Night Chef

I borrowed this book from my local library, and you know what? Libraries RULE!

 Of late, I have been reading through some of this year's Eisner Award nominees, and Night Chef is up for Best Publication for Kids. The titular character is a raccoon who lives in the walls of a restaurant. When night falls, this nocturnal critter sets to work making her culinary magic. 

All of this comes to a halt one day when she happens upon a baby crow, and they set off on a journey into the woods to get that chick home. They meet all sorts of interesting creatures along the way, including a mole who runs his own restaurant, dumpster-dwelling raccoons, and a murderous owl. I love the way that all of these animals and their personalities seamlessly combine into a fun and organic story that has whimsical touches as well as some high-stakes suspense. This book just left me feeling flat-out happy when I finished it. It is an utter delight, with its evocative watercolors and genuinely lovable characters.

This literary confection was concocted by Mika Song. She has illustrated numerous picture books as well as a series of graphic novels for younger readers beginning with the Eisner Award-nominated Donut Feed the Squirrels. She has also been posting a webcomic called Dee Dee. She talks about her work on Night Chef  in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have sung its praises. In their starred entry, Kirkus Reviews summed up, "A deeply satisfying adventure for readers young and old." Susan Harari wrote, "Song’s delicate and beautiful watercolor illustrations, with added black lines for emphasis, and her elegant, hand drawn lettering make this book a standout." April Spisak called it a "warm, endearing graphic novel."

Night Chef was published by Random House Graphic, and they offer more information about it here. 

Hello Sunshine

Hello Sunshine has been sitting in my to-read pile for much too long. When I finally began reading it, I had a difficult time putting it down. This book is about Alex, a teen boy who has had a mental break and disappeared after a violent episode. Searching for him are Noah, a football player who is secretly his boyfriend, his angry brother Jamie, their dog Cass, their friend and neighbor Sky, and Alex's best friend and Jamie's girlfriend Izzy. Each chapter is told from each of their viewpoints, contributing to the suspenseful series of revelations about their family and what Alex is going through. It is also a gateway into each character's thoughts and feelings. 

Aside from learning about this ersatz Scooby gang, which takes a tremendous amount of character work, we also gain insight into Alex's plight, which involves a frightening combination of the mental health issues and the supernatural. The plot navigates a delicate balance between educating about his mental state as well as delving into a Stygian horror, replete with demons and false faces. Along the way, the characters all reveal something about themselves and their mettle.

The artwork in this book also manages a difficult balance, with affecting emotional moments and interactions as well as depictions of truly horrific creatures and realms. Alex's mental space is not for the meek, and it is a testament to his friends and family that they even attempt to approach it. I feel that this book is a success on pretty much every level, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Author Keezy Young has made the award-winning supernatural romance graphic novel Taproot as well as several impressive mini-comics, including the autobiographical Sunflowers and horror stories like It's Bitter, Baby, and It's Very Sweet. She speaks extensively about her work on Hello Sunshine in this interview.

Nominated for the Best Publication for Teens Eisner Award, this book has received many positive reviews. Cassy Lee called it "an artfully compelling and haunting read." Kirkus Reviews described it as being "beautiful, spooky, and emotional." Andy Oliver wrote, "It’s an astonishing piece of comics, one of the finest examples of graphic fiction of this decade, and a book that is deserving of all the acclaim it has received."

Hello Sunshine was published by Hachette Books, and they offer a video preview and more here. This book is meant for YA readers, and it contains profanity as well as references to self-harm and suicide.

Trumpets of Death

I have not read a graphic novel quite like Trumpets of Death, and it's a very memorable and haunting book. Its protagonist is Antoine, a young boy whose parents are struggling and seemingly heading for divorce. So his father brings him to the country to live with his parents, Antoine's grandmother and grandfather. The grandmother dotes on him, making him his favorite foods and catering to his wants. His grandfather is the total opposite, alternating between ignoring him and treating him with disdain. 

Yikes!

One day while out foraging for mushrooms, unbeknownst to anyone, Antoine is transformed into a majestic, white stag. He escapes and frolics in the woods, staying out there for weeks, avoiding humans altogether, as deer do. Things get tense and intense when his grandfather sets up a deer stand for hunting.

I am not quite sure what young people would make of this story, but it is a wild one, ripe for interpretation and analysis. I found the book gripping because of the narrative, intense character work, and also because of the dreamlike artwork, which uses color to some very interesting effects. There is so much to take in and make sense of here: it's part fable, part examination of family dynamics, part coming-of-age tale. This book has stuck with me.

Trumpets of Death is the debut graphic novel by Simon Bournel-Bosson, a graphic designer from France, where this book was originally published. He speaks about his work on it in this interview. The translation was done by Edward Gauvin.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews called it "an unsettling, thought-provoking coming of age." Gene Ambaum wrote, "I’m not sure what most young people will make of the book, but it’s a quick, enjoyable read that’s more literary than most graphic novels marketed to them." Amber Love called it " pure magic."

Trumpets of Death was published in the USA by Graphic Universe, and they offer more info and preview images here. 

I borrowed this book from my local library. Libraries rule! 

Chickenpox

As a person with a lot of siblings, I found a bunch to relate to in this book. Chickenpox is a story set in 1994 about Abby and her family. 

She is a fifth grader, the oldest of five siblings, and like many children she gets annoyed with them for various reasons. They take her toys and comic books. They make her seem uncool to her friends, but in actuality they are having friction for their own reasons. All of this drama comes to a head when Abby ends up stuck at home sick with chickenpox with the whole family for more than a week.

Familiarity builds contempt, as they say, but sick and tired kids make for some different circumstances. Abby starts to see some good things about them while she tries to smooth things over with her classmates over the telephone. I won't spoil how things resolve, but I will say that I found this book to be charming and absorbing. It portrays family relationships and friendships in realistic, nuanced ways. The artwork is simple yet expressive, and I can see why it has been nominated for both Harvey and Eisner Awards.

Although it is not a memoir, Remy Lai based Chickenpox on her experiences growing up. She has authored several graphic novels, including Ghost Book and Pie in the Sky. She speaks about her work and inspirations in this interview.

This book has received many accolades and has been very well reviewed. In a starred entry, Kirkus Reviews called it "honest, atmospheric, and full of heart." Kate Quealy-Gainer wrote, "Touches of manga bring silly humor and high drama to an otherwise conventional cartoon style." Annamarie Carlson called it "heartwarming and fun."

Chickenpox was published by Henry Holt and Company, and they offer a preview and more here.

The Hidden Dominion of Geordie James

The Hidden Dominion of Geordie James is a fantastic graphic novel that delves into many contemporary issues that kids and parents are dealing with. Geordie is obsessed with Dominion, a Minecraft-ish MMORPG where he spends hours building up an elaborate amusement park with even more elaborate defenses to drive away marauders who would steal his (digital) stuff. His dad does not really see what he gets from the game, but he does not like it, especially when Geordie starts to fail science class. He grounds Geordie, making him spend time outside. Geordie finds a secret hideout, which somehow has working wifi he can use when he sneaks his tablet. He also becomes somewhat obsessed with a pig that has somehow escaped into the wild in their neighborhood.

Geordie is not the only one failing science though, and he and some classmates get put into an after-school group to work on a project to boost their grades. It turns out that Geordie is not great at working in groups, and some of his classmates are tough to get along with. They sometimes bicker and struggle to come up with a common topic, and seeing how they interact reminded me of how many kids today relate to one another, when they have to manage both face-to-face and digital interactions.

I am not going to get more into the plot and how the various relationships work out, but I will say that I found a lot of nuance and suspense throughout this book, and I found it really difficult to put down. It's not only riveting, it's also very moving and relatable. The interplay between reality and virtual worlds was palpable, and I cannot wait to share this book with my kids.

The Hidden Dominion of Geordie James was made by Mike Dawson, who is one of my favorite comics artists. I belong to his Patreon, where he publishes "almost monthly" zines. He has also written and drawna number of graphic novels over the years, including the Fifth Quarter books, Freddie & Me, Angie Bongiolatti, and Troop 142. He also has done a lot of  graphic nonfiction and essay work, including the collection Rules for Dating My Daughter and plenty of comics for The Nib and other venues.

All three of the reviews I have read of this book have starred ones. The entry from Kirkus Reviews concluded, "A beautifully resonant work for the plugged-in set."  Barbara Ward wrote in Booklist, "With threads exploring philosophical and moral questions and a nuanced look at the impact of time online for kids, this bright, expressive graphic novel has lots of emotional grounding while still being an engaging story of an often-overlooked kid finding acceptance and understanding." The School Library Journal  wrote that it "could readily serve as a mentor text and is an excellent book club choice for middle school students.”

The Hidden Dominion of Geordie James was published by Union Square Kids, and they offer a preview and more information here.

Assorted Crisis Events, Volume 1

Assorted Crisis Events is an anthology series where each issue is done by the same creative team. This volume collects the first five issues of the series, five tales that follow different characters in different circumstances. The only thing these stories have in common is that they deal with time travel and one grand temporal disturbance. There is a mysterious figure in each story, a bearded man with a jet pack, but he's never around long, and what his role is, if he even has one, in this series is not revealed.

The first tale is about a woman who lives in a run-down building frequently used to fill disaster movies; the second about a man unstuck in time catching various glimpses of his life, Billy Pilgrim-style: from his family immigrating to the US, to working in a slaughterhouse, to episodes of family drama, to dinosaurs materializing and attacking. The third tale is about two cities from parallel universes coming together; the fourth about a man who speeds through his own life, seemingly never making decisions and just hurtling forward toward death. The fifth story is about a woman who is stuck in a time loop where she continually re-experiences a trauma event.

These stories are all morality plays of a sort, in the mold of very specific Twilight Zone episodes. They work because they tend to be instantly compelling, the twists are well executed, plus the artwork is simply incredible. The amount of detail, strategic coloring, and page layouts make for some innovative comics reading. I appreciate just how much work goes into visual displays that take advantage of how the passage of time can be throttled, warped, and communicated via comics. I prefer some of the stories to others, but I feel that they are all strong. And I am interested to see if any sense of continuity develops as the series goes on.

Assorted Crisis Events was written by Deniz Camp, drawn by Eric Zawadzki, and colored by Jordie Bellaire. Camp is one of the hottest writers in comics right now, having worked on the acclaimed series Ultimates for Marvel and Absolute Martian Manhunter for DC. Zawadzki has worked on a number of comics series, including the House of El trilogy for DC and Heart Attack for Skybound. Bellaire is an Eisner Award-winning colorist and writer who has worked on many series for multiple publishers. There are multiple interviews with the makers of this series listed here.

All of the reviews I have read about this book celebrate its merits. Matt Reads Comics called it "a must-read series." Evan gushed in his spoiler-filled review, "Overall, this might be one of the best comics I’ve ever read." Brian Nicholson was lukewarm on the series for reasons related to contemporary comics publishing, but he also noted, "The abundance of craft and intellect on display makes me hope it could open up and move beyond the closed-off system of thought that defines it currently."

Assorted Crisis Events, Volume 1 was published by Image Comics and they offer more info about it here. This series is intended for mature readers, and it is ongoing, currently up to issue 8.

A Cat Story

We have five cats at home, so I am partial to these insane, occasionally lovable critters. A Cat Story portrays felines in apt ways, from the arching and squiggly way their bodies are drawn to the way they alternate being affectionate and combative in their relating to each other. The narrative focuses on a couple of young cats, Cilla and Betto, who live in the Mediterranean seaside city of Valletta. They like their way of life well enough, sleeping under boats, dodging the elements, and living on stolen fish or scraps left to them by tourists. Cilla also sometimes happens upon an unsuspecting child who sneaks them into their house.

Cilla turns on the charm to score some chicken from a sweet kid.

However, they learn of a legendary "Quiet Garden," where all cats are welcome and well-fed, and it entices them to embark on a quest to find it. Their journey is risky and long, and they meet a number of interesting, sometimes helpful, sometimes frightening creatures.

Aside from being a compelling and well told odyssey, this book is also beautified by its visual references to multiple art works and narrative flourishes that extend from those classical images. Consequently, this book is a sumptuous reading experience that is rewarding in numerous ways. It also invites re-reading to drink in all of the various details and references. 

A Cat Story is the debut graphic novel by Ursula Murray Husted. She has since made a second, Botticelli's Apprentice, which is a historical fiction.

The reviews I have read of this book have all been positive. Kirkus Reviews concluded that it "works equally well as simple animal tale, metaphysical journey, or reimagining of classic artworks." Betsy Bird called it "gorgeously wrought and tenderly rendered" and added that it "feels like a labor of love that will snuggle itself deep into the hearts and minds of kids everywhere."

A Cat Story was published by Quill Tree Books, and they offer a preview and more information here. 

Young Shadow & The Watchdogs

It's been a minute since I've read a book set in the Double+ universe, and it was high time for me to remedy that. This is the second book to feature the hero Young Shadow, and it is a great one to read right about now, with springtime and baseball season upon us. Also, you do not necessarily have to read the first one to catch what is going on here. The premise here is that Young Shadow and the Watchdogs, a crew of young people, are cleaning up a chemical spill when one of the 'dogs, Elmore, happens upon a baseball glove.

Surprise! the glove is haunted, and soon the nine kids find themselves involved in an otherworldly baseball game. And the stakes are high - if they lose, they lose their eternal freedom(!).

There are many things to love about this book. The sports sequences are exciting and well paced, the overall artwork captures the spirit of a strange and wondrous place, and there is a good dose of humor and heart. I have loved all the books I've read set in Bolt City, and this one is no exception. It's recommended for anyone that like baseball, ghostly adventures, cool character designs, and/or fun.  

Ben Sears is the writer/artist/complete package responsible for this book and all the other Double+ adventures. He is a cartoonist, musician, and animator, and in my humble opinion he should be better known and his books more read. 

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been glowing. Colin Moon called it "a wholly unique, wholly singular book, ready to hook a reader and start a lifelong fandom." Zack Quaintance wrote that although it was not what he expected, he "found the book to be an utter delight." 

Young Shadow & The Watchdogs was published by Fantagraphics, and they offer more info about it here. 

Squire

Squire is a book I have had on my to-read shelf for too long, and I am so glad I finally got to it. It is about Aiza, a young woman who belongs to the Ornu people, who have been recently conquered and absorbed by the Bayt-Sajji Empire. Her people are looked at not even as citizens, and she resents their treatment as thieves and scoundrels. After persisting against her parents, she enlists in the squire training program in the Bayt-Sajji army. If she successfully completes the training to become a squire she will become a citizen and be on the pathway to become a knight, a storied and prominent position.

Looks glamorous, yeah?

As a recruit, she has to contend with harsh living conditions, highly competitive peers, and the difficult tasks set for them by military leadership. Aiza hides her identity as a Ornu from everyone, and over time she begins to learn more about the history of the conflict, the intentions of the military, and what being a citizen and a knight actually entails. These are some harsh realities, but she finds hope and encouragement from some unlikely allies, as well as a lot of prejudice and fear from her compatriots when they learn where she's from. 

This book is set in a fantasy version of Jordan and Turkey, and it touches upon many themes and issues that persist in the Middle East both past and present in terms of conflicts between different social groups and the mythologies perpetuated to enforce unity. The artwork is gorgeous and colorful, and the characters are vivid both in terms of their relationships, the plotting, and how they are drawn. I got very swept up by this book, and I found it nearly impossible to put down after I was about a quarter way through reading it. I feel it is exceptional and works on so many levels, as a fantasy tale, a modern parable, and a suspenseful action story. 

I should also add I really appreciated the final section of the book, which is full of story ideas, initial designs, and lots of information about the amount of research and design that went into this book. Making comics, let alone a graphic novel, is a lot of work. It's good to see more about the process so that younger readers can appreciate what it takes to be comics artists themselves. 

The two who put so much time and effort into making this book are writer Nadia Shammas and artist Sara Alfageeh. Shammas has written a number of graphic novels including the Ignyte Award-winning Where Black Stars Rise and Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin. Alfageeh also has illustrated the picture book Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable Skater. Both collaborators speak extensively on their work on this book in this interview. 

Squire won the 2022 Harvey Award for Best Young Adult Book, and it has received many positive reviews. In their starred review, Publishers Weekly noted, "Alfageeh’s arresting visuals conjure a richly detailed, sun-drenched world in which impressive architecture fills open landscapes populated by visually diverse and complex characters." Kirkus Reviews called it "an engaging graphic novel that examines the nature of prejudice and the cost of imperial expansion." Helena Ramasroop wrote, " It was charming and unexpectedly humorous while also tackling important topics like prejudice, colonialism, justice, and the purpose of history."

Squire was published by Quill Tree Books, and they offer a preview and more here.

Akane-banashi, Volume 1

Akane-banashi is an engrossing manga series that  focuses on a niche area, but I took a lot away from it. The main character is teenager Akane Osaki who aspires to excel at rakugo, which is a tradition of comedic storytelling. Part of what drew her to this field was seeing her father rehearse his routines when she was younger, and she loved seeing his skill at portraying characters and scenarios. However, he was shamed and expelled from his rakugo school, and part of why she strives to succeed is to avenge his harsh treatment. 

At first, she trains in secret with his former teacher and in this first book she begins to meet other young storytellers as she joins a school. Some of them are supportive while others are more competitive, which makes for some drama.

Aside from all of the interpersonal intrigue, there is also a healthy amount of historical background about rakugo, which offers insights into the intricacies involved in being a performer as well as how it ties into Japanese culture as a whole. So, in combination with it being a gripping story, it is a sort of sociology as well. I might be making this book sound ponderous, but it was full of colorful characters and a breeze to read.

This manga is written by Yuki Suenaga and drawn by Takamasa Moue. It is the first serialized manga by Suenaga. Moue wrote and drew a prior series Ole Golazo, published in Shonen Jump.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive.  In a starred review from School Library Journal Joe Pascullo concluded, "With its lovable protagonist, strong artwork, and unique exploits at its heart, Akane-banashi is not only a must for any budding manga collection, but for any reader simply looking for a magnificent reading experience." Sara Smith wrote, "This is a great read for its characters but also for anyone interested in learning more about this Japanese art form." Sakura Eries "if you’re open to learning (a lot) about Japanese traditional culture, Akane-banashi might be a fun way to do it."

Akane-banashi, Volume 1 was published by VIZ Media, and they offer a preview and more here. So far, the series has been collected in 15 volumes in the USA (and 22 in Japan), so there's plenty more for fans. It has also recently begun to be adapted into an anime series.

Crazy for You

I recently took advantage of Fantagraphics' annual Fantabucks sale, and Crazy for You is the first book I've received and read from them. It contains two short stories written by novelist Paul Theroux and adapted by Steve Lafler, who has been making comics for decades. His most notable creation is Dog Boy and I have also really enjoyed a number of his smaller works as well. Theroux and Lafler speak of their collaboration here in this interview.

The first tale in this book is "Minor Watt," about a wealthy man who decides that he is going to deal with a divorce and economic recession by destroying precious artworks that he owns and buys. It was a roller-coaster ride of events that left me guessing how things would resolve. It lampoons contemporary art dealers and culture while also following a man's descent into madness.

The second story in the book is "Siamese Nights," about an aging businessman named Boyd who is sent by his company to Bangkok. He is an amateur artist who tours the town, sketching buildings and sites to bring home to his wife in Maine. He's also near retirement, and at first, he avoids socializing and going to bars with his younger colleagues. Eventually he joins them and meets a katoey named Song. He begins an affair with her and becomes obsessed, which complicates his marriage as well as his work situation. 

I found both stories compelling, even if the second trucks in exoticism. The artwork brings a strong sense of character, action, and passion to the events of each tale. These stories are also weirdly almost anthropological looks at later-life crises and male mania, including how emotional and social constraints can become warped, troubling, and destructive. These stories might be pitched at a specific mature audience, but I feel that they are well-rendered and thought-provoking.

The reviews I have read about this book have been conflicted. Steve Baxi called it a "mixed bag" and concluded, "I think 'Minor Watt' is worth the price of admission, but after that there’s plenty of other comics by Lafler and short stories by Theroux worth reading." William Schwartz pondered who the audience for graphic versions of these stories is and wrote that "the combination comes out like a well-aged Roy Lichtenstein, petty drama blown up to such an extent it’s hard to tell who’s laughing at who."

Crazy for You was published by Fantagraphics, and they offer a preview and more information here. This book contains profanity, nudity, and sexual situations and is recommended for readers mature enough to deal with them.

Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller The Man Who Created Nancy

Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller The Man Who Created Nancy sounds like a biography, but it is so much more. Certainly it does detail much about Ernie Bushmiller, the cartoonist who inherited a comic strip started in 1922, Fritzi Ritz, about a flapper making her way in the world, and who transformed that strip by introducing her niece Nancy who eventually took it over. But this book also delves deeply into the semiotics and sensibilities of that comic strip and what has led to it enduring over time with many different sorts of audiences. Also, this book offers a great sampling of Bushmiller's strips over the decades, detailing both its evolution and many of its greatest hits along the way.

Bushmiller was a workaholic who seemingly was constantly thinking of gags for his strips. He had four work tables set up in his house so he could work multiple strips simultaneously, and he worked so far ahead that he was about a year's worth of strips in the hopper. So it is no surprise that often the strip and reality coalesce in the course of the book's narrative:

I was totally engrossed reading this book, and it is dense with information but presented in a energetic and engaging way. It is a long-form comic about a man's life and how comics work, like reading an essay presented in comic strips. 

This meticulously rendered and researched book is a clear love letter to the Nancy strip as well as Bushmiller's work, written by a man who has read, enjoyed, and analyzed it all for decades. Since 1969, Bill Griffith has been publishing comics, including his long-running strip Zippy the Pinhead and nonfiction graphic novels like Invisible Ink and Nobody's Fool. He speaks about his work on Three Rocks in this interview.

This book has been extremely well reviewed. In a starred entry, Kirkus Reviews concluded that it "firmly raises the bar for comics biographies." Cory Doctorow called it "a great biography and a great book of literary criticism and comic arts theory." Henry Chamberlain wrote, "There’s a lot of fun things going on in this book and you definitely don’t need to know a thing about comics or have any strong feelings regarding the subject."

Three Rocks was published by Abrams, and they offer more info about it here. 

One last note: I borrowed this book from my local public library. Public libraries ROCK! 

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.