Graphic Novel/Comic Review: THE FOX – FOX HUNT #1

Paul Patton is The Fox, a crime-fighting superhero of sorts. His wife and son know about his secret identity and all the good he has accomplished. Paul really wants to put his life of The Fox behind him, but he constantly finds himself involved in mysterious situations that only The Fox can seem to solve. For instance, while on a routine photography/social media assignment to his old hometown that's about to be bulldozed to make room for a water basin, Paul catches sight of a mysterious woman in green.  Something strange is going on and it's up to The Fox to find out what. I enjoyed reading THE FOX-FOX HUNT #1. It has a strange mix of mystical and realism that really plays around with the superhero format: it reminded me of an ANIMAL MAN story or DEADPOOL. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and finding out how the "Fox Hunt" will end.

Graphic Novel/Comic Review: THE BLACK HOOD #1

BLACK HOOD #1 is the origin story of a particular version of a crime fighter called The Black Hood. The story focuses around Greg Hettinger. Greg is just a normal cop in Philadelphia trying to do his job. He becomes a hero, loses half his face, and accidentally kills a vigilante called The Black Hood while on a routine stop near a public school. After months of therapy, he finds himself back on the force, but he is not at all himself. A series of unwise choices lead Greg into becoming what he thought he had killed. BLACK HOOD #1 is fairly straight-forward as action stories go. However, it is a bit more realistic in some aspects than other super-hero/crime-fighter stories, for instance illustrating how a pain medication addiction can affect one's behavior and cause a person to make strange choices. The story did keep my interest and I look forward to reading other parts of the tale.

Book Review: YOU CAN'T FIGHT CRAZY

YOU CAN'T FIGHT CRAZY is a collection of "Get Fuzzy" comic strips that ran in newspapers from Apr. 24, 2011 – July 14, 2012. "Get Fuzzy" usually includes a couple of longer running storylines and several week-long storylines. THE FUZZY BUNCH isn't any different in that regard to any other "Get Fuzzy" collection. A few of the storylines in this collection include Bucky writing his autobiography, Bucky invented a variety of fish-flavored junk and snack foods, and Bucky trying to harness the powers of a dead bat to become Batcat. Unlike many of the previous collections, this book focuses on just Rob, Bucky, and Satchel although a few other characters do make appearances. There's also the introduction of a completely new character, Astral Bob. Astral Bob is a cat who reads horoscopes. "Get Fuzzy" is usually at its best when it focuses on just Rob, Bucky, and Satchel. While still funny, YOU CAN'T FIGHT CRAZY isn't as hilarious as other "Get Fuzzy" collections are. For instance, the previous "Get Fuzzy" collection, THE FUZZY BUNCH, was a collection on par with the collections from the earlier years of the comic strip. YOU CAN'T FIGHT CRAZY doesn't quite live up to that level. Overall, YOU CAN'T FIGHT CRAZY is a decent collection of "Get Fuzzy" strips, but it's not quite on the same level as many of the other collections.

Book Review: PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN

A collection of the comic strips of the same name, PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN is about an eccentric and precocious little girl named Phoebe. One day while skipping rocks across a pond, Phoebe hits a unicorn in the face. This incident results in the unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, to become best friends. Marigold shares in the adventures of Phoebe's life. Marigold is real, but no one is very impressed with her because of a magical "Shield of Boringness" that keeps people from being overwhelmed by her natural splendor. Although written from a young female perspective, PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN is a comic collection that both male and female readers or any age can enjoy. Although often compared to "Calvin and Hobbes" and "Peanuts", PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN is only similar to those strips because it revolves around a child and that, like those other strips, it contains some humor that can only be appreciated by adults.