Series: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Last Airbender Chibis Writer: Kelly Leigh Miller Artist: Diana Sim Publisher: Dark Horse Books Released: December 7, 2021
Oh, my goodness. Did you know there’s a chibi version of Avatar: The Last Airbender? Because I certainly didn’t! Where has this been all of my life?! Let’s dive into Avatar: The Last Airbender Chibis Vol. 1: Aang’s Unfreezing Day.
As you might have guessed, Aang’s Unfreezing Day is as cute and charming as one might have hoped. It revolves around our favorite Airbender and a surprise his friends are desperately trying to keep from him. Easier said than done. We all know how nosy Aang can get.
Honestly, this break from the normal storytelling style was refreshing and fun. Yes, it fits into an odd place in the continuity, but that’s okay! It lets us celebrate the characters and their relationships. No need to dig deeper.
I’m just going to say it: I would die for chibi Appa. That is all.
Author/Artist: Emily McGovern Publisher: Dark Horse Books Released: July 26, 2022 Received: Own
I’ve been a fan of Emily McGovern for quite some time now. I first found her work through My Life As A Background Slytherin, but I really fell in love with Bloodlust & Bonnets (seriously, if you haven’t read this, go do it now!). So, naturally, I was pretty invested in getting my hands on Twelve Percent Dread, her latest graphic novel.
And let me tell you, Twelve Percent Dread is a BEAST. It’s 416 pages, but thanks to the printing format, it feels like more. Anyway, this graphic novel is perfect for anyone who has gotten fed up with phones and technology. Have you ever wanted to scream at somebody for being on their phone too much? Well, get ready for more of that!
Three friends – all with very different lives, and all equally addicted to their phones (and all other forms of technology). Katie is bouncing from job to job, trying to find her place in the world. She’s dealing with the constant fear of missing out on life – of wasting it all. So naturally, she’s pretty hooked on social media and productivity apps.
Nasim (aka Nas) has other things on their mind. Like whether or not they’re going to get deported. Or when they’re finally going to sit down and begin the big art project, they keep talking about. Meanwhile, Emma is working for a soulless corporation, trying to plan a wedding, and dealing with all the ensuing drama.
Writing
Okay, so there are several reasons why I wanted to pick up Twelve Percent Dread. First, I love Emily McGovern’s writing. Her characters are always witty, sarcastic, and funny. In short, they have my favorite sense of humor. Second, Twelve Percent Dread was promised to be a “fast-paced, laugh-a-page graphic novel” – I don’t need to explain why that was tempting! And finally, I liked the core concept of the story.
Overall, I found Twelve Percent Dread to be an interesting read – though perhaps not quite the “laugh-a-page” I was promised. In truth, there were plenty of dried pages, particularly during the setup phase of the plot. It takes a while to get into the swing of things. It takes a touch longer to appreciate the characters and their style of wit.
On the bright side, everything goes quickly once things begin kicking off. At that point, it feels like something is happening in every panel, and a lot of that is either intriguing, dramatic, or humorous.
Twelve Percent Dread isn’t afraid to dance around the ridiculous edge regarding the potential of technology. That’s the whole premise – discussing how technology has taken over our lives. The satire is real, and it isn’t always subtle. But it sure can get funny.
My one complaint about the second half of this graphic novel is that it just seems to…end. One moment we’re dealing with the climatic moments of the plot, and the next moment everything is over. There’s minimal wrap-up, and that leaves several questions unanswered. I suspect that this was intentional, but I wouldn’t have minded a little more clarity here and there.
Artwork
As always, I adore Emily McGovern’s art style, so I expected to like Twelve Percent Dread. And I did! I like some of the choices she made and the risks she took when it came to page layout and design.
It made for a different reading experience, though I think it paid off. Each page tended to be full of smaller and tighter panels, giving a broader view of events. At times this made it a little challenging to read the text, as everything is just a tad small. So if you have eyesight problems, include planned breaks while reading, or else you’ll risk some eyestrain.
The character designs were by far my favorite part of Twelve Percent Dread. Even with a more simplistic art style, it is delightfully easy to tell each character apart, even in a distant profile shot. (For those curious, Nasim is my favorite).
Conclusion
Overall I would have to say that I enjoyed Twelve Percent Dread. It wasn’t quite the smash-hit I was hoping for, but I’m still going to happily display it on my bookshelf, so that should tell you something. It’s a worthwhile read, especially if you’re hoping for a conversation starter.
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Rafael Scavone
Artist: Rafael Albuquerque
Colorist: Marcelo Costa
Letterer: Bernardo Brice
Released: February 26th, 2020
Rating:
Hidden Society #1 is the start of a new series from Dark Horse Comics. This is a series, unsurprisingly, about a Hidden Society. Or rather, the Hidden Society. In a world where magic is real, only so many are willing to do what it takes to stop corruption.
Hidden Society is a series that merges many genres, including action and adventure, crime, and fantasy. That makes for a unique read, one that will be as unpredictable as it is entertaining. At the helm of this project, you’ll find Rafael Scavone (writer), Rafael Albuquerque (artist), Marcelo Costa (colorist), and Bernardo Brice (letterer).
The Plot
Hidden Society #1 is already making the unique and fascinating qualities of this series quite clear. There are several…interesting…characters that have to be brought together in order to form (or reform) the Hidden Society. And that requires us to get to know a large number of them all at once.
That being said, I actually loved the way each and every character has been introduced so far. They all are utterly different from one another, and thus their origin stories (so to speak) are all dramatically different. It made for a quick-paced introduction.
As for the core of the plot? That has only been hinted at thus far. It’s clear that there’s something much more dangerous lurking behind what is visible. It’s almost a feeling, though the darker elements of each character’s backstory help to imply it as well. It will be interesting to see that all openly discussed, perhaps in the next issue?
I’m actually really enjoying the combination of themes and elements here. It feels like it’s something I’ve been looking for, as the crime elements allow for a much darker and grittier fantasy series.
The Art
The artwork behind Hidden Society #1 is dramatic and bold – exactly what this plot needed, and what I was hoping for. There’s a lot to love about this series, from the character designs to the settings.
Let’s talk about those characters, and their introductions for a moment, shall we? Each character had their own dramatic intro, with one exception. There is one pair introduced at the same time, but it made thematic sense.
Each introduction seemed to have its own color palette. Or rather, a dominant color that could be spotted throughout. It was a really nice touch. It not only emphasized the different backgrounds here but set the tone for each character.
In Conclusion
Hidden Society #1 is a fascinating start to a series, as well as being an engrossing one. I honestly can’t wait to see more of these characters interacting – and more of the threat they’re about to face.
Quirky Cats Comics 