Category: Graphic Novel Review

REVIEW: Wonder Woman: Warbringer (Graphic Novel) by Leigh Bardugo

REVIEW: Wonder Woman: Warbringer (Graphic Novel) by Leigh Bardugo

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgally and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, fashioned a daughter out of clay, and the goddesses gave the girl life and many powers. Some of the Amazons don’t trust Diana, or what her existence might mean for the the island and their people. But Diana is determined to prove herself to everyone – the doubters, her mother and herself – by winning an epic race.

An accident occurs during the race, and Diana breaks one of the most basic rules of Themyscira – she rescues a human named Alia and brings her to the island. This sets off a chain reaction that endangers Diana’s home and all who live there. The girl she saved is a Warbringer, a young woman like Helen of Troy who leaves war and destruction in her wake simply by existing. If Diana lets the girl die, Themyscira will go back to normal. But Diana is determined to save everyone – her family AND Alia. Which means she must make a quest to the human world to overcome Alia’s destiny as a Warbringer.

Review

This was terrific! I think this format worked for the story even better than the full prose novel which published in 2017, the first of the DC Icons books. While I enjoyed the full novel (♥♥♥♥), it felt long at times. I enjoyed the graphic novel format for this so much. This has a Percy Jackson feel with the gods and goddesses, an oracle, and a quest to fight monsters and save the world. I loved the contrast of the Themyscira stories and New York stories when Diana and Alia go to the human world. The art in this is incredibly well done, and it was easy to follow the characters and the story.

I enjoyed the identity pieces of this story. All of the teens in this are dealing with identity issues in and around the quest to save Alia and the world, Their personal quests dovetailed nicely into the larger story and gave this a deeper plot in that way.

This is a rich and meaty story that moves quickly in the graphic novel format. I highly recommend this for Wonder Woman fans, DC fans, graphic novel fans, and readers who enjoyed the original book. While I have not personally clicked with the DC movie universe, their recent novels and graphic novels have been really well done!

DC very generously shared some of the interior art for the book. Here are a few sample pages of what you can expect when you pick up this terrific story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Diana, Princess of the Amazons by Shannon and Dean Hale

REVIEW: Diana, Princess of the Amazons by Shannon and Dean Hale

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Diana, princess of the Amazons, is lonely. It’s hard to be the only kid on Themyscira. She’s too old for her dolls and other things she used to play with. And she’s too young for warrior training or to be included in her mother’s work running the Paradise Islands.

While playing with some clay, Diana fashions a friend the way her mother formed her. She doesn’t expect magic to happen – like with her own “birth.” But it would be awfully cool!

Then her creation, Mona, comes to life. At first, it’s everything Diana hoped it would be. She has a friend to play with, someone her age. But Mona doesn’t want Diana to tell anyone about her. And some of her choices lead Diana to do things she’s never done before – like lie, steal and rebel.

When one of Mona’s “great ideas” puts everyone on Themyscira – and the world – in danger from monsters, Diana has to rethink her choices and her new friendship.

Review

This was great! I loved this new look at young Wonder Woman. Poor Diana is struggling as the only kid on the island. Add to that the fact that all of the Amazons are strong and perfect. How can a young girl live up to all that? And when the business of the islands consumes her mother’s attention, Diana is set to take a fall.

I think kids will see the trouble Mona is up to before Diana does. And there’s lots to talk about and think about in her manipulations.

The wrap-up is perfect – there’s a happy ending, Diana takes responsibility for her actions, AND the adults actually listen to her concerns and ideas and take action. I loved it.

The art work in this graphic novel is lovely. Kids are going to adore this. Mythology fans (and Percy Jackson or Kate O’Hearn fans) will see some familiar references here. And kids who haven’t moved to Percy Jackson yet will find a place to launch their mythology journey here.

Librarians and teachers should stock up on this one. It’s going to be a hot commodity in your schools and libraries!

DC graciously sent me some pictures of the art for this one that I wanted to share with you so you can see how great it is.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Black Canary: Ignite by Meg Cabot

BONUS REVIEW: Black Canary: Ignite by Meg Cabot

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Zoom in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Thirteen-year-old Dinah Lance has big plans for her life. They start with winning the Battle of the Bands with her best friends Kat and Vee. Then she’s going to join the Gotham City Junior Police Academy and make a difference in her city by stopping bad guys, just like her dad.

But Detective Lance is the first roadblock to her plans. He doesn’t want Dinah anywhere near criminals or danger.

Then there are all these weird accidents at school. Dinah always seems to be around when they happen like when the trophy case broke or the backboard shattered. Her principal is itching to hang the blame on Dinah and kick her out of school. And there’s also a creepy caped figure stalking around and causing trouble for Dinah and her family.

Could Vee be right? Could Dinah have special powers that are causing these accidents? Would powers make her dad trust her to help fight crime? Or would they make him more likely pack her off to her grandmother’s to keep her “safe?”

Review

This was so fun! It’s a pretty simple middle school story. There are background characters like Batgirl and the Joker who anchor this in the Gotham/DC Universe. But the focus here is on Dinah, her family, and a villain named Bonfire who has it out for Dinah’s mom. Most of the story takes place at Dinah’s home and school, which also helps keep the story simple.

The origin story for Dinah is pretty simple, too. Weird things happen, and Dinah learns she’s responsible. She’s eventually told that her powers come from her mother. She gets some training to control them, and then her parents try to send her away for safety. When Bonfire makes a move, Dinah has to decide if she is ready to be the Black Canary and stay and fight for her friends and her family.

Graphic novel fans will love the art in this and will be able to jump into Dinah’s story without any trouble. As superhero stories go, this is pretty light fare as it is setting up whatever DC might choose to do with the character in the future.

This is a great new graphic novel from the folks at DC, and I can’t wait to see what they do next. DC Zoom graciously provided some photos from the interior of the book, and I chose three of my favorite moments – check these out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Texts from Mittens: Friends and Family Edition by Angie Bailey

REVIEW: Texts from Mittens: Friends and Family Edition by Angie Bailey

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary and Review

Mittens is back for another collection of text messages. His texting partners include Mom, Grandma, Earl the dog, their neighbor Drunk Patty and two other cats – Stumpy, who has a catnip addiction, and Fiona, Mittens’ girlfriend.

Fans will find everything they’ve come to expect from Texts from Mittens in this collection:

  • fun with boxes
  • empty food dish drama
  • hashtags and autocorrect issues
  • Grandma to the rescue, and lots of other fun scenarios.

Our family has been enjoying the 2019 page-per-day calendar starring Mittens and his family, and this content is just as fun. As a cat person, I saw a lot of familiar factors – food, litter boxes, toys trapped under the fridge, etc. Many of Mitten’s dilemmas will strike a chord with cat people. If you enjoy cat humor, be sure to check out this collection!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir

REVIEW: Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Three girls bounced from institutions to asylums find themselves at a boarding school called Cheshire Crossing. The girls are the only residents – and they have a history of “dissociative psychosis.” But Dr. Rutherford doesn’t think they are crazy. He believes every story Alice Liddell (Wonderland), Wendy Darling (Neverland) and Dorothy Gale (Oz) have ever told.  And he’s going to research how the girls have been able to travel between worlds.

Alice’s bad attitude starts the trouble. Determined to escape the boarding school, she steals Dorothy’s silver slippers to go to Oz. Wendy tries to stop her and is pulled along. Their sudden arrival in Oz catches the attention of the resurrected Wicked Witch of the West and kicks off a universe-crossing adventure for all three girls and their nanny.

[Illustrations by Sarah Andersen]

Review

I have never been a fan of Wonderland or Neverland, but the premise of this one felt like something I had to check out. I’m so glad I did because it was a ton of fun! Alice has the most distinct personality of the three girls. She’s abrasive from the first moment, but I warmed to her over time. Each of the girls has a basic understanding of her world, but when the others visit, it creates a lot of fun scenarios. And there are even some things they can learn about their magic and their lands from one another.

The final page sets up a possible sequel – and I am here for it! I’m curious to see more of Cheshire Crossing and to see how Dr. Rutherford’s research impacts the girls and where their magical abilities and artifacts take them next.

One site says this is for teen readers (12-17) while some other places have this with middle grade graphic novels. I don’t know that I would go below 10 years old with this – that “older middle grade” designation might be the best fit for this story.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Marvel Champions: Change the World by Mark Waid

REVIEW: Marvel Champions: Change the World by Mark Waid

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

After the events of Civil War II (Marvel comics), Ms. Marvel is fed up! The adult heroes don’t seem to care about the destruction they leave in their wake. There’s always an excuse for why they can’t help clean things up. And they’re losing some of their good will with the people.

She seeks out Nova and Miles Morales – two other heroes who left the larger hero team for the same reason. They add in Amadeus Cho (Totally Awesome Hulk) and Viv Vision to the team and try to right wrongs and be heroes without becoming vigilantes.

Those goals are put to the test as they confront human trafficking and bigoted, power-mad law enforcement officers who are breaking the laws they are supposed to enforce.

Review

I liked this graphic novel introduction to these heroes (and others) as a team. I would have liked some more substance from Miles. And Amadeus Cho’s attitude can get tiring at times. And I could have done without Gwenpool all together.

But I liked that the characters faced some of today’s real issues. And that they had to wrestle with what’s an appropriate use of their power. And the heroes weren’t the only ones wrestling with that question.

I would read more of these to see how the characters develop. Volume 2 is The Freelance Lifestyle (issues 6-11). Volume 3 is Champion for a Day (issues 16-21). Avengers and Champions: Worlds Collide includes issues 13-15.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Marvel Super Hero Adventures

REVIEW: Marvel Super Hero Adventures

Posted on by Jaymie

The debate over whether or not graphic novels “count” as “real reading” continues, but for me there was never any doubt. As a visual learner, I love comics and graphic novels. And plenty of my students did, too.

These three Marvel Super Hero Adventure graphic novels immediately grabbed my eye at our local comic book store. I couldn’t pass them up. These collect five comics starring Spider-Man and various other Marvel heroes and villains. The art is perfect – exactly the style I love in graphic novels.

To Wakanda and Beyond – This is the first book of the line. I was a little disappointed with this one. I read it last instead of first, and it didn’t include some of the features that made the other books extra fun. Each of the stories here is part of a lesson Spider-Man is trying to impart to someone else. It’s fun, but not as fun as the other two books. Black Panther only makes an appearance in one story in this volume. There is also a Doctor Strange team up, a young heroes adventure (Cassie Lang, Kate Bishop), an adventure with Ms Marvel and another with one of the Inhumans. There is also a teaser for the Marvel Rising line as well as a Super Hero Adventures early chapter book teaser. Rating: ♥♥♥½

Captain Marvel – Remember that this is a Spider-Man collection (the title is misleading), and you will be happy with this one. Captain Marvel plays a major role in one story and a smaller part in two others. So kids picking this up looking for a lot of Captain Marvel might be disappointed. But if they go in expecting just fun Marvel stories, this won’t disappoint. This book includes a collection of small Halloween stories, an adventure with Nova, Ms. Marvel and Shuri (!), a Spider-Gwen story, and a Thor/Loki battle that eventually draws in the rest of the Avengers. One story in this collection is duplicated from the Wakanda book. One feature I loved in the last two books of the line (so far) are the comics in between stories. They include various Marvel characters but the comics are done in the style of famous Sunday funnies – Calvin and Hobbs, Garfield, Peanuts, etc. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Spider-Man – Fans of Marvel’s Into the Spider-verse will enjoy this collection which includes several members of the Spider-verse. This is probably my favorite of the three books for that very reason. This includes one story that also appears in the Captain Marvel book. This book also includes the Sunday funnies interludes between stories. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

I think all of these would be terrific for Marvel fans, super hero fans, and in classroom libraries!

REVIEW: Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia

REVIEW: Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Ink in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

One night in Atlanta, a girl and her foster mom are driving on a wet night. One minute they are talking about signing adoption papers and making their family official. The next, they are part of a horrible car accident that leaves the foster mom dead and the teen with no memories of her life before the crash.

After the accident, Raven moves to New Orleans to live with her foster mom’s sister and her daughter, Max. Max is a great friend – and being at a new school, this is a huge help. But having her “cousin” there isn’t enough to offset the weird things that happen – hearing other people’s thoughts, making the resident mean girl trip just by thinking of it.

Since Raven has no memories from before the accident, she has no way to be sure these things are new and a result of the crash. Could she have been doing these things before?

While Raven and Max try to sort out what’s going on with Raven, they are distracted and unaware that danger is lurking in the shadows and trouble they can’t even fathom is around the corner.

Review

Raven has always been my favorite character of the Teen Titans. Her powers and her back story are mysterious and fascinating. This graphic novel introduction to the character is terrific! I thoroughly enjoyed this!

DC Ink has launched three graphic novels so far this year. I enjoyed Mera: Tidebreaker, but Catwoman: Under the Moon was not a good fit for me as a reader (foul, dark and violent). I was a little concerned that the line was all going to be closer to the Catwoman story than the Mera story, but that was not the case here. This was a perfect graphic novel for me – I loved the art and the color scheme for the storytelling. I would have read a whole series of these. I hope there will be more Raven stories. This does include references to voodoo, astral projection, tarot and demons in keeping with the canon of the character. This may not be a good fit for all readers.

This is a solid introduction to the character and it also hints at the larger DC Universe. DC is restructuring and doing away with the DC Ink imprint in favor of age-rated comics and graphic novels. I’m curious to see where that goes.

I would have loved even more of this story! The author and artist will be releasing Beast Boy in 2020. I’m curious to see if Raven’s story will be part of that or if that will stand on it’s own. A fourth DC Ink graphic novel, Harley Quinn Breaking Glass, will release this fall.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige

REVIEW: Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Ink in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Mera is the princess of Xebel, an underwater kingdom under the rule of Atlantis. Mera calls to mind The Little Mermaid with her red hair (the only “color” in a shades-of-blue graphic novel) and her longing to be independent and understood.

Mera is fierce in her love of Xebel to the point of vandalism in rebellion against Atlantis. In fact, when she hears her father and her betrothed plotting to assassinate the Atlantean prince, Mera decides to do the job herself. Maybe then she can rule Xebel on her own.

Mera has no trouble finding the naïve prince at Amnesty Bay. And she has even less trouble drawing him in close enough to kill him. But while she waits to get her “land legs” and recover her strength, she discovers Arthur is no monster. He is a truly good person. And she can’t bring herself to end him. But other forces are not so reluctant – and they are converging on Amnesty Bay.

Review

I enjoyed this one! I thought the storytelling and character development of this book was done more thoroughly than in Super Sons. It’s still a graphic novel, so the story is not as deep or intricate as it might be with a prose novel. But I felt the motives of the main characters were clear. Sure, the shift from murderer and target to a romantic couple was abrupt as far as time in the story passed, but it fit for the format of the story.

I loved the art work in this!! I thought it did a great job of working with and enhancing the text of the story.

The best friend character was kind of thin in development. And I’m not sure if the relationship with the trainer/mentor in Xebel was supposed to be romantic or maternal. But the main action of the story – Mera, Arthur, their families, etc. – was clear. There could have been more history on the underwater political situation, but again, for a graphic novel it was fine.

Readers who enjoy hero stories or enjoy Aquaman’s world should definitely check this book out – I think they will enjoy it! (Mild language, one panel with two men kissing.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Super Sons: Polar Shield Project by Ridley Pearson

REVIEW: Super Sons: Polar Shield Project by Ridley Pearson

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Zoom in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

In a world plagued by climate disasters, Superman and Batman move their families inland to escape coastal flooding. Batman is working with the Polar Shield Project to hold global temperatures steady and eventually cool them and reverse some of the ecological damage. Superman is on a trip to Mars for a “dust” to help. Lois Lane (Kent) is working on the story.

Jonathan Kent, Superman’s son, and Ian Wayne, Batman’s son, find themselves in Wyndemere. They’re expected to keep their family secrets and blend in while their parents save the world.

Jon makes a friend at school, Tilly, who helps him get into the Daily Planet and secure internships so they can track Project Polar Shield – and find out why Lois hasn’t checked in.

Ian meets a mysterious girl named Candace and together the four kids start digging into a mysterious illness that’s moving through their region.

Review

I’ve been so excited about the new DC stories releasing for kids in 2019. But I was a little disappointed in this one.

Overall, I like the characters and the art. But the story is thin with some gaps. I realize that can happen with the graphic novel format. It’s hard to get the same level of depth and character development with a GN that you can with prose. But I have seen it done well in other instances. The creators came up with a way of displaying some internal monologues so you get the inner thoughts of the characters. But mostly they are short and full of teen attitude. While they fit the characters/voices well, they don’t do a lot to advance the story. This is first in a series, so there are plenty of things left open to develop in later books.

I think kids will enjoy the format and the characters. But I wanted more – more depth, more details, more character development. There’s plenty of backstory to establish some relationship details for the boys with their famous dads, but there are still some gaps I felt could have been addressed more fully. I hope book two will have some more of that depth I was looking for. Or maybe DC will add a prose novel or two to the line with these characters.

Rating: ♥♥♥