2025 Reading List with Reviews, Part 2
More Fiction titles on the reading list, adding some Non-fiction works, and making a few Comic Book reading suggestions for followers
Part 2 is below, but there will eventually be a Part 3, as more fundraiser materials roll in over the next few months, to include more from
, ACKS II & Ascendant materials and other Autarch game source books from , and some anticipated goodies from .Here’s where we break into some of the large stacks of books that have been purchased and, up until now, have not received their due reading attention. This is what 2025 is really meant to do: get as many of these read, enjoyed, and reviewed as possible. Well, not entirely. There are a still fair number of re-reads here as well, because — well, these are good books! Good books get read more than once! Probably missed a good number on the pass through the bookshelves as well. That’s what “Part 3s” are for, one would guess.
Non-fiction does include some Science and Mathematics, because no one wants to lose their Piled Higher and Deeper cred, if you know what I mean. Besides, these are also written by some outstanding authors who can entertain as well as educate. Only one is listed so far, but more to come.
Comic books listed are from Public Domain archives which are maintained by some dedicated volunteers who want to preserve as much of comic book history as the Law and Nature will allow. Please consider making a donation to these sites to defray their upkeep and hosting costs if you can afford to do so. Thanks!
FICTION BOOKS, PART 2
from Pilum Press (be sure to ‘swing by’ and say ‘hi’ to here on the ‘Stack)Thune’s Vision by Sky Hernstrom from Pilum Press
Death Flex (New Voices Anthology 3) from Pilum Press
Pulp Rock: An Anthology of Musically Inspired Tales by
(Editor; Contributing Author)Wild Stars VII: The Gold Exigency by Michael Tierney from
Several issues of Cirsova Magazine as well, also from Cirsova (website)
The Hidden Truth Series and Wise of Heart by
You can also read Wise of Heart on Substack — click here to join Hans’ Substack for the book’s serialization.
NON-FICTION BOOKS
Dreamers & Misfits: The Definitive Book About Rush Fans by
Everything You Believe is Wrong by
— I will endeavor to get to Uncertainty as well, but can’t promise that at this time.COMIC BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
Comic books in this tranche are hosted by Comic Book Plus, a website that gathers and presents Public Domain comics for readers to view online, and also to download with a free account. Consider a sending them a donation to defray their hosting costs if you enjoy the service that they offer.
These comic book recommendations are primarily from Pre-1954 Comics Code magazines, so parents should tread carefully before sharing with their children. Direct links below should not be to anything too out of bounds, but best to review regardless.
Remember: “Wertham was right!”
Young Romance by the Joe Simon & Jack Kirby Studio (Prize Comics) — the first Romance comic book series! It was so successful that National Periodicals (DC Comics) bought the rights and continued to publish it for many years. Prize featured a host of Romance comics, as well as other genres.
Pictorial Romances (St John Publishing) — this is just one example of several Romance books the company produced; St John had a number of talented freelancers working for them, including Murphy Anderson, Dan Barry, Gene Colan, E. R. Kinstler, Bernie Krigstein, Joe Kubert, Bob Powell, Alex Toth, and George Tuska, as well as featuring many Matt Baker covers and stories.
Captain Marvel Adventures (Fawcett Comics) — starring the Original Captain Marvel; the One and Only Big Red Cheese, plus the Marvel Family!
America’s Best Comics (Standard/Better/Nedor/Pines) - the “Nedor Heroes” included Black Terror, Doc Strange, The Fighting Yank, PyroMan, The Woman in Red, and Captain Future.
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents (Tower Comics) - Wally Wood edited some of the most fun and fastest burning superhero comics of the 60s — very Pulpy; there and gone much too fast. NoMan is still a pretty unique character.
Smash Comics (Quality Comics) — comic book anthology typical of the late 30s and early 40s; mix of adventure, humor, funny animal, and mystery genres
Thrilling Comics (Standard/Better/Nedor/Pines) — another anthology that ran the gamut from adventure, humor, western, war, mystery, jungle girls, to masked heroes
Fight Comics (Fiction House) — anthology that morphed into one of the bigger Jungle Girl comics, along with Jumbo Comics, which featured Sheena, Queen of the Jungle.
Manhunt (Magazine Enterprises) — good adventure stories; again some great Ogden Whitney art on Undercover Girl stories (collected here) in the series.
Adventures into the Unknown (American Comics Group/ACG) — the FIRST Horror Comic Book Series, despite the claims of William “Bill” Gaines. Light horror and very little in the way of Gaines’ excesses.
Forbidden Worlds (American Comics Group/ACG) — mix of adventure, mystery, light horror, and Twilight Zone-like situations
Four Color (Dell Comics/Western Publishing) — long running (1,354 issues!) anthology series that featured Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, Walter Lantz, Radio & Television, Movie, and original Dell Comics characters; Four Color would often be a test bed for new series that were then spun off into their own books.
PS Magazine (Preventive Maintenance Monthly) — drawn by Will Eisner for the US Army; maintenance manuals, education, and training in a comic book format.
Looking back on those lists, reading should be full-up for 2025, and there is still more to add. Well, that’s for a third post, and likely that one after the New Year.
Thanks again for reading!
Thanks for the shout out, man!
Thanks for the mentions!