Category: Graphic Novel

Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Volume 1: Revolutions of Terror


Title: Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Volume 1: Revolutions of Terror
Author: Nick Abadzis
Genre: Graphic Novel, Science Fiction
Publisher: Titan Comics
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Rating: ★★★★

Gabby Gonzalez works in her father’s laundromat. One day while she is there, all of the washing mashines turn on at the same time and open a portal. Everyone in New York starts acting strangely, but they just assume it’s because it is the Day of the Dead. Then the Doctor shows up. There are creatures that play on people’s fears that attach themselves to humans. They entered through Gabby’s washing machines. Only the Doctor can save them now. 

This is a good continuation of the Tenth Doctor’s adventures. I love that even though some doctors are gone, they can live on in the comics and novels. 

The graphic novel played out in the same way that the TV series does when a new companion enters. Gabby was introduced and then we get her reaction to the Doctor. It’s like watching the series with new characters. 

One thing that bothered me is that it was set in New York. I wish the graphic novels were set in London like the majority of the show. It’s a British show so the graphic novels should continue that tradition. 

Gotham Academy Volume 3: Yearbook

Title: Gotham Academy Volume 3: Yearbook
Author: Brendan Fletcher, Adam Archer, Sandra Hope
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: November 8, 2016
Rating: ★★★★

The kids of Gotham Academy are back just before the end of the semester. A new girl shows up, who Olive has to show around the school. Maps gets really excited when they discover Riko, the new girl, is a “Robin.” That is, until Riko gets arrested. When Maps isn’t allowed to join the yearbook club, Olive gives her a personal yearbook where they can write down all their adventures. One day, Robin comes into Maps’s room. Pomeline finds him just as he steals Maps’s yearbook. The “Detective Club” have to solve one last mystery of the semester to find the yearbook. Finally, Olive gets sick after seeing the chapel catch fire. They have to figure out who destroyed the chapel. Was it the new visiting professor, like Colton thinks it is? Or is Pomeline right when she guesses it is a vampire?

This graphic novel is filled with lots of short stories of their adventures. These stories are all from Maps’s yearbook. There is also the overarching story that follows Maps’s obsession with the Robins, as well as another potential villain who knows Olive.

Each separate flashback from the yearbook was written and illustrated by a different artist, so they all looked different. At first, I didn’t like all the different styles of art in the book. But it really differentiated between the stories and the main storyline, so it worked well.

The next installment in the Gotham Academy series comes out next week. I’m so excited to read it! You can find my reviews for Gotham Academy Vol. 1 here and Gotham Academy Vol. 2 here.

Dollface Volume 1


Title: Dollface Vol. 1
Author: Dan Mendoza
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Action Lab
Release Date: July 18, 2017
Rating: ★

Ivan and Emily created Lila using a 3D printer and the book of the dead. She’s a doll they brought to life. They wanted to create a lifelike sexdoll and make a fortune selling it. But they didn’t realize she would have the soul of a real girl who lived four centuries ago. Lila came with a lot of baggage too. She was killed by a witch, who she meets in the modern world. Lila the dollface and her friends go on a witch hunt to find the book of the dead. 

The plot of the story was interesting. It would make a good story for some people to create a doll but then she has the soul of someone else. With the popularity of 3D printing today, this would be a good story. 

However, I really didn’t like this graphic novel. There was a ton of nudity and swearing that was really unnecessary. I think the story would have been much more effective without it. 

Beauty and The Beast: The Beast’s Tale


Title: Beauty and The Beast: The Beast’s Tale
Author: Mallory Reaves
Genre: Graphic Novel, Manga
Publisher: Tokyopop
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

The Prince had everything he could ever want. But he was not kind. When a beggar woman came to the castle, he turned her away. She cursed him and his castle, turning him into a beast and his employees into furniture. They would stay like that until the final petal falls on his rose. Then, they would all be doomed. Everything changed when Belle came along. She went to the castle to rescue her father, who the Beast had imprisoned for trying to steal a rose. Belle took her father’s place and stayed at the castle. The furniture immediately fell in love with her. They knew that if anyone could save their Prince, it would be her. 

I loved this graphic novel. It gives a fresh perspective on the Beauty and the Beast tale, since it only focuses on the Beast. Though his story is told in the movie, this manga focuses only on his side, so it is unique. 

I liked the way that the Beast’s emotions were demonstrated through the art. When the Beast was angry, sharp lines were used for shading. A few times, the Beast’s frame took up two pages, making him seem huge and intimidating. 

One thing that bothered me while reading this book was the order of the text on the page. In a manga, it is supposed to be read from right to left. But sometimes this one read from left to right, if the text was higher on the left. This was confusing at first. 

This is a really great graphic novel. It goes along with Belle’s Tale. My review for Belle’s Tale can be found here. 

Sisters


Title: Sisters
Author: Raina Telgemeier 
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Middle Grade
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: August 26, 2014
Rating: ★★★★

Raina and Amara are sisters. They go on a road trip with their mom and younger brother, Will, from California to Colorado for a family reunion. There are flashbacks throughout the story of their relationship. When Raina was little she asked for a sister and then she got one. But she wasn’t the best friend she thought she would get. Amara cried and whined a lot, and she didn’t want to do the same things Raina liked. They also had to share a room. They had different opinions on pets, with Amara wanting a snake and Raina being terrified of them. When Raina gets her own room, Amara is finally given a snake for a pet. But it needs to be fed live mice which their mother doesn’t want to do. They take it back to the pet store but it slithers out of the bag and into the car, disappearing for a long time. In the end, Raina and Amara have to learn that though they don’t get along all the time, they have a special sister relationship. 

This is a really funny graphic novel. It’s the follow up to the book Smile, which is about Raina getting braces. This story also deals with think that kids experience, such as wanting a sibling and going on family road trips. Neither of these things turn out as planned either, since Raina and Amara don’t get along, and they don’t have a good time on the trip. 

Though I don’t have any sisters, I really enjoyed this book. It’s very funny, and has Raina Telgemeier’s familiar style. I hope she makes other follow up stories. 

The Jungle Book (Manga Classics)


Title: The Jungle Book
Author: Crystal S. Chan
Genre: Manga, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Release Date: April 28, 2017
Rating: ★★

The Jungle Book has 7 different stories in it. The first is “Mowgli’s Brothers,” which is about Mowgli, who grew up with wolves. The next is “Kaa’s Hunting,” and it is about how Mowgli used what he learned from Baloo and Bagheera to defeat the snake, Kaa. In “Tiger! Tiger!” Mowgli moves to a human village and he has to kill Shere Khan, the tiger, to prove his worth. The next 4 stories aren’t about Mowgli. “The White Seal” is about a unique white seal who looks for a safe island for the seals, away from human hunters. “Rikki-Tikki-Ravi” is about a mongoose who saves his human family repeatedly from cobras. “Toomai of the Elephants” is a boy who has a deep connection with elephants. “Her Majesty’s Servants” is about animals in a military camp who question why they fight with each other. 

I have never read the original Jungle Book, so I didn’t know what to expect from this graphic novel. I watched the Disney version when I was little, but I don’t remember all the details. 

I was confused when the story drifted away from Mowgli. I thought he would be more prominent in the story. The final four stories which were about different animals were a little disjointed. They didn’t relate to each other or the previous stories about Mowgli. 

The one common theme that I found throughout the stories was animals versus humans. In some of the stories the animals worked with humans and sometimes they were against them. It was an interesting relationship that changed over time. 

I was disappointed in this story. The pictures were good, but the stories just weren’t for me. 

The Truth About Stacey (Baby Sitters Club Graphic Novel #2)


Title: The Truth About Stacey (Baby Sitters Club Graphic Novel #2)
Author: Raina Telgemeier, Ann M. Martin
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Young Adult
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: June 30, 2015
Rating: ★★★★★

Stacey McGill has diabetes. she has to go to New York City for a lot of appointments. Her parents want her to go to a special doctor who they’ve seen on TV. But Stacey wants a second opinion. Meanwhile, the BSC has new competition, The Baby Sitters Agency. The Agency has older sitters who can stay out later, driving away some of the BSC’s clients. The girls have to come up with a clever way to save the BSC.

This story deals with the serious issue of Stacey’s diabetes. Though she was ashamed of it at first, the baby sitters accept her when they find out. They don’t think it’s a big deal, though Stacey was afraid they wouldn’t like her when they found out. Stacey also demonstrates her maturity and independence by taking her health into her own hands when she tells her parents she wants to see a different doctor from the one she picked out.

The babysitters have to be very creative when trying to save their club. They learn that the truth is the best policy, when they have to expose the secrets of the Baby Sitters Agency when a child is in danger.

This graphic novel is another great adaptation of the original Baby Sitters Club.

Beauty And The Beast: Belle’s Tale 

Title: Beauty and the Beast: Belle’s Tale
Author: Mallory Reaves
Genre: Manga, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Tokyopop
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Belle lives in the French town of Villeneuve with her father. Belle is considered an outsider to the other villagers because she is always reading and inventing things to make her life easier. When her father goes on a trip to the market, she asks him to bring back a rose. But when his horse returns without him, Belle knows he’s in trouble. The horse leads Belle to a castle where her father is being held prisoner by the Beast. Belle tricks her father into trading places with her so she will stay at the castle and her father can return to his home. The Beast lets Belle out of the cell, and gives her a bedroom, where she meets the personified household furniture. Belle soon learns that the Beast is just a misunderstood man who has been cursed to live as a beast.
Beauty and the Beast is my favourite Disney movie. I was so excited about the new movie and these manga adaptations

The pictures of the characters are very true to the new movie. Though the drawings of furniture are exactly like the movie, Belle still has a manga look to her. She has big eyes, but she looks like Emma Watson in the movie.

One thing that bothered me was the position of the dialogue in some frames. Since it’s a manga, it has to be read from right to left, but some frames had the order of the text going from left to right. This was a little confusing and it slowed down my reading.

There is also a sequel to this manga that tells the Beast’s side of the story!

Gotham Academy Volume 2: Calamity


Title: Gotham Academy Volume 2: Calamity
Author: Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: March 16, 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

The kids of Gotham Academy are back again. Maps is still joking around, creating rhymes about imaginary adventures that have yet to happen. Olive’s mother has just died. She goes to see a psychiatrist, Professor Strange. But she thinks she sees her mother. Her mother was the villain Calamity. Buildings are still being set on fire and Olive is certain that she sees her mother’s ghost. With the help of Colton, Pomeline, and Maps, Olive ventures into Arkham Asylum to find the truth about her mother. 

This volume was much more exciting than the first. The characters were introduced in the first graphic novel, so the new plot could begin right away in this one. This was also a very funny story. Maps added some comic relief too. 

I was glad that there was more of Arkham Asylum and Gotham City in this story. Batman’s son made an appearance as well as one of the Robins. Maps even dresses up as Robin, fulfilling her sidekick role. 

I really enjoyed this graphic novel, and I’m excited to read the next volume!

Smile


Title: Smile
Author: Raina Telgemeier
Genre: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: February 1, 2010
Rating: ★★★★★

Raina is going to get braces. They have to alter the plan when she falls and knocks one of her front teeth out and the other is slammed into her head. After getting those teeth fixed, she has a root canal. Then, she gets the braces but they don’t fix her front teeth. So her orthodontist decides to remove her front teeth completely and use the braces to bring her other teeth together to fill in the gap. All this happens, and she’s only 13-years-old. Raina also has to face bullying at school, that has to do with her unusual dental situation.

This is a true story about the author. I squirmed through a lot of the book. There were some graphic descriptions (and images) of her dental problems. I can’t imagine what this was like to go through, but now she has a beautiful smile and an incredible story to share!

This book would be great for kids who are getting braces or other serious dental work done. They probably aren’t having the same amount of extensive work that Raina had, so reading about someone who had a lot more dental problems could calm them down. Also it shows a character in a book who has braces, which isn’t demonstrated much in young adult graphic novels.