Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Comics & Graphic Novels
Presented for the first time with stark, stunning new coloring by Brian Bolland, BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE is Alan Moore's unforgettable meditation on the razor-thin line between sanity and insanity, heroism and villainy, comedy and tragedy. This is a no-holds-barred take on a truly insane criminal mind, masterfully written by British comics writer Alan Moore. The Killing Joke provoked fury among many readers who lamented the disposal of Barbara Gordon as a mere pawn to testosterone; yet Gordon reinvents herself later as superinfohacker Oracle, poster girl for disability empowerment (see Birds of Prey, LJ 7/08).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Playing the Arkham video games by Rocksteady made Batman really stand out."
"The book reveals how he was once sane but turned insane due to personal reasons (read the book)."
"Before reading The Killing Joke, I've ready V for Vendetta and Watchmen. Both are other graphic novels written by Alan Moore. I had no idea what to expect, but a friend of mine did call this (in his opinion) the greatest graphic novel of all time. They're all awesome, so of course I was gonna love Batman in this story too. This story isn't so much about Batman fighting bad guys as it is about proving the joker wrong. Batman (and Gordon) are pushed to their limits as they not only try to stop the joker, but prove him wrong. One thing I liked from another comic, Batman: Hush, was the use of other DC characters to progress the story, but I really liked how The Killing Joke told another amazing story with less character in less pages."
"But that's just me, and don't get me wrong, some of his pictures have an absolutely incredible amount of depth, you can just see layer after layer of the character. This book is an absolute gem, Bolland and Moore play off one another to absolute perfection, one of the best comics I've ever read."
"The events in this story felt much more real than other superhero comics/graphic novels that I have read in the past."
BATMAN: HUSH is a thrilling mystery of action, intrigue and deception penned by Jeph Loeb (BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN) and illustrated by comics superstar Jim Lee (ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER). In comics, he is best known for his work with the supremely talented artist and partner-in-crime TIM SALE on BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN, SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS,CATWOMAN: WHEN IN ROME for DC as well as Daredevil Yellow, Spider-Man Blue and Hulk Gray for Marvel. Prior to his current post, Lee served as Editorial Director, where he oversaw WildStorm Studios and was also the artist for many of DC Comics’ bestselling comic books and graphic novels, including ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER, BATMAN: HUSH, and SUPERMAN: FOR TOMORROW.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I can't say too much about who else is in it because I'll get into spoiler territory, but it's awesome to see other faces from the DC universe. Hush throws a curve ball and takes away all of Batman's momentum. They add a really interesting level of depth to the overall story*** I also really liked the ending's big twist and the resolution to it all. The idea is that someone is playing this complex game of chess, and Batman as well as his friends and foes are the pieces, so I guess you HAVE to be kept waiting, but I was just hoping we could have seen more of Hush in the other two thirds of the story. Final Verdict: You absolutely need you read this book! I really enjoyed The Dark Knight Returns, but I couldn't read it for THAT long without needing a mental break."
"I loved the character interactions best--here is where the skill really shined--you got the weight of whole backgrounds and relationships in simple moments and dialogues, which gave the story a rich depth and 'real feeling' to it. Not an easy balance as seen in comics that have no character and are merely flash bang--or in ones that grind to a halt with too much character 'time' and not enough movement."
"It's an excellent addition to the rich archives belonging to the Batman family of stories (and that's coming from a guys who's mainly a Marvel fan, folks!). He was brilliant with Marvel "back in the day" on the X-Men titles and such, but in this volume, "Hush," you can see that he has grown in all facets of his illustrating prowess. Sometimes loosely monochromatic, sometimes vivid and colorful, sometimes dark and moody---they made all the right choices on every single friggin' page. It has a rich selection of characters, a super story, brilliant art, and is loads of fun."
"Jeph Loeb dives DEEP into Batman's history in comic books to bring up every past Batman tragedy Loeb could think of."
Collects Ms. Marvel (2014) #1-5, All-New Marvel Now! But who truly is the all-new Ms. Marvel? Her articles about the Middle East and modern Islam have appeared in the New York Times Magazine , the Atlantic Monthly and the Canada National Pos t. Her memoir about life in Egypt during the waning years of the Mubarak regime, The Butterfly Mosque , was named a Seattle Times Best Book of 2010.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"What could I, a 57 year white male living in Minnesota, possibly have of interest in a book like this ? It turns out this is a book for anyone who likes good writing and a unique fresh take on a very cookie cutter genre. Adrian Alphonsa is a Canadian artist who came to prominence with the charming art for Brain Vaughn's Runaways. Adrian's art has evolved a little since Runaways and he has a very fine line drawing style that evokes a whimsical mode in which he portrays some of the characters as having exaggerated faces. The story itself involves Kamala Khan an ordinary Muslim girl in Jersey City who writes Fan Fiction and dreams of being a Super-Herione. The story follows Kamala Khan and her gang of friends as she learns about her powers, makes mistakes and tries to do good. Please Sample this refreshing take on Super Heroes and support this excellent book which is truly meant for All Ages."
"This is a classic it broke many barriers in it's publication and despite the unusual lead character and story line it even made it into the Marvel Universe."
"It's great to have more diversity in heroes and I love the way she has to deal with her family."
"Interesting new twist to this hero."
"The All New Ms. Marvel has some big boots to fill, but it's quite clear that this won't be an issue."
"The book kept me entertained and the characters are likeable."
"It has action, comedic relief, and insight into a under-represented and mis-represented community."
Best Mystery Graphic Novels
Presented for the first time with stark, stunning new coloring by Brian Bolland, BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE is Alan Moore's unforgettable meditation on the razor-thin line between sanity and insanity, heroism and villainy, comedy and tragedy. This is a no-holds-barred take on a truly insane criminal mind, masterfully written by British comics writer Alan Moore. The Killing Joke provoked fury among many readers who lamented the disposal of Barbara Gordon as a mere pawn to testosterone; yet Gordon reinvents herself later as superinfohacker Oracle, poster girl for disability empowerment (see Birds of Prey, LJ 7/08).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Playing the Arkham video games by Rocksteady made Batman really stand out."
"The book reveals how he was once sane but turned insane due to personal reasons (read the book)."
"Before reading The Killing Joke, I've ready V for Vendetta and Watchmen. Both are other graphic novels written by Alan Moore. I had no idea what to expect, but a friend of mine did call this (in his opinion) the greatest graphic novel of all time. They're all awesome, so of course I was gonna love Batman in this story too. This story isn't so much about Batman fighting bad guys as it is about proving the joker wrong. Batman (and Gordon) are pushed to their limits as they not only try to stop the joker, but prove him wrong. One thing I liked from another comic, Batman: Hush, was the use of other DC characters to progress the story, but I really liked how The Killing Joke told another amazing story with less character in less pages."
"But that's just me, and don't get me wrong, some of his pictures have an absolutely incredible amount of depth, you can just see layer after layer of the character. This book is an absolute gem, Bolland and Moore play off one another to absolute perfection, one of the best comics I've ever read."
"The events in this story felt much more real than other superhero comics/graphic novels that I have read in the past."
"Incidentally, the bonus story 'An innocent guy', was pretty good as far as it went, but seemed to lack a real resolution."
Best Marvel Comics & Graphic Novels
Collecting Incredible Hulk Vol. Monsters and heroes... and the Incredible Hulk!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I picked this up actually thinking it was the future imperfect story line but quickly learned it was not."
"If you loved the cartoon this is worth a read!"
"After I finished I got World War Hulk because I wanted more."
"This e-comic anthology is complete including minor related stories."
"Fun read - collection of the Planet Hulk comics...no wonder he was "ticked" when he made it back to Earth."
"Great story line."
"This is a must read for those who like dark stories."
"I may have built the hype up in my mind before reading Planet Hulk and I was extremely disappointed in the story as a whole."
Best Superhero Comics & Graphic Novels
Collecting Incredible Hulk Vol. Monsters and heroes... and the Incredible Hulk!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you loved the cartoon this is worth a read!"
"After I finished I got World War Hulk because I wanted more."
"One of the best HULK stories ever, like it's crazy (Hulk having sex LOL) but great read and really does a great job making the HUlk come alive as a character."
"This e-comic anthology is complete including minor related stories."
"Fun read - collection of the Planet Hulk comics...no wonder he was "ticked" when he made it back to Earth."
"Great story line."
"This is a must read for those who like dark stories."
"I may have built the hype up in my mind before reading Planet Hulk and I was extremely disappointed in the story as a whole."
Best Superhero Graphic Novels
Collecting Incredible Hulk Vol. Monsters and heroes... and the Incredible Hulk!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you loved the cartoon this is worth a read!"
"After I finished I got World War Hulk because I wanted more."
"One of the best HULK stories ever, like it's crazy (Hulk having sex LOL) but great read and really does a great job making the HUlk come alive as a character."
"This e-comic anthology is complete including minor related stories."
"Fun read - collection of the Planet Hulk comics...no wonder he was "ticked" when he made it back to Earth."
"Great story line."
"This is a must read for those who like dark stories."
"I may have built the hype up in my mind before reading Planet Hulk and I was extremely disappointed in the story as a whole."
Best Military Graphic Novels
Dark Horse presents new editions of the entire Hellboy line with new covers, beginning with Seed of Destruction , the basis of director Guillermo del Toro's blockbuster films. Ottakar's Outland Magazine Issue 31, Autumn 2004 : "Rather like an X'-File' investigating the 'X-files', the lantern chinned, wisecracking Hellboy is one of the most endearing heroes to have emerged in comics for a long time, coming across as fresh, inventive, and, above all, highly entertaining."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This includes the story on which the first Hellboy movie is based on along with two short stories and a gallery of arr."
"A really great read."
"The first volume was great, and I am looking forward to further reading."
"Holy crap this thing is huge!"
"This is probably one of my favorite comics ever, the writing and dialogue are both great, and the artwork is fantastic."
"Hopefully someone will combine the series or more soon so we can enjoy it."
"This is the way the Hellboy books should be read, the larger (then the original comic book size) print and vibrant colors will make your eyes bleed with joy."
"Great read."
Best Pulp Graphic Novels
Blizzard Entertainment and Dark Horse Books are thrilled to present the next installment of the wildly popular World of Warcraft Chronicle series. Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft ® and the Warcraft ®, StarCraft ®, and Diablo ® franchises, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry's most critically acclaimed games.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This includes so much lore leading up to the Dark Portal."
"It's a great tool to grow your understanding of the game world and builds on the 1st chronicle beautifully."
"Read this all day, love it!"
"Amazing book and amazing quality."
"This book is the end-all-be-all for Warcraft lore."
"The first Chronicle had much more art than Vol.2 but Vol.2 has much more lore in it."
"This is a must have for anyone who likes reading into Warcraft lore."
"This serves as a great reference for World of Warcraft lore even if I was surprised at some of the lore provided."
Best Horror Graphic Novels
From his apocalyptic origin in World War II England to the modern-day case of the sole survivor of a doomed Arctic expedition, Hellboy must battle vampire frog creatures and worse in his debut miniseries. Ottakar's Outland Magazine Issue 31, Autumn 2004 : "Rather like an X'-File' investigating the 'X-files', the lantern chinned, wisecracking Hellboy is one of the most endearing heroes to have emerged in comics for a long time, coming across as fresh, inventive, and, above all, highly entertaining."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This includes the story on which the first Hellboy movie is based on along with two short stories and a gallery of arr."
"A really great read."
"The first volume was great, and I am looking forward to further reading."
"Holy crap this thing is huge!"
"This is probably one of my favorite comics ever, the writing and dialogue are both great, and the artwork is fantastic."
"Hopefully someone will combine the series or more soon so we can enjoy it."
"This is the way the Hellboy books should be read, the larger (then the original comic book size) print and vibrant colors will make your eyes bleed with joy."
"Great read."
Best Comics & Manga in Russian
В книге «ПРАВИЛА ХОРОШЕГО ТОНА» Манро Лиф на самых простых примерах показывает детям, что быть воспитанным гораздо практичнее, чем быть неотёсанным невежей, которого все сторонятся и над которым смеются.
Find Best Price at AmazonBest Children's Nonfiction Computer Books
In the first book of this hilarious Minecraft adventure series, we get to read the diary of an actual 12 year old, Minecraft Zombie.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The ten year old read this book. His review is, "It was good but short." Here is the question and answer session that followed in order to elicit more information: What's it about? A zombie who has troubles at schools and goes on a couple of adventures. Is there any bad language or violence in it?"
"Obviously the premise of the story is based on the Wimpy Kid series, so you're basically getting a point-of-view story in diary form. There are little black and white pictures scattered throughout, so it breaks up the story and makes it more entertaining for the reader. I also have to add that we were given a free copy of the book from the author in exchange for a fair review, but I went ahead and purchased another copy for myself as well as book 4 in the series for my son - we loved it that much!"
"He got it for Christmas and spent that afternoon reading it--and this is a kid who didn't really read on his own for fun!"
"Overall I think it is a great book- especially good for encouraging boys to find the love for reading."
"My 6 year old read this in one day, he thought it was so entertaining!"
"It is for a younger group but I have been reading the freebie digital copy on my tablet and I have to admit, I am amused with it."
"Great gift for 10 yr old grandson!"
"My son loves being read to and we read to him every night, but this is the FIRST book that he has read independently!"
Best Video & Electronic Games
Previously published as Diary of a Wimpy Steve: Trapped in Minecraft! (Book 1) takes you on a hilarious Minecraft adventure in which Wimpy Steve (a complete newbie) records his experiences while trapped INSIDE the Minecraft game! With charming illustrations and creative storytelling, Wimpy Steve: Trapped in Minecraft! Kids ages 5-12 (even reluctant readers) can't wait to "dig in" to these Minecraft adventures! Minecraft is a registered trademark of, and owned by, Mojang AB, and its respective owners, which do not approve, endorse, sponsor, or authorize this book.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I like these books zdfgsegrgbggbdreythftdfvdkfonelfivndlfnlekfefoivndfvnjvmcjfgkv."
"Lol LoL LoL LoL !!!!"
"I love this book its combines to of my favorite things."
"THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER IN ALL SPACE. TIME!!!!"
"I really liked this book."
"Awesome book sure to make your child laugh."
"I really like this book because it is about adventure very very very very very very very very awesome By matt."