Regular Sip - Kaiju Revisited #4 (from Apokrupha Press)

This is the third Kaiju Revisited novella that I'm looking at, though it's the fourth in the series. Somehow I missed the third, and with my schedule I'm not sure if I have time to go back for it. For now, I do want to visit this story, which is a genre-bending, fast and furious story that still manages to hit some powerful emotional moments and craft a world that is all-too-real and, in that, all-too-depressing. But there's also a buddy-adventure aspect featuring an adorable baby dragon named Bear that keeps things from teetering entirely into the void. It's a strange read, but one worth unpacking, and before I give too much away, let's do just that with the review!

Art by Christopher Enterline

Regular Sip - Kaiju Revisited #2 (from Apokrupha Press)

For those looking for a seamless tonal continuation from the first story in Apokrupha Press' Kaiju Revisited line, (the first of which I reviewed here)…well, I'd say both have their fair share of darkness. But where the last story was darkly funny and ultimately fun and uplifting, this novella is more utterly devastating and richly tragic. Slight trigger warnings because it's something of a tragic queer love story (and for content, which is intense as fuck), but I feel it manages to be so while still being powerfully complex and resonating. The story here takes much of the action off of Earth and into the stars, losing the kitchen appliances of the last work for a galaxy filled with different alien races all trying to get along (or destroy) humanity, while humanity has its own brand of aggression to dish out. It's a difficult work for many reasons, and it's not often fun, but it is filled with monsters and destruction and loss, and makes for a fascinating second installment in the Kaiju Revisited series. So yeah, to the review!

Art by Christopher Enterline

Regular Sip - Kaiju Revisited #1 (from Apokrupha Press)

So I'm trying something a little new. I've been trying to step out of my shell a little more with regards to novellas, and so when the opportunity arose to look at a series of kaiju-inspired tales from Apokrupha, I sort of jumped for it. I'm a little late to the game as the first two in the series came out in 2016, but I hope I'm not too late to point people toward what is a rather delightful first installment in the series. I will admit, part of the draw of kaiju stories is that they are…well, a little over-the-top. Giant monsters bent on city-wide destruction. There's a nice vein of horror there, but this first entry into the series focuses on something a bit different—humor. Through a charming voice the story reveals a situation equal parts nightmarish…and funny as hell. So yeah, the review!

Art by Christopher Enterline