posting this at 11:30pm my time
Aug. 4th, 2018 11:29 pmI can't decide if it is hilarious or awful or both but I keep laughing so clearly it is time for bed.
TTFN
too real! Library Comic #331
Feb. 19th, 2018 01:00 pmI can't tell you how many times I've wanted to say that "video games" line to a parent who insists on stopping their child from reading the book they picked out and WANT to read. *sigh*
when fandom breaks your heart
Mar. 2nd, 2016 12:22 pmJust finished reading this opinion piece from Polygon about Frank Miller and his history of writing big comics but also how, as the years went on, it became clear he had issues with women, among other things.
I think this is an issue many of us in fandom, especially women and LGBTQ people, deal with all the time. We fall in love with a part fandom as a kid, we adore it and then, as we get older, we start to see the flaws and the cracks. Sometimes, we can shrug it off but other times it really begins to hurt our ability to enjoy those original works and things to come. We keep following the fandom, but in our heart of hearts, we are a little disgusted that we ever liked it in the first place.
I think the fandom I am most forgiving to and I am willing to turn the other cheek is probably the original 'Star Wars'. I think it is because it relies so heavily on the hero myth, I let it get away with things and because it was the "first" movie of it's kind (I'm not so nice to the prequels, enough time had passed for things to be updated.) There will always be the "metal bikini problem", among other things, but in the end I can still watch Star Wars and love it.
But I've definitely started using a keener eye when looking at representation of any kind in my stories now. I haven't revisited too many things from my past to see how they fair, though I do remember starting to show Sylvia 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' and getting turned off when they started to call each other 'fags' anytime they showed affection for each other.
I'm sure I could think of more if I ponder for awhile. What about you guys? Any writers, actors, musicians that you were a big fan of as a kid but then you found out more and became aware that the person behind the stories wasn't all that great?
Books read in February
Feb. 29th, 2016 09:37 pm![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Oh Saga, you are so messed up, I just can't even. But as you have been so wrong/right since the first issue, it is almost comforting in twisted way. As usual, I couldn't put down this volume until I finished it and then I was sad it was over again. Lots of twists and turns I did not see coming!
I can't wait for this series to be over so I can sit and read it all the way through as I am sure I miss so much when it comes to the story/foreshadowing etc but only picking these up every few months.
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My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fun middle-grade read that fills in the story between ESB and RotJ for Princess Leia. The "tie-in" to Force Awakens is pretty slim (the prologue/epilogue, only a few pages, make the connection). I thought Castelluccci and Fry captured the voice of characters we already know and did a good job adventuring around the galaxy far far away.
Definitely recommended for Star Wars fans. I hope there are more Princess Leia adventures some day! I would love to see some stories that take place prior to A New Hope (though I know the 'Rebels' TV series is using a lot of that time period and Leia makes at least one cameo)
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My rating: 4 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
FINALLY finished this today. I had it as an audiobook and my commute is fairly short now, plus with the week of snow I didn't get to listen. I'm happy I listened to it rather than continued to read, I think the voices really brought some of the stories to life. The collection gathered stories that had been previously published elsewhere. They weren't perfect, but it was a great variety and showed King's range and that he's still got it.
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My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I picked this up because of Jeff Lemire, but it was Dustin Nguyen's artwork that really made this book perfect. In a story about a strange attack by gigantic robots, Nguyen's gorgeous style (reminiscent of watercolor paintings) keeps the story grounded. I loved this first book and cannot wait to see where the story goes! I already adore Tim-21 and I want to see him save the galaxy!
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My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This may be my favorite volume since the first one, lots of forward momentum with the story and the characters, especially Kamala. I can't wait to see what happens in Volume 5! Honestly, the weakest thing was the "bonus" comic which was a team up with Spider-Man. It was cute but after the awesome that was the rest of the book, it felt a little out of place.
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My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this comic, far more than I expected. Mark Waid does a wonderful job keeping the action and adventure of the films in this comic, along with creating a good side mission for Princess Leia. I liked that it didn't depend too much on inside jokes and winks to the rest of the Star Wars universe, which I find can sometimes derail this kinds of collections.
A pleasant surprise! I hope we get more stories of Leia's solo missions (NOT Solo missions...that's the realm of fanfic!)
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My rating: 3 of 5 stars
While not as strong as Angleberger's RotJ novelization (and that may have more to do with the source material than anything else) Bracken's take on ANH was a really fun read. This would also be a great book for kids to read and then discuss the different ways to tell a story, especially when it comes to film versus writing.
Bracken's approach was to break down the story of Star Wars to each of the main trio's point of view. The first part is all told from Princess Leia's side, with her getting the quest to take the Death Star plans to General Kenobi and being captured by the Empire. Bracken pulls from not just the film, but the previous novelzations and the radio drama to imagine scenes of what happened to Leia before Luke and Han arrived.
The second part is from Han's point of view, picking up where we meet him in the movie, in the cantina on Tatooine. The third is Luke's story, starting right after the escape from the Death Star.
Well written and unique, definitely a must-read for Star Wars fans.
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My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'm really glad I listened to this book rather than reading it. Even though it is only 268 pages, it isn't a quick read, with so many names and dates being thrown at you. It has been a long time since I revisited American history and even longer since I thought about the Revolutionary War. This book taught me more than I ever knew about MY OWN COUNTRY'S HISTORY! It was a little depressing to realize how little I knew.
But I loved the audiobook because Sarah Vowell reads it, with her own unique voice, and has a cast of famous actors that lend their voices and help you keep some of the "characters" straight. (Nick Offerman as George Washington is now my official voice for Washington.)
So if you feel like being reminded of how much history you have forgotten (or maybe you were never taught) this is a great listen for your commute (especially if you are like me and live on the east coast and regularly drive past some of the Revolutionary war battle fields)
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My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I cannot say enough about these Star Wars books written by some of my favorite children's authors. Adam Gidwitz's take on 'Empire Strikes Back' not only puts YOU in the role of Luke Skywalker, telling his story from first person, it also provides lessons on how to be a Jedi, teaching the reader ways to calm their mind, meditate, think before acting, and focus.
If you know a kid/were a kid who loves Star Wars, this series is a great way to explore the many ways a story can be told.
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books read in June
Jun. 30th, 2015 08:25 pm
I don't think I've read this much in awhile! Probably means I've gone to bed at a decent hour more this month...probably because most of my shows are on break...

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really don't know what to say about this beautiful book. It was not at all what I was expecting. It is a story about life, death, rebirth, love, family, legacy, art, promises we make to ourselves, friendship...so many things, all of them handled so well by Scott McCloud.
Go into this book as blindly as you can, don't read any reviews or plot summaries. Just read it.
I think this would look nice on my shelf right next to Blankets...

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book gets an extra star for making me really step back and think about social media and the Internet and participating in any kind of online "debate". It made me realize that there IS no conversation online, just people yelling at each other or, as in the case of this book, yelling about one person.
If you have any kind of social media account, especially Twitter, you should read this book, if only to help you think a bit more about public shaming. There was a reason it was outlawed in the late 1800s.
I really wanted Ronson to go further into the psychology and also into the difference between here and now. He stops short of what I wanted, I could read another 300 pages on the WHY we do this to each other. But I think he knows that book would be better suited for a more scholarly writer.
If you're reading this review, than you should read this book, because if you use the Internet, you should read this book. You may not agree with everything he says, but it is necessary for you to hear it and think about it, especially before you join in on a public shaming event on twitter.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Started off a little slow but once I saw where it was going and the message being sent, it all came together. Another great installment of the series, with Kamala growing as a person and hero on each page. Well done!

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This series just keeps getting better! I am embarrassed by how little I knew about this American hero. I mean, we are told about Harriet Tubman in school, but it always felt like a footnote. Hale's book introduces us to the real "Minty" and her adventures.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Great start to a series and perfect for early chapter book readers in 2nd/3rd grade. Lots of humor and GREAT vocabulary. This would be a really good pick for a kid/adult book club read too.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Rick Geary tries his hand at historical FICTION and does a wonderful job! As usual, his story left me wanting to know more about the real Louise Brooks. But the mystery was a lot of fun too!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A beautiful and sweet book with a subtle message that you can be whatever you want to be, that being a boy or a girl shouldn't limit your imagination and your dreams. It was a cute little poem and by including the word "princess" in the title this book is sure to get into the hands of many little girls.
I like that the message isn't in your face because for most kids (at least we hope) the idea of NOT being able to be something because of their gender should be ridiculous. To quote Sarah Silverman, "Stop telling girls they can be anything they want when they grow up. [...] Not because they can't but because it never would have occurred to them that they couldn't." Our adult hang-ups are usually what really hold back kids from believing in their abilities.
I appreciate the inclusion of a note for parents at the end with talking points on how to make their kids think outside the box or at least feel comfortable wishing to be something that maybe our society doesn't usually say they can be.
I only wish the book was a little bigger so I could do it with my storytime crowd.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I don't even know what to say...this book grabbed me from the first page and did not let go. I would fall asleep with it in my hands and wake up and try to make myself read more, to find out what was happening.
This would be so good for a book discussion, to ask what would you do?
I forgot how powerful Kevin Brooks books are...

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Reading this book, I kept marveling at how faithful the film adaptation had been! I don't think I've ever read a book and known it so well because of the movie. It was like they actually just took the pages right out of the novel and copied them into a script, even the descriptions were spot on. Really the only part missing was the Crawford family's drama but that doesn't play an important role with the main plot.
Unlike 'Red Dragon', I knew the story of 'Silence of the Lambs' pretty well because I had seen the movie several times. It's a classic! But that still didn't stop my heartbeat from speeding up during the last few chapters.
Also, Clarice Starling is such a great character. I was really impressed with how well written she was. She was a strong woman in a field dominated by men. But Harris didn't hit you over the head with the sexism issue, he just quietly slid it in there, with little phrases of how the men reacted to Clarice's presence.
I'm thinking this may qualify as a modern classic. Or if anything, the movie and the book should be held up as a how-to of from page to screen.
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random questions, random answers
Nov. 12th, 2014 07:47 pm![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
1. What do you love the most about Buffy The Vampire Slayer?
The care that was taken with telling a full and complete story. That Joss had a vision and the conclusion to the story felt right. Yes, it faltered every now and then, but the core of the show was always there. Friendship, feminism, and doing what is right.
2. What genre you love reading?
Oooh that is tricky! I can't tell you genres I don't typically read (ROMANCE) but if a book is well written, I will give it a try. I really enjoy Science Fiction that takes a current situation and throws it to an extreme (Hunger Games and reality survival, Unwind and abortion debate) but I've recently really started to enjoy realistic fiction...as long as it's SHORT. LOL. I can't take long-winded realistic fiction.
3. Is there any type of music that you're not a fan of?
Rap and Pop!Country. Both of them tend to represent values I don't agree with (not always, but many times I'm uncomfortable with the things being said)
4. DC Comics or Marvel Comics?
Vertigo! Image! IDW! :) I guess if I had to pick between those two, I would go Marvel's superheroes. But most of my favorite series are Vertigo which is owned by DC...
5. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas. I love buying presents for people. I love all the little traditions, like making cookies and watching movies. I don't really have any other time of year that I have a traditional activity.
And now, a haiku:

The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story
Aug. 10th, 2014 12:37 am
Usually I wait until the end of the next month to post the books I have read but this book...this book needs it's own entry.
I had already had it on hold because BEATLES and then it won the Eisner Award for best non-fiction graphic novel. And let me tell you, it DESERVED IT.
First of all, the story. I'm a HUGE Beatles fan, I know who Brian Epstein was. But this story, which was both well researched but then also elaborated on in ways that the author admits are fiction since he has no way of knowing what the exact conversations were like between Brian and other people. This isn't The Beatles story, this is Brian's story, with the Beatles as a backdrop. It's the story of a young man, trying to find his place in the world. But it's not just as simple as being successful. Brian Epstein was gay and in the 1960s, being gay in the UK was ILLEGAL. So here is a man who is in charge of the band that becomes the symbol of "All You Need is Love" and he feels like he can never be loved. It's heartbreaking.
And then the artwork. Oh my god, it is just beautiful. There is nothing more to say, it is just so gorgeous, so well laid out. The colors are perfect. The imagery...
This book has so much to offer. Even if your knowledge of the Beatles is just a few songs, the basic history, this book is worth looking at to see the social and cultural issues that are the same and that have changed (or have they?). It's a look into that world, a peek behind the curtain of the man behind Beatlemania. Of the naive and innocent man who tried so hard to dive into a business he knew nothing about, and how it pulled him under.
Go get this book now. You can read it in an afternoon. But it will stay with you long after.
Free (digital) comic books!!!
May. 28th, 2014 11:04 pm![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
They also have a regular free comic collection too. I just snagged Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Scott Pilgrim's FCBD story from there.
I've never actually read a comic on my iPad. Most of the single issues I buy for collecting reasons (currently collecting the new Serenity comics, which are fantastic) and otherwise I wait for the trades and check it out from the library. But this is a great way to test run series without filling up my shelves!
I can never say no to free. :)
some questions will be answered!
Apr. 22nd, 2014 07:01 pm![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)

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It's always dangerous to ask a librarian for book recommendations. I'll try to contain myself. I am a big Brian K Vaughan fan so I HAVE to recommend the epic Y The Last Man and Runaways. Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis is a crude and rude tale that surprises you in the end with having more heart than you thought it could. Always have to give a shout-out to Fray by Joss Whedon, a fantastic part of the Slayer mythology that doesn’t really require any knowledge of the Buffyverse to enjoy. And I was pleasantly surprised by the Adventure Time comics, which made me laugh out loud and manage to capture the magic of the show on the page.
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Pisces Strength Keywords:
- Compassionate
- Adaptable
- Accepting
- Devoted
- Imaginative
Pisces Weakness Keywords:
- Oversensitive
- Indecisive
- Self-pitying
- Lazy
- Escapist
I'm going to say yes? LOL. I don't think I'm oversensitive but perhaps you should ask someone else haha. Other than that, I think I fit pretty well into both the good and the bad.
This post is getting LONG! I will do the other half of the leftover questions later. After we watch Orphan Black!

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 Stars
Originally published online here
A cute story about the robotics club vs the cheerleaders...or maybe it's about high school politics...actually, no it's more about two friends getting older...well, it's also about a young man dealing with his parent's divorce...
Like any good young adult novel, NCPGW is FULL of lots of little stories and tangents that make it feel more real. This is actually the kind of comic I would be happy to see turn into a series of teenage misadventures. There are a lot of characters and we only get a very brief amount of time with most of them so I would be willing to learn more about them in other comics.
I didn't feel like this comic broke any new ground though it did have some nice twists in the story. If you enjoy young adult realistic fiction with a good sense of humor (and Faith Erin Hicks adorable manga-inspired artwork) then you will enjoy NCPGW.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars. Not my favorite Elephant & Piggie but Mo Willems is like Pixar to me -- even his weaker books are still better than most!
Like most of the Elephant & Piggie tales, this story doesn't end up where you think it will, and I think teaching kids to not always assume and expect things is a good idea. There's a lot to talk about with a child in these very few pages - you could discuss what to do when you find something unattended, what is a bully, and about confrontation.
Not my favorite of the bunch but still lots of great moments.
Plus, this picture just broke my heart.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Okay, I kinda sorta loved this book.
I had read Friends with Boys and thought it was okay. I really like Hicks' art style and when I saw this book on our new shelf last week, I grabbed it because how could I resist Superhero Girl standing there on the cover! She is both badass and adorable at the same time. I hoped the book would amuse me. Maybe that is why it totally caught me off guard.
Superhero Girl is a comic that Hicks does for Halifax's free weekly newspaper and she also posts them to a blog to share with the rest of the world. At some point, Dark Horse decided to pick it up and publish it as a collection, which is what I read this week. Once I started, I could tell it must have been a web comic of some kind since usually the entire story is done in a single page (though there are a few longer arcs that span pages).
The book is filled with a very dry wit and lots of references to superhero pop culture, plus a few pokes at how Canada is not known for having enough crime to warrant a superhero to protect it. The best moments come when Superhero Girl tries to just lead a normal life, like going to the grocery store, applying for a job or going to a party.

Originally published online in black & white, the book is in FULL COLOR. And it is GLORIOUS! I hope to see more from Superhero Girl in the future.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Nathan Hale (the author, not the spy) does a great job of making history fun for kids. This is a great book to give to young readers who have any interest in the Civil War, American History, or battles in general. Heck, even if you're worried they are *losing* interest in the above, give it to them so they can find out about this historical adventure.
The premise of the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series is that Nathan Hale (the revolutionary war spy, not the author) was hit by a magical history book and now has all of American history in his brain. He uses his new skill to stall the hangman's noose, telling them stories of the "future". In "Big Bad Ironclad", Hale tells them about the battles between the Merrimack and the Monitor during the Civil War.
Filled with lots of humor and action, this is a great pick for fans of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and those younger kids who ask for "books about war" but don't want to read the dry tomes in the adult non-fiction collection.
book thoughts: Superman: Earth One (2010)
Jan. 11th, 2011 10:21 pm I've always had a soft spot for Superman. Yes, he can be the Uber-Boy Scout, doing what's right, always, everyday. But there's something more. I think it's that question of why. Why would someone with super powers come to Earth and decide to be it's savior?
J. Michael Straczynski's retelling of origin of Superman sets out to answer those questions. He shows Clark Kent setting off for Metropolis and trying to find his place. Does he use his powers for celebrity? Use his inherited knowledge of advanced science to get ahead in business? There isn't much money in saving the world, why would he choose that path? And, at the core of the story, there is the loneliness. The story of a man who must always hold back, on some level, and the story of how he begins to make peace with that issue.
Honestly, I picked up this book because the cover looked badass and, as I said, I have a Superman weakness. I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would, reading it in a single evening. Shane Davis' artwork has a very modern comic look to it, so it made this Superman feel even more relevant (though his Lois Lane looked a bit too much like Jennifer Carpenter...so much so that I'm convinced Davis has a crush on her).
I'm very curious to see where this series goes...like Buffy, I find the most fascinating stories for superheroes is looking inside their minds, the one place they can be hurt.
This comic is definitely worth a look if you have any interest in Superman or superhero reboots, in general, because I think it is done very well. It manages to be both familiar and new at the same time.
Anyone ever notice how much Superman and Doctor Who have in common?
Both alien.
Both the last of their kind.
Both hide their true name.
Both have an love and respect for humanity.
Both only help humanity when it can't help itself.
Neither of them wants to hurt or kill anyone (especially humans).
And
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I was reading the new take on Superman "Earth One" last night and I've been watching Series 4 of Doctor Who, with Doctor and Donna. Most recently I watched "The Doctor's Daughter" and "Midnight" (which, oddly enough, guest starred both King Arthur [from Excalibur] and Merlin [from TV series] - but I digress) and both of these episodes had The Doctor trying to get the humans around him to find peaceful ways to end conflicts. In the "Doctor's Daughter" he gives that little speech at the end about how they should found their civilization around the fact that he wouldn't shoot
thoughts? Is Doctor Who Britain's response to the American Superman myth? Does The Doctor represent the same things to British viewers as Superman does to American? My Superman knowledge only comes from a smattering of comic books and the movies (and a little bit of Smallville but I take that with a grain of salty
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Okay, maybe I should just Google it and see if someone has already written an entire novel on this subject.
I don't want to say too much about the story because it was watching it unfold that made this first volume so hard to put down. It did not go where I was expecting and I'm still not sure what it's all leading up to. There are references to pop culture and literary fiction all mixed together.
Just do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Even if you're not into comic books, this one is worth a look. Can't wait to read Volume 2!
Originally posted on orangerful.vox.com
LOL yeah that about sums it up.
Jun. 17th, 2010 11:49 am
http://feeds.penny-arcade.com/~r/pa-mainsite/~3/GDbyDc79cOM/
The Kinect is up on Amazon for pre-order...$150, as expected. But I'd rather pay $150 for an all new bit of tech than $150 for Playstations 2 remotes and eye-toy (which is what it will cost Sony, just SAY IT!)
Clearly, I own a PS3, but I'm not a Sony fangirl
ACK I better go to work!!!
More random fangirling
Jun. 11th, 2010 09:57 pmIt's got all those elements of 28 Days Later with creepy zombies, but even more messed up people. It's about the survivors of the zombie apocolypse. And really, the zombies are the last of their worries because they can avoid them pretty easily. It's the tension in this group of random individuals shoved together out of desperation that makes the story to great. We don't really know what kind of people they were before the zombie's took over....
Yeah, do yourself a favor and pick up the first trade (it's only like $10 cover price) and give it a read. Good stuff...mmm...October, so after my Vampires go away (True Blood), it will be Zombie time!
Local is a collection of stories, told in graphic form, all of them revolving around the life of Megan as she tries to find herself out in the big wide world. It starts when she ditches her boyfriend and leaves town. Each chapter is about here, though sometimes indirectly, such as the issue about the rock band from her home town that breaks up.
Local is gorgeous. Ryan Kelly's black and white drawings fit perfectly with these coming of age stories. Panels with no text have just as much to say as ones full of dialogue. Kelly draws Megan with such love, you can actually see her growing up from issue to issue.
I found myself immediately drawn into the story and the characters. I highly recommend this collection if you want a break from superheroes and dark stories. Megan's life is both strange and familiar at the same time. You'll probably recognize a little bit of yourself in her. The desire to understand why you're here, what you're meant for, and where you belong.
5 outta 5
Originally posted on orangerful.vox.com
alas, poor Yorick...
Jul. 1st, 2008 10:41 pmOkay, time to finish this...*tears up*
One of the best things about this series is that it works on two levels. A child will enjoy Amelia's point of view and her story while parents will get her Aunt's and Mother's popular culture references and adult life trouble stories.
The newest collection, When the Past is Present, collects Amelia's story from 2007, including the comic that was part of Free Comic Book Day. The topics range from dreading the first day of school, learning that her divorced mother is doing out on a date, remembering the time she tried to run away from home with a friend, comforting a fellow classmate whose father is being shipped off to Iraq, and taking a moment to find out about her own family history.
This volume would be great for a family read. There is so much to discuss. I found the story about the dad being shipped to Iraq overdone but at the same time, it was interesting to see it told from a 10 year old's perspective. And perhaps a child going through something similar or that new someone who was experiencing that, would find comfort in this comic. The other comic about embracing your family history and getting to know your parents as people was touching, since I don't think many of us get to that point until we are in college.
Another solid set of stories and great artwork. I hope we see many more years of Amelia Rules!
Originally posted on orangerful.vox.com