'Here, in your .... Fortress of Solitude'

So, first up, the title. If you hadn't guessed, it's a line from Superman: the Movie (as spoken by the recording of Jor-El) which I thought was somewhat fitting given the situation the world currently finds itself in.

Like practically everyone else in the world, I am now working from home and, in essence, self-isolating from the worldwide pandemic of the Coronavirus. As this is being written, I'm on day four of my own solitude and am finding it a bit of a struggle. My routine is totally out of whack and things like lunch breaks and bus trips to work, which I totally took for granted, are now no more, meaning that comic reading has been majorly scaled back as I reprioritise my time to ensure almost all of it goes to caring for my family.

I'll confess that it's a tough choice to make, despite my knowledge that my wife and kids are the most important thing to me. However, a small part of me remembers that comics are a big part of my life, whether reading them or writing about them. Therefore, the knowledge that may not be writing even a fraction of what I normally do in the next few months remains ever present in my mind and a little disconcerting.

That said, it doesn't change the fact than something's are more important in life.

So, what am I saying here? Well, essentially, I guess I'm trying to justify the fact that I may not be around for a while. With my time being rearranged to cover more important priorities, I realize I will have to scale back both the reviews for Pipedream as well as the blog posts and I just don't know if I have the time (bizarrely). Meanwhile, all of my other plans are on hold until I can better balance the home/work/comic life under this new dynamic (I mean, to give some insight, this post took two days to write at whatever five minute periods I could squirrel away).

Of course, on Saturday evening I cleared through two issues of Wonder Woman and so it does mean that there is hope and that I'm just being overly cautious.

That said, only time will tell.

Reading recommendations in a self-insulated life

What I was originally going to write, with the vast majority of the world now locked up in their own homes, many of whom now lacking a stable income, I thought I'd make some great reading suggestions to pass the time which cost nothing to check out.

These recommendations are:

Breaks (Malin Ryden/Emma Vieceli) - https://tapas.io/series/BREAKS

Scurry (Mac Smith) - https://www.scurrycomic.com/

Vanguard (Dan Butcher) - https://vanguardcomic.com/

Curia Regis - https://www.whatido.co.uk/

The Sorrowful Life of Putto - http://www.theputto.com/comic/

Eimurian Tales (Mark Penman) - http://www.eimuriantales.co.uk/

Ghost of the Gulag - https://www.ghostofthegulag.com/

The Pale - http://thepalecomic.com/comics/first

All of the above have reviews that I wrote for Pipedream Comics which can be checked out to give some insight (check out the page with all my reviews to find them).

The last suggestion is the Comichaus App which, while not a webcomic, is essentially Netflix for comics. Not only that but Comichaus offer a two week free trial as well as an additional free month to help combat COVID-19 (which is also the code). - https://t.co/5OEudbbhAk

What I read - March 2020 (Week 3)

So, due to the changes to my lifestyle (as with all of us, my reading pile was significantly reduced. However, when you think about it, a 13 issue trade isn't actually a bad inclusion.

Anyway  here are the comics for March's third week.

London Horror Comic #8 - Another review for Pipedream Comics, I have to confess that London Horror Comic #8 was a really great read, far better than I was expecting it to be (based on my memory of the first 3 issues from long ago). The first story has some great humour while the second has a real horror vibe laced into it. I thought the characters and dialogue are really well written as well. Meanwhile, the artwork for the big stories is gorgeous, particularly for the second story, with each style looking unique but really bringing the tone of their respective story to life. The last story meanwhile felt like a fun little add on in both story and art. Given it's an anthology, I think this is as much a perfect jump on for people as any issue and something I'd recommend people check out past issues for similar magic, as I'm pretty sure I'm going to.

Wonder Woman: The Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1 - A title I've had in my Comixology library for quite some time, Wonder Woman's first collected edition contains Greg Rucka's Lies and Truth arcs which sees Diana attempt to locate her home in the first arc while the second flashbacks to show her leaving it. Now, I'm a big fan of Greg Rucka (in case, via prior posts, that wasn't obvious) but I think I put this series on too much of a pedestal and gave it a wide berth in case it didn't live up to my expectations. This was certainly the case with the Rebirth special and the first issue proper, where I struggling to feel invested or entertained. However, upon beginning the second issue proper and the first of the Truth arc, Wonder Woman totally turned me around. This was such an engrossing story, both in the past and the present and it really sold me about the character being the most loving person in the DCU. This title also made me root for the supporting cast, particularly Etta and Barbara Ann, whose dynamic in the past very much intrigued me. Meanwhile, the art was (mostly) fantastic (a Sharp issue looked a little off), with Nicola Scott's arc being the art I (again) fell in love with. By the end, I was totally agreed in my mind to get the second book, because I need to know where everything goes next). I'll just remember not to put it off when I do get that book.

Total Reading Count: 14

There we go. Another week done and more comics to my 'one a day' reading list, bringing the total to 160 so far this year.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure if this is the end of such a run given all that is happening. However, there are always worse things in the world to suffer from beyond not reading comics.

So, for now, I'll do my job and if I get time to read then great but, if not, then it isn't the end of the world.

Because I can always read later, when the chaos has ended.

In the meantime though, to all who read this, stay safe, play it smart and don't put yourselves or anyone else in unnecessary risk from this virus.

My reaction to the Comixology Price Rise

The last week for me has been consumed by the overthinking of two specific topics.

The first, naturally, has been the Coronavirus. Like everyone else, I've found myself unnerved by the possibility of finding myself infected and what I would do as a result. What about my kids? How would I work? What am I going to do without (at least) two weeks wages? The questions posed between my wife and I have felt almost limitless. However, there is very little I can do beyond carry on as normal and cross that bridge when I come to it.

The other topic, however, is a little easier to deal with (and actually has a connection to the notion of comics, which is what I often talk about) and that is the recent price rise on Comixology.

As a bit of backstory, within the last two weeks (I can't remember the exact day) Comicdom's premiere digital comics seller and distributor increased the cost of purchasing their comics in the UK to be more in line of the £1=$1 exchange rate which is currently set.

Now, I originally had a lot of thoughts on this subject. How, despite opinions made online, this isn't about paying creators more. How, this is Comixology (and by extension, Amazon) simply wanting greater profits at the expense of readers. How, the consequence of this will undoubtedly be Comixology being shunned by UK readers.

And, of course, the first two points of this are most likely true (the latter I'm confident is, after having a rethink, not). But, after watching a video on YouTube about how fear and paranoia sell comics, I was helped to realise that none of it really matters. I'll still read comics regardless of price, though the only question is how my comic reading will change in a world where budgeting with what little I can afford is the norm.

And the truth is, it probably won't. At the moment, the comics I buy monthly are all physical copies, which are already at the price that Comixology titles will now be. In fact, the only titles I buy off of Amazon's comic selling subsidiary are trades and deluxe editions which I want and are on sale at the moment I buy them. I don't see that changing.

I guess the only change will be in regards to limited series, which I had previously planned to buy as singles on a digital basis. Of course, that might still happen if I can afford to in my budget or I will simply pick up the trade (or the singles) if and when they are available under a sale (and again I have the change to make the purchase).

Overall though, I now realise that, after a week of overthinking things, the decision by Comixology to raise their prices doesn't really affect me all that much (even if it initially appeared that way). I'll still read new comics, either by the few singles I pick up or by advance reviews, and even if I don't I have a whole collection to re-read or even an entire Comichaus database to peruse.

In the end, I think writing this has made me realise that I maybe react too quickly to announcements and things that happen when, in reality, they aren't that bad.

Because, like the video said, comics aren't going anywhere, so they'll always be a way for me to read them.

What I read - March 2020 (Week 2)

So, into the second week of March and, like the prior week, I figured I'd try this again as it felt like a good use of time/space. However, like the previous week, I seem to have (strangely) acquired an abundance of time without realising it because I've once again burned through a truly excessive number of comics, despite having no more free time than usual.

So, on that note, I'm just gonna crack on and ramble about them:
 

Black Bolt Vol. 2: Home Free - The second volume of Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward's series sees the eponymous Inhuman King return to Earth to find much has changed and sets about keeping his promise to lost friends while old enemies seek him out for their own nefarious purposes. I have to confess, I struggled to find this as enjoyable as the first volume, with its predecessor connecting with me much more and feeling like a better paced arc. However, while I found the first couple of issues a bit of a chore to get through, the story then picked up and the remainder felt like a perfect continuation to what had came before. Meanwhile the art is much the same, looking a little off in the early issues but coming back towards the end and still looks fantastic. The finale is a beautiful end to this story and while this volume isn't as good as the first it's still a fun read and I'm glad I've gotten to read the end of the Midnight King's journey.

Afterlife Inc Vol. 5: Glory Days  - Here it is: My 200 review/article for Pipedream comics!!! Now, I'm not entirely sure what I can say about Afterlife Inc that I haven't already for the past four volumes throughout the ether. However, this volume was a little quieter than the last two, but it feels like a quiet moment to regroup the characters before something bigger happens next time. Still, I found it very intriguing, especially the second time around, and it really felt like Jon has tried to show a sort of 'Ultimate Power corrupts' vibe within his story, while also showing that when you become powerful, others ultimately want you to fail. Now I think about it, I wonder if this is a commentary on comic book creators in general and how, as they become more well known they earn greater ire. Anyway, the artists on this are numerous, but they all offer fantastic visuals which both contrast and compliment each other. And then there is the lettering by Mrs Lock which is another fantastic addition, giving the series another layer of personality and enhancing the epic feel this volume seems to be going for. After reading this twice now, I'm eager to see what comes next and how Jon intends to finish (as he told me he's planned to volume 7).

Road of Bones #1-4 - Rich Douek's horror-esque mini-series tells the story of Roman, a political prisoner of a Russian Gulag who, along with two fellow inmates, escape during a riot. However, in the cold, seemingly endless wastelands surrounding the prison, the three men who share this common goal continue to keep secrets from each other, including a vicious plan for survival and a terrifying mythical monster who appears to be following them. I remember back when I reviewed the first issue and thought that this was something special, leading me to pick up the entire run. Thankfully, my faith was not in vain as I thought the Road of Bones was a hauntingly addictive (I read 2 and a half issues in 20 minutes) read which look brutally gorgeous in its landscape thanks to Alex Cormack's style. The one thing which really hooked me and got me thinking though was whether the Domovik which Roman kept 'encountering' was actually real, as by the end I began to wonder if it was a figment of his imagination and/or a 'devil on his shoulder'. It wasn't perfect as I did have trouble telling the difference between the three characters and the story seemed to end abruptly but, beyond those slight quibbles, this was a really awesome read. I'm now already looking forward to Sea of Sorrow as, if it is anything like this story, Rich Douek can be rest assured he'll be getting my money.

Bad Luck Chuck - A comic I heard about, and subsequently picked up (obviously), on the Creator Talks podcast, Lela Gwenn and Matthew Dow Smith's four part series follows 'Chuck' Manchester, a young woman cursed with incredibly bad luck. However, rather than dwell on this 'problem', Chuck uses it to her advantage and offers her services to any who might need some bad luck of their own. But when a mob boss hires her to retrieve a runaway daughter, Chuck finds herself facing more bad luck than even she can handle. While I thought this to be a intriguing concept when I'd originally heard about it, Bad Luck Chuck ultimately left me in two minds after reading it. Not that it's a bad comic as I thought it to be quirky and exciting. However, the it's plot was just a little too bizarre for my tastes, although I wonder if I was expecting something entirely different. Still, it was a pleasant enough read, bettered by Dow Smith's almost David Mack-esque looking art (making me more excited for Star Trek Hell's Mirror) and something I may need to come back around to at a later date to see if it sticks with me better.

The Immortal Hulk Vol. 1: Or is he Both? - After hearing so much hype about this series, I picked up the first volume during a Comixology offer over Christmas. Or is he both has Bruce Banner back on the run with his angry alter ego. However, their dynamic has changed as while Bruce can die, the Hulk cannot, leading to the latter to be resurrected the night after his death as he continues to come face to face with other Gamma powered beings. I have to admit, I worried that the hype might have oversold this, but I'm glad to say this isn't the case. Al Ewing has put together a seriously engrossing story in this volume as I was totally hooked every time I picked it up (and burned through, that's how eager I was to know the whole story. Coupled that with solid art which reminded me of the Hulk's look during the JMS/McKone FF run and it's fair to say I'm sold on this. I look forward to reading more in the future.

Stumptown Vol. 1: The Case of the Girl who took her Shampoo (But left her Mini) - Another comic which came about a Comixology Christmas period offer, Stumptown follows Dex Pairos, a PI with a few bad habits who finds she may have bit off a little more than she could chew when she takes a case to find a missing girl in order to clear a debt. Now, having read Lazarus, the Old Guard, Black Magick and a handful of Renee Montoya-focused stories, it's fair to say that Greg Rucka is one of my favourite writers. However, despite not really hearing of this series until the tv adaptation became a thing, I must admit that Stumptown is up there as one of my favourite of his works. I thought this was such an enjoyable read, with the character of DeX, for all her flaws, written like a nice amalgam of Jessica Jones and Renee Montoya. The plot felt truly PI-esque, like I'm reading a Harlan Coben novel, while the art, although a little rough, perfectly encapsulated the world and story. Stumptown is such a fun read that I've got to make picking up its remaining volumes a top priority.

Total Reading Count - 32

So, a very good week as, not only did I read a bunch of titles which ranged on my enjoyment-meter from good to awesome, but all (except Afterlife Inc, which I'd read in December and only re-read for review purposes) were previously unread comics which can now be ticked off that particular list.

Next week, though, is my final week of travelling to work by bus and this means I significant drop in my reading time going forward. Hopefully, whatever I choose to read then can continue on from all the goodness of this past week.

For now though, I just need to find something to write about by then (although I have an idea).

Comic Books ARE Books!

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why I'm writing this because anyone who actually reads this will not have a viewpoint which differs in any way. However, this is one of those things which has been praying on my mind and I thought not only would I try something a little different with this post and what it includes, but also just vent about what happened to but this thought in my head and why it upset me so.

So, this last Thursday (March the 5th 2020) was World Book Day. Now, as is tradition with schools in the U.K and probably throughout the world (I don't know for certain and so any confirmation would be nice), children would be allowed to attend their schools dressed up as their favourite literary character.

This is something I've never been a stranger to as both of my cousins kids have been part of this tradition for years and two of my nieces have also been taking part in the last few years. However, this year my son and my youngest niece were able to take part and while my niece's first WBD had little trouble, my son's brought up and interesting query for me.

You see, his pre-school decreed that there were to be no superheroes costumes allowed on world Book Day. Of course, while my children have been extensively conditioned to love superheroes (because, you know, it's me), this decision didn't have us majorly concerned because my eldest choose to go as a completely different character (the frog from 'Oi Dog'. Why not 'Oi Frog', I have no idea but there you go)

However, this did have me questioning in my head why my son's ore-school made this decision. I wasn't the one informed and so I couldn't ask right there and then (and nor have I submitted this question later because I fear my wife would consider me going too far over a non-important query), but  I optimistically presume that this is due to the ease and apparent popularity of parents to put their kids in superhero costumes (I mean, you can pick them up from three different supermarkets within 20 minutes of my house, and that's the minimal effort options).

But, while I hope that's the reason, I can't help but wonder if my son's pre-school simply believes that comic books are not real books. If this is the case, as my co-workers will attest, I'm not overly happy with this (surprise surprise). Maybe I'm biased because I've been reading them for nearly 20 years, but I genuinely believe that comics books are as much books as Shakespeare, the Brontes' and the Harry Potter series (just to lowbrow it).

I mean (just to argue the point) like books, comics have text in them to read, they (most of the time) use these words to tell a compelling story and they cover a multitude of genres. In fact, the only notable difference between books and comics is that the latter includes sequential art which assists in telling the story, but I don't believe this is exclusive to comics given that there are many books which also utilise artwork to compliment the writing. Examples of these in any book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Schaffer so if superheroes are being banned then the Gruffalo and Stick-Man needs to go right up there with them as costumes which cant be worn.

Also, it should be pointed out that, throughout the internet, there are sites which state how comic books help with literacy and reading skills. Therefore, I think that consider them anything but books is just ignorant.

Of course, this long rant simply comes from a place of conjecture because the pre-school probably didn't think this when the decision was made. However, it just gets my back up because, at the end of the day, comics are often giving short shrift by people, despite their influencing pop culture to a heavy degree in the 21st century.

In the end, I simply feel that Comic books are books and they deserve just as much respect.

But who am I to say that they currently don't?

What I read - March 2020: Week 1

So, like I said at the beginning, I'm trying something a little different and that's by consolidating my thoughts in general and my thoughts on the comics I read.

It probably helps to do this by breaking my reading list down to weeks, as the January 'review' and both the first and second halves of the February edition were fairly substantial in length. As such, this is now a little bit smaller and compressed, although not at all diminished in quality in my opinion.

Woodland Creatures Vol. 1: Wild Souls - The first review of the month for Pipedream Comics, Woodland Creatures was really enjoyable as it was a well told story and looked really gorgeous. However, the thing that got me (and maybe this is me seeing more than there is) is this sense of ethnic/racial/cultural stereotyping that's put on display, as though the characters are part of a religion of which some zealots have hurt people and therefore all must be punished. I think its this which the entire story is built around, even the relationship between characters, which I thought was very deep. Anyway, I've probably waffled a bit and I apologise for that but, in short, I found this a really interesting comic and would be tempted to come back for more.

Black Bolt Vol. 1: Hard Time - A re-read of the first volume in anticipation for the second of Ahmed Saladin and Christian Ward's assume series. This first volume saw Black Bolt, without his powers, attempting to break out of a deadly, intergalactic prison. I remember when I first read this volume that i found it to be a breathtakingly gorgeous and engrossing read. However, as I got underway this second time, I found it a bit of a struggle to get as engrossed in. Fortunately, time was the cure for this as I remembered what I loved about this series with each passing page. Still as poignant and beautiful as the first time I read it, Black Bolt volume 1 is still a tremendous read and makes me eager to get onto volume 2.

Afterlift #1 - 5 - My second review of the month (and 199th review/article overall) for Pipedream Comics, I was a little surprised to find that I really enjoyed Afterlift. Now, I should have expected that would given that this was a Chip Zdarsky book and he's got good stock with me after what he did on Marvel 2-in-1, but still I was hesitant. However, I'm glad I was proven wrong as Afterlift is such a well written title, which came across to me as having this real heartfelt message about both finding your place in the world and letting go of the past (which, of the latter, the finale actually states). I thought the story was incredibly well paced too, never feeling boring, and it had great art to match this, both in the feeling of speed and the brightness of Hell/look of the various parts of the Afterlife. After getting through all five issues, I have to confess that I'm kind of sad that it's all over, a testament to how good I found it (although, maybe they'll be a sequel).

Total Reading Count - 12

So, a good start to what will be my final bus travelling (and, as such, extensive comic reading) month of the 2019/20 winter. Hopefully, the next three (ish) weeks can keep up this top notch (well, I think so anyway beginning) and with my 200th review due as well as the completion of the Black Bolt series and beyond, I'm confident that this can happen.

But, we'll have to wait and see. 

What I Read - February 2020 (part 2)

I won't lie, February has been a tough month. With lots of plans put in place at the beginning of this year, real life has certainly made it difficult to put those into effect, mainly on my plans to write.

Reviews of comics have had to be put on hold, blog posts analysing other comics have had to be postponed and my own creation ideas have gone nowhere.

Don't let anyone tell you that adulting is easy.

Fortunately, while writing has had to take a back seat, my reading is still going strong. I've figured out how to deal with reading even a single page at a time and so, I've managed to use every spare second (no matter how small that second is) to move a little closer to my goal of 366 comic issues in the year.

So, with half of February down, here is the rest:
 

America #1 - Another free comic from Comixology, America saw America Chavez of Young Avengers and Ultimates fame giving up on the whole super heroing game to enter a multi-versal university. Unfortunately, despite how gorgeous and intriguing the cover the looked, I felt what lie beneath failed to match. The art was solid, reminding me of Jamis McKelvie's work on Young Avengers, albeit with a more muted colour scheme. However, the story similarly reminded me of that same Young Avengers series in that I really struggled to follow it, to the point I fell asleep a few times while reading this issue. I've had a conflicted history with America Chavez (I feel that she usurped Patriot's place on the YA team) but, upon hearing good things about this series, I was hopeful that would change here. Sadly, her solo outing just wasn't the book for me (although I do now have more respect for the character).

Spring-Heeled Jack #1 - A review comic for Pipedream Comics, this was actually REALLY hard to review. However that's not because it was bad but because it is a truly fun, funny and just awesome comic, but I struggled to really find much to say about it. That said SHJ looks amazing with its cartoony look and the plot and dialogue is such that it had me letting out a laugh or two as I read it (which I feel is never appropriate on the bus). Meanwhile, despite their relative short appearances, almost all of the characters felt unique to each other. In truth, there is very little I could find to say about this book which was bad, beyond struggle to find anything noteworthy to say about its good points. That said, if I'm honest with myself, I'm really glad I got to read this as it was a fun use of my time.

Superman Smashes the Klan #3 - The final issue of Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru's three part adaptation of the Superman Radio serial from 1946 sees Superman and the Lee children continue their fight to take down the Klan of the Fiery Kross as all sides continue to learn new things about themselves which will forever change their lives. A truly phenomenal end to an incredibly amazing series, this was a fantastic read which is only ruined by the fact that it has ended. Yang and Gurihiru have found truly incredible voices and looks for almost all of the characters; from Superman and Lois to the Lee kids, of which I absolutely love Roberta and hope she returns in comics. The eleventh hour twist was a bit unexpected but it didn't hinder what I'm tempted to say is the best mini-series of 2020 (yeah I know, we are in February). I might try and delve deeper into my thoughts on this run in the near future but, for now, I'm gonna say that I hope this team and universe returns in some capacity very soon!

Fantastic Four #19 - The final issue of the 'Point of Origin' arc, which saw the FF face off against the people of Spyre one final time after the revelations from the past issue, specifically a heated battle between the Overseer and Mr Fantastic. Meanwhile, Wyatt Wingfoot returns to his reservation to mediate a disagreement (to put it mildly) over oil drilling and makes a worrying Subterranean encounter that most likely sets up the next arc. Throughout this story arc (and, to a larger degree, this current run as a whole), I've had serious problems with where the FF seems to be heading, especially with an obvious origin retcon. However, while the retcon does still happen (despite what I prayed for), I felt Slott actually handled the finale of this arc really well, with the team really feeling more like themselves than most of them have for most of this series. Couple this with Isaakze's ever gorgeous art and I could believe this comic could again deserve that moniker of 'Greatest Superhero Comic'. That said, I've been burned plenty before to be weary but, the setup for a Mole Man centric next arc has me convinced to stay with this comic just a little while longer.

Locke and Key Vol. 2: Head Games - The second volume of Locke and Key continued the story of the Locke children and their adventure in keyhouse as Dodge starts making his move for the keys, Duncan's life gets caught in the crossfire. Meanwhile Bode makes a discovery which opens his and his siblings minds. As with the first volume, I absolutely adored this volume of the series. The art is fantastic and the story is deeply (and darkly) engrossing. As I read through this volume I noticed just how disturbed and insidious the character of Dodge is, to the point that I found myself feeling uncomfortable as I saw his every action. I also find myself intrigued over the part Rufus will play in all of this by the end. I'd started reading this volume just as I started watching the Netflix adaptation and, I'll be honest, the latter doesn't hold a candle to the comic series. While I once again have other commitments, I'm eager to move onto the next volume.

Locke and Key Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows - The third volume of the truly awesome series, this arc sees more keys being discovered, leading to Dodge going dark in an effort to find them as Tyler grows up. As with the prior two volumes, I found myself completely hooked from start to finish as Hill delved further still into what has now got to be in the top five comic series I've ever read. I really enjoyed this volume as it appeared to delve deeper into the minds of the characters (even without the head key), particularly the Matriarch, Nina. Meanwhile, I found it a joy as we watch the kids evolve into the smart, fearless people they need to be to defeat Dodge. I can't say much more about the art beyond the fact that it is still spectacular and matches the story perfectly. Now are the halfway point, I'm pretty much all in hence why, next up was.....

Locke and Key Vol. 4: Keys to the Kingdom - Getting on a roll, I moved on to Locke and Key's third volume, Keys to the Kingdom straight after Volumes 2 and 3 respectively. This volume saw Dodge step up with efforts to acquire the keys from the Locke children, as Tyler and Kinsey's actions regarding those keys come home to roost for their various relationships. Meanwhile, Sam makes and unexpected ally. Now, I'll admit that this arc felt like the weakest of the series thus far, mainly due to the fact it seemed to just rush through much of the action. However, that has little impact for me because it was still incredibly engrossing and look absolutely phenomenal and having a climax which just blew me away and made up for any shortcomings I may have felt were included prior. I'm now equal parts excited and nervous for what comes next but I'll be going there (after a short detour).

Fantastic Four #527-532 - A re-read due to the need to do some research in order to fill some gaps in my knowledge, the first arc of the Stracynski/McKone run sees the FF recovering from some bad PR and a lack of money. However, when a consulting job leads to a revelation about their origins, Reed must take his friends back into space to experience yet another cosmic storm. Now, in truth, while I always praise the Waid/Wienigo, ⁸ and McDuffie/Pelletier runs I'd forgotten how much I'd enjoyed this run in the series as JMS wrote a funny, yet quintessentially FF story which I thought got right all the elements that make the FF great. Meanwhile, the art is equally solid and colourful and I love how between that, Wienigo before it and Pelletier after it, McKone's style helps bind the two together, making it seem like one long art run. Of course, it's not perfect as Sue read to me like a bit of a damsel or even wasted potential. However, despite this it was a great arc and makes me more determined to read all FF books in order one day.

X4 #2 - This second issue continued the battle between X and F for the soul of Franklin Richards as he, sister Valeria and the crew of the Marauder become guests to Doctor Doom, the (not so) good Doctor makes Franklin his dream offer, but at what cost? Meanwhile, unaware of what is really going on the Fantastic Four arrive at Krakoa for their children. Now, this issue was a lot more of what I was expected, both in terms of action and personality. Zdarsky totally gets the personalities of the Four as both Reed and Sue act exactly how I feel they would, as do Ben and Johnny to a lesser extent. He also, writes such great ambiguously 'bad' guys in the X-Men, who I felt were the real villains of this series given their (specifically Xavier's) shady actions. Of course, there are a few niggles, such as what Doom wants (it seems weird that he's been placed in here) as well as some moments which contradict those set up over the history of the FF. That said, they are easily ignored as I fall in love with the Dodson's ever awesome art work and as the story has really gotten going, I now find myself eager to see the resolution (shame its going to one issue a month from here on out).

Fantastic Four: Grimm Noir #1 - Another of the quarterly (or there abouts) one-shots that Marvel have been releasing since the team returned, this issue takes a bit of a Philip Marlowe bent as the Thing plays detective as he tries to find a singing neighbour while also trying to understand who (or what) is the monster invading his nightmares. Much like all of the FF titles in general of late, these one-shots have been a mixed bag. Negative Zone was fun, Yancy Street less so. Grimm Noir, however, was a really fantastic (pardon the pun) and engrossing read which made me wonder why Ben was never portrayed as a gumshoe before? Meanwhile Garney's terrific art is perfect for this issue, able to jump from Noir to horror and back again without even one bit of change in style, I loved it. This is, without doubt, the best one-shot yet and I will keep picking those up if they all read as good as this.

Locke and Key Vol. 5: Clockworks and Vol. 6: Alpha and Omega - The final volumes of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodrigues' epic provides us with the origins of the keys as well as how the current story came to be before moving into the endgame and showing if Dodge finally succeeds or if the Locke's come out on top. Locke and Key has been an amazing series to read all throughout February but these final two arcs were truly spectacular. Volume five gave me a lot of unanswered questions as to the history of the Locke family and Keyhouse and even Dodge while volume 6 was an amazingly brutal finale which not only felt tragic but also satisfactory as it ended the journey these characters made with such a real punch that I actually felt myself welling up as I read it. I won't lie, there were a few niggles, such as Bode's final journey in these arcs, not to mention the deaths of characters I really hadn't expected. That said, the latter of these was more my own preference given how much I loved every character in this series, from main to supporting, while the former was more my response given the events of volume 4 which (as I said) felt like it took some of the series innocence and magic. In the end though, these are minor quibbles for me as Locke and Key is, without a doubt, amongst my top five comics ever read.

Total reading count - 42

Like I said at the beginning, I've managed to utilize ever spare second and make sure I read even just a page. Of course, given how much I enjoyed the majority of this selection (mainly Locke and Key which was as addictive and engrossing as any drug ... I assume) it was actually pretty easy to do this.

Now, as I move into March, my total reading count is 102 which I think is pretty good given I should only be at 60. Therefore, I'm two months ahead in my reading.

Of course, this works out well for me as March is my last month on the bus to work before I return to the bike, meaning a significant reduction in reading time.

Hopefully though, whatever trick I utilized in the last four weeks I can keep putting to good use.