Review of "The Prisoner Book B: By Hook or By Crook," by Dean Motter, Mark Askwith and David Hornung

 Review of

The Prisoner Book B: By Hook or By Crook, by Dean Motter, Mark Askwith and David Hornung

Five out of five stars

Continuation of the cult classic TV show

 Even though only seventeen episodes were filmed, the British TV series “The Prisoner” has maintained a significant place in the history of television. It starred Patrick McGoohan as a British agent that abruptly resigns his position. In response, his former handlers drug him and put him in what is called “The Village.” He is prevented from ever leaving the village, no matter how hard he tries. Their goal is to find out why he quit and to prevent him from exposing any state secrets without having to kill him.  The series has maintained a major cult following, the best way to describe it is to call it a social science fiction/fantasy.

 This comic is a continuation of that story. In this case, the newest resident is a woman that is trying to find herself, to use a phrase common to pop psychology. She was sailing alone in the ocean when she suddenly appeared in the village, after having placed her daughter in boarding school and saying goodbye to her husband.

 She has a bearded mentor of sorts in the village, the previous main character known as number six is referenced in several ways, along with a significant amount of ambiguity. Readers need to have some familiarity with the television series in order to understand the fundamental premises of the comic.

 In the manner of the series, the circumstances are only barely explained and then only in sometimes misleading and ambiguous forms. It is a good basis for a story that keeps the reader thinking and speculating about what is really happening.

Review of "Burke’s Reconciliation With American," by Edmund Burke

 Review of

Burke’s Reconciliation With American, by Edmund Burke

Five out of five stars

A strong voice for compromise in the American struggle for independence

 The American Revolutionary War and the events that led up to the conflict are often depicted as harsh and the war itself inevitable. However, there were strong voices in England at the time that urged reconciliation and compromise. One of the most powerful was that of Edmund Burke, philosopher and member of the English Parliament. In March of 1775, Burke delivered a lengthy speech to the House of Commons where he strongly urged reconciliation with the American Colonies, warning that the current British policies towards the colonies would lead to war. This book is the text of that speech.

 From the text, it is clear that the war for American independence could have been avoided. Burke lays down clearly and precisely that there is legitimacy to the American grievances and that it was in the best interests of Britain to compromise. The factors that led to war were many and complex, yet Burke states them in a succinct and understandable manner. No deep study of that event is complete without reading this speech.

Review of "The Beatles, featuring Paul McCartney," by Personality Comics

 Review of

The Beatles, featuring Paul McCartney, by Personality Comics

Five out of five stars

Enlightening biography of Sir Paul

 With a productive music career that now exceeds six decades, Paul McCartney is arguably the most prolific musician of all time. His combination of performing and songwriting is astounding, and he is proficient on several instruments, starting with the bass. His life has been one of high achievements, it is clear in retrospect that he was likely held back by his association with the Beatles.

 This comic is an excellent, albeit brief biography of his life to the date of publication in 1991. It covers the early years where he worked at many jobs, his movement into the music, the rapid and amazing success of the Beatles, their breakup and his career after the Beatles split. There will always be debates about who caused the Beatles to break up, the causes and consequences of that split are covered, although not in great depth.

 If you have any interest in the life and career of Paul McCartney, this comic is an excellent and fairly detailed description.

Review of "Tom Swift and the Mystery Comet," by Victor Appleton II

 Review of

Tom Swift and the Mystery Comet, by Victor Appleton II

Three out of five stars

One of the weakest of the Tom Swift Jr. books

 The plot of this book is over the top, even for Tom Swift. It involves unidentified flying objects, a deadly comet on a collision course with Earth, a jealous classmate of Tom’s, the space aliens that Tom and his father are communicating with and the adversary country of Brungaria. There is too much going on and none of it is handled very well.

 For example, Tom’s classmate (among others) manages to penetrate the security of the Swift compound, something that would never happen in the real world. The Swift complex has a large security apparatus, yet it rarely seems to do the job. If this subplot had been left out, the overall story would have been improved.

 The final incredulous event is when Tom and Bud are in their spaceship and it is hijacked by a Brungarian agent. They manage to regain control of the ship just in time to change the comet trajectory enough so that it misses Earth. Since they are not that far from Earth and the mass of even the smallest comets is considerable, this is a major violation of the laws of physics. Too much, even for a Tom Swift adventure.

 The best science fiction stories are those that focus on one conflict/adversarial or new phenomenon event. Put several together and there is not enough story to tell all the stories.

Review of "Baseball’s Most Colorful Managers," by Ray Robinson

 Review of

Baseball’s Most Colorful Managers, by Ray Robinson

Four out of five stars

Unusual definition of the term colorful

 While the managers featured here were all very good at their jobs, the inclusion of two of them makes little sense. The six managers profiled in this book are Leo Durocher, Casey Stengel, Miller Huggins, Connie Mack, Wilbert Robinson and John J. McGraw. The two that are outliers are Connie Mack and Miller Huggins.

 All followers of baseball history are familiar with the images of Connie Mack in the dugout dressed in what is almost formal attire. He did not wear a baseball uniform and he was the very definition of being strait laced. His personal life was devoid of anything approaching what is normally defined as colorful within the sports world context.

 The same can be said of Miller Huggins. He lived and breathed baseball and at only five feet six inches tall, he was forced to physically stand up to Babe Ruth. Huggins was a graduate of law school  and could have practiced law, yet he chose his love of baseball over what likely would have been a successful practice. Huggins’ personal life was beyond the dull, the only woman in his life was his sister.

 The other four are of course managers of long duration that made themselves into media characters. Robinson and Stengel often bordered on the buffoonish, yet were generally successful, even though they both experienced years of failure.

 The profiles are fairly thorough, and the writing is targeted at the young adult. They are good stories of some of the men that made baseball into more than just a sport, it was truly a pastime.

Review of "Ash Zero," comic by Event Comics

 Review of

Ash Zero, comic by Event Comics

Five out of five stars

Deep primer on the developing story

 In many ways, the first issue in a comic book series is the most interesting. For it is here that the fundamental context for the character(s) is established. This is why the origin tales for superheroes have been told so many times. This is also why I am always looking for first issues so that I can determine my level of interest in the series.

 This first issue is significantly different, for it has the form of text with minimal images. That is a very good thing, for the background is very complex. It is an apocalyptic tale of the near extermination of humans. Some continue to fight on using simple weapons such as crossbows and guns, yet most of what they do is roam and hide from the oppressors.

 The context is a combination of very high and low technology. The free humans travel on horses, yet when injured they are placed in rejuvenation pods that heal even the most horrific of wounds in a short time. There is an alien presence called Adam, a self-proclaimed savior of Earth. Mention is made of advanced computing technology, but when it is necessary to consult records, the search involves print media.

 With so much complex context to cover, it would have been impossible to do it in a typical comic. Therefore, it was a wise tactic to resort to the text form of the explanations.

Review of "Classics Illustrated: Kidnapped," by Robert Louis Stevenson

 Review of

Classics Illustrated: Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson

Five out of five stars

Well done comic expression of a classic adventure story

“Kidnapped” is a story where the main character is the recently orphaned David Balfour. Upon the death of his father, David is surprised to learn that he is in fact a member of a wealthy family. When he travels to meet his relatives, he discovers that his uncle is not highly regarded by the people of the area and his uncle seems determined to kill him.

 When that fails, the uncle does the next best thing and arranges for David to be kidnapped and placed on a ship from which there is no escape. He has many adventures on the ship, including befriending another man where the crew is plotting to kill him. It is two against the rest until the ship runs aground and David makes it to an island. After many adventures, David manages to obtain the assistance of people that can help him and avoids getting involved in conflicts between the different Scottish clans.

 This comic is an excellent primer on what is a complex story. It not only involves the basic act of being taken against his will, but perseverance in the face of adversity until David achieves his rightful property. There is also the complex issues of Scottish clan rivalry, friendships of convenience and necessity and other social issues of the British Empire at the time of publication. Class consciousness is also a fundamental component of the plot. The comic is recommended as a study aid in classes on English literature.