Villains, magical books, and creatures from the deep combine for a fast-paced, rollicking graphic mystery.
Bookworm Miro and new friend Zia unravel their seaside town’s greatest mystery.
The story begins when Miro is set upon by bullies upon leaving his favorite bookstore, to be rescued by Zia. Almost immediately, the two new friends stumble upon a mysterious, otherworldly happening that sets in motion a chain of events that will lead to the discovery of the titular enigma and so much more. There is something strange afoot in the town, and a book (and its readers) both imperils and saves the day. While the two kids get support from a community of helpful adults, the real stars of the story are the books that drive the action, as the protagonist expands his life both beyond and deeper into the world of books. The narrative itself swings back and forth from the present to the past, making full use of the flexibility of the graphic-novel format to help the reader navigate everything from historical documents to edge-of-your-seat action sequences. With an array of blended, multilingual, and multiracial families and diverse gender representation, this book is beautifully inclusive. However, women are often peripheral to male action despite their diversity and presence: It’s a little disappointing that Zia seems to exist mostly to serve Miro’s character development without any character development of her own. Miro has beige skin, and Zia presents White.
Villains, magical books, and creatures from the deep combine for a fast-paced, rollicking graphic mystery. (Graphic mystery. 9-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77657-266-3
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Gecko Press
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
Briskly paced, expertly crafted, and stocked with surprising twists and nuanced characters.
A young warrior battles inner ghosts and a rival to the throne in this series kickoff.
Switching to a graphic format, Myklusch returns to the elusive island of Imagine Nation, the setting of his Jack Blank novel series, where belief is the ruling principle. Dreaming of measuring up to his dead parents, Skerren takes center stage in a battle for the crown of Varagog, where it’s always 1404. He faces Zorn, the son of a displaced ruler who fled years ago following the cybernetic Rüstov’s invasion attempt. Orlando’s art effectively showcases Imagine Nation’s racially and culturally distinctive residents and settings as the high-action plot shifts scenes beyond Varagog to Faerie and futuristic Hightown—until an evil alliance in the Night Lands that threatens everyone on the island is revealed. In combat scenes, the artist also substitutes sprays of black Night Lander goop for red blood, rendering swordfights somewhat less gory. To the pleasure of returning fans (and comics readers in general), Jack and his fantastically rubbery-blue friend Allegra step in to help, and in a Marvel Universe–style twist, a conflicted older retainer nursing a devastating secret later plays a crucial role. Happily, for those readers who aren’t fans of never-ending plotlines, this volume offers enough of a resolution to work as a stand-alone.
Briskly paced, expertly crafted, and stocked with surprising twists and nuanced characters. (Graphic fantasy. 10-13)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781665928182
Page Count: 312
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
A pride-filled treatise and a charming riff on fairy tales.
After her parents’ sudden death, brown-haired, pale-skinned Jane is threatened with eviction from her family home.
Despite her low self-image, based on years of shallow, fatphobic taunts from her parents, Jane suggests a deal to discontented fisherman Peter, who’s thin and has blond hair and blue eyes (as well as being vapid and arrogant). They’ll marry, and then she can inherit her fortune, and he can enjoy the luxurious lifestyle he craves. It seems like a great plan, until Peter is taken captive and imprisoned underwater by a mermaid. The determined Jane seeks magical assistance and heads to the mermaid village at the bottom of the sea to retrieve Peter. Brosgol’s illustrations provide much of Jane’s characterization through her delightfully expressive face, which shines with pleasure and grimaces in disgust; her round eyes are alert to all the charms of the sea. Fortunately, she’s rescued by an acerbic, grumpily appealing seal, who educates her about the sea’s perils. This story is an explicit response to society’s valuing of beauty and contempt for its absence, especially when it comes to girls and women. Pitted against a slender, cruelly vain mermaid who weaponizes her looks, Jane emerges as a thoughtful, tenacious hero who’s learning to appreciate her own value. Brosgol redeems the occasional preachiness with her portrayal of Jane as an individual—funny, flawed, and triumphant.
A pride-filled treatise and a charming riff on fairy tales. (author’s note, beat boards, coloring process) (Graphic fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: May 7, 2024
ISBN: 9781250314864
Page Count: 368
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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