I picked this up for three dollars at a remainder fair in Denver while I was there for Anaconism, and read it on the plane coming home. It was a whim purchase, based solely on my good impression of Gaiman from Good Omens (co-written with Terry Pratchett) and his comic series, "Sandman." Black Orchid is a comic, and unlike "Sandman" for the most part, it is set in the superhero populated DC Universe (Batman, Swamp Thing, and the current inhabitants of the Arkham Asylum feature prominently in the story). Gaiman's treatment of the superhero genre is similar to Alan Moore's ("Swamp Thing," "Watchman")--much grittier, much more introspective than the usual porcelain doll pip-ups engaging in the endless slugfest. You know from the beginning, as stated in the introduction by Rolling Stone writer Mikal Gilmore, that something is different: the villain captures the heroine and, instead of revealing his plans to her, he kills her. It is startling in its suddenness and its other-worldliness (at least for superhero comics). Nudity? Sex? Language? These are not taboos anymore in the comic world, but to actually *kill* a character, and in such a matter-of-fact, realistic way, that's shocking. The rest of the book (actually a collection of three comics published in series in 1990) tries to live up to that moment, and sometimes comes close, but ultimately it isn't quite satisfying. Gaiman's willingness to find the trigger makes him someone to search out.

BLACK ORCHID is one of Neil Gaiman's early forays into comics for DC Comics. It his revamp of a little-known superheroine who is a hybrid of human and orchid, with the ability to control minds with the use of scent. As befitting to a story that utilizes a lot of flora and fauna as metaphors, the fully-painted artwork is lush and colorful...you almost want to reach out and touch the leaves of a tree or smell the flowers. Look for cameos from well-known DC characters such as Lex Luthor, Batman, Poison Ivy, the Mad Hatter, and others. My only complaint about the story is a rather abrupt and somewhat unfinished ending. I'm guessing this is because DC intended it to be the launch of the ongoing BLACK ORCHID comic book series, which lasted for 24 issues and never reached the heights of this story, originally a 3-part miniseries.

I bought this before "Veils", also reviewed by me, and was very happy since this work, unlike most "comics" work, was more clearly aimed at women. I already owned much of Gaiman and McKean's work and was surprised to discover this feminist and environment oriented book among their earlier work. Also, buying it in the trade paperback version meant I wouldn't be missing any issues of the story, the typical problem when you are trying to find these as individual comics. McKean is my all-time favorite artist in "comics". He can do no wrong and I was delighted to find him doing a non-macho storyline. I wish Gaiman and McKean would go back to this type of work rather than what they are doing now in the "comics" field.

Hiking the length of the Continental Divide takes a lot of physical and mental strength, and Karen Berger was up to the challenge on both counts. I think the author is a better writer than many who have written about the long thru-hikes.

Hoping to hike this trail myself someday, I bought and read this book to learn what I could, and I learned a lot. I wish there had been more written about wildlife, of which they certainly must have seen plenty. I could have used a little less discussion of trail politics, history, grizzly bear fear, and the pain of steep climbs, and more on gear, camp life and the magic of the trail: the smell of wet sage, pines, and alpine tundra; or watching meteor showers in a black sky while camped along babbling brooks.

On the other hand, the trail is different things to different people, and Karen did a good job of painting the experience as she saw it. This book is well worth reading.

Karen Berger and Dan Smith report from their 3,000 mile trek about issues that are near to the heart of any hiker. They discuss issues around cattle on public land, about the use and misuse of water and about the way hikers influence the land and the people around them. The narrative includes information on the history of the American West and historical 'hikes' such as the Lewis and Clark expedition. By mixing these tidbits with a delightful report of the difficulties and wonders of their hiking they create a book that is best read by candle or flashlight in the comfort of your tent. The only problem is that it is too heavy to take on a long-distance hike. Recommended for anyone contemplating the Continental Divide Trail or any other long distance hike.

Karen has succeeding in writing an intimate, lively book. She succeeds in taking the reader along with her on the trail. Her descriptions are immediate and rich in detail. It is a shame they have elected to leave out Daniel's journal entries. I thought they were a great part of their book about the Pacific Crest Trail. Karen and Dan try to see both sides of the issue, even when they are passionate advocates. This is a rare trait, much to be valued. I think she may need to read Edward Abby's Desert Solitaire again, he is more complicated than she sees him. She paints truly beautiful word pictures of the high country along the divide. I disagree with her on one point. She seems to have compassion and understanding for most wildlife but a pathological dislike for cattle. As an example is her description of the cattle running down the trail ahead of her, looking back in fear. She sees the animal as stupid for not just running away from her. Perhaps she has not recognized this as a herd animal, used to being herded by humans. Maybe the cows were in reality wondering if this crazy human really knew where it wanted her to go! It may be more exasperated than frightened. Just a thought. If you want a sense of what it would be like to hike the Continental Divide this book is for you. I hope Karen & Dan keep hiking and writing.

"The PCT: A Hiker's Companion" is great for those wanting to find out more of the history, geology, climate, flora and fauna along the PCT. If you're looking for a pure guidebook (trail mileages, stopovers, alternate routes, etc), you're probably better off going with Jeffrey Schaffer (et. al.)'s "The Pacific Crest Trail" industry-standard guidebooks (California and Oregon/Washington).

BUT, for those wanting more in-depth background, this is a great reference. I've hiked several sections of the PCT, and this book gave me great insight into the things I was seeing along the way... from the climate and life in the Mojave Desert to the geology of Devil's Postpile National Monument. It wasn't written in boring textbook fashion... I found it well written and very easy to read.

If you're familiar with other Karen Berger works on the PCT, you'll recognize a few of the stories and photography used in this one, but mind you, I don't mean to say she's only recycling earlier material for this book. There really is a lot of new stuff in here, and it's definitely worth a look.

I checked out several books targeting beginners. This looks like a keeper. This book is the only one sanctioned by the YMCA for its classes.

Karl Wagner and artist friend, Kent Williams, sold the idea for a "Mature" graphic novel to DC's "mature readers" line, VERTIGO. Karl left the project before it was finished. Kent Williams got John Ney Reiber to step in and script the finished art. {I am told that this was John Reiber's big break into the comic book biz. - He is currently writing "Books of Magic" for Vertigo.} I understand that John never saw Karl's original script. If you like mature dark horror, this is a fun read with wonderful Kent Williams art.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I had many questions about reconstruction. My surgeons gave me the alternatives and left the decision to me. I needed help. Help came from the women who stepped forward to "show" the results of their reconstruction decisions and from this book with its frank and openly presented pictures, personal stories and explanations. Thank you to the authors! I found that even though I am "more than my breasts", I appreciated being presented with all the sides/choices in the reconstruction question. Information is so empowering! I have given at least a dozen of these books to friends and acquaintances with breast cancer and one major, major hospital here in town regularly gives "A Woman's Decision" to their breast cancer patients. That is how I heard about it. My friend received it from her surgeon at her hospital! I am online now because I am about to give away my last copy and need to order a few more to have on hand....... unfortunately. Will it never end!

This book contains the most creative art in comic book history. The writing is fresh and it defines each character nicely. Each inmate's psychosis can be discerned from the others. Adding Doctor Arkham's own mental illness as backdrop works exceptionally well. Unfortunately, not enough time is spent on the various colorful characters that populate the asylum. The Joker and Two-Face, along with Batman, are the central players in this psychological novel; yet, it is difficult to discern who is the star of the story. Also, a more distinctive ending could have been incorporated. All in all, a good read that should be longer.

If I were told that I could only give someone one single graphic novel to convince them that at least some of the Batman comics are art, Arkham Asylum would be the one.

Told masterfully by Grant Morrison, illustrated beautifully by Dave McKean, Arkham Asylum stands as a frank and brutal look at the difference between sanity and insanity. Are Batman and the Joker really that different? Is Batman drawing more criminals to Gotham with his actions? Does one have to destroy to heal?

Arkham Asylum asks a lot of tough questions and provides very little in the way of comforting answers. It's also by far one of the most graphicly violent of the Batman stories.

And yet, out of this violence and chaos comes an elegant and graceful story, full of gallows humor and biting commentary.

Arkham Asylum represents one of the most important comic tradepaperbacks of the decade. It cannot be highly enough recommended.

Arkham Asylum shows Batman's ultimate fight agains his greatest foe: himself. Using the dense atmosphere of Arkham, The Joker drives Batman in the ways of insanity, very familiar to someone that wears a bat-suit to fight crime because of a traumatic murdering. Who is really insane? And what are the limits of sanity? Black and white melt in a terrible mix of despair in a dark version of Lewis Carrol's Alice stories. All of this from the minds of Grant Morrison (best comic book writer now, according to Wizard) and Dave McKean. A must have not only for Batman or comic book fans, but for everyone that want a good reading and wonderful painted art.

Don't get me wrong, I love Garth Ennis' work. His stint on Hellblazer was great, and Hitman and Preacher are seminal works. I just don't believe that Garth hit his stride until Preacher came along, and the proof is here in True Faith. Although the story has elements that would appear later in Preacher (and other Ennis works) the story is very poorly written. The dialogue is terrible, and the story just sort of putters out in the end. Some scenes, like the protagonists brain-dead family's conversations, are a little funny but don't really seem to work. Yeah, it's blasphemous, but the writing is a far more worse sin. For Ennis completists only.

I'd agree with Benjamin D about this being a 'must buy' only for Ennis completists, but it's not as bad as he makes it out to be. There's some sharp humor, but a certain adolescent tone is evident; a lot of the story took me back to my own profane adolescence. So, if you read that book with that in mind, it works out well. It certainly doesn't stand up to his later work, but whose early work does?

This is one of the earliest books Garth Ennis ever worked on (the second actually after "Troubled Souls") but it already has that Ennis-twist in it for which he got so acknowledged later on in his (still going) carreer. Here you have a book that I can best describe as a typical Vertigo book, only it was written long before Vertigo was found. It already has that certain 'feel' about it. To give an impression of what you're going to read when you start this, without spoiling things for anyone, I'll just say the following. The main thing you need to know is that it's about this guy named Nigel who lives in Londen. Nigel isn't very impressed by religion to say the least and oneday he hears a guy in a bar swearing he is "gonna kill God". Curious by what he heard he decides to follow the guy to his home. But then he gets caught when he's secretly reading the guys diaries and he's in a boatload of trouble now. From there on the book is a roller-coaster of semi-sarcastic views on religion in it's most bizarre variants (Quote: "God is like a clocked toilet ...") and general society (Look at Nigels parents and you'll know what I mean) with Nigel having to do and experience things under pressure that seem against everything he thinks himself. But along the way he's learning things about himself, only he doesn't realize it just yet. I finished the book, or must I say "Graphic Novel" in one sit. It isn't the greatest thing I ever read but it was still very good (better than a lot of other things I read these days), also because I couldn't put it away. You just HAVE to know what happens next, and before you know you're at the end of the book. I'd advise it to people who generally like Vertigo books and especially to people who are a fan of Garth Ennis. Be warned though, it's not for anybody because some people might feel a little offended. It's not for nothing it has been banned from bookshelves for years. But see for yourself.