Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme #6

This is a pretty cool issue. It’s a “choose your own adventure” story where you make decisions and then turn to a particular page based upon the choice you make. I remember reading books like this when I was younger and how much I loved them. Not meaning to brag, but I made it successfully through on my first attempt. I some different choices on subsequent readings and the other ones sent me back to the beginning.

Some people view reading as a passive activity, but not me. As a reader, I engage myself in the text, place myself in the story, and imagine how I would respond in the various scenarios. And I think that is what is so cool about a choose-your-own-adventure book—it teaches young readers how to be active readers while igniting their imaginations. It also teaches a valuable lesson, that our choices have consequences. The decisions we make as we journey through life affect the outcomes. So choose wisely.

The X Files: Issue 01

When I went to the comic store the other day to pick up my cache, this one was in my folder. I confess that I hesitated for a minute. A new X-Files arc? The last one I found disappointing, so I was not sure I wanted to bother with it. But being the X-phile that I am, I figured I would give it a read. If nothing else, it would give me something to complain about. But I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised and encouraged by this first installment.

The story is about an active shooter incident in a mall where each of the shooters claims to see holes in the sky. There is a lot of stuff happening behind the scenes that is not made clear but implies that there is some sort of experiment taking place. Think “Jacob’s Ladder.”

What I liked the most about this issue is that it works as a stand-alone story, but also ties in with the larger X-Files conspiracies, so you can approach it from different levels depending upon your knowledge of the background. And it seemed well thought-out, the writing was solid, and the artwork was good. Honestly, I couldn’t find a flaw in this, which was encouraging. My interest is definitely piqued and I will certainly continue reading the subsequent issues. I get the feeling that the creative team has gotten their groove back and have some fresh ideas they are ready to explore.