Hamish Steele

A rather enjoyable graphic novel that touches on different versions of the myths included in really neat ways. If you're a fan of Egyptian mythology and are okay with adult humor, this is a really great pick. The art reminds me a bit too much of the Simpsons at times, but overall it's pretty cute.

Perhaps my biggest criticism is the "family tree" at the front. Family trees are typically designed in specific ways for legibility. Although a lot of Egyptian mythology includes gods being renamed and incest, I've seen a lot of people who successful get across the convoluted nature of the tree while making it understandable to read. The tree here is just a visual nightmare, and more useful as an aid for which god is named what. But like the book says, there's always google research if you're struggling here.

Overall, though, this is really cute. As someone who loves Egyptian mythology and has always loved mythology picture books but appreciates seeing the more adult elements of being left in, this was quite good.… (altro)

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss.)

Several months have passed since the tragic events of DEADENDIA, VOLUME 1: THE WATCHER'S TEST. Norma and Badyah have rebuilt Dead End, bigger and better than ever: by day, it's a haunted house in Phoenix Park; at night, they transform it into a hotel for angels and demons visiting the supposedly "neutral" plane 7. The duo has little trouble booking to capacity, thanks to a little help from ambassador Courtney and the friendly angel Fingers.

But things are far from rosy. The Scooby Gang has split up, for one: after his beloved dog Pugsley died, Barney quit his job at Dead End and ran away (eventually moving in with Logs - errr, Logan). Days went by, turning into weeks, then months - and, wracked with guilt, neither he nor Norma have been able to bridge the gulf between them. Meanwhile, Norma is a ghost who, while imbued with magical powers, keeps splitting from her body in times of extreme duress. Badyah, having rescued Pugsley's book of magic from the rubble of the old Dead End, tries to help her friend back to her body by way of a seance; but will this dark magic corrupt her, like it did Pugsley?

On the other side of town, down and out Barney is approached by a demon and offered an ungodly sum of money to be the first human to compete in the Demon Wrestling Federation. While he's dominating in the ring, the cash quickly goes to Barney's head, threatening his relationship with Logan.

All these plot lines come to a head when Dead End hosts a DWF match - featuring none other than Barney vs. a Demon King. But not just any Demon King: Temeluchus's brother, Baal, along with their remaining siblings Paimon and Zagan. (You didn't forget about the coming war between angels and demons, did you? Also: insert "It's a trap!" gif here.)

Volume 2 of DEADENDIA features all the characters we've come to know and love/hate: Barney, Norma, Courtney, Badyah, Logan, Fingers, Kushiel, and Tartarus. We also gain a better (and more terrifying) understanding of the angels (read: not necessarily the "good guys," just the guys that live upstairs). Of course, one character is noticeably absent: dear Pugsley who, imho, stole the show in THE WATCHER'S TEST. THE BROKEN HALO is a bit drabber without him. (That said, I shrieked so hard at the ending that my cat jumped off my lap and ran out of the room. I KNEW IT!!!)

Courtney helps to fill the void left by Pugsley, if even just a bit. (The flashbacks of when Norma and Courtney first met? *chef's kiss*) I loved getting to know his backstory, and the ending is just heartbreaking, filled with pathos yet also a thin thread of hope.

The ending is a tear-jerker, though not quite the absolute sob-fest that was THE WATCHER'S TEST. (Reader, I cried for days. That's why it took me almost three months to pick up THE BROKEN HALO.)

Weirdly enough, THE BROKEN HALO feels more like a cohesive story, which I initially thought I wanted from THE WATCHER'S TEST - but maybe not so much? The disparate story lines made the first volume feel that much weirder.

As far as sophomore efforts go, THE BROKEN HALO is more than solid. I mostly just missed Pugsley, hence the four-star rating. Still a really great read, and one of my favorites of the year. Don't sleep on this one!… (altro)

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Edelweiss.)

When Barney feels unsupported by parents who claim to be accepting of his gender identity, he runs away from home, landing in Phoenix Park. Created by 'triple threat' Pauline Phoenix* as a celebration of her career in entertainment, Barney's friend Norma hooks him up with a job in her realm - the uber-creepy haunted house attraction Dead End. Turns out that the spooks and specters aren't entirely fabricated in Dead End: it's home to an honest-to-goodness elevator to the other twelve planes** - and a demon ambassador named Courtney to oversee it, to boot. Along with his magical talking dog named Pugsley, Barney, Norma, and their friends/co-workers get into all sorts of animated supernatural hijinx.

Each chapter in DEADENDIA features a different story line, with one larger thread tying all the stories together. The craziness kicks off when Temeluchus, the chief angel of torment, possesses Pugsley as part of his plot to take over the world. In capturing him, Norma also traps a small piece of Temeluchus in Pugsley, endowing the loyal pup with strong magic. Then an echo illegally hops the elevator to plane 7 and Barney has to figure out how to send him back before Kushiel, the angelic punisher finds it. (Turns out that Kushiel was actually looking for a time-traveling cowboy, in our first look at the Watcher character.) One domino fells another, until the gang's inevitable Final Showdown with the mysterious Watcher.

Having slept on the Netflix series (DEAD END: PARANORMAL PARK), I wasn't really sure what to expect of DEADENDIA. It seemed like a cute enough concept, and I'm a sucker for both LGBTQ representation and anthropomorphized, talking animals (dogs especially). Turns out that DEADENDIA, while a little silly, is also heartwarming, wholesome entertainment that's brimming with heart and humor. (Not to mention a cast of diverse characters that feels genuine and organic.) The ending had me in tears and yelling at my ipad (if you know, you know) - I really didn't anticipate the FEELINGS this comic would elicit.

I almost don't want to read volume two now that you-know-who is missing, but hey: no one's truly dead when there are ghosties flying about, and wizards who have the power to resurrect them. I can hope.

* Giving strong evil Dolly Parton vibes.

** Planes 1-6 are for the angels; 8-13 belong to the demons; and plane 7 is the "neutral" plane where humans (gross!) and other animals reside.… (altro)