Graphic Novel – Page 19 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: The Avant-Guards, Vol. 1

Title: The Avant-Guards, Vol. 1
Author: Carly Usdin, Noah Hayes
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, LGBT
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Charlie transfers to the Georgia O’Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics, she struggles to find her feet, but winds up exactly where she belongs…in the school’s (terrible) basketball team.

As a transfer student to the Georgia O’Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, former sports star Charlie is struggling to find her classes, her dorm, and her place amongst a student body full of artists who seem to know exactly where they’re going. When the school’s barely-a-basketball-team unexpectedly attempts to recruit her, Charlie’s adamant that she’s left that life behind…until she’s won over by the charming team captain, Liv, and the ragtag crew she’s managed to assemble. And while Charlie may have left cut-throat competition in in the dust, sinking these hoops may be exactly what she needs to see the person she truly wants to be.

From Carly Usdin (Heavy Vinyl) and artist Noah Hayes (Wet Hot American Summer, Goldie Vance) comes an ensemble comedy series that understands that it’s the person you are off the court that matters most.

Review:

This is the perfect graphic novel for September. Charlie transfers to a new school, so we get to learn about the school through her new perspective. She was recruited to join the basketball team, where she found the perfect team.

I loved the variety of characters. Each one comes from a different background, yet they were all brought together by basketball. It was great to see how they found common ground in this sport.

I really enjoyed this book. I’m excited to see what happens next.

Thank you BOOM! Box for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Superman of Smallville

Title: Superman of Smallville
Author: Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani
Genre: Children’s, Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Zoom
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Can Superman keep Smallville from going to the dogs?

Acts of awesomeness are happening around town. People are being rescued, runaway tractors stopped, and fires extinguished. This is all in a day’s work for the hero known only as “Superman.” But who is he, really?

Thirteen-year-old Clark Kent knows. He has a super-secret–one his parents are constantly worried will get out. Clark promises to be extra careful, but when random objects begin to take flight and disappear, his parents threaten to ground him. Except he’s innocent! If Superman isn’t responsible…who is? Join Clark in this hilarious adventure as he sniffs out the real culprit.

From New York Times–bestselling and Eisner Award-winning creators Art Baltazar and Franco, comes a fun, whimsical story featuring young Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, and of course Clark Kent.

Review:

This is a great new Superman graphic novel for kids!

There were some really funny parts that I think kids would enjoy. Superman flew around saving people and animals in Smallville. He saved sheep by blowing air so they would land slowly after he tossed them in the air. He lifted the roof of the barn to quickly toss the cows inside when they wouldn’t walk there. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at these funny parts.

Clark’s experience was relatable at times. He was bullied at school, even though the bully is actually a huge fan of Superman. Of course, no one knows that Clark is really Superman. He also had to try hard to impress the popular boy at school, Lex Luthor. I enjoyed seeing Clark in these realistic situations.

I really liked this book!

Thank you DC Zoom for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Black Canary, Volume 1: Kicking and Screaming

Title: Black Canary, Volume 1: Kicking and Screaming
Author: Brendan Fletcher, Annie Wu, Pia Guerra, Lee Loughridge
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Comics
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: March 2, 2016
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Dinah Lance hits the road! After years as a soldier and vigilante, the last place Dinah saw herself is on stage…but she’s quickly learning she’d die to protect the gang of misfits she’s fallen into. And she just might have to—for some reason, the newly rechristened band Black Canary seems to be a magnet for trouble…and Dinah’s not gonna believe it when she finds out the reason why!

Collecting: Black Canary 1-7, Sneak Peek

Review:

I had never read a Black Canary graphic novel before this one, and I didn’t know much about her. Black Canary, or Dinah Drake, has a special “Canary cry,” which can harm her enemies. In this story, she is the lead singer of a band called Black Canary. They have to protect one of their band mates, a child who is being chased by a number of people.

Since I didn’t know much about Black Canary before this story, I would have liked it much more if she was the focus of the plot. The band members kept talking about feuds they had before Dinah arrived, so I was left wondering what happened before the story. There were a few subplots that were started, but they weren’t completed by the end of the graphic novel.

One problem with this graphic novel is that it tried to use sound to convey the story, yet there is no sound to the graphic novel. Dinah and the other characters had to use sound to fight off their enemies, yet that was hard to show on the page. That left many pages with just images to portray the story. This became confusing because some characters looking the same, and there wasn’t enough space to show who was in the panel.

Unfortunately, this graphic novel didn’t work for me. There is a new Black Canary adaptation coming out later in the year by Meg Cabot, which I’m looking forward to trying out!

Review: How to Talk to Girls at Parties

Title: How to Talk to Girls at Parties
Author: Neil Gaiman, Fábio Moon, Gabriel Bá
Genre: Science Fiction, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: June 5, 2016
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Enn is a fifteen-year-old boy who just doesn’t understand girls, while his friend Vic seems to have them all figured out. Both teenagers are in for the shock of their young lives, however, when they crash a local party only to discover that the girls there are far, far more than they appear!

From the Locus Award-winning short story by Neil Gaiman–one of the most celebrated authors of our time– and adapted in vibrant ink-and-watercolor illustrations by the Daytripper duo of Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon, this original hardcover graphic novel is absolutely not to be missed!”

Review:

I kept seeing this book everywhere, so I wanted to read it. It was an unusual story.

I really liked the way the boys in the story were oblivious to the girls around them. They were just focused on flirting with them, so they didn’t pay attention when they talked about being from another planet. It shows how they can be blinded by girls.

The art in the book was beautiful. It became abstract and colorful when the girls spoke about where they came from, but it was dark when they were in the real world.

The story was a little too strange for me. We didn’t really find out what the story was behind the girls at the party, and I would have loved to know their history.

Review: Angel Catbird, Volume 1

Title: Angel Catbird, Volume 1
Author: Margaret Atwood, Johnnie Christmas
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Dark Horse
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 6, 2016
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Lauded novelist Margaret Atwood and acclaimed artist Johnnie Christmas collaborate on one of the most highly anticipated comic book and literary events of the year!

On a dark night, young genetic engineer Strig Feleedus is accidentally mutated by his own experiment and merges with the DNA of a cat and an owl. What follows is a humorous, action-driven, pulp-inspired superhero adventure– with a lot of cat puns.

Published in over thirty-five countries, Margaret Atwood is one of the most important living writers of our day and is the author of more than forty books of fiction, poetry, and critical essays. Her work has won the Man Booker Prize, the Giller Prize, Premio Mondello, and more. Angel Catbird is her first graphic novel series.

Review:

This was actually one of the first books I reviewed on my blog about two and a half years ago. I wanted to reread it before reading the rest of the series, and also because it is a great graphic novel!

I love that this is Margaret Atwood’s first graphic novel. In the foreword, she talks about how she loved graphic novels when she was a kid, so this was a natural thing for her to write. I could really relate to her!

There are great facts about cats throughout the story, including foods that are poisonous to cats and the amount of birds that cats kill every year. I didn’t know these things before reading this book, so they were interesting facts. This also brings awareness to important issues concerning cats.

I love this cat bird hybrid superhero!

Review: Sparrowhawk

Title: Sparrowhawk
Author: Delilah S. Dawson, Matias Basla, Rebecca Nalty
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 20, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

After a young woman is kidnapped by an evil Faerie Queen and trapped in a far off realm, she must survive teen Victorian fairy fight club in order to get back home.

As the illegitimate daughter of a Naval Captain, Artemisia has never fit in with her father’s family, nor the high class world to which they belong. However, when she is targeted by the Faerie Queen and pulled into another realm, she has no choice but to fight her way back home, amongst evil fairies who want her head, and untrustworthy allies that claim solidarity but have ulterior motives. New York Times bestselling author Delilah S. Dawson (Ladycastle, Star Wars: Phasma) and illustrator Matias Basla (The Claw and Fang) present a gripping dark fantasy tale of a young woman claiming her time and her agency.

Review:

This graphic novel combined two of my favourite settings: Victorian England and the world of Faeries.

The main character, Art, is of mixed race. Her mother was a slave in a country that her father colonized. When he brought Art home with him, his wife treated her like a servant and made her be a lady’s maid to one of her daughters. Then one day, Art was pulled into a mirror and entered the world of Faeiries.

I really liked the way Art’s time in the world of Faeries reflected the way her mother’s country was colonized. She was told to kill the evil faeries, so she could gain power and take over. At first, she recognized that there wasn’t a good reason for killing the innocent faeries, but once she gained some power, she quickly forgot. This shows how wrong it was for powerful countries to invade weaker countries.

This was a great graphic novel!

Thank you BOOM! Studios for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Swing it, Sunny

Title: Swing it, Sunny
Author: Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Graphix
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 12, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Summer’s over and it’s time for Sunny Lewin to enter the strange and unfriendly hallways of . . . middle school. When her Gramps calls her from Florida to ask how she’s doing, she always tells him she’s fine. But the truth? Sunny is NOT having the best time.
Not only is the whole middle school thing confusing . . . but life at home is confusing, too. Sunny misses her brother Dale, who’s been sent to boarding school. But when Dale comes back, she STILL misses him . . . because he’s changed.
Luckily Sunny’s got her best friend and a mysterious new neighbor on her side . . . because she is NOT going let all this confusion get her down. Instead, she’s going to remain Sunny-side up!

Review:

This is a great sequel to Sunny Side Up!

Sunny’s brother has been sent to boarding school to take care of his addictions and misbehaviour. Sunny spent the summer with her grandfather in the previous book, and she has to face her day to day life without her older brother in this book.

Sunny’s new neighbour is a teenage girl who teaches her how to use a swing flag. It was like baton twirling with a flag. This was a great activity for Sunny to occupy her time, instead of worrying about her brother.

There were loads of references to things from the 70s. Sunny and her friend watched shows like General Hospital and Gilligan’s Island. She even bought a pet rock as a gift for her brother. I think the parents of middle grade readers would love these references.

I really enjoyed this book!

Review: Harley Quinn, Vol. 1: Harley vs. Apokolips

Title: Harley Quinn, Vol. 1: Harley vs. Apokolips
Author: Sam Humphries
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Comics
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: December 11, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

You read that right. It’s Harley Quinn vs. Apokolips. The whole. Entire. Planet. Wait… what? A new era for Harley begins here in Harley Quinn Vol. 1, as writer Sam Humphries takes charge!

While on a tropical vacation, Harley Quinn is kidnapped by two Female Furies from Apokolips–and they’re making her an offer she can’t refuse: join the Furies, get super powers and do anything she wants! It’s a sweet deal, and all Harley has to do in return is hunt down rogue Fury Petite Tina. The bad news: Petite Tina is anything but petite!

Harley Quinn’s story starts a new era in this brand-new graphic novel! Writer Sam Humphries jumps behind the wheel, beginning with this all-new Vol. 1 jumping-on point. Collects Harley Quinn #43-49.

Review:

This volume is the start of the current series of Harley Quinn comics. Harley is one of my favourite superhero characters, so I was so excited to read this graphic novel!

This was a great story. Harley faced a few different villains in this book, including Granny Goodness. This book had three different storylines, so it was full of things to read!

I love when Harley reads comics and refers to the writers of her comics. It’s a great way of breaking the fourth wall, by recognizing that you are actually reading a comic!

I loved this graphic novel! I can’t wait to read the next one!

Review: Teen Titans: Raven

Title: Teen Titans: Raven
Author: Kami Garcia, Gabriel Picolo
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Ink
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: July 2, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When a tragic accident takes the life of 17-year-old Raven Roth’s foster mom—and Raven’s memory—she moves to New Orleans to recover and finish her senior year of high school.

Starting over isn’t easy. Raven remembers everyday stuff like how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can’t remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. And when impossible things start happening, Raven begins to think it might even be better not to know who she was before.

But as she grows closer to her new friends, her foster sister, Max, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she’s ready to face what’s buried in the past… and the darkness building inside her.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia and first-time graphic novel artist Gabriel Picolo comes this riveting tale of finding the strength to face who you are and learning to trust others—and yourself.

Review:

I didn’t know anything about Raven before reading this graphic novel, but I loved her!

This is a great origin story for Raven. She gets into a car accident right at the beginning, and gets amnesia. Since she can’t remember who she is, she learns about herself along with the reader. This was a great technique to introduce Raven’s powers while not explaining things she already knew.

I loved the illustrations in the book too. It was mostly in shades of black, white, and gray with the exception of Raven. She often had purple accents in her clothes or her hair. This made her stand out. There were some parts in full colour, especially when characters liked each other or went on dates. This was a great contrast in colours.

I loved this graphic novel! I’m excited to read the rest of the series!

Review: The Tea Dragon Society

Title: The Tea Dragon Society
Author: Katie O’Neill
Genre: Children’s, Graphic Novel, LGBT
Publisher: Oni Press
Source: Owlcrate
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 18, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the award-winning author of Princess Princess Ever Aftercomes The Tea Dragon Society, a charming all-ages book that follows the story of Greta, a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons.
After discovering a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives—and eventually her own.

Review:

This is a short and sweet graphic novel.

In the Tea Dragon Society, they harvest tea that grows in the form of leaves on dragons. Their owners have a special bond with the dragons, allowing them to harvest the leaves. The dragons are named after various kinds of tea, such as Jasmine and Chamomile, and they grow those types of tea.

I loved the importance of friendship in this story. The members of the Tea Dragon Society have to form a special friendship with their dragons. The dragons united Hesekiel and Erik, and Greta and Minette. Greta also learns the importance of passing down knowledge to the next generations so skills, such as blacksmithing, are not lost.

I loved this story. I’m excited to read the next book in the series!

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