Category: Comics or Graphic Novel

An artform consisting of pictures that tell both fiction and non-fiction stories. Useful for reluctant readers of all ages.

Animosity, Vol. 1: The Wake by Marguerite Bennett

Animosity, Vol. 1: The Wake by Marguerite Bennett

One day, animals obtained self awareness and the ability to speak. The world will never be the same.

They started thinking. They started talking. They started taking revenge.

There’s something profoundly disturbing when reading about animals embodying the worst of the human emotions. They’re angry, afraid, vengeful. Part of what draws humanity to the animals is that they’re not like that. They live in the moment. They operate from instinct. And the love they give is uncomplicated… the hate too.

Photo by Dominika Roseclay on Pexels.com

In Animosity, this paradigm is flipped on its head. Now animals can plan. They’re organized. They can make assumptions and mistakes.

When the animals changed, some pressing issues arose beyond the obvious problem of everybody hurting each other in the first panic and fear-filled moments following the change. How will the world feed itself? How will reproduction be controlled? Humanity had trouble providing for all even when not dealing with the quintillions of other lives on the planet.

And the love one dog has for his human can perhaps have some darkness in it that she doesn’t expect. There’s still loyalty. He’ll fight to protect her. But there’s some question to how much he’ll protect the rest of her family…

Photo by 42 North on Pexels.com

Animosity is a surprisingly deep graphic novel that makes the reader question the role of animals in our lives and how the world could be a very different place if everyone, literally all life, acted like humanity. And how that might be an awful development.

Here’s my review of another book that is set in the dystopian world of Animosity: Animosity: Evolution, Vol. 1: Lex Animata by Marguerite Bennett

And thanks for reading!

Animosity: Evolution, Vol. 1: Lex Animata by Marguerite Bennett

Animosity: Evolution, Vol. 1: Lex Animata by Marguerite Bennett

Animosity: Evolution imagines a world in which animals have become sentient and all of the chaos that followed. It’s a fascinating science fiction graphic novel in which leaders among the animals have to come to grips with an additional multi-billion mouths to feed, homes to find, and society to organize.

Compounding the complexity, the animals are now just like people with individual personalities. Some are brave, others corrupt, others run vice dens with black market milk or other forbidden specialties. There’s problems with population control and predators continue to desire prey.

Photo by YURI MANEI on Pexels.com

A laconic wolf named Wintermute is leading the charge for the former city of San Francisco. None of the decisions she is required to make on a daily basis are simple and she’s almost universally hated, except by a few who know her well.

Meanwhile, out in the ocean, the dolphins have organized into their own blood-thirsty society. Beyond the city limits on the land, there are animals (and people) who don’t want to join a new world order in San Francisco.

I really enjoyed Animosity: Volume 1. It is a multi-layered story in a world that has a lot of potential. The characters, both animal and human, are fascinating. The relationships that they are attempting to develop are brand new and without precedent. There’s shifting power structures and social services have been completely up-ended.

Photo by Daniel Torobekov on Pexels.com

I wonder what’s going to happen next…

Many thanks to one of my local public librarians for the excellent recommendation. You rock, Ryan.

Thanks for reading!

I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 4: Sadly Never After by Skottie Young

I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 4: Sadly Never After by Skottie Young

Sometime in July, when I wasn’t paying attention, Skottie Young announced this installment of the I Hate Fairyland series would be the final one. Imagine my surprise when I got to the last page of what was obviously the end of one of my favorite comic series. It was bittersweet.

Young brings the series to a close with Gertie trying one more time to get home. The last book ended on a cliffhanger with a surprise twist. He addresses that directly in the first pages of this installment.

“Yeah, that’s why I’m completely unimpressed. Feels like a cheap stunt to end a story with a ‘clever’ cliffhanger, if you ask me.”

Photo by Egor Kamelev on Pexels.com

Characters from the previous books all make an appearance, plus a few new ones. All-in-all, I enjoyed it.

The genius of this series is the idea that fairyland is one, built for children, and two, should have an expiration date. Gertrude, a foul-mouthed homicidal maniac in the form of a perpetually small child, is what would happen if someone was forced to endure endless disappointments in a futile effort to go home again. And was given a pointy-edged sword with little to no consequences for her actions.

All quests have ends though they may not be in the form the person going on the quest expected. I was pleased to see that Young didn’t drag out this series beyond its own expiration date. Because he could have. Honestly, the beautiful world he created could have gone on and on if he had chosen (or had the time) to do so. But he embraced one of the lessons in the story and ended it in a timely and, I felt, dignified manner.

Photo by PhotoMIX Company on Pexels.com

Recommended for adults who are looking for a different coming-of-age story in graphic novel format. Not appropriate for the younger set.

Here is my review for a previous entry in the series:

I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 3: Good Girl (I Hate Fairyland #3) by Skottie Young

Thanks for reading!

The Autumnlands, Vol. 2: Woodland Creatures (The Autumnlands #2) by Kurt Busiek

The Autumnlands, Vol. 2: Woodland Creatures (The Autumnlands #2) by Kurt Busiek

The curious fantasy/science fiction graphic novel series The Autumnlands continues in volume two: Woodland Creatures.

In the last book, the chosen one, “Learoyd”, a violent and profanity-laden human from the future or, perhaps, the distant past, was summoned by a group of magic-wielding, sentient animals to save their world from the disappearance of magic.

But the effort of summoning Learoyd was so great, that it caused one of their sky-roving cities to crash to the earth. On the earth, there were tribes of violent and power-hungry creatures waiting for their chance to plunder the riches of the sky.

That entry ended with an epic explosion and fight with a bison tribe.

Photo by Juraj Valkovic on Pexels.com

In this book, Learoyd and Dusty, a magic-wielding pit bull who recently lost his father, venture into the wilds of earth to discover who is poisoning the animals and continue searching for a way to bring back the magic that continues to disappear from the world.

Dusty, though young, is no dummy and Learoyd isn’t quite what the animals were hoping he would be.

The great champion of legend- the hero we’d thought him to be- would have sallied forth just because it was the right thing to do. But this champion… I was learning that legends were a poor guide. He had reasons for all he did. His own reasons. Whether I understood or not…”

This graphic novel is surprising in its treatment of the themes of power, magic and betrayal. I like how the animals tell the story about how everything that happens one way, but the reality of what happens seems to be something else.

It is an interesting examination of the power of storytelling and the construction of legends. What is truth? How much is magic simply technology that isn’t understood yet?

Photo by Alexandra Holbea on Pexels.com

“This f-ing world. I thought it was a dream, at first. It comes off goofy, all badgers and warthogs in fancy robes and sh*t. Like a kids’ story. But there’s just as much sh*t here as there is anywhere, isn’t there?”

I didn’t particularly like how much Learoyd uses profanity, but it certainly gives him character.

This series is for adults. It contains adult themes, nudity, profanity and violence. And yet, I think it is worth the reading.

It asks big questions. It uses fantasy to explore strange worlds and the human condition. Recommended.

Thanks for reading!

I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 3: Good Girl (I Hate Fairyland #3) by Skottie Young

I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 3: Good Girl (I Hate Fairyland #3) by Skottie Young

Skottie Young‘s gorgeously-drawn and cleverly-written comic series I Hate Fairyland continues in Volume 3: Good Girl.

Gertie is still desperately trying to get home and kill as many cute and fuzzy things as possible while she does so.

But first, she wants to meet her favorite marauding hero, Gwag, a hard-core barbarian at Dungeon Festexpocon!

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

“This line is ridiculous. Why in the world would anyone want to spend all their time, energy, and money to attend Dungeon Festexpocon just to wait in lines the whole time?” “Says the girl about to stand in that line.”

Gert is so relatable. She’s the unfiltered impulses that run through your mind. Difference is, we quash those ideas and she lives them.

“Lesson one: the lifeblood of any good quest is alcohol!” True.

After some hijinks, Gert does some soul searching and decides she has to change her ways… again. You’d think that premise would get old after awhile, but Young manages to keep it fresh and his readers guessing.

Photo by Clam Lo on Pexels.com

As I mentioned earlier, the art continues to be a delight. No one does adorable, gore-covered critters and fantasy scenes quite like Young.

Added bonus, everybody’s favorite long-suffering guide through Fairyland, Larry, gets his own backstory in this book.

“Sorry, I must have dozed off. What were you talking about?” “I was talking about how terrible your life would be if you never met me.” “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Highly recommended for graphic novel fans. Reminder, this series is for adults only. Don’t be fooled by the pastels. It can be crass, violent, gross, or a mix of all three of those things. It also has plenty of heart.

Thanks for reading!

The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman

The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman

Tim Hunter is destined to become a great magician… isn’t he? Four magical beings take him on realms other than his own, to educate and warn Tim about the path he is about to embark upon.

It is up to Tim to choose his destiny. Great power comes at great cost and it may be more than he is willing to pay.

“Child, magic exists. There are powers, and forces, and realms beyond the fields you know.”

Photo by Kei Scampa on Pexels.com

The worlds Neil Gaiman has created in The Books of Magic are haunting and layered and will stick with you after you’ve finished the story and closed the book.

So… typical Gaiman then.

“The true Atlantis is inside you, just as it’s inside all of us. The sunken land is lost beneath the dark sea, lost beneath the waves of wet, black stories and myths that break upon the shores of our minds.”

Photo by Kon Karampelas on Pexels.com

Beyond the story, the artwork is beautiful in each volume, but different from artist to artist. Not in a jarring way, just noticeably different.

“It’s like there’s a whole other world, that I never knew existed, side by side with the old one.”

Recommended for adults or mature teenagers. There are some scares and thrills on this fantasy journey through other worlds.

Thanks for reading!

Kind (The Good Neighbors, #3) by Holly Black

Kind (The Good Neighbors, #3) by Holly Black

kindRue’s grandfather put his nefarious plan to merge the faerie world with the normal one in motion at the end of the last book. Now, everyone in Rue’s town is going bonkers. Faeries are roaming the streets, eating and manipulating humans. The more organized groups of people are fighting back. It’s a mess.

“What do you do after the end of the world?”

Meanwhile, Rue has a love triangle going. Her boyfriend Dale has taken up with some bloodthirsty bog faeries and she needs to save him. But, she can’t seem to forget Tam, a young man who has a special talent for speaking the truth and was stolen away from the real world by faeries.

What’s a girl to do?

“When people tell you to forget things, they really just mean that you should pretend to forget. No one actually forgets.” “You are as heartless as any faerie girl, Rue, yet I want you to look at me and to see me. To see me like I see you.” pg 25

And who is going to save the town?

“There is a reason why mystics are mad, Rue. We- people, humans- cannot sustain exposure to the supernatural. That’s why we’re not meant to live like this. Already, people’s minds can’t handle it.” pg 55

The artwork in this series reminded me of The Walking Deadgraphic novel franchise. Sometimes, it’s good, but then in other panels, you can’t tell one character from another.

There are some truly beautiful and grotesque faeries. I think the artist, Ted Naifeh, was at his best with the supernatural creatures.

The ending to this series was a little too predictable for my taste. But, it is good enough for what it sets out to do- entertain young adults with a slightly darker fairy tale.

Thanks for reading!

Kith (The Good Neighbors, #2) by Holly Black

Kith (The Good Neighbors, #2) by Holly Black
kith

Rue’s world is getting darker. In the last volume of The Good Neighbors, she discovered that faeries are real and not harmless, glitter-sparkled fantasies like fairy tales have described them.

In this installment, Rue learns about the perils of faerie enchantments and intricate faerie plans. Mixing magic with the every day world, human and faerie, is downright dangerous.

Rue also discovers more about her mother’s (Nia’s) family and not everything she learns is comforting.

“You can’t keep mom here against her will.” “Oh, can’t I?” “Give me a test then. A test like you gave my dad. I’ll win her from you.” “Don’t be silly. Nia, do you want to leave my hill? Does the moral world hold anymore allure for you?” pg 49. Yeah, does it?

Rue’s parents didn’t have a traditional first date. It’s awfully sad just how their two worlds came together.

Rue spends much of this volume trying to walk the line between the faerie and human worlds and feeling guilty about loving and belonging to both.

“Let me propose a toast. To love. In what we love best, our worst selves are revealed.” pg 52.

Love and jealousy play a large part in this story as does control and betrayal.

Sometimes, we ruin the relationships that mean the most to us because we’re careless or confused or bored. Other times, we may not be completely honest with ourselves about whether two people, or in this case human and faerie, even belonged together in the first place.

Rue stumbles her way through these questions in a teenage, angsty sort of way. She’s a flawed heroine, but I rather like her.

I’m looking forward to the last entry in the series.

See my review of the first book in the series: HERE.

Thanks for reading!

Kin (The Good Neighbors, #1) by Holly Black

Kin (The Good Neighbors, #1) by Holly Black
goodneighbors

Rue’s mother has always been a little different. She talks to plants, hangs out naked in the yard and seems ageless. Rue knows her mother is not like other parents. But then, one day when her mom disappears, Rue begins to see strange things- creatures with horns in the coffee shop, a winged girl hanging out in the high school hallway- and she realizes that she’s different too.

Where has her mother gone and is Rue going crazy?

“You know how sometimes, when you glance at something out of the corner of your eye, it looks different for a moment? Well, sometimes when I look straight at a thing, it looks weird too. And those moments are stretching wider and wider.” pg 5.

I enjoyed the faerie lore in this graphic novel: “If an older mortal is beautiful or good at riddles, we might take them, but we always leave something behind in exchange. Sometimes we glamour wood to take on their appearance or we abandon a faerie in their place.” pg 36.

This book deals with surprisingly dark themes so I wouldn’t let my tween read it. The story contains (non-explicit) drug use, rape and kidnapping. It should be ok for most mature teens.

The artwork is pretty. The people aren’t depicted like normal every day people (especially the faeries) but, for the most part, I don’t think the artist over-sexualized the women. That’s one of my pet peeves with graphic novels: when they depict females as ridiculously proportioned pin ups. But, like I said, this one isn’t over-the-top.

Photo by Anthony on Pexels.com

The faeries are quite creepy too: “Let me tell you a story. … Long ago, mortals called us the fair folk, the people of peace, the good neighbors. They called us these things not because we were fair or peaceful or good, but because they feared us. As they should. As they will again.” pg 77

Recommended for readers who like dark fairy tales and fans of Holly Black.