V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. In Latin it means “By the
power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.” It’s also the
motto of V, a terrorist in a world of strict totalitarian rule. He aims to
spread truth to post nuclear war Britain and give its citizens freedom to
choose their fate. But fate has a stranglehold on society: her eyes watch
everything; her nose sniffs out every crime. Her ears hear the faintest whisper
of insurrection; her mouth speaks her version of truth. V and his protégé Evey
vie to vindicate Britain’s people from this governmental vice. He uses violent and
vicious methods to expose the virulent deeds of Britain’s corrupt society, all
in the name of vengeance. You see, V has a vendetta.
Bleach vol. 1 by Tite Kubo
Ichigo Kurosaki is a normal high school student. He’s
hot-headed and likes to fight. He can also see ghosts. One day Ichigo finds a
ghost of a teenage girl in his room: except this time she is much more than
just a ghost. She is Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper. She explains to Ichigo that
there are two types of souls in the human world: “wholes” that are good spirits
she must send beyond to the soul society, and “hollows” which she must fight
and vanquish. Suddenly a hollow attacks Ichigo’s family and he is their only
hope for survival. Rukia gives Ichigo her soul reaper powers temporarily and he
defeats the hollow. But this exchange has unforeseen consequences. For one:
Rukia is now his classmate. Not only is she stuck in the human world, she must
get Ichigo to conduct all her duties for the soul society in her stead. How can
Ichigo continue being a normal student now while protecting his friends and
family from hollows?
Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block
“The reason Weetzie Bat hated high school was because no one understood. They didn’t even realize where they were living. They didn’t care that Marilyn’s prints were practically in their backyard at Graumann’s; that you could buy tomahawks and plastic palm tree wallets at Farmer’s Market, and the wildest, cheapest cheese and bean and and hotdog and pastrami burritos at Oki Dogs; that the waitresses wore skates at the Jetson-style Tiny Naylor’s; that there was a fountain that turned tropical soda-pop colors, and a canyon where Jim Morrison and Houdini used to live, and all-night potato knishes at Canter’s, and not too far away was Venice, with columns, and canals, even, like the real Venice but maybe cooler because of the surfers. There was no one who cared. Until Dirk.” These are the opening words of Weetzie Bat’s story, one about her life in what she likes to call “Shangri-L.A.”. One day Dirk’s grandma Fifi gives the pair a bottle, out of which pops a genie. Weetzie makes three wishes: a Duck for Dirk, My Secret Agent Lover Man for her, and a beautiful house for them to live in happily ever after. The results of Weetzie’s wishes aren’t what she expects, but can she still find her happily ever after in Shangri-L.A.?
