Tiny Navajo Reads: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1 by Alan Moore, illustrated by Kevin O’Neill

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*Published 2011 by Vertigo Comics*

I had actually seen the movie with Sean Connery first, because I honestly didn’t know there was a comic of it. I liked the movie well enough, so I finally sought out the comic to see how it compared. It was interesting, and not quite what I expected.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1 by Alan Moore, illustrated by Keven O’Neill

“A sharp-witted gloss on the scientific and sexual obsessions of Victorian society.”—TIME

London, 1898. The Victorian Era draws to a close and the twentieth century approaches. It is a time of great change and an age of stagnation, a period of chaste order and ignoble chaos. It is an era in need of champions.

In this amazingly imaginative tale, literary figures from throughout time and various bodies of work are brought together to face any and all threats to Britain. Allan Quatermain, Mina Murray, Captain Nemo, Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde and Hawley Griffin, the Invisible Man, form a remarkable legion of intellectual aptitude and physical prowess: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

I do like that this comic goes a bit more in depth to the threat that the League is trying to combat and figure out what is going on. I also liked that there were only a few members, rather than the whole rag-tag team the movie did. Though I will say that brought out some interesting characters for the movie. My favourite character was Mina, but I think that’s only because she was the eyes for us as the readers, we saw nearly everything about this story through her eyes. This lead me to leaning a little more in her favour when it came to responding to certain situations as well as getting irritated with the other characters when she did as well.

While this was a good comic overall, I’m not sure that I liked it as much as the movie, though that might be nostalgia clouding my memories as I watched this in college with friends. But I may just need to keep reading this comic series and it may get better. What movies have you watched, based on comics, where you liked the movie better? What lead you to watching the movie first? Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Sleepless, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

Sleepless, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 by Sarah Vaughn, illustrated by Leila del Duca

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*Published July 10, 2018 by Image Comics and March 19, 2019 by Image Comics*

I saw this comic series floating over on Tumblr and it looked and sounded intriguing so I put it on hold and finally read it! I will say that I highly enjoyed it!

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Sleepless Vol. 1 and Sleepless Vol. 2 by Sarah Vaughn, illustrated by Leila del Duca

Sleepless Vol. 1

Lady “Poppy” Pyppenia is guarded by the Sleepless Knight Cyrenic, but becomes endangered when an assassin threatens her life in the new king’s reign. As Poppy and Cyrenic try to discover who wants her dead, they must navigate the dangerous waters of life at court, and of their growing feelings for one another.

Sleepless Vol. 2

Nearly a year later in the court of Harbeny, Lady Poppy and Sir Cyrenic must forge ahead without each other. Cyrenic adjusts to life after being released from the Sleepless Vow. And though Poppy has allies old and new, she buckles under the pressure to marry Lord Helder. The future looks bleak, but both Poppy and Cyrenic are fighters. Either they will claw their way out of the darkness, or take as many enemies with them as they can. This second volume of SLEEPLESS concludes the story of Poppy and Cyrenic.

I love the world that was set up in Sleepless, a world where a oath and a potion can keep people awake for all time. Being very honest, that is the best part of this world, and one of the most interesting parts of the world. A world where you can have a guard that will never fall asleep, that will always stay awake and keep you safe. There is the problem of this eventually driving people crazy, but it seems to be a small percentage of the those who take the potion and oath.

For Poppy and Cyrenic though, they have been connected this way for over three years. Three years Cyrenic has been awake and guarding Poppy, keeping her safe after she was nearly assassinated before Cyrenic took his oath. The three years are starting to show their toll on Cyrenic though, as he is starting to “drift,” a condition the Sleepless have where they start to have waking dreams because they cannot sleep. This combined with the fact that someone is trying to kill Poppy once again, things start to unravel.

It all comes to a head when Poppy’s uncle wishes her to marry his nephew in order to secure an alliance and bring legitimacy to her place in the family and his ruling of the kingdom. As Poppy and Cyrenic struggle to find a way out, not only to keep Poppy safe, but to try and explore their feelings for one another that are not longer just guard and guarded, but possibly romantic, they find that there is more going on than either thought.

I love this series and I love that there is a POC princess and she is not disfavoured because of her skin tone (as much as I could tell), but because she wasn’t necessarily considered legitimate in her father’s country. I loved that there was a world where you could take a potion and swear and oath and then no longer sleep. There are side affects and consequences to be sure, but the Sleepless would be a good guard. There are also the usual political intrigue as well as distrust that goes on in court. I do love that Poppy and her uncle’s niece actually become friends throughout the series, they don’t alway snipe at each other and strive to cause grief. Poppy truly wants to be only her friend and has no desire to take the throne from her succession. It shows that two girls, who happen to be royalty can truly be friends, not matter what other forms of media say. Love it!

I also loved Cyrenic and Poppy’s interactions. They are cute, they speak to how long they have been connected and it speaks to the trust the former king had in this knight to protect his daughter, swearing his oath to her, rather than to him and the guard and having him be part of a rotating guard for Poppy. There is a trust there that isn’t really seen anywhere else, and you can feel it! Love this series and would love to read more comics in this vein.

Tiny Navajo Reads: Harleen

Harleen by Stjepan Sejić

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*Published February 11, 2020*

This is so beautifully written and drawn, and I just CAN’T with how much I love this particular version of Harley Quinn’s origins! I love it so much!!! I need to definitely buy this one, if just for the coverart itself!

Dr. Harleen Quinzel has a theory: mental illness is a survival mechanism. As she seeks to help the broken souls of Gotham City piece together their sanity she will become the one thing she fears the most: one of them. A bold new retelling of the tragic origin of Harley Quinn told through the eyes of the only person who knows her better than anyone: Harleen.

A young psychiatrist with a potential cure for the madness that haunts Gotham City, Dr. Harleen Quinzel must prove her revolutionary theory to a skeptical establishment by delving into the disturbed minds of Arkham Asylum’s deadliest inmates. But the more time she spends with her criminally insane subjects, the closer she is drawn to one patient in particular–and the further she falls away from reality.The birth of legendary antihero Harley Quinn and the shocking origins of her twisted romance with the Joker are revealed in Harleen, a stunning new tale of love and obsession written and illustrated by renowned comics storyteller Stjepan Šejic (Aquaman: Underworld, Sunstone).

Collects Harleen #1-3

This. Was. So. GOOD!!!! I love the art, the atmostphere, the ability that Stjepan Sejić has to not only convery the sincerity that Harleen has in wanting to prove her theory right and helpfully help those who are gone insane. She truly wants to help these people, she just has to get the information she needs first in order to actually prove what she believes to be right about their psychology.

Unfortunately, her plans start to puff up into smoke when she comes face-to-face with the Joker, Gotham City’s most insane villain. And they don’t puff away because of anything that disproves her hypothesis…it’s more because Harleen is dangerously attracted to Joker. When she starts her interviewing process with him, after having interviewed everyone else in Arkham Asylum, things said and done start to leave an impact on her psyche that not even she anticipated.

It’s when Harleen starts to fall away from reality and further into her fascination with Joker, her “Mr. J”, that she does see that she has a problem, but a part of her locks that information away, to keep it from seeing the light of day. But when Two-Face decides that having the inmates at Arkham set loose and to burn Arkham to the ground with everyone inside that Harleen acts and fully becomes Harley Quinn.

I absolutely love this story and I love that we see it through Harleen/Harley’s eyes. We don’t see her fall in madness from the outside, but through her own eyes and her own thoughts. We follow Harleen/Harley as she falls head-over-heels for “Mr. J” and she follows him ever after. If you want an somewhat new take on the origins of Harley Quinn, then I highly recommend that you read Harleen.

What comic character’s origins would you like to know that we haven’t gotten to know? Or what origins would you like to see reimagnined? Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Animosity, Vol. 3

Animosity, Vol. 3: The Swarm by Marguerite Bennett, illustrated by Rafael de Latorre

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*Published July 17, 2018*

I think what this volume does best is surprise me. As the world awoke to having sentient animals, we (both animals and humans) tend to forget about the insects of the world. This volume shows why we should not.

Tensions run high as betrayal stings Jesse in a way she could have never imagined. Can Kyle shed his humanity enough  to aid Jesse in her quest? Can Sandor forsake his bestial nature in order to save that which he loves? The answers lie within! Meanwhile, Sandor, Jesse and the survivors hear rumors of a mysterious Walled City where safety may be waiting…but will their journey there be too high a price to pay?

Collecting ANIMOSITY #9-13—all five issues from the third story arc of this highly-acclaimed series!

It honestly terrifies me, the thought that insects have also gained sentience in the Wake. I am not a fan of bugs, I do not like spiders; I will squash any bug found inside my home. Or make my husband squash them…or, if they’re lucky, catch them and turn them outside where they fricken’ belong! But, to discover that any bugs I have killed have now gained sentience, I would be a little bit afraid for my life. Bugs and I don’t get along, and I don’t think I would treat them any better. This would be my downfall in the Wake. They would know and they would come after me.

This is kind of what happens in The Swarm as Jesse is separated from Sandor and she has to negotiate with a human town, that seems too good to be true, for the release of the local bee hive’s queen. We can also see how a society of insects have become more advanced than humans even have and they are ready to wage war on the humans who have stolen their queen.

We also see how perceptive Jesse truly is, as she knows to ask the right questions to the leaders of this town where humans and animals seemingly work together. She knows to ask where the women are and what is actually going on with the stealing of the bees and their hive queen.

I won’t say much more else I’ll give away the ending, but I’m curious and excited to see what happens in volume 4, whenever I’m able to get a hold of it! If you know that animals and insects suddenly gained sentience, which group would terrify you more? Why would this information terrify you? Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: November Update

My guys! It’s. Fricken. December! WHY IS IT DECEMBER ALREADY?!?!?! Anyway, now that it is December, we are looking at what I’ve read this past November. Also, just some interesting information, we are 3 weeks and 2 days away from Christmas. It’s kind of scaring me how quickly this last year and especially these last few months have gone.

Anyway, this past November, I have read 15 books; 8 were graphic novels/comics/manga, 6 novels, and 1 audiobook. I was surprised to see that I have read so many, but when I saw that the majority of the books I’ve read were graphic novels/comics/manga books. And I loved them all.

My read books this past month: Snow, Glass, Apples, Whispers of Shadow & Flame, Shatter the Sky, Animosity, Vol. 3: The Swarm, The War of the Realms, Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds, Three Things You Need to Know About Rockets: A Real-Life Scottish Fairy Tale, Bloodlust & Bonnets, Food Wars! Vols. 11-13, Love Beyond Body, Space and Time, To Kill a Kingdom, Beasts of Burden Volume 2: Neighborhood Watch, and In the Tropic of Serpents.

Overall, I would say that this was a very productive month of reading. And we’re heading into the Christmas season now, and that means getting ready to spend time with family. Or, at least, spending time with those you love. Anyway, what are your guys’ plans for this holiday season? And how’s your reading goals coming now that we are in the last month of the year? Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Animosity, Vol. 2

Animosity, Vol. 2: The Dragon by Marguerite Bennett

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*Published October 17, 2017*

This picks up where we left off in the previous volume, Jesse and Sandor and now some new companions seeking to get Jesse across this new version of the United States to where her estranged half-brother is living in working in San Francisco.

One day, for no reason, the Animals woke up. They started thinking. They started talking. They started taking REVENGE. The world is plunged into chaos as the newly-intelligent Animals fight humanity, and simply fight each other, for their own life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. In the midst of the turmoil is Jesse, an 11-year-old girl, and her dog, Sandor, who is devoted to her and her protection. Collecting issues 5-8 issues of the best-selling series, plus the special one-shot issue THE WORLD OF ANIMOSITY.

In this volume, we see Jesse and Sandor continue making their way across the country. As they do so with those they rescued from the previous volume, they start to hear rumours of a fire-breathing dragon. Not only does this lead to members of their group being snatched, but to thoughts of what it means now that animals have sentience.

I will admit that what I truly love about this volume is that it dives deep into questions like, does sentience equal a soul? Does a sentient animal killing a sentient animal equal murder, even if the killing is done for food? What does all of this mean now? There are no easy answers and the discussions that come about within the group are not giving easy answers either. This is what I think is most interesting about this volume, is that it tries to invoke a thought process within its readers about what if this does happen to us? Or, heaven forbid, we figure out that animals are sentient, we just can’t understand them? What will happen next?

This has been a very interesting series thus far, and while I didn’t talk about the dragon, once you read it, I think you’ll understand why. It’s far and away one of my favourite reveals and it’s one that can make you think. Think long and hard about what it means to be human.

What do you think makes you human? Why does it make you human? Comment below and let me know! And just so you know, as this is Thanksgiving week, I will not be posting on Thanksgiving, but you can expect a post on Friday. Enjoy your turkey and mashed potatoes everyone!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Faith: Dreamside

Faith: Dreamside (Faith #6) by Jody Houser

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*Published March 12, 2019*

This had been sitting on my TBR list at home for a LONG while now and I just got around to reading it about two months ago, actually on the day that I found out I got my full time job. YAY! Good memories with it!

Even before Faith Herbert, AKA Zephyr, gained the power of flight, joined the Harbinger Renegades, and soared through the skies of the Valiant Universe, deep down she was always a hero at heart. But what’s a hero to do in the face of a foe that exists only in nightmares? Face them head-on, of course! To protect the dreams of her teammate, Animalia, Faith must venture into a fantastical new realm the likes of which we’ve never seen…and she’ll need some help from the world’s premiere parapsychologist, Doctor Mirage, to make it back with her subconscious mind still intact! Uncover the secrets of the Dreamside as writer extraordinaire Jody Houser (FAITH, Stranger Things) and rising star MJ Kim (FAITH’S WINTER WONDERLAND SPECIAL #1) continue the adventures of the high-flying icon that Uproxx calls ‘A joy to read!’ Collecting FAITH: DREAMSIDE #1-4.

I love Faith so much and how much she wants to help others. In this one, we see Faith risk herself to help a girl who is being haunted by her friends who have died. She goes to another hero/parapsychologist, Doctor Mirage, who can help Animalia and Faith figure out what’s going on.

Faith has become one of my favourite superheros, just for how much she loves and connects with those who she protects and saves because she is a loving and compassionate person. It’s the best part of her and what makes her an amazing superhero! You can look at some of my previous interviews to see how much I gush about Faith in general.

Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Top Ten Extraordinary Book Titles

Hi guys! It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! TTT was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This Top Ten Tuesday we’re talking about extraordinary book titles. Now, I’m going to define “extraordinary” because I want to make sure for myself, so “extraordinary” = “very unusual or remarkable.” Now to find some book titles that are very unusual or remarkable.

1. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. This is a book that I’m reading right now and I love just how evocative this sounds. Have you ever seen an ember in ashes? It’s a small glowing, fiery element just waiting to come back to life with the smallest of breaths.
2. Food Wars! by Yuto Tsukuda. This title sounds so exciting and the exclamation point at the end show just how energetic and upbeat this series is. I need to have my library order the rest of the series so I can finish reading it!
3. Animosity by Marguerite Bennett. The sound of this title is dynamic and to the point. Animals that become sentient and have a level of animosity to the world of humans that have dominated them is all right there in the title.
4. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. There is just something magical about the name Mr. Penumbra. Pe-num-bra. Magic, mystery, and a small dash of he knows what you’re thinking just a little bit.
5. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine. Ink and bones; two things that are generally very permanent. But there are things that can destroy them and they are very destructive. So, what does that say about the book?
6. The Jewel and Her Lapidary by Fran Wilde. This sounds so intriguing to me. What exactly is a lapidary? That was my question when I started reading this book and what it is the book and in real life are different but I can see the similarities and why it was used to help create this world.
7. Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi. The title drew me in because it seemed a juxtaposition to have two young adults on the cover under what would usually be considered your closet family member’s duty.
8. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. Such a long title, but a title that begs you to read this book and find out why it is such a long title.
9. Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells by Ellent Datlow. This is an anthology of gaslamp fantasy stories and I was drawn in right away by the thought of “What if Queen Victoria has magic? Would she need to hide it? What type of world would allow this Queen of England to have a book of spells?”
10. A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis. How can madness be discreet? And in a time when a women could be locked away in an insane asylum, what causes madness?

I was drawn in to these books by their titles. I wanted to know what it meant to be an emergency contact, how is madness discreet, and a whole slew of other things. I wanted to read this books to understand their titles and I love it when a title is able to draw me in like this. What are your extraordinary titles? Why are they extraordinary to you? Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Faith, Vol. 3

Faith, Vol. 3: Superstar by Jody Houser

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*Published May 10, 2017*

I love Faith! I love her so much! She’s just an amazing character!!!

Fight and Flight!
As Los Angeles’ high-flying protector, Faith as inspired the dreams of an entire metropolis… Now get ready to meet its worst nightmare When an escaped psiot prisoner starts tearing through the streets, Faith must stop her fiery rampage before all hell breaks loose! But this isn’t just any ordinary threat… Not only can this empowered escapee drain the energy of everything in sight, she’s one of L.A.’s most controversial pop stars to boot!
Valiant’s chart-topping superhero is about to add a major new player to her frenemies list, courtesy of breakout writer Jody Houser (Mother Panic) and acclaimed artists Meghan Hetrick (Red Thorn) and Marguerite Sauvage (DC Comics Bombshells)! Plus: legendary writer Louise Simonson and Harvey Award-nominated artist Pere Pérez present history in the making as they bring together the leading female hero in comics today with the first female nominee from a major political party for a presidential milestone like no other!

In this one, we see Faith be the true superhero that she is, not through using her powers, but by using her compassion and her words. She doesn’t sacrifice what she believes in to save the ones that need her help. I love Faith, and I truly believe that you should read this comic series if only to have a new type of superhero to read about.

What do you enjoy most about a superhero? When they use their powers to save the day or their empathy? Comment below and let me know!

Tiny Navajo Reads: Faith, Vol. 2

Faith, Vol. 2: California Scheming by Jody Houser

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*Published November 15, 2016*

I need to find out what happens with Faith, so I am continuing my reading of Faith and all of her adventures as the hero of Los Angeles.

Because you Demanded it! The high-flying hero that captured the Imagination of the world is back with a Colossal new ongoing series!
In a city under siege by robots, aliens, monsters, and even worse… celebrities, there is only one woman the people of Los Angeles can count on: the stratospheric superhero called Faith! Aspiring reporter by day and dedicated crime-fighter by night, Faith has tackled every obstacle in her path with confidence like those crushing deadlines at work, the long-distance boyfriend half a world away, and the missing back issues that plague her comics collection! But, unbeknownst to her, Faith is about to collide with the one force she never saw coming: an up-and-coming super-villain bent on snuffing her out once and for all! But who is lurking behind the mask of her new foe and could they just be the one person capable of rendering Faith powerless?

We have an up-and-coming super-villian who wishes to kill Faith to kickstart his career. Unfortunately for Faith, it’s her celebrity crush who plays just about every hero in all the Valiant Hollywood movies. But she does what she does best and takes him down!

Then we see Faith and her kind of boyfriend go a comic convention, but things don’t turn out the way she hopes when a Murder Mouse starts to steal from vendors and it leads to a load of Murder Mouses running around causing even more havoc. And somehow, there is a double of Faith as well. What else can you ask from a comic convention?

I truly love Faith, she believes vehemently in doing what is right, even life is throwing the most unexpected things her way. Including her celebrity crush trying to kill her to start his villainous career. But she doesn’t really let this get her down, or if it does, not for long. She’s a superhero, but she’s a human superhero and she suffers human trials and downturns. Faith is allowed to be HUMAN. Not many other superheros that I know of are allowed to be as human as Faith is allowed to be. And I love this about her and her story.

Do you like it when superheros are humanized? Why or why not? Comment below and let me know!