The problem with learning to read when you’re four and continuing to consume vast amounts of reading material since then, is that you read really fast. I mean I finished “Where the Crawdads Sing” in a single night, that’s about 400 pages and at most I spent 4 hours on it. Maybe that’s not fast, maybe you read faster, maybe I just think I read fast. Anyway to me, I read really fast, and when I start reading I don’t like to stop….
During this pandemic fast reading mixed with my anxiety (a beautiful thing), this has become a bit of a problem. Normally I get multiple library books a week. But, my childhood germaphobe is coming back and I refuse to believe that them quarantining the books for 72 hours is safe. So I wander my tiny apartment, reading too many ebooks from the library app until my eyes cross and then raid the husbands bookshelf for new comics to enjoy. Yes I could buy books, I’m trying to buy less on amazon, and ya know pandemic so money. I finally did buy an actual book (I’m really excited I haven’t bought a novel for me in years) rather than picking up way too many new comics at our local shop every time I go. But until that arrives I’m stuck with Hubby’s comics.
I shouldn’t say “stuck with” he has some good material in there. I haven’t hated anything I’ve picked up...yet. It’s only unfortunate because while we pick up most of our comics as volumes that have multiple issues in them. I can still knock one out in less than an hour even with my son interrupting me every few minutes. You see my problem? I.Read.To.Fast.
Anyways, one of my recent picks from his shelf that he suggested I read multiple times (in the middle of me reading a book on my phone), is the “Copperhead” series by Ron Riley. I finally gave in and picked it up. Can we flash back to a couple weekends ago when I read the entire "Serenity" series in one day? It wasn’t quite there but almost there. It had a very similar vibe to "Serenity". Nothing can touch "Serenity" in my heart though so I can’t say it was as good.
“Copperhead” is another space cowboy-esk comic series where there’s new planets and moons etc that have been terraformed for human life blah blah blah. I’m assuming it was named Copperhead for the main character Clara, who definitely gives me Captain Reynolds vibes, if Captain Reynolds was a girl and had a kid.
The first issue Clara and her kid move to another earth as she is the new sheriff in town. For some reason she hates these “artificial humans” I can’t figure out if they’re actually like drones or robots, or if they were made of organic material like you and me, but MADE, in a lab. If that was pointed out so far it clearly went straight over my head, and if not I hope they point it out later in the series. That’s a side-note though because I don’t think the author is intending for me to fixate on what these “arties” actually are. His mentioning of Clara’s dislike for them or distrust for them is probably what I should be focusing on. But, if you haven’t noticed already I get distracted by these stupid things in my reading and fixate on them (case in point see “when you miss the entire point of the book because you hit a nerve and you’re raging”...or just read the title it says it all.
Another point I found really interesting in the series so far (Hubby only had the first two issues so that’s as far as I’ve gotten), is Clara’s ex. What is going on there, what crime did he commit. Did she actually commit it with him, did she just escape from him. There’s a lot there, I really want to know (thus I will be having to visit the comic shop again), that’s good though congratulations Riley, you’ve got me hooked.
I also want to know is the mayor going to help the rich evil guy off Clara? That was never discussed, I mean you can’t just ask a question like that and then not tell me! It’s not fair!!!
These two volumes had a lot to unpack from the very beginning. I kind of love that there was a setup to keep the series going. I think the storyline of the mayor is a shorter one, it was only really mentioned once. However, both the question of what is going on with Clara’s ex and her hatred of “arties” were mentioned several times, so I don’t think I’ll be getting an answer on either of those anytime soon in the series.
Reality though I love the suspense, I love the drama (when it’s not my own). That’s why reality shows are so popular (I personally hate them, but that’s a story for another time). I think that’s why any book or show becomes so popular. Is everyone enjoys escaping their own reality for a time. If there is mystery and suspense we get drawn even further in because we start coming up with our own theories. We start getting invested in it.
I also really liked the artwork in this series, it’s not too cheesy, kind of subtle overtones, making it a little more realistic I guess I would say. When I say cheesy, you know the giant letters with a sharp spiky bright red or yellow accent to it saying “Bam” or something of that nature.
Nothing against those comics, I just am more drawn to ones that are more subtle. Probably since I've been reading novels without pictures since I was far too young to have given up the pictures.
All in all, I’m very glad Hubby had this series in his bookshelf and want to continue reading it, because good artwork, good storyline, lots of suspense and mystery and I am one-hundred percent in.
“Copperhead Vol 1 & 2” by Ron Riley
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