While it's no secret that we here at Pandemonium (Books and Games) love books (and games,) it is perhaps a lesser known fact that we have a number of book clubs that celebrate classic and modern fantasy and science fiction. Kat, our previous books manager began the tradition during her tenure at the shop, hosting several monthly Book Moots for classic and contemporary science fiction and fantasy.
I (Ben) followed suit shortly thereafter with Pandemonium's Graphic Novel Boot Moot, and now that we've had a year and change behind us, I thought it'd be fun to reflect on the dozenish books our community has read together. Who knows, maybe this is where you find the lead on your next big comic fix.
Monstress vol 1 & 2
A one-armed swordswoman with a dark past embarks on a mission to assassinate an evil warleader who enslaved her and her people, but her connection to an ancient power may jeopardize everything she holds dear. Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda are a dream team, and they craft a lived-in lore-rich world, where the fantastic and the mundane struggle to coexist. Fraught with perils and high in stakes, this fantasy drama keeps readers on the edge of their seats, and inspired a number of us to catch up with the epic's ongoing plots.
In the Low Low Woods
I think this might still be one of my favorite books from this past year. The Low Low Woods follows the friendship of two young women in a small rust belt town, trying to solve the mystery of their missing time, and uncover the truth behind their home's terrible secrets. I loved the brooding and gestural style artist Dani uses to depict the horrors of Shudder-to-Think Pennsylvania, and the crisp narration of Machado's diary-captions. If you love a good coming-of-age horror story, definitely check this one out.
Sticks Angelica Folk Hero
A biography slash nature documentary, about an affluent overachiever who runs away to a national park in order to become an animal. Michael Deforge's dry humor cooks the human condition til it's medium-well, along with perfectly toasted characters who melt in your mouth. I'm not hungry, you're hungry, but also, the food chain as a literary device. Huh! Neat!
Far Sector
Far Sector is part murder mystery, part political thriller, from the imagination of Hugo Award Winner N. K. Jemisin. In her comics debut, Jemisin gives us an expansion of the Green Lantern corp with Jo Mullien, a detective empowered with an experimental ring, striving to solve a murder that should not have been possible. Without giving too much away, Far Sector has range, and is as engaging as it is relevant, and gave us a veritable feast for our reading group's discussion.
Chainsaw Man vol 1 & 2
Terry Pratchett once wrote, "A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.” I don't know if Tatsuki Fujimoto ever read Men-at-Arms, but Chainsaw Man definitely contemplates class, along with boobs and ultraviolence.
Mighty Marvel Masterworks; the Amazing Spider-Man
This month we took a dive into historical comics, with the original ten issue run of Spider-Man, and True Believers let me tell you, it was an experience. While comics of this era have an antiquated feel that many contemporary audiences struggle with, its easy to see how this story found its footing in the hearts of readers, and became the household name it is today. Its a soap opera about grief, growing up, and responsibility, and in our humble opinion, it withstands the test of time.
The He-Man Effect
Our first non-fiction book of the club was this analysis by Box Brown of the propaganda/advertizing industry's invention of nostalgia, as viewed through the lens of childhood collectibles like He-Man, Transformers, Star Wars, and the like. I don't think I can praise this one enough, so instead of trying, I'll just say that I am grateful for it's insights into consumer culture in the 20th and early 21st centuries, and that I recommend it to literally everyone. Literally.
Crisis Zone
Simon Hanselman is good at a lot of things, but his ability to craft mesmerizingly awful trainwrecks that one can't avert their eyes from, is in my opinion his greatest asset. This epic saga continues the stories of Megg, Mog, and Owl, as they bumble their ways through the pandemic, the protests, and the reality tv culture that flourished during that summer of 2020. While not for the faint of heart (and not a popular title for our group,) I firmly believe that its up there with Always Sunny and Trailer Park Boys, as a cringe reflection of the human condition and the cycles therein.
A Guest in the House
Tense, gorgeous, and an absolute masterpiece.
(I can't say more because I literally can't talk about this one without giving it all away, and this is my tenth draft of this section. If you love yourself though, or if you love a ghost story with all the fixings, you should really check it out.)
Lore Olympus vol 1
This was probably our most divisive conversation of the year, where we talked about the nature of adaptation and the recontextualization of myth and modern politic. Lore Olympus is a modernized retelling of Hades and Persephone, but as a CW drama with a Tumblr aesthetic, and while your mileage may vary, it definitely sends you somewhere.
American Born Chinese
Unanimously adored by our group, American Born Chinese follows the stories of the Monkey King, Jin, and Danny, as they navigate their relationships with prejudice and internalized racism. Gene Luen Yang kills it with the storytelling, keeping the humor, commentary, and linework crispy and fresh. A modern classic, whose topics remain approachable without being defanged, and who's definitely going to get some company on my bookshelf soon (looking at you Saints & Boxers.)
And those are the books!
Have you read our reading list? What did you think of them? For our March Moot, we're reading Matt Fraction's Hawkeye; My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction and for April, we'll be diving into Boys Weekend by Maddie Lubchansky. If you're around, maybe sign up and join us. Anyhow, that's all for now, so thanks for reading, and see you in the funnypages!