An interesting premise brought to life with engaging art.
Two sisters battle for their homeland, which was founded by people who rejected the rule of a dishonest monarch.
Elena, the 18-year-old general of Esterpike, is renowned for her military achievements. Elena’s sister, Per, on the other hand, is mischievous; she forges Elena’s signature to request some of the best fireworks from one of the neighboring lands. When the fireworks arrive, Per ensures that Elena is indisposed for the evening so that she might enjoy the festivities disguised as her sister, whom she strongly resembles. Unfortunately for Per, Esterpike is attacked during the fireworks display. After the real Elena is killed in battle, Per, aided by Elena’s second-in-command, Amelia, pretends to be her sister and approaches the leaders of the neighboring lands in hopes that they might provide some aid for Esterpike. Instead, she uncovers a larger plot aimed at overthrowing Unity. Chua and Chikiamco’s stand-alone graphic fantasy, set in a quasi-medieval world, has strong female characters, the intrigue of subterfuge, and vibrant illustrations. The full-color art in bright jewel tones has a manga feel. However, the presence of doubles and sudden flashbacks can make the plot confusing; readers will undoubtedly benefit from reviewing certain sections. Most primary characters read white; there is diversity in skin tone in the supporting cast.
An interesting premise brought to life with engaging art. (Graphic fantasy. 12-14)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-68415-476-0
Page Count: 160
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2020
Another fresh and funny outing in a mostly solid satiric series.
Proving that the power of teen love trumps even Heavenly directives, a budding graphic artist hooks up with an ethereally handsome new classmate.
Morning Glory’s miserable life at her clique-heavy high school takes a turn for the better with the arrival of hot, strangely naïve Gabriel DiAngelo. A supposedly chance meeting at the local thrift store escalates into movie dates and breathless snogging. Complications arise with the subsequent appearance of Gabriel’s catty but equally stunning relative Luci DiAngelo, who displays a gift for inciting divisiveness and violence. In the black-and-white art, Morning Glory—dark-skinned and serious-looking in rimless glasses—and Gabriel, with his manga-style features and artfully disheveled blond hair, make a cute couple. In the end, Luci is sent back where she came from. After a climactic revelation (“You had wings!” “Did not.” “Did too! What are you?” “Can’t you guess?”), Gabriel confesses that he’s a Guardian actually sent to help Morning Glory’s friend Julia through some family troubles, freshening up the now-tired guardian-angel-falls-in-love-with-human-ward trope considerably.
Another fresh and funny outing in a mostly solid satiric series. (Graphic paranormal romance. 12-14)Pub Date: May 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4677-0732-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Review Posted Online: Feb. 5, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
This weak entry in a generally well-founded series puts a high schooler between two hunky guys who turn out to be the same hunky guy.
Hardly has Serena started at her new school in a small Texas town than she hooks up with hulking star quarterback Lance. She also agrees to become a study partner with mostly home-schooled, equally outsized Cameron—on an assignment analyzing (hint, hint) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Soon, she notices that the two are never seen together and, as time goes on, that Lance shuttles between sweet talk and an ugly temper that turns violent at any mention of Cam’s name. The teens in Cella’s black-and-white panels are engagingly distinct of look and personality, but Mayhall takes so long to set up the background and introduce the characters that the actual melodrama, revelations, climactic face-off and tidy resolution are crammed into the last 35 pages. Some chemistry (of the romantic sort), but the suspense is contrived and perfunctory. (Graphic paranormal romance. 12-14)
Pub Date: May 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7613-8548-6
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Review Posted Online: Feb. 5, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
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