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A long time science fiction reader
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This book is for both teenager's boys and girls. I could definitely say that this is my favorite book. The next book I am going to read is the first Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. I can't wait to get started! I hope my review encouraged you to read this book!
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Things go from bad to worse for Peter Parker, who has just finished battling both Doc Octopus and Kraven the Hunter, only to find that Green Goblin is back from the dead.
Green Goblin's character is much improved from Ultimate Spiderman's first story arc. The grunting and growling is gone, replaced with the very sadistic persona of Norman Osborn. Of course, Osborn's first priority after coming back from the dead is to completely wreck Spiderman's life. Naturally.
Brian Michael Bendis' work on this title is really extraordinary, he has such a grasp and feeling for these characters. The talent Bendis shows for dialogue is really out of this world and adds such a natural feel to his stories. Time has made Bendis very familiar with these characters and it shows.
Over time, Mark Bagley has gone from the weak link of this title to an integral contributor. I just love his pencils in this one, but I think some of his success comes from Art Thibert, the inker. Something has changed about the art in this title. I'm not sure which of these guys is responsible, but I love it.
Ultimate Spiderman is top-notch, have no doubts about it. Bendis isn't doing anything that hasn't been done before, but you'll be hard pressed to find a better written superhero story written in this day and age.
The recreation of the Green Goblin in the mode of the Hulk makes sense to me; I always had a bit of a problem with the idea that insanity and a costume could allow the Goblin to slug it out toe-to-toe with Spidey (note the armor upgrade of the Goblin's costume in the blockbuster film version). But even more impressive is the way Bendis reworks the whole secret identity issue between the two; a lot of super villains have found out the secret identity of their arch enemy, which almost always involves an attempt to kill the superhero in question. However, the Goblin has a different plan, of sorts, for Peter. At the end of "Double Trouble," the Volume 3 collection, Spider-Man actually enjoyed a moment of glory. Of course it is all going to get dashed big time in this collection.
As is the case with the previous collections in this series, "Legacy" plays off of our knowledge of what happened in the first ten years or so of "The Amazing Spider-Man." The result is what might be the biggest shock he is ever going to throw our way and if you every think Bendis has gone too far this may well be the point. While your jaw is dropping at that point do not neglect to pay attention to the double look at a pivotal conversation between Spider-Man and the Green Golbin that Bendis creates; that was a nice little replay he threw into the mix.
Mark Bagley continues to provide the distinctive pencils for the series with Art Thibert's inks; hopefully this partnership with last longer than the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko partnership. For those of us who have a comprehensive understanding of the Spider-Man mythos it is impossible for "Ultimate Spider-Man" to really stand on its own terms because we can also see the additions, deletions, and alterations. But if your familiarity of the good old days comes mainly from the movie, then I can certainly see where you could enjoy this all at face value.
At this point in the series Peter has told Mary Jane Watson that he is Spider-Man, but Norman Osborn knows the big secret, the Kingpin and Electro have seen Spider-Man unmasked, and Doctor Octopus is mumbling Peter Parker's name in his unconscious state. In "Legacy" we discover that somebody else knows the secret as well and that this has some rather significant implications for our hero when he turns eighteen (Peter is still about sixteen at this point). One thing you have to say for the story Bendis is spinning here is that he is always on the edge in terms of his re-imaginings. You might accuse him of going too far, but you cannot dismiss this series as a pedestrian reinterpretation of the Spider-Man saga. To date, I like it a lot.
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Packed within 202 pages are sketches, interviews, episode recaps, actor/character bios, show nomination information, and some neat trivia that the "Alias" fan should find interesting. Author Mark Cotta Vaz has done a subpurb job at bringing all of the show's elements together into an easy to read, highly entertaining book. He takes you from the creative minds behind the storylines (creator JJ Abrams and writer Jesse Alexander)to the sets and finally to post production, where the "magic" really happens. You'll also find storyboards, costume sketches, theme music compositions, and Rambaldi artifacts and information, which are VERY important to understanding if you watch the show.
The most enjoyable part of the book for me personally are the pictures. The cover is absolutely breathtaking, with the beautiful Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow and her signature red hair. Inside you'll find more pictures of Sydney, Vaughn, Dixon, and the rest of the characters that you love...and hate.
An added bonus, and something that I really enjoyed, was the limited edition DVD that was included with the book. On it are interviews, behind the scenes shots, bios, wallpaper, screen savers and information on the hottest online game at the moment, Alias Online Adventure.
In short, if you're a fan of the show, YOU MUST BUY THIS BOOK! For those who are just becoming fans, the book will fill you in on everything from last season so that you can understand and enjoy the new one. Let's hope that in a few years, another updated version of the companion will come out.
Gennie Bailey-Rogers
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The authors of Blast Off!, on the other hand, did the hard work of writing a real book, somehow combining it with the best photos and graphics I've seen in a collector's book, and sprinkling in enough anecdotes and oral histories to keep it interesting. This book is a major effort from an accomplished team: a knowledgeable collector, a lively writer, and an avid fan and history buff--the last being Mike Richardson, publisher of Dark Horse comics and owner of the Things from Another World sci-fi comic shops.
Blast Off! launches itself as an overview/ intro to the golden age of space toys, but its appeal is really wider than that. This is a book collectors will want, not simply to locate market values for haggling at the junk shop, but to remind them what they like about their hobby. Beautiful and imaginative graphics evoke the promise and wonder of the space age, but the book is so lively and informative I had to read it twice: once to read the captions and look at the pictures, and again just enjoying the text.
It's impossible to overstate how great this book is. The photographs are incredibly clear and bright, and the subject matter is drawn from endlessly rich collections. Books like this tend to fall through the cracks--not really appealing to the general reader, and yet not in-depth enough for the collector. But a reader from the first category who casually glances at this book may find a new interest, and seasoned collectors may find rarities they didn't know existed. Every era has volumes that define it; for the space age, that would be Blast Off!
OFF! gives you more color photos of incredible space toys than you have ever seen at one time and in one place.
We all have fond memories of some space toy from our childhood. Trying to recapture our past, we may even
buy back one or two of these toys at a swap meet or toy show.
Going one step further, we now start buying books, magazines, or auction catalogues featuring space toys. All
these serve as our mental guide to what's "out there".
Initially, this method succeeds; eventually, however, it fails because the photos we've assembled are in black and
white while our memory of these toys is in true, living color.
Enter S. Mark Young with his book, BLAST OFF! Any space toy you ever had or read about, along with others you've never seen before, is photographed here in color so real that you can almost reach into the page and take out whatever wind-up rocket, disintegrator pistol, or bubble helmet your heart desires.
And, for those fans starved for information, wait until you read the chapter on Archer Plastics! Did you know that
the first Archer space playset and the first Marx space playset debuted at the same time? The year was 1952.
So, don't wait, don't hesitate, order your copy now. Be the first kid on your block to own a copy of S. Mark
Young's BLAST OFF!
BLAST OFF includes photos and information on toys inspired from the space heroes of Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon to the Space Opera heroes of Space Patrol, Tom Corbett, Rocky Jones and other role models of the 1950's. There are chapters on the English toys and the robots from Japan along with well-researched sections and chapters on the makers of the space toys of our childhood, Archer, Marx and Pyro. Many of the toys displayed in this book are rare and hard to find items that have not been seen before now.
However, the backbone of the book is the interviews with collectors and fans of space toys. Why we remember and kept these playthings of our childhood is as interesting as the fantastic photos and ads that are generously spread throughout the book.
I found that I would move back and forth between chapters, reading about the toys that I remembered but had not seen in many years. It brought back many good memories along with information and research that should be saved and shared with future generations.
A must have book for any science fiction or space toy collector. Thank you Dark Horse Books and the creative team of Mark, Steve and Mike for bringing us this fantastic slice of childhood back to life. I hope BLAST OFF stays in print for many years to come as a reference point in the history of not just toys but SPACE TOYS!!!!
I hope others can recieve that same joy I recieved from it. This book like the others will serve as a devotional for me. Each story has some meaning or lesson that will touch home.