November 30, 2019 Johanna Boom! Studios / Archaia Leave a comment

Ghosted in L.A.

I enjoyed reading Ghosted in L.A. for two reasons: sympathy with the rather haphazard heroine Daphne and curiosity about the supporting cast members. It’s written by Sina Grace and illustrated by Siobhan Keenan. Daphne has followed her boyfriend to college, moving from Montana to Los Angeles, only to be dumped during their first week there. She doesn’t know anyone besides her former best friend (who tried to warn her away from him) and her chilly roommate. She stumbles into the […]

November 30, 2019 Johanna Dark Horse 3 comments

Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter

After embarrassing herself on camera as a reporter because of her drinking, the only job Jerri can get at the family TV station is as midnight movie host. The position is open because the previous Count Crowley has gone missing, and a desperate man wants the host’s help with his lycanthropy in Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter. Her sarcastic vamping is a hit, which illustrates one of the comic’s strengths. As written by David Dastmalchian, the dialogue is punchy […]

November 30, 2019 Johanna First Second Leave a comment

Bloom

Bloom is a quiet romance/coming-of-age story written by Kevin Panetta with artwork by Savanna Ganucheau. It uses a leisurely pace to tell a familiar tale, made distinctive by the bakery setting and activity of bread making. Ari works in the family bakery located in a coastal town. He wants to move to a bigger city with his band of friends, but his father needs his help to keep the struggling business going. Then Hector comes to town to clean out […]

November 29, 2019 Johanna DC / Vertigo One comment

Super Sons: The PolarShield Project

Super Sons: The PolarShield Project, the first of the DC Zoom titles, written by Ridley Pearson and illustrated by Ile Gonzalez, launched the publisher’s middle-grade readers imprint. It’s a shame that it gives such a poor showing. The book is a muddled mess that won’t appeal to either audience, those who know the characters or those who don’t but are interested in second-generation heroes, because much of the appeal of the concept is ignored or run away from. The author’s […]

November 29, 2019 Johanna Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 3 comments

Click

Olive has a wide variety of friends — some from class, some on the bus, some in the neighborhood. When it’s time for the school variety show, though, she feels left out, because all her friends have formed their own little groups and acts. In Click, Kayla Miller shows us a different portrait of what friendship can be in a simple, direct manner. The colorful pages reflect the various interests and attitudes of the many kids, whether cheerleading, karate, music, […]

November 26, 2019 KC Books About Comics One comment

Batman: 100 Greatest Moments: Highlights from the History of the Dark Knight

Review by KC Carlson Published to tie into Batman’s 80th anniversary, this 304-page hardcover from Chartwell Books, written by Robert Greenberger, possibly has more facts in it than the Bat-Computer! Plus, Batman: 100 Greatest Moments: Highlights from the History of the Dark Knight contains much detail on creators, publications, and various Robins (not all dead), as well as a bit of behind-the scenes history to add to your Bat-Enjoyment! Holy cape and cowl! The first great Batman Moment is pretty […]

November 25, 2019 Johanna Graphix / Scholastic Leave a comment

Owly: The Way Home (in Color)

I’ve adored Andy Runton’s Owly since I saw it over a decade ago. The first book, The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer, was originally published in 2004, fifteen years ago. It was unique for being wordless and adorable, far from the then-usual material for an indy comic company and creator. The comic business has come a long way since then. There are many more markets, including the ever-growing kids’ comics audience, and a lot more options for publishing. So […]

November 24, 2019 Johanna Comic News Leave a comment

Heavy Vinyl Returns in Graphic Novel Y2K-O!

Heavy Vinyl continues the trend of realizing comics for younger readers are better as graphic novels. The first miniseries (which was titled Hi-Fi Fight Club for its first issue) was collected last year as Heavy Vinyl: Riot on the Radio. It’s written by Carly Usdin and illustrated by Nina Vakueva. In it, Chris has just started her dream job at the local record store, only to discover that her co-workers fight for justice. Now the sequel, Heavy Vinyl: Y2K-O!, by […]

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