Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 8

Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 8 by Naoki Urasawa Note: There will be SPOILERS for earlier volumes of this series. If you don’t want to be spoiled, read those earlier volumes before reading this review. Quick recap: Asa Asada was kidnapped as a child, but a typhoon and a mysterious monster forced her and her kidnapper,… Continue reading Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 8

Movie Review: Shampoo

George at his workplace, being scolded for coming in late.

Movie Review: Shampoo (1975) directed by Hal Ashby It is the day before the United States election in 1968, but in Beverly Hills, hairdresser George (Warren Beatty) has other things to think about. He’s something of a star in his profession, much sought out by women, but locked into a contract with the owner of the… Continue reading Movie Review: Shampoo

Webtoon Review: Agent Elvis

Never meet your heroes.

Webtoon Review: Agent Elvis It is 1968, and Elvis Presley is preparing for his Comeback Special. After a few years concentrating on making movies, he’s ready to go out on the road with live performances again. Well, ready except for these strange urges he gets to ditch everything and administer vigilante justice. His manager Birdie… Continue reading Webtoon Review: Agent Elvis

Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 5

Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 5 by Naoki Urasawa Note: This review contains SPOILERS for earlier volumes of Asadora! It is 1964, and the Tokyo Olympics are about to begin. But there has been a sighting of “that thing”, a gigantic creature of unknown origins, in the vicinity. If it can’t be driven off, the Olympics… Continue reading Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 5

Book Review: Rod String Nail Cloth

Book Review: Rod String Nail Cloth by T. Aaron Cisco The subtitle of this book is “An Afrofuturist Mixtape.” You can read more about Afrofuturism at this Wikipedia article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrofuturism but for the purposes of this review, it’s the intersection of speculative fiction with the African Diaspora experience and cultures, and in particular the experience… Continue reading Book Review: Rod String Nail Cloth

Comic Book Review: Codename: Action

Comic Book Review: Codename: Action written by Chris Roberson, art by Jonathan Lau It is 1966, and a young trainee has just passed his final test to become a field agent for the agency. Which agency? You don’t have a need to know, but it’s been protecting America from the shadows since the 1930s. Newly… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Codename: Action

Open Thread: Landmark Birthday Coming Up!

Created for me by Indigo Caldwell; please do not reuse without permission.

Open Thread: Landmark Birthday Coming Up! As of June 26, I will be sixty years old! I’ve tried to keep this blog ad-free as much as possible, and it’s been a few years since I had a fundraiser, but to keep the reviews coming, it helps to have a steady flow of things to review.… Continue reading Open Thread: Landmark Birthday Coming Up!

Magazine Review: Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine May/June 2021

Magazine Review: Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine May/June 2021 edited by Linda Landrigan In 1956, HSD Publications wanted to create a new mystery story magazine. To boost sales, they licensed the name of Alfred Hitchcock, a famous director who was then the host of a popular television show. While Mr. Hitchcock otherwise had nothing to do… Continue reading Magazine Review: Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine May/June 2021

Book Review: The Great Quake

Book Review: The Great Quake by Henry Fountain Disclaimer:  I received this uncorrected proof through a Goodreads Giveaway to facilitate this review.  No other compensation was offered or requested.  As an uncorrected proof, many changes will be made in the final product, due out August 2017, including an index and bibliography, and possibly more illustrations.… Continue reading Book Review: The Great Quake