Become a Patron!Support our reviews, videos, and podcasts on Patreon!
Cool tools really work.
A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. All reviews on this site are written by readers who have actually used the tool and others like it. Items can be either old or new as long as they are wonderful. We post things we like and ignore the rest. Suggestions for tools much better than what is recommended here are always wanted.
Leafing through The Julia Rothman Collection, which includes the author/illustrator’s Farm Anatomy, Nature Anatomy, and, her newest book in this illustrated exploration of the natural world, Food Anatomy, the reader feels as though she has discovered a cross between a visual encyclopedia set and a found series of field notes. Each book dissects its subject into its endless parts (plant, animal, environment, implement), then further dissects those parts into their uses, histories, and, in some cases, their actual parts. Rothman does this through multiple taxonomies, both written and drawn. Not surprisingly, there is often overlap throughout the books, but there is not often redundancy. For example, mushrooms are featured in both Nature and Food, and chickens appear in both Farm and Food, but the focus on fungi and fowl is different in each book.
I can’t help wishing my grade school science books showed the anatomy of a landform, a storm, or a leaf in the way that Rothman does. Perhaps the clear hand of the artist in each image would help to create more of a connection between reader and subject, a kind of unwritten note from the illustrator that says, “Look! I saw this thing. I held it. I knew it. I drew it. It’s real, just like you.”
These books are packed with information but are structured in easily digestible chapters and are perfectly suited for flipping through to whatever page or picture grabs your interest. Each one has recipes, facts, how-tos, lists, and micro essays on context and culture, making them perfect books for the nightstand, the coffee table, and even the kitchen. And, of course, they are full of drawings that are just plain fun to look at, which is made that much easier thanks to the 10 prints included in this set and the beautifully illustrated book box that’s sturdy enough to withstand the inevitable frequency with which it will be taken off the shelf. – Mk Smith Despres
KAIJUMAX – LIKE ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, BUT THE PRISONERS ARE MONSTERS STRAIGHT FROM GODZILLA
Kaijumax Season One by Zander Cannon Oni Press 2016, 168 pages, 6.6 x 10.1 x 0.4 inches (softcover)
Kaijumax is a fun comic that will make you get all the feels for giant city-destroying monsters. It’s like Oz or Orange Is the New Black, only the prisoners in this case are monsters straight from your favorite Godzilla movies. The monsters are kept in check by guards who have Ultraman-like power suits, allowing them to grow to skyscraper size and lay down their own form of justice.
The story follows Electrogor, a monster and father who was apprehended for chewing on power cables in order to feed his children. As the new monster at Kaijumax, you follow him as he learns the ins and outs of how the prison works. There’s everything you could possibly hope for in a facility that houses the world’s deadliest creatures: corrupt guards, drugs, gangs, and a cult of mecha-monsters.
The artwork’s incredible. It brings a lightness to the otherwise surprisingly heavy subject matter. If you’re a fan of Godzilla, Power Rangers, Ultraman, or any other Kaiju movie or show, you’ll see some familiar characters hidden throughout. This is one of the weirdest comics that I’ve read in a while, but I loved every minute of it. Give giant monsters a chance, and check this one out. – JP LeRoux
