Books On Film | Fifty Shades of Grey & Kingsman: The Secret Service

There are two book adaptations being released this Valentine's Day weekend. 

The first, a film adaptation of the erotic romance novel Fifty Shades of Grey, which was expanded into a trilogy, about a woman who enters into a BDSM relationship with her wealthy, handsome love interest.

When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time. 

The second, a film adaptation Mark Millar's graphic novel Kingsman: The Secret Service about a newly trained spy and his trainer discovering a conspiracy when investigating missing actors and a mass murder.

The world's greatest secret agent is on the most exciting case of his career. But will the end of the world as know it take a back seat to training his street-punk nephew to be the next James Bond?

Books On Film | Kick-Ass 2

Yesterday saw the release of Kick-Ass 2, a sequel to the movie Kick-Ass (2010). Both films are live-action adaptations of graphic novels by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.

Despite the fact that the story revolves around young protagonists, there is a lot of violence in both the graphic novels and the movies. Neither the graphic novels or movies were written for children/teens. 

The original graphic novel follows teenager Dave Lizewski, who is determined to turn himself into a real-life superhero (Kiss-Ass). He runs across an ex-cop, who has trained his eleven year old daughter to be a vigilante named Hit-Girl, in his quest to take down a drug lord and his son.

The movie sequel is based on the Kiss-Ass 2 and Hit Girl graphic novels. It follows Dave as he joins a vigilante group called "Justice Forever," Hit-Girl as she enters retirement,  and the arrival of a new villain.

The first graphic novel and movie in the series (below).

 

Cover art courtesy of LibraryThing.

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Professor O | Scientific-y Comic Book Goodness!

A most belated , but excited hello, fellow fans of the graphic novel! 

Professor O has been touring space/time, here/there, back/forth and all points in between on my journey to bring you, the comic book reader, the best reads the SSJCPL has to offer. In this installment, I have a special treat: Graphic Novels about science and scientists.

The first GN we will be looking at is Evolution: The Story of Life On Earth by Jay Hosler with art by the wonderful duo of Kevin Cannon and Zander Cannon.  This graphic novel is a short, surprisingly concise look at evolution for those who normally shy away from such scientific reading. Lots of information here, a student of Professor O remarked that they understood more from this comic book than any course on evolution ever taught them! Now that is a comic book that transcends the genre! Of course, Professor O approves of learning in any capacity!

A good read for those without a time machine.

  

One more science themed graphic novel that Professor O really enjoyed is, Two-Fisted Science: Stories About Scientists by Jim Ottaviani (SSJCPL doesn't carry this title BUT you can request this title through an outside library with Link Plus....ask a librarian!). This graphic novel covers stories of male and female scientists and their important discoveries/contributions to science. The author did not see time travel as "science" leaving Professor O's name out of the list of lives covered in the comic. But a great graphic novels nevertheless!

There you have it, fellow adventurers. Two titles with nary a superhero in them! Two titles that (GASP) teach! Do not fear these, embrace these. Read them and see how easily it is to learn something new when it is presented in a graphic, exciting, and readable form! Science most definitely rocks! 

Until next time, adventurers, continue learning!

It is like a get-together with all of Professor O's BFFs!