As you can probably tell from the Books section of this blog, I enjoy spotlighting a few books from time to time. It’s definitely an area of my writing that has gone somewhat unfulfilled—comics, video games, and movies receive the bulk of my love and attention writing-wise, but that doesn’t mean I’ve lost heart for a good book. Quite the opposite, actually.

So I’ve decided to try something new. Keep an eye out for Rad Ink, a new ongoing feature over at RadNerd that promises nerdy book reviews. I’m kicking it off with Peter and Max: A Fables Novel by Bill Willingham. Head over to the website to scope out the full review, but here’s a preview:

Most books and comics never make it out of their papery, multi-colored form or burst out of their speech bubbles, and that’s okay—we nerds like ‘em just the way they are. Here at RadNerd, we don’t always need fancy pants movie adaptations endorsed by big budget Hollywood mouths or plastered with Nicholas Cage’s face. A little less Nick is good for everyone. We love movies and TV just as much as the next joe, but sometimes going back to to the roots of what we adore just sounds better. You know … all those crazy words and stuff. Letters are like atoms for the literately-inclined.

Bill Willingham broke that single medium rule by breaking his popular Fables series out of its panel-defined shell, giving the world Peter and Max: A Fables Novel. Yeah, you heard me. Novel. Got it? Good. Screw comic blockbuster, Willingham and his right-hand, illustrating man Steve Leialoha decided to appeal to the bookworm in all of us … or at least try to coax its shriveled body out into daylight again.