When I first saw the cover of Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood one-shot, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of deja vu, like I’ve seen that particular cover before. Then it hit me, it actually looks similar to that of the cover to Marvel’s Ultimates 2: Grand Theft America TPB (I actually have the book on my desk at work….don’t ask)!

Compare them side by side and you’ll see that the guy on the cover (Raizo Kodo the protagonist) on Throne of Blood looks similar to that of Captain America on Ultimates 2. Hehe…the reason behind this is because the artist for both covers is none other than one of my favourites, Bryan Hitch. Check it out:

Don’t ask me why but I like reading movie tie-ins/novelizations. Maybe it’s one way to get into the characters’ heads (if the author is good enough) in which film often misses to highlight. This time, instead of buying a paperback novelization, I decided to buy an e-book that runs on Amazon’s Kindle device and apps that run the gamut including PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, etc. That e-book is none other than Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

It’s an interesting, if not engrossing, ride. The Autobots discover that they are not really the first bunch of Autobots to reach Earth, and learn the hard way that they are also not the ones to first establish human alliances. Having discovered and revived Optimus Prime’s former mentor Sentinel Prime, they now must face betrayal from one of their finest as they seek to thwart plans by the Decepticons to rebuild Cybertron by enslaving the human race.

The human element, especially Sam and his new girlfriend Carla have, IMHO, been the squeaky, annoying part of Michael Bay’s Transformers movies, and it’s no different in DOTM. The NEST guys however do steal the show every now and then with their bravado. But if you are like me, you would rather stick to the abundance of robotic melodrama, death and destruction that is going on as the book conveys these perfectly.

If the book is any indicator, the movie should be a blast. I can’t wait, and if you can’t as well, it doesn’t hurt to get this novelization by Peter David, it pretty much rocks on its own. Nine Over Ten 9/10 rates Transformers: Dark of the Moon at a 4 out of 5! Click here to get the e-book from Amazon at just USD 7.99.

I practically devoured Sebastian Junger’s latest book, War, during a 5-hour bus ride to Penang (dubbed the Pearl of the Orient), and I must say that this is an amazing book. The guy, along with the late photographer Tim Hetherington (he died covering the Libyan civil war in 2011, may he rest in peace) spent over a year with a platoon of the 173rd Brigade, in one of the hottest “hot zones” in Afghanistan, the Korengal Valley, and this book tells of his experience with the men of Battle Company.

War provides an amazing insight into the minds and the experience that young men undergo in a contemporary war, but I’m pretty sure that the excitement, the fall out, the side effects of the Afghan war wouldn’t be that much different from that of those experienced by guys involved in World War II and Vietnam.

It’s crazy how these guys face multiple firefights in a day against the Taliban, IEDs, and ambushes and you can literally sense the despair as one of the “brothers”, as they call themselves, fall in battle. One particular outpost was literally built in a day and named after a beloved medic, Restrepo, killed in combat. The very same name was used to title a documentary film created by Junger and Hetherington in collaboration with the National Geographic Channel.

The effects of all the fighting reverberates even when the soldiers are not fighting. Junger notes down the shenanigans that happen due to the boredom involved in waiting for the next firefight (sometimes the enemy runs out of ammo or winters make it particularly troublesome for the Taliban to engage in war), and we readers wonder how is it such battle hardened men, exposed to the undeniable (and apparently unattainable anywhere else) kind of high that only war can offer, can reintegrate back into society.

The book ends with a spectacular meltdown of one of the lead characters and is an amazing read cover to cover. If you are interested in non-fiction accounts of war, this book is pretty damn good, and it’s told from a journalist’s perspective, rather than a soldier. Do check it out. Nine Over Ten 9/10 rates this at a 4.5 out of 5!

This week looks to be a bountiful harvest for comic book fans and especially for me as my favourite books are released this week. First up, the War of the Green Lanterns is told across the board in Green Lantern #66, Green Lantern Corps #60 and Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #10. Guy Gardner takes the hot seat (literally) as he puts on both the Red ring (rage) and Violet ring (Love) to get Parallax out of the Central Battery on Oa. Suffice to say, it’s the newly liberated Green Lantern Corps against Krona (and the possessed Guardians in the upcoming Green Lantern #67.

The art across the three issues is certainly amazing and perhaps if all these were to be incorporated into movies, it would certainly be this generation’s version of a intergalactic soap opera on the scale of Star Wars. Shame on the part of Mogo though, but at least the the poor possessed big chap of a planet went out with a bang…hehehe….John Stewart should have the title “Worlds Destroyer” hung around his neck after this.

Next up, X-Men Legacy #249. The team seems to be STILL putting up with the events of Age of X. To think that such craziness happening in their own heads would bring about such serious repercussions. Magneto goes a long way to tell Rogue to cast aside her feelings for him (no thanks to AoX) by giving her a history lesson, Frenzy is dwelling on events that not only happen in the past but in her head, and the curious part is about Legion and well, his legion of superpowered personalities in his fragmented head of his.

The last we saw Batman (Dick Grayson) in Detective Comics, he was stuck in a huge trash compactor filled with cars. Detective Comics #877 sees him turning the wheels on bad guys, crushing legs and taking names. Turns out Dick is starting to be as bad-ass as Bruce, but any further I’m betting that readers will no longer be able to tell the difference. Now he’s on the trail of the Tiger Shark, right after crushing the legs of the Roadrunner….what’s with all the wild life names for the badguys these days huh?

Flash Thompson has definitely seen better days I think, despite being legless. Venom #3 depicts him losing grip of the alien symbiote and thus his suit. Getting his girlfriend kidnapped and a chance encounter with Spiderman make things worse and it looks that it’s a cliffhanger ending as General Dodge pushes the kill-switch on his latest operative. It sucks being Flash Thompson at the moment, but I certainly hope he doesn’t die, the idea of Agent Venom working for the U.S Government deserves some more milking.

Captain America #618 still sees Bucky incarcerated in the Russian gulag and gradually being broken down. It’s all smoke and mirrors at the moment but this is only setting up what is to be an exciting issue #619. I just wish that they can move things a little faster.

TouchyBooks’ Momotaro e-book app for iOS devices is an interesting one out of the myriad of e-book apps on the iTunes App Store. Not only does this beautiful e-book tell of the classic Japanese tale of Momotaro, the boy found floating down a river in a giant peach, each purchase of the app will result in part of the proceeds being donated to UNICEF’s relief efforts in Japan (Apple takes its cut from the sale of this USD 1.99 app, and the remaining USD 1.21 goes straight to UNICEF).

Kid’s App Bookstore TouchyBooks Releases First UNICEF eBook for Japan Relief

Popular kids’ bookstore app TouchyBooks has combined its efforts with the UNICEF office in Spain to create “Momotaro,” the first UNICEF interactive children’s book app for the iPhone and iPad in order to teach kids about the importance of helping those in need and of being resolute in the face of challenges – all while raising money and awareness for UNICEF’s work in Japan. All of TouchyBook’s profits from the sale of the eBook will be donated to fund UNICEF’s disaster relief efforts for children in Japan.

As a child-focused book publisher, when the devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Japan on March 11, the TouchyBooks team knew that younger children often feel helpless and cannot understand the situation as it evolves around them. “Stories have been used since the beginning of time to help children understand the world around them.’Momotaro’ is a great story for parents whose child has seen or heard information about the tragedy in Japan, but might be too small to comprehend the enormity of disasters or their role,” said Raul Soriano, author of Momotaro.

Momotaro tells the story of the title character, a young Japanese boy who is found floating down a large river, sleeping inside a giant peach. Momotaro grows up to become the strongest and bravest boy in Japan, and when an evil demon comes to his village and steals all the food and belongings of the townspeople, it is up to Momotaro to find the monster and reclaim their possessions.

“We are incredibly happy to be able to present with UNICEF such a historic and beautifully designed story for the Japan relief. This project has been lots of fun and having the opportunity to help the children of Japan means a lot to us,” says Jose Miguel Lopez Catalan, CEO of TouchyBooks.

This colorful and interactive story teaches children ages 3 and up the importance of friendship and courage when times get tough. It’s engaging and interactive, giving young readers the opportunity to participate in the story, all while teaching a valuable lesson about helping those in need.

Will Momotaro find the demon that raided his village? What friends will he meet on his travels? Find out as you join Momotaro on this colorful and exciting 20-page journey, all in the name of UNICEF disaster relief.

App Features

• Authentic Japanese Music, Sound Effects and Typography
• “Read by myself” and “Read to me” options for different reading skill levels
• Colorful and child-friendly interactive artwork
• Great bedtime story with meaningful message
• 60% of profit goes directly to relief efforts
• Touchscreen allows children to interact with story’s pages.

Pricing and Availability

“Momotaro” is $1.99 for the iPhone and iPad and available worldwide from the iTunes App Store in the Education section. $1.21 of the funds will go to UNICEF’s relief efforts in Japan. Users may also purchase and download the eBook from within the TouchyBooks app, which is free and available for download in the App Store in the Books section. Check it out over here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id431624152?mt=8

This week comic book releases are an interesting bunch, and it’s all DC (well almost), with arguably Brightest Day #24 being the most anticipated issue among the lot. In BD #24, the Swamp Thing is back, having destroyed the Black Lantern Swamp Thing, but this 2 year story arc ends poignantly as Deadman is dead…again. Poor chap, I guess life’s not fair after all.

Another DC release this week would be Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #9, which is actually also Part 6 of the War of the Green Lanterns. It takes off immediately after Part 5 (Green Lantern Corps #59), so if you haven’t read the book, you might be a little confused. But it’s part action, part revelation in GLEW #9, as Earth’s Green Lanterns split up to tackle Mogo and Parallax respectively.

The tie-in for Deus Ex: Human Revolution continues as Adam Jensen faces a ghost from his past as a SWAT Team member as a former team mate comes-a-calling, bio-augments and all, in Deus Ex: Human Revolution #3. Despite the whole conspiracy get-up, there’s plenty of action here, taking cue from issues #1 and #2.

Batman, Inc #5 continues Batman’s international recruitment drive (which I still think is slightly crazy-assed), and like many of Grant Morrison’s stuff, I spent half the time wondering what the heck am I reading. OK, so this may come across as a little too deep for the average comic book reader, but I’m curious to see how this storyline pans out. And being a billionaire, I’m pretty sure Batman can afford a better looking jet than an ugly looking Harrier-lookalike.

Last but not least, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #165. I really love this series and I love the art in this particular book, it looks a bit retro-ish and modern at the same time. Nevermind. The Arashikage practitioners are reunited, somewhat, again, with Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow restoring Billy to his normal self by way of the Brainwave Scanner while banishing the supposedly dead Dr Venom’s psyche to who-knows-where.

The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine (Kate) Middleton will take place in a couple of days and I can see that coverage for the event is reaching a fevered pitch, especially on my favourite news outlets, CNN and the BBC. Now even one of my favourite comic book publishers, Devil’s Due, has joined the bandwagon with an interesting project, “The Royals“, a biographical digital comic book for Android smartphones.

Since the marriage and tragic death of Princess Diana, the world has been fascinated with the lives of the British Royal Family. As the eldest son of the monarch sets to wed with the whole world watching, Devil’s Due Digital and Bluewater Productions invite you to follow the budding love story from the beginning with The Royals: Prince William and Kate Middleton on Android Market.

The stunning 32-page issue is written by CW Cooke and penciled and inked by Pablo Martinena. The biographical digital comic takes readers through the early life of William and Kate, and looks to give a fresh take on the couple’s 8-year romance. In a news release, President of Bluewater Darren Davis said, “As Americans, we are fascinated by the British royals. They fit within our construct of a celebrity-fueled popular culture. But more than that, they represent an air of pomp and history that we just don’t have.”

The Royals: Prince William and Kate Middleton is sure to leave readers satisfied, yet still wanting more with a quick behind-the-scenes glance into the lives of regal Prince and his bride-to-be before they join together at the wedding of the century. For more information on The Royals: Prince William and Kate Middleton visit Android at http://bit.ly/dKqQu3.

It’s a bit of a slow news day, so lets check out what’s interesting on the comics book front. My favourite kill team, X-Force, take on  “Father” in Uncanny X-Force #7 in order to prevent an ugly Deathlok-y fate for every superhero out there in the conclusion to “Deathlok Nation”. Deadpool gets the kill and as usual his banter and internal monologues are pretty funny in an off-kilter way. The last panel however is a reveal that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Fantomex.

Iron Man 2.0 #3 sees the aftermath of War Machine (Rhodey) getting a bomb dropped on him. In a nutshell, he gets a brand new suit, dubbed Iron Man 2.0, complete with functionality not brought out to the field by Tony Stark. The new suit comes with camouflage, completely stealth and can even phase through objects. Pretty cool eh?

In JLA’s 80-page Giant 2011 one-shot, the team members experience their personal hells before being brought together for a hellish encounter. The storyline isn’t the only special thing about this one shot, there’s an obituary at the back for Dwayne McDuffie, who passed away back in February. He was instrumental in bringing in main characters based on minority races into mainstream comics.

Those augmented characters from the Deus Ex video games always seem to get the short end of the stick. Even the protagonist from the upcoming Human Revolution gets blown up and left without a …. (take a guess). Anyways, the story for the prequel to the prequel (seriously) to one of the best games on the PC is told in a series of comic books published by DC Comics.

Issue #2 delves more into Adam Jensen’s past and the incident that left him as an augment in a bid to save his life, and it’s probably the reason why the comic book is recommended only for mature readers (it kinda reminded me of that scene in Robocop where Murphy gets shot to death).

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is one of those comic books that I have on my radar at the moment, aside from Brightest Day (which has suddenly turned interesting with SWAMP THING!), Age of X and the War of the Green Lanterns.

The War of the Green Lanterns is the latest galaxy spanning story-arc epic involving the Green Lanterns, and one that I’ve been following with great interest (it is to make up for the rather dour Brightest Day series). Here’s a sit rep on what’s been going on so far on the front lines, and it looks like the Corps are still gonna take some heavy licks in the coming issues:

1. Almost the entire bunch of the Rainbow Brigade (cough) have been swallowed up into The Book of the Black, no thanks to its keeper, the story vampire Lyssa Drak. Among those swallowed up include her former boss Sinestro, which was pretty ironic considering that during the events of the Blackest Night, she was left imprisoned in the same book, and was forgotten by the Sinestro Corps.
2. Parallax is reintroduced back into the Central Power Battery at Oa, no thanks to Krona who invades the planet with all the entities that he had captured in tow. The surviving Guardians are made into heralds by Krona’s captured entities. If you think that’s bad…
3. The introduction of the yellow impurity into the Central Power Battery causes the entire Green Lantern Corps to fall into Krona’s control, save for a handful. Ganthet does a Boodikka and loses a hand, not by having his hand cut off, it’s just that his ring blew up.
4. Guy Gardner and Hal Jordan are in hiding having being stranded after duking it out on a snow covered planet ironically nicknamed the Green House.

This is pretty exciting stuff. This story-arc encompasses all three Green Lantern books, namely Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps and Emerald Warriors. What I’ve garnered so far about the reading order is as follows: GL #64, GLC #58, EW #8, GL #65, GLC #59, EW #9, GL #66, GLC #60 and EW #10. At this rate, this story arc looks like it can be completed within 3 months. Do check  it out.