A smart, good-natured story that embraces the outlandish.
In Turner’s metafictional graphic novel, a doodled piece of art comes to life and vows to find his purpose.
Existence is not enough for sentient illustration Dodel Omwo, who’s convinced there’s greater meaning to be found in his world of sketched and comic-strip panels. He soon meets likeminded “fellow inklings” Fyra Opal, Professor Puffly Glosspan, and proud thespian Infinite Shakescat. Before long, a “narrative drive” gives chase, and Opal’s sudden abduction, courtesy of flying monkey warriors, sends the rest of the group on a rescue mission. Seemingly insurmountable obstacles stand in their path, however, including the Sea of Contemplation (since the rescue party doesn’t know how to swim) and a totalitarian ruler of a massive city who’s turned against all his former allies. Omwo and his companions persevere, drawing on their intelligence and sheer luck to get by. Will the protagonist find what he’s searching for—and does he even know what that is? Author/illustrator Turner’s story is sharply satirical in its lampooning of politics, philosophy, and even television. The tale, which never loses its sense of humor, includes visual and narrative references to various real-life historical figures and William Shakespeare’s plays. One villain, for example, is an anthropomorphic chess piece (a bishop) who calls everyone whom he deems his inferiors “pawns.” The tone of the comedy is often delightfully silly, as when Omwo threatens to “murderlize” those who’ve grabbed one of his friends, and Glosspan resembles an Erlenmeyer flask containing an unknown substance that bubbles out where his mouth forms. The book also has plenty of clever metafictional nods, as when characters address the reader directly, somehow wind up on a comic panel’s “roof,” or sneak a peek at future pages. Throughout, Turner’s bold, black-and-white art combines a surreal style with precise, recognizable imagery; the aforementioned narrative drive appears as a powerful wave, and a bakery’s logo (featuring a loaf of bread) relevantly resembles a keyhole. This dizzying novel’s ending perfectly encapsulates its gleeful chaos.
A smart, good-natured story that embraces the outlandish.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: June 10, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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