Science Comics: Rockets: Defying Gravity

April 20, 2018 Johanna Comic News Leave a comment

Upcoming Science Comics (Revised With New Covers)

A little less than a year ago, I wrote about the plans for upcoming releases in First Second’s outstanding line of Science Comics. Looks like some of the dates have changed, so I thought I’d update the list. Released Plagues: The Microscopic Battlefield by Falynn Koch (August 2017) Dogs: From Predator to Protector by Andy Hirsch (October 2017) Robots and Drones: Past, Present, and Future by Mairghread Scott and Jacob Chabot (March 2018) Sharks: Nature’s Perfect Hunter by Joe Flood […]

April 19, 2018 Johanna First Second One comment

Science Comics: Sharks: Nature’s Perfect Hunter

The latest in the outstanding line of Science Comics, non-fiction graphic novels for kids about technology and our natural world, is Joe Flood’s Sharks: Nature’s Perfect Hunter. Unlike other animal books in the line, such as Dogs or Bats, this volume doesn’t have a bridging story or a cute narrator example of the species. That wouldn’t be appropriate for the subject. Instead, this is a straightforward presentation of the various types of sharks, their biology (including their jaws, of course), […]

April 17, 2018 Johanna Comic News Leave a comment

Good Books for June 2018: The New Previews Debuts

Diamond Distributors decided to make some (long overdue) changes to their massive monthly Previews catalog, and the latest edition reflects their decisions. (For those who don’t know, Previews was created for comic shops to order their merchandise two months (or more) in advance. However, because the comic market is so fragmented, readers who want access to the smaller press, more diverse, more interesting items are often told they have to preorder in order to get what they want. So it […]

April 17, 2018 Johanna First Second Leave a comment

Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths

Graham Annable’s distinctive, googly-eyed style is a wonderful match for this odd, adorable fable about two friends, Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths. Ernesto wants to leave their comfortable tree home to “see ALL of the sky!” while Peter enjoys staying put, looking at clouds and enjoying hibiscus. He’s content, as a sloth usually is, but Ernesto likes travel. Peter fears the dangers, but Ernesto vows to return from his adventure. It’s great seeing two such good friends […]

Phoebe and Her Unicorn in the Magic Storm

April 15, 2018 Johanna Other Leave a comment

Catching Up With Phoebe and Her Unicorn

It’s much too easy to take good entertainment in a continuing series for granted. I talked about how much I liked the first two books, Phoebe and Her Unicorn and Unicorn on a Roll, and then it seems like I blinked and there were five more. But it’s been four years now that these volumes have been collecting the charming comic strip about an imaginative little girl and her magical friend. Here’s the catch-up run-down, all of which are recommended […]

April 14, 2018 Johanna Kodansha Manga Reviews Leave a comment

Sweetness & Lightning Volume 8

The girls are growing up in Sweetness & Lightning volume 8. Kotori has to start thinking about what she’ll do after school, while Tsumugi has begun elementary school. Tsumugi has well learned the pleasure of sharing food with others, but when she tries to share her school lunch, her motivations are misunderstood. That’s ok, because she and her father and Kotori can make their own version at home. More serious is how Kotori has learned that some people don’t want […]

April 14, 2018 Johanna Kodansha Manga Reviews Leave a comment

Kiss Him, Not Me Volume 13

As I mentioned in my review of the previous volume, Kae is now dating. However, this installment gets back to wacky fan behavior, as she keeps forgetting about her boyfriend when offered cool events to go to featuring her favorite anime. That’s a challenge many people have, learning how to consider another person’s feelings when entering into a relationship. The older we get, the more difficult it becomes to change established patterns of behavior, particularly when it comes to hobbies. […]

April 13, 2018 Johanna Oni Press Leave a comment

Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom

Out later this month is Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom, a terrific concept that unfortunately disappoints in the execution. This camp-based murder mystery is the debut graphic novel of co-writers Terry Blas and Molly Muldoon as well as artist Matthew Seely. Seely has an animation background, which shows in the expressive and slightly exaggerated character design. It felt like I was watching a cartoon, in both good — clear emotion, colorful settings, outsized facial features — and bad ways […]

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