Belongs on the shelves of older collectors and will appeal to some young Disney fans.
Over a dozen reprinted comics episodes pit Scrooge McDuck against a rogues’ gallery ranging from the burglarizing Beagle Boys to the conniving Magica De Spell.
The illustrated sections in this compilation are prefaced by densely detailed publication histories and analytical essays, making this work feel aimed at older fans and collectors of vintage comics. Still, kids will enjoy following the miserly mega-tycoon into and out of pickles with crooks or unscrupulous rivals—particularly as his feckless feathered nephew, Donald, and canny grandnephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, often trail along to save the day. Species-wise, the cast of villains make up a varied, if duck-centric, lot. They’re led by green-skinned “galactic gulag” escapee Tachyon Farflung and devious Italian spellcaster Magica De Spell, whose efforts to snatch Scrooge’s treasured “first dime” (which of course he still has, on a pedestal in his office) run through several entries. The colors look bright and fresh both in the panels and in the accompanying full-page cover and poster art. An early content warning advises readers that the stories—first published between 1951 and 2013—may contain “cartoon violence, historically dated material, or gags that depict smoking and gunplay” as well as “stereotypes or negative depictions.” Adults can help young readers unpack this content—for example, a reference to “a settlers’ refuge during the Indian Wars!”, about which Uncle Scrooge remarks, “Those pioneers had it soft! Only Indians to fight!”
Belongs on the shelves of older collectors and will appeal to some young Disney fans. (Comics. 8-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
ISBN: 9798875001796
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
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
A fast-paced dip into the possibility of a world without human emotions.
A teenage girl refuses a medical procedure to remove her heart and her emotions.
June lives in a future in which a reclusive Scientist has pioneered a procedure to remove hearts, thus eliminating all “sadness, anxiety, and anger.” The downside is that it numbs pleasurable feelings, too. Most people around June have had the procedure done; for young people, in part because doing so helps them become more focused and successful. Before long, June is the only one among her peers who still has her heart. When her parents decide it’s time for her to have the procedure so she can become more focused in school, June hatches a plan to pretend to go through with it. She also investigates a way to restore her beloved sister’s heart, joining forces with Max, a classmate who’s also researching the Scientist because he has started to feel again despite having had his heart removed. The pair’s journey is somewhat rushed and improbable, as is the resolution they achieve. However, the story’s message feels relevant and relatable to teens, and the artwork effectively sets the scene, with bursts of color popping throughout an otherwise black-and-white landscape, reflecting the monochromatic, heartless reality of June’s world. There are no ethnic or cultural markers in the text; June has paper-white skin and dark hair, and Max has dark skin and curly black hair.
A fast-paced dip into the possibility of a world without human emotions. (Graphic speculative fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: June 13, 2023
ISBN: 9780063116214
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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