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borg’s Best of 2019–The Best Books of the Year

Filed under: Backstage Pass, Comics & Books, Con Culture, Fantasy Realms, Movies, Retro Fix, Sci-Fi Café, Superheroes, TV — Leave a comment

December 30, 2019

Our borg Best of 2019 list continues today with the Best Books of 2019. If you missed them, check out our review of the Best Movies of 2019 here, the Kick-Ass Heroines of 2019 here, the Best in Television 2019 here, and the Best Comics of 2019 here.

We reviewed more than 100 books that we recommended to our readers this year, and some even made it onto our favorites shelf. We don’t print reviews of books that we read and don’t recommend, so this shortlist reflects only this year’s cream of the crop.

So let’s get going. Here are our selections for this year:

Best Read, Best Fantasy Read, Best New Edition of Previous Published Work, Best Translated Work – A Hero Born: Legends of the Condor Heroes 1 by Jin Yong, translated by Anna Holmwood (St. Martin’s Press). The first book in one of the most read books of all time finally makes its way to the U.S. after its premiere in Great Britain. Readers will learn why George Lucas pulled its concepts for his Skywalker saga, and why generations of Chinese fans of fantasy of flocked to its heroes and villains. Honorable mention for Best Fantasy Read: A Labyrinth of Scions and Sorcery by Curtis Craddock (Tor Books), The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz (Algonquin Young Readers).

Best New Novel, Best Horror Novel, Best Historical Novel, Best Mystery Novel – The Cthulhu Casebooks: Sherlock Holmes and the Sussex Sea-Devils by James Lovegrove (Titan Books). A truly literary work combining a smart Holmesian adventure and the dark mind of H.P. Lovecraft. Readers will love Lovegrove’s approach, Holmes and Watson’s journey, and all the creepy surprises.

Best Sci-Fi Novel, Best Thriller – The Andromeda Evolution by Daniel H. Wilson (HarperCollins). Wilson successfully conjured the spirit of Michael Crichton for this smart, creepy, and oddly current sci-fi sequel to The Andromeda Strain. A cast of characters just like Crichton would have put together, and a must-read.

Best Franchise Tie-In Novel – Firefly: Magnificent Nine by James Lovegrove (Titan Books). One of the best authors around crafts a worthy story to expand the Firefly canon and give fans their own new movie of sorts for the franchise. Runner-up: Alien: Prototype by Tim Waggoner (Titan Books). Honorable Mention: Death of the Planet of the Apes by Andrew E.C. Gaska (Titan Books).

Best Retro Read – Mike Hammer: Murder, My Love, by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins (Titan Books). Collins continues to bring Spillane’s characters to life with thrilling prose and all the best pieces of noir drama and action. Honorable mention: Brothers Keepers by Donald E. Westlake (Hard Case Crime).

Best Genre Non-Fiction – Industrial Light & Magic Presents: Making of Solo: A Star Wars Story by Rob Bredow (Harry N. Abrams). Bredow’s unique access to the production made for a rare opportunity in any production to see details of the filmmaking process. Every movie should have such a great deep dive behind the scenes. Honorable mention: The Making of Alien by J.W. Rinzler (Titan Books).

There’s much more of our selections for 2019’s Best in Print to go…

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Tags: 1980s Trivial Pursuit 2019, 2019 ReAction line, A Hero Born, A Labyrinth of Scions and Sorcery, Abrams Books for Young Readers, Alex Lopez, Algonquin Young Readers, Alien: Prototype, Andrew E. C. Gaska, Andromeda Evolution, Anna Holmwood, Baby Yoda, Baseball All-Stars ReAction figures, Ben Herrera, Best Books 2019, Best in Print, Best in Print 2019, Best of 2019, Bloomsbury Sigma, Brothers Keepers, Chelsea Monroe-Cassel, Christmas is Coming book, Collin Fogel, Curtis Craddock, Dan Jones, Daniel H. Wilson, David Hahn, Death of the Planet of the Apes, Disney Plus, Donald E. Westlake, Dynamic Dames: 50 Leading Ladies Who Made History, Feast of Legends, Firefly, Firefly: Magnificent Nine, Firefly: The Big Damn Cookbook, Hard Case Crime, Harper, HarperCollins, Harry N. Abrams, Hasbro Gaming, Industrial Light & Magic Presents: Making Solo: A Star Wars Story, J.W. Rinzler, James Lovegrove, Jin Yong, Joshua Dysart, Kathryn Harkup, Kevin Eastman Studios, Klaus: The Art of the Movie, Lucasfilm, Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Marina Amaral, Mario Mentasti, Max Allan Collins, Men in Black International novelization, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Mickey Spillane, Mike Hammer, Moviemaking Magic of Star Wars Ships +Battles, Murder My Love, Pegasus Books, R.S. Belcher, Ramin Zahed, Rob Bredow, Running Press, Sarah Jean Horwitz, Sherlock Holmes and the Sussex Sea-Devils, Simon Gane, Sloan De Forest, Solo: A Star wars Story, St. Martin's Press, Stranger Things, Stranger Things Back to the 80s Trivial Pursuit Game, Super7, The Child, The Color of Time, The Cthulhu Casebooks, The Dark Lord Clementine, The Making of Alien, The Mandalorian, The Moviemaking Magic of Marvel Studios: Heroes and Villains book review, The Moviemaking Magic of Star Wars: Creatures & Aliens, Tim Waggoner, Titan Books, Tor Books, Trivial Pursuit, Wendy's, Wendy's Feast of Legends, Wendy's RPG, Weta

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borg’s Best of 2019–The Best in Comics

Filed under: Backstage Pass, Comics & Books, Con Culture, Fantasy Realms, Retro Fix, Sci-Fi Café, Superheroes — Leave a comment

December 29, 2019

Our borg Best of 2019 list continues today with the Best in Comics. If you missed them, check out our review of the Best Movies of 2019 here, the Kick-Ass Heroines of 2019 here, and the Best in Television 2019 here.

We reviewed comics from every major publisher this year, and were pleasantly surprised with all the new characters and content available. You’ll find both some new creators on the list this year and some fan favorites who keep making better comic books each new year.

Here are the best comic books for 2019:

Best Limited Comic Series (tie) – Sara by Garth Ennis and Steve Epting (TKO Studios) and Goodnight Paradise by Joshua Dysart and Alberto Ponticelli (TKO Studios). The new publisher TKO Studios began with a bang with these two incredible stories. Sara is what every fan of war comics hopes for, and Goodnight Paradise brings the realities of life in the 21st century to the comics page in a story that will stay with readers a long time.

Best Ongoing Comic Book Series – Ghost Tree by Bobby Curnow and Simon Gane (IDW Publishing). Haunting, mythic, and sweeping, this story of a man reflecting on his past and coming to terms with the present combines with Asian legend tropes to form an emotional and curiously funny tale. Sure to leave readers begging for more.

Best Sci-Fi Comic Series, Best Comic Book Writing – Ascender by writer Jeff Lemire and artist Dustin Nguyen (Image Comics). Lemire owned this category with two fabulous science fiction tales, both with strong female lead characters. Runner-up: Sentient by Jeff Lemire and Gabriel Walta (TKO Studios).

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Tags: Alberto Ponticelli, Alex Lopez, Anita Bennett, Ascender, Aztec Empire, Batman, Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Crisis in a Half Shell, Ben Herrera, Best Comic Books 2019, Best in Print, Best in Print 2019, Best of 2019, Big Red Hair, Bobby Curnow, Crisis in a Half Shell, David Hahn, DC Comics, Dustin Nguyen, Dynamite, Ed Piskor, Fantastic Four: Grand Design, Frank Cho, Freddie Williams II, Gabriel Walta, Garth Ennis, Ghost Tree, Goodnight Paradise, Hard Case Crime, IDW Publishing, Image Comics, James Tynion IV, Jaxxon, Jeff Lemire, Jin Yong, Joshua Dysart, Kevin Eastman Studios, Mario Mentasti, Marvel Comics, Max Allan Collins, Ms. Tree, Ms. Tree One Mean Mother, Obey Me, Paul Guinan, Radically Rearranged Ronin Ragdolls, Radically Rearranged Ronin Ragdolls Issue #1, Rob Bredow, Sara graphic novel, Sentient, Simon Gane, Stan Sakai, Star Wars 108, Star Wars Adventures, Steve Epting, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Green Lantern Issue 6, The War of the Realms, Titan Comics, TKO Studios, TMNT/Usagi Yojimbo, Usagi Yojimbo, Valance

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Preview–Next chapter of Dynamite series “Obey Me” continues supernatural story of a girl and her dog

Filed under: Comics & Books, Fantasy Realms, Superheroes — Leave a comment

April 2, 2019

Review by C.J. Bunce

I reviewed the first issue of Dynamite Comics new series Obey Me last month. It was actually labeled Issue #0, although I’m not sure why. Tomorrow Dynamite Comics releases Issue #1, a continuation of the series. I loved the first, zero issue. Check out my review here if you missed it. So does the next issue fare as well?

Absolutely.

I was surprised the series is video game tie-in–it comes from the Obey Me PC/console game from Error 404 Game Studios. The story is playing out as a solid supernatural fantasy, with superb writing by Mario Mentasti, artwork by Ben Herrera, and eye-popping colors by Emmanuel Ordaz Torres. Each issue is a chapter you don’t want to end, following a badass super(natural)hero team of Vanessa and Monty, a girl and her dog. Of course, she isn’t the typical girl and he isn’t the typical dog. Vanessa is a bounty hunter tasked with hunting down souls contracted to the devil, and Monty is the hound assigned as her partner. Only in their next case readers will learn even more about Monty’s potential.

As with its first issue, look forward to some amped-up action and dialogue that will be loads of fun for mature readers. It’s quickly becoming a favorite from this year’s comic book releases.

Take a look at this preview of Obey Me, Issue #1, courtesy of Dynamite Comics:

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Tags: Ben Herrera, Dynamite Comics, Emmanuel Ordaz Torres, Error 404 Game Studios, Mario Mentasti, Obey Me, Obey Me PC console game, Obey Me preview, Obey Me review, video game tie-ins

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Obey Me–An unlikely, badass duo of bounty hunters lead new Dynamite series

Filed under: Comics & Books, Fantasy Realms — 1 Comment

March 5, 2019

Review by C.J. Bunce

Sometimes the implementation of an idea goes well beyond the idea itself. That’s what I found with the new Dynamite Comics series, Obey Me. The catchy title and great covers drew me to this first, and I’m a sucker for a story that stars a hound dog. I’m also a fan of the movie Crossroads, a 1986 film written by John Fusco that features an old man who sold his soul to the devil. A kid comes along (played by Ralph Macchio) who bargains for his life, and the result is a true American classic, steeped in mythology and blues. In Obey Me, a young woman bounty hunter is tasked with hunting down a mob boss who has broken his contract with the devil. She is joined by a talking hellhound–a familiar of sorts–and must go through several bodyguards to get to her target. Along the way through some mouthy dialogue and murderous camaraderie, the pair–the woman is Vanessa and the dog is Monty–create a goofy brand of chemistry. The plot sounds a little strange, but the first issue arriving in comic book stores tomorrow provides a heckuva fun story.

Obey Me blends two of my all-time favorite off-the-wall comic book series: It has the irreverent humor and unusual talking characters of Felipe Melo, Juan Cavia, and Santiago Villa’s The Adventures of Dog Mendonça & Pizzaboy, and the equally strange, irreverent, and unusual series God the Dyslexic Dog from Brian and Phil Phillipson and legendary artist (and this year a Will Eisner Hall of Fame nominee) Alex Niño. Plus there’s the Talking Dog. Obey Me writer Mario Mentasti provides a familiar foundation, but look forward to some amped-up action and dialogue that will be loads of fun for mature readers. Artist Ben Herrera and colorist Emmanuel Ordaz Torres find the perfect balance of comic book situations and blood, fire, and damnation. Best of all, the team of Vanessa and Monty is all badass, making the book a must for your comic store pull list.

I was surprised this story is a tie-in to a PC and console game called Obey Me from Error 404 Game Studios. It’s better than your average video game tie-in comic. The game is a one- or two-person “top-down 3D action brawler” coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC later this year. Here is a preview of Issue #0 of Obey Me, courtesy of Dynamite Entertainment, and the trailer for the video game:

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