This charming/frustrating graphic novel captures the key points of a relationship in twelve well-chosen scenes. (Each has a theme song listed to start, too, in case you want the full sensory experience.) Gwen’s a fascinating character, turning expectations on their head from the first chapter, the couple’s first date. She buys Evan flowers, which makes him grumpy and petulent. He doesn’t understand her meaning, but instead of asking about it, he jumps to his own conclusions. Their lack of communication […]

I’ve missed Tara Chace. Now I’m trying to catch up with her, but it’s like meeting an old friend who’s been away longer than I’ve realized, and an awful lot has happened to her in the meantime. When last I saw her, at the end of 2005’s Operation: Saddlebags, she had failed her first mission as Minder One and was crying, alone, in the shower, with a bottle of whiskey. Since then, there have been two novels that covered life-changing […]

I’d been looking forward to this latest volume in the series, but when I started reading it, I realized I was having a hard time telling the characters apart, since O’Malley’s minimalist blockhead style doesn’t give very many points of reference. So I reread the previous books: Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness That greatly improved my enjoyment, as well as aiding me in realizing the depth of the characters […]

An impressive comic by a talented new creator is just what you need when you’re feeling grumpy. All the better that it’s a true story about the contributions of animals to increasing human knowledge. It’s nice to be reminded of the bigger picture and how different types of beings can work together (whether or not by choice) to achieve great things. James Vining, former Coast Guard mate, has chosen the subject of the space race for his first solo comic. […]

I sought out this older graphic novel because I so much enjoy Ross Campbell‘s art (as seen in Wet Moon). It was a worthwhile quest. Writer Antony Johnston has often worked with crime, horror, and suspense, and in Spooked he blends the three in the story of artist Emily Spook. She’s a kind of medium, able to host and converse with spirits. It’s unsurprising to note that she considers this a curse more than a gift, but it’s the way […]

Nobody does romance as well as Jamie S. Rich, and Love the Way You Love, illustrated by Marc Ellerby, is no exception. Side A Tristan is the lead singer of Like a Dog, an up-and-coming band. He’s returning home when he sees the perfect girl at the airport. When she later appears at that night’s show, it must be fate, only she’s engaged to the record company honcho who’s come to see about signing the band. This establishes the conflict: […]

Cheat is the story of a woman who cheats on her husband. It has beautiful linework and realistic characters, but it doesn’t fulfill its promise. Although Christine Norrie does a wonderful job of showing us the circumstances that may lead to infidelity, the book was promoted with questions like “how will the betrayed spouses react?” (As seen on the back cover.) But the discovery and its effects are given short shrift here, leaving me feeling unfulfilled as a reader. The […]

In the third book in Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series, Scott’s band drama continues. His ex-girlfriend, Envy Adams, and her group are much more successful than he is, and she’s offered to let his band open for them. Unfortunately, Scott still has to fight his girlfriend Ramona’s evil ex-boyfriends, and one of them is a member of Envy’s band. O’Malley’s work has been criticized as “too emo” by those who don’t have an appreciation for young adult soap opera. […]