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Black Dahlia – Graphic Novel Review

‘Black Dahlia’ the graphic novel based on the crime novel by James Ellroy. Some readers might know about the “Black Dahlia” case, it’s one of the most famous unsolved murder case in America. Elizabeth Short, an aspiring actor, was found brutally murdered in a LA neighbourhood and was dubbed as “Black Dahlia” by the Press. 

The graphic novel tells us a fictionalized account of the murder, and follows two cops trying to solve the case. The biggest different between the real life case and this fictional account is the fact that the police is able to pin down the identity of the murderers in the novel, unlike in real life. And the story heavily focuses on the personal lives of the two cops, who are very close friends and find themselves growing increasingly obsesses with the murder mystery.

Since the timeline of the story in late 1940s, the tone on the novel is very patriarchal, bordering on almost regressive. Elizabeth Short in real life was rumored to be a lesbian and homosexuality is obviously not cast in a favorable light, considering it was still ‘illegal’ at the time. This was almost two decades before the Stonewall Riots escalated the movement for gay rights. That said, it’s still a very interesting book, since there is a shocking murder and a lot of suspense surrounding it.

The artwork is very retro and is able to evoke the mood of a bygone era. Almost all the characters are grey and the climax is intriguing, if not satisfying. You’ll probably find yourself hooked to the book or hate it right off the bat. The plot is a little confusing in the beginning for international readers, because it involves a lot of police politics and lingo that might come across as alien, but after a few pages, you will get the hang of everything that’s happening.

Despite the author giving us a fair enough conclusion to who the murderer was, ‘Black Dahlia’ still makes for a pretty gripping murder mystery. It’s a 4/5 from me.

Subscribe to our podcast by the same name on YouTube – Abstract AF.

Listen to Episode 15 to discover some great graphic novels.

More Book Reviews –

Underwater Welder – A Poignant Graphic Novel

Pashmina – Graphic Novel Review

Bloom – Graphic Novel Review

The Magic Fish – Graphic Novel Review

Hey, Kiddo – Graphic Novel Review

‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Meets ‘Less’: Nemat Sadat On Next Novel

I was gifted The Carpet Weaver on my birthday by a close friend. It was the third consecutive year that he gave a book based on LGBTQ characters; the first one being ‘Funny Boy’ and the second was ‘Cobalt Blue’. Before these books my literary world consisted solely of straight characters. Darcys and Lizzys, Latas and Maans, Ifemelus and Obinzes.

Like many others, I was blissfully unaware of the existence of a queer community of literary protagonists. So when I read about the life of a young gay boy growing up in Pre-Soviet invasion Afghanistan, I was awed. The personal politics intertwining with the politics of Kabul made for a gripping read. I finished the book hoping that the author Nemat Sadat would write a sequel to it soon, but it seems that he had other plans.

Nemat Sadat’s upcoming book is about a gay, vegan spiritual warrior and based in United States. Find out more about his work-both old and upcoming in episode 36 of Abstract AF’s Podcast Show.

Young Royals Trailer – ‘Elite’ Meets Gay Classic ‘Maurice’?

Netflix dropped the trailer for its 2021 series “Young Royals”, which follows the story of Wilhem, a young prince from the Swedish Royal family. He is packed off to a fancy school for the super wealthy after a bar fight and finds himself attracted to a male classmate. So will Wilhem choose to put his family reputation at risk to find love or choose to hang those feelings in the closet? That seems to be pretty much the story.

We have already seen a lot of LGBTQ+ films with the same themes, except this time – you have some royalty involved. Book enthusiasts seem to be reminded of the popular gay romance novel “Red, White & Royal Blue” from the trailer; while movie fans may see it as a mash between the series “Elite” and the classic British film “Maurice”. Honestly, the climax choice is really about whether the makers are going to give us a progressive LGBTQ+ romance or some regressive drivel about “choosing honor over an honest relationship”.

The cast looks interesting and who doesn’t like a good fancy boarding school setting in a pretty country? The series looks intriguing and promising. Watch the trailer for yourself (embedded below).

Please subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF

Listen to episode 29 for some fun LGBTQ themed book recommendations.

‘Wish Dragon’ Review: Fun Asian Spin To An Almost Aladdin-Like Story

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The 2021 Animated film ‘Wish Dragon’ may not have an original plot – poor boy finds something that holds a magical creature who can make any three of his wishes come true – but you’ll be surprised with how it’s not just another retelling of Aladdin’s tale.

Directed by Chris Applehans, ‘Wish Dragon’ follows Din, a college-student who longs to be reunited with his childhood best-friend Li Na, who is now a super-rich model. As fate would have it, he is handed a magical teapot, which is home to a cynical ‘wish dragon’ called Long. What will Din’s three wishes be? Will he win over Li Na’s friendship again? And will he be able to beat a bunch of baddies who are also on the hunt for the mythical magical teapot?

What makes this movie different from Aladdin is the fact that it’s a story about family and friendships, and not just another ‘poor guy’ woos ‘rich girl’ tale. Long, the magical dragon has his own personal history, making the character more multi-dimensional than the blue genie from the Arabic folktale. The plot is infused a with a lot of subtle humor and there is something constantly going on, which leaves very little scope for the viewer to become impatient.

There’s a lot of colorful cultural elements weaved into the story that make ‘Wish Dragon’ a lively watch. From kites, kung-fu, dumplings to street festivals, there’s a lot of interesting visual elements that keep you engaged. The modest working neighborhood Din lives had a very honest touch to it, with several families squished into small living quarters, and people constantly eavesdropping and poking their noses into the neighbor’s business. Din shares a tiny flat with his mother, with only a curtain to separate his ‘room’. The juxtaposition of the working class against Li Na’s snazzy world of wealth is done brilliantly.

The animation is colorful, clean and cute. Produced by a bunch of big names that include Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, the animation however has been done by a new studio called ‘Base Animation’. Despite ‘Wish Dragon’ being their first film, they’ve created screen magic that matches the quality of the biggest names in the industry – Disney and Pixar. Only seasoned animation enthusiasts will be able to spot how the backdrop settings are not very detailed and sometimes even a little hazy. But the bright flamboyant artwork+plot makes up for it and it’s mixed with buoyant music that keeps the mood cheery throughout the course of the film.

The climax had a clever allusion to the Greek mythological tale of King Midas, in-fact, there are a lot of little things that might have been inspired from a lot of other stories. From the kooky villain gang, of which one looks like a thin version of Gru from ‘Despicable Me’, to the titular ‘Wish Dragon’ Long, who is a giant pink cute version of Mushu from ‘Mulan’, a lot of characters might remind you of something else, but without spoiling the movie-watching experience or feeling stale. The ending is mixed with a little predictability and a surprising twist that will leave you with a smile. Some viewers may not agree, but for some of us ‘Wish Dragon’ is a super-fun Asian spin to Aladdin we didn’t know we needed.

It’s a solid 8/10 from me. You can stream it on Netflix.

Please check out our podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF

Listen to episode 29 for some fun movie recommendations.

The House in the Cerulean Sea – Book Review

Guest Post by Manisha Ail

Manisha Ail is a doctor by profession and a writer by choice. She was published as one of the winners of Write India season 1 and holds a secret love for poetry too. She can be reached at missilemyra@gmail.com

My first attempt at recommending The House in The Cerulean Sea went something like this.

Me: You HAVE TO read this book. It is brilliant!

Colleague at work (who I barely know but who loves to read): Sure, heard of it, M/M right?

Me: Um…M/M?

Colleague: The central pairing is that of two male characters, so M/M.

Me: Yes, I did not know that is something I should specify while recommending the book.

Colleague:  Chill! I would love to read it, but not everyone reads M/M, so it is just politically correct to tell people upfront.

Me: !!!!

It never even crossed my mind. I do warn people when a book has explicit erotica, so that they do not leave it lying around for their bosses or kids to find. This book was just a wonderful read. But the next person I recommended the book to, said that she does not read that kind of stuff. And I felt inexplicably sad for her. Because someone like her absolutely needed to read this book.

The first book I ever loved was Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree. It was the first time I daydreamed, “don’t you wish you were here”. Then, I grew up, and the wonder of reading something imaginative, of losing oneself in a different world, melted away. For instance, the amazing experience of reading Harry Potter became tainted by the adult realization that Hogwarts embodied the principle of “divide and educate” and that Dumbledore was an emotionally manipulative ass.

We mature into jaded and thick-skinned adults. It is our only armour against reality, one where no one is genuinely good or evil. And most importantly, one in which there is no magic.

Last year, when we were caged indoors by a virus, my sister hounded me till I started reading The House in The Cerulean Sea. I had no expectations when I started it – had no clue about the story or the author. I never for a moment believed that this book could distract me from the perpetually howling sirens of ambulances going past my building.

And then something wonderful happened, something that had not happened in years. After a long time, I fell in love with a book again.

Linus Baker, the unlikely, rotund protagonist of our story had made his peace with his waistline, a government job as an orphanage inspector, an ill-tempered cat, a nosy neighbour, and a tiny house in a gloomy city. He is remarkable in his ordinariness. The first example of how the author has done something magical, is how I, the reader, was in Linus’s shoes before the first two chapters were over. Whether he was performing his inspections or filling out paperwork, cowering before his boss or listening to soulful music alone at night, I was right there, feeling what he felt. I bet you too see a new scenic wallpaper pop up on your work screen every other day and feel, “Don’t you wish you were here?” After that momentary stab of longing, you click your mouse and consign that wish to the backburner of your mind, to allow room for even more daily drudgery. You know how Linus feels because it is how anyone feels most of the time, trapped and not accepting it.

Then Linus is assigned to inspect an orphanage unlike any other, with seven children unlike any magical youth he has seen before.  And this is where the author had me hook, line, and sinker. Each child is characterized and fleshed out so beautifully that their magical ability becomes the least important thing about them. We walk into this story just like Linus with our walls up, impervious, insulated, our preconceived notions in tow, and are slowly but surely disarmed by the wonderful characters. Talia, a female gnome shows Linus the value of forgiveness. Sal, a shapeshifter, teaches him how to be brave. Chauncy a monstrous blob, shows him how powerful a catalyst hope can be. Phee, a forest sprite, embodies inner strength. He learns what is truly precious from Theodore, a wyvern. And watching Lucy, son of Lucifer, the Antichrist, the one who he feared the most, Linus realises that goodness is not innate. It is a constant struggle to remain good when the whole world and even your own conscience wills you to do wrong, but it is a battle worth winning.

And finally, Linus meets Arthur, the master of the orphanage, a surrogate father to the children everyone feared, and no one wanted. It is through Arthur’s eyes that we watch Linus transform from a jaded caseworker to a man who starts questioning the rules and regulations that he had held sacrosanct for all his professional life. We see how Linus’s willingness to learn, to embrace change, to experience wonder, to let go of unfounded fears, to take a chance on happiness, is also its own kind of magic. On an island in the cerulean sea, Linus finds what he had never missed, a family, in the truest sense of the word.

This is a story that much like its characters, defies labels. It has magical characters, but it is not a fantasy. It has a love story, but it is not a romance. It is deeply philosophical, but it is not a sermon. When I was reading the book, it felt like I was tucking into a bowl of my grandma’s hot khichdi on a pouring Sunday afternoon, warm, cozy, and included… it felt like coming home.

Last but not the least, if like me, you were a philistine who only heard Britney Spears and boybands while growing up, do yourself a favour and listen to the songs mentioned throughout the book as you are reading it. The book introduced me to Bobby Darin, Sam Cooke, Nat King Cole, and to the day the music died. I cried as I closed my eyes along with Linus and heard the Everly brothers croon “Dream, dream, dream…” I will forever be indebted to the writer for introducing me to a whole new genre of incredible music that was completely foreign to me.

And I wish that someday in the not so far future, I will not be writing a review for a beautiful book only during Pride month just because the central characters are gay. That I will be able to recommend a book like this without any disclaimers. Don’t you already wish you were there!

Please subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF

Listen to episode 29 for some fun LGBTQ themed book recommendations.

‘The Walking Dead’ Diluting Daryl Dixon’s Asexual Appeal Is A Downer

When I first binge-watched ‘The Walking Dead’ in 2020, I already had nine seasons to go through and none of the waiting other fans had to do for over a decade. Over the next few days, one character that stood out the most was Norman Reedus’ Daryl Dixon. New episodes of season 10 have now been added on Netflix, with a bland flashback to Dixon’s solitary break into the wildness.

Let’s start with some background – Daryl Dixon wasn’t in the original character roster of writer Robert Kirkman’s comic series. In the live-action show, Dixon starts off as an aggressive introverted redneck with a cross-bow and an asshole older brother. As the show progresses, he slowly becomes part of the inner pack of protagonists trying to survive a zombie apocalypse. It was hard not to notice how Dixon seemed asexual. Despite developing close bonds with several women characters, he never casts a longing look at anybody. He is a reliable friend, a model-member of the pack, a brother-figure to the leader Rick Grimes and a father-figure to the younger kids. All his efforts to keep his people safe makes him more endearing because his actions are selfless. In other words, Dixon’s deeds are not ruled by his dick. Or so it seems.

Also Read: The Walking Dead Season Ten Review

Also Read: Quick Review of 9 Seasons of The Walking Dead

When his perceived ‘asexuality’ hit me, I immediately thought of writing a little piece, but a quick search on the internet revealed that his sexuality has been a matter of debate over the last few years. There were many fans who thought the same; actor Norman Reedus has in-fact even received fan-mail thanking him for portraying an asexual character. However, Robert Kirkman, the writer of the show and comics, revealed that Dixon is “straight” and “somewhat asexual”. Some fans were happy with the “somewhat asexual” statement, others – not so much. And the makers of the show clearly seem to remain as ambiguous as they can about this particular character, due to his sheer popularity. Because at the end of the day – there are way more fans out there shipping him with other women protagonists.

While the “LGBTQ” acronym has been extended to include “IA”, ‘intersex’ and ‘asexual’; they still have very little representation in the entertainment industry. In ‘The Walking Dead’, there are gay, lesbian characters, so it isn’t like the creators have a lot to risk if they add some more sexual diversity. Maybe the asexual community is too small for big producers to care about their visibility. It’s easier to pander to heterosexual ‘ships’ and rake in more TRPs, than bother about a minority group. One only has to take the example of the popular TV character Sheldon Cooper from ‘Big Bang Theory’ to understand how asexual representation is sometimes deliberately erased to introduce ‘regular’ romantic themes. From the start, Sheldon Cooper was projected as a geek with no interest in romance/sex and yet, as the show progressed, he was practically forced into a hetero relationship. And in later episodes, he is pretty much bullied by his friends into establishing a physical relationship with his girlfriend.

‘The Walking Dead’ makers had the chance to change things and not go the ‘Big Bang Theory’ way, but they have chosen not to. Daryl Dixon could’ve been an asexual icon, but going by the new episodes of Season 10, his ‘somewhat asexual’ appeal has already been diluted with a ‘somewhat romantic’ sub-plot. Although nothing sexual transpires between Daryl and this new character, the flashback story was so pointless, that it seemed like the makers introduced it with the sole purpose of ‘somewhat’ clarifying that ‘hey, this guy is straight’. In-fact, with the way the show is progressing, fans might not be too surprised if Dixon ends up shacking with one of the woman characters after all, and has a couple of babies himself. Sigh.

Please subscribe to our podcast by the same name on Youtube: Abstract AF.

Listen to Episode 4 for a ‘Comics Vs Show’ comparison of ‘The Walking Dead’

Pashmina – Graphic Novel Review

Rating: 3 out of 5.

‘Pashmina’ by Nidhi Chanani is a graphic novel about discovering one’s roots. The story starts off in America, where we meet the protagonist Priyanka Das, who has been raised in the U.S by her mother. Priyanka doesn’t know anything about her father and the topic is off limits for Das senior.

The illustrations are simple, adorable and some readers might love the way there’s a sudden burst of colours in some panels, because the artwork is monochromatic for most part. As far as the story is concerned, it’s almost Bollywood-like, except for the magical shawl that Priyanka discovers in her mother’s suitcase one day. When she wraps the pashmina shawl around her, it transports her to historical places in India and two talking animals show her around. Thrilled by this wonderful new find, she decides to take a trip to India to find out the truth behind her mystical shawl.

The author merges themes of religion, magic, feminism and family into a book that ends up being a bit of a mixed bag. While the cartoon-like simple artwork suggests it meant for little kids, ‘Pashmina’ dwells into more complex themes like alienation and suppression on women. While I wasn’t a fan of the sentimental religious themes in the book, it makes for a breezy read.

It’s a 3/5 from me.

Subscribe to our podcast by the same name on YouTube – Abstract AF.

If you are a graphic-novel enthusiast, listen in to Episode 15.

‘Sweet Tooth’ Comics Vs Series – 25 Differences

‘Sweet Tooth’ is a comic series written and illustrated by Jeff Lemire and Netflix has released a live-action series based on the characters from his work.

Anybody who has ever seen Jeff Lemire’s work can easily guess that the series is probably very different from the adaptation. We list 25 small and big ways in which the two differ in the latest episode of Abstract AF’s podcast.

Listen in and don’t forget to subscribe to the channel –

‘Awake’ Review – The Script Puts Logic To Sleep

“Global hysteria ensues after a mysterious catastrophe wipes out all electronics and takes away humanity’s ability to sleep…” reads the description of the 2021 dystopian film ‘Awake’, directed by Mark Raso. Well, 2021 seems to be the year of the Covid19 pandemic and ‘end of the world’ scripts. Lot of viewers don’t mind watching the world going to hell on their screens, while their real lives have been tossed up by an actual virus whose origins are still a matter of global debate.

In ‘Awake’, we follow mom Jill Adams (Gina Rodriguez), who is an ex-army personnel, trying to get her kids to safety as everybody slowly starts losing their sanity due to lack of sleep. Jill’s daughter Matilda seems to be the only one who can still fall asleep. So Jill tries to ensure she doesn’t end up becoming a lab-rat for scientists trying to cure the insomnia-fueled catastrophe. Okay, Mark Rasso may have written this story after a few sleepless nights himself, because ‘Awake’ is so terribly scripted that even a kid can see the twists; which doesn’t make much sense by the way.

Jill and family encounter religious fanatics, naked cultists, prisoners running riot, blood-thirsty anarchists and finally – an army facility where everybody is losing their shit. The pace is fine and some of the action scenes are pretty good even, but the story just doesn’t stick. There is a very hurried and lousy explanation to why the ‘human brains have been rewired’. And the way to get past it is even sillier. It doesn’t help that the characters are shoddily written and superficial. Gina Rodriguez isn’t very convincing as the fierce bad-ass mom doing all she can to protect her cubs. Even the supporting cast is largely mediocre.

While some things are too convenient, there are other things that were quite silly. In the beginning of the film, all the satellites start to fall down, while I am no science whiz, my co-watcher explained how even if electricity is wiped off across the earth, satellites won’t just start falling and will continue to orbit in space. It will take years for orbital decay and yes, eventually they will crash; but just because there isn’t no electricity on earth, there won’t be a massive satellite shower.

Had the makers put in a little more effort into the story, ‘Awake’ could have been a more fun watch. It does have a lot of potential, some of the chaotic scenes in the second-half were entertaining enough, but the climax was too sentimental and disappointing. It’s a 5/10 from me.

Please subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF

Listen to episode 29 for some fun movie recommendations.

Luisa: Now and Then – Quick Book Review

‘Luisa: Now and Then’ is a graphic novel by Carole Maurel, adapted by Mariko Tamaki. It has the classic question as its central theme – ‘if you could meet your younger self, what would you tell them?’.

Well, the protagonist Luisa is a cynical 33-year-old living in Paris and making a living by taking pictures of frozen pizza slices. She admit to having lost interest in men and also seems to be in denial of her sexuality. Things shake up, when by some freak of nature, she gets to meet her 15-year-old self. The younger Luisa had hopped on a bus in 1995, but finds herself getting off in a strange place, where the year is 2013.

So there is accidental time-travel and eventual body-swapping too. Time travel + body swap = pretty good scope for some great laughs. While at no point does the story have the reader in splits, it keeps you amused enough to be invested in what is happening.

The best thing about ‘Luisa: Now and Then’ is the colorful artwork. There’s a beautiful splash of bright yellow and blue tones, and the art gives off a water-paint effect which makes it really fun to look and read. The story is interesting enough, but could’ve benefited with some stronger plot-points. Teen Luisa and her older version are poles apart, leading to a lot of conflict and two pulling each other’s hair. Literally. Throw in a gorgeous neighbor and there are sparks flying.

It was fun to see both versions of the protagonist judging each other, the older for the teen’s lack of style and ambitious dreams; while the younger at how the life of her future self looks like – bland, lonely and loveless. As the two confront each other, they slowly understand what really went wrong and learn a strong lesson – it’s okay to love whoever you want.

The overall tone of the graphic novel is sunny and the author manages to explain the perils of sexual confusion and denial in a breezy way, without a lot of drama or emotions. It’s a 4/5 from me.

And happy pride month again.

Please subscribe to our podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF

Listen to episode 29 for some fun LGBTQ themed book recommendations.