Marvel Action: Spider-Man #12 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Marvel Action: Spider-Man #12 sees the three spider-heroes fighting alongside Venom one last time as they tangle with the evil Doctor Octopus.

Using the information gathered from the secret lab in the previous issue, Peter, Gwen, and Miles journey to an apparently abandoned building where Doc Ock is supposed to be meeting his mysterious boss, taking Venom along for some added muscle. Unfortunately, Venom proves to be something of a lose cannon, and his breaking into the lab unleashes a horde of murderous robots that swarm the group.

The team are able to beat these ‘Octo-bots’, but when the now costumed Doctor Octopus arrives to fight them with a second wave of robots things become even more dangerous for our heroes. When Venom goes too far, and tries to eat Doctor Octopus, Miles is forced to step in and knock the anti-hero out with his new Venom Blast powers. With Venom under control again, and Doctor Octopus captured, the team are able to find Eddie Brock’s missing phone and laptop, and escape before Doc Ock’s backup arrives.

After their run in with the metal armed villain the heroes are hanging out together on a rooftop when Iron Man arrives, giving the three of them the chance to finally talk to him about what it takes to be a hero; something that they’ve all been working towards since the start of the series.

I have to be honest, the end of this Venom arc feels a little bit lacking compared to some of the other stories, possibly because the team ended up fighting Doctor Octopus once again in a secret lab. In a lot of ways the issue is very similar to the previous one, however, the development with the lead characters manages to stop it feeling like a dull retread.

The three spider-heroes have been trying to find a way to meet Iron-Man since the very first issue, and their places in the Daily Bugle internship have all been a part of this journey. Despite the three of them working together to produce some amazing articles, mostly covering the adventures of their alter-egos, none of them manage to win the competition to interview Tony Stark. Luckily, Stark isn’t just sitting in the background doing nothing, but actively went out of his way to bring the three of them together into a team so that they can help each other.

This conclusion to their journey feels like the perfect end to the the first year of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, as it not only proves that the three of them have gone on to become great heroes in their own rights, but have grown as people as well.

Thankfully, whilst this issue marks the end of both the Venom arc and the first year of the series, the story is far from over, as the heroes once again discover hints of a mysterious ‘Kingpin’ that’s been behind everything that they’ve gone up against so far. Fingers crossed they’ll begin to learn more about this mysterious figure, and possibly even learn more about Miles’ new powers, in the next issue.


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The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman - Book Review

'Uprooted from the city, Violet Saunders doesn’t have much hope of fitting in at her new school in Four Paths, a town almost buried in the woodlands of rural New York. The fact that she’s descended from one of the town’s founders doesn’t help much, either—her new neighbours treat her with distant respect, and something very like fear. When she meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, all children of founder families, and sees the otherworldly destruction they can wreak, she starts to wonder if the townsfolk are right to be afraid.

When bodies start to appear in the woods, the locals become downright hostile. Can the teenagers solve the mystery of Four Paths, and their own part in it, before another calamity strikes?'

I didn't get the chance to read The Devouring Gray when it first came out, but was instantly drawn to the book when it did. I thought that the cover was very grabbing and atmospheric, with it's surprising mix of vibrant neon pink and moody, almost haunted looking forests. The fact that I also misread the title as 'The Devouring Gay' when I first saw it also grabbed my attention, but that's really just a personal thing that I'm sure no one else would have experienced. Thankfully, the folks at Titan Books offered me a copy to help me get caught up before the release of the second book in the series, The Deck of Omens, comes out in 2020.

The Devouring Gray drops readers into the town of Four Paths much in the same way that lead character Violet is; we're placed in the middle of a town where everyone who lives there knows about the mysterious demon and the prison it occupies, and the fact that several of the town residents have supernatural powers. The book doesn't try to slowly introduce these things to the reader but rather shows us a world where these things are normal for the inhabitants. As such, I was trying to play catch-up at the same time as Violet, trying to learn more about this mysterious town along with her.

This lack of early book explanations, and following Violet as she learnt about her family history and the secrets of Four Paths meant that whilst the book didn't make any big secret about the supernatural existing there was still a lot that was left to uncover, smaller and more personal secrets that the reader got to discover. As such, the story felt a lot more character driven, and focused on the people rather than a big central mystery.

The characters are a fairly interesting and varied group, and none of them are really what they first appear. Violet Saunders is still coming to terms with the death of her, whilst also dealing with having her life turned upside down by having to move to Four Paths. Whilst at first she seems to be incredibly drawn into herself, understandably reluctant to reach out to people because of her grief, there's a brave and powerful young woman hiding beneath.

Isaac Sullivan is presented as cocky, confrontational, and somewhat uncaring. He seems full of himself and knows that he's considered something special by many of the townsfolk because of being part of a founder family. However, over the course of the book we get to see that a lot of this is just surface dressing designed to be armour to protect the incredibly hurt and emotionally damaged young man beneath, one who cares deeply for the people around him.

Justin and May Hawthorne are presented as the most popular people in school, people who command the respect and adoration of those around them. They almost seem like the stereotypical jocks or popular kids in most teen dramas, full of a sense of self entitlement and superiority; but as the narrative unfolds we learn that that's just how others see them, and that they're not only incredibly unsure of who they really are or who they want to be, but are having to battle against the image that the town, and their mother, have made for them.

Finally there's Harper Carlisle, the outcast of the founder children. Having failed in her ritual to unlock her powers she's been cast out by the other founder families, treated as a pariah not worthy of their time or attention. This, coupled with having lost one of her arms, has made Harper into an understandably angry person. She's had to rely on herself, and has channelled the pain that she's been through into a weapon to protect herself. Whilst she comes across as aggressive and uncaring you begin to see that this is all just because of trauma she's been through, and that there's a very vulnerable person beneath it all, though one that you'd never want to cross.

Whilst these teens are the main focus of the story, and their interpersonal dramas and relationships make up a huge part of the story, it never feels like the narrative focuses on this to its detriment. This isn't a teen drama story where the biggest concerns is who's going to go to the homecoming dance with the lead. This is a story about otherworldly forces that are threatening lives, and the book keeps that in mind throughout. All of the teens and their stories are so entwined with the supernatural that it would be impossible to separate them.

Christine Lynn Herman also keeps the ending from feeling cliched or neat by not having the teens come together as friends or a team by the conclusion. There's still drama there, and different personal issues that haven't been resolved. It's not like the first book in a lot of YA series where they learn to put their differences aside and work together and become friends to beat the evil. Instead, it's more like real life, where years of animosity can't just be put aside overnight, and where the emotional damage from previous actions have lasting effects. Because of this I'm more interested in seeing what happens with these character relationships rather than the plot of the demonic forces in the next book, which is a big change for me.

I also loved that Christine Lynn Herman subverts some expectations by not having a romance subplot between Violet and Justin, the lead male and female. Instead, these two are attracted to other people, and thanks to differing circumstances it doesn't even seem obvious that these relationships are guaranteed either. The author has also gone out of her way to include a number of LGBTQ+ characters, with more than one of the teens being bisexual, and even a few of the adults too. Not only is it great that there's more than just one queer character in the book (as many books just have the one token gay), but the revelation that some of the characters were in same sex relationships at some point is treated as if it's nothing out of the usual; which is such a great decision.

The Devouring Gray is a book that I had high hopes for, a book that thanks to the great reviews I'd seen of it, and I'm pleased to say it pretty much met all of them. It's got a cast of characters that are interesting an engaging, that don't become caricatures but have depths. The story has mysteries and secrets that feel natural, and doesn't fall into the trap of trying to fool the reader into thinking that this is a normal town, but presents the unusual up front straight away. The book works brilliantly as the first part of a series, one that draws you in and leaves you happy with the story, yet wanting to read more; whilst also feeling like it would have been a perfectly good stand alone story.

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Transphobic, Islamophobic, Abelist, Antisemitic Tory Candidate Sally-Ann Hart Elected To Parliament

Sally-Ann Hart, the Conservative candidate for Hastings and Rye has been elected to parliament, despite public comments that have been branded as Islamophobic, Abelist, and Transphobic. She received 26,896 votes, beating the Labour candidate, Peter Chowney, who came in second with 22,853.

Ms Hart has faced extensive criticism this month for disgusting views that she has shared publicly. At the start of the month she was called to defend an article she had written in 2017 during a public event, an article in which she claimed that disabled people should be paid less than minimum wage. During the event, which was filmed, she responded that she believes people with learning disabilities should be paid less as she believes 'they don't understand about money'.

She said 'They should be given the opportunity to work because it has to do with the happiness they have about working'. She responded to audience outrage by continuing with this line or argument, 'It's about having a therapeutic exemption and the article was in support of employing people with learning disabilities.'

The very same month, in the build up to the election, she shared a 2017 blog post that claimed Muslim extremists are pushing an agenda to promote LGBTQ+ rights and women's right to chose.

The article, by author and anti-Islam activist Cheri Berens, claimed that the Women's March Movement is a secret front for a hidden 'Muslim agenda'. The article claimed that 'The Muslim Brotherhood' wants women to have abortions in order to weaken non-Muslim populations. It also claimed that it supported the LGBTQ+ community in order to 'weaken' and 'confuse' men.

'They want a young male population that is weakened or with confused female tendancies, whether real or imagined, or transgender.' The article claimed. Sally-Ann Hart, who is now a member of Parliament, branded the article as an 'affecting read', and shared it with the public.

This latest accusation of Islamophobia and Transphobia not only joins her Abelism, but also her investigation for Antisemitism following her sharing a video that claimed billionaire George Soros is controlling the European Union. She has also been found to have liked videos that contain Nazi slogans.

Despite being under investigation for Anti-Semitism she was allowed to continue to stand for election by the Conservative Party, and has now been elected to Parliament.

This is the type of politician that the Tory Party feels best represents their values and views, and that members of the British public have now voted into office. An indication that the Tory Party is a cesspit of hatred, lies, and bigotry.


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The Dark by James Herbert - Book Review

I first read The Dark about fifteen years ago and only got about 100 pages into it, possibly because I was too young for the book. Giving it another go now I found myself drawn into it much more than I was the first time round, and was fascinated with the mystery that Herbert had crafted here.

When paranormal investigator Chris Bishop is hired to investigate a house that a rich family are unable to sell he stumbles across the remains of a mass suicide, with dozens of cult members having murdered each other in horrible, brutal ways. About a year later bizarre incidents begin to happen on the same street, with people attacking and killing each other, dragging Bishop back into a mystery that delves into the very nature of evil itself.

The evil force in the book, the darkness, is a primordial energy that brings out the evil within those it touches. Thanks to the actions of the cult that killed itself their leader has gained control over the darkness from within, fusing his psyche with the evil force. With this new sentience the dark spreads across London, infecting people and causing violence across the capital. Bishop and his allies must try to find a way to not only survive those infected by the dark, but to stop a force that seems almost unstoppable.

The Dark is a book that doesn't pull any punches, and Herbert very quickly lets readers know the kind of thing their in for as his narrative is filled with gruesome and brutal acts of violence. The titular darkness is an otherworldly force that comes out at night, bringing out the darkest desires in those it comes across. Thanks to Herbert spending some time with characters before they fall victim to the dark we get so see how they became affected by it; there's the man who spies on the teenage girl across the street who tries to attack her, the old man who's tormented by youths who decides to kill them, and the nurse who screws her elderly employer to death whilst he's seducing her.

These early acts of horror are shocking, but only hint at the chaos that's to come later in the book, as the dark force sweeps across the city. The capital soon becomes something of a war zone, with people sheltering inside their homes at night with the lights on to ward away the forces outside. Those infected with the dark rise up from the sewers and tunnels beneath the city, desiccated and dying, to kill anyone in their path and sow more terror.

Whilst the central story of Bishop and his allies trying to find a way to stop the dark is exciting and interesting, it's these additions to the narrative, these breaks from the main story that are some of the best parts. Not only do they help to expand the story and show more of how the dark is bringing the city to its knees, they are at times more tense and suspenseful. You expect Bishop to manage to survive the events of the book, so you're not surprised when he survives nearly impossible odds, but when the story follows other characters in these side moments you're never sure if those its following will survive or not.

That's not saying that there's never any risk in the central story, as the main cast get pretty messed up at times. Some of the situations Bishop and the others find themselves in are brilliant action scenes, with them being pursued up tower blocks, in vehicle chases, and laid siege within a glass mansion. Many of these moments play out in exciting ways and feel incredibly cinematic.

The Dark is one of the darker James Herbert books (no pun intended) with some very twisted and disturbing moments, yet also manages to have a grand scope to it that at times feels more like a blockbuster movie. A brilliant horror story that will chill you and excite you in equal measure.

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Eden by Tim Lebbon - Book Review

Climate change is one of the deadliest things humanity has had to face, the changes that we have made to our planet will invariably go on to lead to the extinction of the human race if we don't take action. Eden is set in a world where action has been taken, bold action. Several large areas across the globe have been completely abandoned by humanity, having been handed back to nature in a desperate attempt to repair some of the damage we have done.

These Virgin Zones have become mythical places, shrouded in secrecy. People have tried to get inside in the past, and have lost their lives in the attempts as security forces that defend the do so with deadly force. Despite this, there are still people who try to get inside the zones; including extreme sports fanatics.

Eden follows one of these extreme racing groups, several people who infiltrate Eden, the oldest Virgin Zone, in order to become the first people to travel through the extreme wilderness. However, there are things deep inside Eden that don't want humanity there anymore, that will kill anyone who invades its borders.

Despite being a horror book, Eden spends a good portion of the book establishing its world, and gives a lot of time over to the central cast of characters that the reader follows. Readers are slowly eased into this future world where the planet is fighting back against the damage humanity has caused. The idea of the Virgin Zones are set up as the group travels to Eden, having to avoid security forces and advanced tech in order to get inside the borders. It's clear even without huge amounts of information about the Zones themselves that the feat the group are attempting is by no means an easy one, thanks to the way that Lebbon portrays their journey into Eden. The tension on this journey is palpable; unfortunately for readers, this is one of the least tense parts of the book as things get even worse when the group gets into Eden.

Lebbon manages to make the early parts of the journey, where there's nothing overtly wrong or threatening around the group, feel incredibly tense. Every step further into Eden builds tension as the reader begins to understand that these people aren't just breaking the law, but are entering a world where humans don't belong anymore.

The group gets built up well during these early stages of the book too, with each of them having very different and distinct characters and personalities. They feel unique, with each one bringing their own speciality to the group, as well as their own reasons for being there. There are the older extreme racers who want to tick Eden off their list as 'the big one', the scientist who wants to see what it's like inside, the ambitious youth who wants fame and fortune, and the young woman searching for something deeply personal and important. Despite these differences the group works well together, and Lebbon makes their friendships believable and realistic, and it's easy to see how some of these characters have known each other for years.

The sad part of having such well made characters, however, is that when danger finally reaches the group you don't want anything bad to happen to any of them. Unfortunately, Eden wants to destroy they all. Once the action starts, in a shocking, bloody way, it doesn't stop. The slow, tension building journey into Eden becomes a desperate, non-stop battle for survival. The groups fight to survive becomes the biggest hook of the book, and you'll find it hard to put down once the terror really begins; if you're like me you'll be desperate to see what happens next and if your favourite characters will survive.

Eden reads like a great horror film, a story that knows how to pace itself, how to draw you into the amazing environment and interesting characters before it all goes horribly wrong. Lebbon has had his work made into film before with The Silence, and Eden feels like another story that is ideal for an adaptation, and practically leaps off the page into epic, cinematic visuals as you read it.

Tim Lebbon is a great horror writer, and manages to make all of his stories scary, even those that you wouldn't at first think would be. But what I've found he's the best at is crafting characters that you come to care for a lot, even when you know that not everyone is going to make it out alive. There wasn't a chance that every character was going to survive Eden, but that would have been the only scenario that would have made me the happiest as I loved all of them. Alas, he broke my heart more than once reading this book; but then that's the sign of not just a good writer, but a great writer. If you've never experienced a Tim Lebbon book before Eden is a great place to start, one that will blow you away; and if you have read his work you'll know that you're guaranteed an amazing read.

Eden is published by Titan Books, and scheduled for release April 7th 2020. Pre-order your copy now so that you don't miss out.

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