Booknotes: December 2024
In which I briefly comment on the books I read each month, so a few years from now when I’m trying to remember one of them, I’ll be able to find it here. Since I’m a media omnivore, this immediately evolved into more than just books, so I’m going to call these Media Notes starting next month, including books, games, movies, etc.
Do we have similar tastes, or will you be questioning how we ever got connected? Let’s find out!
Books
Tuskegee Heirs by Greg Burnham & Marcus Williams
- (3.5; print) It’s been a while since I read a fun all ages comic, and this was an entertaining intro to a group of kids I’d love to see more of, in a setting I want to know more about. Burnham and Williams are two really nice guys I first met via the day job, and then finally met them in person at NYCC 2024, where I bought myself a signed copy of Tuskegee Heirs.
{STAR} The Puerto Rican War: A Graphic History by John Vasquez Mejias
- (4.0; print) An impressive work of art, and an inspiring introduction to an important bit of American and Puerto Rican history (pro tip: they’re overlapping, but not always the same) that doesn’t typically get much attention in classrooms or media coverage. It includes an abridged version of this insightful TCJ interview, with my new favorite perspective on non-commercial art: “Nobody is waiting around for this book, so it’s going to take however long it’s going to take.”
{STAR} The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings
- (5.0; print) I bought this on a whim at Octavia Books during our visit to New Orleans last summer — partly because I always buy something local whenever I visit; partly because of its amazing cover and title combo; and partly because longtime industry colleague, Leslye Penelope, blurbed it. It turned out to be one of the most creatively ambitious novels I’ve ever read, absolutely drenched in a love of all things NOLA — aka, EXTREMELY MY SHIT. Urban fantasy? Magical realism? Literary fiction? All of the above? Jennings says it started as a comic book, but I wouldn’t trust any artist to match what he pulls off with words. (Spoiler Alert: It’s my not-yet-posted favorite novel I read in 2024!)
Tales of the Orishas: A Graphic Novel by Hugo Canuto
- (3.5; print) Combining Jack Kirby’s kinetic energy with Yoruban legends, Canuto pays homage to Silver Age comics while delivering an entertaining story on its own merits. If non-European cultures were allowed to tell “universal” stories in prior eras, this could have easily been the starting point for an exciting superhero universe of its own, subtly begging the question, “If Thor, why not Shango?”
{STAR} Witch Hat Atelier 9-11 by Kamome Shirahama
- (4.5; print) Officially my favorite ongoing manga series, I’m almost caught up with its English releases, and volume 11 unexpectedly and wonderfully paid off a long-simmering character arc while steadily moving the underlying plot forward. Shirahama has nailed her story’s pacing, slowly expanding the world while ensuring no single volume feels like filler, and her artwork remains stunningly beautiful throughout.
{STAR} The Beautiful Ones by Prince (with Dan Piepenbring)
- (4.5; print) This had been sitting on my shelf for years, initially bought as a memento of one my favorite musical artists, and I decided I want to end my reading year with it. It’s a unique (auto)biography befitting a unique musical talent, offering insightful glimpses of the young man who’d become one of the greatest artists ever. The passion and attention to detail Piepenbring put into pivoting after Prince’s unexpected death so early into their working together on this is apparent throughout, resulting in a beautiful physical keepsake that is arguably greater than the sum of its parts.
Games
Metaphor: Refantazio (Xbox)
- I’ve been looking forward to playing this since Persona 3 Reload hooked me on Atlus’ formula over the summer, and early buzz convinced me to do something I’ve never done before: buying the Collector’s Edition of a game I barely knew anything about. I finally started playing in December and got far enough that it got an honorable mention as one of my favorite games of the year, and what I’ve played in the days since is solidifying its place as the frontrunner for 2025.
- SPOILER (highlight text): The Old Castle Town Kidnapper quest is now one of my all-time favorites in gaming. From the pursuit and reveal of the accused kidnapper to the multiple plot twists, final boss battle, and underlying narrative tying it all together — it was some of the most fun I’ve had with a game in a long time. The final (?) payoff of this storyline in Port Brilehaven has set a high bar for the rest of the game, ensuring it should avoid the mid-game rut a lot of loooong RPGs suffer from, including Persona 3 Reload. Heismay and the Thief archetype are a great combo, and I hope I can keep them in my party for the duration. If he dies, I’ll be REALLY pissed!
Movies & TV
Black Christmas (Blu-Ray)
- This was a recommendation from my film nerd son who set the bar extremely high by claiming it was better than the original Halloween, my all-time favorite slasher movie. I only knew it as the original “Final Girl” movie, before Laurie Strode established the innocent / virginal requirement for the role. In Black Christmas, Olivia Hussey’s character is considering having an abortion, which would automatically make her an early victim in other movies, but instead, she’s the Final Girl. Maybe? I don’t think you can spoil a 50-year-old movie, but if you don’t know anything about it, I’d highly recommend going in cold. It holds up surprisingly well (Bonus: alcoholic Lois Lane!), and while I won’t say it’s better than Halloween, it’s definitely as good on its own merits. Whether John Carpenter acknowledges its influence or not, it very obviously was in so many ways; he deserves full credit for adding his own ingredients to the formula most others would simply copy and paste from in the future.
A Different Man (VOD)
- Another recommendation from my son, but I’d already been intrigued by the trailer and was looking forward to it — which DID NOT prepare me for the very dark black comedy it turned out to be! Sebastian Stan deserves some Oscar buzz, partly for proving he’s one of the few MCU actors who can actually act, but Adam Pearson not only steals every scene he’s in, he also gives the underlying story an emotional weight it may have lacked otherwise. There are so many ways things could have swerved in the wrong direction, but every time it seems like it might, it pulls off Doc Hudson’s “Turn right to go left” move to impressive effect.
Dune: Prophecy (MAX)
- I’m not a big Dune fan so critiques about how this show lines up with canon has no relevance for me, but the Bene Gesserit faction is intriguing, and I was willing to give it a shot. HBO probably should have done a two-episode launch to offset how much table-setting the first episode had to do, but once everything settled into place and it became the Desmond Hart show, I was hooked. The showrunners took a huge risk letting Travis Fimmel absolutely devour every scene he appears in, and Hart benefits from apparently being correct that the sisters are up to no good, so it’s hard to see him as the bad guy when he’s facing off against the viciously fanatical Mother Superior. My favorite part of learning more about Dune is seeing the influence it clearly had on other franchises, including Warhammer 40k, and now I’m picturing Fimmel going toe-to-toe with Henry Cavill in an Eisenhorn-based series!
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
- I grew up a Star Wars fan and, other than Wrath of Khan and Galaxy Quest, had no interest in Star Trek for most of my life. Discovery made me realize Trek was pretty good, actually, and then Strange New Worlds made me fully appreciate its appeal. It was Lower Decks that turned me into an actual fan, though, and I’m genuinely going to miss it. Up next: I’m jumping into Deep Space Nine as my 2025 binge series, while hoping for another SNW + LD crossover.
Your Notes?
If you’ve engaged with any of these, let me know what you thought. And if you have any related recommendations, drop ’em in the comments or on the socials! Some of you prefer email, which is cool, too. You do you!
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