Science Comics: The Periodic Table of Elements: Understanding the Building Blocks of Everything

Explaining the "building blocks of everything" is a tall order, and this volume of Science Comics, The Periodic Table of Elements does an admirable job of tackling that gargantuan task. The framing narrative here is that Mel, a middle school student, is desperately studying for a science test to the point where it haunts her dreams. In this one specific dream, she meets a cute version of Hydrogen then confronts an evil Elemancer who can only be defeated through Mel's knowledge of the periodic table. For me at least, the D&D angle might not have been the most intuitive way to get into all this material, but I feel it is still a very effective narrative device.

As Mel quests to defeat the Elemancer, she has to recount a great many things, including what atoms and elements are as well as the history of the periodic table that includes a great deal about the contributions of Dmitri Mendeleev. This last part was especially informative to me, as it delves into how he organized the existing elements into groups according to their properties, leaving spaces for yet undiscovered ones(!), and creating a system that has stood the test of time to inform scientists both novice and expert. 

As Mel traverses the land, she gets to explain the properties of each grouping of elements she encounters, which are under the control of the Elemancer. These sections I found illuminating, because she uses her knowledge of these properties to get out of some pretty tough scrapes, reinforcing facts and ideas with actions. Also, the elements interact with each other, telling about their histories and also how they do and don't form bonds with others. I learned a lot from this book, and I feel it would be a great resource for anyone wanting to brush up on their knowledge of chemistry and the world.

The story and art are by Jon Chad, no stranger to science comics, whether they be entries in this series or his own Leo Geo books. He manages to balance drawings that illustrate science facts and models with others that tell a dynamic story full of fanciful elements. His strong storytelling skills shine here, making for a highly engaging and informative book. He sheds more light on his work on the Periodic Table book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. In a starred entry, Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "solid gold." Johanna Draper Carlson wrote that it features "a great blend of educational content and framing story." Although she got a lot out of the book, Jen Stutesman wrote that it felt long and "might have been a more enjoyable read cut into sections, or even separate books."

Science Comics: The Periodic Table of Elements was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more information here. 

In the Garden of Earthly Delights

I am a member of Rich Tommaso's Patreon page, where he publishes an anthology of comics called Black Phoenix. These comics feature all kinds of wonderful things, like a MAD Magazine riff, a book of what Dracula would have looked like if adapted by Walt Disney, and many different sorts of crime/noir tales. This book, a digest-sized graphic novella In the Garden of Earthly Delights is one of the latter. It is the first in a proposed series of books featuring The Tea Leaves, a duo of thieves named Trina and Dina.

Before this book begins they have pulled off a major jewelry heist, but there is a catch: the guy who was fencing them got robbed, and they will get nothing from their job. So, they then hatch a plan to rob a museum of some priceless works of art. 

When they get their shady father in on the deal, things go a bit south, and then things are further complicated when the person who plans to buy the stolen artwork is also the one who robbed their fence. 

I love a good caper tale, and that is exactly what this book is. Two things really make it fun: the suspenseful plot twists and the sumptuous artwork. Tommaso is one of the best artists going right now, and I love how he designs characters, orchestrates action sequences, and plots this story in a very compelling manner. If you like crime comics, this short book is a real treat. 

I could not find any other reviews of this book online, but the Copacetic Comic Book Company called it "a fun, throwback, semi-comic, art-heist story that is a drawn by Tommaso in a slightly tweaked variation of his trademark clean line cartoon style that brings in hints of Dan DeCarlo mixing it up with Darwyn Cooke – and that also provides an opportunity for him to provide crisp comics renderings of some classic/famous works of art."

In the Garden of Earthly Delights was published by BP Communications, and you can find a copy to purchase here. You could also subscribe to Tommaso's Patreon page and get a bunch of great comics, too.

Danger and Other Unknown Risks

Here's another book I borrowed from my local library through Libby. Libraries rule!

Danger and Other Unknown Risks is by Ryan North and Erica Henderson, who had also collaborated on one of my favorite superhero comics, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl as well as one of my favorite comics characters Jughead. They play well to each other's strengths and have won multiple Eisner Awards for their efforts. This book is a wild ride that bends the conventions of a mystical quest to make for a compelling and satisfying story. 

The main character here is Marguerite de Pruitt, who is living in a post-apocalyptic world where magic has destroyed all vestiges of technology. In this universe, when the year 1999 ended magic came back into existence and transformed the world. Instead of any technology working, Earth has been divided into separate areas where the rules of magic operate differently. Marguerite's uncle has tried to teach her magic, but she only knows one spell, which works differently in each realm. Still, he tells her that she is the "chosen one" and sends her on a quest with her talking chow chow Daisy to gather three magical items that will be used to return things to normal.

Along their quest, they encounter Jacin, a security guard from 1999 who decides to join them in the future. This trio then have all sorts of adventures as they encounter many strange, sometimes wonderful, characters, diverse realms, and unlikely situations. There is plenty of clever dialogue and funny situations along the way, as well as a self-aware sense of humor about genre stories. As the quest goes on, they slowly start to realize that perhaps not everything is as it seems, and that maybe they have reasons to be paranoid about their mission. There is much to love about this wry and engrossing page-turner of a graphic novel.

The winner of the 2024 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens, this book has been very well reviewed. Kirkus Reviews called it "a fine romp setting up for further worldbuilding in future entries." Greg Burgas wrote, "It’s a great adventure, it’s quite funny, it’s heartfelt, and it’s beautiful to look at." Kaileigh Oldham opined that "is a great read for fans of dystopian adventures or D&D stories."

Danger and Other Unknown Risks was published by Penguin Workshop, and they offer a preview and more here. North and Henderson have much to share about their collaboration on this book in this interview.

Boy vs. Shark

You know what is still awesome? Libraries! I recently borrowed and read the e-comic version of Boy vs. Shark through Libby, because the physical copy from my local branch was already checked out. I don't regularly read comics on my laptop, but the interface was intuitive and I enjoyed the reading experience. Logistically, it also made it super easy for me to take a screen capture and provide this short excerpt:

This graphic novel, set in 1975, was totally up my alley, not just for the pop culture references of the times (there is a handy glossary for those references in the end matter, for you whippersnappers) but also for its good senses of characters and humor. The story here is one of transitions, as young Paul is 10-years-old and feeling threatened for a couple reasons. First, he feels like he is losing touch with his best friend David, who he has known forever, because he has started hanging around with some older kids. Second, everyone seems obsessed with the new movie Jaws, a huge summer blockbuster that he is probably too young to watch but he feels compelled to in order to keep up appearances. Also, the older kids seem OK with initiating these younger ones into their club, but it involves some questionable activities like throwing apples at people's windows and shoplifting.

Paul is caught up in many emotions: he wants to act grown-up, to keep his friendships stable, and does not want to disappoint his parents. I should also add that he thinks that his father has the "Irish eye," which is an ability to see what he is doing at all times. He and his dad do not always see eye to eye, and a large part of this book is a look at their realistic, imperfect, and loving relationship.

Of course, things go wrong and there is trouble with the law, store owners, and the next-door neighbor. And people get hurt, both literally and figuratively. I do not want to spoil much, but I was impressed with how Paul deals with things and also how he relates to his friends and family. Bravery can take different forms, and he certainly shows ways to face responsibility and find an alternative to toxic masculinity. This graphic novel tells a coming-of-age tale in excellent fashion.

The deceptively simple artwork and moving story were done by Paul Gilligan, who is known for his comic strip Pooch Cafe. He has been twice nominated by the National Cartoonist Society for best strip, and he also has a couple of other books series, Pluto Rocket and King of the Mole People. He speaks about his work on Boy vs. Shark in this article.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been glowing. In a starred entry Kirkus Reviews called it "an authentic and funny look at masculinity and growing pains that resonates across the decades." Kasey summed up, "Gilligan creates a compelling balance of humor and heart in his exploration of masculine values and growing up." Allison Giggey wrote that it "never feels preachy or overly sentimental" and added, "it’s funny, upbeat, and overall a great read."

Boy vs. Shark was published by Tundra Books, and they have a preview and more available here. 

Clementine, Book One

Tillie Walden is one of my favorite comics artists, a multiple Eisner Award winning talent and current cartoonist laureate of Vermont. I loved her books Spinning and On a Sunbeam, and I also had the pleasure of interviewing her a few years back as part of The Comics Alternative podcast. I was very surprised to see that she was going to be working on a book based in The Walking Dead franchise, and I bought it a few years ago but only got to actually reading it now. Clementine is based on a character from the franchise's video game series. She is a young woman/teenager who is living in a world over-run by zombies. When this book begins, she is a loner, and she wears a prosthetic leg in place of the limb she lost.  And, as you can see in the except below, she is used to taking care of herself.

Her isolated demeanor gets seriously challenged when she happens up some Amish folk on a trail, and she ends up partnering up with a young man named Amos who is on his way to Vermont as part of his  rumspringa. It turns out it is easier to ride in a wagon than walk all that way, but when they get there, things are not what they expected. I don't want to spoil much, but they end up trying to make the best of things in the cold, harsh winter conditions, and there are many complications and obstacles.

What I think this book does best is use the backdrop of the zombie apocalypse to explore human beings, how they act, and what they are capable of. This is a book with lots of moral and ethical dilemmas that also explores people's relationships to each other and why they may or may not trust them. Clementine and the others are all complex, compelling characters, and watching how they relate, strive to survive, and potentially look out for each other is very engaging. All of this is further enhanced by the expert storytelling and character depictions. This book is a definite page-turner that is tough to put down. Good thing this is the first book of  a trilogy, so I will need to track down the rest of her story.

It can be tough to please the audience of an existing character, especially one that belongs to as large and passionate a fanbase as The Walking Dead. I have no experience with the video game version, and I very much enjoyed this book. Furthermore, all of the full reviews I have read about this book have been positive. In a starred review for Library Journal, Tom Batten summed up, "Walden’s knack for character development and unique perspective result in a tale perfect for diehard fans of The Walking Dead, as well as newcomers." David Harper wrote that the book "finds a singular talent threading a needle, making this graphic novel feel like a Walden original and a natural continuation of this character’s journey."

Clementine, Book One was published by Image Comics, and they offer a preview and more here.

Very Bad at Math

First off, this book is another I checked out from my local library. Local libraries rule! Very Bad at Math is about Verity "Very" Nelson, who is a real go-getter. She is a three-term class president, excellent English and social studies student, top debater, first-chair clarinetist, and can do more push-ups than anyone in gym class. 

See?

On the surface, it looks like there is nothing she can't do, but secretly she is failing math. She is ashamed of it and hides this fact from everyone, including her friends and parents. When she learns that failing a class would disqualify her from student government, she is offered the chance to participate in a "math pod" with a doctoral student who is working at the school where eventually she learns that she has dyscalculia.

Before this revelation, however, all of the secrecy does some damage. Her miscalculations seem to ruin a fundraiser for a class trip that was her main campaign promise. Even worse, her friends do not know what is going on with her and jump to some conclusions that she is being aloof, snobby, and/or uncaring. It also does not help that a middle school podcaster is snooping, secretly recording her, and creating misinformation. In the end, I found this a very compelling and realistic book in how it dealt with the current realities with social media, friendships, and learning disabilities. Also, the characters are also well defined and interesting. I like how they are drawn, how they interact, and how surprising some turn out to be.

This book's author, multiple Eisner Award winner Hope Larson is very good at comics. She practically invented YA graphic novels with her book Chiggers, adapted the graphic novel version of A Wrinkle in Time, wrote the Four Points series and Salt Magic drawn by Rebecca Mock, and created a trilogy of books starting with All Summer Long. She speaks about her work on Very Bad at Math in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. In a starred review from School Library Journal, Amy Ribakove wrote, "With captivating characters and a thoughtful exploration of dyscalculia, this book is a wonderful addition to any library." Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "a buoyant misadventure with some lessons along the way." Crystal Wilder concluded, "This graphic novel does a beautiful job of portraying the anxieties that may surround learning disabilities and the many ways family, friends, and learning professionals can be supportive."

Very Bad at Math was published by HarperAlley, and they have a preview and more available here. 

Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy

Hockey/romance books seem to be all the rage right now, and I just borrowed this one, published a couple of years ago, from my local library. Have I mentioned before that libraries rule!? I have not read a book by Faith Erin Hicks in a while, and with Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy she is hitting on all cylinders. This books has strong, fully realized characters, interesting personal dynamics and relationships, and a plot that left me wanting more. 

It is about Alix, a star hockey player on a team where her teammate and captain Lindsay constantly berates her in the locker room and on the ice. 

One day she snaps and attacks Lindsay, which shocks everyone and herself. In order to help herself and also convince her coach to approve her invitation to the Canada National Women’s U18 Team’s summer camp, she decides to ask Ezra for help managing her anger. Ezra is a drama kid who presents as gay and deals with a lot of antagonism from a couple of bullies because of that. Alix admires how Ezra can diffuse the hostility directed against him and redirect it through cleverness and humor. The two strike up a friendship and get to know each other. It turns out that Ezra is more gender fluid than gay, and they end up in a relationship.

The artwork and how it conveys emotional scenes and facial expressions is one big reason this book works so well. The characters come to life in their reactions and in actions, but the hockey and drama scenes work just as well as the interpersonal ones. Hicks is magical with her line-work, an alchemist who makes the flat images breathe and emote. 

I also loved how this book contained so many nuanced, complex, and realistic relations. Alix and Ezra's relationship is a focal point of the book, but there are also a few forays into their family lives, including how they deal with their parents and their own relationship issues. None of the love stories here are idealistic or perfect, but they all feel real. In addition, Alix and Ezra have to navigate how some of their friends take these new developments, and they find out about some other unresolved feelings related to bullying from the past. Ironically, it does not look so much in depth at the hockey team dynamics, other than to point out that no on in that locker room ever had Alix's back. The way the book ends is very open-ended, and I hope that it gets a sequel because I would love to spend more time with these characters. They were very easy to fall in love with.

As I mentioned above, this book was written and drawn by Eisner Award winning artist Faith Erin Hicks. She has created some of my favorite books over the past decades, including The Nameless City trilogy, The Adventures of Superhero Girl, Pumpkinheads, and Friends with Boys. She talks about her work on this book as well as her own hockey skills in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews wrote that "the ending feels a bit abrupt, but readers will forgive that thanks to the overall incredible storytelling and character building." Ian Keogh concluded, "The general path is predictable, but handled with such delicacy and sympathy that Alix and Ezra carry readers through with the smoothness of skates on ice." Amanda Melilli called it "a feel good romance that doesn’t shy away from the painful side of life."

Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more here.

Science Comics: Frogs: Awesome Amphibians

You know what is awesome? Libraries! Recently, I realized I was the only one in my family without a library card. So I rectified that matter and checked out a couple of graphic novels. This one, Frogs, was the first one I read, because I have really enjoyed the Science Comics series and Liz Prince is one of my favorite comics artists. I have read and reviewed many of her books, about relationships, bands, and growing up, and I was eager to see her take on nonfiction comics.

This book stars Fran, a "city kid" whose parents have taken new jobs and moved to the country. She is not thrilled about this situation, and when she goes out to explore the local neighborhood she finds a pond and what she thinks is a fish. It is actually a tadpole, and it can talk(!). In short fashion, Fran finds herself enrolled in Amphibian Academy where she (and by extension, the reader) learns all sorts of things about these animals. For instance, it has lots about how they breathe, grow up, survive over winters. I also learned that they include more than frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders but also the limbless caecilians. 

There is also a good amount of info about environmental factors, diseases, and parasites that affect amphibians. One of the biggest revelations for me here was the existence of Big Night, a multi-community response to the transition from winter to spring when amphibians face danger getting to their habitats. There are lots of calls for action in the book, and that one in particular is very accessible for anyone. Altogether, this book is a fantastic resource for any readers eager to learn about frogs and other amphibians. 

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been superlative. In a starred review for School Library Journal, Emilia Packard summed up, "Prince’s devoted investigation of frogs and toads offers effortless education for readers of all ages and levels of interest, poised to make an Anura aficionado of every reader." Johanna Draper Carlson called it "the best kind of educational comic, one that teaches the reader while keeping their interest so much they might not realize how much they’re learning, on an unusual subject with plenty of awesome facts." Jaime Herndon wrote that "readers of any age will find this volume filled with fun facts."

Frogs: Awesome Amphibians was published by First Second, and they provide a preview and more information here.

Run, Book One

The March trilogy of graphic novels is a modern classic, a multi-award-winning set of books that chronicle the life of John Lewis during the first part of his life. This book, Run, was proposed as the first in another series, but Lewis died just as the final edits were made to it, and it is up in the air if it will ever continue. Still, it is a worthy and fascinating book well worth reading and revisiting.

This volume takes place after the first push of civil rights victories, and it shows how even that segregation was legal and voting rights cleared that equality was far from the norm. This book opens with a white congregation refusing to allow blacks to enter their church and worship, and shows more examples of how entrenched power structures made it difficult for true justice to be practiced. I think it is important to see just how much struggle existed and continues to exist, even after "progress" was made. We are still fighting some of these same battles now, sadly.

This book also features much detail about the workings and politics of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee that Lewis headed, and how it morphed into a different sort of movement that eventually gave rise to the Black Panther Party. 

It also chronicles several contemporary events, such as the Vietnam War and Watts riots, and how they all contributed to the political atmosphere of the times. This book ends with Lewis deciding to run for office, and even if it ends in an open-ended manner that may never be resolved, readers would know that Lewis was elected and served for decades as a US Representative. And I feel that what makes this book relevant and moving is how it shows the friction and effort necessary with any political action. 

Like the March trilogy, this book was written by Lewis and Andrew Aydin, with art by L. Fury, in her graphic novel debut, with some assists by Nate Powell. Fury has been at work on her own graphic novel project, Condemned, and Powell has a long list of credits, including the March books, an adaptation of Lies My Teacher Told Me, and his own works like Fall Through.

This book has received many accolades and glowing reviews. Publishers Weekly concluded their starred review, "Lewis’s stunning American story and legacy lives on in these pages." In another starred entry, Kirkus Reviews called it "an intimate, powerfully revealing look at a crucial, complex time, through the eyes of a true American hero." In a third starred review, Eric Carpenter wrote that it was "as informative and essential an addition to the nonfiction comic canon as its much-lauded predecessors."

Run, Book One was published by Abrams ComicArts, and they offer a preview, a teaching guide, and more information about it here.

History Comics: Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes

I have to admit I went into reading this book, Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes, with a bit of trepidation, because I know that Parks's story is often-told and also incorrectly, as if she was just some tired woman who happened into the situation, which could not be further from the truth. However, there was so much in this book that I either did not know or appreciate, and it was truly eye-opening. If I have a quibble with it, it would be that the title should be reversed, because its narrator and main focal point is Claudette Colvin, who just died this year and should be known by many more people. She was arrested nine months before Rosa Parks was, also for not giving up her seat to a white person in Montgomery, Alabama. The difference was that Colvin made for a poorer test case for litigation, as she was younger, unmarried, and pregnant at the time of the proceedings. It was not until later that Parks became the subject of that test case to argue against and finally end segregation (legally, at least). 

What this book does an excellent job of is telling things like it was, not sugar-coating language, events, or how some people ended up getting more credit than others for the civil rights work. It shows the long, laborious process it took to get justice, from the arrest to trial and later appeals. It shows how these events affected both women and their families, highlighting how they lost friends and jobs and also feared for their lives because of the stands they took. This book also situates these events with other contemporary happenings, like the murder of Emmett Till, to give a clear context of the times. It makes these people real, not just grand figures from history to be studied.

Reading this book the same day that I learned the Reverend Jesse Jackson died, and revisiting the 1984 skit "The Question is Moot" from Saturday Night Live, it strikes me that even after decades we are still dealing with the same issues of disparity, violent authorities, hateful legislation, and misinformation. It's shameful that some of us have hoodwinked by illusions of progress, when the same old things just happen under different guises. Having access to stories like these is vital for people to realize that these struggles are ongoing, difficult, and necessary.

Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin was written by Tracey Baptiste and drawn by Shauna J. Grant. Baptiste has many books to her credit, including Kid X and Super Goat Girl. Grant has created her own series of Mimi graphic novels as well as a couple of entries in the Baby-Sitter Little Sister series.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews called it "a valuable addition to the growing swath of graphic novels drawing attention to civil rights history." Johanna Draper Carlson wrote, "The narrator and the open, friendly art style make History Comics: Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin an enlightening read with something new to say."

Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more information about it here. This book is suggested for readers age 8 and up, and it features some hateful language and references to sexual violence.

Steady Rollin': Preacher's Kid, Black Punk, and Pedaling Papa

I got this book a few years back from a Kickstarter campaign for Birdcage Bottom Books. Steady Rollin' is a collection of previously published comics, and the only thing holding them together is that they are all autobiographical, roughly chronological, and feature the author and illustrator, Fred Noland. He is currently, in his own words, "an avid cyclist and proud papa." 

Over the course of this book he delves into lots of subjects and time periods, including looking at his upbringing as a literal son of a preacher man, his foray into the punk music scene, living in and around southern California, working at a car wash, various cycling trips, and a tense escapade where he tracked down someone who had stolen his bike. Along the way, I got a lot of insight into his politics, personality, and parenting. 

Each comic episode is a concentrated look at his life, sometimes funny, sometimes thoughtful, and always engaging. He tends to look at things, warts and all, and I appreciated the many truth bombs he dropped. At first I was disappointed that there was not a unified narrative, but I think this book has something better. Although the stories only really roughly fit together and were purposed for other venues, taken altogether they create a mosaic of man I find not only interesting and entertaining but also someone I'd actually like to meet and hang out with. I am not sure if we would get along necessarily, but I like the cut of his jib. And I really like his comics.

As I wrote earlier, Noland is a working artist, and he has produced work for many prominent magazines and venues. He has made a short graphic biography of Major Taylor, one of the USA's first global superstar athletes, and has been working on a longer one as well. He speaks more about his work and this book in this interview and also in this article.

I was not able to find many reviews of this book online, but Publishers Weekly called it a "companionable grab bag of humorous autobiographical shorts."

Steady Rollin' was originally published by Birdcage Bottom Books, but now you can get copies from Microcosm  Publishing (they offer a preview and more at the link).

The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival

Holocaust survivors are growing older and fewer, and The Girl Who Sings is a graphic novel made to ensure their stories are preserved and told to future generations. It tells the tale of Estelle Nadel, who lived in Poland as a girl, and whose story is recorded and featured by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is divided into four parts, the first the lead-up to Nazi occupation, the second an account of her family hiding, the third a look at their liberation that brought new terrors, and the fourth the tale of how they finally arrived to America and struggled to make new lives.

What is powerful about this book is its first-hand account of the genocide and harrowing events of the period, ones that are being replicated in the present in multiple places despite a vow to "never again" abide such prejudice and hatred. People were labeled subhuman, detached from social structures like education, relegated to ghettos, and eventually sent to camps to either work or die. Others were killed with bullets and bombs in the course of war. I know there are those who would like to pretend none of this ever happened or even those who would like to replicate these events to perpetuate their own foul beliefs, and one of the strongest ways to combat them is to keep these stories visible. I was deeply moved by this book, more than I expected to be. It is a vital tale of survival and hope in the face of despair, and I feel it is an important story for others to see.

The Girl Who Sang is Estelle Nadel's story, but she died in 2023, and it was translated into graphic novel form here by editor Bethany Strout and artist Sammy Savos. Savos is a storyboard artist and cartoonist who has a strong sense of storytelling, character design, and emotional expression. Through the interaction of plot, words, and images the people and events depicted in this book seem palpable and alive.

 This book has received many accolades and has been very well reviewed. In a starred review from School Library Journal, Darby Wallace called it a "must have." In another starred review, Kirkus Reviews described it as "sweeping, stark, tragic, and triumphant." Emily Schneider wrote that the "metic­u­lous nar­ra­tion and insights, com­bined with Sam­my Savos’s com­pas­sion­ate artis­tic vision, ensure that this sto­ry will not be forgotten."

The Girl Who Sang was published by Roaring Brook Press, and they offer a preview and more here.

Life Drawing

It had been a minute since I read any Love and Rockets, but I recently read Life Drawing to check in with what Jaime Hernandez has been creating these past several years. This book follows the exploits of Jaime's two main focal characters of late, Tonta and Maggie. Most of the book looks at how Tonta is dealing with life after high school, with her bouncing around her aunts' houses, taking drawing lessons at the local community college, maybe finding gainful employment, and fumbling toward possible relationships. Maggie keeps popping up in and around her life in surprising ways, and together they begin to work on Maggie's fear of the ocean. 

None of this plot summary really gets at what makes this book special, which includes the dialogue, interactions between the characters, and gorgeous artwork. In many ways, it reads like a grown-up Archie comic, with multiple short, separate episodes that coalesce into a narrative whole. The characters are vivid and how they interact with each feels real, funny, and moving. The issues they deal with are mundane and relatable, but the artwork is exquisite and expressive. In lieu of a preview, I am just going to post a series of random panels as rendered by Hernandez. 

I think readers new to the Love and Rockets world might need to allow themselves some time to get into this book, as it is a bit scattered on the front end, but fans will be able to visit again with a cast of old friends. I loved seeing the familiar stomping grounds being populated with newer characters, and there are a few surprises, too, including a forest spirit and a couple of weddings. It's another outstanding comic by one of this generation's best artists.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. In their starred review Publishers Weekly gushed, "Hernandez's jaw-droppingly clean line and mastery of the subtly caricatured human form make the most mundane moments vibrate with life." John Paul Bullock wrote that it "is a perfect entry point for anyone who’s recently discovered this groundbreaking series." Tom Shapira pondered the task of tackling this series for the first time and wrote, "The reviews are still good, they’ve always been good, but there’s just so much of it."

Life Drawing was published by Fantagraphics, and they offer a preview and more information about it here. This book features adult situations, profanity, sex, and nudity, so it is recommended for readers mature enough to handle those things.

Super Magic Boy Book 3: I Am A Slime Monster

In this third volume of the Super Magic Boy series, Hugo has just finished the second book of his favorite series, Sponge Man, and wants to read the third. So he and his pal Dino head to the library only to find disaster.

It turns out that the place has been overrun by a slime monster who wants to destroy all the books so that humanity will become stupid and be easier to conquer. Hugo is frightened of slime monsters, but he marshals his courage and abilities to battle this gelatinous foe. I won't spoil what happens, but I will say that all resolves well, albeit in a silly way. My kids have all read this book, and they especially loved the gruesome slime monster.

Personally, I enjoy the energetic and loopy artwork. Hugo and Dino are enthusiastic in everything they do, and that affect makes the proceedings all that more funny, fearsome, and exciting. This book is flat out fun to read.

Long-time readers of the blog might know that Jarod Roselló is a big deal in my house. We have all read both his Red Panda and Moon Bear books, and I have read a bunch of his mini- and web-comics, including the The Well-Dressed Bear Will (Never) Be Found. He speaks about his work on the Super Magic Boy series in this interview.

I Am A Slime Monster was published by RH Graphic, and they offer a preview and more here. 

History Comics: The Challenger Disaster: Tragedy in the Skies

I was home from school for a snow day on January 28, 1986, and I remember watching the Challenger disaster live on television, which made quite an impression on me. This book takes a look into the people and circumstances behind that space mission and explains just went wrong. The framing sequence here is that those seven astronauts have been commemorated in the future where humanity has moved beyond Earth to colonize outer space, and a teacher has her students giving presentations about the Challenger mission. Over the course of this book the students expound on these astronauts as explorers and also for introducing the idea of civilians traveling to outer space.

What made this particular space mission notable, even before the tragedy, was the inclusion of Christa McAuliffe, a high school teacher who won the opportunity to train as a payload specialist. Of course, a focus of this book is on her but it also makes sure to give more details about the rest of the crew. It also delves into the factors that led to disaster, exploring how the space shuttle program developed its vehicles as well as what went wrong in terms of weather conditions and O-rings. I felt that this book was very informative and engaging, another strong entry in the History Comics series.

The Challenger Disaster was written and drawn by Pranas T. Naujokaitis, who has written and/or drawn several books over his career. He is also known for the mini-comic Laffy Meal. He speaks about his work on this book in this interview.

The reviews I have read about this book have been mostly positive. Sophie Brown called it "a great book that conveys a huge amount of detail without ever feeling overwhelming or dry." Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "a well-researched, idealistic tribute." In a starred review for School Library Journal, John Peters praised it for "artfully incorporating a solid payload of information within a well-developed frame story."

The Challenger Disaster was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more information here. 

Hoops

I loved reading Hoops, a fictional account of the first Indiana high school girl's basketball tournament in 1976. The books follows the Wilkins Regional High School girls’ basketball team through their bumpy inaugural season. The boy's Bears team is a perennial state power that gets lots of accolades and attention, but the start-up girl's squad suffers in comparison. Those players have to practice in the elementary school gym, deal with tension from peers who think they should stick to cheerleading, and struggle to find funds for basic things they need to run the team, like uniforms, equipment, and buses.

I will try not to spoil much, but they have trials and successes, and luckily they find someone who helps them not only advocate for the team but also find ways to pay for uniforms, travel, and everything they need to compete. This is historical fiction, but it is based firmly on real events, and it is a great way to revisit the recent past and see how it differs from our current realities, and why things are more equitable after Title IX was more fully realized. 

However, this book is not a dry history lesson. It is full of great character moments as well, and it's easy to root for the upstart team, mostly seen through the eyes of Judi. The game and action sequences are exciting and vivid, and the artwork is very clear and inviting. Fans of history, sports, and sports stories will find much to entertain them here.

Hoops is the debut graphic novel by Matt Tavares. He is a long-time children books' writer and illustrator, with more than 20 titles to his name. He speaks about his work on his graphic novel in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "a winning tale, all the more exhilarating for its links to history." Beth Kanell called it "a page-turner where determination and hope fill every page." Ofama Umesi opined that it is "delightful and informative on a historical level."

Hoops was published by Candlewick Press, and they offer a preview and more information here. 

The Knives: A Criminal Book

The Knives is the latest entry in the Criminal series, a stand-alone graphic novel that works on its own and also displays all the hallmarks of excellence of these comics. This particular volume is one that weaves together several tales and features characters who have appeared in prior stories, operating an as introduction to this world and these comics in advance of the premiere of the Amazon adaptation. One of the main plot threads is about a writer that mirrors some of Brubaker's experiences in Hollywood, and the others involve an orphan being raised by an ex-boxer/current bar owner/keeper of the peace, a kidnapping scheme, a doomed love story, and an ex-soldier falling back into a pattern of violence.

If have ever read Criminal, many of these themes and stories are familiar, but I still feel that good genre work done with skill and craft is worth reading. And this book features exactly that. There are suspense, intrigue, interesting character moments, sex, violence, and questionable moral choices abounding. The artwork is aptly atmospheric and expressive. I have consistently loved Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' collaborations, and this one is as good as any of their past work. If you are looking for some entertaining crime noir readings, this book is a good place to start.

The reviews I have read about this book have been mainly positive. Zac Owens called it "a book I truly loved to read." In a starred review, Thomas Batten summed up, "This ambitious and elegiac crime thriller is among the best of Brubaker and Phillips’s highly acclaimed collaborations." Steve Baxi has some issues with this book retreading familiar territory but also admits it is "charming more often than not."

The Knives was published by Image Comics, and they offer more information about it here. This book contains violence, sex, and profanity, and it is suggested for readers mature enough to deal with those things.

Fourth Dimensional

I have been meaning to pick up a couple of books from Cosmic Lion Productions, and with some extra money in my pocket from holiday gifts I got what was available from the series Fourth Dimensional, a graphic novel and two giant-size comic books (the first two installments of the three-part Seal Your Heart). The main story focuses on two characters, Ava a 19-year-old woman who should be thinking of applying to college after high school but is yearning for something else, and Mon, a super-powered fugitive from another dimension. 

Mon's presence cast an entirely different light onto Ava's life, and together the duo get swept up in the tide created by other Light Dwellers from the fourth dimension that disrupt human life on Earth. Plus, there are also a couple of beings who are hunting Mon and want to bring him back home.

The artwork and character designs in these books are outstanding, and they are what drew me in from the onset. What I also liked about this work was that it jumped into the narrative with both feet, not taking much time on exposition or world-building that detracted from the plot. Because of that, there were a couple of places where I got a little lost by what was going on because of vague background or unclear pacing (especially in the early pages of the first book, Summer of Fun), but these moments were few. Additionally, Summer of Fun is more episodic and choppy whereas Seal Your Heart is more of an extended, cohesive story. It is fun and refreshing to see the comics work develop and grow over the course of these books, and the second story arc is really picking up steam. I feel like I am getting in on the ground floor of something really special. 

These books' creator is Seraji, a recent graduate of the IDEA School of Design at Capilano University. In addition to this independent series, he has also worked for DC Comics, notably on the Ringo Award-winning series, Nothing Butt Nightwing and Jon Kent: This Internship Is My Kryptonite. He speaks about his work on Fourth Dimensional in this interview.

I was not able to find many reviews of these books, only two of the first one, but they were positive. I agree with Sean Kleefeld who wrote, "I think it's a worth a look if you want a fun, light sci-fi romp." Sewer Mutant opined, "I love the art in this and enjoyed the breath of fresh air this provided."

Fourth Dimensional was published by Cosmic Lion Productions, and they offer previews and more information about the series here.