TV Review: Fuller House

When Full House first aired in 1987 I was already past the primary age demographic for this show. I was a single male in my early 20s who, frankly, had better things to do on a Friday night than watch a show about a single dad whose best friend and brother-in-law move in to help take care of the three cute kids. I did occasionally see a minute or two while flipping through channels. Sometimes I managed to sit through an entire episode.

That's why I found it odd that I would binge-watch Fuller House, the 13-episode Netflix original series that dropped last Friday, February 26. But I did. And, for the most part, I enjoyed it.

Even without having watched every episode of the original series, I knew enough about the show to know the basic back story. I knew what I expected from the show and, more importantly, what I wanted to see.

Fuller House, like a lot of other shows, gets better as you watch the episodes. The first episode/pilot made me cringe in embarrassment repeatedly. Yes, it sets up the rest of the season, but it's basically a "let's get the band back together and do one last show" type of reunion show. The original cast are brought out one by one for a brief chance to shine and we're introduced to the new kids. After that, except for cameos from Bob Saget, John Stamos, Dave Coulier, and Lori Loughlin in various episodes, it's up to Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and Andrea Barber to carry the show.

I believe they succeeded, especially with the nostalgia factor. Yes, there are some episodes that focused on the kids that got a little too close to "Afternoon Special" territory, but when the focus of the story was on D.J., Stephanie, and Kimmy the show exceeded all my expectations.

Widowed D.J. (Candace Cameron Bure) finds herself ready to begin dating and is the object of affection of two really nice guys, Matt Harmon, a fellow veterinarian played by Josh Brotherton, and former love-of-her-life Steve Hale, now a podiatrist, played by Scott Weinger. She is the mother of three, Jackson, Max, and Tommy.

Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), who I remember most as being a pest, has grown up into a mostly responsible person trying to launch a singing career after touring for years as DJ Tanner (as in a club/party DJ).

And then there's Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber). She was my favorite character from the original show, mainly because I had watched Barber as Carrie Brady on Days of our Lives in the early '80s and she went from playing cute kid to cute -- and oh, so quirky -- 'tween and teen on Full House. Pairing her with Juan Pablo di Pace, who played Kimmy's ex Fernando, was an excellent move. The two play off each other perfectly. Kimmy and Fernando have a daughter, Ramona.

There are some cameos/guest appearances in a few episodes. Macy Gray, San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence, Val and Maks Chmerkovskiy all made appearances. I'm not crazy about most cameos/guest appearances by entertainment or sports figures anyway as they come off as mostly awkward.

The kids come across as a little too cutesy at times, especially Max, played by Elias Harger, who may be the best actor of the group but also mugs for the camera a little too much.

Noticeably absent from the new show is little sister Michelle, played in the original series by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Much has been made of the fact that neither twin was available to film even a cameo for the first season, but the show doesn't suffer from her not making an appearance and may even be stronger for not dividing the focus even more. Should the show get picked up for a second season, however, I'd like to see one or both of the girls to film a scene or two as Michelle Tanner.

Would I watch a second season of Fuller House? Yes, especially if it continued to focus more on D.J., Stephanie, Kimmy and their lives.

Rating 3.5 Stars

The Proliferation of Profanity

*** CONTAINS PROFANITY ***

I keep experiencing a problem, a problem I'm sure that you've experienced as well if you read a lot or watch TV and movies or listen to music.

It wasn't a serious problem when I was growing up in the '70s, but it's become an epidemic in the past 25 years and it has invaded the entertainment industry like a wildfire raging through a forest, having taken a few hesitant steps and gaining momentum through the years.

I'm talking about profanity.

To understand profanity, we have to understand the root word -- profane. Merriam-Webster defines profane as (1) to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt; (2) to debase by a wrong, unworthy, or vulgar use. Therefore, profanity is profane language or the utterance of profane language. Merriam-Webster defines it even more simply as offensive language. In my lifetime I've heard it also referred to as bad language, strong language, coarse language, foul language, bad words, vulgar language, lewd language, swearing, cursing, cussing, or using expletives.

"But everyone talks that way," I hear from more than one person. No, they don't. There are a lot of people who have never had a "four-letter word" cross their lips and never will.

So, what is my problem with profanity? A lot of it has to do with the way I was raised. My parents rarely, if ever, uttered a curse word. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I tried a few out when I was younger. I'd hear a word, sound it out a time or two -- take it for a test run, so to speak -- and then toss it aside. I knew if I tried using the word in a conversation with my family I'd be drinking dish soap for dinner. And no matter how good that soap may smell, the taste is horrible.

Later, in my teen years, good friends introduced me to a saying attributed to Spencer W. Kimball that has stuck with me: Profanity is the effort of a feeble brain to express itself forcibly.

George Carlin performed a monologue, "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television," beginning in 1972. Those seven words are shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits. Comedian Lenny Bruce said he was arrested in 1966 for saying those seven words and two others -- ass and balls -- in alphabetical order. I'd probably add a couple more: bitch and god damn. Fifty years later, every single one of those words has wormed its way into one or more forms of mainstream entertainment. Admittedly, I find some of those words far more offensive than others.

(I am particularly bothered by the use of "god damn" as it violates the third commandment given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. I realize that not everyone subscribes to Christianity as I do; however, I find it disconcerting that it is "okay" to take God's name in vain but not Allah's, Krishna's, or any other religion's major deity. To be perfectly clear, it's not cool to take the name of any religion's major deity in vain. That's a discussion for another time, perhaps.)

What gets me most upset about the use of profanity is how the occasional profane word, used emphatically, has become commonplace. How do I determine if the word is necessary or not? It's simple. If you can remove the word from the sentence without it changing the meaning of the sentence, it is unnecessary.

Truly, it is as simple as that.

I recently read a book (GJS II) where the F-bomb was used repeatedly. I don't believe there was a single page of the 500+ page novel where the word didn't appear. Some pages found the word in use multiple times. A recent movie based on a comic book, Deadpool, also suffers from excessive F-bomb dropping, and received an R rating where a PG-13 could have been given if the words had been removed from the script.

When did entertainment become "adult" based on the amount of profanity used instead of the contextual themes in the story? When did using certain words make the work more "real" than if they were excluded. I don't know.

As society continues to embrace social media in place of face-to-face or long-form written communication, verbal skills will further erode. Maybe that's why the use of profanity continues to grow, because people just don't have the vocabulary to express themselves without it.

And that may be the saddest commentary of them all.

Review: GJS II by Shawn Stewart Ruff

It isn't often that I read a book and discover so quickly that it isn't going to be a book I'm entertained by. Based on the description, which follows, I thought it would be different than what was delivered. That isn't necessarily the fault of the author as much as it is in my expectations based on reading the book's synopsis.

The book is described as:

Self-made Griffin Jewells Saunders II is a man of means: covetable connections, immense wealth, a glamorous TV-celebrity and fashion icon wife and five telegenic children. The sterling qualities that have made this handsome black embodiment of the American dream a Cincinnati mayoral prospect prove his undoing. A lucrative business alliance with his Clinton cabinet-appointed half-brother ensnares the partnership in the Republican attack machine. As the Monica Lewinsky scandal engulfs the White House, the brothers turn on each other, convinced an FBI sting is afoot. Distrust balloons and bursts...and the fallout sweeps Griffin's family into the maelstrom in this thrilling page-turner of political intrigue, fashion misdemeanors and murder.

I wanted to like GJS II, but ultimately it came across as an Empire wannabe with political connections and a love for fashion at its center instead of the music industry. What makes it worse is that on Empire, at least, the Lyons family may be fighting with each other but at the end of the day they also take up for each other. I didn't get that feeling with GJS II at all. Of course, that may have been Ruff's intent all along. If so, that makes it all the sadder.

Rating: 2 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Quote Editions, Inc. (through NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Fragment by Davis Bunn

It makes no difference whether The Fragment is the first Davis Bunn novel you’ve read or the latest, you, as a reader, are sure to enjoy the journey taking place between the first and last pages.

Smithsonian research fellow Muriel Ross traveled to Paris with her parents’ long-time friend, Virginia senator Thomas Bryan, to photograph antiquities he hopes to acquire. It becomes clear, however, that the senator waited until they were in Paris to tell Muriel their true mission – to photograph a portion of the True Cross, discovered by Empress Helena (in Bunn’s previous novel published by Franciscan Media, The Pilgrim), and then to head to Turkey to acquire another portion of that same Cross.

Set in 1923, The Fragment is like stepping out of a time machine and into history. The Great War may have ended nearly five years before, but it is still a world healing from the wounds suffered during that global conflict. Nowhere is that more obvious than in Paris, which suffered greatly during the war. Bunn’s description of the city and its peoples make the reader feel as if they are walking down those streets. Those descriptive abilities also come into play when Muriel, Senator Bryan, and Charles Fouchet – private secretary to France’s minister of the interior – find themselves in Constantinople to complete Bryan’s mission.

Filled with adventure and intrigue, I found the The Fragment difficult to put down and felt a keen disappointment that the story was ended. A world of possibilities opens for Muriel at the end of the novel, but I find myself hoping most that Muriel Ross find herself as the lead in a series of historical thrillers and/or mysteries set in the 1920s or ‘30s.

Rating: 5 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Franciscan Media in exchange for my honest review.

In Memory: Harper Lee, 89

It's been a difficult week for me. I usually read a book or more per day, but I'm currently struggling to get through a book I requested through NetGalley. My typing, which is normally quite speedy, has been slower and filled with more typos.

It's tough getting older.

By now, you're probably wondering what this has to do with Miss Harper Lee. Well, you see, it's like this . . .

Would it surprise you to find out that I never read To Kill a Mockingbird until last year?

Yeah, it's true. Out of the thousands, maybe even tens of thousands, of books I've read in my life, I never read the book that appears to be the most beloved of modern classic American literature. It wasn't yet required reading when I was in high school or college, so I missed it there. By the time it was required reading in schools across the country, the hype surrounding the book was so immense that I avoided it just on the basis of hype.

You see, I'd been burned by hype before. If a book, movie, TV show, or song gets a lot of "you've got to read/see/hear this" attention, it's like something in me just wants to ignore it. I want to judge each book (movie/TV show/song) on its own merits and not the opinion of someone else. With the Internet having information so freely available, it's hard at times to separate from the noise of opinion long enough to form one of your own.

"But it won the Pulitzer Prize!" I hear you exclaiming. After checking out a list of winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, it appears I've read seven Pulitzer Prize-winning novels in my life, five of which I didn't realize had won the prestigious award. But back to my story . . .

When it was announced that a sequel to Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird was going to be published, I admit I was curious. I had heard the stories surrounding her view that she said everything she had to say with Mockingbird. Then it was revealed that Go Set a Watchman was actually an earlier draft of the classic. My interest was piqued even more. I'm one of those people who watch all the extra features on DVDs, so I prepared myself to read the books. I reserved both of them from my local library with the intent of reading Mockingbird first and then Watchman.

I received Go Set a Watchman first, but I set it aside, hoping that To Kill a Mockingbird would come to me before Watchman had to be returned. It did, and I began reading the book I had passed over for so many years.

And I loved it.

There, I said it. I loved it. In my opinion, To Kill a Mockingbird deserves its place in American literary history. And I enjoyed Go Set a Watchman as well. Even though Watchman is clearly an earlier draft -- some passages were used in their entirety in Mockingbird and there are several other instances where the books do not align -- it also works as a sequel of sorts, one where the remembrances of childhood are tempered by the realities of adulthood.

I imagine the attention garnered with the release of To Kill a Mockingbird and the subsequent movie was hard on the intensely private author. By all accounts, Harper Lee was a warm and witty individual. She loved being with people but also valued her privacy. Did this play into her decision to not write another novel? I don't know. Maybe, as she said, it was enough to "say everything I had to say" with the one novel.

(It's funny how I keep referencing Mockingbird as Lee's lone novel but acknowledge having read Watchman. It's possible I'm being influenced by published comments stating that Miss Lee never intended for Go Set a Watchman to be published.)

It would have been a wonderful world, I believe, to have had more published novels from the pen of Harper Lee. The reality, however, is that she left a thought-provoking work that -- more than fifty years after its original publication -- still shines a light on a period of American history that is both nostalgic and an indictment of man's cruelty to man.

Harper Lee, you will be missed.

Review: An Invisible Client by Victor Methos

Personal injury lawyer Noah Byron has one goal in life where his career is concerned: Make money, and lots of it. However, when his ex-wife calls and asks him to look at a case involving her cousin's sick 12-year-old son, Byron finds himself working against type and taking on a case he wouldn't normally accept.

While author Victor Methos has taken a possible ripped-from-the-headlines case -- going up against the pharmaceutical industry in a suspected tampering incident -- he also acknowledges the risks of taking the case and making it personal.

Now, what I liked best about this novel may be something that will seem unremarkable for anyone who hasn't worked for an attorney. But when I worked for my first attorney back in the late '80s I was green about a lot of things. I knew we had volumes of templates that could be used to draft documents that could be referred to, but the attorney I worked for made a lot of things easier for me. I'd be transcribing the correspondence that would be mailed to clients or a petition of some sort that would be filed in one of our cases and he would take a moment to explain a particular term or why we would be filing this particular document instead of another that could be used. I still remember the first time he did that. The legal term was escheat -- the process of transferring property of a decedent without heirs to the state. Methos does this same thing in An Invisible Client, and does it in such a way that it doesn't feel like he's lecturing while do it.

The novel is not overly long, at about 250 pages, and is the perfect length -- no padding here, folks! -- for an afternoon or evening devoted to reading.

From the list of previous works provided in the pages before the story begins, it looks like this may be a stand-alone novel. Dare I hope that we might see more of Noah Byron and the firm of Byron, Val & Keller? Maybe a novel focusing on one of the other partners in the firm? I know I'd pick it up.

Rating: 5 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas & Mercer (through NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Christmas Truce by Aaron Shepard; illustrations by Wendy Edelson

I first read the story of the 1914 Christmas truce between British and German soldiers in a Guideposts magazine story published in the mid-1980s. It is the kind of story that even today thrills me to read as it exemplified the truth spoken by the angel on the night of Christ's birth, "Peace on Earth, goodwill to all men."

In Christmas Truce, Aaron Shepard retells the story as a letter written by a British soldier named Tom to his sister Janet. In his letter, Tom mentions the conditions the soldiers lived in and the surprise he felt upon viewing a line of trees lit up with candles or flashlights. And then the part of the story that always stirs my heart:

Stille nacht, heilige nacht . . .

Maybe it's because it's my favorite Christmas carol, but I can't think of a more perfect song -- especially for 1914 -- to sing on the evening of such a momentous event as an unplanned truce during wartime.

Wendy Edelson's paintings capture different scenes from the letter, but my favorite is the one shown at left from near the beginning of the book. It reminds me of any of a number of photos where soldiers take a moment to write down some thoughts in a letter to a loved one back home. In my mind's eye I can see the soldier trying to put down on paper what he's experienced while also remaining alert to any possible danger.

Christmas Truce is, at its core, a heartwarming book that reinforces the idea of man's desire for peace in the midst of conflict, even if it's just for one or two days.
 Highly recommended.

Rating: 4 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Skyhook Press (through NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher

Kings Meadow, Idaho, is small-town heaven and it's a shame that Keeper of the Stars is Robin Lee Hatcher's final novel in the Kings Meadow Romance series. Fortunately, for me -- and any others who came into the series with this book -- there are two more books in this series and another two books that take place in Kings Meadow.

Penny Cartwright is still grieving over the death of her 22-year-old brother, Brad, who died in a car accident after falling asleep at the wheel of the car he was driving. She and Brad had fought over his decision to go on the road as drummer for Trevor Reynolds' country music band and she feels guilty for not having resolved anything with Brad before his death.

Trevor Reynolds was supposed to come home with Brad at Thanksgiving and meet Brad's family. Instead, while taking a break from the road after the accident that took Brad's life, Trevor finds himself visiting Kings Meadow to re-evaluate his life. After hearing Brad talk about his family and Kings Meadow, Trevor finds himself renting a small apartment, getting a part-time job, and helping out Brad's father on the Cartwright family ranch.

Now, I've got to stop right here. Remember the episode of The Andy Griffith Show where the stranger comes to town, recognizes everyone he meets on the street, calls them by name, and asks them how things are, yet no one in town knows him? (If not, you can read about the episode here.) I'm not saying that Trevor did exactly that, but it's obvious from Hatcher's writing that Trevor immediately felt at home in Kings Meadow as a result of listening to Brad's stories.

There's a lot to like and enjoy in Keeper of the Stars. As much as I appreciate reading novels in different genres, there's a certain predictability that at some point in a romance novel the guy and the girl are going to get together and live happily ever after. However, I freely admit that I am a pushover for novels and movies set around Christmas. Set a story during the holidays, throw in the title of a Christmas carol or two (or a lyric), and add at least one party and I'm ready to indulge in the festivities -- at any time of the year! It also helps when you have likable but flawed characters like Penny and Trevor, who struggle with some of the same things we readers do.

There may not be anything groundbreaking added to the tried-and-true romance formula, but I still had fun visiting Kings Meadow, Idaho, and recommend you schedule a visit of your own. Hatcher definitely has a winner with Keeper of the Stars.

Rating: 4 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins Christian Publishing (through NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

TV Reviews: Supergirl (CBS) and The Flash (CW)

This week has been a good one for those who love superhero television. Supergirl takes a cue from the classic Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons story in 1985's Superman Annual #11 and The Flash from any of a number of Earth-1/Earth-2 crossovers from the 1960s, '70s, and '80s.

In the original Superman story, "For the Man Who Has Everything," Batman, Robin (Jason Todd) and Wonder Woman arrive at the Fortress of Solitude to celebrate Superman's birthday only to find him under the influence of the Black Mercy, a parasitic plant "presented" to Superman by the villainous Mongul. The Black Mercy gives its victim its heart's desire while feeding on the bio-aura. In the Supergirl episode, similarly titled as "For the Girl Who Has Everything," the Black Mercy is a gift to young Kara from Non, one of the Kryptonian criminals who escaped from Fort Rozz and is terrorizing National City.

I don't want to spoil the episode for anyone (if you haven't watched the episode, you can go to cbs.com and watch it for free for the next couple of weeks), but I do want to point out a couple of things that I particularly enjoyed and, unfortunately, one thing that I didn't.

The good:

Melissa Benoist continues to grow into the role of Kara/Supergirl. Hesitant at first and becoming more confident with each mission, glimpses of the superheroine she will eventually become are seen in each episode. In this episode in particular, viewers saw what Kara would be like had Krypton not exploded and also felt her anger toward Non for using the Black Mercy on her while he pursued his evil plans.

The idea of family between Kara/Supergirl, her adoptive sister Alex, DEO director Hank Henshaw, Winn Schott, and James Olsen. You get the feeling that these people would go to Hell and back for one another. But it's this same thing that brings me to . . .

The bad:

I get that those same characters I just mentioned see each other as extended family but it was mentioned ad nauseum in this episode. If viewers haven't caught on that Hank is the substitute dad, Alex the sometimes bossy sister, and James and Winn the two best friends/potential boyfriends/brothers, then they're not paying attention to the interaction between the characters.

Rating: 4.25 Stars


This week's episode of The Flash finds Barry Allen, Cisco Ramon, and Harrison Wells getting a "Welcome to Earth-2."

There are so many things to like about this episode, from the Easter eggs seen while traveling through the breach to Earth-2 (including Melissa Benoist as Supergirl and John Wesley Shipp as the Flash from the 1990 CBS series), the art deco/sepia-toned appearance of Earth-2, Joseph West being a lounge singer, Killer Frost (Danielle Panabaker finally got to do something besides commiserate with Jay Garrick!!!), and -- my favorite -- Cisco's doppelganger, Reverb.

Every week Carlos Valdes (Cisco) manages to be a scene stealer, whether it's naming the villain of the episode or making some offhand comment about something, but when Earth-1 Cisco (aka Vibe) found himself face-to-face with Earth-2 Cisco (aka Reverb) . . . well, it was double the pleasure, double the fun (wait, that's Wrigley's Doublemint gum, isn't it?).

"Welcome to Earth-2" is the first of two parts, with the conclusion to air Tuesday, February 16, on the CW; 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Central. Until then I still have some things to figure out, like who is the guy in the iron mask in Zoom's prison at the end of the episode. Maybe the Earth-2 Eddie Thawne?

Rating: 4.50 Stars


One last thing: With news of the forthcoming crossover of the Flash to Supergirl's show in late March, is it too late to ask that they fit in a mini Glee reunion and figure out a way to get Melissa Benoist, Blake Jenner (as Adam Foster) and Grant Gustin to sing together?

Review: Mountain Hideaway by Christy Barritt

Christy Barritt is one of my top five favorite authors at the current time, yet of all her books the ones I tend to like least are the ones published by Harlequin/Love Inspired Suspense. Don't get me wrong, I still give them a 4-Star rating at a minimum -- they're that good! -- but they rarely have that same spark that her self-published novels have. For me that changed with this book.

Tessa has been on the run for eight months after collecting evidence that her fiance was selling secrets to foreign enemies. Trent has been hired by Tessa's family to find her and bring her home. Needless to say, bullets fly and there's plenty of action as Tessa and Trent try to stay at least one step ahead of the men hunting for them.

Tessa may be my favorite heroine in Barritt's Love Inspired Suspense novels. She's wary but isn't scared of her own shadow. She and Trent work alongside each other as they attempt to regain the evidence needed to put her former fiance and his family behind bars. She can shoot well and can pick locks. She is definitely not the kind of girl who waits to be rescued by a man. And Trent, though he is protective of Tessa, isn't unwilling to allow her to use her skills when needed.

Barritt once again provides action, intrigue, and strong, well-developed characters for an afternoon of reading pleasure. Mountain Hideaway is highly recommended.

Review: The Silver Suitcase by Terrie Todd

Terrie Todd's debut novel, The Silver Suitcase, reminds me -- in the first part of the story, at least -- of the works of Grace Livingston Hill. Not in a melodramatic manner as in Mrs. Hill's novels, but in the way characters are introduced, their strengths and weaknesses revealed, and the reader is drawn into a don't-dare-put-it-down tale.

In 1939, Cornelia Simpson is 17 and has spent the five years since her mother's death hiding the fact that she hates God. She still attends church with her family and pretends to be the good Christian they believe her to be. But in the pages of her diary she reveals the truth of how she feels betrayed by the loving God in whom she'd been taught to believe. Her life changes that year when she meets Henry Roberts, a young man coming to live with and to help his cousins on their farm. The two fall in love that summer, but Henry joins the Canadian military and is killed in a train wreck without having seen a single battle overseas. Once again, Cornelia's faith is shaken.

The Silver Suitcase is not just Cornelia's story, however. It is also the story of her granddaughter, Benita Gladstone Watson. Benita is having her own crises. Her husband is unemployed and appears to be not trying hard to find a job, her bosses die in a car accident leaving her unsure of her own employment, and her beloved gram -- Cornelia -- dies and leaves her a silver suitcase full of memories.

As Benita's home life with her husband Ben improves and then worsens, she is drawn to the diaries and the entries written by her grandmother nearly 70 years earlier. But it is after the suitcase and the diaries are stolen that a miracle happens that brings Benita and her family closer together.

The Silver Suitcase was a wonderful read. It is funny, heartbreaking, and all too real at times. Though decades divide the struggles of Cornelia and Benita, the strength they share is evident. Terrie Todd is an author whose works I will read more of in the future.

Rating: 4 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterfall Press (through NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Southern Cross Volume 1 by Becky Cloonan, Andy Belanger, and Lee Loughridge

Writer: Becky Cloonan
Artist: Andy Belanger
Colorist: Lee Loughridge

As I find myself increasingly frustrated by seemingly endless reboots, relaunches, and talks of “Rebirth” at DC Comics and Marvel Comics, I find myself more willing to read more independent titles.

But we’re not here to discuss why I usually avoid independent comics.

Becky Cloonan, whose work on DC’s Gotham Academy is one of the two bright spots for me in the periphery of Batman’s world (the other is Grayson, if you must know), and Andy Belanger, along with the moody colors of Lee Loughridge, have created a mystery that is both straightforward -- who killed Alex Braith's sister? -- and psychological -- what exactly are we dealing with here? -- without sacrificing one for the other.

The publisher describes the book in this way: Now boarding: Southern Cross, tanker flight 73 to Titan. Alex Braith is tracing her sister's steps to the refinery moon, hoping to collect her remains and find some answers. The questions keep coming though―and they lead her down a path of intrigue, betrayal, and galactic horror.

I found it interesting to follow Alex Braith as she interacts with the crew and passengers of the Southern Cross. Captain Mori Tetsuya appears to be willing to help Alex while first mate Zia St. Martin does the opposite. Then there's Doctor Lon Wells, Achilles, and the guy in the stateroom across from Alex's, Kyril. The one person on board the tanker who could probably help Alex most --  Erin McKenna -- disappears, leaving the file on Alex's sister Amber behind. Alex definitely finds more reason to be suspicious the longer she is on board the tanker.

Cloonan's story is engaging. Like hard-boiled detective fiction, it is both terse and revealing. Every conversation, every view through Alex's eyes is important. Belanger's art captures the almost claustrophobic atmosphere of being confined in a limited space regardless of how big that space is. And I'm clearly campaigning for president of the Lee Loughridge Fan Club as the more I see of his work the more impressed I am. I like what I've seen of Loughridge's coloring over art by Sonny Liew and Ibrahim Moustafa in DC's Doctor Fate series, and his work on Southern Cross just adds to my appreciation.

I'm not an artist in any sense of the word. I can't make a stick figure look the same twice and, while I can color within the lines, my coloring ability is pretty much limited to the Crayola eight-pack. Considering that the easy choice for coloring space scenes would be fields of black with pinpoints of white light, I am amazed at how much effort was put into making outer space look different from what we typically see. Belanger and Loughridge are great together.

This volume ends with a cliffhanger that whets my appetite for find out what happens next. I can't wait.

Rating: 5 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Image Comics (through NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Midnight on the Mississippi by Mary Ellis

When Hunter Galen's best friend and business partner, James Nowak, is murdered, all the evidence points to him as the one behind it. Newly licensed private investigator Nicolette Price convinces Galen to allow her to work on the case and soon finds herself a target herself. Digging through the evidence, someone definitely thinks the two are getting to close to the truth.

Who could it be? One of the investment clients who was scammed by Nowak? Galen's fiancee, who said Nowak knew some things about her past? The New Orleans Police Department detective who clearly has an agenda of his own and is willing to use any tactic he can to pin the crime on Galen? Someone else?

Midnight on the Mississippi is the first of author Mary Ellis's novels I've read and it is a great start to her "Secrets of the South" series. As a reader I found myself immediately immersed in the story, eagerly following the clues and trying to figure out who did what to whom and when. Galen and Price are well-developed as characters. Both have some character flaws that keep them from being perfect. Their family ties remind the readers that there is always someone who remembers you when and still loves you regardless of the baggage you carry. In other words, they felt like real people.

However, as someone who has done editing in the past I found myself totally annoyed in one aspect of Ellis's otherwise excellent story, and it involves the passage of time.

Usually, an author will use transitions to note the passing of time. "After about a week, the results of the . . . " -- or something like that -- is used to let the reader know how much time has passed since the last scene. I'm not sure if it was a deliberate choice to avoid clear time transitions, but I found it awkward as a reader to finish a chapter with a cliffhanger and start the next one with "Now that I had . . ."

When did your character get it? That morning? After waiting days, weeks, months, or years? The answer is usually found somewhere in the next page or two, but as I read the book I found myself thinking all the action was crammed into days when I knew logically it had to take place over weeks (which it did). As in writing for newspapers, it is important to answer the major questions -- Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? -- clearly.

Still, there is much to like about Midnight on the Mississippi, and I highly recommend it and look forward to the second book in the series, What Happened on Beale Street, which will be published soon.

Rating: 4 Stars

Grease: Live! (or Marcia, Marcia, Marcia no more . . .) -- a review

When Grease was released in theaters in 1978, my 14-year-old heart (and hormones) fell for both girl-next-door Sandy and tough girl Rizzo. I mean, what guy wouldn't want to have his choice of Olivia Newton-John and Stockard Channing? When the movie was released on videotape and, later, DVD, I had to add the other Pink Ladies as well.

While the 1978 film really didn't need of be remade it was interesting to see what choices for casting would be made. As with the original film it is the supporting character roles that make the movie more fun for me because it is expected that a live event is going to have the hotter young stars of today in the main roles.

But just as Eve Arden, Sid Caeser, Dody Goodman, and Alice Ghostly provided humor among the drama of 1950s high school life, it is Ana Gasteyer, Wendell Pierce, Haneefah Wood (where did she come from? I don't remember seeing her in anything before.), and Eve Plumb who, as Principal McGee, Coach Calhoun, school secretary Blanche, and auto shop instructor Mrs. Murdock, steal the show in their own way.

As with any movie there were some good things and some bad things. Let's take a look at the lists for Grease: Live! 

Worst:

1. Aaron Tveit as Danny: Talented singer, wonderful dancer, and way too old to play Danny Zuko. For the most part I had no problem with Tveit as Danny, but when his frown lines formed he looked way older than the 18 he was supposed to be playing. I know it's not something Tveit can help but it was kind of weird to see him age before my eyes.

2. Mario Lopez as host of the event and Vince Fontaine. One or the other would have been enough. I'm of the opinion that the live event didn't need a host and Lopez was better utilized as the narcissistic Fontaine.

Best:

1. Vanessa Hudgens as Rizzo. I had turned away from my computer for a minute when Hudgens began singing "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee," and I thought for a second or two that my ears were deceiving me. It was like she was channeling Stockard Channing. And then she knocked "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" out of the ballpark too!

2. Moving "Hopelessly Devoted to You" to a better place in the musical. I always wondered why the song was sung so early in the movie. No matter how magical the summer was for Danny and Sandy, it never made sense for Sandy to be so devoted so soon. Placing the song after Sandy has left Danny at the drive-in was a better fit, and Julianne Hough made me believe the depth of Sandy's devotion to Sandy.

3. Haneefah Wood as Blanche. Like Dody Goodman before her, Wood didn't have to use words to convey what Blanche needed to say. A look was enough.

4. "Those Magic Changes" sung by Doody (Jordan Sparks). I remember Sparks from Teen Beach Movie a few years ago. I expect he will become a bigger star in the future. He is definitely a talent to watch.

5. Keke Palmer. I've loved her since seeing her in Akeelah and the Bee. Need I say more?

6. Cameos from Grease vets Didi Conn and Barry Pearl. It's always nice when some of the cast of a beloved version of a project makes an appearance in the new one. I'm surprised that Conn, who has fantastic comedy timing, isn't seen on TV more often these days.

7. Eve Plumb as Mrs. Murdock. I saved the best for last. Everyone jokes about "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia" as if Marcia and, by extension, Maureen McCormick were the only Brady girl worth dreaming about -- I had a thing for Cindy (Susan Olsen) when The Brady Bunch originally aired -- but Eve Plumb proved once again why she is the most versatile actress of the Brady girls. She looked like she was having fun, tackling the role of Mrs. Murdock who in very little time tells the T-Birds that she is an ex-con who also spent time in a convent and made me believe both were possible.

All in all, I enjoyed watching Grease: Live! and I wonder what other Broadway shows are on tap for live TV. I know I've got a couple I'd love to see if they could pull the original Broadway casts together for the events. Sutton Foster in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Kristin Chenoweth in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, perhaps?

Hey, I can dream, can't I?