I have been on a roll when it comes to reading comics. I have settled into a routine where I sit in my comfy reading chair every Saturday after my workout class and read a graphic novel or a comic. It’s gotten to the point where I have read so much that I haven’t been able to write individual reviews for everything that I have read. I wanted to share what I have read and loved recently regarding comics.

Snotgirl: Green Hair Don’t Care Volume #1 – Bryan Lee O’Malley & Leslie Hung

Lottie Person is a fashion blogger based in LA. She has millions of followers and attends all the coolest events. Deep down, Lottie struggles with her allergies and one of her friends calls her “Snottie”. After pushing her in anger, Lottie sees that her friend hits her head. Believing that she killed her, Lottie flees the scene. Lottie juggles with the guilt of potentially murdering her friend, balancing her fashion blog, and trying to find a way to cure her allergies.

The best part about Snotgirl is the art. I’m a big fan of Leslie Hung. This book is so aesthetically pleasing. The way the art perfectly aligns with Lottie’s internal thoughts, I loved the layout of everything. I would read Snotgirl simply for the art alone. Besides the art, I think the story was easy to follow. There’s a big cliffhanger at the end of the volume that helps set up future issues. The only thing that I would say is Lottie as a character is really unlikeable. She is the epitome of the worst of influencer culture. I do think that there’s potential for Lottie to develop into a better person, but sometimes she is aggravating to read about. I rated Snotgirl Volume #1 three stars on Goodreads.

Critical Role Vox Machina Origins Volume #2 – Mercer, Houser, Samson, Msassyk, and Maher

Vex, Vax, Grog, Scanlan, Keyleth, and Tiberius are drinking at Stilben. Tiberius takes off on his secret mission while the rest of the party sleeps. In the morning, they notice that Grog is missing. Upon further questioning, they meet Pike who agrees to help locate Grog. In their quest, they find Grog, but he’s part of a mysterious ritual by a lich. The lich is defeated, but it’s clear that the threat is still looming over Grog’s body and soul.

I am amazed at how good these graphic novels are. It feels like I’m returning to the first campaign and I can hear the cast in my head as I read each of their lines. I loved how Pike and Percy were introduced and how they met the rest of the group. I liked how Grog was the center of this story as I feel that he can sometimes be a background character to the other character arcs within Vox Machina. I’m looking forward to reading the future volumes. I rated Critical Role Vox Machina Origins Volume #2 five stars on Goodreads.

Punisher: The Complete Collection Volume #1 – Ennis, Robertson, LaRosa, and Fernandez

From 2003 – 2008, Garth Ennis worked on The Punisher and the stories he wrote have been bound into collected volumes. In Volume One, Frank’s military career is documented when he finishes his service in Vietnam. The story flashes forward to when Frank is taking down various crime bosses along with partnering with British intelligence. Frank’s mission is always the same, kill those who mean harm to others.

I loved everything about this. I think Garth Ennis’s take on the character is spot on. He creates these violent stories, but also highlights why Frank does the things that he does. I think what makes Punisher so interesting as a character is how he is willing to cross the morality line while others do not. He is going to use the same tactics that the gangs use and the gangs start to fear him. I found myself reading several issues in a row because I couldn’t put the book down which I think says a lot about Garth Ennis and the way he writes his stories. I rated Punisher: The Complete Collection Volume #1 five stars on Goodreads.

I’m looking forward to reading more graphic novels and comics in the months to come. I still have quite a bit of a graphic novel backlog, but I’m motivated to keep chipping away at my collection.