I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf
Grant Snider
Harry N. Abrams
Nonfiction, Collection/Comics/Creativity
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Cartoonist Grant Snider presents more comics about the wonders of reading, the magic of books, and the struggles and rewards of writing.
REVIEW: Much like The Shape of Ideas, this collection offers an interesting, somewhat irreverent look at reading, readers, books of all kinds, and the act of creating words. Also like the previous collection, some of the cartoons reach a point, and some never quite get there. The poetry-themed comics in particular seemed to circle around concepts without quite reaching what they were aiming for, but then I've never been a huge poetry reader. There's also a whiff of repeated concepts now and again, easier to see in a collection than in random comics seen online here and there. Overall, though, it's a fun celebration of all things bookish.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Frequently Asked Questions: An Unshelved Collection (Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes) - My Review
The Shape of Ideas (Grant Snider) - My Review
Book Love (Debbie Tung) - My Review
Showing posts with label comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comics. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Breaking Cat News (Georgia Dunn)
Breaking Cat News: Cats Reporting on the News that Matters to Cats
A Breaking Cat News collection, Book 1
Georgia Dunn
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Fiction, Comics/Collection/Humor
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Politics, sports, the economy... boring human chatter isn't worth a cat's time. With anchor Lupin and field reporters Puck and Elvis, Cat News reports on the news that matters: mysterious red dots appearing on the walls, the vicious floor-eating vacuum, hidden wonders in the forbidden cabinets, and the perpetually odd behavior of the Man and Woman who share their home.
REVIEW: After a less-than-great day, I needed a quick pick-me-up, and Breaking Cat News came through. The concept is simple and fun, the humor light and clever, and the characters enjoyable. Cat owners will relate to the feline antics and perpetual curiosity as the kitties try to puzzle out bizarre human habits (standing in a wet room to get clean when they have a perfectly good tongue) and betrayals (such as buying the wrong brand of kibble.) It's a fun collection with clean humor for all ages.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Devious Guide for Cats: A Parody (Fluffy and Bonkers) - My Review
The Cat Manual (Michael Ray Taylor) - My Review
A Breaking Cat News collection, Book 1
Georgia Dunn
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Fiction, Comics/Collection/Humor
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Politics, sports, the economy... boring human chatter isn't worth a cat's time. With anchor Lupin and field reporters Puck and Elvis, Cat News reports on the news that matters: mysterious red dots appearing on the walls, the vicious floor-eating vacuum, hidden wonders in the forbidden cabinets, and the perpetually odd behavior of the Man and Woman who share their home.
REVIEW: After a less-than-great day, I needed a quick pick-me-up, and Breaking Cat News came through. The concept is simple and fun, the humor light and clever, and the characters enjoyable. Cat owners will relate to the feline antics and perpetual curiosity as the kitties try to puzzle out bizarre human habits (standing in a wet room to get clean when they have a perfectly good tongue) and betrayals (such as buying the wrong brand of kibble.) It's a fun collection with clean humor for all ages.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Devious Guide for Cats: A Parody (Fluffy and Bonkers) - My Review
The Cat Manual (Michael Ray Taylor) - My Review
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Book Love (Debbie Tung)
Book Love
Debbie Tung
Andrews McMeel
Nonfiction, Collection/Comics/Humor
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: It starts with the cover that catches your eye from across the bookshop, and ends with a hard-crash return to reality as the last page is turned. This collection of comics celebrates the love of books, from the smell of a brand-new volume to the multitude of worlds contained in the pages, from holing up in a blanket fort with a mug of tea and a stack of paperbacks to accosting strangers on the street trying to share a favorite story.
REVIEW: As one might expect, I could relate to the subject matter (mostly - I have never developed a taste for tea, and human acquaintances with which to share books tend to be as fictional as the characters I read about, current reader of this review notwithstanding.) Tung's simple drawings and text extol the virtues of reading on many levels, from the tales that transport us to other worlds to the physical feel of a nice, solid book in one's hand; like many bibliophiles, she seems to have an aversion to eBooks, though I personally find them just as absorbing as any printed book and much less likely to get dog-eared when carried in one's purse all day. Minor differences of opinion aside, though, the love of books comes through loud and clear, with several delightful entries that any reader can understand. I clipped it a half-star for repetition; several of her cartoons hit the same notes in very similar ways, which probably wouldn't have been as noticeable had I read them individually, but in a single volume it stands out enough to distract. Taken all together, Tung does a decent job exploring the wonders of books and reading.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Frequently Asked Questions: An Unshelved Collection (Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes) - My Review
The Shape of Ideas (Grant Snider) - My Review
I Am A Story (Dan Yaccarino) - My Review
Debbie Tung
Andrews McMeel
Nonfiction, Collection/Comics/Humor
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: It starts with the cover that catches your eye from across the bookshop, and ends with a hard-crash return to reality as the last page is turned. This collection of comics celebrates the love of books, from the smell of a brand-new volume to the multitude of worlds contained in the pages, from holing up in a blanket fort with a mug of tea and a stack of paperbacks to accosting strangers on the street trying to share a favorite story.
REVIEW: As one might expect, I could relate to the subject matter (mostly - I have never developed a taste for tea, and human acquaintances with which to share books tend to be as fictional as the characters I read about, current reader of this review notwithstanding.) Tung's simple drawings and text extol the virtues of reading on many levels, from the tales that transport us to other worlds to the physical feel of a nice, solid book in one's hand; like many bibliophiles, she seems to have an aversion to eBooks, though I personally find them just as absorbing as any printed book and much less likely to get dog-eared when carried in one's purse all day. Minor differences of opinion aside, though, the love of books comes through loud and clear, with several delightful entries that any reader can understand. I clipped it a half-star for repetition; several of her cartoons hit the same notes in very similar ways, which probably wouldn't have been as noticeable had I read them individually, but in a single volume it stands out enough to distract. Taken all together, Tung does a decent job exploring the wonders of books and reading.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Frequently Asked Questions: An Unshelved Collection (Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes) - My Review
The Shape of Ideas (Grant Snider) - My Review
I Am A Story (Dan Yaccarino) - My Review
Monday, March 26, 2018
The Shape of Ideas (Grant Snider)
The Shape of Ideas: An Illustrated Exploration of Creativity
Grant Snider
Abrams Comicarts
Nonfiction, Creativity/Comics/Collection
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: In this collection, the creator of Incidental Comics presents numerous takes on the creative process, its joys and sorrows, successes and disappointments, and journeys unexpected.
REVIEW: I've seen Snider's works online now and again, and generally relate to them more often than not. Even those I don't connect with, I can appreciate the creativity and message. Walking an alligator, pushing a stubborn tapir up a hill, flocks of dragonflies and crows as ideas made manifest, he gives shape to abstract concepts and passing whims with almost poetic words and pictures. Now and again it bordered on repetitive, but it's still a good source of inspiration and reassurance that, however our own creative endeavors are (or aren't) going, none of us are in it alone.
You Might Also Enjoy:
How to Avoid Making Art (or Anything Else You Enjoy) (Julia Cameron) - My Review
The Most Magnificent Thing (Ashley Spires) - My Review
What Do You Do With An Idea? (Kobi Yamada) - My Review
Grant Snider
Abrams Comicarts
Nonfiction, Creativity/Comics/Collection
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: In this collection, the creator of Incidental Comics presents numerous takes on the creative process, its joys and sorrows, successes and disappointments, and journeys unexpected.
REVIEW: I've seen Snider's works online now and again, and generally relate to them more often than not. Even those I don't connect with, I can appreciate the creativity and message. Walking an alligator, pushing a stubborn tapir up a hill, flocks of dragonflies and crows as ideas made manifest, he gives shape to abstract concepts and passing whims with almost poetic words and pictures. Now and again it bordered on repetitive, but it's still a good source of inspiration and reassurance that, however our own creative endeavors are (or aren't) going, none of us are in it alone.
You Might Also Enjoy:
How to Avoid Making Art (or Anything Else You Enjoy) (Julia Cameron) - My Review
The Most Magnificent Thing (Ashley Spires) - My Review
What Do You Do With An Idea? (Kobi Yamada) - My Review
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Lumberjanes Vol. 5: Band Together (Noelle Stevenson)
Lumberjanes Vol. 5: Band Together
(The Lumberjanes series, issues 13 and 18 - 20)
Noelle Stevenson, illustrations by Brooke A. Allen
BOOM! Box
Fiction, MG? Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: After dealing with strange beasts, vengeful ex-campers, possible time paradoxes, and other problems, the girls of Roanoke cabin take some down time by the lake... only to hook another adventure. April, lifelong mermaid fan, can't help getting involved when they inadvertently witness a tiff between a group of merpeople - even if doing so makes the other girls miss the dance they were looking forward to.
This volume also includes issue 13, about the girls' first day at Lumberjanes camp.
REVIEW: Another light, fun adventure at an unusual summer camp, it focuses on April, the impetuous and highly competitive little redhead who is often overshadowed by other characters. She means well, but has to learn that camp isn't just about her, and her actions can have negative consequences on those she loves the most. Naturally, it's no spoiler to mention it all works out in the end. As for the origin issue, it feels oddly incomplete, just offering a quick glimpse at the girls arriving at camp and meeting each other. It made for an amusing read.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Fairy Metal Thunder (JL Bryan) - My Review
Tangled Tides (Karen Amanda Hooper) - My Review
Lumberjanes Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max (Noelle Stevenson) - My Review
(The Lumberjanes series, issues 13 and 18 - 20)
Noelle Stevenson, illustrations by Brooke A. Allen
BOOM! Box
Fiction, MG? Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: After dealing with strange beasts, vengeful ex-campers, possible time paradoxes, and other problems, the girls of Roanoke cabin take some down time by the lake... only to hook another adventure. April, lifelong mermaid fan, can't help getting involved when they inadvertently witness a tiff between a group of merpeople - even if doing so makes the other girls miss the dance they were looking forward to.
This volume also includes issue 13, about the girls' first day at Lumberjanes camp.
REVIEW: Another light, fun adventure at an unusual summer camp, it focuses on April, the impetuous and highly competitive little redhead who is often overshadowed by other characters. She means well, but has to learn that camp isn't just about her, and her actions can have negative consequences on those she loves the most. Naturally, it's no spoiler to mention it all works out in the end. As for the origin issue, it feels oddly incomplete, just offering a quick glimpse at the girls arriving at camp and meeting each other. It made for an amusing read.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Fairy Metal Thunder (JL Bryan) - My Review
Tangled Tides (Karen Amanda Hooper) - My Review
Lumberjanes Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max (Noelle Stevenson) - My Review
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Lumberjanes to the Max Volume 2 (Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Shannon Waters)
Lumberjanes to the Max Volume 2
(The Lumberjanes series, issues 9 - 12 and 14 - 17)
Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Shannon Waters, writers, illustrations by Brooke A. Allen and Caroyln Nowak
BOOM! Box
Fiction, MG? Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: After solving the riddles and defeating a pair of rogue godlings, the girls of Roanoke cabin thought they'd settle down to a somewhat normal summer camp experience... only to find even more unusual adventures waiting for them (and occasionally stalking them, or outright attacking them.) From an adventure in a lost world to a scary story contest to the mystery of a former camper living in the woods, the Lumberjanes are at it again.
This special deluxe volume includes special notes and behind-the-scenes sketches.
REVIEW: I really don't know what's going on with the volume numbering on this series. Technically, this should be the third collection, but it's listed as the second. Apparently, it's a compilation of Volumes 3 and 4 (with issue 13 withheld, for reasons I don't know), though I see no sign of an independent Volume 3 on Hoopla. In any event, these episodes build on the previous series to create more magic, more mayhem, and more mirth. It's still sometimes a bit tough to tell a few of the characters apart, an issue not helped by changing art styles. Still, it's fun, and mostly maintains the spirit and quick pacing of the previous Lumberjanes adventures.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Bad Unicorn (Platte F. Clarke) - My Review
Lumberjanes Volume 1: Beware the Kitten Holy (Noelle Stevenson) - My Review
The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes (Wade Albert White) - My Review
(The Lumberjanes series, issues 9 - 12 and 14 - 17)
Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Shannon Waters, writers, illustrations by Brooke A. Allen and Caroyln Nowak
BOOM! Box
Fiction, MG? Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: After solving the riddles and defeating a pair of rogue godlings, the girls of Roanoke cabin thought they'd settle down to a somewhat normal summer camp experience... only to find even more unusual adventures waiting for them (and occasionally stalking them, or outright attacking them.) From an adventure in a lost world to a scary story contest to the mystery of a former camper living in the woods, the Lumberjanes are at it again.
This special deluxe volume includes special notes and behind-the-scenes sketches.
REVIEW: I really don't know what's going on with the volume numbering on this series. Technically, this should be the third collection, but it's listed as the second. Apparently, it's a compilation of Volumes 3 and 4 (with issue 13 withheld, for reasons I don't know), though I see no sign of an independent Volume 3 on Hoopla. In any event, these episodes build on the previous series to create more magic, more mayhem, and more mirth. It's still sometimes a bit tough to tell a few of the characters apart, an issue not helped by changing art styles. Still, it's fun, and mostly maintains the spirit and quick pacing of the previous Lumberjanes adventures.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Bad Unicorn (Platte F. Clarke) - My Review
Lumberjanes Volume 1: Beware the Kitten Holy (Noelle Stevenson) - My Review
The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes (Wade Albert White) - My Review
Friday, March 10, 2017
Princeless: Make Yourself, Part 1 (Jeremy Whitley)
Princeless: Make Yourself, Part 1
(The Princeless series, Volume 5, part 1)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by Emily Martin, Brett Grunig, and Alex Smith
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: Princess Adrienne's quest to rescue the rest of her sisters takes her to the frozen mountains of the dwarves... an awkward homecoming for her sidekick, the half-dwarf girl Belinda. As Adrienne prepares for another fight, this time for the twins (locked up in twin towers in the mountains), she still struggles to find her own freedom, old attitudes and insecurities gnawing at her. Meanwhile, Belinda learns that her human mother, who ran out on the family after one too many drunken blows from her father, has not only visited the dwarves, but taken a job with the nearby monster farm - where Sparky the dragon was raised and trained.
Elsewhere in the land, young Prince Devin and his reluctant wolf-girl companion Kira have a fateful run-in with the escaped Prince Wilcome and his elven sort-of-friend/fellow escapee Tempest. While hereditary enemies Kira and Tempest spar, the foursome join forces to track down the missing queen - but something very much wants to keep them from succeeding...
REVIEW: This volume lost a half-star on two counts - one for stretching, another for advertisements. The latter I can't blame on the story itself, though I found it very distracting to have multiple full-page ads tripping me up between segments. (Eleven ads, in one grueling stretch. I appreciate that advertising is necessary, and the comic/graphic novel industry is no exception, but really - eleven in a row? They couldn't have been broken up a bit?) The former issue of stretching, however, definitely infringed on my enjoyment. Some introspection by Adrienne is inevitable, as her journey helps her grow up, but at some point her tangents and conversations on the matter cross a line from relevant and intriguing to plot filler and outright stalling. Likewise, Belinda's subplot - dealing with anger over her runaway mother - clutters the pages... as do her many dwarven relatives, who were often hard to tell apart. Sparky's quest to find her roots inches forward, but all the padding knocks a reunion and revelation into Part 2... like Adrienne's rescue mission. (Cut a few of the ads, and maybe it wouldn't have needed a second volume to finish... but I digress.)
As for Prince Devin's story, I wasn't fond of Prince Wilcome in his last adventure (part of the Princeless short story compilation volume, reviewed previously), and I'm not much more interested in him now that he's been added as a regular; he comes across as too shallow and one-dimensional compared to the rest of the cast. I'm also not sure about Tempest. The whole quest to rescue the queen itself feels like plot stretching; any reader paying any bit of attention knows what happened, if not details of why, and the longer it drags out, the more tedious it grows.
The cast and storylines feel bloated, dragging out for the sake of dragging out, or maybe for ad sales given the concentration. (Eleven in a row... still can't get over that. I counted twice to be sure.) I expect I'll read the second part for some closure, but if the tale keeps distracting itself and meandering into tangents of minimal progression, I might call it a wrap on this series. It's still fun, but not as fun as it used to be.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Paper Bag Princess (Robert Munsch) - My Review
The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes (Wade Albert White) - My Review
Princeless: Save Yourself (Jeremy Whitley) - My Review
(The Princeless series, Volume 5, part 1)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by Emily Martin, Brett Grunig, and Alex Smith
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: Princess Adrienne's quest to rescue the rest of her sisters takes her to the frozen mountains of the dwarves... an awkward homecoming for her sidekick, the half-dwarf girl Belinda. As Adrienne prepares for another fight, this time for the twins (locked up in twin towers in the mountains), she still struggles to find her own freedom, old attitudes and insecurities gnawing at her. Meanwhile, Belinda learns that her human mother, who ran out on the family after one too many drunken blows from her father, has not only visited the dwarves, but taken a job with the nearby monster farm - where Sparky the dragon was raised and trained.
Elsewhere in the land, young Prince Devin and his reluctant wolf-girl companion Kira have a fateful run-in with the escaped Prince Wilcome and his elven sort-of-friend/fellow escapee Tempest. While hereditary enemies Kira and Tempest spar, the foursome join forces to track down the missing queen - but something very much wants to keep them from succeeding...
REVIEW: This volume lost a half-star on two counts - one for stretching, another for advertisements. The latter I can't blame on the story itself, though I found it very distracting to have multiple full-page ads tripping me up between segments. (Eleven ads, in one grueling stretch. I appreciate that advertising is necessary, and the comic/graphic novel industry is no exception, but really - eleven in a row? They couldn't have been broken up a bit?) The former issue of stretching, however, definitely infringed on my enjoyment. Some introspection by Adrienne is inevitable, as her journey helps her grow up, but at some point her tangents and conversations on the matter cross a line from relevant and intriguing to plot filler and outright stalling. Likewise, Belinda's subplot - dealing with anger over her runaway mother - clutters the pages... as do her many dwarven relatives, who were often hard to tell apart. Sparky's quest to find her roots inches forward, but all the padding knocks a reunion and revelation into Part 2... like Adrienne's rescue mission. (Cut a few of the ads, and maybe it wouldn't have needed a second volume to finish... but I digress.)
As for Prince Devin's story, I wasn't fond of Prince Wilcome in his last adventure (part of the Princeless short story compilation volume, reviewed previously), and I'm not much more interested in him now that he's been added as a regular; he comes across as too shallow and one-dimensional compared to the rest of the cast. I'm also not sure about Tempest. The whole quest to rescue the queen itself feels like plot stretching; any reader paying any bit of attention knows what happened, if not details of why, and the longer it drags out, the more tedious it grows.
The cast and storylines feel bloated, dragging out for the sake of dragging out, or maybe for ad sales given the concentration. (Eleven in a row... still can't get over that. I counted twice to be sure.) I expect I'll read the second part for some closure, but if the tale keeps distracting itself and meandering into tangents of minimal progression, I might call it a wrap on this series. It's still fun, but not as fun as it used to be.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Paper Bag Princess (Robert Munsch) - My Review
The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes (Wade Albert White) - My Review
Princeless: Save Yourself (Jeremy Whitley) - My Review
Friday, January 27, 2017
Power Up (Kate Leth)
Power Up
Kate Leth, illustrations by Matt Cummings
BOOM! Studios
Fiction, Comics
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: In ancient times, a prophecy foretold a day when four individuals would receive great powers, with which to combat evil forces across the stars. But they got the math a little wrong...
Amie's just trying to get by on a retail wage, working in a small pet shop, when a flash of light gives strange powers to her and a nearby goldfish, Silas - just in time to be attacked by a shadowy being. Soon, she meets the construction worker Mike, formerly a pro athlete, and suburban mom Sandy, both of whom were also touched by the light (and who got their own powers, plus cool costumes, out of the deal.) None of them know why they were chosen or how their powers work, but they don't have much time to figure it out, as denizens from a thousand worlds converge on Earth to find them.
This volume contains episodes 1 - 6.
REVIEW: This title reads fast and has many fun moments (such as the goldfish Silas, who turns into a miniature whale with laser beams when using his power), but it felt a bit thin. The characters are decent, but not especially deep, and the story never quite goes as far as it felt it wanted to, wrapping up too flat and neat. It's not bad, though.
You Might Also Enjoy:
You Slay Me (Katie MacAlister) - My Review
Lumberjanes Volume 1: Beware the Kitten Holy (Noelle Stevenson and Shannon Watters) - My Review
Kate Leth, illustrations by Matt Cummings
BOOM! Studios
Fiction, Comics
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: In ancient times, a prophecy foretold a day when four individuals would receive great powers, with which to combat evil forces across the stars. But they got the math a little wrong...
Amie's just trying to get by on a retail wage, working in a small pet shop, when a flash of light gives strange powers to her and a nearby goldfish, Silas - just in time to be attacked by a shadowy being. Soon, she meets the construction worker Mike, formerly a pro athlete, and suburban mom Sandy, both of whom were also touched by the light (and who got their own powers, plus cool costumes, out of the deal.) None of them know why they were chosen or how their powers work, but they don't have much time to figure it out, as denizens from a thousand worlds converge on Earth to find them.
This volume contains episodes 1 - 6.
REVIEW: This title reads fast and has many fun moments (such as the goldfish Silas, who turns into a miniature whale with laser beams when using his power), but it felt a bit thin. The characters are decent, but not especially deep, and the story never quite goes as far as it felt it wanted to, wrapping up too flat and neat. It's not bad, though.
You Might Also Enjoy:
You Slay Me (Katie MacAlister) - My Review
Lumberjanes Volume 1: Beware the Kitten Holy (Noelle Stevenson and Shannon Watters) - My Review
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Vader's Little Princess (Jeffrey Brown)
Vader's Little Princess
Jeffrey Brown
Chronicle Books
Fiction, Comics/Media Reference/Sci-Fi
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: It's tough enough being a single dad. It's worse when you're a Sith lord trying to juggle galactic domination and obedience to the Emperor with a Jedi daughter and her twin brother. Cartoonist Jeffrey Brown imagines more fatherly mishaps as Darth Vader takes on a rebellious young Leia.
REVIEW: More fun from Jeffrey Brown. Unlike his previous book (Darth Vader and Son), this one tackles teen issues in addition to childhood tea parties. What's a father to do when confronted with a scruffy-looking scoundrel of a boyfriend or a daughter's inappropriate evening wear? (One of my favorites features a perplexed Vader trying to comfort a distraught Leia about her latest love life drama - what is "I know" really supposed to mean, anyway?) A fun diversion for fans of the franchise (particularly the pre-Disney franchise.)
You Might Also Enjoy:
Galaxy Quest (Terry Bisson) - My Review
Darth Vader and Son (Jeffrey Brown) - My Review
Close Encounters of the Worst Kind: A Brewster Rockit Collection (Tim Rickard) - My Review
Jeffrey Brown
Chronicle Books
Fiction, Comics/Media Reference/Sci-Fi
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: It's tough enough being a single dad. It's worse when you're a Sith lord trying to juggle galactic domination and obedience to the Emperor with a Jedi daughter and her twin brother. Cartoonist Jeffrey Brown imagines more fatherly mishaps as Darth Vader takes on a rebellious young Leia.
REVIEW: More fun from Jeffrey Brown. Unlike his previous book (Darth Vader and Son), this one tackles teen issues in addition to childhood tea parties. What's a father to do when confronted with a scruffy-looking scoundrel of a boyfriend or a daughter's inappropriate evening wear? (One of my favorites features a perplexed Vader trying to comfort a distraught Leia about her latest love life drama - what is "I know" really supposed to mean, anyway?) A fun diversion for fans of the franchise (particularly the pre-Disney franchise.)
You Might Also Enjoy:
Galaxy Quest (Terry Bisson) - My Review
Darth Vader and Son (Jeffrey Brown) - My Review
Close Encounters of the Worst Kind: A Brewster Rockit Collection (Tim Rickard) - My Review
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Lumberjanes Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max (Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis, authors, illustrations by Brooke A. Allen)
Lumberjanes Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max
(The Lumberjanes series, 5 - 8)
Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis, illustrations by Brooke A. Allen
BOOM! Box
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: The adventures of the Lumberjanes girls of Roanoke cabin continue. From friendship bracelets to Capture the Flag, summer camp continues... to be plagued with monster attacks and magic and general weirdness in the woods. The mystery surrounding the golden-eyed beasts deepens as a fellow camper proves to be more than just another Lumberjane, drawing Roanoke into a case of celestial sibling rivalry with the power of the universe up for grabs.
REVIEW: Much like the first collection, this volume starts quickly and maintains high levels of action and humor. Cabin counselor Jen has been drug into the strangeness, adding a new dynamic as the five core characters continue to grow. Still a fun series.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Fairy Quest: Outcasts: #1 (Paul Jenkins) - My Review
Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy (Noelle Stevenson and Shannon Watters) - My Review
Princeless: Save Yourself (Jeremy Whitley) - My Review
(The Lumberjanes series, 5 - 8)
Noelle Stevenson and Grace Ellis, illustrations by Brooke A. Allen
BOOM! Box
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: The adventures of the Lumberjanes girls of Roanoke cabin continue. From friendship bracelets to Capture the Flag, summer camp continues... to be plagued with monster attacks and magic and general weirdness in the woods. The mystery surrounding the golden-eyed beasts deepens as a fellow camper proves to be more than just another Lumberjane, drawing Roanoke into a case of celestial sibling rivalry with the power of the universe up for grabs.
REVIEW: Much like the first collection, this volume starts quickly and maintains high levels of action and humor. Cabin counselor Jen has been drug into the strangeness, adding a new dynamic as the five core characters continue to grow. Still a fun series.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Fairy Quest: Outcasts: #1 (Paul Jenkins) - My Review
Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy (Noelle Stevenson and Shannon Watters) - My Review
Princeless: Save Yourself (Jeremy Whitley) - My Review
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy (Noelle Stevenson and Shannon Watters, authors; Brooke A. Allen, illustrator)
Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy
(The Lumberjanes series, 1 - 4)
Noelle Stevenson and Shannon Watters, authors; illustrated by Brooke A. Allen
BOOM! Box
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: At Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady-Types, girls spend their summers canoeing, hiking, learning about nature, making friends, and earning Lumberjanes merit badges... or, at least, that's what most girls do. April, Jo, Mal, Molly, and Ripley keep driving their cabin counselor Jen nuts breaking camp rules - but it's not really their fault. Something weird's going on in and around camp - strange old bear-women and three-eyed foxes and more - plus a peculiar warning about a "Kitten Holy" they can't make heads nor tails of. Like it or not, they're up to their eyeballs in the strangest summer of their lives! At least they'll get some kick-ass merit badges at the end - if they make it that long...
This volume includes the first four issues of the Lumberjanes comic books.
REVIEW: This girl-power fantasy adventure comic doesn't loaf around, hurling the reader straight into the action and introducing both characters and concepts on the fly. It's a weird, wacky tale with some hilarious lines, not so subtly poking popular story tropes (and outfits like Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts), though the characters are sometimes a jumble and some haven't developed much depth yet. Still, it's quite fun and reads quickly, and it got some laughs out of me. I expect I'll be exploring more of this title in the future.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Fairy Quest: Outcasts #1 (Paul Jenkins) - My Review
Princeless: Save Yourself (Jeremy Whitley) - My Review
(The Lumberjanes series, 1 - 4)
Noelle Stevenson and Shannon Watters, authors; illustrated by Brooke A. Allen
BOOM! Box
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: At Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady-Types, girls spend their summers canoeing, hiking, learning about nature, making friends, and earning Lumberjanes merit badges... or, at least, that's what most girls do. April, Jo, Mal, Molly, and Ripley keep driving their cabin counselor Jen nuts breaking camp rules - but it's not really their fault. Something weird's going on in and around camp - strange old bear-women and three-eyed foxes and more - plus a peculiar warning about a "Kitten Holy" they can't make heads nor tails of. Like it or not, they're up to their eyeballs in the strangest summer of their lives! At least they'll get some kick-ass merit badges at the end - if they make it that long...
This volume includes the first four issues of the Lumberjanes comic books.
REVIEW: This girl-power fantasy adventure comic doesn't loaf around, hurling the reader straight into the action and introducing both characters and concepts on the fly. It's a weird, wacky tale with some hilarious lines, not so subtly poking popular story tropes (and outfits like Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts), though the characters are sometimes a jumble and some haven't developed much depth yet. Still, it's quite fun and reads quickly, and it got some laughs out of me. I expect I'll be exploring more of this title in the future.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Fairy Quest: Outcasts #1 (Paul Jenkins) - My Review
Princeless: Save Yourself (Jeremy Whitley) - My Review
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Dragon Girl: The Secret Valley (Jeff Weigel)
Dragon Girl: The Secret Valley
Jeff Weigel
Andrews McMeel
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Orphans Alanna and Hamel do their best to scrape a living from their late father's forge and the bounty of the forest. While foraging for food, the young girl stumbles across a strange little lizard with wings - a dragon, straight out of legend! It leads her to a cave full of eggs, and an adventure she never dreamed of... but, even as she revels in her discovery, the dragon slayer Sir Cedric pays a visit to Hamel, offering promises of knighthood and glory.
REVIEW: I read this when it was released online for free, but the full book includes additional material, notably an appendix describing various dragons, plus a diagram of the flying machine Dragonfly that figures into the story. The images are detailed and delightful, and the story's a nice adventure with some real peril, even if the edges are slightly blunted (this is aimed at kids, after all.) Alanna's a decent protagonist, not above the odd mistake, but brave and good-hearted and quick-thinking when it counts. Her brother isn't always on her side, but what he does, he does out of love and concern for their future. Cedric's fairly one-dimensional, though that's to be expected, I suppose. The dragons range from scaly puppies to threatening brutes of legend, though only when properly provoked. It's fun and well illustrated, and has every hint of future adventures beyond the horizon. Definitely worth a look if you like light, dragon-flavored adventure.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Hatching Magic (Ann Downer) - My Review
The Dragonling Collector's Edition, Volume 1 (Jackie French Koller) - My Review
Dragonsong (Anne McCaffrey) - My Review
Jeff Weigel
Andrews McMeel
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Orphans Alanna and Hamel do their best to scrape a living from their late father's forge and the bounty of the forest. While foraging for food, the young girl stumbles across a strange little lizard with wings - a dragon, straight out of legend! It leads her to a cave full of eggs, and an adventure she never dreamed of... but, even as she revels in her discovery, the dragon slayer Sir Cedric pays a visit to Hamel, offering promises of knighthood and glory.
REVIEW: I read this when it was released online for free, but the full book includes additional material, notably an appendix describing various dragons, plus a diagram of the flying machine Dragonfly that figures into the story. The images are detailed and delightful, and the story's a nice adventure with some real peril, even if the edges are slightly blunted (this is aimed at kids, after all.) Alanna's a decent protagonist, not above the odd mistake, but brave and good-hearted and quick-thinking when it counts. Her brother isn't always on her side, but what he does, he does out of love and concern for their future. Cedric's fairly one-dimensional, though that's to be expected, I suppose. The dragons range from scaly puppies to threatening brutes of legend, though only when properly provoked. It's fun and well illustrated, and has every hint of future adventures beyond the horizon. Definitely worth a look if you like light, dragon-flavored adventure.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Hatching Magic (Ann Downer) - My Review
The Dragonling Collector's Edition, Volume 1 (Jackie French Koller) - My Review
Dragonsong (Anne McCaffrey) - My Review
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Darth Vader and Son (Jeffrey Brown)
Darth Vader and Son
Jeffrey Brown
Chronicle Books
Fiction, YA? Comics/Sci-Fi
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: Darth Vader: disciple of the evil Emperor Palpatine, lord of the Sith, master of the Dark Side of the Force... and single parent to a four-year-old boy named Luke. Cartoonist Jeffrey Brown imagines the life Luke could've led, and the father Vader could've been.
REVIEW: This fun little collection is clearly the work of a dedicated fan, riddled with references to the first six films and the pre-Disney franchise as a whole. (At one point, Vader offers his picky-eater son C-3P0's breakfast cereal, a real tie-in product.) Vader does his best, though he faces some awkward moments as Luke does what kids do best: irritate his elders. It's enjoyable, and short enough not to overstay its welcome.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Galaxy Quest (Terry Bisson) - My Review
Close Encounters of the Worst Kind: A Brewster Rockit, Space Guy! Collection (Tim Rickard) - My Review
Jeffrey Brown
Chronicle Books
Fiction, YA? Comics/Sci-Fi
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: Darth Vader: disciple of the evil Emperor Palpatine, lord of the Sith, master of the Dark Side of the Force... and single parent to a four-year-old boy named Luke. Cartoonist Jeffrey Brown imagines the life Luke could've led, and the father Vader could've been.
REVIEW: This fun little collection is clearly the work of a dedicated fan, riddled with references to the first six films and the pre-Disney franchise as a whole. (At one point, Vader offers his picky-eater son C-3P0's breakfast cereal, a real tie-in product.) Vader does his best, though he faces some awkward moments as Luke does what kids do best: irritate his elders. It's enjoyable, and short enough not to overstay its welcome.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Galaxy Quest (Terry Bisson) - My Review
Close Encounters of the Worst Kind: A Brewster Rockit, Space Guy! Collection (Tim Rickard) - My Review
Monday, March 7, 2016
Princeless: Short Stories Volume 1 (Jeremy Whitley)
Princeless: Short Stories Volume 1
(The Princeless series)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by Various Artists
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, YA Collection/Comics/Fantasy
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: This collection of short stories explores various characters from the Princeless comic series. Included are:
The Thing in the Dungeon - Young Adrienne and Devin find something strange in the castle dungeon.
The Merry Adventures of Young Prince Ash - The boy who would be king undertakes a bet to race through the beast- and elf-filled forest.
The Runaway Prince and The Girl with the Giveaway Ears - Thrown into the dungeon for failing to rescue Princess Adrienne, Prince Wilcome makes a new ally who may be more trouble than she's worth.
The Smiths - The history of Adrienne's half-dwarven sidekick Bedelia.
The Princess's New Clothes - After being "rescued" by Adrienne, the vain Princess Angelica wonders if she could do more with her life than simply look gorgeous.
Nightlight - Melancholy Princess Angoisse, abandoned in a tower in the middle of the swamps, meets a dashing young man with peculiar habits.
Waiting - The waitress Aisha seizes an opportunity when a pair of adventurers and the fugitives they seek arrive at her restaurant simultaneously.
Kira's First Hunt - The wolf-girl Kira participates in a pack initiation rite that takes an unexpectedly dangerous turn.
Girls Who Fight Boys - Adrienne and Bedelia rescue Raven from under righteous Sir Zachary's nose. (Previously reviewed as part of Princeless: Get Over Yourself).
REVIEW: Yes, I know it's been a rather Princeless-heavy review streak this month. I had a Barnes & Noble coupon to burn off... This is the last one for a while, I swear. Anyway, this collection is a mixed bag. Some of these stories are interesting and fun, foreshadowing future developments in the series. A couple hint at possible spin-offs. But others seem oddly pointless, with less of the wit that makes the Princeless series so enjoyable. The changing artists also made it a little hard to track who was who, particularly in The Girl with the Giveaway Ears, and several of the wolves in Kira's tale were difficult to tell apart. Some images were tough to decipher for being so dark, as well. Overall, it's not bad, worth reading if you're following the series.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Cinder Edna (Ellen Jackson) - My Review
The Paper Bag Princess (Robert N. Munsch) - My Review
(The Princeless series)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by Various Artists
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, YA Collection/Comics/Fantasy
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: This collection of short stories explores various characters from the Princeless comic series. Included are:
The Thing in the Dungeon - Young Adrienne and Devin find something strange in the castle dungeon.
The Merry Adventures of Young Prince Ash - The boy who would be king undertakes a bet to race through the beast- and elf-filled forest.
The Runaway Prince and The Girl with the Giveaway Ears - Thrown into the dungeon for failing to rescue Princess Adrienne, Prince Wilcome makes a new ally who may be more trouble than she's worth.
The Smiths - The history of Adrienne's half-dwarven sidekick Bedelia.
The Princess's New Clothes - After being "rescued" by Adrienne, the vain Princess Angelica wonders if she could do more with her life than simply look gorgeous.
Nightlight - Melancholy Princess Angoisse, abandoned in a tower in the middle of the swamps, meets a dashing young man with peculiar habits.
Waiting - The waitress Aisha seizes an opportunity when a pair of adventurers and the fugitives they seek arrive at her restaurant simultaneously.
Kira's First Hunt - The wolf-girl Kira participates in a pack initiation rite that takes an unexpectedly dangerous turn.
Girls Who Fight Boys - Adrienne and Bedelia rescue Raven from under righteous Sir Zachary's nose. (Previously reviewed as part of Princeless: Get Over Yourself).
REVIEW: Yes, I know it's been a rather Princeless-heavy review streak this month. I had a Barnes & Noble coupon to burn off... This is the last one for a while, I swear. Anyway, this collection is a mixed bag. Some of these stories are interesting and fun, foreshadowing future developments in the series. A couple hint at possible spin-offs. But others seem oddly pointless, with less of the wit that makes the Princeless series so enjoyable. The changing artists also made it a little hard to track who was who, particularly in The Girl with the Giveaway Ears, and several of the wolves in Kira's tale were difficult to tell apart. Some images were tough to decipher for being so dark, as well. Overall, it's not bad, worth reading if you're following the series.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Cinder Edna (Ellen Jackson) - My Review
The Paper Bag Princess (Robert N. Munsch) - My Review
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Princeless: Be Yourself (Jeremy Whitley)
Princeless: Be Yourself
(The Princeless series, Volume 4)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by Emily Martin and Brett Grunig
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
***** (Great)
DESCRIPTION: After a seafaring side trip, Princess Adrienne and her sidekicks head to the swamps to rescue Adrienne's middle sister, Angoisse. She was always the broody one, pining for boys she couldn't have and joy she'd never feel for the perpetual gloom of her soul... a real ball of sunshine and roses. But even as Adrienne and company fight their way through beasts and goblins and Sparky's patented crash-landings, Angoisse may have finally found the man of her dreams - if he's truly a man, and not a nightmare...
Meanwhile, in a last-ditch effort to make a "proper" man and future ruler out of his only son, King Ashe brings Devin to the place where the queen's carriage was ambushed by the possible-traitor Black Knight; maybe the anger will put some fire in the weak child's guts. But Devin doesn't think the evidence points to murder. The boy determines to set off on his own quest to find his mother - along with some unwanted help, the wolf-girl Kira.
REVIEW: With Volume 3 devoted to launching Raven's spinoff, I enjoyed getting back to Adrienne's quest. A hilarious, heart-filled adventure awaits in the swamps, as they cross paths with goblins and deal with swampland politics, with more surprises and snicker-worthy moments awaiting at Angoisse's tower. The dragon Sparky even gets a turn as heroine, loaned out to help the locals deal with a troublesome monster. As before, Adrienne's direct method of heroism isn't always the most effective, but she's learning, as are those around her. Back home, Devin finally gets a chance to come into his own. The new illustrators are nice, without the odd pink fetish from the previous issue. I'm looking forward to future installments.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Fairy Quest: Outcasts #1 (Paul Jenkins) - My Review
Heroics for Beginners (John Moore) - My Review
Heroes of the Valley (Jonathan Stroud) - My Review
(The Princeless series, Volume 4)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by Emily Martin and Brett Grunig
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
***** (Great)
DESCRIPTION: After a seafaring side trip, Princess Adrienne and her sidekicks head to the swamps to rescue Adrienne's middle sister, Angoisse. She was always the broody one, pining for boys she couldn't have and joy she'd never feel for the perpetual gloom of her soul... a real ball of sunshine and roses. But even as Adrienne and company fight their way through beasts and goblins and Sparky's patented crash-landings, Angoisse may have finally found the man of her dreams - if he's truly a man, and not a nightmare...
Meanwhile, in a last-ditch effort to make a "proper" man and future ruler out of his only son, King Ashe brings Devin to the place where the queen's carriage was ambushed by the possible-traitor Black Knight; maybe the anger will put some fire in the weak child's guts. But Devin doesn't think the evidence points to murder. The boy determines to set off on his own quest to find his mother - along with some unwanted help, the wolf-girl Kira.
REVIEW: With Volume 3 devoted to launching Raven's spinoff, I enjoyed getting back to Adrienne's quest. A hilarious, heart-filled adventure awaits in the swamps, as they cross paths with goblins and deal with swampland politics, with more surprises and snicker-worthy moments awaiting at Angoisse's tower. The dragon Sparky even gets a turn as heroine, loaned out to help the locals deal with a troublesome monster. As before, Adrienne's direct method of heroism isn't always the most effective, but she's learning, as are those around her. Back home, Devin finally gets a chance to come into his own. The new illustrators are nice, without the odd pink fetish from the previous issue. I'm looking forward to future installments.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Fairy Quest: Outcasts #1 (Paul Jenkins) - My Review
Heroics for Beginners (John Moore) - My Review
Heroes of the Valley (Jonathan Stroud) - My Review
Friday, March 4, 2016
Princeless: The Pirate Princess (Jeremy Whitley)
Princeless: The Pirate Princess
(The Princeless series, Volume 3)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by Rosy Higgens and Ted Brandt
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: The would-be hero Princess Adrienne is en route to rescue one of her sisters when she and her companions, dragon Sparky and half-dwarf smith Bedelia, happen upon another girl locked in a tower. It isn't until after the rescue that they learn she's Raven Xingtao, daughter of the Pirate King, long-time enemy of Adrienne's father Ashe and other nobles of the land. The princess's crusade takes an unexpected detour when Raven "borrows" Sparky for a personal project: tracking down the brothers who imprisoned her and usurped her rightful place as the Pirate King's heir.
This volume contains all four issues of the Pirate Princess sequence.
REVIEW: Raven stars in her own spin-off series after this adventure - and it's quite clear from the outset that she's being set up for her own stories. Indeed, she fairly bowls over most of the cast - even Adrienne - for a good portion of the book. It doesn't help that the new artists lean toward the pink end of the color palette. The hero princess still has a lot to learn about her chosen career, not to mention letting her anger and impulses get her into situations she can't easily get back out of. Raven, on the other hand, knows just what she's doing, merely lacking the means to obtain her goal... at least, until a helpful rescuer introduces her to a malleable lady dragon. After a bit of an uneven start, the tale wraps up in fine form, with a preview that tempts me to explore Raven's standalone adventures. It's more of a detour than a continuation of the Princeless story, but a reasonably entertaining one. I'm looking forward to getting back to Adrienne's quest in Volume Four, though.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Piratica (Tanith Lee) - My Review
Bloody Jack (L. A. Meyer) - My Review
Princeless: Save Yourself (Jeremy Whitley) - My Review
(The Princeless series, Volume 3)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by Rosy Higgens and Ted Brandt
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, YA Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: The would-be hero Princess Adrienne is en route to rescue one of her sisters when she and her companions, dragon Sparky and half-dwarf smith Bedelia, happen upon another girl locked in a tower. It isn't until after the rescue that they learn she's Raven Xingtao, daughter of the Pirate King, long-time enemy of Adrienne's father Ashe and other nobles of the land. The princess's crusade takes an unexpected detour when Raven "borrows" Sparky for a personal project: tracking down the brothers who imprisoned her and usurped her rightful place as the Pirate King's heir.
This volume contains all four issues of the Pirate Princess sequence.
REVIEW: Raven stars in her own spin-off series after this adventure - and it's quite clear from the outset that she's being set up for her own stories. Indeed, she fairly bowls over most of the cast - even Adrienne - for a good portion of the book. It doesn't help that the new artists lean toward the pink end of the color palette. The hero princess still has a lot to learn about her chosen career, not to mention letting her anger and impulses get her into situations she can't easily get back out of. Raven, on the other hand, knows just what she's doing, merely lacking the means to obtain her goal... at least, until a helpful rescuer introduces her to a malleable lady dragon. After a bit of an uneven start, the tale wraps up in fine form, with a preview that tempts me to explore Raven's standalone adventures. It's more of a detour than a continuation of the Princeless story, but a reasonably entertaining one. I'm looking forward to getting back to Adrienne's quest in Volume Four, though.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Piratica (Tanith Lee) - My Review
Bloody Jack (L. A. Meyer) - My Review
Princeless: Save Yourself (Jeremy Whitley) - My Review
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Princeless: Get Over Yourself (Jeremy Whitley)
Princeless: Get Over Yourself
(The Princeless series, issues #5-#8)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by Emily Martin
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Princess Adrienne, her loyal guardian dragon Sparky, and their new sidekick, the half-dwarf smith girl Bedelia, set out on their first official rescue mission. Adrienne's sister Angelica is their first stop. Always the most beautiful in the family, surely she'll be grateful for Adrienne's intervention. But the plucky princess finds a few surprises on the way to the tower that she never imagined.
Meanwhile, Adrienne's father Ashe is determined to destroy the "dragon knight" whom he believes killed his daughter. He summons the seven bravest, boldest, and most eligible bachelor knights in the land: whoever succeeds will get the hand of the princess of their choosing. But King Ashe soon has a fresh problem on his hands, and a possible betrayal from his oldest and most trusted friend.
REVIEW: The story of Adrienne, the princess who rescued herself, continues, with new subplots sprouting as more people become affected by her decisions. In this, her first true test of heroism and her first taste of the real world beyond her castle home and tower exile, she finds that reality doesn't always fit her expectations. Not everyone appreciates her efforts - least of all Angelica, who has turned her good looks into a cottage industry. Is she selling out to beauty standards and sexism, or is she using her gifts to empower herself... and does she really need rescuing, or will Adrienne's efforts destroy everything? The would-be heroine has a lot of growing up to do, as sheer indignation and a quick sword aren't always the best answer to every situation. Meanwhile, the knights promise future complications, as do the actions of Adrienne's mother and father.
On a technical level, a new artist takes over in these issues, doing a decent job maintaining the feel of the characters. The layout, though, sometimes gets confusing, as it cuts back and forth between various storylines a little too often. On the whole, it's still very enjoyable, and I still look forward to Volume 3.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Goblin Quest (Jim C. Hines) - My Review
The Paper Bag Princess (Robert N. Munsch) - My Review
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (Patricia C. Wrede) - My Review
(The Princeless series, issues #5-#8)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by Emily Martin
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, Comics/Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Princess Adrienne, her loyal guardian dragon Sparky, and their new sidekick, the half-dwarf smith girl Bedelia, set out on their first official rescue mission. Adrienne's sister Angelica is their first stop. Always the most beautiful in the family, surely she'll be grateful for Adrienne's intervention. But the plucky princess finds a few surprises on the way to the tower that she never imagined.
Meanwhile, Adrienne's father Ashe is determined to destroy the "dragon knight" whom he believes killed his daughter. He summons the seven bravest, boldest, and most eligible bachelor knights in the land: whoever succeeds will get the hand of the princess of their choosing. But King Ashe soon has a fresh problem on his hands, and a possible betrayal from his oldest and most trusted friend.
REVIEW: The story of Adrienne, the princess who rescued herself, continues, with new subplots sprouting as more people become affected by her decisions. In this, her first true test of heroism and her first taste of the real world beyond her castle home and tower exile, she finds that reality doesn't always fit her expectations. Not everyone appreciates her efforts - least of all Angelica, who has turned her good looks into a cottage industry. Is she selling out to beauty standards and sexism, or is she using her gifts to empower herself... and does she really need rescuing, or will Adrienne's efforts destroy everything? The would-be heroine has a lot of growing up to do, as sheer indignation and a quick sword aren't always the best answer to every situation. Meanwhile, the knights promise future complications, as do the actions of Adrienne's mother and father.
On a technical level, a new artist takes over in these issues, doing a decent job maintaining the feel of the characters. The layout, though, sometimes gets confusing, as it cuts back and forth between various storylines a little too often. On the whole, it's still very enjoyable, and I still look forward to Volume 3.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Goblin Quest (Jim C. Hines) - My Review
The Paper Bag Princess (Robert N. Munsch) - My Review
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (Patricia C. Wrede) - My Review
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Princeless: Save Yourself (Jeremy Whitley)
Princeless: Save Yourself
(The Princeless series, issues #1-#4)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by M. Goodwin
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, Comics/Fantasy
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: Princess Adrienne's parents have a bad habit of locking their daughters in monster-guarded towers, to ensure that only a heroic man ever will inherit the king's crown... but, to date, none have been rescued. That doesn't stop them from trying again with her - but she's not a typical princess, to wait for her Prince Charming. Not when she finds a sword in her tower and decides to become the hero she and her sisters need.
This collection includes the first four issues of the Princeless comics, following Adrienne's escape and first attempts at heroism.
REVIEW: I read (and reviewed) Issue #1 online a while ago, so I decided to buy the complete Volume 1. To be honest, I'd hoped for more than just four issues; it's a fun and fast tale, yet it still feels like it's just getting started, as Adrienne picks up her first allies and enemies - not to mention her first official suit of armor (that hasn't been scavenged from corpses outside her tower, that is.) Numerous tropes get poked at, from fairy tales to fantasy to video games and more, yet the story and characters still maintain their integrity. The illustrations are bright and fun and lively, a perfect complement to the tale. I suppose I'll have to read the next issues, or spring for Volume 2, now - I can't leave things hanging as they are.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Tough Guide to Fantasyland (Diana Wynne Jones) - My Review
Heroics for Beginners (John Moore) - My Review
Dragon's Bait (Vivian Vande Velde) - My Review
(The Princeless series, issues #1-#4)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by M. Goodwin
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, Comics/Fantasy
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: Princess Adrienne's parents have a bad habit of locking their daughters in monster-guarded towers, to ensure that only a heroic man ever will inherit the king's crown... but, to date, none have been rescued. That doesn't stop them from trying again with her - but she's not a typical princess, to wait for her Prince Charming. Not when she finds a sword in her tower and decides to become the hero she and her sisters need.
This collection includes the first four issues of the Princeless comics, following Adrienne's escape and first attempts at heroism.
REVIEW: I read (and reviewed) Issue #1 online a while ago, so I decided to buy the complete Volume 1. To be honest, I'd hoped for more than just four issues; it's a fun and fast tale, yet it still feels like it's just getting started, as Adrienne picks up her first allies and enemies - not to mention her first official suit of armor (that hasn't been scavenged from corpses outside her tower, that is.) Numerous tropes get poked at, from fairy tales to fantasy to video games and more, yet the story and characters still maintain their integrity. The illustrations are bright and fun and lively, a perfect complement to the tale. I suppose I'll have to read the next issues, or spring for Volume 2, now - I can't leave things hanging as they are.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Tough Guide to Fantasyland (Diana Wynne Jones) - My Review
Heroics for Beginners (John Moore) - My Review
Dragon's Bait (Vivian Vande Velde) - My Review
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Fairy Quest: Outcasts #1 (Paul Jenkins)
Fairy Quest: Outcasts #1
(The Fairy Quest series, Outcasts Issue 1)
Paul Jenkins, illustrated by Humberto Ramos
Boom! Studios
Fiction, YA Comics, Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: In the world of Fablewood, all stories live side by side, re-enacting their roles faithfully under the eye of Mister Grimm and his Think Police. Deviants are captured, their minds erased, lest the ordered tales fall into chaos and anarchy. Young Red and Mister Woof only want to be friends, but their story dictates otherwise. They flee into the Dark Woods, pursuing the faint hope of the Mapmaker beneath the mountains, in hopes of finding a new world where they can live and think as they please... but this is one fairy tale that Grimm doesn't mean to end happily ever after.
REVIEW: Starting quickly, with Red and "Mister Woof" (the Big Bad Wolf) already in flight through a fairy tale world that's dying under Grimm's harsh rule, Fairy Quests maintains a good pace throughout. Red can be a bit naive, almost irritatingly so, but such is how she was written, and even as she clings to free will, old habits remain. Woof gets the best lines and the best expressions, though sometimes his more direct method of dealing with problems isn't the best. Meanwhile, Grimm is established as a truly formidable opponent; if he sees how his tight grip on Fablewood is squeezing the life from the stories, he doesn't care, so long as order is maintained. It has touches of whimsy, but with a dark and devious subtext, enhanced by the artwork. I expect I'll read onward for at least another issue or two, to see where Jenkins is going with this intriguing setup.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Sisters Grimm: Fairy Tale Detectives (Michael Buckley) - My Review
Goblin Quest (Jim C. Hines) - My Review
(The Fairy Quest series, Outcasts Issue 1)
Paul Jenkins, illustrated by Humberto Ramos
Boom! Studios
Fiction, YA Comics, Fantasy
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: In the world of Fablewood, all stories live side by side, re-enacting their roles faithfully under the eye of Mister Grimm and his Think Police. Deviants are captured, their minds erased, lest the ordered tales fall into chaos and anarchy. Young Red and Mister Woof only want to be friends, but their story dictates otherwise. They flee into the Dark Woods, pursuing the faint hope of the Mapmaker beneath the mountains, in hopes of finding a new world where they can live and think as they please... but this is one fairy tale that Grimm doesn't mean to end happily ever after.
REVIEW: Starting quickly, with Red and "Mister Woof" (the Big Bad Wolf) already in flight through a fairy tale world that's dying under Grimm's harsh rule, Fairy Quests maintains a good pace throughout. Red can be a bit naive, almost irritatingly so, but such is how she was written, and even as she clings to free will, old habits remain. Woof gets the best lines and the best expressions, though sometimes his more direct method of dealing with problems isn't the best. Meanwhile, Grimm is established as a truly formidable opponent; if he sees how his tight grip on Fablewood is squeezing the life from the stories, he doesn't care, so long as order is maintained. It has touches of whimsy, but with a dark and devious subtext, enhanced by the artwork. I expect I'll read onward for at least another issue or two, to see where Jenkins is going with this intriguing setup.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Sisters Grimm: Fairy Tale Detectives (Michael Buckley) - My Review
Goblin Quest (Jim C. Hines) - My Review
Friday, December 11, 2015
Princeless Volume 1 #1 (Jeremy Whitley)
Princeless Volume 1 #1
(The Princeless series)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by M. Goodwin
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, Comics/Fantasy
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: In a fairy-tale land, Princess Adrienne finds herself locked in a tower guarded by a dragon, just like her sisters. It's a tradition, after all, ensuring that only the worthiest, bravest suitors claim a royal bride. But Adrienne isn't the sort of princess to wait for rescue...
This issue includes the short tale "Mr. Froggy," about the life of a reluctant princeling.
REVIEW: With shades of Shrek and Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, this clever comic send-up of fairy tale tropes is hilarious from start to finish. Adrienne's an outspoken, pro-active heroine, a dark-skinned counterpoint to the "fair maiden" stereotype. The story arc gets off to a good start, with shades of trouble on the horizon for the idealistic princess. The short story adds a male perspective, showing that the boys don't have it much easier than the girls when it comes to family expectations in a fairy tale world. I see that there's at least one compilation volume available; I'll have to track it down one of these days. (I read this issue via the library and Hoopla, a digital lending service.)
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Paper Bag Princess (Robert N. Munsch) - My Review
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (Patricia Wrede) - My Review
(The Princeless series)
Jeremy Whitley, illustrations by M. Goodwin
Action Lab Entertainment
Fiction, Comics/Fantasy
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: In a fairy-tale land, Princess Adrienne finds herself locked in a tower guarded by a dragon, just like her sisters. It's a tradition, after all, ensuring that only the worthiest, bravest suitors claim a royal bride. But Adrienne isn't the sort of princess to wait for rescue...
This issue includes the short tale "Mr. Froggy," about the life of a reluctant princeling.
REVIEW: With shades of Shrek and Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, this clever comic send-up of fairy tale tropes is hilarious from start to finish. Adrienne's an outspoken, pro-active heroine, a dark-skinned counterpoint to the "fair maiden" stereotype. The story arc gets off to a good start, with shades of trouble on the horizon for the idealistic princess. The short story adds a male perspective, showing that the boys don't have it much easier than the girls when it comes to family expectations in a fairy tale world. I see that there's at least one compilation volume available; I'll have to track it down one of these days. (I read this issue via the library and Hoopla, a digital lending service.)
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Paper Bag Princess (Robert N. Munsch) - My Review
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (Patricia Wrede) - My Review
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