Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Above the Trenches

I have read and reviewed every graphic novel in this series (go see), and this one is a sequel of sorts to Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood in that it also is about World War I. However, this one does not look at the broad scope of the war but at a specific area, namely the origins of aerial combat. 

It is crazy to think that people took their lives into their own hands in early airplanes and even crazier than not even ten years after man-powered flight was invented that someone thought to use these vehicles for war. At first, they were used to scout troop movements and plan assaults, then they were used to drop bombs, and finally someone had the bright idea to strap guns onto them. 

At the time, just flying an airplane was somewhat a daredevil enterprise, with lots of risk involved and little in the way of safety equipment. This book follows a small group of brave (or foolhardy, depending on your viewpoint) young Americans who enlisted in the French Foreign Legion in order to take part in a war that the USA had not yet entered. Their intention was to become pilots and help fight in the skies, and this book chronicles the long, bumpy road many of them took in order to become soldiers. Spoiler: As people who engage in highly dangerous situations they also frequently smoke and drink. Also, most of them die or get killed over the course of the war.

What is excellent about this book is how it puts a human face on the war. There are many stark, pronounced personalities among the pilots, and it is very easy to get to know and root for them. Also, as with all the other volumes in this series, there are plenty of details that make the past come to life. Among the various topics also at hand are the intricacies of dog-fighting, string of technical innovations, military developments, and a code of honor among all pilots. 

It is amazing to me that this book not only encompasses so much information but also communicates it clearly while also making for a compelling, human story. And I have not even mentioned how many visual references must have gone into depicting the intricate uniforms, planes, and people involved in the war. From the lack of reviews I have found online, not many people review the twelfth entry in a series, but I feel it bears repeating just how marvelous and exceptional this book and the entire series are. The art is phenomenal, the stories moving, and the facts fascinating. NHHT continues to be the gold standard for nonfiction graphic novels.

Author Nathan Hale (not related to the Revolutionary War spy) is a highly accomplished graphic novelist, so much so that I named one of my annual favorites list categories after him. Aside from his great success with this series, he has also published the fictional graphic novels The Mighty Bite,  One Trick Pony and Apocalypse Taco. He has also drawn a few others, including Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack.

Above the Trenches was published by Amulet Books, and they offer more information about it here.

Cold War Correspondent

A new entry in the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series is always a welcome addition to my library, and this one, Cold War Correspondent, is exceptionally well done. It focuses on the conflict known as the Korean War, and it is told through the accounts of Marguerite Higgins, an enterprising and intrepid reporter who had to contend with firefights, evacuations, and rampant sexism. Her personality really shines through in this book, and it is rewarding to learn about her and how she does her job. Anyone interested in what a war correspondent does has a front seat view into that occupation, warts and all.

Reading this book, I also learned that I was ignorant about much of the origins and goings-on of this conflict. It is chock full of facts and excellent storytelling, so I felt that I could experience history as a compelling and informative narrative. I know that Hale did a superb job encapsulating an entire war before, but the job here he does of detailing the beginnings of the Korean War is just as comprehensive and gripping. This series is still the gold standard of nonfiction historical graphic novels.

This book's author, Nathan Hale (not related to the Revolutionary War spy) is a highly accomplished graphic novelist. I love his work so much that I named one of my annual favorites list categories after him. Aside from his great success with this series, he has also published a couple of fictional graphic novels One Trick Pony and Apocalypse Taco. He has also drawn a few others, including Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "exciting reportorial derring-do." Youth Services Book Review gave it 5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "I’ve never known much about the Korean War but now I do after reading the 11^th in the Hazardous Tale series."

Cold War Correspondent was published by Amulet Books, and they offer a preview and more here.

Blades of Freedom: A Tale of Haiti, Napoleon, and the Louisiana Purchase

I have a lot of books on my to-read list, but I got this one in the mail the other day and it jumped to the top of the heap. I have reviewed every volume of Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales on this blog (click the link and see!), because I think it's the best nonfiction history series available in graphic novel form. Each book has been excellent, full of well researched facts and events and told in a highly engaging, sometimes humorous way. It's one of the series I recommend most to tween and adolescent readers who have an interest in nonfiction. Blades of Freedom is the tenth book in the series, and it is phenomenal.

Bookended with a look at the Louisiana Purchase, it runs far and wide filling in the context for that pivotal happening. Over the course of this book, I read about how mosquitoes spread Yellow Fever, Columbus decimated the Taino people, vodou arose as a religion, Napoleon rose from being a Corsican to the Emperor of France, and Haiti became the first country in the Americas to abolish slavery. It's a book about the politics of the day, moving from monarchies to revolutionary times, using the French Revolution as a backdrop for much of went on. It explains how the slave trade work in gruesome detail, focusing on the value of sugar cane as a product of the Caribbean islands. It also focuses on major figures involved, including Napoleon, legendary insurgent Mackandal, rebel general Toussaint L'Ouverture, Emperor of Haiti Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and eventual US President James Monroe. 

It manages to cover so many topics with a clever conceit: the narrator Nathan Hale has a wheel he spins to jump from topic to topic. This set-up keeps the narrative moving at a brisk pace without being overwhelming. It also sets up a context for building so much of the background necessary to understand these historical events. Personally, I knew little about the Haitian Revolution before I read this book, and after having read it I felt ashamed not to have known more about this landmark struggle. It was the largest and most successful slave revolt ever, and one of the big pluses of this book that it sheds light on a topic that I think gets short-shrift in terms of learning about history in the US. I think the lack of coverage is racist, with the long-held use of the Haitian Revolution being used as a specter to scare white people about the potential savagery of free black people. Having this matter being portrayed in such a popular series will mean that it won't be as arcane a topic going forward, I hope.

This book's author, Nathan Hale, who is not related to the Revolutionary War spy, is a highly accomplished graphic novelist. Aside from his great success with this series, he has also published a couple of fictional graphic novels One Trick Pony and Apocalypse Taco. He has also drawn a few others, including Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack.

Thus far, I have not been able to locate many reviews of this book, but the ones I've seen have been positive. Marissa Moss wrote, "This is the kind of history that will excite young readers and show them how disparate events, far from each other in time and space, can have major impacts on each other." Lori Henderson listed it as a weekly pick for Good Comics for Kids.

Blades of Freedom was published by Amulet Books, and they offer a preview and more here.

Major Impossible

I love, love, love, LOVE the Nathan Hale Hazardous Tales books, and Major Impossible, the ninth(!) entry in the series focuses on John Wesley Powell. He was an abolitionist and aspiring scientist who served in the Civil War. He rose in the ranks to brevet lieutenant colonel, and also lost most of his right arm. In 1869, he gathered nine men, four boats, and provisions for ten months to explore the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Not everyone made it back, but those who did chronicled their arduous journey well with journals. Those primary sources offered lots of great material that appears in this book.

One of the best features of this book is its attention to those historical details and facts. I learned much about exploration of the American west over the course of this book, but the characters are made to be engaging and interesting, too. Also rewarding about this book is its meta-narrative that builds in elements from other books. Of course, we see more interactions between the narrator Nathan Hale, the hangman, and the proctor:

 

 

These pages introduce the book, and they reward longtime readers of the series but also offer a quick introduction to new readers. I just gave this book to my 11-year-old nephew, and he got into it quickly and did not want to put it down. The combination of facts, vivid characterization, and a good dose of humor make this another excellent entry in a consistently strong series.

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you likely know that I love Nathan Hale's comics and graphic novels. This nonfiction series Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales is the gold standard for historical graphic novels, as far as I am concerned. I loved his takes on fairy tales and the southwest, Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack. And I really liked his original sci-fi graphic novel One Trick Pony as well as his scifi/horror tale Apocalypse Taco, also released this year.

I have not been able to find many reviews of this book online, but the ones I have read praise the book. Vic Sage wrote, "The greatest gift that Hale’s books give is not just knowledge but an entertaining education – there has not been a book yet where I didn’t find myself going down a rabbit hole trying to find out more about what I’ve read in a Hazardous Tales offering." You can see a selection of other reviews at Goodreads, where the book currently has a 4.19 (out of 5) star rating.

Major Impossible was published by Amulet Books, and they offer a preview and more info about it here.

Apocalypse Taco

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you'll probably know that I love Nathan Hale's comics and graphic novels. His nonfiction series Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales is the gold standard for historical graphic novels, as far as I am concerned. I loved his takes on fairy tales and the southwest, Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack. And I really liked his original sci-fi graphic novel One Trick Pony. With his new book Apocalypse Taco, not only does he win the prize for best original book title, he also provides a gripping, tense, icky, and fun sci-fi/horror tale.

The set-up of this book starts before a school theater production of Brigadoon, when the students are creating the set. A trio, including 11-year-old twins Axl and Ivan and 16-year-old Sid make a late night fast food run to energize the minds and bodies of the crew. Not only do they not get the food, the food tries to get them.

At first they think they have been transported to some alternate, hellish dimension. Then they find that their school and town have been transformed into imperfect replicas. Everyone and everything, including their families, friends, and homes have turned to goopy creatures that are chasing them. Not only that, they encounter other strange lifeforms, including one made up entirely of arms and another made up of teeth. All of this is clearly unsettling and horrific, but luckily they meet up with a graduate student (!) who starts to make sense of things.

I will not reveal more, as I don't want to spoil things, but clearly this is a book with a lot going on. I enjoyed how horrific and original it was, and I admire just how much it is genuinely a thriller that does not insult anyone's intelligence. The situations are strange and compelling, and Hale definitely establishes a mood throughout the book that builds suspense and has multiple payoffs in terms of the plotting. As much as I love his nonfiction work, I also really dig the fiction he has written. His takes build on common genre tropes, but he extends them to interesting, unique places. Hale is one of the best comics creators out there, for all audiences, in my opinion. Apocalypse Taco is a satisfying, gruesome tale that should appeal to readers looking for fun, sci-fi/horror.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have praised it. Publishers Weekly summed it up as "Weird, freaky fun." J. Caleb Mozzocco concluded, "Young readers, particularly those who are easily freaked out, may want to proceed with caution. More adventurous readers can plunge right in, with one caveat: There’s a pretty good chance their minds might get blown in the process." Sam Wildman wrote, "Apocalypse Taco has great crossover appeal for both adult readers and young readers – at least those who can appreciate a trippy surreal trip into the world of grotesque body horror." Kirkus Reviews called it "A well-balanced mix of sci-fi, horror, and humor."

Apocalypse Taco was published by Abrams, and they offer a preview and more info about it here.

I finally had the honor and pleasure of meeting Nathan Hale at the Denver Pop Culture Con last month, and he was gracious enough to sign my copy. HE ROCKS!

Lafayette!

Lafayette!, the latest entry in the series Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, is the first to return to the time period of the first volume. It covers the remarkable life of the upstart French general who contributed to the American victory in the Revolutionary War and also helped forge the alliance between the erstwhile British colonies and France. Also, of late he has been brought back into the public sphere via the wildly popular musical Hamilton.

As you might could tell from the cover, here Lafayette is generally depicted as a broad, boisterous presence, though his origins are shown to be pretty grim. He came from a long line of military figures. Orphaned by age 13, the Marquis was left with great wealth and a position as a commissioned officer. He married early, and bounced from place to place trying to figure out a direction for his life. Inspired by Masonic ideologies, he felt the need to support the cause of the US Colonies, and he went over to North America to offer his services to George Washington. He began small but took on greater roles with the Continental Army over time, eventually commanding US troops in a pivotal victory at Yorktown.

What I especially loved about this book was how it took historical figures and made them human and relatable. It's easy to think of them as mythic figures but here they are shown with regular emotions, flaws, and humorous affects. Also, like the other books in this series, it is jam-packed with facts, but Hale also injects good doses of humor and irony, which make this book both compelling and a joy to read. I don't know how he keeps such a consistent level of excellence across the entries in this series, but I am very glad he does.

I am pretty sure I have reviewed all the graphic novels created by Nathan Hale on this blog, and I think he is brilliant. He makes fantastic, informative, and inventive comics, and this series Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales is the best historical series in the graphic novel business, IMHO. His fiction work, like the sci-fi tale One Trick Pony and a duo of adapted folk tales Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack, is also excellent. He speaks about this book and his work in general in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Robert Greenberger wrote that "Hale’s pages are filled with detail, using black, white, and shades of red to vividly bring the past to life." Kirkus Reviews summed up, "Fans of history, Hamilton, and/or Hale’s previous entries will be clamoring for this latest volume."

Lafayette! was published by Amulet, and they offer a preview and more here.

My favorite couple of panels in the book. They made me LOL

Raid of No Return

If you have read my blog for a while you may have noticed that I think Nathan Hale is brilliant. He makes fantastic, informative, and inventive comics, and his series Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales is the best historical series in the graphic novel business. I even liked his non-historical work like One Trick Pony. What amazes me about his work is how consistently excellent it is, and Raid of No Return is no exception.

The plot of the book is set during World War II. In the events following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, there was an extremely covert, risky, and dangerous mission set in place to bomb the Japanese mainland. This book recounts that mission with lots of details about the individual pilots, their crews, and the various outcomes of each bombing run. But additionally, and most impressively to me, it also delved deeply into the Japanese planning of the bombing and gave insight into their side of the military conflict.

This book is full of action and suspense, with multiple plot threads running simultaneously. It is difficult to have so many different stories and to make the reader feel invested in each one, but Hale does exactly that, making the stories both historically detailed as well as personally affecting. Raid of No Return is chock full of compelling, true-life stories that will keep you on the end of your seat and is a worthy addition to an extraordinarily well-crafted series of books.

The reviews I read about this book were all aptly full of praise. Lori Henderson wrote that it "does a great job of illuminating historical events in an entertaining and sometimes sobering way. It’s a great addition to library shelves." Tanya Turek called it "a powerful story that is suspenseful, emotional and almost unbelievable."

Raid of No Return was published by Amulet Books, and they offer more info about it here.

One Trick Pony

One Trick Pony is a great scifi story about a planet Earth overrun by aliens called Pipers who have literally consumed all the technology they could and killed most of humanity. The people left have returned to a brutal, desperate way of life reminiscent of the Stone Age (not the happy kind like the Flintstones had). The survivors have to struggle to survive the elements, the Pipers, and each other. Many of them have turned into bands of folk called Ferals, so named for their ferocious treatment of any outsiders.

The main story here follows a young woman named Strata who has happened upon a robot horse named Kleidi in an abandoned cave. Somehow drawn to it, she refuses to leave it behind even though it is a magnet for alien attention. Still, it comes in handy when the Pipers do arrive, because not only is it fast enough to escape them, it also accepts commands that help it fight off the seemingly invincible aliens. Strata's harrowing journey drags in a couple of her compatriots as well as a fugitive from the Ferals as they try to stay ahead of the advancing Pipers. Together, they cross lots of terrain and also delve into the mysterious origins and actions of the Pipers themselves.

The aliens are called Pipers because of the sounds they make as they float about and blow toxic bubbles that swallow up technology and maim any living thing in their path. One of the survivors makes a link between their name and the legend of the Pied Piper, which gives the whole enterprise a mythic feel. Overall, I was very satisfied with this book. The artwork is exciting and gorgeous to behold. And the story features a mix of science fiction, action, character development, humor, and existentialism. The book ended in a pretty open-ended manner, too, and I would be very happy to see a sequel to find out what sorts out from the aftermath here.

This book's creator is the prolific Nathan Hale, one of my favorite comics creators, and I am not shocked that he was able to pull off combining as many elements in this book as he has. He is a masterful comics artist, best known (and celebrated) for his nonfiction series of Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales, which I practically consider required reading if you like graphic novels and/or US history. He also has drawn two other graphic novels, Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel Calamity Jack. He has also worked on a variety of children's books, including Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody and The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas.

All the reviews of this book I have read sing its praises. Publishers Weekly concluded, "Hale gives his post-apocalyptic scenario special sauce, and readers will hope for more." Elizabeth Bird explained, "Even if you’ve never cared for science fiction, and even if aliens normally bore you to tears, you’ll find something to love about this book." Kirkus Reviews summed up, "Hale blends adventure, aliens, an apocalyptic future, and folklore into an easy-to-read stand-alone"

One Trick Pony was published by Amulet Books, and they have a preview and more available here.

Alamo All Stars

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I could rename the "Best Nonfiction Graphic Novel for Younger Readers" honor the "Nathan Hale Award," because his books are consistently great and blow me away. He's the Wayne Gretzky of nonfiction comics, head and shoulders better than everyone else.

So, he's got a lot to live up to, and I have to say that he succeeds with his latest, Alamo All Stars. It's name is a sort of misnomer, because so much of it deals with the social and historical context that led up to the battle at the Alamo, but it is a highly informative and engaging book. I read it at an auto shop while waiting to have a tire replaced (which should take less than 3 hours IMHO) and I laughed out loud no less than 3 times. In public. So what I am saying that this book is not only a great read in terms of form and content, it's also genuinely funny.

I loved seeing biographical sketches that breathed life into a number of names I am familiar with but know little about. From the cruel, proud Santa Anna to the reactionary, belligerent William Travis to legends Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett to "Once Again" Juan Seguin, I felt I really got to know the major players in a memorable way. What is more, Hale added a wrinkle to the usual book framework, a second narrator, Vicente Guerrero, who gives his insights from the viewpoint as a Mexican. There is so much to love about this book, and it is a worthy addition to the Hazardous Tales series. If you are new to it, you can check out my reviews of past volumes here, here, here, here, and here.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been celebratory. The Comics Alternative's Andy Kunka praised "Hale’s ability to put forward a complicated geopolitical conflict in ways that are engaging and even, at times, gently humorous."  Esther Keller concluded, "Give this to readers who are fans of the series, to that reader who loves history, or any graphic novel fan. This book will surely be a hit."

Alamo All Stars was published by Amulet Books, and they have a preview, video, and more info here.

Comics Squad: Lunch!

This second volume of Comics Squad features some pretty heavy hitters in its line-up. Most of the stories within are humorous, but a few are actually pretty serious. In all, I liked the range of stories and art styles, and I felt this book would be a great introduction to comics for many young readers. Or, because it features so many established creators and characters, it would be a great read for more ardent comics fans as well.

I felt that the standout story was by Cece Bell, about a young girl who is very picky about her meals and particular about her lunch routine. I would like to say that she learns to branch out from her ways, but instead I was treated to one of the weirdest manifestations of nut allergies I have seen.

Other standout stories come from the Holm siblings who gave us another fun and funny Babymouse tale.

I also really enjoyed Jason Shiga's take on a choose-your-own-adventure story that reads like a kid's version of Meanwhile. Though I have to admit in the end I kind of had to cheat on the premise, because I could not get the darn tubes to match up with the stories (I blame operator error). And it is worth noting that this story had some funny bits but not a happy ending.

Humor is also mostly absent from the short Hazardous Tales entry from Nathan Hale, but I still appreciated his version of a peculiar World War II naval battle. He makes great nonfiction, and it is good to see such work rounding out this collection.

Among the other tales here include Jeffrey Brown's "Cave Soup" featuring Lucy & Andy Neanderthal, which acts as an introduction to a forthcoming book (series?) and a look at Lunch Lady when she was just a kid. The only real clunker in the bunch was the Peanuts piece, which made me a bit sad. There are so many good Schulz stories, but this one was a studio-created one that I found insipid. More an 8-page commercial for Snoopy than a story really.

Almost every review I have read about it had great things to say about this book. Andy and Gwen commented that "The eight stories collected in the anthology are relatively short, making them ideal for reluctant readers or for readers who are new to comics." Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "One rotten apple aside, a second helping of tasty treats." The Mayor of Bookopolis called it "the ultimate 'sampler platter' of graphic novels."

Comics Squad: Lunch! was published by Random House, and they have some more information about it here.

The Underground Abductor

If you have been reading my blog and paying attention, you pretty much know that I think Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales are some of the best historical graphic novels I have read EVER. This volume, The Underground Abductor, continues that tradition. It tells the story of Araminta Ross, better known to most of us as Harriet Tubman, a civil rights activist and conductor on the fugitive slave network called the Underground Railroad. The book spans her whole life, from her time as a young slave through her adulthood when she accomplished a great many brave and cunning deeds.

Aside from the expert storytelling and excellent artwork, which is full of affect, action, and meaning, there are two things I really admire about this book. One, it takes a very broad consideration, that of slavery, and puts a very human and personal face on it. Two, it has shown me that I pretty much knew nothing of this remarkable woman's life. It even has a couple of sizable digressions to give the tale more context, one about Frederick Douglass and the other about Nat Turner. A great book informs as well as entertains, and this is a great book, in my estimation.

In addition to creating the first four entries in this series, the prolific Nathan Hale also has drawn two other graphic novels, Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel Calamity Jack. He has also worked on a variety of children's books, including Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody and The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas. He shares a lot of fun artwork and news via his blog, and he speaks about his career in this interview.

The reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. Sarah wrote, "I learned so much about Tubman's life - I actually got chills while reading this story as I thought about what a truly exceptional woman she was." JediKermit praised how it "honors the pain and condemns the horrors of slavery, but is still appropriate for the target audience of 5th - 8th graders." Kellee called it her favorite in the series so far, "the most intense of his stories" of "one person’s resilience in the face of pure doom."

The Underground Abductor was published by Amulet Books, and they have a video preview, teaching guide, and more information available here.

Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood

If you have read my other reviews of books in this series, you may remember that I feel they may be the best historical graphic novels I have ever read. The facts and events are very well researched, but more importantly they are presented in a most readable and enjoyable way. Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales are among the most engaging and interesting books I have ever read. So, does this book keep that spotless record intact?

In a word, YES. I thought that this book was most impressive, in that it packed a complete war account into a small space while also creating thrills, showing horrors, and cracking a couple of jokes. Here is the set-up:

And he is correct; this is not a pretty story. It's full of massive casualties, cruelties, and military mayhem. Although the artwork never gets explicit or shows gore, it does show just how brutal and unconscionable the destruction of World War I was. It also tells a very broad story, but not without some specific details included, like the story of Cher Ami, the carrier pigeon that saved 200 lives, and an account of the development of the tank, which was first used in this war to counter trench warfare.

Like I said, what is particularly marvelous to me about this book is how much ground it covers. Part of the reason it accomplishes this goal is the excellent and intelligent artwork. Hale chose to portray the combatants as animals, not only for metaphorical reasons but also because those depictions make it much clearer who is who in the conflict. Although the Executioner tries to play the animals for comic effect, they are not very funny (a few clever puns aside). Seeing a bunch of wolves, eagles, griffins, bulldogs, bunnies, and roosters (among others) engaged in war helps communicate situations almost instantly, in much quicker fashion than using elaborate explanation.

Spoiler: The war ends.

The great economy and efficiency of the artwork works like a combination of infographics and politic cartoons, as you can see in the page above. It is pregnant with ideas and implications about what happened at the end of this war and how it forecasted what would precipitate the next world war. That Hale accomplishes so much in such a short space, and for a wide audience of readers at that, is simply amazing.

In addition to creating the first three entries in this series, Nathan Hale also has drawn two other graphic novels, Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel Calamity Jack. He has also worked on a variety of children's books, including Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody and The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas. He shares a lot of fun artwork and news via his blog. He speaks much more about his career and work on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read have been very positive. Kirkus Reviews called it "A neatly coherent account with tweaks that allow readers some emotional distance—but not enough to shrug off the war’s devastating cost and world-changing effects." Johanna Draper Carlson praised this entry in a "terrific series" and added, "I really appreciate Nathan Hale’s (the author, not the character, although that applies too) ability to streamline complicated historical events in such readable fashion." Miriam, Age 10 wrote, "This book was interesting and interestingly told, and very entertaining for a history book."

Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood was published by Amulet Books. There is a preview available at Amazon. And if you are a fan of this series like I am, there is good news: a fifth book, The Underground Abductor, is on the way!

Graphic Novel Speed Round: Sequels and Continuations

I am off celebrating the holidays, but I thought I would do a big follow-up post on a few series I have written about before to see how they have been developing.

The latest installment in Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales (see one and two), Donner Dinner Party tackles a dark topic, the dire straits of the Donner Party. These ill-fated travelers were going west from Illinois to California, took a "short cut" that led them into treacherous territory, and became trapped in snow drifts in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In particular, the focus is on the Reed family, led by father James, who makes lots of calamitous decisions. But we also get to see much about his children as they find themselves in very unfamiliar and eventually dangerous circumstances. The tale highlights American ingenuity and enterprise but also pigheadedness and extreme survivalism where people resort to cannibalism to survive.

This volume follows in the tradition of the others, introducing elements of humor into well researched and presented facts and information. It is jam-packed with details, clear and expressive art, and also the sturdy framing aspect of the other volumes. Still, this may be the weakest volume of the three books for me, as I did not find this one as vibrant as the first or as exhilarating as the second. Perhaps the subject matter makes the jokes seem less funny to me, but it is still certainly an excellently presented historical graphic novel that is simultaneously informative and thought-provoking.

Out of all the books here, this one is most appropriate for YA readers. The books ahead are strictly for mature readers.

Next up is Fatale, a series I first wrote about here. In this second volume The Devil's Business, Josephine is laying low in Hollywood as a recluse holed up in a villa. Despite her not taking visitors or even going out into the public for any reason, she encounters a struggling movie star named Miles and a woman he is trying to protect when they end up in her backyard. The duo have stolen a film reel showing some very twisted, Satanic stuff, and the owners will do anything to get it back. Because of Josephine's enchantment (curse?), Miles immediately falls in thrall to her, though he does not quite realize it. The poor sap just thinks he's in love. Of course, complications arise and a body count mounts.

Brubaker's deft plotting and Phillips' atmospheric, evocative art combine to produce another winning volume in this series. They make excellent use of historical context: from the fashions and actor likenesses at various Hollywood parties, the time period is the late 1960s or early 1970s. There are references to Manson Family-type goings on, and this book has a genuinely creepy feel to it. In a style appropriate to its horror/noir precursors, lots of bad things happen within these pages, to the main characters and to the shady characters pursuing them. There are also compelling, dark plot twists as well as a few revelations that kept me yearning to know more about these mysterious characters' backgrounds. Good thing a third volume is now available...

War Torn concludes the epic begun in Volume 1 of Glory, which was one of my favorite books of 2012. Whereas that first volume is all about revelations and twists, this one focuses more on Glory's family relations. Apart from her free-spirited, volatile, violent, and obscenity-spewing little sister Nanaja, we also get to know her and her parents better. Nothing is as pat as it seems in this group of alien angels and demons, and what's worse, their creators, the Knights are coming back to Earth to either destroy or subjugate its inhabitants. Consequently, Glory calls in some favors and amasses a powerful, ragtag army to combat the coming menace, and the proceedings climax in a huge battle.

Although I do not think the plot was as tight as it was in the earlier volume and some of the scenes seemed short and choppy to me, writer Joe Keatinge still did a great job weaving together a good number of plot and subplots into a cohesive whole. The highlight here was the work of artist Ross Campbell (and a few additional collaborators) who produced a visually impressive display full of interesting character designs, dynamic action scenes, and personality. These creators completed a satisfying story in expert fashion, tying up their major plot points and having some satisfying moments while leaving plenty of leeway for a sequel.

I was very impressed with the first trade paperback of The Manhattan Projects, and They Rule continues with the mind-bending, sinister machinations of scientists with access to unlimited power and fantastic resources. This time, the oligarchs catch on to the amazing achievements the scientists are creating and they want to make sure they realize who is in charge still, so they rig computer system FDR to destroy its confederates. The scientists are geniuses, needles to say, and they catch on to this plan before it reaches fruition, and the resulting conflicts are violent, bloody, and spectacularly rendered.

Among the high points in this issue, apart from a very well plotted story by Jonathan Hickman and vigorous artwork from Nick Pitarra are the way-out depictions of historical figures in insane contexts. Crazy Masonic Harry S. Truman is one of my favorites, as are super-charged Yuri Gagarin and Laika. This frenetic and ingenious twist on historical science fiction continues to surprise, shock, and delight me. I am definitely in for future volumes.

The only reason why the first volume of Saga was not on my best of 2012 list was because I had not read it yet (What? I can't get to EVERYTHING in time). This is the series that bookstores advertise with signs that say, "If you have never read a comic book before, you should read this one." And deservedly so, I say. I found the first volume to be fresh, fun, fast-paced, and utterly engrossing, an interesting mix of sci-fi and fantasy.

This second volume is also full of amazing things like an asteroid that is actually an egg about to hatch, and the baby inside is non-too-pleasant. There are also breath-taking cliffhangers, and when the danger, action, and intrigue become most perilous, that's when the in-laws come to visit and everything goes to pot. The plot purrs along, and subplots are deftly woven in and out, as well as flashbacks. This book just keeps surprising and enchanting like a finely detailed tapestry, both in terms of the narrative and the finely rendered artwork. Saga is such a fast-paced, frequently funny, well scripted, and wondrous ride, and this volume is a worthy entry in an exciting series.

Calamity Jack

This sequel to Rapunzel's Revenge focuses on her accomplice, the titular Calamity Jack. Just as that book recast classic fairy tale stories into a different, Southwestern flavored mold, this one makes Jack into a young Native American who is prone to chicanery:

Because of the urban setting, a lot of this story has more of a steampunk feel to it, with crazy inventions and imaginative urban structures. Jack and his family live in a city where they own a bakery. One of their clients is named Blunderboar, a large, imposing, and rich figure who lives in a high-rise building:

Eventually, Jack embarks on a bunch of petty thefts and cons, which lead to him getting a goose that lays golden eggs, being ostracized from the community, and his mother being held thrall in Blunderboar's giant clutches. After his adventure with Rapunzel, he returns to make things right. He finds that the city is in horrible disrepair. He cannot rescue his mom easily because the giant has enlisted the aid of fantastical creatures such as

Brownies,

a Jabberwock, and a Bandersnatch.

Also, the city has been overrun by giant ants who wreck buildings and all kinds of institutions but curiously leave Blunderboar's holdings alone.

BRAID: Kills bugs dead.

In the end, Jack and Rapunzel enlist the aid of the impressively named Frederick Sparksmith the Third with his bevy of gadgets and a pack of well dressed and coiffed pixies in their quest for justice and freeing Jack's mother. Jack sees Freddie as a rival for Rapunzel's attention, which adds a dash of intrigue to the proceedings.

Calamity Jack is another collaboration between a bunch of folks named Hale. Shannon and Dean are the married couple who wrote the story. Dean is a computer programmer, and Shannon is a YA author with a number of books under her belt, including the Newbery Honor book, Princess Academy. The art was provided by Nathan (no relation to the other two), who has created a few picture books and two of the best graphic novels about US history I have ever read as part of his Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series. His art here is still lively, colorful, and full of energy.

Reviews I have read about this book praise it, though not as highly as Rapunzel's Revenge. Ana from The Book Smugglers felt this book worked well as a stand alone volume and "very much enjoyed it." Snow Wildsmith wrote that readers "will thrill at Jack and Rapunzel’s most recent adventures, though librarians should be sure to have volume one ready just in case their readers haven’t seen it. Together the two books are a great start to a terrific series and readers will be eager to see what mishaps befall Jack and Rapunzel in books to come." Nicki from Fyrefly did not enjoy this book as well as its predecessor but still concluded "it's good fun."

A list of honors and reviews from the book is available here from its publisher Bloomsbury.

Rapunzel's Revenge

There is much debate about what a princess should be (one of the most recent examples being about Merida from Pixar's Brave), and the Rapunzel of this book definitely goes beyond the trope of a pretty, young woman who needs to be rescued. The plot begins with a princess who is somewhat at odds with her mother growing up:

As she gets older, she grows bolder and after some misadventure learns that things are not quite what she thought they were:

So she is imprisoned in a tall tree (not a tower) where she is left to dwell on her choices while growing her hair out very long. Through her own machinations, she escapes and has to fend for herself in the forests and assorted other rough country. Fortunately for her, she has learned many useful skills to assist her survival.

She ends up meeting up with a wily character named Jack, who carries around a goose for some reason, and the two become outlaws trying to avoid the authorities while hatching a plan to overthrow the queen's iron grip on the overtaxed populace.

The poster sums up well for me what I like most about this book. It takes many commonly known stories and story elements and combines them into a mixture that is simultaneously fun, funny, and full of adventure and energy. Rapunzel here is a capable and adept figure. Jack is a slippery con man with a possible good streak. They have clever interactions and experience interesting situations and places. This book has many elements, from fairy tale and western elements filtered through high adventure, with beautiful images to wonder at and through, and their combination is satisfying and amusing in the best way.

Rapunzel's Revenge is a collaboration between a bunch of folks named Hale. Shannon and Dean are the married couple who wrote the story. Dean is a computer programmer, and Shannon is a YA author with a number of books under her belt, including the Newbery Honor book, Princess Academy. The art was provided by Nathan (no relation to the other two), who has created a few picture books and two of the best graphic novels about US history I have ever read as part of his Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series. His art here is lively, colorful, and full of energy that makes the narrative hum. This interview with all of the Hales casts more light on the creation of this book.

The reviews I have seen about this graphic novel have been positive. It received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly. Kirkus Reviews praised Rapunzel, "A dash of typical fairy-tale romance, a strong sense of social justice and a spunky heroine make this a standout choice for younger teens." Jennifer O'Donnell called it "a non-traditional take on the age-old fairy tale...that will likely appeal to tween girls looking for a little adventure." John Hogan concluded that "this Rapunzel is so much more interesting to read about than what the Brothers Grimm offered."

I think this book is geared toward upper elementary or middle school readers. There is some adolescent innuendo (mostly about undergarments) but nothing really offensive or over the top.

Rapunzel's Revenge was published by Bloomsbury. There is a sequel to it called Calamity Jack, which I will review coming up next. Stay tuned!