4. Rust Volume 2: Secrets of the Cell

Rust Volume 2: Secrets of the Cell by Royden Lepp

The first volume of Rust was a major standout for me because it was unexpected and amazing in so many ways that I've been anxiously awaiting the sequel ever since. Cloth-covered foil-embossed hardcover, amazing printing, and paper stock that is so thick you think you've flipped two or three pages at a time which is the kind of quality Archaia is known for. The artwork is deceptive in that while basically monotone and lacking detailed backgrounds it draws you in so immersively into a mood and a feel that you actually enter the world. Rust is short on words but they are effectively used and with just the right amount of room to breathe and take everything in to create your own narrative at times. I felt like I didn't go on as much of a journey with this second volume which was a slight letdown and it finished without a lot of resolution or new development in what is pretty clearly a set up for the third volume advertised on the last page. I think more could have been done with this volume and it wasn't very satisfying but it let me step into the world of Rust again which was like visiting a familiar place after a long time away. 3/5 (Good)

3. Iron: Or, the War After

Iron: Or, the War After by Shane-Michael Vidaurri

I pre-ordered this graphic novel last April the instant I saw the artwork, and I devoured it the instant it finally shipped a few days ago. The artwork is entirely comprised of watercolor pieces that are simply breathtaking, sadly the story doesn't come close to the same level as the artwork. It is a basic tale of post-wartime rebellion and resistance told with anthropomorphic characters and feels a little rushed at times and a little hokey at others and is not very satisfying on any level. The publisher, Archaia, has a special place in my heart for the outstanding quality and effort they put into their books and this is no exception, the cloth-covered hardcover is a thing of beauty and they never fail to impress me. A good effort with gorgeous artwork and not a lot else though. 3/5 (Good)

2. The Wizard Lord (The Annals of the Chosen, Book 1)

The Wizard Lord (The Annals of the Chosen, Book 1) by Lawrence Watt-Evans

I read a lot of fantasy and many series are comprised of a lot of filler over the duration, The Wizard Lord manages to out-filler even the worst offenders in just a single book! 90% of the book is spent on the most mundane and unimportant things ever as well as walking around from place to place with almost nothing of value happening or coming from it. I actually laughed out loud at the grand finale that the whole book leads up to, which to say was anti-climactic would be grossly overselling it even. Characters constantly restate the obvious, and what little plot there is, when so little happens that you could not possibly forget and the "twist" could only be surprising to someone that has never read even a children's book before. The reason it is all so disappointing is that at its core there is a great kernel of an idea here and easily could have been not just OK, but exceptional. This work falls very short of the mark in almost every possible way. 2/5 (Poor)

1. ABAKAN 2288: Kallamity's World of Mecha Design Part One

ABAKAN 2288: Kallamity's World of Mecha Design Part One by Luca Zampriolo

This is a book I had hanging around my saved cart for a very long time and for some reason I never pulled the trigger on. Luca's work is nothing short of amazing, so it wasn't that, I just didn't know what to expect from a book that seemed like a bit of a mix of prose, art, how-to, and more. It ended up being a bit of a disjointed mix, just as I had suspected, but it still manages to be very good as a whole. The story/prose part I could do without, but it is serviceable, and I loved the artwork as well as the actual models and some of the process/how-to info was excellent, however some is also sub-par. If you have any interest in modelling, toys, design, mechs, art, sculpture, or any related area then this is definitely worth picking up, there is something for everyone inside. 3/5 (Good)

2013

After a complete disaster last year where my book list got mangled and lost due to a server crash with the website I was using to track it, I've decided to come back to my trusty 52 in 52 blog! I had one of the biggest years ever last year which made it particularly painful to lose. The final tally was 129 books and 328 comics!

2012

January

1. Tunnel People by Teun Voeten
2. Tekkonkinkreet (the three original manga collected) by Taiyo Matsumoto
3. Baby Play by Wendy Masi
4. Drums 4-part mini-series
5. I Kill Giants Titan Edition
6. Tekkonkinkreet White art book
7. Chew Omnivore Edition HC 1
8. Splash 10: Passionate Brushstrokes
9. The Insider's Guide To Creating Comics And Graphic Novels
10. Tekkonkinkreet Black art book
11. Steampainting - Spark volume 1
12. Van Gogh
13. The Dragoneer
14. GI Joe/Transformers Dreamwave run
15. Storm Shadow 7-part mini-series
16. Seven Warriors 3-part mini-series

February

17. Chew Omnivore Edition HC 2
18. Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki
19. The Sneetches and Other Stories
20. Little Blue Truck
21. GI Joe Classics Vol. 1
22. Severed 7-part mini-series

2011 List!

I slacked off in keeping this updated, so I decided to just post the whole list in one shot and then update it until the end of the year:

2011 Books

1. Sparrow Volume 0: Ashley Wood Sketches and Ideas (Art Book Series)
2. Doomed Presents: Ashley Wood
3. Atomic Robo Volume 1: Atomic Robo & the Fightin Scientists of Tesladyne TP (v. 1)
4. The Sneetches and Other Stories
5. Hellspawn: Complete Collection
6. Acrylic Revolution: New Tricks and Techniques for Working with the World's Most Versatile Medium
7. Switching to VoIP
8. Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 (v. 1)
9. Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 (v. 2)
10. Digital Fantasy Painting Workshop
11. AWOL on the Appalachian Trail
12. Fantasy Workshop: Mastering Digital Painting Techniques (ImagineFX)
13. A Long Trek Home: 4,000 Miles by Boot, Raft and Ski
14. A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush
15. Backpacking Pennsylvania: 37 Great Hikes
16. Lens of the World
17. ABC Warriors: Meknificent Seven
18. Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?
19. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guide)
20. Street Sketchbook: Journeys
21. Locke & Key Volume 1: Welcome to Lovecraft HC
22. Chinese Painting Techniques for Exquisite Watercolors
23. The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes (New Edition)
24. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
25. Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads
26. Batman: Hush Unwrapped Deluxe
27. How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself: Experimental Techniques for Achieving Realistic Effects
28. I Kill Giants Titan Edition
29. Zero: JM Ken Niimura Illustrations TP
30. The Last Unicorn
31. Bad Island
32, 33, 34, 35. Pooh's Library: Winnie-The-Pooh, The House At Pooh Corner, When We Were Very Young, Now We Are Six (Pooh Original Edition)
36. Batman: Year One
37. Malinky Robot TP
38. Ronin
39. Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book One Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book One