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Book Review: Nobody Does It Better, The Complete Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of James Bond, by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross

Published by Buddy on January 3, 2024
I’m an Amazon associate, and I may get a percentage of any purchases made through this link. I was not paid for this review, and I purchased the Kindle version for myself.

****/5.

I started reading this as a diehard fan of the James Bond books and films, and after having read Gross and Altman’s The Fifty-Year Mission: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek. This follows the same format as Mission, almost entirely using interviews and soundbites from cast and crew of Bond films, plus pop-culture historians and aficionados and film and literary figures in the Bond orbit. As it released in 2020, the book covers through 2013’s Spectre.

This was an enjoyable read, mostly for the background information. The travails of Fleming trying to get a movie produced were an interesting read, as well as the segments on the 1967 Casino Royale and 1983’s Never Say Never Again. However, once the book starts covering the mainline films, my interest started to drop off. Long passages seemed to be recitations of plot and production facts, and too much of the modern Bond films’ segments were insubstantial self-congratulatory responses from the production team.

If you’re new to the lore surrounding the Bond films’ production, this is a great introduction, hence the four stars. I would have liked more substance or direction.

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Good Thing: Spatial Anomalies #1 by Scott Fabianek

Published by Buddy on November 11, 2022

On the edge of space, a small jumpstation watches over the wormhole that’s essential for interstellar travel. Crewed by a gaggle of misfits and rejects from more prestigious posts, Transfer Relay EBF-0218 is the last place anyone wants to be assigned.

Issue 1 of this science fiction workplace comedy comic introduces us to Zeke, Dawg, and the rest of the aliens, uplifted anthropomorphic animals, and human cyborgs who crew EBF-0218. 

Ezekiel Wilder—Zeke—wakes up from cryosleep to find out that he’s no longer a pilot, his contract has been reassigned, and his right arm and leg have both been amputated. His memory fuzzy from cryosleep, he can’t remember what happened that landed him here, but whatever it was, it was a doozy. As Zeke gets used to his new station and prosthetic limbs, he meets the rest of the crew and finds out instead of piloting ships himself, he’ll be coaching the hyperactive cargo loader pilot Dawg.

This first issue sets itself up for success from the beginning. The characters are well-defined, rounded, and likable, and are primed for deeper development as the series progresses. I can’t wait for Zeke to explore not being a pilot, and see how his new colleagues help him out.

The art is also excellent.

Scott Fabianek’s physical comedy is among the best I’ve seen in indie comics. His sense of setup, payoff, and motion between still panels calls to mind great sight-gag artists like Jeff Smith or Chuck Jones. Top that with endearing and expressive character designs and engrossing settings, and this comic’s art shines.

Scott can be found online at twitter.com/art_mutt.

Spatial Anomalies #1 was published by Fenris Publications, September 2022. 32 pp., prestige format. Buy your copy at https://www.fenrispublishing.com/order.php?s=fabianek!

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Good Thing: Ramen Wolf & Curry Tiger

Published by Buddy on November 1, 2022

Ramen Wolf & Curry Tiger, vol. 1, by Emboss. 

This is a slice of life manga set in a Japan where anthropomorphic animals and human beings live side by side without serious issue. Gourmand wolf Mita Jiro (Ramen Wolf) embodies Robert A. Heinlein’s proverb “Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites.” Contrariwise, Yanagi Kagetora (Curry Tiger, or “Currytora”) is hesitant around people and ascetic, mostly preferring solitude and bland, prepackaged meals. But they spend their days off together exploring Japan’s various ramen establishments and enjoying food in company. Their friends notice how close they’ve gotten and try to figure out what they see in each other.

This only the first volume, so the story can be a tad episodic and shallow until they get to the centerpiece and reveal how Jiro and Kagetora met. It’s disarmingly light in tone, but promises to delve into character backgrounds and motivation as more volumes release. The book also teases a romantic relationship between Jiro and Kagetora, but doesn’t make it explicit. I’d appreciate more explicit LGBTQ+ content in future volumes, and certainly hope Emboss is allowed to explore it in depth. As it stands, Volume 1 certainly worked up my appetite for more.

The art is the main course. Emboss shows solid fundamentals in anatomy, backgrounds, and layout, and throws in male eye candy without it getting in the way of story. The presence of anthropomorphic animals makes Beastars immediately spring to mind, but the art is closer in style and tone to Kiyohiko Azuma’s Yotsuba&! It’s charming and cartoonishly expressive while feeling grounded in, if not exactly realism, verisimilitude. That Emboss can make Kagetora so adorable and identifiable in a childhood flashback speaks well to their skills.

Looking forward to the next volume. If it sounds good, buy from my affiliated link below!

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