Masked Reader

Book Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoJHAGRtS3c Mini Review We all know the story of Superman, born on an doomed alien planet, crash landed into Kansas via spaceship as a baby, and became an American icon. However, what if the story changed ever so slightly? What if Superman crash landed into the Soviet Union instead of America? This is what this story is about. This story is a hypothetical scenario where Superman was raised in the Soviet Union and becomes an icon for Communism. Thanks to Superman, the Soviets become a powerful empire that wishes to spread communism all over the world. America is doing everything they can to fight back, even if it means resorting to the brilliant mind of Lex Luthor (Superman's arch nemesis in the traditional comics). I thought this was another fun read because I like how stories can be twisted from its original intent. Superman is a truly powerful character and it would have been catastrophic if the Soviet Union had a weapon like th...

Book Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcefcX_sWFM Mini Review This book is a memoir by a man named Paul Dini. Paul Dini was a writer for Batman: The Animated Series  back in the 90s (featuring Kevin Conroy as voice of Batman and Mark Hamill as the voice of Joker). Paul Dini is also the co-creator of the popular DC character: Harley Quinn. In this graphic memoir, Paul Dini recalls a time where he was mugged while he was working on the Batman cartoon. The event truly traumatized him because the muggers made him feel like he was going to die. After the mugging, he questions all his life choices and wonders how it all led to this traumatic event. He questions if there is a point to making cartoons about superheroes because superheroes don't exist. Paul Dini is also in chronic battle with self esteem and depression. Can he overcome his trauma and reclaim his life? That is entirely up to him. I really enjoy this story because , I found it so relatable. While I never been mu...

Book Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEVldcyKalo Mini Review This book is a darker adaptation of the classic tale of Pinocchio. While in the original tale, Pinocchio learns how to be a real boy, this story is about his being a vampire hunter! His weapon of choice: his own nose! He will lie on purpose to make his nose grow, snap it off his face, and use his long broken nose as a wooden stake (vampire killing tool). With his drive to kill all vampires on earth, he embarks on a quest to kill the king of vampires himself, Vlad the Impaler! I find this to be such a fun read! I love how it takes a common story that most people know and make something new from it. It looked a little silly at first, but the dark imagery made change my mind quickly. To all those teens (13 and up) who are interested in the fantasy/paranormal genre and twisted tales, I would greatly recommend this because it is one heck of a ride. Image:  https://www.amazon.com/Pinocchio-Vampire-Slayer-Compl...

Book Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBkq1-qQZl8 Mini Review This story takes place in a perfect world where no problems exist. There is no conflict, no illness, and no death. Humanity has found a way to conquer everything that has impacted humanity since the beginning of time. However, death is still essential. Because people no longer die naturally, people still need to die in order to maintain the global population. Only a select few carry on the duties of delivering death to others. They are known as Scythes. A scythe known as Faraday takes on two apprentices, Citra and Rowan. Neither of them are interested in taking people’s lives, which is what makes them compatible for the job. What does death mean in a world where death itself is controlled? What does it mean to be human without death? I think this story has a very interesting setup. Just because everything looks perfect, doesn’t mean it actually is perfect. It is a story that really made me think about hu...

Book Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA3T0ij2a38 Mini Review This book is a story about the notorious serial killer in U.S. history, Jeffrey Dahmer. Dahmer killed at least 17 people and conducted heinous acts with their corpses during the late 70s to 80s. He was eventually incarcerated in the 90s where he would die in prison. This story is told through the perspective of the author, Derf Backderf, who knew Dahmer when they went to high school together. The author recounted moments from Dahmer’s mutilating animals to his being a social outcast in school. Everyone thought Dahmer was a strange guy. He also had a lot of issues. His parents went through a nasty divorce, he was an alcoholic, and was in the closet for being gay (when people weren’t as open to homosexuality in the 70s). The author seems sympathetic towards Dahmer, thinking things could have been different for him if others noticed his issues in time. Could Dahmer have been prevented from being a serial killer? ...

Book Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R15AzTpwUQQ Mini Review Flashpoint is a graphic novel story from DC Comics featuring Barry Allen aka The Flash. At first, Barry Allen is motivated to fight crime after his mother was murdered when he was a child. After he received the powers of super speed, Flash realizes that he has the ability to go back in time if he were to run fast enough. He uses this power to prevent his mother’s murder. It seemed to have worked, but Flash finds his whole reality changed from what it was before. Wonder Woman and Aquaman are at war, bringing about World War III, Superman is locked up as government property ever since his spaceship landed in Metropolis instead of Kansas when he was a baby, and Batman is Bruce Wayne’s father, Thomas Wayne, after Bruce died the night of the mugging that originally killed Bruce’s parents. When Flash sees his world has gone completely wrong, how can he save the world and his mother in it, especially now that his super ...