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 2 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 2 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 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 4, 2019 Johanna Other Publishers 3 comments

Moonbound: Apollo 11 and the Dream of Spaceflight

This substantial history makes for an impressive graphic novel. Moonbound: Apollo 11 and the Dream of Spaceflight by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm alternates chapters between the story of the Apollo 11 moon landing (in full color) and topics related to spaceflight (in monochrome). Those latter range greatly, involving a lot more than a technical memoir, including a survey of historical astronomers, a history of rocketry, astronaut training, designing the spacesuits, and the symbolism of the moon to various cultures. It’s well-drawn, straightforward […]

October 31, 2019 Johanna First Second, Graphix / Scholastic, IDW / Top Shelf, NBM / Papercutz, Oni Press / Lion Forge One comment

Ghosts: A Not-So-Scary Roundup

It’s that time of year, when we start thinking about ghosts and goblins and jack-o-lanterns and things that go bump in the night. There are plenty of comics and graphic novels with ghosts in them, but not all are scary. Here are some great reads that happen to have spirits in them. Archival Quality by Ivy Noelle Weir and Steenz, Oni Press After struggling with mental health issues, Celeste takes an archivist job at a creepy local museum. A ghost […]

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