Independent Opinions, News, and Reviews of Graphic Novels, Manga, and Comic Books
Doughnuts and Doom is one of those modern fantasies for which I’m still looking for a good genre name. You know the kind… Young people work in a coffee shop — but they’re werewolves! Or they work at a call center — but they’re also on a fantasy quest! Or they’re looking to find a purpose in life now that they’re out of school — but they’re also witches! Or they throw a college party — but they’re fairies! It’s […]
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Haley loves gothic romance. She only wants to read stories such as Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. In The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor, after she rescues a man from the river on a dark and rainy night, she finds herself in the storybook setting she’s always dreamed of. This graphic novel is written by Shaenon K. Garrity and illustrated by Christopher Baldwin. (I don’t personally care for those types of stories at all, but I could identify with Haley’s […]
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All My Friends concludes Hope Larson’s Eagle Rock trilogy that began in All Summer Long and continued in All Together Now. Bina has formed a band with two new friends, and they’re about to play a show as an opening act. It leads to a big break, but the question of how to handle “being discovered” sensibly is a difficult one for a 14-year-old and her parents. Also, she and former best friend Austin are still figuring things out. As […]
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Salt Magic is the kind of book that makes you glad to read comics. It blends fantasy and history and authentic characters and fairy tale happenings into a story of growing up and protecting those you love. Writer Hope Larson is no stranger to magical fables. I’m fond of what I think is her earliest published graphic novel, Salamander Dream, which had a dream-like quality to it. Her Mercury, a historical fantasy, is even more similar. Artist Rebecca Mock previously […]
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For a comic strip on its fourteenth volume (as this one is), it’s amazing to me how good Unicorn Playlist still is. Settling down with a new Phoebe and Her Unicorn book means a satisfying read. The familiar characters — unusual young woman Phoebe, her magical best friend Marigold the unicorn, her frenemy Dakota, and her goblin minions — have challenges, but they make it through with humor and good will as illustrated by Dana Simpson. This particular volume felt […]
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This charming graphic novel aims to present “the original Sherlock Holmes story reimagined for a modern audience,” and it succeeds wonderfully. Mr Doyle’s Class Presents A Study in Scarlet is adapted by Matthew Hardy, illustrated by Russell Mark Olson, and published by the Portsmouth City Council, who also maintains the Richard Lancelyn Green collection. The goal is to introduce the novel, originally written in Portsmouth, to readers of all ages. A group of present-day schoolchildren are learning about A Study […]
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I can’t claim to have read all the pandemic-era time capsule comics, but my favorite is Love and Capes in the Time of Covid, because I think, looking back, a sense of humor really helps. I’ve enjoyed the superhero rom-com approach of Love and Capes for a long time. This latest one-shot collects the webcomics Thom Zahler put out on Patreon. Having his superhero characters face the challenges of something you can’t punch into submission is an ideal choice for […]
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I adore Dinosaur Therapy. This small, square hardcover collects webcomics from Dinos and Comics, written by James Stewart and illustrated by K Romey. They’re simple but refreshingly blunt. In three- or four-panel comics, simply styled dinosaurs — they look like they’re loosely molded out of play-doh — talk honestly about the difficulties of life. A similarly frank introduction by the writer explains that he began creating these webcomics as a reaction to an ADHD diagnosis and a desire to “find […]
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