The expected battles, expected adventures, expected liaisons with beautiful women, and expected conflicts with overbearing officers are all present; the only unexpected part was the rapid and abrupt conclusion that while not unsatisfying still left much to be desired. 

One of the worst films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Seemingly more interested in cool CGI tricks than in a coherent and interesting storyline, the whole movie bogs down and feels much longer than its slim running time (which is the shortest of any Marvel movie to date).  The main antagonists have some cool weapons, but of such an advanced technological nature that it is incongruous with the established Viking motifs and settings, and yet again the poignancy of a characters death is completely undermined, diluted, and destroyed by their almost immediate resurrection. 

Excellent performances from Hiddleston and Hopkins highlight one of the stronger entries in the Marvel catalog. The almost Shakespearian redemption arc is deftly handled with Kenneth Brannagh directing, and the lead is well defined for a wide audience that might be unfamilair with the character. 

The preceding volume didn't set a very high bar, and yet the sequel still failed to clear it.  The entire first issue was filler fluff with no purpose beyond resurrecting (AGAIN) a main character and negating any value their 'noble sacrifice' in a prior issue might have had. The Entire last issue in the volume is the comic equivalent of a clip show - recapping information we just read and adding no value  to the book other than increased page count. As to the issues in-between - pairing up Larfleeze and Brainiac was a nice twist,  but the entire arc felt forced from the get go - we're told xxx planet is being 'invaded' (something we see happen to some planet pretty much every issue of GL ever, so business as usual) and the response is ridiculously disproportionate - every single Lantern in the universe goes there immediately. This and other logic flaws nosedive the story beyond recovery. 

Having given up on the unreadable incarnation of GL in the New 52 it took a while to get into the story, and understanding that none of my prior problems with the series are likely to ever be corrected due to the nature of the characters (universal scale problems make all problems either petty or ridiculous, power rings that are limitless deus ex machinas, supporting corps members undefined beyond 'weird looking'), this was ...not terrible? Sinestro is the only good villain in the GL canon, so going back to that well makes sense, but leaves little promise for future volumes. 

No memorable villains, a complete betrayal of the characters origin and powers by suddenly making the scarab magical rather than technological, and a splatter of ill-defined and little used allies are only a few of the major flaws in this terrible reboot. Hopefully it disappears as quickly as its predecessor in the 'New 52'. 

While the "Across the British Isles" of the title is a stretch since nothing Irish is presented,  the unusual Welsh and Scottish recipes are a treat. Quick, descriptive introductions are helpful, comparatively short (and fairly common) ingredient lists are always appreciated, and the frequent asides for a page or two give place and purpose to the collection. I'm looking forward to making several of the soups mentioned, as well as Chicken Galatine and Fat Rascals. 

Third to be written, and the best of the three.  Formulaic in the sense that there is predictable sex and violence, but original with its settings and relationships so the reader is never left dreading predictability. 

A sprawling, generational tale that never loses its grasp on the human connections that make the story so relatable and moving.  Like the mid-century novels of John O'Hara, Lemire crafts a tale of damaged and broken people who's lives were shaped before their birth by forces they couldn't control and don't even understand. 

Another classic from Lemire, unconstrained by the editorial oversight of the large comic conglomerates and allowed to tell his own story. Fathers and sons, husbands and wives, and the tenuous threads of memory come together to form not just a good comic, but a good story. 

Small town Canada as the setting for a quasi-sci/fi psychological study about relationships and the fear of outsiders. The art isn't the best, but it's distinctive and doesn't get in the way of the story. 

A compilation of thematic maps (showing world train use, beer consumption etc.), amusing, entertaining and sobering overlays (for stereotypes, paranormal activity and disasters respectively), and original map-like word clouds displaying 'the internet' and 'gaming' and 'sports', plus other errata and infills that one could spend hours with a magnifying glass going over. 
Aside from the obvious diversionary recreational use, this is  an invaluable resource for tabletop gamers or genre authors due to the sheer volume of story hooks and game seeds it contains. 

First in the series to be written, but not the first to take place in the internal chronology. Similar to C.S. Foresters Hornblower series in this fact;  there is a tonal and quality shift in the nature of the writing due to the later-written nature of the prequels. Be forewarned - the lead/title character in no anti-hero or gentleman rogue, he is a criminal with few qualms, little remorse, and no directives other than self preservation.

Juvenile even by Teen Lit standards, with indifferent art and a thin story.

A satisfying and well crafted directorial debut. The influences are obvious and admitted to be the director (Stepford Wives in particular) but when an important plot element seems to be lifted from a 20 year old Simpsons episode it elicited unexpected and mood-shattering laughter.

Unlike the first two new entries in the series, this volume is a little to related to (influenced by?) current events to be completely enjoyable. A racial component to a story wouldn't have been bad, and setting a story in St. Louis wouldn't have been bad, but doing both while openly referencing Ferguson pulls the reader out of what had been until then escapist entertainment. Still, after that jarring interlude, the rest of the tale rolls along to a satisfying conclusion.

Action, suspense, and more than a few erotic scenes make for a good read set in the exotic local of Biloxi, Mississippi circa 1972.

Delighful stylized entertainment with a veritable host of memorable performances by one of the most acomplished modern directors. Told in a layered flashback style, we are given a glimpse into a world of civilization and sophistication through the life of a concierge and his young protege. 

Conflicts between duty and honor, orders written and unwritten, and the lure of exotic women for lonely soldiers makes for another excellent installment.

Using a known property like the Flintstones allows for some easy jokes, but the meat of this series is in the political and social commentary that is easier to discuss from a fictional standpoint.