn't a a normal plot in the book.

It is kind of rare that horror novels scare me or creep me out. But in a few scenes this novel did just that. The one part that got to me the most was when he find out to help find and fight the zombie hordes the Army has equipped tiny dogs with cameras. Being a dog person,and having always owned tiny dogs,this scene got to me.

If you are a fan of the Walking Dead tv show or comic read this book. If you are just a fan of zombie films read this book. I have only ever read one other thing from Max Brooks. Which was a vampire comic trade he wrote for Avatar Press. Which sadly wasn't that good.

World War Z gets an A.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 095 Heroes Saving Charlie

TITLE-Heroes:Saving Charlie
AUTHOR-Aury Wallington
FORMAT-Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-No
PRICE-$2

With Heroes recently making a comeback I dug out this novel. If you watched Heroes during it's original run you will remember a part were Hiro went back in time and met a red haired waitress named Charlie and he feel in love with her. On the show this all happened in one episode. But with the TV show being a huge hit that story was taken and fleshed out into this novel.

Since Hiro is from the future he knows Charlie's fate. And most of the novel is about him trying to decide if he should prevent her death or not. Aury did a great job capturing the feel of each of the characters from the show. And does his best avoiding any time paradox. Which is always something you have to watch out for when dealing with time travel in fiction.

Going back now,after finally seeing all 4 of the original seasons of Heroes,I gotta say this novel is better than seasons 2 thru 4. But not as good as the first season. If you are a Heroes fan and haven't read this book yet go get a copy. It shouldn't cost that much and is a neat piece of Heroes merchandise.

Heroes:Saving Charlie gets a B-.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 094 VideoHound's Horror Show

TITLE-VideoHound's Horror Show
AUTHOR-Mike Mayo
FORMAT-Trade Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-No
PRICE-$15

Not long after I bought VideoHound's Cult movie reference book I found this one. Which contains reviews of 999 horror films. Since buying it I have managed to see right at 800 of the films reviewed in the book.

As with the Cult movies book,the reviews are kind of short, But give enough info so you can figure out if you want to see the film.

I would love to see a updated version of this. But thanks to stuff like IMDB books like this are dead.

VideoHound's Horror Show gets a B+.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 093 VideoHound's Complete Guide to Cult Flicks & Trash Pics

TITLE-VideoHound's Complete Guide to Cult Flicks & Trash Pics
AUTHOR-Various
FORMAT-Trade Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-No
PRICE-$15

Sometime in the late 90s I found this book at Hastings. With my love of movie reference books and cult movies I had to grab it.And as you can tell the book has been read many many times.

With a reference book like this the best ones not only include the well known cult movies but lots of obscure ones. And this book does a great job of doing short reviews of some films that when the book came out were pretty obscure. Gotta remember this came out right when DVD was first hitting the market in North America.So it wasn't nearly as easy to find some movies.

Since getting the movie I have made it a point to try to see every film mentioned in the book. At last count I am right at 80% done with that.

VideoHound's Complete Guide to Cult Flicks & Trash Pics gets a B-.

2015 Reading Challenge Book 092 The Encyclopedia of Superheroes

TITLE-The Encyclopedia of Superheroes
AUTHOR-Jeff Rovin
FORMAT-Trade Paperback
FIRST TIME READING-Yes
PRICE-$3

When I got Rovin's Adventure Heroes reference book I also ordered this one about superheroes.Back in the pre-internet days books like this were very valuable reference tools. Of course now they are kind of outdated relics.

But I love reference books. I keep a stack of them in my bathroom. And they make perfect reading while you are taking the Browns to the Super Bowl.

So how through is this book? It came out in 1985.So I am assuming it was more than likely finished in late 84 or early 85. But even with my huge knowledge of superheroes there isn't one I can think of that isn't in this book. Hell there is so many in here I have never heard of. Each entry seems to be well researched and as far as I know accurate.

I love how in one of the appendixes we get a list of superhero teams. And another appendix for obscure Golden Age heroes.

The Encyclopedia of Superheroes gets a B+.