Category: Graphic Novel

Title: Wires and Nerve, Volume 2: Gone Rogue
Author: Marissa Meyer, Stephen Gilpin
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: Purchased
Release Date: January 30, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Iko – an audacious android and best friend to the Lunar Queen Cinder – has been tasked with hunting down Alpha Lysander Steele, the leader of a rogue band of bioengineered wolf-soldiers who threaten to undo the tenuous peace agreement between Earth and Luna. Unless Cinder can reverse the mutations that were forced on them years before, Steele and his soldiers plan to satisfy their monstrous appetites with a massacre of the innocent people of Earth.

And to show he’s serious, Steele is taking hostages.

Cinder and Kai, Scarlet and Wolf, Cress and Thorne, and Winter and Jacin all feature in this epic new battle. But it is Iko who must face her deepest fears when she uncovers the truth about her own unusual programming. 

Review:

I love this series! The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favourite series, so I’m so excited about this graphic novel series!

The first volume was an introduction to the characters. It was a little hard to get used to seeing what they really look like, because I imagined some of them differently. Also I keep getting Thorne and Jacin mixed up… until they speak! (Thorne is very full of himself and is always looking for attention whereas Jacin is quiet.)

This volume jumped right into the action. They have a new villain to defeat, Steele who was one of Levana’s hybrids. He really reminded me of Count Olaf from The Series of Unfortunate Events. He looked a lot like him.

I enjoyed the flashbacks in the story. The characters revisited many places from the original story, which were nice to finally see in pictures. Linh Garan also made a few appearances in saved video files. In those, he describes how Iko was created, which was intense because it was difficult for her to handle.

This is a great story, and I really hope the story continues!

Here’s my review for Wires and Nerve, Volume 1.

Title: Black Panther, Volume 2: A Nation Under Our Feet
Author: Ta-Nehisi Coates, Chris Sprouse, Don McGregor, Rich Buckler
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Source: Purchased
Release Date: January 24, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Counting down the final days of the kingdom of Wakanda! As Zenzi and The People poison Wakanda’s citizens against the Black Panther, a cabal of nation-breakers is assembled. And Ayo and Aneka, the Midnight Angels, are courted to raise their land to new glory! His allies dwindling, T’Challa must rely on his elite secret police, the Hatut Zeraze, and fellow Avenger Eden Fesi, a.k.a. Manifold! And with T’Challa’s back truly against the wall, some old friends lend a hand: Luke Cage, Misty Knight and Storm! But Wakanda may be too far gone for this all-new, all-different crew — and there’s one job the Panther must handle alone. Only he can voyage into the Djalia! Getting there is hard enough, but can he even find his sister Shuri inside Wakanda’s collective memory? Collecting BLACK PANTHER (2016) #5-8, plus JUNGLE ACTION #6-7 and bonus content.

Review:

I enjoyed this second volume in the new Black Panther series.

This story jumped right into the action, since the characters were introduced in the first volume. T’Challa appears much more conflicted between leading his country and protecting his people. Meanwhile, he needs to try to get his sister back from Wakanda’s collective memory, which is like an in-between world.

The Black Panther has to face all of these challenges, so he brings in some help from other superhero friends. I loved the cameo appearances by other Marvel superheroes. He asks Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man for help. He also brings his friends Storm, Eden Fesi, Luke Cage, and Misty Knight into Wakanda. It was interesting to see him interact with these other familiar characters.

I also enjoyed the two vintage comics at the end of the volume. They show the original comics featuring the Black Panther, so we can see how he has changed and how he has remained the same over the decades. This is a great second volume in the series!

Title: Herding Cats (Sarah’s Scribbles #3)
Author: Sarah Andersen
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: March 27, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sarah valiantly struggles with waking up in the morning, being productive, and dealing with social situations. Sarah’s Scribbles is the comic strip that follows her life, finding humor in living as an adulting introvert that is at times weird, awkward, and embarrassing.

Review:

This is another great collection from Sarah Andersen. The best part about her comics is that they are so relatable.

There were a lot of pet comics in this book. One of my favourites was where a cat doesn’t know her name because she is called so many nicknames at home, such as “mush,” “kitten pie,” and “little beanie toe cutie.”

There were also a lot of comics about the struggles of being an artist. My favourite one was where artists are compared to actors and musicians. Both actors and musicians become more glamorous when they become famous, but artists are still at home, sitting at their computers.

This collection ended with some commentary about becoming an artist. Sarah talks about how the internet has changed and become more negative since she began her career, but it’s still an important tool for young artists. My favourite part was when she said that you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. If you wouldn’t say it to someone else about their work, don’t say it to yourself.

This collection was entertaining and inspiring.

Title: Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir
Author: Stan Lee, Peter David, Colleen Doran
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Touchstone
Source: Purchased
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this gorgeously illustrated, full-color graphic memoir, Stan Lee—comic book legend and cocreator of Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, the Incredible Hulk, and a legion of other Marvel superheroes—shares his iconic legacy and the story of how modern comics came to be.

Stan Lee is a man who needs no introduction. The most legendary name in the history of comic books, he has been the leading creative force behind Marvel Comics, and has brought to life—and into the mainstream—some of the world’s best-known heroes and most infamous villains throughout his career. His stories—filled with superheroes struggling with personal hang-ups and bad guys who possessed previously unseen psychological complexity—added wit and subtlety to a field previously locked into flat portrayals of good vs. evil. Lee put the human in superhuman and in doing so, created a new mythology for the twentieth century.

In this beautifully illustrated graphic memoir—illustrated by celebrated artist Colleen Doran—Lee tells the story of his life with the same inimitable wit, energy, and offbeat spirit that he brought to the world of comics. Moving from his impoverished childhood in Manhattan to his early days writing comics, through his military training films during World War II and the rise of the Marvel empire in the 1960s to the current resurgence in movies, Amazing Fantastic Incredible documents the life of a man and the legacy of an industry and career.

This funny, moving, and incredibly honest memoir is a must-have for collectors and fans of comic books and graphic novels of every age.

Review:

Stan Lee has had a fascinating life. He has gone from writing comics for WWII to making cameo appearances in his own movies. His stories are timeless. They are still relevant decades after he created them.

This book is great for all kinds of fans. It doesn’t only tell the story about his comics. He also details the comic publishing industry in the mid-20th century. He has become a celebrity on his own too, so he also talks about being starstruck when meeting other celebrities. Stan Lee has the unique position of being very successful in publishing and writing, and transitioning into mainstream pop culture. His characters are some of he most recognizable characters in the world.

This really is an Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible memoir! I recommend it to all comic fans and anyone looking for a fascinating read!

Title: Doctor Who Archives: Prisoners of Time
Author: Scott Tipton, David Tipton
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Titan Comics
Source: Purchased
Release Date: February 16, 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Doctor Who Archives: Prisoners of Time Omnibus  celebrates the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who with a twelve-part tribute to one of the most beloved heroes of all time. Follow the first 11 incarnations of the intrepid traveler on an epic adventure as he explores time and space with fan-favorite companions, and comes face to face with some of the galaxy’s deadliest foes! Featuring the complete Prisoners of Time story arc, as well as a stunning cover gallery, this is a must-have addition to any Whovian’s Doctor Who collection!

Review:

 

I’m a recent Doctor Who fan (I started watching it a couple of years ago) but I love everything with the Doctor! I have lots of merchandise! And I love the comics and novels! They’re so fun because they have different stories that aren’t seen on the show.

One of the great things about this graphic novel is that it features all of the Doctors up until number 11. Though I’ve only watched the new series, and a couple of the original episodes, I loved seeing all these versions of the Doctor. Though he looks different, he’s always the same guy.

After many of the chapters in the graphic novel, there is a page with some commentary from people who worked on the comics. It’s interesting to see the changes that the comics went through over the years, as well as the process of moving Doctor Who from the TV show into print.

This is a great graphic novel for fans of Doctor Who!

Title: Dark Tales: The Hound of the Baskervilles: A Graphic Novel
Author: Arthur Conan Doyle, Dave Shephard
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Printers Row Publishing Group
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

This classic “whodunit” story with the famous Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson is now told in graphic novel format. More than 100 pages of illustrated action and adventure! Sir Charles Baskerville, master of the Baskerville estate, is found dead at the gates with a look of horror on his face. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are called in to investigate the possibility of foul play. After several false leads, they solve the mystery and reveal the truth.

Review:

 

I love Sherlock Holmes. So I was so excited to see this graphic novel on NetGalley.

I enjoyed reading this story. I felt a little confused when I read the original story years ago. The story jumps around a lot, and some of the names are similar. This graphic novel made it much easier to understand, but it still has the tension of a Holmes mystery.

The art in this graphic novel was awesome! I loved the different colours the artist used. When the story told something that happened in the past, it was coloured in sepia tones. When the characters were in the dark, it was in dark blues. And when they were in the light, the colours were natural. This was a great way to depict different time periods and settings without having to describe them in words.

This is a great graphic novel that I would recommend for Holmes fans and people who want an introduction to the famous detective.

Title: Adulthood Is a Myth
Author: Sarah Andersen
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Source: Purchased
Release Date: March 8, 2016
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Are you a special snowflake?

Do you enjoy networking to advance your career?

Is adulthood an exciting new challenge for which you feel fully prepared?

Ugh. Please go away.

This book is for the rest of us. These comics document the wasting of entire beautiful weekends on the internet, the unbearable agony of holding hands on the street with a gorgeous guy, dreaming all day of getting home and back into pajamas, and wondering when, exactly, this adulthood thing begins. In other words, the horrors and awkwardnesses of young modern life.

Review:

I love the comics in this book! I always see these comics as memes on the internet. They’re great because they’re so relatable! This was a short book to flip through quickly, and I laughed many times.

Here are some of my favourite comics:

The third book in this series is coming out later in the month, so now I can’t wait to read it. I’m sure it’ll be just as funny!

Title: Black Panther, Volume 1: A Nation Under Our Feet
Author: Ta-Nehisi Coates
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Marvel
Source: Purchased
Release Date: September 13, 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A new era begins for the Black Panther! MacArthur Genius and National Book Award winner Ta-Nehisi Coates (Between the World and Me)takes the helm, confronting T’Challa with a dramatic upheaval in Wakanda that will make leading the African nation tougher than ever before. When a superhuman terrorist group that calls itself The People sparks a violent uprising, the land famed for its incredible technology and proud warrior traditions will be thrown into turmoil. If Wakanda is to survive, it must adapt–but can its monarch, one in a long line of Black Panthers, survive the necessary change? Heavy lies the head that wears the cowl!

Review:

I absolutely loved this graphic novel!

There is great diverse representation in this story. The entire cast is made up of people of colour. In the first issue, a lesbian couple was introduced. I love seeing minority groups represented in a superhero story!

At the beginning, the story was a little confusing because there were so many characters in a original world. But the “letters” pages in between issues, where readers submitted their letters to the writers, helped me with that. I was reassured after each issue that other readers had the same feelings as me. I quickly caught onto the story and ended up loving it!

I also loved the bonus comic at the end, which shows the Black Panther’s first appearance in Marvel comics. It’s a great piece of comic book history. It was a great addition to the first volume of this new series.

I haven’t seen the new movie adaptation Black Panther yet, but I hope to see it soon! After reading this graphic novel, I can’t wait!

Title: Captain Canuck, Volume 2: The Gauntlet
Author: Kalman Andrasofsky
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Chapterhouse Publishing
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: February 13, 2018
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Site Aleph is secured and Equilibrium is ready to explode onto the world stage. So everything’s great, right? Wrong. Mr. Gold is still at large, Marla Ritchie is still missing, and Captain Canuck will move heaven and Earth to find them both. The Gauntlet collects Captain Canuck #7-11 and features the comics debut of Blue Fox and the first appearance of the all-new, rebooted Northguard, now starring in his own solo series!

Review:

 

I didn’t like this volume as much as the first.

In this book, Captain Canuck faced the same villain, Mr. Gold. I was hoping his story was over and we would get a new villain in this book. It was tedious and boring to read about the same problems again.

I liked the introduction of Blue Fox. She was a great contrast to the Captain. However, his allies got lost in the mix. I kept getting them confused. I think it would have been better if there were less people on his team or if they were given more space in the story.

I hoped that this volume would be as entertaining as the first one, but unfortunately it was not.