"Strong Female Protagonist (Book 2: V5-6)," by Brennan Lee Mulligan and Molly Ostertag

Strong Female Protagonist: Book Two by Brennan Lee Mulligan and illustrated by Molly Ostertag follows Allison Green, formerly Mega Girl, as she tries to navigate her "post-super," life. After years on the beat, she's given up crime-fighting (but retains her powers). In her, "new," life, she has to juggle college, volunteer firefighting, and a world that hasn't let go of her previous identity. As such, she struggles with the ethics of super-heroism, and how to truly change the world for the better. Pros It's in color now, and the production values have obviously increased. This alone addresses one of my annoyances from the previous book (e.g. that characters could sometimes be hard to differentiate). The story is still an interesting deconstruction of the superhero genre; I appreciate that the story considers the practical and philosophical implications of superheros in the "real world." As an added bonus, the writing is less heavy-handed than it was in the previous omnibus. The story continues to set up a lot of threads to potentially pay off. This could be a pro or a con depending on how things shake out in the coming volumes, but I am listing it as a pro for now (because the story is ongoing). Cons Action scenes are still scattered and only OK, especially in comparison to more battle-focused work (e.g. "One Punch Man"). If that's what you are looking for, you will be better served elsewhere. On one hand, I like that the author considers how the emergence of superheros might affect other countries. On the other hand, I was disappointed at how small a role these vignettes play (e.g. mentioned briefly in dialogue without ever really crossing over into the "main" story). It seems the vignette from this omnibus might cross into the "main" story, but that remains to be seen.  Conclusion The book doesn't rise to some of the greatest heights of comics, but it's fun for what it is. The philosophical underpinning and debates were better integrated into the story this time (via an actual philosophy professor), and the fact that the comic is in color makes a big difference. I'm both curious and excited to see where the comic goes from here. The biggest struggle, then, will be the wait for the next collected edition. Final Score 8/10

"Strong Female Protagonist (Book 1: V1-4)," by Brennan Lee Mulligan and Molly Ostertag

Strong Female Protagonist, by Brennan Lee Mulligan and illustrated by Molly Ostertag follows Allison Green, formerly Mega Girl, as she tries to navigate her "post-super," life.  After years on the beat, she's given up crime-fighting (but retains her powers).   In her, "new," life, she has to juggle college, a job, and a world that hasn't let go of her previous identity.  As such, she struggles with the ethics of super-heroism, and how to truly change the world for the better.

Pros

• The story is an interesting deconstruction of the superhero genre; I appreciate that the story considers the practical and philosophical implications of superheros in the "real world," even if it does so imperfectly (see: "cons").
• The story sets up a lot of threads to potentially pay off (e.g. superheroes as nationalist figures, the execution of superheroes who would truly change the world, etc).  This could be a pro or a con depending on how things shake out in the coming volumes, but I am listing it as a pro for now.

Cons

• The art style means it can be hard to differentiate characters, and especially background characters.  This issue is compounded by the fact that most background characters come and go quickly.
• Action scenes are scattered and only OK, especially in comparison to more battle-focused work (e.g. "One Punch Man").
• While I appreciate the intellectual discourse, the writing can be very heavy-handed.  At times it feels like Philosophy 101 with superheros as case studies instead of being a story.
• Nit-pick: I found the little post-scripts that were included on the bottom of many of the comic's pages were a distraction rather than adding anything especially interesting to the story.

Conclusion
The book doesn't rise to some of the greatest heights of comics, but it's fun for what it is.  I found the philosophical debates to be heavy-handed at times, but it didn't stop me from finishing the comic and purchasing the next omnibus (volume 5-8).  Ultimately, I'm curious to see how (or perhaps if) the various plot threads will play out.

Final Score:
7/10

"The Universe In A Nutshell," by Steven Hawking

Summary
Hawking works to present fundamental theories of the universe in a way that's digestible to the layman. 

Pros:

• I think Hawking more-or-less succeeded in his efforts to demystify "life, the universe, and everything," as currently understood by our modern scientific models. 
• I enjoyed Hawking's wry humor; if I recall correctly, he throws in more jokes than The Grand Design.
• The reader's performance (and his accent) matched well with the material presented.

Cons:

• Audiobook format means that figures are lost (though they are only explicitly referenced a few times). 
• Despite Hawking's best efforts, the material is still incredibly dense. Beyond that, science simply doesn't have all the answers. This second point isn't a con, of course, but worth noting.
• I sometimes found myself drifting to sleep while listening to this audiobook. I don't think it was the material present (because I found it interesting), or the presenter's voice (which is appropriately British and spirited), however.

Conclusion
I enjoyed the work. Also, given that it was published almost two decades ago, I'm curious to know how science has advanced, and how Hawking's thinking has changed over time. I'll have to seek out Brief Answers to the Big Questions.

Ghost Paper Embossed Journal (A5)

"Ghost Paper," is described by its manufacturer as, "the freedom of a blank journal with the structure of a lined journal."  As a lover of stationary, I was intrigued by this product because innovation is hard to come by in the paper industry (especially since it has been around for centuries).

I've tended to shy away from blank notebooks in the past (and in particular blank Tomoe River notebooks) because they required me to carry a writing mat (i.e. a separate piece of plastic that goes underneath the page being written on).  With that said, I was hopeful Ghost Paper could give me the best of both worlds: lined pages when I wanted them, and a blank page when I didn't.  Did they succeed?  Read on to find out.

Basic Info:

• Cost: $25 / A5 notebook (on the manufacturer's website)
• I paid $40 for two notebooks via "drop.com"
• Size: 6'' x 8''
• Page Count: 96
• Numbered Pages?  No

Pros: 

• Ink drys incredibly fast on this paper.  Words didn't smear even if I touched them immediately after writing them (though, as a caveat, I did all of my writing with an EF or F nib).
• The notebook includes a built-in pen loop and page marker, which is always nice to have.
• The paper didn't disintegrate when exposed to a few drops of water.  I don't know that it'd stand up to mixed media or water colors, though. 
• Though there is show-through, bleed-through is minimal.  There is a touch of feathering present, but only if you really look for it.  
• The embossing / de-bossing feels interesting to touch, but is subtle enough that it does not affect the writing experience.  In other words, I only felt "valleys," while writing on the paper when I was really looking for them.

Cons:

• The embossing / de-bossing is neat, but it can be hard to see the lines on a given page without either writing with the notebook at an angle (i.e. not laying flat on a table) or deploying an external light source in close proximity, like a phone's flashlight.  Neither of these are ideal, as the former can be uncomfortable, and the latter takes away from the joyful simplicity writing in a notebook affords.  This issue persisted even in natural light.
• On this note, I think the embossing and debossing is much easier to see on the manufacturer's website (ghostpaper.com) than it is to see in person, which is disappointing.
• Though this is a matter of personal preference, the rubbery cover material used for this notebook feels weird to me.

Conclusion:
This notebook has some good things going for it: the paper seems to be of reasonably high quality, and I enjoy the novel thinking its manufacturer brings to market.  With that being said, novelty isn't always useful.  I couldn't see the lines as clearly or as often as I would have liked.  Since that is the main feature / selling point of this product, I can't justify giving it a high score.

This notebook is best suited for someone who wants a blank notebook with occasional lines much more than someone seeking a lined notebook that is occasionally blank.  I'm glad I did not pay full price, and while I wouldn't steer a friend away from the product, I wouldn't encourage a purchase either.  Ultimately, I am not in a rush to buy more, "Ghost Paper."

Final Score:
6/10

"Creative Quest," by Ahmir Questlove Thompson

From The Publisher of Creative Quest:
Questlove—musician, bandleader, designer, producer, culinary entrepreneur, professor, and all-around cultural omnivore—shares his wisdom on the topics of inspiration and originality in a one-of-a-kind guide to living your best creative life. 

Pros: 

• Questlove does a deep dive into creativity: who is / can be creative, how to harness your creativity (via a handful of exercises), and quotes from notable creative people and researchers (e.g. Bjork, David Bowie, etc).
• Questlove talks candidly about issues of race in his work, and how that can affect the creative process
• Fans of Questlove will be sure to appreciate Questlove's discussion of his own creative process and collaborators. Those who are looking for more of a memoir will probably get more enjoyment out of Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to QuestloveMo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove, however.

Cons: 

• The last two chapters felt tacked on, especially in light of their length (5-8 minutes vs the typical chapter's 45+ minutes)
• Though Questlove talks about how his work exists at the, "intersection of creativity and commerce," I found that there was not much discussion about how to make money with one's art.
• (nit-pick) It was weird to hear a quote (seemingly) read by David Bowie directly late in the book when virtually all of the preceding quotes were read by Questlove.

Conclusion: 
Ultimately, I enjoyed Creative Quest. My lack of experience with Questlove's / The Root's music was not a barrier to entry, and there is plenty of insight to be gleaned from this work. It isn't a workbook, so those hoping for page after page of exercises may want to look elsewhere. Those with an interest in the creative process, however, and especially fans of Questlove, are sure to enjoy Creative Quest.

Final Score:
8/10