Quick Reviews #5

100 Bullets Volume 3, Hang Up on the Hang Low by Brian Azzarello
Life is a bitch...and then you die. Or at least somebody dies. Most likely, when you enter the shadowy world of 100 Bullets, it's a whole lot of people. That's just what a young man named Loop is about to find out.With a gun and 100 rounds of untraceable ammunition--courtesy of the mysterious Agent Graves--he's set out to find the father he never knew, and find out first-hand what the underworld is really like. It's going to be worse than he could possibly imagine.
Thoughts: Similar to the last two that I read, this one goes a little more in depth with this story and the main character. Although it is a great story, I don't think it would work well as a stand alone. The graphics are great, the dialogue is good and the story gets more interesting every time, so I want to read the fourth one.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne'er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree: "there is no perfect daughter, / no gifted high school junior, / no Kristina Georgia Snow. / There is only Bree." Bree will do all the things good girl Kristina won't, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank...
Thoughts: A powerful novel about drug addiction and its consequences, written in short poems that flowed well. This book tells the story of a young girl, and her encounter with "the Monster," a heartbreaking story of what drugs cause. It is a very realistic book, the poetic format adds an extra dimension to it, and the story is altogether depressing and insightful.

Vampire Haiku by Ryan Mecum
Vampire Haiku is a poetry journal written by a vampire whose life spans for centuries, starting during the birth of America. The undead poet was turned into a vampire hundreds of years ago and has lived through (and possibly caused) some of America’s defining events. Although many of the haiku stand on their own, the hundreds of haiku also flow together to tell one story of being a vampire, living during the entire history of America, and forever longing to find and be with the woman who turned him into a vampire many years ago as he crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this quick, delightful and a bit gross book. Made me laugh quite a bit. My favorite haiku was in reference to the Twilight series:

"If this were real life,

Ed would have looked at her neck--
Bite, dead, burp, credits."

The Walking Dead, Vol. 1 Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman
An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe, causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months, society has crumbled: There is no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV. Rick Grimes finds himself one of the few survivors in this terrifying future. A couple months ago he was a small town cop who had never fired a shot and only ever saw one dead body. Separated from his family, he must now sort through all the death and confusion to try and find his wife and son. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally begin living.
Thoughts: Based on post-apocalyptic times, this graphic novel is full of zombie horror and people learning to survive. The images are all black and white, which I wasn’t too happy with, since I prefer gore and bloody images. The storyline was great, although the beginning wasn't too strong: a man waking up from a coma and the world is pretty much dead and eating the living; it could've been a bit more original.