A fun, fresh adventure.
A Black teen uses his extraordinary abilities to protect his neighborhood.
High school freshman Quin is invincible, at least on the outside. After a meteor shower hit New Orleans, it left a lucky few with enhanced abilities. Thus, a new class of superheroes was born. Quin looks up to these brave beings, but his own powers have not stopped him from being targeted by bully Caine or made bright, high-achieving classmate Brittany Barnes see him as more than a friend. He meets Brittany at a rally led by Dr. Davis, a local Black activist, and soon the crowd and the police are clashing in the street. After superhero Glow saves him from a cop, Quin is inspired to use his invincibility to put a stop to the crime in his neighborhood. But when criminals attack his home, Quin will need his friends, enhanced and ordinary, to help save the day. This graphic novel is a classic superhero origin story with a wide-eyed, earnest teen trying to redefine justice. Quin’s parents are models of support and acceptance and, like Quin, understand that the world isn’t black and white. This new universe of heroes and villains packs a punch with commentary on the ills of society and the people who shape it. The illustrations, featuring bright, saturated colors, pop, adding to the drama of the story.
A fun, fresh adventure. (character designs, concept sketches) (Graphic fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-62010-878-9
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Oni Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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