An exhilarating futuristic tale that boasts a superlative cast.
In Moses’ SF graphic novel, a company works to master alien tech that’s been abandoned on Earth for millennia.
Designated “Driver Eight,” 15-year-old Shiloh attempts neural linking with “the machine.” This giant robot landed on Earth long ago, and scientists from around the world have gradually recovered scattered parts. In the U.S., Synap Technologies, run by Shiloh’s father, Director Raguel, oversees each new robot-operating “Driver.” Shiloh, like others before them, uses something called the Axon Connection to power the machine (or try to), but that link weakens or goes away entirely when Drivers reach the age of 25 (“Your connection is strongest before your brain finishes developing”). So, Synap must continually train new Drivers, like Shiloh’s sister Angeline, Driver Six. In the virtual reality–like Axon, Shiloh keeps seeing images of Vivian, Synap’s very first Driver. If these are just memories, how is Vivian interacting with Shiloh? Meanwhile, Earth anticipates a visitor from the sky—perhaps an alien race that wants its machine back. Moses’ story is jampacked with goodies, including dynamic characters and a vivid backstory. Readers are treated to such unforgettable scenes as Angeline in a submersible deep in the Pacific Ocean and Vanessa (another former Driver) leading a team of armed soldiers on a mission in Xinjiang. Relationships fuel the narrative of this graphic novel as Synap’s Lynne Seti actively trains Shiloh, and Angeline and Vanessa appear to have a falling out. The action and mystery pick up as the story progresses and readers learn more about the mysterious Vivian (and an even more enigmatic glowing figure that suddenly emerges). Everything leads to a stellar cliffhanger that will surely leave readers eagerly awaiting further installments. Giannini’s sleek artwork outfits the diverse cast with chicness, from the stylish Synap uniforms to Vanessa’s eyebrow slits to Vivian’s lilac hair.
An exhilarating futuristic tale that boasts a superlative cast.Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9781545817926
Page Count: 120
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Review Posted Online: May 1, 2025
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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