Delving into Horror with Our October Book Club Reads!
Chula Vista
What We Read: In honor of Halloween, the Chula Vista group chose to read Mercy by Mirka Andolfo.
Summary: The story is a gothic horror tale where mysteries and unspeakable sins are blended together. Protagonist Lady Hellaine is a stylish mystery, and the story explores topics of “otherness,” damnation, redemption, and what it means to be a monster.
You’ll Enjoy This If You Enjoyed: Penny Dreadful.
Favorite Thing About the Book: The beautiful artwork.
Up Next: For November, the group will read BZRKR by Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt and drawn by Ron Garney.
Downtown
What We Read: The Complete Scarlet Traces, vol.1 by Ian Edginton and D’Israeli.
Summary: Based on H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, this series explores what happened to all that alien technology left behind after the end of the war. The first of three volumes in the series takes readers through a recap of the events of the War of the Worlds, followed by a look at a changed Britain full of industrious Victorians adapting Martian technology and the dark secrets that unfold as a result.
What We Loved: This imaginative exploration of a well-loved classic managed to claim new territory in the telling of the story by continuing the tale with spot-on artwork, layers of alternate history, and a dash of Sherlock Holmes.
Informative Fact: Scarlet Traces took nearly a decade to develop into this fully collected series. After starting as a webcomic, it continued with a run in Judge Dredd Megazine, a sequel and a prequel at different publishers, and eventually landing in the hands of readers with Rebellion Publishing as a complete series.
Up Next: Ultramega, vol. 1 by James Warren and Dave Stewart and Ghosted in L.A. by Sina Grace and Cathy Le Siobhan Keenan (for our Comic-Con Special Edition Book Club Meet-Up).
Encinitas
What We Read: House of Penance, by Peter J. Tomasi and Ian Bertram.
Summary: The book is a collection of a 6-issue miniseries published by Dark Horse, with a horror story inspired by Sarah Winchester and the Winchester mansion in San Jose.
What We Loved: The group enjoyed the examination of various characters' reactions to feelings of grief, loss, guilt, and the hope for redemption.
Up Next: Paying the Land by Joe Sacco and Ghosted in L.A. by Sina Grace and Cathy Le Siobhan Keenan (for our Comic-Con Special Edition Book Club Meet-Up).
Escondido 1
What We Read: Perfect World, vol. 1 by Rie Aruga.
Summary: It follows a young interior designer, Tsugumi, reconnecting with her high school crush, Itsuki, who now requires a wheelchair after a spinal cord injury. Working together regularly for his architecture firm, she must struggle with rekindled feelings for him, facing her own prejudices regarding disability and becoming aware of just how many barriers Itsuki tackles on a daily basis.
You’ll Enjoy This If You Enjoyed: A Silent Voice by Yoishitoki Oima
Up Next: Ghosted in L.A. by Sina Grace and Cathy Le Siobhan Keenan (for our Comic-Con Special Edition Book Club Meet-Up).
Escondido 2
What We Read: Something Is Killing the Children, vols. 1–3 by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell'Edrea.
Summary: When the children in a sleepy Wisconsin town begin to go missing, all hope seems lost. Most children never return, and those who do have terrible stories of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows. But even monsters fear the mysterious stranger that arrives shortly after. She believes the children and claims to be the only one who sees what they can see. Her name is Erica Slaughter. She kills monsters. This is all she does, and she bears the cost because it must be done.
Funniest Moment: When Erica Slaughter is at a hardware store debating the merits of old, never-shutdown chainsaws versus those with a ton of safety features. You need to have the proper equipment for monster hunting, after all.
Up Next: V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd and Ghosted in L.A. by Sina Grace and Cathy Le Siobhan Keenan (for our Comic-Con Special Edition Book Club Meet-Up).
La Jolla
What We Read: Trese, vol. 1 by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo.
Summary: In Manila the comic grabs you with bloodsucking creatures, magical stealing, and one person fighting it all: Alexandra Trese. In this volume we follow Alexandra on some missions and see what is really out there in the dark.
You’ll Enjoy This If You Enjoyed: Hellblazer/Constantine.
Up Next: Trese, vol. 2 by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo; MIND MGMT. vol. 1: The Manager by Matt Kindt; and Ghosted in L.A. by Sina Grace and Cathy Le Siobhan Keenan (for our Comic-Con Special Edition Book Club Meet-Up).
Mission Valley
What We Read: Something Is Killing the Children, vol. 1 by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera.
Summary: Children are going missing in this spooky tale about what it takes to kill monsters.
Why We Loved It: October is the perfect month for this book and its subsequent volumes.
Up Next: Sex Criminals (in its entirety) by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky and Ghosted in L.A. by Sina Grace and Cathy Le Siobhan Keenan (for our Comic-Con Special Edition Book Club Meet-Up).
Museum
What We Read: Redbone, The True Story of a Native American Rock Band by Christian Staebler, Sonia Paoloni, and Thibault Balahy.
Summary: The graphic novel is framed by a band member, Pat Vegas, telling the story of the band’s history to various people.
You Might Like This If You Liked: They Called Us Enemy by George Takai et al.
Up Next: Ghosted in L.A. by Sina Grace and Cathy Le Siobhan Keenan (for our Comic-Con Special Edition Book Club Meet-Up).
Oceanside
What We Read: From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell.
Summary: This graphic novel about Jack the Ripper is based on lengthy subject research by Moore about that time period and the killings that took place.
Why We Liked the Art: The artwork was drawn sketchy and rudimentary, possibly to show the grittiness of lives during that time.
Up Next: The Boys by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson and Ghosted in L.A. by Sina Grace and Cathy Le Siobhan Keenan (for our Comic-Con Special Edition Book Club Meet-Up).