Our October Book Club Book Report!

Chula Vista

The Chula Vista group’s October selection was A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel Vol. 1, by Daniel Abraham and Tommy Patterson. An adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novel, the graphic novel begins with members of the Night’s Watch tracking a band of wildlings. They are subsequently attacked by cold, undead creatures and some are turned to become the same type of creature. The scene then shifts to focus on the Stark family, where Lord Eddard Stark executes a deserter of the Night’s Watch. As the book continues, it soon becomes apparent that this story is not quite a straight fantasy. It’s a novel about power, who wields it and who wants it. Assassinations, treachery, and nefarious schemes accompany magic, dragon eggs, and direwolves.

Most of the book club members familiar with the TV series and/or the books were eager to discuss how this adaptation compared to both the HBO adaptation and the original novels. Monique led the discussion and it was a spirited one. Stephannie commented that keeping track of the large amount of characters in the story kept her engaged. Both Monique and Eric noted that the characters were true to the descriptions in the novel, particularly Tyrion. Yasmine appreciated the clean art and found the story enjoyable. Matt agreed and felt that this was a “solid book.” Jenna was excited to see a story told a different way, after reading the novel and watching the television adaptation. Chris thought this was a terrific version and looks forward to reading Vol. 2.

For November, the Chula Vista Book Club will be discussing Farmhand: Reap What Was Sown Vol. 1 by Rob Guillory and Taylor Wells.

Encinitas

Though not necessarily a Halloween-themed book, the Encinitas Library discussed Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, and Scott Williams, and it was just “spooky” enough to be a great pick for October. When all of Gotham City’s villains seem to be even more dangerous than usual by behaving in new and different ways, it becomes apparent that some mysterious individual is responsible for orchestrating this targeted assault on Batman. After suffering a traumatic brain injury, Batman needs to be on-guard more than ever, which makes it all the more surprising and treacherous that he considers making himself vulnerable by opening his heart (and identity!) to long-time nemesis Catwoman. Bill handled moderation duties, and the group used a tried-and-true Comic-Con Book Club technique to facilitate the discussion: The Question Bag! Book Club members took turns pulling random questions from the bag and answering them, with everyone else chiming in to share their thoughts. While some of the questions dealt with lighter topics like what everyone’s favorite Bat-gadgets were, others delved into deeper issues, such as trust and identity. Jon noted, “Is it Batman who is Bruce Wayne, or Bruce Wayne who is Batman?” and that by opening himself up to Catwoman, was “Batman is trying to find himself.” The group agreed that Loeb’s story does a solid job of setting up great situations, though with the parade of Gotham City’s most famous villains, Richard joked that it’s almost as if Loeb “threw so many characters in just to see Jim Lee draw them.” Indeed, Lee’s artwork was the star of Batman: Hush for every member of the Encinitas group, with James stating it was “amazing, you can almost feel the movement.” Brittany echoed his sentiment, saying she “got lost in the pages looking at the detail.” In particular, everyone loved the amount of care Jim Lee put into detailing the bottom of Batman’s boot! Special appreciation goes to Scott Williams (inker) and Alex Sinclair (colorist) for helping bring Lee’s incredible artwork to life. Batman: Hush was a perfect selection to kick off the Halloween season, and served to solidify everyone’s belief that not only is Batman is deep and intriguing character, but Jim Lee’s artwork does a superb job of bringing the Batman universe to life.

Next month the group will be discussing Assassin Nation Vol. 1 by Kyle Starks and Erica Henderson.

Escondido 2

The Escondido 2 group's October selection was Watchmen  by Alan Moore and David Gibbons. To borrow the description from the publisher: "In an alternate world where the mere presence of American superheroes changed history, the US won the Vietnam War, Nixon is still president, and the cold war is in full effect! Watchmen begins as a murder-mystery, but soon unfolds into a planet-altering conspiracy. As the resolution comes to a head, the unlikely group of reunited heroes--Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, Dr. Manhattan and Ozymandias--have to test the limits of their convictions and ask themselves where the true line is between good and evil." Kitty lead a lively group discussion. All members gave the book high ratings for the story, artwork, character development, and hard questions it asked. Group discussion lead down paths of psychology, mental health, the timeliness of the story, heroes/villains, justifications for actions, and so much more. There was a lively debate if Rorschach was a hero, villain, or anti-hero. Watchmen  is a graphic novel that needs to be read multiple times to truly appreciate the depth and the message it is delivering. There is so much to unpack that multiple meetings may be required! Escondido 2 wonders how you'd answer the question: "Who watches the Watchmen?" In the groups opinion: the public.

In November, the Escondido 2 Book Club will be discussing Paper Girls Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang.

Mission Valley

Mission Valley’s October book selection was the graphic memoir Passing for Human by Liana Finck. A unique book, it was enjoyed by the members in different ways, depending on where they were physically and mentally when they read it. Passing for Human is a reflection on the past, on family, on personhood, and what it means to be human. From struggling through potty training, to holding down multiple jobs, to studying for exams, each member of the Mission Valley group brought a unique perspective about the book and also what it means to be human. One thing everyone agreed on was the relatability of the manifestation of the author’s fears into rat-like creatures that whisper in her ear. Everyone suffers from self-doubt and gnawing voices and seeing it drawn out like that made it relatable in a new way. Reading this book together reminded everyone of the fact that though we are all so different, we can come together and discuss something that binds us all.

Next up for Mission Valley will be The Vision by Tom King, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, and Jordie Bellaire.