Bite Sized Review: Lois Lane - A Real Work of Art

Published:  March 4th, 2015

Lois Lane: A Real Work of Art

By: Gwenda Bond

Capstone

ISBN-13:  9780000000

In high school art class, Lois Lane demonstrates her undeniable talent.....but not for painting.

This is an official teaser short story for the young adult novel LOIS LANE: FALLOUT that takes place before Lois moves to Metropolis.

Review

       I normally don't care too much for short stories, especially ones that are under 50 pages long.  I know that a lot can be conveyed in them if the right writer is guiding the ship -- but more often than not, these short stories and novellas for popular YA book series are just useless filler.  This was available on NetGalley, so I requested it and hoped for the best.  And I got it!  Lois Lane is exactly how I wanted her to be - sassy, smart, and self-aware.  Of course, she's a teenager, so there is some self-doubt.  Lois is constantly moving around as an army brat, and she's in a new town again.  All she wants is to figure out something that she's good at, something that can be just for her.  So, Lois decides to try out an art class, and manages to get into more trouble than you'd think possible.  If you're a fan of Lois Lane (especially as portrayed by Erica Durance on Smallville, who this Lois really reminded me of!), try reading this.  I am now super pumped up for the full-length book coming out in May.  I enjoyed Gwenda Bond's style and I will LOVE reading more of Lois' misadventures!  Highly recommended.

VERDICT: 4/5 Stars

*I received this book from Capstone, on NetGalley. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. This book was published on March 4th, 2015.*

Pantha Volume 1: The Goddess and the Dangerous Game

 

Expected Publication:  May 7th, 2013

Panthaa Volume 1: The Goddess and the Dangerous Game

By: Brandon Jerwa & Pow Rodrix (Illustrations)

Dynamite Entertainment

ISBN-13:  9781606903896

 

Leaping and roaring into the comic world from her debut in the pages of Vampirella, the mysterious crimefighter called Pantha has endured since the 1960s. This feline femme fatale has remained relatively obscure over the years, but she always returns to give horror-action fans something scary (and a little sexy) to sink their fangs into. This new story presents Pantha as the last living avatar of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet. Commanded by Ra to walk the earth for all eternity as atonement for Sekhmet's transgressions in life, Pantha seeks out evil in all its guises. With the power to transform from a beautiful woman into a feral panther, this is one super-heroine who is much more than just a pretty face. Pantha also wields the Scarab of Atum-Ra; forged from the ancient god's tears, this amulet is an object of great power that many forces would kill to possess. The Scarab can destroy cities, corrupt souls, and open doorways to other dimensions.

 

Review

 

     Pantha is part of a living representation of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet and is forced to watch life pass her by for eternity, due to all her sins in life.  She is given an ultimate weapon called the Scarab which is made of Ra's tears, can transform into a panther and Pantha is able to open portals to other dimensions.  Can she and her friends from the secret organization she's part of manage to stop the other gods from destroying the world while battling for the immortal god Chaos' throne?  As a straight, slightly conservative woman I felt slightly uncomfortable the entire time I was reading this comic.  Now with that statement out of the way... I did enjoy the storyline.  But sometimes I feel a little bit lost when I go into fantasy comics and the story/characters seem like they've already been completely established.  This was one of those times for me.  I still didn't understand who Mayra was supposed to actually be and why Pantha was so obsessed with finding her before something bad happened.  I think maybe she was one of the incarnations of Sekhmet besides Pantha. but I'm unsure.  After the focus on Chaos and the underhanded machinations of other immortals/gods (goddesses too!), the inclusion of a portal to a different dimension and the battle with the vampire-esque creatures in Vampirella's world seemed out of place and slightly jarring.  It was nice to get a glimpse at the world of Vampirella, where Pantha originated, but it seemed unnecessary to me all the same.  The artwork was very nice and struck a good balance between the extreme colorization of old-school comics and the darker, more serious tones of the modern 'graphic novel.'  Overall it was interesting to read this, but not really my type of comic.  I prefer my scantily clad female comic characters to be actual superheroes like Wonder Woman.  Although, turning into a panther is extremely bad ass too! :)

 

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is May 7th, 2013.*