A fantastical series-starter with sumptuous art, delightful dialogue, and lovable characters.
A heroic mushroom works tirelessly to maintain balance in his magical hidden world in Bly’s graphic novel.
Outside the veil of human perception is a magical world, Glöd, created by the Gödels, a mysterious, ancient group. When the Candle Fly, an important crystal with life-altering magic, is stolen from the small village of Pertwee, Gowlitrot the Gardener is sent to find it and bring it back. His friend, Ranger Erdagaude, is the presumed culprit, so, in addition to the Candle Fly, Gowlitrot seeks answers about his friend’s apparent betrayal. But when he does find her, he is only left with more questions. The worldbuilding is gradual; Bly weaves details about the setting into the narrative using flashbacks and alternating point-of-view characters. The inhabitants of Pertwee are a diverse menagerie of fairy-like creatures, ranging from rodentlike Grekin to the goblin-inspired Chief. Gowlitrot self-identifies as a Tridipidean, “a species of sentient bipedal basidiomyc-…er, well, mushroom.” Gowlitrot is a Ranger; he explains there are two other types of his species: Magi, who are unseen in this volume, and Knights, to whom readers are introduced in the imposing figure of Primrod. Rendered in vivid, colorful detail in Bly’s illustrations, the creatures of Glöd are a combination of creepy and cute, in the manner of Tim Burton characters. Their diction matches their adorable/weird designs; absurd phrases, like “I can see your Filbert,” “you’ve made me squirt out a cuss,” and “mind yer clompers, ya goose!” dominate the dialogue, endearing the populace to the reader. Much of the story is told from Gowlitrot’s perspective, but others’ perceptions of him complicate the character in compelling ways (the aforementioned Grekin seems to idolize Gowlitrot while side character Mr. Perchant considers him a fascist). Though it lacks a satisfying resolution, this series-starter hooks the reader sufficiently to return for further installments of the whimsical fantasy story.
A fantastical series-starter with sumptuous art, delightful dialogue, and lovable characters.Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781960578792
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth.
Superman confronts racism and learns to accept himself with the help of new friends.
In this graphic-novel adaptation of the 1940s storyline entitled “The Clan of the Fiery Cross” from The Adventures of Superman radio show, readers are reintroduced to the hero who regularly saves the day but is unsure of himself and his origins. The story also focuses on Roberta Lee, a young Chinese girl. She and her family have just moved from Chinatown to Metropolis proper, and mixed feelings abound. Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane’s colleague from the Daily Planet, takes a larger role here, befriending his new neighbors, the Lees. An altercation following racial slurs directed at Roberta’s brother after he joins the local baseball team escalates into an act of terrorism by the Klan of the Fiery Kross. What starts off as a run-of-the-mill superhero story then becomes a nuanced and personal exploration of the immigrant experience and blatant and internalized racism. Other main characters are White, but Black police inspector William Henderson fights his own battles against prejudice. Clean lines, less-saturated coloring, and character designs reminiscent of vintage comics help set the tone of this period piece while the varied panel cuts and action scenes give it a more modern sensibility. Cantonese dialogue is indicated through red speech bubbles; alien speech is in green.
A clever and timely conversation on reclaiming identity and acknowledging one’s full worth. (author’s note, bibliography) (Graphic fiction. 13-adult)Pub Date: May 12, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77950-421-0
Page Count: 240
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Feb. 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Even so, this remains Macbeth, arguably the Bard of Avon’s most durable and multilayered tragedy, and overall, this enhanced...
A pairing of the text of the Scottish Play with a filmed performance, designed with the Shakespeare novice in mind.
The left side of the screen of this enhanced e-book contains a full version of Macbeth, while the right side includes a performance of the dialogue shown (approximately 20 lines’ worth per page). This granular focus allows newcomers to experience the nuances of the play, which is rich in irony, hidden intentions and sudden shifts in emotional temperature. The set and costuming are deliberately simple: The background is white, and Macbeth’s “armor” is a leather jacket. But nobody’s dumbing down their performances. Francesca Faridany is particularly good as a tightly coiled Lady Macbeth; Raphael Nash-Thompson gives his roles as the drunken porter and a witch a garrulousness that carries an entertainingly sinister edge. The presentation is not without its hiccups. Matching the video on the right with the text on the left means routinely cutting off dramatic moments; at one point, users have to swipe to see and read the second half of a scene’s closing couplet—presumably an easy fix. A “tap to translate” button on each page puts the text into plain English, but the pop-up text covers up Shakespeare’s original, denying any attempts at comparison; moreover, the translation mainly redefines more obscure words, suggesting that smaller pop-ups for individual terms might be more meaningful.
Even so, this remains Macbeth, arguably the Bard of Avon’s most durable and multilayered tragedy, and overall, this enhanced e-book makes the play appealing and graspable to students . (Enhanced e-book. 12 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2013
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: The New Book Press LLC
Review Posted Online: Nov. 6, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2013
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
