Last Pick, Book Two: Born to Run

I had the distinct pleasure of serving as moderator for a panel about graphic novels and illustrated books this weekend for Read Up! Greenville, and I got to meet Chuck Brown, one of the co-authors of Bitter Root. I also got to meet Jason Walz, a comics creator and special educator who wrote today's book, Last Pick: Born to Run. It is actually the second book a trilogy, and I must admit I had not read book one beforehand (I will remedy that soon). Still, I was immediately immersed in the narrative and hit the ground running. The plot here is a dystopian future tale where aliens have taken almost every human over the age of 16 and “able-bodied” off Earth to work as slave labor, leaving what they feel are the young and infirm behind. This arrangement has separated a pair of twins, Wyatt and Sam.

Sam is taken off-planet where she learns more about exactly who the alien invaders are, and also gets involved in a galactic civil war. Wyatt, who is neurodiverse and prone to moments where his mental focus shifts, is one of those left behind, but he and others band together to mount a resistance and disrupt the alien occupation force.

 

 

Apart from all of the exciting action elements, and some delightfully gruesome alien designs, there is also a strong message about how even those who get discounted can find the resources, strength, and resolve to succeed. Even with this topical message, it does not come off as preachy, as the plot is well crafted and quite compelling. I am eager to see how the whole thing concludes when the final book comes out next year.

Beside the Last Pick series, Jason Walz is also known for his Eisner Award-nominated Homesick as well as A Story for Desmond. He speaks more about his work on the Last Pick series in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read for this second entry have been positive. Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review that concluded, "An extraordinary sequel that is thrilling, inclusive, and unforgettable." Erin Partridge wrote, "The change in the trope of the hero who overcomes adversity to a team of people who triumph while living with their differences could be very empowering to people navigating the tricky world of human life."

Last Pick: Born to Run was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and much more here.