YAHGZ

Chronicles of several heroes' worth of adventures and chaotic mythology.

Two civilizations live on opposite sides of a planet: the Crays and the Yahgeez. Whenever the Yahgeez are invaded by evildoers, they call upon the heroic Crays to save them. Crays look like doodles brought to life, with a total absence of color on their black-bordered bodies and hair. The Yahgeez have green bodies and pink, floppy hair like tropical tree leaves. Tales from the Cray heroes Craybi Craynobi and his friend Weezerd include the discovery of a chosen one who is half Cray and Half Yahgee named Crayski. Weezerd interacts with a magic orb that teaches him about the balance between good and evil. Crayski trains to become a hero alongside the greatest of the Yahgeez, Teh Tati, which is time well spent since Gwash monsters have returned from their exile on an asteroid to wage war. A giant showdown cliffhanger and promise of an eventual trilogy means more breakneck pacing and fantasy action. Pause to take a breath before it all wooshes past like a story written among archetype-blending classmates and acted out during recess. The thick outlines on the illustrations make everything stand out, which could overstimulate or enrapture from scene to scene. Adversaries include a giant green gorilla, gelatinous forms, Orblerx bandits, and a half Cray, half Gwash girl described as “pure vile evil.”

Fast, imaginative adventures that turn on a dime.