by Curt Pires ; illustrated by Kevin Castaniero ; color by Jason Wordie Annotator Micah Myers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 12, 2023
An action-laden tale with vigor and cultural insight.
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In Pires’ graphic novel, a near-future game show features the bloody executions of those deemed society’s worst offenders.
In mid-21st-century Los Angeles, murder is always available for streaming. The show Cancelled encourages its audience to vote on which people in the world they’d like to see die. Heavily armed assassins, including Roland Endo, who’s ranked first among the Cancellers, then track down the chosen and end their lives. One serial sexual harasser and assaulter, for example, meets an especially brutal end. For Roland, it’s just a job, but things take a disturbing turn when he learns Cancelled has been hacked, and now he’s set to be canceled. The show’s CEO anticipates a ratings boost and sees no need to stop other Cancellers from targeting Roland. Meanwhile, Roland scours the city for the hacker, and what he discovers is alarming—not only the hacker’s identity, but also what the hacker has to tell him. Although Pires’ blunt graphic novel has its share of humor, it takes itself seriously just as often. The story unfolds in a dystopian L.A. where the government has all but abandoned the working class. The taut narrative ultimately centers on the question of who among the public revels most in the violence that Cancelled delivers. Similarly, Roland isn’t the apathetic killing machine he appears to be, and his backstory hints at trauma suffered when he was a soldier. Still, the highlight of this graphic novel is its action. Castaniero’s stylized, full-color illustrations showcase Roland in battle mode as he floors opponents with fists, cookware, and what looks suspiciously like a lightsaber. The artwork is at its best in glorious full-page tableaux, whether they feature Roland calmly awaiting attackers or a collage of the show’s viewers cheering on the show’s barbarity.
An action-laden tale with vigor and cultural insight.Pub Date: Dec. 12, 2023
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 110
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by William Shakespeare & developed by The New Book Press LLC ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 9, 2013
Even so, this remains Macbeth, arguably the Bard of Avon’s most durable and multilayered tragedy, and overall, this enhanced...
A pairing of the text of the Scottish Play with a filmed performance, designed with the Shakespeare novice in mind.
The left side of the screen of this enhanced e-book contains a full version of Macbeth, while the right side includes a performance of the dialogue shown (approximately 20 lines’ worth per page). This granular focus allows newcomers to experience the nuances of the play, which is rich in irony, hidden intentions and sudden shifts in emotional temperature. The set and costuming are deliberately simple: The background is white, and Macbeth’s “armor” is a leather jacket. But nobody’s dumbing down their performances. Francesca Faridany is particularly good as a tightly coiled Lady Macbeth; Raphael Nash-Thompson gives his roles as the drunken porter and a witch a garrulousness that carries an entertainingly sinister edge. The presentation is not without its hiccups. Matching the video on the right with the text on the left means routinely cutting off dramatic moments; at one point, users have to swipe to see and read the second half of a scene’s closing couplet—presumably an easy fix. A “tap to translate” button on each page puts the text into plain English, but the pop-up text covers up Shakespeare’s original, denying any attempts at comparison; moreover, the translation mainly redefines more obscure words, suggesting that smaller pop-ups for individual terms might be more meaningful.
Even so, this remains Macbeth, arguably the Bard of Avon’s most durable and multilayered tragedy, and overall, this enhanced e-book makes the play appealing and graspable to students . (Enhanced e-book. 12 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2013
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: The New Book Press LLC
Review Posted Online: Nov. 6, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2013
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by William Shakespeare ; adapted by Georghia Ellinas ; illustrated by Jane Ray
by Kieron Gillen ; illustrated by Stephanie Hans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 12, 2024
Lush visuals bring this thoughtfully constructed tale to life.
Wondrous visitors encounter a desperate pocket of humanity.
Lori, a white orphaned teen who’s finally been adopted after bouncing around various foster homes, awakens to discover that nearly everyone has disappeared. The rapture? Maybe. She runs into her classmate Annette, who has brown skin and curly black hair, and they partner up to scavenge for food. The pair tries to evade several threats, such as the large Wolves and a gang called The Dogs. Supernatural Giants arrive, seemingly from space, speaking an impenetrable language of “musical chiming and weird bass-rhythms.” Lori and Annette then meet Beatrice, an older white woman who shares important observations about the Giants and Wolves. The tone of the story then subtly shifts from post-apocalyptic desperation to one that’s somewhat playful. After a certain point, a visual element that appears early on takes on clear significance and meaning in the context of the story at large, offering a subversively humorous twist for readers to consider and a creative element that deviates from other alien invasion narratives. Hans’ artwork and paneling fill each scene with wonders. An interaction with a giant sees the red, violet, and pink figure standing against a bright, otherworldly white-and-blue backdrop with dark contours. Elsewhere, Lori and Annette pause at night as they behold ominous shadows, their foggy breath forming clouds, and they hear a “KRRNCH” sound. The quick-moving plot wraps everything up neatly.
Lush visuals bring this thoughtfully constructed tale to life. (character designs) (Graphic science fiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: Nov. 12, 2024
ISBN: 9781534387072
Page Count: 104
Publisher: Image Comics
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2024
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