The Great British Bump-Off

I am a big fan of The Great British Bake Off and murder mysteries, and boy was I excited when this series was solicited. The Great British Bump-Off not only marries these two things, it's also written by John Allison, whose work I have been following for decades now. It stars sleuth Shauna Wickle, one of the stars of the webcomic Bad Machinery, as a contestant on a parody version of the esteemed reality baking competition. Someone has poisoned one of the most competitive bakers, and the producers have tasked Shauna with finding the culprit while also being on the show and completing the challenges. Hijinks and suspense ensue.

Drama!

There are a few things that make this book highly appealing. The artwork is cartoonish and dynamic, a great platform for both broad humor and some of the more sinister undercurrents of the plot. The dialogue is snappy, and I found myself laughing and smirking along at this book a few times. The murder mystery plot is a lively one, with plenty of colorful suspects and red herrings, a la Agatha Christie. And if you are a fan of the actual reality competition, like I am, there are plenty of delightful in-jokes and references to the show's many tropes. Still, I feel this book would be attractive to anyone who is not familiar with the show, as these are some excellent comics, and the storytelling is masterfully crafted.

The Great British Bump-Off was created by writer John Allison, artist Max Sarin, colorist Sammy Borras, and letterer Jim Campbell. Allison and Sarin also collaborated on the Eisner Award-winning series Giant Days. Borras colors many comics, most recently in The Phoenix. Campbell has lettered a good number of comics, including Barbaric. Allison talks about his inspirations and work on The Great British Bump-Off in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been glowing. Johana Draper Carlson called it "a joy to read" and added, "The mystery is legitimate, and I was thrilled to follow through the twists and turns." And I completely agree with Tegan O'Neil who wrote, "The problem with The Great British Bump-Off is simply that the series is only four issues long." Nathan Simmons concluded, "Don’t worry if you haven’t watched that series [The Great British Bake Off] before, though; you should still be able to enjoy mystery and the lunacy on display in The Great British Bump-Off, even if you can’t tell a parfait from a trifle."

The Great British Bump-Off was published by Dark Horse, and they provide more information about it here. Fans of this series will be happy to know there is a follow-up, The Great British Bump-Off: Kill or Be Quilt being published right now.

Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey

"

Two of my favorite things are comics and hockey, and this book combines both! I cannot think of many books that do both, save for Robert Ullman's Old-Timey Hockey Tales mini-comics, which are great by the way. Check, Please! began as a webcomic, and the first two of the four seasons are collected here. The premise is that we are following the life of Eric "Bitty" Bittle, an incoming freshman to the fictional Samwell University that is located in the real-life state of Massachusetts and plays in the real-life ECAC conference. Bitty is a former figure skater turned hockey player who comes from Georgia, loves to bake and vlogs about his life. He is also gay, and wonders when and how he should come out to his teammates. Over the course of the book, he shares about his struggles to adapt to college life, his quirky teammates, his culinary creations, and his adapting to the rules and rigors of college hockey.

For instance, dealing with contact is new to Bitty...

Over the two seasons in this book, we get glimpses into Bitty's freshman and sophomore years. He transitions from being a newbie to moving into the team house. There is some light hazing, intense feedback from the team captain, heavy partying, and typical college shenanigans. A slight spoiler: It is refreshing to see a bunch of macho athletes appreciate Bitty's baking and sexual orientation with not just tolerance but acceptance and joy. This book is fun to read for its sports intrigue, personal drama, charm, clever banter, and humor. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book that runs to Eric's junior and senior years.

Check, Please! was created by Ngozi Ukazu. She began making webcomics but has transitioned into making graphic novels, including Bunt!, which is about a college baseball player, Barda, which is a YA graphic novel from DC Comics featuring Jack Kirby's Fourth World characters, and the forthcoming Flip. Ukazu speaks more about Check, Please! in this interview.

This series has won a Reuben Award, a Harvey Award, and an Ignatz Award, and it's been very well reviewed. The starred entry from Kirkus Reviews concluded, "A fun and deeply satisfying read for teens." Thoroughly Modern Reviewer called it " a well-written, immensely enjoyable rom-com," and added that "it’s also a delightful exploration of male friendship, a really funny coming of age story, and an exciting look into the softer side of hockey culture." Nick Goodsell summed up, "It’s funny, its heartfelt, its deep, and it’s another great coming of age story for anyone to enjoy!"

Check, Please! Book 1 was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more information about it here. This book features profanity and some adult situations, so it is recommended for readers mature enough to handle those things, probably more mature teens.