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. 

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. 

Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis

I have read a great many Usagi Yojimbo comics in the past, and consider it one of the modern masterpieces of the medium. Its creator Stan Sakai is one of the greats, who has been awarded pretty much every accolade a living cartoonist can receive, and here he and his wife Julie collaborate on a slightly different version of his classic character. Drawn in a cuter, more cartoony chibi art style, this version seems pitched at a younger audience, but it's still enjoyable for pretty much any age. The artwork is adorable but not juvenile and coupled with a well-crafted plot, which incorporates a number of story elements, including individual character moments, slapstick, quests, and battles. This book offers something for pretty much any reader. It does not talk down to its audience, and I got a big kick out of reading it.

The narrative here focuses on a trio of adventurers, Usagi, Gen, and Tomoe, who are out fishing for unagi (freshwater eels) when they rescue a creature in distress. The creature is an animated clay figure named Dogu, and it tells the trio that it has escaped from slave labor from the nefarious Salamander King. That villainous creature has captured Dogu's people and forced them to do his bidding, and of course our three heroes embark to free the village and defeat the Salamander King's army. This mission is fraught with peril, including shaky bridges, meandering forests, and the titular Heebie Chibis.

This story works well as a straight adventure story, but it also features strong characters who are almost instantly related to the readers as well as snappy dialogue. The situations themselves are based on traditional Japanese folklore, which are explained further in  the end sections of the book. It is fascinating to see how well the detailed fictional world depicted here matches up with real life creatures, creations, and beliefs. In addition, there is a short story at the end of the book where the usual version of Usagi Yojimbo meets the Chibi version, which not only works as a stand-alone tale but may also be a great gateway into the further adventures of the rabbit samurai.

This book is one of the best kids of all-ages fiction in the best sense of the world. I think its potential audience is a vast one, and I hope that this book sells bazillions of copies.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Ingrid Lind-Jahn wrote, "It’s an adventure story that has plenty of danger without being overly scary and emphasizes positives like friendship by example rather than explanation." Pharaoh Miles called it "an exciting story that any fan of any age can get into" and "easily the most accessible story involving this enigmatic protagonist."

Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis was published by IDW Publishing, and they offer more information about it here.

Marge's Little Lulu: The Fuzzythingus Poopi

During this time of year (in the US), many of us stop to ponder what we're thankful for. This year, for me, one of them is finally taking time to read Little Lulu. It began as a classic one-panel comic strip, then became a cartoon and later a comic book, drawn by John Stanley. His stories are considered one of the gold standards in comics, and I can see why. I picked up a copy of the Free Comic Book Day floppy offered this year at my local comic shop, and my 5-year-old was very interested in checking it out. Long story short, those four stories really grabbed him and became a regular part of his bedtime story rotation. These are some fun, substantial, and engaging stories that are fun to read aloud, too.

The title character Lulu is feisty, confident, and smart. Over the course of the book she finds herself in lots of familiar situations, like being stuck home on a rainy day, wanting to buy a specific toy, or being caught in the fray of a snowball fight. She has to deal with her parents' rules but finds ways to subvert them. She also often contends with the local "boys club" and their strong anti-girl sentiment, coming out on top with subterfuge and guile. She is frenemies with one of those boys, Tubby, and the two of them embark on a series of adventures, most notably with Tubby being a detective. It is that constant combining of genres that help make this series so great. Sometimes, when Lulu tells stories to her pesky younger neighbor Alvin, the narrative delves into fairy tales and more fantastical adventures. There are the detective tales I mentioned above, and also gag and humor tales like the titular one, where a local man thinks that Lulu has come upon a rare species of flower and tries his best to swindle her. So much of this book is amazingly inventive and imaginative.

That these various stories work with this cast of characters speaks highly of their strong personalities and almost instant relatability. The superbly rendered artwork, full of emotion and powerfully clear storytelling, is a testament to the range and scope that comics can achieve as a narrative medium. The format of this book, which is a thick volume with nice paper and vibrant coloring, showcases these comics in fine fashion. And to top everything off, these stories are done with a robust sense of humor. Both of my boys think they are hilarious. I don't think I can say that they are universal, but these tales stand up to reading and rereading decades after they were originally published.

This collection has received rave reviews.  Lindsay Pereira wrote, "Her behaviour, undeniably subversive for her time, is still refreshing." Jeff Provine called it "an excellent read at any age. The stories are as wholesome as they are packed with action, making it a difficult book to put down."

The Fuzzythingus Poopi was published by Drawn & Quarterly, and they offer a preview and much more here.

Investigators

As a professor at UTK and a grad of UGA, I have an antipathy for gators. But Investigators is utterly charming and hilarious, and 5-year-old is currently obsessed with it to boot. It stars two gators named Mango and Brash who are agents of Special Undercover Investigation Teams (SUIT). You can tell them apart by their jawlines and coloring. Mango's jaw is round and he is dark green, while Brash is lighter green and has a square jaw. Clad in their high-tech Very Exciting Spy Technology (VEST), they go into action to solve some extraordinary cases. In this book they are trying locate a famous cupcake baker named Gustavo Mustachio, who has gone missing for two weeks, and suspect foul play. 

Also, they want to foil a villain who has stolen a device that digitizes physical money and automatically deposits it electronically. It even works through walls, which makes it especially harmful. It might not be so much a spoiler that these two cases eventually intersect.

As you might tell from the names of devices and agencies, this book is full of puns, and Mango is very fond of them, too. The back and forth conversations and sound effects are frequently funny. This book is also full of pop culture references and snappy dialogue, and the sum of all these things makes it a fun book to read aloud. There is also some potty humor, as the agents' main mode of transportation is flushing themselves down into sewers.

Adding to the fun visually is a wild array of characters and character designs. There is a triceratops escape artist named Houdino. There is a villainous crocodile who is part baked good named Crackerdile. There is a giant chicken who is also a scientist/inventor named Dr. Doodledoo. There is also Doctor Copter, a brain surgeon who was bitten by a rabid helicopter and who is compelled to transform into a helicopter to cover anything especially newsworthy. There is lots of whimsy and invention at play in this book, and my 5-year-old is really taken by this motley assortment of characters. He especially wants to read and re-read the chapters that tell Dr. Copter and Crackerdile's origin stories.

The end-papers also have a few bonus features, including a guide on how to draw the main characters, which my son is very into. Altogether, this book has lots to offer in terms of readers young and old. It is fun to read together. It has vibrant, unique characters. The plot is off-the-wall and the dialogue laugh-out-loud funny. It truly is a great graphic novel for all ages, which is a pretty hard trick to pull off.

This book was created by John Patrick Green. I enjoyed his first graphic novel Hippopatomister, and he has also drawn a number of other books for children as well as the mini-comic Teen Boat! written by Dave Roman. He speaks about the origins of the Investigators series in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Kirkus Reviews concluded that it was "silly and inventive fast-paced fun." Publishers Weekly called it "fast-paced fun for the bad pun and dorky joke crowd: 'Now let’s flush ourselves down the nearest toilet and GATER DONE!'" Kate Quealy-Gainer wrote, "While the art is a bit more sophisticated than Pilkey’s Dogman, the tone is the same, and those waiting for the next installment of that series may want to spend time with this weird reptilian pair."

Investigators was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and more here. A sequel is due to be published at the end of the month.

House of the Black Spot

I try to read as many new graphic novels every year, but sometimes I just fall behind. House of the Black Spot was published in the summer, and it's the latest entry in Ben Sears's Double+ series. As with other books in the series, it follows the escapades of Plus Man and Hank. Plus Man is a young adventurer who works delivery jobs while frequently foiling criminals. Hank is his more sensible and mature robot friend.

Plus Man: Not necessarily the guy you want to deliver your groceries.

In this book, we travel to Gear Town, where Hank's uncle Bill lives. Or lived rather, because he was murdered. It turns out that there is a nefarious scheme to gentrify Gear Town, with real estate developers intimidating residents to sell their properties. They are seemingly aided by the town's founder, a ghostly figure who was long thought to be dead.

Our heroes happen upon this situation at the reading of Uncle Ben's will, where friends, family, and antagonists are all locked in the house until his murderer is revealed. This being a good mystery, of course there are many things that are not as they seem...

I very much enjoyed the murder/adventure plot of this book, but the best part of it was Sears's colorful artwork. He does superb work at world-building, and I spent much time looking over his deceptively simple-looking images. The buildings' architecture is inventive and fun, and I just loved looking at all the details, such as what people have on their kitchen counters in this world. Plus, there are lots of nods to classic murder story elements, like secret passages and paintings where the eyes follow people around. As with the other books in the series, this one is a true all ages book, with lots of features to please and amuse readers young and old.

All the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Leonard Pierce wrote, "Sears’ strength is absolutely as a visual storyteller, but there’s enough happening in his engaging characters, involving storylines, and light-fingered explorations of contemporary issues that the books are always something to look forward to." James Ardis commented that "for a graphic novel accessible to both children and young adults to tackle gentrification in any capacity is quite ambitious." Tom Shapira opined that "charm is something Ben Sears has in spades. The art, the colors, even the lettering, everything in this story screams for unencumbered joy."

House of the Black Spot was published by Koyama Press, and they offer a preview and more here.

Red Panda & Moon Bear

Red Panda & Moon Bear is a delightful book. It features a unique Latinx sister/brother superhero team. Both wear hoodies, Red Panda's giving her the strength of ten red pandas. Moon Bear possesses a magic crystal that he wields in a special gauntlet. Together, they defend their neighborhood from various menaces and solve mysteries. They face evil dogs, a ghost in a library, ice cream monsters, a nightmare, shape-shifting monsters from another galaxy, disappearing buildings, and scary trees.

Their adventures are fun and inventive, and I appreciate how they get through various situations not only by using their wits and sometimes their fists, but also by being empathetic and talking things through. They show that kindness and understanding can be effective for dealing with others and finding solutions to various dilemmas.

This book is fantastical in the best kind of way, with cool sci-fi, fantasy, and superhero elements woven throughout 11 chapters. And I love RP and MB's sense of adventure and cleverness. I think that perhaps the highest praise I have for the book is that I read it with my three-year-old, and he did not want to put it down. He not only insisted I keep reading each chapter, he even took it with him in his wagon when we went for a walk around our neighborhood. This book is enchanting!

When I asked him what he liked about it, he told me, "There's a mystery." "It's a little bit scary." And "I like Red Panda and Moon Bear (the characters)." So, there's something for everyone!

This book's creator Jarod Roselló is an artist, researcher, and educator who teaches creative writing at the University of South Florida. Although this book is his first for younger readers, he has published the graphic novel The Well-Dressed Bear Will (Never) Be Found as well as a bunch of shorter pieces. He has another graphic novel called Those Bears in the works for publication. He speaks about his work in this interview.

I was not able to locate many reviews of this book, but the ones I found were very positive. Cassie at Teachers Who Read called it "a perfect addition to the graphic novels in my classroom." It currently has a 4.71 (out of 5) star rating at Goodreads.

Red Panda & Moon Bear was published by Top Shelf Productions, and they offer a preview and much more here.

The Ideal Copy

The Ideal Copy is the third book in the Double+ universe I have read, and it is truly amazing to me how Ben Sears manages to create phenomenal all ages comics. In this book, our heroes Plus Man and his robot pal Hank lose their jobs as treasure hunters because they refuse to raid the house of a dead man. Left with little other prospects, the duo eventually take jobs as caterers. Because they are hardworking, they do well serving food and washing dishes. However, at a ritzy hotel gala for a fraternity of weird, obnoxious guys who all have the same haircut and wear the same clothes, they suspect some foul play.

After some snooping around, Plus Man uncovers a nefarious counterfeiting scheme that gets further complicated when a blizzard traps everyone at the hotel. There is a growing cast of characters who get embroiled in this situation, including a little child actor named Mickey who is surprisingly resourceful, and Gene, a grizzled, ex-treasure hunter who sports an eye-patch. Together, this motley bunch takes on the plot with surprising results. There are captures, thrills, and more than enough hi-jinx to keep them and the reader occupied.

As I hope you can see from this short excerpt, The Ideal Copy is a book of beautiful rhythms. The dialogue is snappy and clever. The artwork is gorgeously detailed and geometrical. The colors are vibrant and pop. The characters are complicated and wonderfully unpredictable. Ben Sears is a virtuoso who weaves all these elements together into a sumptuous visual symphony. I loved the derring-do, caper aspects of the plot, and I am very happy to read the note at the end that this duo's adventures will continue. This third book is the best of the bunch, in my opinion, and I am thrilled for more.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Rob Clough had much praise for the book and declared it "the best of the three volumes." Tom Baker called it "rip-roaring rib-tickling romp." Ryan Carey opined, "Ben Sears is a cartoonist who intrinsically understands what younger readers want in a story, but the tent he’s hosting his party in a big one, and there’s plenty of room in it for us old-timers, too." Mel Schuit was more lukewarm and wrote, "All in all, fans looking for more of the trademarked Plus-Man-and-Hank antics we saw in the first two books in the series might find The Ideal Copy slightly lacking, but it’s a nice effort on Sears’ part to flesh out his human characters further and begin to hint at events further down the line in the series."

And in case you are interested, my reviews of the past Double+ books are here and here.

The Ideal Copy was published by Koyama Press, and they offer more information and a preview here.

I saw Sears this year at HeroesCon, where I bought this book from him, and he was nice enough to sign it and also draw a sketch. He's a great guy!

Amazing Age

Amazing Age is a fun book, a colorful superhero adventure based on comics and characters the writer created when he was a boy.The story follows a boy named Sam who makes comics about superheroes based on his friends. Flash forward a few years, and those same friends do not associate with each other any more and Sam has not made any comics in the years since his dad died. Amazingly, those three former stalwarts all get teleported to a world where those old comics were set, and they find that the characters from those old stories are real.

 

The supervillains there have banded together in a nefarious plot to kill all the superheroes, and the trio are brought in because they are the greatest heroes that planet has ever seen. Saving the world is a huge burden for these teens, who have not spoken in years, don't know how to use their powers, and really just want to go home. Not only do they need to resolve their own personal dynamics, they need to avoid the dire machinations of the evil villains who want to annihilate them.

What I liked about this book is that it hearkened back to the kinds of all-ages superhero comics I liked as a child. There are silly acronyms, a plethora of super-powered characters, and high stakes adventure. It also has a fun, gripping plot, good characterizations, and interpersonal situations that I feel are relatable for children and adolescents alike. Also, I enjoyed that these are superhero comics that are not so bombastic or sexualized, as sometimes they are wont to be.

This book was a collaboration between writer Matthew D. Smith, artist Jeremy Massie, and colorist Christine Brunson. Smith and Massie have worked on other comics together, including Blood-Drenched Creature Double Feature. Massie has a few solo titles to his credit, including All My Ghosts and a quirky superhero tale called The Deadbeat. Brunson has colored a number of comics over the years, as well as writing the webcomic Undead Norm.

I did not find many reviews of this comic online, but the ones I did locate were very positive. Warren Elliot wrote, "The art continues to nicely blend realism with cartoonish fun, giving Amazing Age a very appealing Silver Age look!" Rachel Bellwoar rated it 4.7 out of 5 stars and summed it up as "nostalgic catnip, right up there with Stand By Me and Stranger Things in the 80's friendship department."

Amazing Age was published by Alterna Comics, and they have more info about the book here. This collection collects the five issue limited series released serially. It also has copious back pages that show the characters as originally drawn by Smith when he was a boy, which reminded me of my own drawings at a similar age.

I bought the first issue off the rack at my local Toys R Us (RIP), when it was in black and white and on newsprint. That format sparked my sense of nostalgia, but this trade paperback is in full color and on glossy paper, which I feel suits it better. I met the creators this summer at HeroesCon, and they were nice enough to sign my copy of the book. I think it's a good read, so go out and buy it already :)

Peter and Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths

Peter & Ernesto is just like the title says, a tale of two sloths. Day after day they live in the same tree, eat the same food, and play the same game where they name the shapes they see in the clouds. One day, however, Ernesto announces that he wants to see not just that piece of sky but the whole sky, so he embarks on a grand journey. Peter is more of a worrier and homebody, and he warns Ernesto about the many potential dangers out there, including bears, but to no avail. Not to spoil anything, but the rest of the book follows Ernesto on his trek while Peter eventually decides he should follow up and check on his friend. Both of them, in turn, have their own set of discoveries and adventures.

This simple yet affecting tale was fun to read. It's the best kind of all ages book, and I feel that  contains a good amount of detailed world-building in terms of if its locales and characters. I very much liked Ernesto's spirit of adventure and optimism. I also admired Peter's sense of loyalty and reluctant bravery. Both run into a motley array of other creatures, and they all have strong personalities that are entertaining to boot. The various settings Ernesto sees are all simply yet strongly portrayed. Overall, I loved the amount of energy and information the author conveys in his line work.

Graham Annable was that author, and he has been creating comics and animated work for a good while now. He has been celebrated in both fields and is one of the few folks to have been nominated for both a Harvey and an Academy Award. I know him best from his work on Grickle and also the various comics he shares via his Instagram account. Others would probably be more familiar with his work on animated features like Coraline and The Boxtrolls.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. In a starred review for the School Library Journal Jennifer Costa likened it to the Elephant and Piggie books and summed it up, "Recommended for beginning reader shelves and elementary graphic novel collections." Dustin Cabeal called it "delightful. It’s full of positive energy and gives you so many ways to be inspired." Publishers Weekly stated that "Annable’s gift for caricature and zippy dialogue shines through, as he celebrates his characters’ contrasting temperaments without a hint of snark."

Peter & Ernesto was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and much more here. There is a sequel already slated for next year, and it is called The Lost Sloths. I will definitely check it out!

A review copy was provided by the publisher.

Castle in the Stars: The Space Race of 1869, Book One

Castle in the Stars is an all ages science fiction/steampunk tale that looks and feels like a fairy tale. It has something for everyone: A brave woman who pushes the bounds of science and discovery, seemingly losing her husband and son in the process. Shifty Prussian spies who seek to kidnap people. Hot air balloons powered by a supernaturally powerful fuel. A castle. A Bavarian king under siege. A band of crafty children who are up to mischief. Gorgeously painted imagery (just check out that preview).

After the events in the excerpt, things shift a year into the future where Seraphin and his father Archibald still wonder what happened to Claire. Archibald is upset that his son will not let go of his mother's seemingly crazy scientific ideas. But some unwanted, unsavory visitors come on the scene to indicate that perhaps she was not so off-the mark in her search for aether after all. What happens next takes father and son far away to a wonderful castle where they strive to complete her research and find out what really happened to her.

This story is complex yet easily grasped, and it is one of those rare ones that I feel is entertaining to a wide variety of ages from the very young to adults. The artwork plays a very large part in my recommendation, as it is a colorful and lush feast for the eyes. The larger format of the book is apt for admiring and revisiting these sumptuous images.

This book contains the first three chapters of a series originally published in France. Its author Alex Alice also has a number of other works, including a trilogy based on the opera Siegfried, available in English. His blog has not been updated in a while, but you can learn more about him at his entry at the Lambiek Comiclopedia.

All of the reviews I have read sing this book's praises. Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review, concluding, "Like the best steampunk, this story is one excellent distraction after another, with enough blueprints to hold people’s attention while they’re waiting for Book 2." Publishers Weekly summed up, "Lushly painted scenes, an abundance of banter among the young heroes, and plenty of action and gadgetry make for an engrossing tale of discovery and betrayal." Todd Young wrote, "The art and creativeness of the story make it a book I would recommend to anyone, regardless of age." Kelly Fineman called it "Perfect for folks interested in history, alternate history, steampunk, space exploration, science, and adventure."

Castle in the Stars was published by First Second, and they offer a preview and much more here.

A preview copy was provided by the publisher.

Volcano Trash

Night Air was one of my favorite books of 2016, and this book Volcano Trash is the follow-up volume from Ben Sears. In this book, we get more of the same: excellent all-ages adventure starring a couple of lovable rogues named Plus Man (a young goggle-wearing thief) and Hank (his robot companion). They are also joined by a getaway driver named Basil, who pitches in on various plots and schemes.

The characters have much to contend with in this book, including corrupt cops, a labyrinthine prison, lackeys, a henchman who can split into three, and hive-mind guards, when their past actions catch up to them and they end up in the hands of the law. There are lots of action, intrigue, and plot twists, too, as unlikely alliances happen and certain characters are not what they seem.

 

 

In addition to all of this great plotting, you can also see that the artwork is exceptionally attractive and inventive. The action sequences are rendered in excellent detail, combining elements of video games, European comics, and manga conventions. The technology and character designs are first-rate, and this book is a joy to read, behold, and revisit. It's just plain fun.

The reviews I have read about this book have been glowing. Dustin Cabeal simply stated. "I loved every corner and page of this comic." Oliver Sava wrote, "Sears’ work reads like a mashup of great all-ages entertainment like Tintin, Adventure Time, the Indiana Jones movies, and any number of action video games, and there’s a sense of joy and delight that makes his comics especially well-suited for kids." Paul and Gwen at the Comics Alternative praised the book for its broad appeal and unique art style.

Volcano Trash was published by Koyama Press, and they have a preview and more info about it here. If you are interested in learning more about Ben Sears, there is an extensive interview with him about comics and this book here.

Night Air

One of the most surprising things about Night Air is that it is an all ages book. It certainly did not feel like one to me as I read it, because it is fun, smart, and full of excellent things, and I wish more comics were like it. The plot revolves around a "boy and his robot." Its protagonist is Plus Man, a goggle-wearing guy who is pretty single-minded and borderline unlikable. He just wants to get rich and have fun and look cool in the process. He is accompanied by a robot with great capabilities who looks out for him and saves his hide on more than one occasion.

Plus Man starts the book by getting into some trouble cheating at the poker table and by the end he ends up searching for valuable minerals in a haunted house. In between are all kinds of chases, scrapes, and traps that he must avoid. Despite his actions, I found myself still rooting for Plus Man, because he is a scalawag. I  enjoyed his adventures, laughed more than once at the jokes, and marveled at the gorgeously rendered artwork in this book. It contains pretty much everything a great comic should have.

This book's creator Ben Sears has published various works in zines, mini-comics, a few anthologies, and the back-up of an issue of Adventure Time. The characters in this book originally appeared in a webcomic called Double +. He speaks about his work on Night Air in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been full of praise. Oliver Sava remarked about how Sears' work is marked by "bold designs, immersive compositions, and atmospheric colors." John Seven called it "a good effort from Koyama for kid-oriented comics, providing thrills and laughs, but not at the expense of clever and intelligent work." RJ Casey concluded that these are some "fun comics with no icky strings attached."

Night Air was published by Koyama Press, and they have a preview and more available here.

Hilda and the Troll

Hilda is a little Scandinavian girl with an excellent vocabulary. She enjoys the finer things in life, like camping out during rainstorms, snuggling with pets, and going on trips to draw things in nature. Complications arise in this book when she goes off on such a trip and encounters a rock troll. She has read up on the folklore about those creatures, but she may have skimmed so quickly that she missed an important detail or two. Still, she is clever and manages to find a resolution to the situation with quick thinking and some help from her antlered pet Twig.

This book is larger than your typical graphic novel, more like picture book size, which features the artwork beautifully. And as you can see in the excerpt below, Hilda and the rest of the cast are depicted in an adorable way:

Not only is the artwork excellent, but the scenes and characters are also well defined in quick and easy fashion. This book is so approachable and endearing. It is simultaneously new and familiar, which is a tough trick to pull off. Also, even though there is some action, suspense, and drama, I felt it all was not so extreme. Subtle touches of humor and heart tone things down and also make the book feel more human. Reading this book felt like a visit with a well-traveled, fanciful, and loquacious friend than a series of stressful escapades.

Artist/illustrator Luke Pearson created this book, and Hilda's adventures have been spun out into multiple volumes. He speaks more about his life, work, and Hilda comics in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book sing its praises. Janelle Asselin commented that the world depicted here is complex and that the story is "sweet and charming, but not saccharine." Richard Bruton wrote that the entire production "screams quality and class." Alexandra Lange summed up, "Pearson has found a lovely new way to dramatize childhood demons, while also making you long for your own cruise down the fjords."

Hilda and the Troll was published by NoBrow Press, and they have a preview and more available here. You can find subsequent volumes in the series by searching here. Also, these stories are being adapted into a Netflix series due in 2018.

Bera The One-Headed Troll

Trolls get a pretty bad rap in our world. On the internet, they are annoying, bait people into arguments, and are all-around jerks. Or in movies, they are monsters who attack people. But if all trolls were like the eponymous protagonist in this book, we would be singing an entirely different tune. Bera the One-Headed Troll features one of my favorite characters ever, and I have to say it is one of the most enjoyable graphic novels I have read in a while. Bera is the official pumpkin farmer for the Troll King, and she is excellent at her job. Because of her job she is pretty isolated, but over the course of this book we learn that she is also caring, resourceful, brave, and steadfast. And seriously, I am crushing on her pretty hard.

The set-up of the story is this: Bera finds a human baby on her island, and she wants to protect it from an evil witch and her nefarious plots. Not really knowing how to care for a human baby nor thinking herself a match for a witch, she seeks the help of legendary heroes and sets out on a quest with her owl friend as a guide. Along the way they encounter a host of baddies, vile mermaids, goons, and goblins. They also find a few unlikely allies in the form of hedgehogs and rats. Also, Bera learns that those who are venerated do not always end up being as heroic as advertised.

I was very much taken by this book. It is charming. Bera is a phenomenal character. And It struck just the right balance between classic (think Grimm Brothers) fairy tale/epic quest/heart-warmer. In short, I loved it, and I would recommend it to pretty much any reader, young or old.

This book's creator Eric Orchard has another graphic novel Maddy Kettle, under his belt. He has also illustrated a number of children's books. His artwork here is wonderfully muted and dingy, which suits the tone of the tale but is also surprisingly evocative. He speaks a bit more about his inspirations and work on this book in this article.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. Kirkus Reviews summed it up as "An old-fashioned quest with a lovable protagonist." Rosemary Kiladitis wrote, "I love the storytelling, I enjoy Orchard’s art, and once again, great graphic storytelling brings an important message to readers in a powerful yet sweet fashion." Dustin Cabeal called it "memorable" as well as "touching, full of adventure, and just heartwarming."

Bera The One-Headed Troll was published by First Second, and they have a preview and much more available here.

Owly

Yesterday I talked about how I am thinking about what makes comics, namely the use of discourse and images. Today, I am talking about a series of books that have no (or hardly any) words in them. Owly has been coming out since 2004, initially published by Top Shelf but now self-published by its creator Andy Runton.

Owly is an adorable owl, and these books chronicle his various adventures in the forest. I have not met a young child who is not instantly rapt by these stories. They are simple, almost intuitive, to read but surprisingly evocative. They are excellent for pre-primer and elementary students, though I have known middle schoolers who also like these tales.

In this first volume, there are two stories. In the first, Owly saves a worm during a rainstorm and ends up making a lifelong friend. In the second, Owly and Wormy rescue a caged hummingbird and then have to deal with loss when they learn that they really cannot take care of it and have to let it go back to the wild.

In this book, Owly builds a birdhouse for a pair of ungrateful bluebirds. Over time they start to develop a friendship, but then a bad storm threatens the lives of their newly hatched chicks, and they all learn to work together.

In the third volume Owly meets a flying squirrel, and we learn that Owly is sort of an outcast, because he cannot fly. In a flashback, we see that he had a tough and unhelpful instructor when he was a young owlet at flying camp, and his friends were also all pretty much unsupportive jerks. His new friends band together to help Owly out.

In this fourth book, a new creature ventures into this part of the woods. All the forest residents fear this new animal and make up stories about how terrible it must be. Owly finds it in himself to approach it and learn what it is really like.

By now, it is pretty clear that each of these books has its own moral, like a comic version of a fable. That feature makes these books pretty accessible, but the artwork and easily read symbolic conventions and expressions make them attractive. They really bring life to what could a dry enterprise. Just check out these couple of pages from the first book, where Owly meets Wormy:

 

Owly books have won all kinds of awards, including the Harvey and an Eisner. All of the reviews I have read of these books have been positive. Sharon Adarlo called the character and books "very charismatic and kid-friendly." Brigid Alverson praised the "deceptively simple tales of a sweet little owl and his forest friends, told without words but with plenty of emotion and gesture." Hilary Goldstein called Just a Little Blue "a fanciful, magical book deserving of a spot on anyone's bookshelf."

Runton speaks about his inspirations for and work on the Owly books in this interview.

These are only the first four Owly books, and there are more available for preview and sale here. There are also quite a few free Owly comics there to download as well.

Poppy! and the Lost Lagoon

Poppy! and the Lost Lagoon was an unexpected delight I picked up at HeroesCon this year. It is an adventure book written by Matt Kindt, one of my favorite contemporary comics creators, with art by Brian Hurtt, who draws The Sixth Gun, a series I should check out because I hear great things about it.

Any way, when I saw they had a book aimed at upper elementary/middle school readers, I was excited to check it out. This book has a fantastic set-up. It is about Poppy Pepperington, a young adventurer who is accompanied by Colt Winchester, a gruff old sort who promised Pappy, Poppy's adventurer grandfather, that he would watch after her when he mysteriously disappeared (or died?). This duo meets up with Ramses, a thousands of years old pharaoh who looks like an 8-year old boy and is relegated to a penthouse apartment, who gives them new missions and adventures to undertake.

 

I will not spoil what they do or find on their adventure, but it involves exotic cities, a giant octopus, strange sea creatures, death traps, and fantastic happenings just this side of the supernatural. As you can see from the art and story, there are lots of minute details and intricacies in both the characters and the settings, and they all contribute to a wonderfully vibrant tapestry. The main narrative is nuanced and intriguing, with lots of surprises, twists, and silliness. I had a lot of fun reading this book, and I hope it is just the start to a series, because there is much potential here.

This book's creators are veteran comics people. Matt Kindt has created numerous graphic novels, including Super Spy, Red Handed, and Revolver, worked on his own series Mind MGMT and Dept H, as well as having written a good number of titles at Marvel, Valiant, and DC Comics. Brian Hurtt is known for his art in genre-bending books like The Sixth Gun and The Damned. Both Kindt and Hurtt have been nominated for major comics awards multiple times.

Many of the reviews praise this book as being an American version of Tintin, and I think that is high praise. Matthew Garcia summed it up as "a very enjoyable and lively book." Josh Canales wrote, "This family-friendly book is great for anyone who loves reading." Gwen and Andy at Comics Alternative "could not stop singing [its] praises."

Poppy! and the Lost Lagoon was published by Dark Horse, and they have a preview and more available here.

I met both Kindt and Hurtt at HeroesCon this year, and they were nice enough to sign my copy of the book. I think it would be fun and interesting for readers young and old, truly an all ages book.

Hippopotamister

Hippopotamister straddles the line between being a picture book and a graphic novel, and it contains a wonderfully drawn, funny tale with a positive and meaningful message. If you or a young reader you know is looking for a book starring adorable animals who frequently find themselves in silly circumstances, this is it. I found the artwork to be absolutely charming and some scenes really made me chuckle.

The story revolves around a hippo living in a run-down zoo. His friend and neighbor red panda decides to go and live among the humans and returns with tales of great success. So, the hippo decides to join him out there. However, hippo quickly learns that red panda's tales of success are clearly exaggerated.

Hippo, though, turns out to be pretty versatile and skilled. Still, the duo bounces from job to job, with humorous and disastrous results, and over time they learn both what they are good at and what they struggle with. I don't want to spoil the ending, but I will say that finally both find a situation that plays to both of their strengths and they find themselves gainfully employed.

Hippopotamister is John Patrick Green's first graphic novel. He has drawn a number of other books for children as well as the mini-comic Teen Boat! written by Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy). He speaks at good length about his creative process on this book in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been glowing. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and stated that "Green's characters burst with personality, his comedic sense shines, and his visual storytelling skills are solid." Johanna Draper Carlson elaborated, "although the story is aimed at younger readers, this is something I can certainly relate to, from needing to find a new occupation to a past-its-prime business making its “employees” unhappy to the way that Hippopotamister learns something valuable from everything he tries." Kirkus Reviews summed up by calling it "A charming book with a solid message about changing one’s life through hard work, imagination, and openness to new experiences."

Hippopotamister was published by First Second. They have a preview and much more available here.

Thanks, Gina, for the review copy!

Sweaterweather & Other Short Stories

What is cool about Sweaterweather and Other Stories for me is that it works in at least two ways. If you are already familiar with Sara Varon's work (wordless comics like Robot Dreams or picture books like Chicken and Cat), then you get to see a lot of her early thoughts and drawings in this wonderful anthology. If you are new to her and her work, then this book is a great introduction to the array of stories she tells. There are wordless animal tales, like this one about a turtle and a rabbit on a cold day:

There are also some more experimental and playful ones, like this one that consists of 26 panels and follows an ABC pattern:

These are F,G,H, in case you did not figure it out...

And there are lots of other types of comics in here, too: Diary Comics done for The Comics Journal, paper dolls, a shorter draft version of what would turn into Robot Dreams, and some nonfiction about beekeeping. These are charming, well rendered, and thoughtfully fun comics, and they come with short notes about her inspirations, intentions, or memories of each. I read this book in a few sittings just so I could draw out my enjoyment and appreciation of each piece. All that said, they are all pretty short, so those expecting longer narratives might be disappointed.

This book is a revamped and revised version of one published in 2003. Most of the reviews I have read about this book have been full of praise. Publishers Weekly summed up their starred review, "Varon’s characters, their sheepish expressions, and their animated conversations are unfailingly delightful, while flashes of graphic inventiveness—a fake flyer bound into the book, a set of carefully engineered paper dolls—are icing on the cake." Claire Thorne wrote this praise, "The quality of the illustration and narrative is deceptively simple, inviting the reader to read the stories over and over for new doses of this charming and whimsical world." Beth was more disappointed with the book, noting that "something (besides words) was just missing for me. Many of the pieces just seemed to end abruptly while others seemed a bit experimental but not in a boundary pushing way."

Sweaterweather & Other Short Stories was published by First Second, and they have a preview and much more available here.

Thank you, Gina, for the review copy!