Hanging with Vampires by Insha Fitzpatrick

Pub Date: March 28, 2023Publisher: Quirk BooksAuthor: WebsiteInfo: Goodreads

Are vampires real? Who was Vlad the Impaler? Do vampire bats ever feed on humans? Find out in Hanging with Vampires, a field guide for the curious and the adventurous. Crack open the lid on this guide and you’ll get:Bloodcurdling vampire mythology! What exactly is a vampire, anyway?Spine-chilling history and science! Uncover how the vampire legend got its start in the medieval ages.A who’s who of vampires! Get to know classic, iconic, and terrifying vampires in pop culture, from Dracula to Adventure Time.Hanging with Vampires is the first book in the Totally Factual Field Guide to the Supernatural series, a hilarious and haunting exploration of how myths and legends shape our lives. Sink your fangs into vampire lore and literature with enchanting illustrations and fun activities, like making garlic bread. It’s a spooky world out there–grab your guide, and let’s go! (goodreads.com)

Oh, my heart! This book is divine. I can't say enough good things about it.The art is superb. A hint spooky, a hint goofy, and completely darling. It balanced the topic at hand nicely.And the content is completely on the nose. A super high level look at the concept of vampires throughout history, with some scientific explanations thrown in, is a great introduction to the supernatural for anyone who's interested.My favorite part was when it got to vampires in film, and it got into Twilight. I was choking down the full page write up on what the movie was about, until I turned that page and read the full page caveat about how it's a problematic movie and why critics of it will say it is. I LOVED IT. And then the whole following section about the growing diversity around vampires and how not diverse the myth was until very recently. It's pretty much impossible not to talk about vampires in cinema without talking about Twilight, and I think Fitzpatrick addressed all that wonderfully.HANGING WITH VAMPIRES approaches topics like intersectionality, the value of representation in literature and film, and the deeper dives behind the cultural meaning of the vampire throughout history in a way that's understandable and relatable and puts things into context. It provides just enough nuance that, if a reader wanted to look deeper into a particular topic, the author has given that reader just enough of a hint as to where to go from there. Loved it.Unfortunately, that means it will likely get banned because Fitzpatrick deigned to bring a "woke" attitude to a classic creature. We don't want to indoctrinate our children, you hear? 🙄 <-- That's an eye-roll emoji in case you can't see it.This book is a great starting place for those new to the lore, young or old. The tone of the book is fun and upbeat, but it doesn't shy away from more difficult topics and some of the deeply rooted issues surrounding vampire lore. If you know of anyone who's toeing the line of the supernatural, HANGING WITH VAMPIRES is for them, regardless of age. Plus Fitzpatrick talks about two of my favorite movies: The Lost Boys and Vampires vs the Bronx. So of course it's fantastic. 😁5I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda #1 and #2 by Jim Zub

Published: September 18, 2019Publisher: MarvelAuthorer: WebsiteInfo: Goodreads

Vampires. Aliens. Angry fish kings. Black Panther’s hand-picked Agents of Wakanda can handle it all. And who better to lead them than the king of the world’s most technologically evolved country? Wakanda is making waves on the world’s map – and not everyone’s a fan. With General Okoye’s help, T’Challa will take Gorilla-Man, Ka-Zar and Wasp on a global fight for survival – to handle threats S.H.I.E.L.D. could only dream of!T’Challa and his agents have uncovered the source of dark energy emanating from a small town in Oklahoma. Is it a super villain…or a savior? Reality-spanning espionage, defense and black ops, all backed by Vibranium-laced technology and the will to use it. The Agents of Wakanda are our first line of defense in a world under siege from all sides. (goodreads.com)

I'm reviewing these two comics together because it's really just one story and doesn't make a ton of sense to do it separately.#1 is basically the comic setting up what Agents of Wakanda is, basically Agents of SHIELD but from Wakanda, working adjacent to SHIELD. But I think the Wakanda characters are better, IMO. They're fun and kind of silly but also get into some nonsense too. They almost feel like they're handling the smaller stuff that SHIELD doesn't want to bother with until you get to #2.In the second issue they're tackling an entity that can really screw with a place, simply by meditating. Just like turn everyone into zombies by being all zenned out. I love it. Another reason why I like Wakanda better: they deal with some fun stuff like zombies. Because aliens and multiverses and gods and talking racoons are real. Why not the supernatural stuff too?The art is fun too. It's not super stiff like some of the more classic comics can be, and it's not in that messy kind of style that makes it hard to really suss out what's going on in the panels (at least for me, that's not my favorite style, for sure). It's crisp, sharp, colorful, and full of personality.Fun, gorgeous comics all around. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!5

Totally '90s Coloring Book by Christina Haberkern

Published: October 27, 2020Publisher: Plume BooksAuthor: WebsiteInfo: Goodreads

Have you rewatched Clueless lately? Reminisced about the cool clear telephone you had in middle school, or tried to buy a vintage Furby on Ebay? If so, this is the coloring book for you! Perfect for anyone who loves coloring to take them to another world (and time!), this coloring book features pop-culture memories like the Spice Girls; illustrations inspired by classic TV shows like Full House, Family Matters, and Saved by the Bell; memorable trends like Trapper Keepers, Caboodles, and mix CDs; and nostalgia-inspired fashion like butterfly clips, Rollerblades, jelly sandals, and snap bracelets. (goodreads.com)

I certainly had some flashbacks flipping through this coloring book. But I loved it. All the drawings, all the designs, are just so indicative of the decade. It was difficult to choose just one to color. Granted, it's not like I have to give the copy back so I can color them all whenever I want. But for the sake of this review I did choose just one.How could I not with the Zach Morris phone? Look at that brick. I used a combination of colored pencils and watercolor markers and came up with this neon 90s gem. There's some real Lisa Frank-looking stuff in here so if you're looking for a mindless nostalgia break to take your mind off the hellscape around us, pick up TOTALLY '90S COLORING BOOK. You won't regret it.5I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Firefly by Greg Pak

Published: May 4, 2019Publisher: Boom! StudiosAuthor: WebsiteInfo: Goodreads

First, Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his first mate Zoe Alleyne Washburne have a bond that was forged in blood during the war that shaped the 'Verse...but when the awful secret at the core of that bond is finally revealed and they're called to answer, the people who love them are left to pick up the pieces.And in the second exclusive story, there's something evil lurking under Sunnydale High School, namely a gateway to a hell dimension that's been foretold to destroy the world as we know it. Buffy and the gang have mostly got it under control...as long as everything stays exactly as it is, and we mean zero new plot points, no new characters, and absolutely no twists, turns, or misunderstood prophecies. Easy peasy! (goodreads.com)

For the Firefly comic, I've only watched one episode of the show and couldn't really get into it so for the piece of comic that's in here it didn't really register with me. Not very memorable. The Buffy comic was a little more entertaining although it's a super short look into a much larger comic. Regardless, I felt it hit pretty accurately to the show and it got my attention. The preview of Buffy #1 at the end of this comic, though, totally confused me. It basically rewrote Buffy's introduction to Sunnydale and I really don't understand . . . Overall the art was okay. I liked it enough.3

Bob's Burgers by Rachel Hastings

Published: May 4, 2019Publisher: DynamiteAuthor: WebsiteInfo: Goodreads

Join the Belcher family for the 2019 Free Comic Book Day Bob's Burger Comic book! Brought to you by the producers and animators of the hit TV show and features all your favorite characters; Bob, Linda, Tina, Gene & Louise. (goodreads.com)

I'm a big Bob's Burgers fan and I loved the little shorts in this comic. Louise's story was perfectly fitting as she learned the ropes manipulating time. While I'm not the biggest Gene fan I felt his cheese touch story was totally on point and enjoyable. And Tina's Jimmy Jr, butt-centric story was totally Tina. I loved the art too, such different styles for each story that all really added to each in its own way.4.5