Ten years ago, I was interviewed about comic books by then journalism student Catherine Monroy for Zephyr, a publication of the New England High School Journalism Collaborative (NEHSJC). You can read the article below or here! Or you can enjoy this video she took of me reading from the incomparable comic book Sex Criminals!
If you were a fan of the fantastic, gorgeous Jem and the Holograms comics from BOOM! Studios, you’re in luck: BOOM! Direct Reserve has launched the JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS: TRULY OUTRAGEOUS COMIC COLLECTION Kickstarter campaign. This will mark the first time that these fabulous comics will be collected in their entirety in deluxe hardcover editions. If you’re a fan of the original cartoon series and missed out on the comics, now is your chance to reserve your copies. Rewards range from the deluxe hardcover of volume 1 at $60 to the $1500 “Ultimate Battle of the Bands Collection,” which includes The Stingers Sound Set, The Misfits Music Set, and Jem and the Holograms Starlight Set (with each volume 1 signed by Kelly Thompson and Sophie Campbell). This project has already reached its goal, so you have until Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST to back it.
This book is a must for Taylor Swift fans. I compulsively read Love Stories (The Taylors Version #1) because I was so consumed with the characters, the drama, and the Taylor Swift Easter eggs. There’s even a nod to one of my favorite (non-Taylor) singers! Elizabeth Eulberg does an excellent job with the characters’ individual voices. I’ve been using Love Stories as a benchmark for other young adult novels with multiple narrators. The recommended age for ‘Love Stories’ is 12-18, and the content does skew young (they’re high school freshmen), so one should feel comfortable sharing with mature middle grade readers who have read Jen Calonita’s companion book The Taylors.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Earlier this month, BOOM! Studios, in collaboration with Hasbro, announced that it has licensed the publishing rights to the fabulous ’80s IP Jem and The Holograms! Here’s what BOOM! Studios detailed in a press release:
Fans can look forward to all-new stories with Jem and all her friends coming from BOOM! Studios in 2026, along with a BOOM! Direct Reserve Campaign collecting the historic run of JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS comics launching on Kickstarter this November.
The news arrives during the brand’s milestone 40th anniversary, following the debut of new dolls from The Loyal Subjects, marking an exciting new era for the iconic franchise.
“I was part of the team that brought JEM & THE HOLOGRAMS back to comics in 2015 and saw first-hand the positive impact our stories had on a broad and diverse community of readers,” said Michael Kelly, Publisher of BOOM! Studios. “I could not be happier than to be working with Jerrica, Kimber, Stormer and the rest of the group (yeah, even Pizzazz) once again.”
Note that the new dolls from The Loyal Subjects are available to pre-order from their website. Some are even scheduled to ship before the holidays (Hint, hint). For continuing news on Jem and The Holograms and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to this blog.
Ad Astra opens strongly with “Zarathustra,” which gives off Queen/Flash Gordon score energy. Yes-it’s the Zarathustra of Richard Strauss and 2001: A Space Odyssey fame, and it’s a banger! Other standout tracks include “Which One Do You Want?”, which is my new bisexual anthem, and “Fun People”- a massive earworm that features Graham Coxon of Blur. BTW, “Which One Do You Want” gives some delightful, jangly Johnny Marr vibes. My sentimental heart aches for “My Favourite Ghost.”
“Deadly Love” is a solid, classic Ash ballad. “Keep Dreaming” feels like what would happen if The Cars and Fountains of Wayne had a power pop baby. Adam Schlesinger would’ve loved it. The previously released cover of “Jump In the Line” finds a home on Ad Astra, though it feels like it should have been an ending track (or, if possible, a hidden track!). The trio attacks the song with the same spirited verve they had when they covered “Cantina Band” 30 years ago. “Dehumanised” has a brilliant bridge and continues the space theme with an ending that sounds like a rocket burning away.
The title track brings us back full circle with a return to the stars. Coxon makes his second appearance on the album’s charming closer. Ad Astra is definitely gonna be in my top five albums of 2025.
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