A fantastical series-starter with sumptuous art, delightful dialogue, and lovable characters.
A heroic mushroom works tirelessly to maintain balance in his magical hidden world in Bly’s graphic novel.
Outside the veil of human perception is a magical world, Glöd, created by the Gödels, a mysterious, ancient group. When the Candle Fly, an important crystal with life-altering magic, is stolen from the small village of Pertwee, Gowlitrot the Gardener is sent to find it and bring it back. His friend, Ranger Erdagaude, is the presumed culprit, so, in addition to the Candle Fly, Gowlitrot seeks answers about his friend’s apparent betrayal. But when he does find her, he is only left with more questions. The worldbuilding is gradual; Bly weaves details about the setting into the narrative using flashbacks and alternating point-of-view characters. The inhabitants of Pertwee are a diverse menagerie of fairy-like creatures, ranging from rodentlike Grekin to the goblin-inspired Chief. Gowlitrot self-identifies as a Tridipidean, “a species of sentient bipedal basidiomyc-…er, well, mushroom.” Gowlitrot is a Ranger; he explains there are two other types of his species: Magi, who are unseen in this volume, and Knights, to whom readers are introduced in the imposing figure of Primrod. Rendered in vivid, colorful detail in Bly’s illustrations, the creatures of Glöd are a combination of creepy and cute, in the manner of Tim Burton characters. Their diction matches their adorable/weird designs; absurd phrases, like “I can see your Filbert,” “you’ve made me squirt out a cuss,” and “mind yer clompers, ya goose!” dominate the dialogue, endearing the populace to the reader. Much of the story is told from Gowlitrot’s perspective, but others’ perceptions of him complicate the character in compelling ways (the aforementioned Grekin seems to idolize Gowlitrot while side character Mr. Perchant considers him a fascist). Though it lacks a satisfying resolution, this series-starter hooks the reader sufficiently to return for further installments of the whimsical fantasy story.
A fantastical series-starter with sumptuous art, delightful dialogue, and lovable characters.Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781960578792
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth.
Superman confronts racism and learns to accept himself with the help of new friends.
In this graphic-novel adaptation of the 1940s storyline entitled “The Clan of the Fiery Cross” from The Adventures of Superman radio show, readers are reintroduced to the hero who regularly saves the day but is unsure of himself and his origins. The story also focuses on Roberta Lee, a young Chinese girl. She and her family have just moved from Chinatown to Metropolis proper, and mixed feelings abound. Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane’s colleague from the Daily Planet, takes a larger role here, befriending his new neighbors, the Lees. An altercation following racial slurs directed at Roberta’s brother after he joins the local baseball team escalates into an act of terrorism by the Klan of the Fiery Kross. What starts off as a run-of-the-mill superhero story then becomes a nuanced and personal exploration of the immigrant experience and blatant and internalized racism. Other main characters are White, but Black police inspector William Henderson fights his own battles against prejudice. Clean lines, less-saturated coloring, and character designs reminiscent of vintage comics help set the tone of this period piece while the varied panel cuts and action scenes give it a more modern sensibility. Cantonese dialogue is indicated through red speech bubbles; alien speech is in green.
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth. (author’s note, bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 13-adult)Pub Date: May 12, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77950-421-0
Page Count: 240
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Feb. 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Using modern language, McDonald spins the well-known tale of the two young, unrequited lovers. Set against Nagar’s at-times...
A bland, uninspired graphic adaptation of the Bard’s renowned love story.
Using modern language, McDonald spins the well-known tale of the two young, unrequited lovers. Set against Nagar’s at-times oddly psychedelic-tinged backgrounds of cool blues and purples, the mood is strange, and the overall ambiance of the story markedly absent. Appealing to what could only be a high-interest/low–reading level audience, McDonald falls short of the mark. He explains a scene in an open-air tavern with a footnote—“a place where people gather to drink”—but he declines to offer definitions for more difficult words, such as “dirges.” While the adaptation does follow the foundation of the play, the contemporary language offers nothing; cringeworthy lines include Benvolio saying to Romeo at the party where he first meets Juliet, “Let’s go. It’s best to leave now, while the party’s in full swing.” Nagar’s faces swirl between dishwater and grotesque, adding another layer of lost passion in a story that should boil with romantic intensity. Each page number is enclosed in a little red heart; while the object of this little nuance is obvious, it’s also unpleasantly saccharine. Notes after the story include such edifying tidbits about Taylor Swift and “ ‘Wow’ dialogs from the play” (which culls out the famous quotes).Pub Date: May 10, 2011
ISBN: 978-93-80028-58-3
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Campfire
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2011
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