The Ricochet Reviewer: Books, Movies, and Comics

  Marvel Events and Crossovers Project Taking a broad historical overview of the Marvel Universe by reading through the major events and crossover events in order. (Thanks to The Marvel Event Timeline at https://comicbookreadingorders.com/marvel/event-timeline/ and Marvel Unlimited) Was that supposed to be "fall" like leaves? Plot, Pencils, Color, Script (Chapter II): Jim Starlin Script (Chapters I & III): Mike Friedrich Inker: Dan Green Letterer: Tom Orzechowski  The Controller, allied with Thanos, infiltrates Avengers Mansion and takes out the Avengers one… …by one… …by one… …until only Mar-Vell is left to face him. Meanwhile, Drax the Destroyer endures the time-mind sync-warp in order to prevent Thanos from getting the all-powerful Cosmic Cube. He fails. Captain Marvel is whisked away from the action only to find that he has become a pawn in a very big game. A terrific issue from the heyday of cosmic psychedelic Marvel supremacy.

by Andre Gide Having faced his mortality during a bout of tuberculosis,  scholar Michel resolves to live a more "authentic" life, obeying the dictates of his heart rather than the repressive strictures of society.  For me, the fascinating tension in this novel concerns the balance between selfish egotism and one's responsibility to others.   Andre Gide's presentation of illness is compelling and horrifying, offering a plausible catalyst for Michel's decision to change his life in fundamental ways.   Andre Gide It is easy to sympathize with him as he struggles to rearrange his priorities, particularly considering that he is clearly a repressed homosexual living during oppressive times who feels compelled to marry a woman he doesn't love.   However, he loses sympathy when he repays her attentive nursing during his own illness by dragging her about on a debilitating journey when she becomes sick.   In my view, Michel emerges as a cautionary figure.  Every...

by Cornell Woolrich A careless act becomes a terrible tragedy, transforming  a young man anticipating marriage into a figure of vengeance insinuating himself into the lives of his targets to destroy the women they hold most dear.   Although this novel strains plausibility at times, its best moments are quite disturbing, related in prose heavy with dark imagery.   Cornell Woolrich It is organized as a series of vignettes in which various types of relationships are portrayed: long-lasting marriage, exciting new infatuation, paternal love, forbidden love.   Some clumsy plotting and telegraphed twists prevent this from being a completely satisfying read. "Black Rendezvous" (Vietnamese) "Rendezvous in Black" (Swedish) "Meetings in the Dark" (Polish) "Rendezvous of Mourning" (Korean) "Rendezvous in Black" (Spanish) "The Groom Wore Black" (Finnish) "Rendezvous in Black" (French) "Rendezvous in Black" (German) ...