Catching Up on Comics-Adventures in Canada and on Other Worlds

I am planning on putting up short reviews of the comic books I read each week.  Sometimes the comics will be new ones and other times they will be ones that have been on my "to be read" stack.  This week's reviews include...


Alpha Flight #.1
Hulk #34


The picture to the left is promotional art of Alpha Flight by John Byrne.

Dune by Frank Herbert

During the last three weeks, I have been participating in a group read of Frank Herbert's classic novel.  Here are links to those posts:


Week 1
Week 2
Week 3

What are my overall thoughts about the book?  Just click on "Read More" to find out...

Dune Group Read, Round 3

 In addition to the answers to questions about the third section of the classic science fiction novel-Dune-I decided to include images of some of the covers you do not normally see for the book.  The Analog cover for "The Prophet of Dune" count.  This was the second half of the magazine serialization of the novel.


On Monday, I will be posting a look back at the group read and my overall review of the book.


To read the answers of other members of the group read click here Stainless Steel Droppings.


Spoiler Alert!

Dune Group Read, Round 2

Part two of our group read of "Dune" reaches the section where things really (pardon the pun) heat up.  The Harkonnens' plan kicks into high gear as Duke Leto is betrayed while Jessica and Paul go out into the desert.  Will Paul fulfill his destiny and become the savior of Arrakis?


Warning, spoilers are heading your way...after the page break...

Torchwood Miracle Day Episode 1: The New World

What if one day the world woke up to find out that no one would every die?  At first this sounds like a blessing...a miracle.  Then the realization sinks in.  How long can the world survive with the exploding population (approximately 300,000 people die each day)?  What about the people who are mutilated?  What at first seems like a miracle suddenly becomes a curse...

Dune Group Read, Round 1

Carl (at Stainless Steel Droppings) has put Dune on his reading list each year.  And every year he has not read it.  This year he is involved with a group reading of the book over a three week period.  I was considering re-reading this classic and thought it was a good time to join in.  Each week I, and many others who have joined in, will answer questions about that week's section.  


If you have not read the book be aware that the questions and answers will contain spoilers.

The Beginnings of Amber (a Roger Zelazny Tale)

Once upon a time, Roger Zelazny came up with an idea for a new short story.  In it a being had the ability to create parallel worlds.  When he did this he could guide the process into making changes that suited him.  His race could travel between the worlds.  They are stronger than the beings they create.  At the start of the story, he would awaken on one of the worlds.  From there Zelazny weaves a story of betrayal and a quest for freedom. 

Fans of Zelazny’s work will recognize this as the basic plot behind the Chronicles of Amber (my reviews of the first two books can be read at Nine Princes in Amber and The Guns of Avalon).  But the Amber series was not Zelazny’s first attempt at writing this story.  The first one is called “Love is an Imaginary Number”.  Having read the Amber novels before I discovered this story, it seems like it is full of ideas that are never developed.  The short story form did not give Zelazny time to explore all of the concepts he introduces.  Fortunately for us, he went on to develop them in a series of novels. 

“Love is an Imaginary Number” is an interesting piece of history.  Fans of Roger Zelazny should invest the small amount of time it takes to find and read this story.  I look at it as an alternate universe version of Corwin.  Based on the principles of the Amber series, it could be a story of Corwin that fits into the Amber Chronicles.  Although the details do not match up with the novels, it is possible that the main character is not being completely truthful. 

Either way, I am glad I read this tale.  Any time I get the opportunity to read a new “Amber” story, I will take it. 

Recommended.