Fans of the series will be thrilled to dive back into this world.
Courtney Crumrin is back in a new vampire-battling adventure.
Long ago, human brothers found their way to the Twilight Kingdom. One brother was allowed to leave, but the other, Wilberforce, had to stay. Returning to the human world 100 years later, Will is reincarnated as Courtney Crumrin’s little brother even though he is, in fact, her great-grandfather. Will struggles to fit in at school, so sorcerer’s apprentice Courtney makes him a magical necklace that makes him popular. But all magic has a price, and it’s never a price you want to pay. Can Will and his best friend, Tucker, save Courtney from a vampire, or will she be lost forever? This classic good-versus-evil story with an edgy, black-humor feel is visually compelling; the color palette and linework together effectively convey emotions. Short episodes move the story along quickly, although at times the transitions between narrative perspectives are disorienting. This volume draws heavily on background information from prior Courtney Crumrin books; newbies to this fandom may wish for more details. The magic used by Courtney, the villainous vampire, and creatures from the Twilight Kingdom is never clearly defined. Character development is also rather uneven; most cast members have just a handful of personality traits. Most characters read as White.
Fans of the series will be thrilled to dive back into this world. (Graphic fantasy. 12-16)Pub Date: June 22, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-62010-930-4
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Oni Press
Review Posted Online: April 29, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
An intriguing glimpse of the future that never reaches its full potential.
Averee’s world implodes when her social media rank mysteriously drops.
In the near future, the social media app Ranked has been incorporated into every aspect of society, determining where you can live, park, eat out, and work—and your social status at school. Averee and Zoe are best friends despite their polar opposite views on Ranked: low-ranked Zoe hates how mindlessly people buy into its judgmental elements while midranked Averee avoids conflict with the popular crowd and tries to minimize stress on her hardworking single mother by not rocking the boat. When Averee’s and her mother’s ranks inexplicably drop, their lives are thrown into chaos. The girls plan to fix this by hunting down PrettyKitty, the enigmatic creator of Ranked. Instead of a simple solution, the friends discover dark secrets behind the popular social media platform. The integration of social media into society and its consequent discrimination and bullying are well depicted in detailed, full-color illustrations. Averee is a sympathetic but meek protagonist, in contrast to strongly opinionated, impulsive Zoe. Dramatic scenes, panel flow, and backgrounds are energetic and vibrant, fitting the story’s tone. Unfortunately, the plot feels rushed, and the resolution of what could have been a gripping high-tech mystery lacks complexity and falls flat. Averee is cued as East or Southeast Asian while Zoe seems intended to be biracial (Asian/White); there is diversity in the supporting cast.
An intriguing glimpse of the future that never reaches its full potential. (Graphic science fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: April 20, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949518-12-2
Page Count: 144
Publisher: A Wave Blue World
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
A grim, noir modernization of childhood classics that doesn’t quite hit the mark.
Joe Hardy investigates Nancy Drew’s death and the corruption within River Heights.
Joe, confronted by the apparently accidental death of his childhood friend and crush Nancy, believes she was murdered, and he begins tracking whomever is responsible, starting by retracing her obsessive investigation to destroy the Syndicate, an organized crime group. Nancy’s hometown of River Heights is struggling economically, with closed factories, high unemployment, and rampant crime and corruption. With his brother, Frank, focusing on college, Joe is left alone to follow up potential leads—including information from Nancy’s friends and family and the place where she was last seen—leading to shocking discoveries. While elements of family, love, trust, and grief will feel familiar to fans of the young detectives, themes of revenge and obsession fit the noir tone. The pages reimagining Nancy’s past are terse in composition and work well. Unfortunately, the story meanders from clue to clue with only sporadic scenes that hit the right emotional and dramatic notes. With a muted color palette, minimal linework, and simple backgrounds, the atmospheric art clashes with the overuse of narration from multiple characters who sound too similar to one another. Clunky panel flow and awkward action sequences detract from the sense of danger in otherwise dramatic scenes. The main cast is White; there is minor background diversity.
A grim, noir modernization of childhood classics that doesn’t quite hit the mark. (Graphic mystery. 12-16)Pub Date: March 30, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5241-1914-0
Page Count: 132
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
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