A vibrant, delightful tale of life, death, and all the amusing stuff that comes after.
Two English brothers, one dead and one alive, face off against a powerful, otherworldly group in this debut graphic novel.
After their father dies, Tibbs and Victor Baz inherit the bulk of his vast estate. They’re set for life, only Tibbs suddenly and inexplicably dies the same day as the reading of the will. He awakens in Terra Mortuum—he’s now gray and mostly skeletal but still wearing his snazzy trench coat and red scarf. He quickly earns a gaggle of posthumous friends, from Slimy Bob to whip-smart pilot Ada. But the afterlife, even with a bureaucracy and an established city like “Necro England,” is confusing and chaotic. This may stem from the Brotherhood of the Watch, a nefarious organization with chapters in the afterlife as well as the mortal world. The group, it seems, wants Tibbs and Victor’s deceased father, who oddly hasn’t shown up in Terra Mortuum. Victor and some allies, including his mother, search for his dad’s body while fending off red-cloaked Brotherhood members. As Tibbs and pals look for answers to the afterlife’s perplexities in northern Terra Mortuum, both brothers have a chance to stop a sinister plan already under way that threatens many. Howell’s story isn’t always easy to follow, though the plentiful exposition eventually clarifies most of it. But the quirky novel is consistently funny, sporting witty dialogue and visual gags. Historical figures, for example, crop up in Terra Mortuum, including Shakespeare, who turns out to be a jerk and a mean drunk, and Hitler, who offers unexpectedly sound advice. The characters, too, especially in the afterlife, display plenty of personality, like Clyde, who tends to yell whatever pops into his head. The author’s artwork also shines. Although most people in Terra Mortuum appear monstrous, their comically animated faces give them immense charm. Similarly, violent turns rarely seem intense, as even explosions burst with bold, lovely colors. The story ultimately winds down, delivering a sublime visual and narrative denouement.
A vibrant, delightful tale of life, death, and all the amusing stuff that comes after.Pub Date: April 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5255-9257-7
Page Count: 216
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: Jan. 13, 2022
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
Immensely enjoyable.
The debut graphic novel from Mohamed presents a modern Egypt full of magical realism where wishes have been industrialized and heavily regulated.
The story opens with a televised public service announcement from the General Committee of Wish Supervision and Licensing about the dangers of “third-class wishes”—wishes that come in soda cans and tend to backfire on wishers who aren’t specific enough (like a wish to lose weight resulting in limbs falling from the wisher’s body). Thus begins a brilliant play among magic, the mundane, and bureaucracy that centers around a newsstand kiosk where a devout Muslim is trying to unload the three “first-class wishes” (contained in elegant glass bottles and properly licensed by the government) that have come into his possession, since he believes his religion forbids him to use them. As he gradually unloads the first-class wishes on a poor, regretful widow (who then runs afoul of authorities determined to manipulate her out of her valuable commodity) and a university student who seeks a possibly magical solution to their mental health crisis (but struggles with whether a wish to always be happy might have unintended consequences), interstitials give infographic histories of wishes, showing how the Western wish-industrial complex has exploited the countries where wishes are mined (largely in the Middle East). The book is exceptionally imaginative while also being wonderfully grounded in touching human relationships, existential quandaries, and familiar geopolitical and socio-economic dynamics. Mohamed’s art balances perfectly between cartoon and realism, powerfully conveying emotions, and her strong, clean lines gorgeously depict everything from an anguished face to an ornate bottle. Charts and graphs nicely break up the reading experience while also concisely building this larger world of everyday wishes. Mohamed has a great sense of humor, which comes out in footnotes and casual asides throughout.
Immensely enjoyable.Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-524-74841-8
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Pantheon
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
PERSPECTIVES
PERSPECTIVES
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