Magazine Review: Asimov’s Science Fiction May/June 2021

Magazine Review: Asimov’s Science Fiction May/June 2021 edited by Sheila Williams Back in 1977, Isaac Asimov was one of the top three or so science fiction writers in the world, and had a very strong personal brand. So when Davis Publications wanted to create a “name brand magazine” for science fiction like Ellery Queen Mystery… Continue reading Magazine Review: Asimov’s Science Fiction May/June 2021

Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents: Justice League of America Volume 2

Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents Justice League of America Volume 2 edited by Julius Schwartz The Justice League of America debuted in The Brave and the Bold #28 (March 1960.) It was a retread of the Golden Age Justice Society of America, teaming up several of DC Comics’ superhero characters to promote all of them.… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Showcase Presents: Justice League of America Volume 2

Book Review: World’s Best Science Fiction: Third Series

Book Review: World’s Best Science Fiction: Third Series edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr (also printed as “World’s Best Science Fiction 1967”) The introduction to this volume of science fiction stories from 1966 mentions that there was a tendency to longer stories in the field, perhaps because many of the ideas required more… Continue reading Book Review: World’s Best Science Fiction: Third Series

Manga Review: Shonen Jump (2020)

Manga Review: Shonen Jump (2020) It’s the eighth anniversary of this blog, and time once again to look at the online version of Weekly Shounen Jump! There haven’t been any major changes to the format since last year. One Piece is still the longest-running feature, and is closing in on 1000 chapters! There was a… Continue reading Manga Review: Shonen Jump (2020)

Anime Review: BNA (Brand New Animal)

Michiru is not a believer in the power of prayer.

Anime Review: BNA )Brand New Animal Beastmen are an alternate evolutionary branch that have existed alongside homo sapiens since prehistory. They look exactly like humans in their primary form, but can morph into an anthropomorphic “beastman” form that gives them abilities of the animal they’re tied to. Relations between humans and beastmen have sometimes been… Continue reading Anime Review: BNA (Brand New Animal)

Magazine Review: Astounding Science Fiction July 1939

Magazine Review: Astounding Science Fiction July 1939 edited by John W. Campbell Astounding Science Fiction is now Analog, which is still being published; see earlier reviews on this blog. Today I’m looking at a key issue from the pulp days, July 1939. First, there’s this classic cover by Graves Gladney. Up front is “Addenda”, an… Continue reading Magazine Review: Astounding Science Fiction July 1939

Anime Review: In/Spectre

Kurou and Iwanaga work together to grasp a better future.

Anime Review: In/Spectre Kotoko Iwanaga is the Goddess of Wisdom. She’s not literally a god, that’s just the title the youkai gave her when she agreed to be their mediator to settle disputes between Japanese spirits and monsters. Iwanaga (she doesn’t like her personal name) gained certain abilities in exchange for her right eye and… Continue reading Anime Review: In/Spectre

Manga Review: Triton of the Sea 2

Manga Review: Triton of the Sea 2 by Osamu Tezuka WARNING: This review contains massive SPOILERS for Volume 1 of Triton of the Sea. Triton, last surviving male member of the Triton Clan of sea-dwellers, has managed to survive everything the Poseidon Clan has thrown at him, including the 33 children of King Poseidon himself.… Continue reading Manga Review: Triton of the Sea 2

Book Review: An Oath of Dogs

Book Review: An Oath of Dogs by Wendy N. Wagner Kate Standish (she prefers “Standish”) is looking forward to her new job as a communications technician on the colony world of Huginn. After the traumatic accident, open space is no longer a place she feels comfortable in, and the frequent cloud cover will help her… Continue reading Book Review: An Oath of Dogs

Comic Book Review: The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll’s House

Comic Book Review: The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll’s House written by Neil Gaiman, art by Mike Dringenberg & Malcolm Jones III In the mid to late 1980s, DC started to have a “British Invasion”, bringing over several talented British authors that had new perspectives on the DC universe characters. One of these creators was… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll’s House