Ten years ago, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was still new. Interesting. Exciting. Tenuous.

By March 2015, the MCU holy trinity had been established consisting of Iron Man, Thor and Captain America. But within the mix of their stories , which spanned generations and galaxies, there were numerous supporting characters who were just as fascinating. One of the best was Peggy Carter, played by Hayley Atwell. 

Introduced in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Peggy was an agent for the top-secret Allied intelligence agency, the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR). She was central to Project Rebirth, an experiment to create American super soldiers which ultimately transformed Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) into Captain America. Not only did Peggy champion Steve for the experiment, she ultimately became his friend, his love interest and — through the intricacies of time travel and storytelling I won't recount here — his wife and mother of his children.  

But at first, it looked like Peggy's character was one and done. After all,  Steve is presumed lost and killed at the end of The First Avenger and Marvel fans presumed that was the last they'd see of Peggy, too. But fate intervened in 2013 with a short film called Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter. The film was a glimpse into Peggy's life after the war as she wrestled with her grief and being a woman in the male dominated espionage game. The One-Shot became so popular that it was turned into a weekly television series called Agent Carter in 2015. 

Although the show was praised for its snappy dialogue and astute character development, it only lasted two seasons due to low ratings. One particularly baffling review called the show "fascinating but boring."  But really, I think Agent Carter was probably ahead of its time. Having a female-led period piece  that dealt with issues such as feminism, race, grief and sexism within the framework of Cold War espionage tinged with science fiction was probably pretty challenging for American audiences ten years ago. This is especially true when you consider that Peggy had no super powers whatsoever. Her strength came from intelligence, ingenuity and creativity. Hell, in one episode she took out a goon twice her size by weaponizing a stapler!

Sigh.

Regardless, Peggy Carter remains a fan favorite in the MCU and has even found new life as "Captain Carter" in some of the franchise's alternate universes. So, in honor of Peggy, Marvel's greatest non-super superhero, I'm presenting a collection of books, videos and collectables about her — or characters and stories similar to hers.

Stay calm and carry on!

Organized as a series of letters written to an unnamed person, Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower  walks us through the tumultuous freshman year of a teen named Charlie. The protagonist is writing these missives to someone he doesn't even know, partly because he's lonely, partly because he's codependent, and partly because he has a few things he needs to get off his chest. I suppose its his version of spilling his guts to a bartender, someone who's disconnected from the action and impartial about Charlie's role in it all. And the reader gets to come along for the ride.

Now this book isn't plot-driven and I know some readers hate it when a story takes a very non-linear course without a discernible beginning, middle or end. However, I enjoy books like this and Chbosky does a good job of setting up some early points of tension and then building on them as the book progresses. This all starts with Charlie recounting his grief when his best friend from junior high commits suicide. Charlie feels like he's the only person still grieving the loss and this colors a lot of the other things he experiences. It also paints the protagonist as an unusually sensitive kid. He cries a lot — and I mean a lot! He doesn't seem to be embarrassed about how easily he's moved to tears and initially we're not sure why he's so fragile. We do know that he suffered another loss early on when his beloved aunt Helen was killed in an automobile accident the day before his birthday. While Charlie does have a supportive family, it's difficult for them to understand or even effectively deal with his daily dramatics. What's worse is that he feels like he's being slowly abandoned. His older brother has left for college and his sister's about to follow suit. On top of it all, Charlie's in a new school where he's quickly pegged as a freak. 

Still, Charlie begins to reach out. His language arts teacher is so impressed with his writing ability that he piles on extra assignments and gives the boy a stack of classic novels to read — all of which results in a deep friendship between the two. But things really begin to turn around when Charlie meets Samantha and Patrick, a feisty step-brother and sister duo who take him under their collective wings and provide the nonjudgmental friendship he really desires. Both graduating seniors, Sam and Patrick introduce their sheltered charge to the antics of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, high school parties, hangovers, hash brownies and even his first romantic encounters. But none of this is meant to corrupt the boy. There's true affection between the three friends. Unfortunately, Charlie's so socially awkward that he doesn't know how to be a good friend in return. He stays silent when he should speak up. He mistakes lying for being supportive; and when truthful he's often tragically undiplomatic. Still, the reader can forgive Charlie for all this because we haven't forgotten that there's still something just a little off about him. When it's finally revealed why Charlie's so emotionally damaged, it's handled with great tact and the reader's so invested in the character that you have nothing but sympathy for him. 

The strength of Chbosky's writing is his ability to create a distinctive voice. You can almost hear Charlie resonating through your head with all his inflections, hesitations and peculiarities. He becomes a fully realized person — a surprisingly rare thing in modern young adult fiction which tends to be filled with teenage clichés and stereotypes. This book, like Charlie, is a real keeper.

RELATED: LGBTQ | Young Adult Collection

Probably everyone should read Homer's The Iliad during the course of their life — if you weren't forced to do so in a high school, that is. But if you can't make it through such unfamiliar language and concepts, do the next best thing and read Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles.

This intelligent, poignant and beautifully written book follows the life of Achilles, ancient Greece’s most legendary warrior and a central actor in The Iliad. The novel’s told through the eyes of the hero’s lifelong friend, companion and lover, Patroclus. Banished after accidentally killing another highborn boy, Patroclus finds himself living in the court of Achilles’ father, King Peleus. The king is kind to him, but Patroclus, having been stripped of both is title and his name, is deeply damaged. It’s only when Achilles, a youth as comfortable in his own skin as Patroclus is uncomfortable in his, takes an interest in him that the disgraced boy begins to come out of his shell. Being the favorite of a prince is an enviable position to have, but most do not approve, especially Achilles’ goddess mother, Thetis. Cold and calculating, Thetis is obsessed with the prophecy that her son will go on to be Greece’s greatest warrior, thereby earning himself a place among the immortals. She sees Patroclus as not only being unworthy of the prince’s affection, but actually contrary to his fate. Perhaps the only thing that keeps her from murdering Patroclus is knowing that it would drive a permanent wedge between her and Achilles.  

Achilles however, is a reluctant hero and an even more reluctant killer. When he and Patroclus are sent to study with the centaur Chiron, tutor to other legendary Greeks like Jason and Herakles, the boys at last find the freedom to be themselves. Secluded in Chiron’s mountain retreat, the pressures and responsibilities of court, title and prophecy melt away. Achilles and Patroclus find that their differences complement each other and finally consummate their relationship. This is the start of a lifelong love affair which, though tested by separation, war, pride, and the cruelty of the gods, does not falter. 

The latter half of the book deals extensively with the Trojan war and Achilles exploits there. It is the war that really transforms Patroclus and Achilles, inspiring one to look for ways to help others, the other to become as obsessed with his honor as his callous mother, preferring to see hundreds die before yielding even an ounce of it to another. In many ways, Miller's book reminds me of the best of Mary Renault, whose novels about Greek myth include The Bull from the Sea and The King Must Die. Renault's books are still some of the best on ancient Greek life and widely hailed as classics. I would not be surprised to find The Song of Achilles earn similar accolades in the years ahead.

​RELATED: Greek Myths Retold | The Cove, The Cave and Finding Inspiration in Ancient Stories 

Can you believe it's been a decade since not-so-openly gay Simon Spier made the choice — one way or another — to exit the closet? While coming out stories are nothing new, Becky Albertalli's best-seller Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda created a YA sensation which led to a theatrical version called Love, Simon; and a three-season television show spin-off called Love, Victor. 

You can celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the book with a stunning DELUXE LIMITED PAPERBACK EDITION from HarperCollins, while supplies last. This 400 page edition includes gorgeous specs, making the package as beautiful as the read, and features new bonus content from Becky herself, including emails between Simon and Blue and Oreo recipes from Simon! ORDER HERE.

​If you haven't had the pleasure of reading the book, I'm posting my original review from 2016 below: 

I’ve had the opportunity to review a few books featuring LGBTQ youth which, as you might expect, have ranged from bad to excellent. Some young adult authors are clearly adding gay characters to their books because, I surmise, they feel it’s expected by modern teen and Millennial readers who are historically open-minded on the subject. While tokenism is annoying, it appears to be a waning trend as more and more YA authors like John Green, David Levithan, Maggie Stiefvater and Stephen Chbosky provide us with authentic LGBTQ characters. Now you can add Becky Albertalli happily, gleefully to this list.  

​Albertalli’s Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda is perhaps more accurately a gay romance than a coming out story. The titular character is a 16-year-old high school student who has largely come to terms with his sexuality but is still dragging his feet about coming clean with friends and family. In fact, the only person he’s shared his sexuality with is an unknown classmate nicknamed “Blue” whom he met through his school’s Tumblr page and communicates with entirely through Gmail. The honest missives he shares with Blue are slowly giving Simon more confidence, even though their relationship is inherently dishonest. After all, it's a romance which exists only in a virtual world where people can be anyone they want or anyone you want them to be. Both boys are reluctant to break this spell by revealing themselves to the other.

Yet their carefully cultivated secrecy is endangered when a schoolmate named Martin accidentally intercepts their email exchanges and blackmails Simon into helping him win over a female classmate. When this arrangement doesn’t go as planned, Martin outs Simon on the same Tumblr page where he and Blue met. Rather than caving to this attempted humiliation, Simon owns the truth and with his gay identity now revealed, becomes even more determined to meet Blue in person.

If I have one big criticism of this book, it’s that Simon’s very public outing does not result in any substantial trauma. Although there are a handful of homophobic incidents following the revelation, Simon’s family, friends and teachers are overwhelmingly supportive. While I have no problem showing gay teens receiving the moral and emotional support they deserve, Albertalli notes on multiple occasions that the book’s setting of the Deep South is perhaps not the best place for a young man to come out.  But since Simon doesn’t seem to have any real fear of being ostracized, and in fact doesn’t experience any serious prejudice, Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda sends some mixed signals on this particular subject.

Regardless, the book is proudly optimistic and ultimately resolves itself as a sweet story about a boy’s first love. For gay teens struggling to find themselves, whether they live in the Deep South or not, it’s important for them to have hope through the written word. In this respect, Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda fits the bill nicely.

​RELATED: My Books  |  LGBTQ Collection

OTHER REVIEWS IN THIS SERIES: Raven | Beast Boy | Beast Boy Loves Raven | Robin | Starfire

Starfire is the latest volume in the Teen Titans series by Kami Garcia and illustrated by Gabriel Picolo.

Kori is a college student studying astronomy. She lives in California with her older sister, Kira, younger brother and mother. The sisters are close — but also very different. While Kira is vivacious and outgoing, Kori is an introvert, a condition made worse by Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome ​(EDS), a painful connective tissue disorder that cause her joints to swell. 

Their mother is absent most of the time, preoccupied with her pending marriage to rich douchebag Lynch Fairweather, owner of Edge Pharmaceuticals. Kira is equally besotted by Lynch's nephew, Tate, and Kori doesn't like either one of them. Despite this, she allows Kira and Tate to talk her into participating in an Edge study about new treatments for EDS. While touring the Edge facility, Kori meets and befriends Victor Stone, a.k.a. Cyborg.  Victor also has misgivings about the Fairweathers and helps uncover that the Edge  EDS "study" is actually the an attempt to gauge the extent of Kira and Kori's superpowers at the behest of H.I.V.E.

Yes, this is the same H.I.V.E. from the previous books — the shadowy agency who employs Slade Wilson and imprisoned and tortured Rachel and Garfield in Beast Boy Loves Raven. 

​Kira refuses to listen to Kori's revelations, but Kori finds kindred spirits when the Titans (Dick, Damian, Max, Garfield and Raven) show up with news that Slade Wilson is hunting her.  After coming together, the new team decides it's time to take the fight to H.I.V.E. 
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One of the things I really appreciate about Kami Garcia's take on the Teen Titans is addressing superpowers as sometimes being medical or mental health challenges as well. This has been done a few times in the DC Universe, most notably with Tom King's Heroes in Crisis, which took a deep dive into how having the responsibility of superpowers can impact one's emotional well-being.

In Starfire, Kori's superpowers manifest originally as a disability. Yet she learns to see her challenges as part of her identity (in the same way Rachel did with her demonic pedigree, Logan did with his amino acid deficiency and Damien did with his abusive background and rage issues). Despite their varied backgrounds and problems, they manage to come together.

I don't know when the next volume comes out, but it looks like we'll actually see the Teen Titans as an organized super team!

RELATED: Comics Collections | Teen Titans Fans Collection | Damian Wayne Collection | Nightwing, Batman and Adoption Problem |  Nightwing Collection

The young prince Damian Wayne was raised to be the heir to the fearsome League of Assassins — to follow in the footsteps of his deadly mother, Talia, and the Demon's Head himself, his grandfather Ra's al Ghul.

But everything changed when his father, the Batman (Bruce Wayne), reclaimed him and brought him back to Gotham City.

The young prince Damian Wayne was raised to be the heir to the fearsome League of Assassins--to follow in the footsteps of his deadly mother, Talia, and the Demon's Head himself, his grandfather Ra's al Ghul. But everything changed when his father, the Batman, reclaimed him and brought him back to Gotham City.

As Robin, young Damian suddenly discovered he was merely one of a number of princes, preceded in the role by his brothers Richard Grayson (Nightwing), Jason Todd (Red Hood), and  Timothy Drake (Red Robin)... and Damian doesn't care to be merely anything.

But when his father is forced to leave the city on urgent business, and a rash of abductions is accompanied by whispers of a demon stalking Gotham's dark alleys, Damian will find himself battling alongside his adoptive brothers--and in the process, learning what the mantle of Robin really means!

​Visionary writer/artist Juni Ba makes his mark on the timeless story of Batman and Robin, synthesizing the characters' complex history into an accessible and heartrending fairy tale! Ba's lyrical text and highly stylized artwork may not be what a lot of DC Comics fans are used to, but trust me, it a wonderful diversion. 

If you're not familiar with Juni Ba's work, you can learn more about this award-winning writer and artist on his website or see his books below.  

RELATED FEATURES: Damian Wayne Collection  |  Batman Collection  |  Nightwing Collection  |  Tim Drake Collection  | Nightwing, Batman and Adoption Problems 

I read Brahms Stoker‘s Dracula when I was in college, but only recently found out that this 1903 novel was the basis for Boris Karloff’s The Mummy (1932). Because I love that movie so much, I had to sit down and read this novel right away. 

Like Dracula (1897), The Jewel of the Seven Stars is a horror novel which combines mythology, history, science, and the Victorian belief in spiritualism. The main character is a barrister (lawyer) named Malcolm Ross who is summoned to the estate of a rich nobleman fascinated with ancient Egypt. The nobleman, Abel Trelawny, has been overcome by a seemingly magical sleep. While in this impenetrable slumber, he’s attacked several times by forces unknown which seem intent on procuring a key fastened to his wrist by an unbreakable steel bracelet. Despite the horrific nature of the assaults, no suspect can be identified despite concurrent investigations from Malcolm, the local doctor, and Scotland Yard. Mr. Trelawny’s daughter, Margaret, with whom Malcolm is smitten, can shed no light on the experiences even though she’s the first to arrive on the scene after each attack. As Malcolm continues his investigation, it becomes clear that Mr. Trelawny’s interest in the Egyptian occult, and in particular a female pharaoh called Tera, may have something to do with his troubles. 

Like so many people of the Victorian era, Stoker was fascinated with ancient Egypt and clearly did a tremendous amount of research in preparation for this story. While his attention to detail is amazing, the overly mannered writing style, which often strays into minutia, can make for a difficult read. Told in first person, the reader sees very little of the actual events leading up to the book. Instead, secondary characters provide endless exposition to create the backstory. In this sense, Stoker violates a cardinal rule of a modern author: show, don’t tell. In fact, you might have to drink some coffee or go for a walk if you’re trying to get through some of the ponderous foreshadowing and long monologues.

Stoker was very much a man of his time, and his characters certainly embody his Victorian sensibilities. All the gentlemen are exceedingly proper, honorable and intelligent. They are all keenly interested in understanding the ancient Egyptian mysteries laid before them, while simultaneously considering such things the works of heathens dabbling in realms better left untouched. The central female character of Margaret (who’s almost the only female character), is everything a young Victorian gentleman would want. She’s intelligent (but not more intelligent than the men), exceedingly kind, inquisitive, and in constant and persistent need of rescue. Later in the book, when her mood changes for reasons I won’t go into, and she becomes more withdrawn and haughty, Malcolm acknowledges that he doesn’t find her as attractive as before. To the reader, there’s a clear message here: the woman’s more valuable and relevant when she’s appealing to men.

If you’re reading The Jewel of the Seven Stars as an example of Victorian horror fiction, then you will probably find it interesting, even at times fascinating. If not, you’re going to find it a slog.  In the end, I don’t know that the payoff is worth it. I found the conclusion very anti-climactic. It had a much darker ending when it was originally published, but Stoker went back and changed it a few years later. Perhaps a happy ending was more in keeping with Victorian sensibilities where “civilized” men triumph and “civilized” women get married?

In the end, Dracula's still a better book.

RELATED FEATURES: Horror Collection  |  Supernatural Collection  |  Paranormal Collection  |  Swoony Vampires and Gay Love in the Greek Islands  |  Horror Fans Collection on Bookshop.org

OTHER REVIEWS IN THIS SERIES: Raven | Beast Boy | Beast Boy Loves Raven | Robin | Starfire

Here we are... on the fourth book in the Kami Garcia / Gabriel Picolo Teen Titans series — ROBIN! This is one of my favorite books so far, but I fully admit that's because I'm a huge Damian Wayne and Dick Grayson fan and both characters figure prominently in this edition. 

If you have read any of the previous Batman / Damian Wayne literature, you know that the youngest Robin and the oldest Robin have had a checkered past. Understandably, when Damian was first introduced to Wayne Manor, he was shocked to find that Bruce already had a son "occupying" his place there. And that initial shock  gave way to a seething resentment. 

Nevermind that Bruce adopted Dick long before he even knew Damian existed. Nevermind that Bruce went out of his way to extract Damian from the League of Assassins, its leader (and Damian's grandfather) Ra's al Ghul, and give him a purpose beyond killing innocent people. Never mind that Dick, who is generous and empathetic by nature, went out of his way to welcome Damian into the family. Because Damian is overly confident, insecure and narcissistic in equal measure — taught from birth that attachment and reliance on other people are profound weaknesses.

In time, however, Dick's compassion wins over Damian and they become very close. (You can see a lot of this fomenting in Batman & Robin Vol. 1: Batman Reborn, when Bruce is out of action and Dick has to take up Batman's cowl with Damian as his sidekick.) 

​However, in Garcia's version Dick and Damian are very much at the beginning of their association, having only met each other a few months previously. When the youngest Wayne heads out on his own to assess Slade Wilson's motives and ends up saving Raven and Garfield from a H.I.V.E. laboratory (see Beast Boy Loves Raven), Dick decides to follow him using a tracker secretly hidden in Damian's clothing. Having his unwanted big brother show up uninvited only makes things worse — especially because Dick inadvertently keeps cramping Damian's style in front of his new friends and the girl he likes (Max). 

It's Max and the others who point out that Dick not only seems sincere about wanting to build a brotherly relationship with Damian, but has skills and experience that are genuinely useful to them as they try to stay ahead of Slade. This is something Dick demonstrates several times when he fixes their mistakes or covers their tracks. Ultimately however, Damian's not convinced until Dick narrowly bests him in a series of physical and mental competitions... and rather than gloating is gracious in victory.  

While it's safe to say that there will be more friction between Damian and Dick in the volumes ahead, Teen Titans: Robin brings the brothers together at the end. More importantly, it introduces Dick Grayson, the guy who actually FORMED the Teen Titans in the first place into the mix. 

​RELATED: Comics Collections | Teen Titans Fans Collection | Damian Wayne Collection | Nightwing, Batman and Adoption Problem

OTHER REVIEWS IN THIS SERIES: Raven | Beast Boy | Beast Boy Loves Raven | Robin | Starfire

​Beast Boy Loves Raven is the third installment in the reimagined and compelling Teen Titans series by Kami Garcia. While the first two books were, for lack of a better term, origin stories, #3 begins the formation of the Teen Titans team.

Raven and Beast Boy have stumbled upon each other in Nashville, Tennessee. Both have been lured there by a need to solve some persistent mysteries about their personal histories and burgeoning powers — and an ominous mercenary named Slade claims to have the answers they seek. 

Much of the book deals with the burgeoning relationship between Raven and Gar as they tour Nashville and anxiously wait for Slade to show. Over several days, their relationship slowly takes on a romantic component. This is not an easy development for either character. Raven was burned in Raven by a handsome basketball player named Tommy who turned out to be one of Slade's agents assigned to gather intelligence on her. Gar, on the other hand, is sweet but horribly awkward.  Plus, he doesn't want Raven to know he can unintentionally transform into a wild animal under certain circumstances. 

Two other characters of the future Titans team get play time in this edition. The first is Max, Raven's foster sister, who was introduced in book #1, and who has secretly followed her to Tennessee. The second is Damian Wayne, the fourth Robin and biological son of Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman. Damian has also been enticed to Tennessee by Slade, but thanks to his natural paranoia he doesn't fall so easily for the man's line of attractive patter...

When Raven and Gar are abducted when they head off to meet Slade, Damian's suspicions are confirmed.  He and Max track the pair to a hidden laboratory in the woods where they are being tortured by a scientist named Adeline Kane. Kane is trying to provoke them to use their powers — and she apparently has designs on other young people with super powers.
​
This sets up the next phase of the series... where we will undoubtedly begin to see these characters getting control of their powers and new team members being introduced.

​Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven is my favorite book in the series so far. Not just because Raven and Gar are awesome characters, but because we're beginning to see the team dynamic that Teen Titans' fans so know and love. I'm also looking forward the the next book, Robin. I'm a huge Damian Wayne fan and he promises to provide some chaos to the mix!

RELATED: Comics Collections | Teen Titans Fans Collection

If you're like me, you spend your work week looking forward to those weekend game and movie nights. Not only are they an opportunity to catch up with friends and family, but you can immerse yourself in different worlds, play out impossible adventures, and build great memories.

But if you and your group(s) are still sustaining yourselves on bags of Doritos and six-packs of Mountain Dew, it may be time to step up your game and actually make creative cooking and baking part of the experience.

For years now, my game and movie partners and I have made our culinary choices part of the overall experience. Toward that end, I've compiled some genre-specific collections of cookbooks below to help you explore new dishes to treat your palette. 

Here are some other related suggestions to enhance your pre-activity meals:

• Coordinate the food to reflect the theme of the night's movie, game or book.
• Take turns choosing the entrée and have your partners coordinate their sides and desserts accordingly.
• Skip an entrée altogether and make one night all about appetizers.
• Create a taco, baked potato or burger bar!
• Cook the food together before any other activities even begin.
• Break out of your comfort zone by trying something really unusual... like cooking authentic medieval dishes before you watch Lord of the Rings.
• Don't forget the drinks! Libations — both alcoholic and non-alcoholic — can add another creative element. Many of the books shown below include drink recipes.
• Add creative table settings, centerpieces or music!

Watch my social media channels for additional tips like these! 

RELATED: Hogwart's Holiday