CHICKALOONIES

Native Alaskan boys discover adventure—both real and imagined—in Macheras and Silver’s YA graphic novel and series launch.

Nearly everyone in Chickaloon village is prepping for the annual festival to celebrate the First Frost. Thirteen-year-old Sasquatch E. Moji and 12-year-old Mr. Yelly chase down a small animal so that Grandma, the village elder, can make a delicious festival treat. Of course, the boys embellish this story for Grandma, telling her how they battled a hulking, carnivorous creature (“That thing charged at him with the fury of rolling thunder!”). When all three go in search of glo-berries to make a pie, they find an inexplicably picked-clean glo-berry patch. This leads to a surprising turn, convincing Grandma that both Moji and Mr. Yelly are in “grave danger.” Although she’s short on specifics, she sends them on a quest—the same one that another villager embarked on but never returned from. They travel south seeking a great warrior, beginning a grand but daunting journey. Macheras and Silver build a solid series foundation. This opening installment is rich in culture, providing plentiful details about the village’s customs and the Ahtna language. The young heroes are instantly likable: High-energy Mr. Yelly is always ready, it seems, for action; Moji, who’s twice the size of his companion, doesn’t communicate verbally—his word balloons contain only pictures and symbols, though they’re easily decipherable from context. The artwork is phenomenal, brimming with indelible, exaggerated facial expressions, blistering action sequences, and extravagant full- and double-page spectacles. This introductory tale merely touches on certain aspects of its world, from a legendary figure to the ultramodern tech that Moji and Mr. Yelly are outfitted with. This volume is loaded with extras, including myriad sketches, drawing guides, coloring pages, and character spotlights.

A vibrant, charming cast leads this first entry in what’s sure to be a riveting saga.