Review of "Vampire Tales: Volume 1," edited by Mark D. Beazley

 Review of

Vampire Tales: Volume 1, edited by Mark D. Beazley ISBN 9780785146445

Five out of five stars

Stories of one of the most popular classes of villains

 Vampires and zombies have great appeal and staying power as villains as they go up against normal people. Many stories have been written about vampires from the classic novel by Bram Stoker. Like many of the greatest fiction stories of all time, there is a bit of fact backing up the fiction. There is in fact a condition known as clinical vampirism, or an obsession with drinking blood.

 The stories in this collection all appeared in comic form under the Marvel label. Some are basic vampire stories involving mysterious men wearing capes, yet in other stories the vampires are female. Some of the best stories involve Morbius, a man of science that was suffering from a deadly blood disease. He was able to cure that affliction, but in a manner where the cure was worse than the disease. He was turned into a vampire with an uncontrollable blood lust that must be quenched. In an unusual twist, he experiences great remorse after he has drained the lifeblood from his latest victim. In a form of compensation, he becomes a bit of a vigilante, protecting the weak from the “normal” human predators.

 Frightening, yet titillating, vampires are monsters that arouse odd passions in humans. They love them yet are often terrified when they see them doing what they do on a screen. In this case, they are in comic and fine form.

Review of "The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Volume 3," by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley

 Review of

The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Volume 3, by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley ISBN 9781563898723

Five out of five stars

It is indeed a dark time, the Dark Knight is fighting back

The good heroes are rallying, and some progress has been made against the oppressive forces. Among other things, the Dark Knight has been captured by Lex Luthor, in this case he is drawn to match the image of the obese, ugly brutal executioners of medieval times. Lex is torturing the Dark Knight, yet he seems undisturbed, saying that his only goal is to see that Lex dies.

 The forces controlling the country are so powerful that the Congress votes unanimously to authorize the President to use whatever force is needed to subdue the country. Including the possible use of nuclear weapons. Just when Lex thinks he has the Dark Knight at his mercy, other forces arrive to turn the tables. There are heroes on both sides of the battle, so the good side does not have a monopoly on the ability to do great feats.

 There is some humor within the dark treatment of a very dystopic world. There are cameos by several famous people, including Elvis Presley, Pope John Paul II, columnist George F. Will, Attorney General John Ashcroft, a religious fanatic, what I believe is talk show host John McLaughlin as well as Bat-Mite.

 This is a wild and dark tale of a dystopic world where America has been taken over by totalitarian forces. Within all of this there is some wild dialog, where even an adult movie actress is presented as a powerful force to be reckoned with.

Review of "The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Volume 1," by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley

 Review of

The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Volume 1, by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley ISBN  1563898705

Five out of five stars

The dark knight works in dark times

 There have been many changes in the United States. It is now ruled as a ruthless dictatorship where dissent is not tolerated. Nearly all of the superheroes have been either captured or controlled, only a few remain free to try to overturn the oppressive social order.

 The story opens with a man battling with primitive tools against a powerful aquatic monster. He is victorious and then is welcomed by Caroline Keene Kelley in a leopard outfit. The man is Professor Palmer, also known as The Atom. He has been held prisoner by the oppressors that used his own technology against him.

 The rescue is a challenging one, some of the heroes have banded together in an attempt to retake the country from the despotic forces now in control. The rescue is being orchestrated by Batman, a.k.a. the Black Knight. Superman is compromised, now essentially an ally of the ruthless leaders that will not hesitate to kill to maintain power.

 While the heroes do make progress, it is a very dark time for the world, for the battle is an uphill one. Although Superman is now aged, so are the other heroes and he is still a formidable opponent. It is clear that the despotic forces cannot be defeated as long as Superman is a viable tool for them to use.

 This story ends on a hero-vs-hero note. The good ones are on an uphill trajectory against the evil ones and those that control them, but the slope is steep with many hazards.

Review of "The Speckled Band: A Sherlock Holmes Drama," original story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, edited by Alan Lance Andersen

 Review of

The Speckled Band: A Sherlock Holmes Drama, original story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, edited by Alan Lance Andersen

Four out of five stars

A play based on the Sherlock Holmes short story

 While nearly everyone knows of the Sherlock Holmes character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, few know that he was also a playwright. This play was originally written by Doyle for the stage and had a very successful run. It is of course based on the short story by the same name. This version has been modified by the editor to make it more in conformance to the original story and to incorporate elements of other adaptations. It retains the basic flair of Holmes, a man of many skills and a serious drug habit.

 The play has a strong, ruthless villain that plays the role of a caring stepfather. While he thinks he is a match for Holmes, it is clear very soon that Holmes remains several steps ahead of him. Like all plays, much of the enjoyment is in the execution by the actors. Facial expressions and intonation do a great deal in imparting the emotional drama of attempted murder and mayhem. Therefore, while it reads well, one reserves a bit of judgement until it is seen in action.

Review of "Managing With Carrots: Using Recognition to Attract and Retain the Best People," by Adrian Gostick & Chester Elton

 Review of

Managing With Carrots: Using Recognition to Attract and Retain the Best People, by Adrian Gostick & Chester Elton ISBN 1586850776

Five out of five stars

What really works to please quality employees

 This book is not unique in presenting the main theme, that beyond a basic point, additional monetary rewards are not the most powerful force keeping employees happy. That point has been made in many books and articles about the art of people management. What the employees want is challenging, meaningful work and being told that they did it well. Hence the main title of this book.

 Most of the standard, yet simple actions to used to inform people of a job well done are stated, as well as how not to do them. Nearly all are monetarily inexpensive yet require some effort and at times humility by a manager. Some managers are reluctant, even to the point of refusal, to acknowledge that the success of the team is due to the actions of underlings.

 Short, but effective, this is a book that should be read and intellectually digested by all managers.

Review of "Bird: The Tattoo," by Carlos Trillo and Juan Bobillo

 Review of

Bird: The Tattoo, by Carlos Trillo and Juan Bobillo ISBN 1569716315

Four out of five stars

An unusual and depressing graphic novel

 The title character is an often naked, bald and skinny female that is also heavy into pills. Targeted for assassination by a very large and powerful man, she greets him by asking that he allow her to take her pills first. Agreeable, the potential assassin gives her the opportunity to explain her life.

 Her story begins in some form of asylum where she manages to escape nearly naked out into a severe snowstorm. The adventures continue in the building of some form of an alliance of the most bizarre form. A skinny, naked woman and a massive man with a mandate to kill her. Fortunately, there is no precise instructions on the how and the means.

 I was so puzzled by this book that I read it twice. There are twists and turns to the story, yet at the end there is a resolution and an unlikely hero. Unlike many graphic novels, there is very little in the way of violence, it is there, but contained and generally threatened rather than actual. If you are a fan of the bizarre, you will like this book.

Review of "Offensive Conduct: My Life on the Line," by John “Hog” Hannah

 Review of

Offensive Conduct: My Life on the Line, by John “Hog” Hannah ISBN 9781600788604

Four out of five stars

An honest rendition of Hannah’s life

 John Hannah was a superb football player, making his name as an offensive lineman. There is no doubt that he was one of the best, “Sports Illustrated” ran an article stating that he was the best. While a good deal of what he experienced is similar to what others have reported, his experiences are unique.

 What is well known now in retrospect is how ruthlessly authoritarian college football coaches were. Hannah played for the University of Alabama under the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant. Bryant’s treatment of his players was often cruel in the physical and psychological sense. Words of praise were extremely rare; players were motivated by fear and intimidation. Such reporting was simply not done decades ago.

 Hannah describes his focus on football to the general exclusion of all other things as well as how the growth of his ego sometimes overwhelmed him. Again, this is a common trait among  athletes at the highest level. He also details his physical problems as the battering his body took on the gridiron had a cumulative effect. With the growing honesty about brain damage and other injuries in the NFL, Hannah’s experiences are also quite common.

 As sports autobiographies go, this one is better than most. It is honest, there is little in the way of self-promotion or excuses, and he explains but does not dwell on his poor treatment by Patriots management.