Ink and Riffs is a regular review series written by me, Citywide Co-Host Max Bowen, to talk about what I’m reading and listening to. Send suggestions to citywidemax@yahoo.com.
“Impact Winter” (Audiobook)
I came across this audiobook series one day and thought “Why the hell not?” And damn, am I glad I did.
From executive producers of The Walking Dead and Travis Beacham, the writer of Pacific Rim, this Audible Original is set in the near future and seven years since a comet hit the earth and blotted out the sun. The world is a dark, frozen landscape. And then, beastly creatures emerge and take over. Can they really be vampires?
This series includes an absolutely amazing cast, plus great music and sound effects. The voice cast is really good, and clearly experienced. They really dive into their roles and owned them right from the beginning. The music, which includes full songs from different bands, sets the scenes perfectly and the sound effects paint a very complete picture.
The story is very well-written and the twists and turns keep you hooked. I’ve finished the first two volumes and am currently on the third one now, and really looking forward to how the story ends.
“Say Something” by Ashley Elle (Music)
Ashley Elle’s first EP, released last December, came to my attention through my Blackout Collection playlist. “Conditions” was on the playlist and I decided to check out the rest of the album.
Ashley has such a great voice and it really flows through songs like “They Always Come Back” and the title track. This folk/pop artist has released a number of singles since 2021 and “Say Something” is her first album release, so I suppose it’s fair to say she’s still in the early stages of her music career. If this album is any indication, she’s got a bright future ahead of her.
This seven-track album showcases a lot of Ashley’s versatility within the genres. “Falling” has a pretty upbeat sound while “Save Us” is more mellow. “October” is one of my favorites. This has a very layered folk sound that drew me right in. That’s something I really like about this album—the music really varies song to song, and we see the range that Ashley works with.
Overall, this album has a lot to offer, and I hope there’s a lot more to come.
“Grammaton Punch” (Comic)
I’ve talked about this comic before in a previous Citywide Blackout episode, back when it was first released. Written by Miles Gunter, with art by Briane Andan, colors by Lee Loughridge and letters by Taylor Esposito, this limited series is available on ComiXology and definitely worth reading. Here’s a look at the story.
“Born on an eclipse, Van Nguyen has the ability to see ghosts that feed off the energy of unsuspecting adults. Unfortunately being "extra" makes him a target for these evil spirits but what he soon realizes is- Van can fight back.”
This series is sharp, witty and very human in its delivery. Van is a great hero, not because he’s always winning, but because he has plenty of challenges that he has difficulty overcoming. You feel a lot for the guy, especially in one part that you need to see for yourself.
The art is just brilliant, with a wide range of colors, varied and unique designs for all the characters and detailed scenes that are worth a second look. I loved all the designs for the ghosts and each one stood well on its own.
“Grammaton Punch” is a great—and often dark—ride into a world where punching ghosts in the face is just plain awesome.
