Where the body was by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

This book uncovers the lives and secrets of the people in a residential neighbourhood. Slowly, it pieces together all clues about the disappearance of a private eye. It's a nice story. I ended up being more interested in people's lives than in solving the crime. I also liked the afterword where Brubaker explains how some bits of the story are not fiction. The art is nice and immerses you in the story effortlessly. An okay read I guess, but not good enough to deserve the price I paid for it!!

 

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr

Wow, this book left me wondering, sitting on my bed, in the dark, for a long while. I closed the book and thought about how our human intelligence seems unable to overcome our inherent stupidity. Individual and collective stupidity. It is strange to see how brilliant minds put together can excrete so many bad, destructive decisions. This novel explores this aspect of human nature. With a distinctly pessimistic tone, it illustrates how humanity repeatedly destroys what it creates, a pattern that has endured for millennia and is unlikely to change, I think. While there are small glimpses of hope and brilliance, with individuals striving to improve the world, those in power consistently prioritize their own interests over the greater good. I see the world now and cannot say it is different from Miller’s vision. I read Nuclear War. A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen in May 2024, which in hindsight looks like a prequel to A Canticle. Really scary, as Nuclear War is based on real plans and interviews with people involved in the nuclear sector. The scenario ends with a total annihilation of civilisation. 

The novel is well written. I didn’t find it dense or tiring. The story is engaging, especially in the first part, though the two later sections, set centuries after, are also compelling. I particularly enjoyed the contrast between scientific and religious ideas. Since the book follows Catholic monks, we see their dedication to recovering lost scientific knowledge and preserving their faith. However, without them realizing it, their crumbling belief system finds new footing in an unexpected way. St. Leibowitz rises to prominence through a process that mirrors how the story of Jesus spread 2,000 years ago: through tales, legends, sightings, and fragments of barely legible relics, which ultimately help lay the foundation for a new civilization. 

Canticle for Lebowitz raises interesting questions such as, do we need faith-based moral authority to regulate our impulses? Or worse, do we have to submit our free will to such authority to survive? 

It's definitely worth a read. So go get yourself a copy.

Espectros de cine en Japón. Entre la literatura, la leyenda y las nuevas tecnologías (Spectres of cinema in Japan. Between literature, legend, and new technologies, ) by Rafael Malpartida

There's no English translation of this book. 

A super interesting book about the depiction of ghosts in classic and modern Japanese cinema. Starting with classic cinema, 50s and 60s are considered the golden age for spectre and fantasy classic Japanese cinema, Malpartida explains how traditional legends and traditions influence classic films. He offers a useful classification of ghost movies 

1. movies about cat spectres (kaibyo eiga, a popular theme). Cats can be possessed by the ghosts of the recently deceased after licking their blood. 

2. The story of the Oiwa spirit- many movie adaptations based on a popular Kabuki act: Tokaido Yatsuya Kaidan from 1825) - a story about murder and revenge. 

3. The Snow Woman (Yuki onna) - various adaptations of the story of a woman who appears in snowy nights. 

In terms of modern cinema, Malpartida discusses the super famous Ring movies, the original and the Korean and Hollywood remakes, offering sharp criticisms of the remakes that fail to convey the original meanings. For example, Malpartida criticises the appearance of the Hollywood Samara as being a copy of the Exorcist girl (Reagan) rather than a version of Sadako. Then, the discussion moves to Shimizu's Ju-On series of movies, highlighting the director's skill to create so much in artistic terms with little resources. After that, the author discusses Kiyoshi Kurosawa's movies highlighting the director's interest in incommunication and solitude. 

The book ends with an amazing section with illustrations of movie posters and movie scenes and a nice catalogue of about 70 ghost films, including titles, posters and synopses. 

Final remarks: so many ghosts ghosts represent/ portray women victims of violence searching for justice themselves because institutional justice doesn't do its job. All throughout the book, Malpartida highlights the Japanese directors' ability to scare with their story building skills and by showing us how much we have in common with ghosts.

The 6 Voyages of Lone Sloane by Philippe Druillet

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Stunning, mind blowing, baroque art. Six short stories featuring Lone Sloane, a mysterious and enigmatic figure who speaks little but journeys through strange worlds and experiences surreal adventures. Lone Sloane is a blend of science fiction and mythology. Set in space, the protagonist travels between planets, first on a "magical" couch and later on a spaceship. During his journey he encounters other humans and robots, but also gods, monsters, and other fantastical beings—characters that feel more mythical than traditionally SF, yet still enjoyable. The overall experience feels like science fiction with a psychedelic twist. The album features stunning artwork, with panels that are visually captivating, though at times difficult to interpret within the story. For me, this is only a minor drawback. All in all, a great read.