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Graphic Novel Review: The World According to Francois

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The World According to François by Vincent Zabus
The World According to François: The Writer’s Secret
by Vincent Zabus,  Renaud Collin (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Francois is a little boy with a big imagination. He is always writing down stories and telling them to his classmates and teachers, but the bullies in school make fun of his stories and his teachers are exasperated with him. He meets a mysterious woman who tells him that he has a magical power over letters of the alphabet and can command any book to do his bidding. An evil man has seized control of the letters, and only Francois can restore balance to the secret world of authors.

I loved Francois’ character! He has a good heart and enjoys using his intelligence to fantasize about other worlds and magical creations.

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Comic Review: Super Sons 1 & 2

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Super Sons by Ridley PearsonSuper Sons by Ridley Pearson
Super Sons: The Polarshield Project
by Ridley Pearson, Ile Gonzalez(Illustrator)
3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Jon Kent and Ian Wayne are the sons of Superman and Batman. They team up with a mysterious girl named Candace, with a troubled past, and the unlikely friends investigate an evil plot involving a deadly illness sweeping the streets. Meanwhile, the world is drowning as the polar icecaps melt and sea levels rise. Metropolis is flooded, and millions are forced to evacuate their homes and find shelter as “flood runners” in nearby towns, Jon and Ian included. Can they outrun the floods and find out who is behind the deadly virus?

I feel conflicted about this book. The characters are good, and I loved the artwork, but the story is hard to follow, because the plot is very chaotic. The scenes jump around with very little explanation about what is happening. The characters have extreme emotional reactions to situations, but it is never explained WHY they are reacting that way. There is almost no backstory on anyone. Continue reading →

Graphic Novel Review: Diana, Princess of the Amazons

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Diana, Princess Of The Amazons by Shannon Hale
Diana, Princess Of The Amazons
by Shannon Hale , Dean Hale,(Authors) Victoria Ying  (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

 

Diana is too young to join in the activities of the other Amazons, and she has no companions her own age. She tries to fashion a friend for herself out of clay and sand, attempting to perform magic to breathe life into the figure, but her longing for a friend may plunge the entire island into chaos.

I loved this graphic novel! The artwork is colorful and vibrant, showing the clear action and the emotional responses of the characters. It really brings the story to life and creates an energetic mood.

The plot is excellent, with many moving parts that propel the story forward. Each scene is interesting and full of excitement and mystery.

I loved Diana’s young character! You can really feel the struggle she is working through as she tries to figure out who she is and what her place is among the Amazons. She has such a strong personality, and her courage begins to blossom even while she is fighting for her own self-worth. Her emotional reactions as she interacts with other characters are powerful and pull the reader into her shoes. Continue reading →

Graphic Novel Review: Super Hero Girls at Metropolis High

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DC Super Hero Girls by Amy Wolfram
DC Super Hero Girls: At Metropolis High
by Amy Wolfram,  Yancey Labat (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Supergirl, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Bumblebee, and Zatanna are all required to join a school club to show their school spirit. They can barely find time to attend classes between superhero crime-fighting, so how will they find time to join club activities? They find out that it’s harder than it seems to stay in a club without getting kicked out by their frustrated classmates. If they want to find a club where they can fit in and learn something new, they will have to change their thinking, especially when they are used to feeling capable and super at everything.

I enjoyed this graphic novel so much! The character development is wonderful, and I liked how the various plot lines wove around and finally resolved together. The super girls join clubs where they are either TOO good at the activity, risking revealing their powers, or they join a club where they are really terrible at the activity, and they feel stupid and incompetent.

The best part about this story is the adorable friendships between all the super girls! They are all so different, with different powers, abilities, personalities, and interests, but they love and support each other through everything, and not just in their crime-fighting missions. They really come together to inspire and encourage one another, and I loved the caring dynamic they shared. Continue reading →

Graphic Novel Review: Black Canary Ignite

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Black Canary by Meg Cabot
Black Canary: Ignite
by Meg Cabot (Author), Cara McGee (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Dinah has goals: sing and play guitar with her two best friends and win her school’s Battle of the Bands, join the Junior Police Academy and learn to solve crimes, and basically save the world. When things start to mysteriously crack and break whenever Dinah is around, her friends think she must be telekinetic, but Dinah doesn’t feel like she has superpowers. As she struggles to understand what is happening, Dinah turns to her parents, a florist and a cop, to make sense of her heritage and decide her future.

I LOVED this graphic novel!!! Everything about this book is amazing! The artwork, the characters, the plot, the dialogue, the action; it all comes together so perfectly to grab the reader’s attention and tell an engaging story. Continue reading →

Comic Review: Snug Harbor Stories

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Snug Harbor Stories by Will Henry
Snug Harbor Stories: A Wallace the Brave Collection! 
by Will Henry

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


I can’t get enough of Wallace and his friends! Once again, I wish I could give this comic 10 stars!

Wallace, Amelia, and Spud are off on another set of minor adventures in the woods and creeks around Snug Harbor. They spend their days hunting the Sasquatch, tracking a prehistoric turtle named Gramps, playing basketball, making blanket forts, eating pancakes in the shape of a top hat, and ducking out of their schoolwork.

I love how imaginative Wallace is! He can take the smallest bit of nothing and turn it into a wild adventure, dragging his friends along with him.
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Graphic Novel Review: Dear Justice League

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Dear Justice League by Michael Northrop
Dear Justice League 
by Michael Northrop (Author), Gustavo Duarte (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Are the Justice League heroes always perfect? Or do they sometimes make mistakes, eat too much cake, smell like fish, make bad fashion choices, lose the video game, or leave a job half-done?
The Flash, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Hawkgirl, Cyborg, and Aquaman answer all their fan mail from kids who wonder, “Are superheroes just like me?”

I loved the way the hilarious fan mail stories are woven into a bigger story as the Justice League battles an invasion of insectoid aliens. The writing is really clever to bring together so many different snippets of superhero life with little glimpses of the regular kids who are their most devoted fans. Continue reading →

Comic Review: The Escape Manual for Introverts

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The Escape Manual for Introverts by Katie Vaz
The Escape Manual for Introverts 
by Katie Vaz (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


This graphic novel explores the different ways an introvert can escape social scenarios or minimize awkward social contact. Escape on a jet pack! Hire a kidnapper to get you away! Pretend you don’t speak English.

Some of the suggestions are funny, but some are actually do-able. Some of the ideas would only last for a short time, and some are the perfect exit strategies.

If you are wondering how to escape an office party, how to get out of another dinner with your talkative aunt, or how to avoid eye contact with an acquaintance you barely know, this book will give you tips on excuses, disguises, small talk, and cover stories to get you out of any situation. Continue reading →