Suicide Squad: Volume 1: Kicked in the Teeth

Suicide Squad: Volume 1: Kicked in the Teeth by Adam Glass, Federico Dallocchio, and Clayton Henry, 160 pages.

I've recently been getting into DC Comic's "The New 52" revamp series.  I'm a huge Batman fan, so I've been sticking within the Batman universe.  I was a bit weary of DC's recent "New 52" makeover, but after several graphic novels, you can colour me impressed.  DC's initial direction with the 52 revamp was to bring their main series to a younger audience.  With all the heroes getting a complete back-story makeover at the expense of making most DC canon now defunct.  This goal, I suspect, was to give new readers a fresh starting point, letting them explore Batman et al. without having to worry about their convoluted pasts.

After reading several of the collected series, I find the "New 52" to actually be more mature.  There is an increase in violence, gore, and the sex appeal has, in most cases, been upped.  My favourite series so far, is the Suicide Squad.  The Suicide Squad has been around for a while, but sticking with the fresh start theme of "The New 52", I'm not going to go into that.  Volume one, a collection of issues 1-7, gives the back story for this new iteration of the Suicide Squad.  What we have is a collection of villains: Deadshot, Harley Quinn, King Shark, and others, who have been placed on Death Row.  In steps the government, offering them a way to possibly see freedom again, by undertaking covert operations.  These missions tend to be nasty, illegal, and nearly always involve killing several people.  The members of the Suicide Squad have small nano-bombs placed in their necks, which can be remotely detonated, to keep them in-line.  What we have is a bunch of nasty bad guys, undertaking missions that traditionally good superheroes couldn't be seen doing - killing a pregnant woman to stop a cyborg-zombie outbreak, for example.

I love the format of the Suicide Squad, as the high death toll of its members, allows for the introduction of new B-list villains each issue.  Characters, whom otherwise, wouldn't get much page time.  There has been some controversy over Harley Quinn's sexed-up new design, but I like it.  If that makes me a misogynist, then so be it.  Comic books have, and still are, overwhelmingly read by males, and with that comes the usual pitfalls.  Let's remember, there's not too many men that can live up to the male body image portrayed in comics.  But, I suspect if sexy ladies in skimpy undies, kicking arse offends you, then you most likely aren't going to be reading many superhero comics anytime soon.

So far I'm a big fan of DC's "New 52" re-boot, and Suicide Squad is the cream of the crop for me.

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson, 386 pages.

I brought this book with me for a flight to Europe.  It was so awesome, I'd read it by the by the time I'd reached my first stop-over in Houston.  Ever watched a movie or read a book, and thought, "mmmm, if this had ninjas, or pirates, or dinosaurs fighting Nazis, then this movie/book would be perfect".  Well, for me, this book was that perfect storm. 

The book starts after an event called the Calamity - a huge explosion in the sky.  For unknown reasons, the Calamity gives a select number of people super powers.  These powers run the gamut - invincibility, luck on steroids, ability to control night and day, you name it, someone has it.  But, just like I've always suspected these "superheroes" don't use their powers for good.  I've always suspected if Superman was real, he'd be a tryanical fascist or government lackey.  Some commit petty crimes, others go on mass rampages, and a select few decide to take over the world.  The story starts in a world 10 years after the Calamity, most governments have fallen to the might of the Epics, and the human race lives as slaves.  All except the Reckoners, a group of humans whose sole purpose is to study, then assassinate these fascist superheroes.

Steelheart is an action-packed ride.  It has Epic (no pun intended) battles, car chases, and a multitude of villianous superheroes.  It has a deeper message that explores power and its effect on those who gain it.  My only gripe is that it's a trilogy, and the second book doesn't drop until Q4 2014 - damn you, Brandon Sanderson.

If you like your superheroes served up with a healthy dose of fascism, with a sprinkle of assassinations, and a dollop of blockbuster action - then Steelheart is right-up your alley.  Also, I have no idea why I used food analogies to sum up this book - go figure!

Attack on Titan Vol 1 and 2

Attack on Titan Vol 1 and Attack on Titan Vol 2 by Hajime Isayama, 208 and 192 pages

This manga series came as a recommendation from fellow blogger Nathan S. The series is about the last surviving city of humans. The reason there is only one surviving city of humans is because a titan army suddenly attacked humanity and ate everyone else. With the cities strong walls and cannons for defense the city has been at peace for over 100 years. That all changed when the colossal titan appeared. Most titans are 4-15 meters all and so the 50 m tall walls were more than adequate to keep the titans at bay. But the colossal titan is 60 m tall and was able to smash in the front gate.

The series is still developing in the first two books as we are just starting to meet the different types of titans and learn about the city and its technology. It looks like it is going to be very action packed and worth the read.

Further research by Nathan shows that this series has recently gotten quite the following in Japan with over 33 million books being sold. There is also an anime series, and the titans have been featured in a car commercial.

One Thousand Beards: A Cultural History of Facial Hair by Allan Peterkin.

One Thousand Beards: A Cultural History of Facial Hair by Allan Peterkin, 227 pages. (Available via Interlibrary Loan)

There are few things in life more satisfying than a beard.  They have been a sign of manliness since the dawn of time.  Gandalf has one, pirates had flaming beards (Blackbeard, anyone?), Lumberjacks cut down trees with them; the list goes on-and-on.  Just look at the list of unsavory characters that don’t have beards - Politicians (Benjamin Harris was the last U.S. President to have a beard, and that was in 1893), I think that about sums-up the dire state of modern politics.  But the list doesn’t stop there – people who take-up two parking spots, the entire cast of the musical Cats, car salesmen, that guy who ruins my morning by taking forever to order his coffee at Starbucks, do I need to go on?

Beards keep your face warm; beards can soften the blow if you’re ever punched by a ninja; beards can turn a weak jawline into an intimidating power jaw.  Beards. Are. Awesome.  Surveys suggest that women find bearded men to be 2/3rds less attractive than clean shaven men.  But, these same women said bearded men look older, more respected, of a higher status, and more powerful . . . I’ll just repeat that, MORE POWERFUL!  Scientists believe that men shave to make women feel safer.  Ask yourself, are these the type of women you want to attract?  I say no!  What this study really proves is: bearded men get the most kick-ass women.  The type of woman that will fight a bear with you, the type of woman that knows how to field dress a bullet wound.  These women are the descendants of fearless Amazonian warriors, these are the type of women that find beards attractive!

When it comes to success outside of relationships, remember these facts:  98% of the Forbes 100 list of world’s richest men are clean shaven, but 98% of the worlds’ lumberjacks, warriors, and badasses however have beards.

Peterkin explores the origins of the beard from cavemen to its recent resurgence.  He charts the cultural history of facial shrubbery; its role in religion, its significance in various sub-cultures, even Freud gets a say about this bastion of manliness.  Peterkin does so in an entertaining way, keeping the bearded and beardless alike enthralled to the very last page.  And for good measure, Peterkin supplies plenty of tips for grooming and maintaining a beard worthy of its history.  That includes you bearded ladies.  Plus, its 227 pages are filled with pictures of hairy men and women.  It’s basically beard porn, which I approve of wholeheartedly.