Richard Grant is one of my favorite authors, if one of the least prolific.  Not to be confused with British actor Richard E. Grant, Maine author Richard Grant has written a mere eight books in his 25 year-long career.  But believe me, he makes each book count.

It's trite to call something "a modern fairy tale," and even more trite to try and write one.  Particularly now that the sub-sub-genre of Urban Fantasy has gained so much traction in the marketplace.  But that doesn't make In The Land of Winter any less amazing.


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Extn.21 - extract from Lizzie Oxby on Vimeo.

Check out more @ Steve Rude Art

S.H.I.E.L.D. #2- The first issue knocked it right out of the park for me, and while really great this issue was definitely the slow build for the series and considering this series is coming out once every two months that could end up being a really slow build. I'm really into it so far, loved the art, and think the collection will be absolutely fantastic. A-

Young Allies #1-While interesting with some pretty solid art, it did feel sort of like they slapped some random young heroes together and just ran with it. McKeever offers up some solid characterization as usual and gives you enough to want to try some more, but the $3.99 price tag is a little much to ask for a new series starring no well recognized characters. B

 

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Blast Off! from Sean Donnelly on Vimeo.

In the first half of And Here My Troubles Began, the second trade paperback compilation of Art Spiegelman's Maus comic strip, Art depicts himself in the mid 1980's when the first half of his award-winning graphic novel was a remarkably successful property. He's drawn as a human wearing a mouse mask, surrounded by other Americans who wear the animal masks of their ethnic heritages. When beset upon by journalists and marketing executives who all want something extra out of the first Maus book, Art literally shrinks into a child in front of them. Maus is every bit Art Spiegelman's search for own his place in the post-Holocaust world as it is a document of his parents' experience during the war. He wonders aloud whether or not he can actually capture the truth of life and death in Auschwitz, whether or not Maus says anything profound, or even anything that hasn't been said already in the countless books documenting Europe under Nazi rule. The responsibility of finding something meaningful in Maus may be up to us readers, not Art Spiegelman. He just recorded his father's words and tried not to spare any details.

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Check out more @ Bill Sienkiewicz Art

Writer/Artist: Uh, just keep reading

Publisher: DC, $49.99

So right off the bat, to answer one of the most frequent questions I’ve been asked at our store since this arrived, yes indeed this hardcover package is well worth the $49.99 price tag. 180 pages in an oversized format is a pretty good deal, and considering the original comics cost $47.88 retail and this package offers you two additional strips as well as sketch material in the back you’re getting an awesome package. While I loved the newsprint feel of the original books, it was a pain to refold those suckers and keep them safe. I also feel that $3.99 was a little pricey in the first place, so since the hardcover also upgrades the paper to glossy stock and places the stories in perfect order I consider the collection a win/win.

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