Fun and funny hijinks for young comic fans.
Writer Godoy and illustrator Bullock present a middle-grade SF comic collection that follows the adventures of a 13-year-old bounty hunter and her alien companion.
Corina, a war orphan, tracks criminals on behalf of the Galactic Empire of Earth, partnered with Durasi, a formidable alien from a clan of warriors. Godoy introduces the two while they’re hunting pirates, with Corina using her digihawk, a device on her wrist capable of hacking any tech with the push of a button, while Durasi fights; Corina must often remind her not to kill anyone. Deadpan humor punctuates the high-stakes missions, including Corina’s observation that “Just like in the classic movies,…the local cantina will be best bet to get a lead on the target!” The first issue is brisk and action-heavy with very little dialogue, employing manga-influenced, brightly colored visuals, bursting with FWOOOSH!s and BOOM!s. The pace slows in the second issue as Corina and Durasi investigate, showing more of their interactions and the worlds they navigate. The narrative picks up, though, as they pursue a target named Logi Kami, with the illustrator having fun depicting alien life forms in a bar, à la Star Wars. Flashes of backstory reveal past losses, giving depth to the characters’ motivations and decisions, while quieter moments highlight Corina’s sharp wit and resourcefulness. By the end, the duo’s personalities are fully established: a clever, brave young human paired with a steadfast alien ally, confronting the galaxy’s most notorious villains. Godoy and Bullock craft a visually striking, action-packed tale that balances perilous adventure with genuine character development, showing readers not only the thrill of high-speed pursuits and clever gadgetry but also the bonds and loyalty that define the main players’ partnership. Some readers may wish for more text alongside the action, but many won’t quibble with the fast-paced action. There’s also plenty of potential for more adventures in future installments.
Fun and funny hijinks for young comic fans.Pub Date: March 17, 2026
ISBN: 9798989884100
Page Count: 118
Publisher: Black Sands Entertainment
Review Posted Online: Sept. 20, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs.
The Heffley family’s house undergoes a disastrous attempt at home improvement.
When Great Aunt Reba dies, she leaves some money to the family. Greg’s mom calls a family meeting to determine what to do with their share, proposing home improvements and then overruling the family’s cartoonish wish lists and instead pushing for an addition to the kitchen. Before bringing in the construction crew, the Heffleys attempt to do minor maintenance and repairs themselves—during which Greg fails at the work in various slapstick scenes. Once the professionals are brought in, the problems keep getting worse: angry neighbors, terrifying problems in walls, and—most serious—civil permitting issues that put the kibosh on what work’s been done. Left with only enough inheritance to patch and repair the exterior of the house—and with the school’s dismal standardized test scores as a final straw—Greg’s mom steers the family toward moving, opening up house-hunting and house-selling storylines (and devastating loyal Rowley, who doesn’t want to lose his best friend). While Greg’s positive about the move, he’s not completely uncaring about Rowley’s action. (And of course, Greg himself is not as unaffected as he wishes.) The gags include effectively placed callbacks to seemingly incidental events (the “stress lizard” brought in on testing day is particularly funny) and a lampoon of after-school-special–style problem books. Just when it seems that the Heffleys really will move, a new sequence of chaotic trouble and property destruction heralds a return to the status quo. Whew.
Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3903-3
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2019
SEEN & HEARD
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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